Excellent place. Excellent food. Excellent atmosphere. Excellent service. Would definitely come here again anytime I'm in the area. Friendly patrons as well! Pretty place located in quaint downtown Crystal Lake. Great selection on the menu. Not your typical pancake house fare. But you can get the simple as well. Lunch items are just as yummy as the breakfast and brunch menu. read more

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We really enjoyed our late Sunday Breakfast at this colorful spot located in the heart of downtown Crystal Lake. I really appreciate that a bottle of cold water was left at the table. allowing us to fill our glasses at will, it was very nice and cold as well. The Bloody Mary was very good and it is always nice to have a little water along with a nice Bloody. The presentation of my Breakfast Strata was intriguing, a wonderful concoction in an amazing package. My friend's Benedict selection looked wonderful too. A happy experience, our waitress was great. read more

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It's all excellent and I have nothing to add that would improve quality and service. Would love to see a menu option that's compliant for the nutritarian lifestyle read more

This is a very popular place in downtown Crystal Lake. They have great food and very nice employees. It has a outdoor patio that is really nice read more

Super adorable place with great food. Not the best eggs Benedict I've ever had but it's up there. Also had their apple cider. It was delicious! I was seated right away on a Saturday morning which was a huge plus. My waitress, Rachel, was super nice and very prompt. I picked this place on a whim being from out of town and I was very pleased with the overall experience. So much so that I forgot to take any photos. Id recommend checking it out! read more

Benedict's La Strata - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Cute place, good food, great service, good mimosas, nice brunch spot. Would definitely recommend giving them a try if you're in the neighborhood read more

Such a phenomenal hot spot in the heart of downtown Crystal lake! Our team loves their delicious food (and drinks) you can not go wrong when you choose Benedict's!! read more

Sad to have to give this review as this used be one of our favorite go to lunch spots. Even takeout was always reliable and delicious. We have been very disappointed with the food lately. We ordered our favorite Benedict's chopped salad for takeout to discover several things missing/changed from what is on the menu. No blue cheese or sugared pecans (the things that really make this salad) and the dressing was Italian rather than usual balsamic. Definitely not the salad we were looking forward to enjoying. This is not a one off as we have friends that have also experienced similar disappointments. Please bring back the old quality that we could count on! read more

First off, always love the coffee! Given your own pot for the table even better!! Breakfast this morning, one Brie Apple Bacon omelette and one Moroccan omelette (goat cheese, dates, bacon) and two happy customers with great service from Bonnie! Beignets are great, apple preferred. Love the lunch options too... read more

Great local place for brunch. Love the California Melt and California Wrap. They even have dog friendly outdoor seating in the summer!

Two of my friends and I ordered online and all 3 orders had different wait times. We all wanted to eat at the same time so we called and asked if they could all be prepared at the latest time so they could be ready together. We were fine with the longest wait time but the hostess told us to just come in 20 minutes. We came, food wasn't ready, she said it would be in 10 minutes, never was, fast forward to us waiting an hour past our expected times. Breakfast burrito was okay, the crepes had 0 flavor and were cold. 0/10 would not recommend. Thanks hostess LOL she was so mean read more

Solid place. The menu is huge and the place is always busy. Have been going her for lunch for years and have never had a bad meal.

The food was not bad the pricing is a little crazy manual states one thing they charging you something else I complained and the manager admitted that it was overcharging for a meal. When I Said the menu states that when you buy the eggs in choice of meat and toast and potatoes it says with corn beef the price goes to $10 he didn't agree with me but I try to explain them and then it says with Which means you get everything above plus the corn beef hash for 10 luck. Me and my wife go all the time this will be the last time I go because I don't know how long they've been overcharging us for the manager admitted that they were overcharging. He'll just have to get this fixed. Very disappointing. read more

Love Benedict's La strata, it never disappoints! Went there with four old friends and Saturday a table outside under the breezeway. Very pleasant, they were all from out of town and love the place also. Before them had breakfast, while I had lunch. The menu is huge and diversified. Something to please everyone! And they even made flavored iced tea for us! read more

This place is usually good. We went on Sunday (not busy when we were there). We were sat at 10:45. We waited 15 minutes for the server to come to the table, but no one came. Finally, another server asked if we had been helped, then went to get our actual server. By the time the server arrived it was 11:02. We ordered beignets, but someone from the kitchen came out right away to tell our server they stopped making those at 11:00. Our server said she would go to talk to the chef, but came out a few minutes later and said they wouldn't make them because it was past 11:00. I understand restaurants have time tables, but we waited for a while for our table, and two minutes doesn't seem like enough elapsed time to refuse to make an order for a customer. There are PLENTY of other restaurants in the Crystal Lake area. This restaurant would do well to be a little more accommodating to customers, or perhaps have staff come to tables more promptly to avoid disappointing patrons. Either way, it wasn't a good experience and the food wasn't that great either. Plenty of room for improvement. read more

Delicious food, great service , thank you!!! Nice and quiet place !!!!...........thanks again

My new favorite breakfast place. I've avoided this place for a long time because I thought it was going to be a fancy, pretentious place on the square. I was pleasantly surprised to find a clean, casual atmosphere inside. Welcoming and homey. Our waitress was great, coffee was good, and food was delicious and well priced. We started with some warm, freshly made beignets. Get these. Yum. Leaving with a piece of mint dark chocolate was a nice touch to the end of our visit. The Red Rooster Hash is deLICIOUS. Will be back again. Thanks for a great establishment! read more

I always enjoy my food and the waitress are always friendly and accommodating. The bathrooms aren't always very clean, and they could use a renovation. Outside area is nice, a little cramped but not too bad. read more

Stopped here for brunch while nearby for business - I wish I lived closer because I'd have to come here a dozen times to try everything that looks good on the menu. The menu is huge - ten different omelettes, ten different benedicts, plus stratas, fritattas, quiches, skillets, crepes, waffles, french toast, and pancakes. And if that's not enough, they have salads and sandwiches too. I got the corn & brie frittata with avocado salsa (on the specials menu), my husband got the breakfast tacos. The frittata was an amazing flavor combo, and really unique. I love brie, and the combo of brie, roasted corn, and avocado was perfect. The frittata came with oven roasted potatoes and a huge piece of freshly baked toast. The breakfast tacos were just what they sound like, tortillas stuffed full of eggs, cheese, and veggies. Only disappointment is that they were out of blue corn tortillas, but the food was so good he didn't notice until he was halfway through the dish. If I'm ever anywhere near Crystal Lake again, I'm coming back here to eat. read more

Benedict's La Strata - Corn and Brie Frittata. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

We thought Benedict's was just OK. Not too impressed with what we had. Service was great. Coffee was good, and they left a little pot on the table which was great, but the coffee mugs looked a bit old and banged up, chipped. I had the classic egg's Benedict. Egg's were cooked perfect and Hollandaise sauce was ok, but the english muffins were a bit over toasted and seemed on the small side. I had to kind of "saw" through them. The cubed style potatoes were a mix of some cooked ok, and some so hard that I warned my wife "careful, don't break a tooth". They were also room temperature and just didn't seem very fresh. My wife had the artichoke, spinach, goat cheese frittata which was just average/ok. The thick cut marble rye toast was excellent, probably the high point of our meal. Atmosphere of the restaurant was nice, as was the staff. For a $30 breakfast (with tip) though, it just didn't seem worth it. read more

My wife and are were excited to visit this place after seeing the great reviews online. First off no problems with the service, friendly and helpful. Second the place was beautiful and we loved the outdoor seating. But unfortunately we were disappointed by the food. I started getting scared when I saw their enormous menu, that many choices means there is either a very full kitchen or lots of short cuts. We split the sweet potato hash and the pot roast skillet, both were disappointing. The pot roast was mostly fat and there was way to much cheese and not enough everything else. And the sweet potato hash tasted like a premade frozen item. Sadness :( read more

Benedict's La Strata - I think this was the pot roast skillet, it was a giant pile of cheese and not so great pot roast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

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The crab cakes Benedict was awesome! I'd have it again. And again. And again... Also, excellent coffee and terrific service. All around great experience. read more

Benedict's La Strata - The plain beignet. Delicious! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

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I think this is a very solid breakfast/lunch restaurant with a very friendly wait staff. I had heard so much about Benedict's La Strata from friends that I think my expectations were super high. They almost got there but not quite. Nice, warm atmosphere, and actually crowded for lunch at 1:30 on a Monday. Good for them. Our waitress was super friendly and very professional. I give her 5 stars. The coffee was good, the food was good, I had the Despardo Skillet. I just wasn't 5 star blown away. If you are looking for a nice place to have a good breakfast or lunch I would recommend trying Benedicts, I plan on giving it a second look next time I'm in the area. read more

Very disappointed to see a new menu and seafood crepes no longer being offered!

Yum, yum. Flat out all around good breakfast with so many options. I love options. Super unique menu and creative. So many places do the same old Egg options, not this place. I actually had a dish called Kenny Benedict. A zucchini pancake with poached eggs on top drizzled with Hollandaise sauce. No carbs and holly S--- it was good. They have skillet dishes,brunch and so much more. Love it here. read more

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My friend and I are happy and grateful that we wandered into Benedict's just one hour before they closed on a Saturday. We were out and about, exploring the town of Crystal Lake, when we realized, neither one of us had eaten. A store clerk recommended Benedict's, and we are glad she did. It was a warm, humid morning, and we chose to forego the outdoor seating area for indoor air conditioning. We got the only table available; I have no doubt that Benedict's does a LOT of business on the weekends. We received water, silverware, and menus almost as soon as we sat down. Service was quick and efficient throughout our visit. I ordered coffee; it arrived in a small carafe. How does Benedict's know me so well? I like coffee, and lots of it. I drink it black. This was good coffee. I ordered a build-your-own omelet without cheese, with onion, pepper, and mushroom; a side of potatoes; and two English muffins. My friend ordered a steak sandwich, which was a special that day. Does my order sound simple? It is. Most restaurants can get it done. Benedict's did it well. Everything was perfectly cooked; the eggs, the veggies, the potatoes. Everything was delicious. The only problem was that the English muffins were slathered in butter, and I am lactose intolerant. However, that was my fault, not the restaurant's. I neglected to ask that the English muffins be served dry. Silly me. My friend loved her sandwich. She said that hers was cooked exactly as she requested. She also had the side of potatoes that I had, and she enjoyed hers as much as I enjoyed mine. It was a lot of food for her. She took half the sandwich home. I was raised as a member of the "clean plate club," and I devoured every morsel. Boy was it good. And boy, was I full. We had absolute no complaints with Benedict's. This place definitely deserves a 5-star rating. Crystal Lake is far off our usual stomping grounds, so it's unlikely we'll be back again soon. Next time we're in the area, we will definitely return for another meal at this outstanding restaurant. read more

Hands down the best breakfast and lunch restaurant within 100 miles. Fresh and gourmet, the hardest part about this restaurant is deciding what to get. read more

Nice atmosphere and friendly staff with a unique selection of food items. A great place for breakfast. The coffee can be a bit strong but that may just be me. read more

1st time visitor & wondering how we haven't been here before. Wonderful service & food we will be back.

Beautiful building and over the top wonderful staff. Love this place! Been going since I was a little kid, excellent Greek food. The Taste of Benedict's Nextdoor is also great. See you there! read more

Can't say enough about this place ! The staff are amazing ! The owner's love coming up with food that is unique and amazing! The Taste of Benedict's is across the street and has amazing , ready made salads... perfect for lunch on a busy day at work! And their energy bites!! The perfect treat on a busy day! Check them out!! And tell John and Sarah hello ! read more

This was my first time here but not my last. I can't say enough!! Great Food, Service & Ambience at Top Notch! read more

Benedict's La Strata - Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Super yummy creative dishes. Great place for breakfast if you are looking for something different than just a typical eggs and bacon place.

Benedict's has great Eggs benny with a plethora of choices. They don't just serve eggs Benedict though. They have a huge menu of crepes, omelettes, eggs Benedict, etc. They also have a huge lunch menu. The food is very good. My only complaints: A side of very mediocre bacon is $4 for 3 slices. And the wait staff isn't very good. We went on a Tuesday at noon and it was a little busy. They might have been under staffed. Either way, we were only checked on about 3 times while being there for little over an hour. We also never had our water refilled, at all. Overall, I give the food a 8.5/10 and the service a 3/10. read more

Benedict's La Strata - Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Service beignets and the breakfast tacos are really good!! Highly recommend for breakfast!

Been here a few times already and they have THE BEST hollandaise ever. Maybe even the best eggs benedict! And let me tell you, I have had a lot of friggin eggs benedict. I really appreciate the balance of ingredients of the hollandaise - not too heavy and not too buttery. Eggs are ALWAYS poached PERFECTLY. The pom orange juice is super yummy, too. Their coffee is excellent as well, but I think their 'fruit cup' can be more exotic and innovative. Going to def have to try the seafood benedict soon! Can't wait to go back! read more

Benedict's La Strata - Classic Eggs Benedict, yum! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Long long overdue to try this restaurant so we finally came here late around noon. Still it was busy esp no availability to sit outside as it was a very nice weather. Staff very inviting and courteous. Nice mix of eateries on the Menu. We tried spinach artichoke goat cheese frittata, sweet potato quesadillas and veg quiche. All were very flavorful and prepared just right. Juices and coffee is good. A place to revisit for Sure! read more

Benedict's La Strata - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

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This IS my new favorite place to eat!!! My wife and I tried it a couple of months ago and it was love at first bite!!! Very friendly staff and wonderful food make this restaurant our favorite to go and eat!!! Thank you Benedict's for awesome meals and wonderful service!!! We love you!!! read more

It was bad experience for me. For being my first time the hostess was a little rude and the place has a racist vibe and our food was cold but decent. Do better please or train your staff better. Thank you. Maybe I'll try again in the future. read more

I have never been disappointed here. The restaurant has nice decor, with very little wait typically even though they are busy. Service is excellent, food comes quickly and is quality, clean, and full of flavor. My favorite is the Grilled Tuna sandwich! Always fresh as sushi, with flavor out of this world on perfectly toasted bread! So good! They have their own deli/bakery across the street that sells their food and bakery to go which is also FABULOUS! read more