We catered our daughters bridal shower with Bennett Curtis house and was not disappointe. Everyone commented on how good the food!! Would recommend it you need to host and event and don't want to have to cook!! read more

Here for a tea party birthday party. All in all, it had a cute atmosphere. Tea and little bites were fine. Dessert bites were cutely served. The place is a little outdated and could probably use some updating, but was cute/nice for the area. read more

The Bennett-Curtis House - Dessert - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Grant Park, Illinois

Scott and his team were great! They did a plated dinner for 170 the food was great tasting, portions large and it was hot. The food was served fast and not a lot of wait time. His staff was professional and friendly. They cleaned up and hauled away all garbage after the event. I would highly recommend using Bennett Curtis house. I also believe for what we got his prices were reasonable. He supplied all glassware, plates and silverware. Scott was available for calls, texts and emails at all times. read more

Our wedding at The Bennett-Curtis House was nothing short of perfect. Scott was incredibly professional, responsive, and thorough throughout the entire planning stage. On the day of the event, he was very personable and effectively communicated between everyone at all times to ensure everyone was on the same page. We could not have asked for a better venue, coordinator, or staff. The food and drinks were fantastic. Bar service was incredible. Everyone had a really great time, and we owe it all to Scott and The Bennett Curtis House staff. read more

Scott and team from Bennet-Curtis were amazing! We used their service for a graduation party and they did not disappoint. They did an outstanding job, from the planning, set-up, fresh off the grill food, bartending service, and clean was top notch. All my guests were impressed. They will be my go to caterer for future events! Thanks for all your hard work!!! read more

Went to the Harry Potter dinner. The Good: the escape room was fun and the staff were very friendly. The guy who plays the wizard deserves a raise. Escape room totally worth the price. The Bad: mediocre food, way over priced, cheesy decorations. I'd say the dinner should be priced at 30 bucks and include a NA drink. Instead it was 60 and included no drinks. Pop is 3 extra and drinks are 7-8 bucks. The Ugly: the building is run down and dilapidated. The bathrooms are not clean (water/rust stains running down the sink, visible dirt along the floor) (basement ones look like a dungeon). In all honesty, if they did a haunted theme here it would probably be awesome. I'm not even trying to be rude...if the owner can't afford the necessary upgrades, it would be easier to hide some of these downsides with a different theme. Overall, I would not recommend this based on its price. At a lower price point, I'd recommend...though 100% I would still warn them so they weren't caught off guard. read more

Great to have food delivered directly to our event. Service was good and set up was quick. We have Roasted Chicken that was okay in flavor, but a bit dry for my liking. We also had Pulled pork that was excellent. The sides were basic coleslaw, baked beans, coleslaw and cornbread. All good, nothing to rave about. Pricing is a little high, but worth the cost to not have to cook ourselves. read more

I recently purchased tickets to the Harry Potter themed dinner (now referred to as "Wizard Theme Dinner" since J.K Rowling probably told them to cease and desist) and was very disappointed. I drove 1.5 hours from Chicago for the event and expected a well executed theme dinner and great food for $50-$65 per ticket. When I pulled up to the house, my 10 year old son literally didn't want to get out of the car since the whole place looked suspect (that's beside the point and doesn't impact my review). Once I managed to get everyone inside, I started to register just how run down the property was and how janky the decorations were. The decor was comprised mostly of standing card-board cut-outs of Harry Potter characters, sheets of plastic with printed textures pinned to walls and floating candles clearly made from paper towel rolls. Super low rent. My biggest disappointment of the night was that there was no actual "sorting ceremony" to determine which house we were in. We were handed color-coded tickets at the door which determined which table we were at for dinner and that's how we were sorted. They could have made this an event with some pomp and circumstance. Missed opportunity. My food was ok but the main entree (chicken pot pie) was no-frills and served frozen dinner style in the tin as others have said. The kids meals were SUPER disappointing and nobody ate. Flavorless chicken tenders with frozen vegetables and flavorless home fries better suited for breakfast. Dessert was well received by the kids - a candy free-for-all but parents were left wishing for a more traditional dessert of cake and coffee to round out the meal. The Potter trivia that ran between dinner courses was the only truly redeeming and fun aspect of the night. There could have been more costumed characters and some prizes for the winning house, however. read more

I tried this place on two occasions. Both were a colossal disappointment. Never again! Over priced for mediocre food and poor service. The run down old mansion is unclean with unsafe with rotting wood stairs up to the front door. They were snow covered and very slippery on one of my visits. I should have avoided going in. I'm sure the food was not prepared on site. It seemed to be warmed from a restaurant supply house. When I complained to the server that the pumpkin soup tasted like tomato soup, she thought she served the wrong soup. She brought soup from the other pot which was a slightly different color tomato soup. I think it was her first day on the job and we were her first customers. This place needs a major upgrade of the quality of food, service, and building or it should not function as a restaurant. Maybe a historical landmark. read more

My wife and I had our wedding reeception here. It was April, but we had a great night for it. The food was terrific! The servers did a great job also. Price is very good, and the owners offer many extras to make the day even more memorable. Although we didn't use the horse and carriage, I have seen a lot of people choose this option. The place is also open for dinner. My wife and I have gone there many times in the last 10 years, and I predict we will go back often. read more

We had my sister's bridal shower at The Bennett-Curtis House and they did a fantastic job. For those used to more automated systems like electronic contracts and what not, don't be put off by their use of fax machines or written out orders, everything we wanted was perfect and well-organized. If you book a party, I would recommend that you request Lisa as a server. She really helped me this experience as smooth and stress-free as possible for me as the host of our event. The food was great, they have a well-rounded wine list (request the full list, not just the party bar list, it's much more diverse than at first glance) and the setting is very cool and unique in a Victorian mansion. It's also easy to get to from pretty much anywhere in the Chicagoland area since they're off the highway and there's plenty of parking. So if you're looking for a classy, professional and elegant venue in the South Suburbs, I had an awesome experience and would hire them again in the future. read more

Hello,FOOD SNOB here. Well, if you ever want to take a ride into the country go south and check this place out. This Old Victorian Mansion is quite a dining experience. It is worth the trip because all the food here from Steaks to Seafood is Great. It is different. Check out the Web Site. Then check out the restaurant. read more

I went on a very cold Valentine's Day Saturday night. The sloppily dressed hostess brought us to a table on the porch. We sat unattended for maybe 10 minutes. Ordered a split of champaign and was told they were out of frexinet, so she brought and not very chilled substitute. We had the heart shaped rib eye. The waitress cut it in half at the table. The low quality steak knife she used took way too long which meant it was cold when served. The food is average at best, though the charm of the old mansion certainly adds something. I try not to be picky, but it was ridiculously cold in this place to a point where the plates are even cold. You can't linger over a meal, or feel comfortable when it's freezing. I'm not a big enough prick to bring a thermometer into a restaurant, but have to guess the Internet temp in there (on a record cold evening) didn't exceed 60. Not ok. Can't say i recommend this place to a person that's snobby enough to expect the luxury of central heat in the winter. I was there long ago and remember space heaters. Either fix the heat, or it's off my list. History/architecture: B. Food: C-. Shabby chic or just shabby ? I guess if you don't mind wearing a snowmobile suit while eating, it's ok. Not worth the price or the drive. Sorry, fix it or close it. read more

I was invited to a wedding here and I was so disappointed in everything. Sadly, I would never hold any event here. First off, this house is not equipped to handle a large party. House is just too small. They have a lovely outdoor space but the day we were there it rained, so all the people sitting outside sat in rain. In fact there was not enough seating for about 20 of us, and we ended up sitting on these benches under a covered walkway. Second, the food was served outside under a tent but we didnt have a table to eat at so you only ate what you could balance on lap. Third, the bathroom situation was horrible. There is one tiny powder room in house, all the other bathrooms you had to access from outside into basement. The ladies room was what I thought was a storage closet. Boxes, and crap stacked up, the sump pump pit was in the floor in front of toilets and the 2 toilets were not private, just a small curtain in between, but when you open door you could see ladies on toilets. I understand the mens room was just about as bad. Shame on Bennett Curtis house for even allowing such in a rental type venue. They must not show anyone those on the venue tour. So I guess if you're only having a party for 25 maybe this could be an option, not for me! read more

Went here for the Harry Potter themed dinner and was a little disappointed. We drove about an hour to get there. While it seems like they put a lot of thought into the decorations, the actual experience was a little lacking. There could have been more interactions. For example sorting was by tickets at the door. Most of the experience consists of wandering around to see the decorations. It could have been nice to be more interactive. The best part was the trivia portion of dinner. Regarding dinner the food itself was mediocre. We had fish, chicken pot pie, and hen. Most of it was pretty bland. Overall I do not feel it was worth the ticket price or the drive down there. read more

The Harry Potter event was great. It was super fun and exciting. Everything their was what I imagined from the book. Although the meal was not creative and the butter beer was not good whatsoever, we had a great time and hope to see more Harry Potter themed events here. Thanks for a great time!! read more

Recently went to the Harry Potter Trivia dinner. The decorations were nice and well put together. The trivia was fun but wish it lasted longer since there wasn't anything else interactive at the event. The food though was (I hate to say it) HORRIBLE. It was family style and all the food was barely "school lunch" grade. I expected the food to be decent due to how long the restaurant has been there but it was borderline inedible. No flavors, cooked poorly, thrown together as if they were looking for the cheapest possible way to serve us and get away with it. read more

Not a food snob here We went to this restaurant 10/2014 for the spooky booffet. We received a flyer in the mail and thought it looked fun so we made reservations. The restaurant is located in an old Victorian home and was decorated really neat for halloween. There was a mini, kid friendly haunted house on the porch.. Spooky decorations in the inside too. Nice...but not nice enough to get more than 1/2 a star after we tasted the food. The food was awful. It was set up in a separate room on banquet tables. There was beef stroganoff. Terrible . My first bite was fat and the second was rock hard. Then there was rice.. The lights were low and we couldn't see what was in it but it was disgusting. The random bowl of stuffing? It had that old yeasty taste and I can't believe for a minute that anyone of the cooks would have eaten it. Someone at another table started laughing about the poor quality of the food and the stuffing in particular and saying they had to go somewhere to eat after they left there. The kids buffet was just as bad. Mini corn dogs and nasty pale chicken nuggets that came from the freezer section in a grocery store. My kids wouldn't even eat. The chicken fajitas were edible not good but I was turned off that we had to reach in a plastic store package to take out a tortilla ... Random customer hand reaching in the same bag? Dirty. The dessert table was candy bowls with no spoons and store bought frosted sugar cookies. At $17.95 a plate this place was a joke. I would never go back. I have never left a buffet hungry until we ate at bennet Curtis.. Don't waste your money! Not sure how this business can stay open read more

Recently went to the Psychic Lunch... it was a let down unfortunately. Would not recommend. They seemed to cut their presentation short, as in the beginning they said they would talk about dreams and they never did. They seemed to spend a long time reading some people and not others... It was a large group to try to wait after through individual readings. We were already there hours, but I guess you had to spend all day to wait. The bathroom needs an overhaul. OR at least clean the cobwebs. IF a place doesn't keep up the bathroom it's not a good sign. I LOVE old places and their character... but it is just looking dirty in there. The front steps felt they would give away as you walked up. The food was overall surprisingly tasty, but it was all lukewarm. It obviously had been sitting, including a very skimpy bowl of soggy salad passed around a large table. read more

I attended one of their Harry Potter parties January 2018. I'd read some horrible reviews and almost backed out, however I still wanted to try it out for myself. The reviews did help me to have realistic expectations. It was not Harry Potter World (been there twice, it's awesome) so don't expect it to be. The intimate setting was actually really awesome. If you are a true HP fan, imagine being invited to a dinner at the Dursleys. That's how intimate the space is, it's a literal house. They have GREAT backdrops for Photos, and awesome props! I really enjoyed being sorted by Dumbledore (played by a young man in a wig lol, he was GREAT!!) I enjoyed the interactions. The dining space was cozy to say the least and I understood why these sale out, it can only accommodate 40 or 50 people if that. The butterbeer was SO good and I loved the souvenir cups. My cons are mostly about the food. I thought the food was super sub-par for $65!! The only pro is that there is a good amount of it and if you want you can take leftovers home with you but for $65 per person I totally expected better quality so I hope, if they are able to one day, to put a little more money towards the food. Now the Dessert bar at Honeydukes, that was awesome, they had lots of candy and sweet treats and I filled up a couple of bags myself of candy to take home, so that nearly made up for the subpar dinner but not enough, that part has to get better. The trivia was fun. In order to have a good time you have to go with the flow, you have to have fun and enjoy it for the Harry Potter theme because that's why you buy the ticket in the first place right? ;) read more

Went for the holiday wizard themed Harry Potter event. Terrible! Food was bad, place was 'cheesy', not much entertainment other than trivia and it's in the middle of nowhere. How they are selling out is beyond me. People need to post more reviews. It's an unfortunate scam. read more

Not Worth the Wait I don't recommend this restaurant. I invited a group of 14 to have dinner there. Our orders were taken within 20 minutes, but it took an hour and 15 minutes to get our food. The meals came out 3 or 4 at a time. It took 10+ minutes for all dinners to be served. As if the wait hadn't been bad enough, I was really embarrassed by the small portions for lasagna & seafood dishes served to my guests. The stuffed flounder was about 3" by 4" in size. The "special" salmon was even smaller. The stuffed shrimp were small and too few, as well. Those ordering shrimp bruschetta had plenty of pasta, but very few shrimp. Only the folks who ordered steaks were pleased with their meals. When you order a 12 or 16 oz. steak, you know what to expect. The menu should state a "4 oz." salmon or stuffed flounder, so guests would know the portions are luncheon-sized dinners. The waitress disappeared after serving the food. After we asked for the check, It took her 20 minutes to bring it. I was so embarrassed by this restaurant's service and food, I ended the meal apologizing to my guests for the long wait and the "petite" meals. This place needs a "Restaurant Impossible" overhaul of its operations. This place was not worth the drive to Grant Park or the wait once we got there. read more

Paid a lot of money for a wizard themed Yule Ball for 5. We drove over an hour and were sorely disappointed by the food. It was literally awful and fairly certain no one around us ate either. The menu was not as suggested by the printed cards on the table. The owners "tried hard" in some areas but fell very short in others. HP fans are a detail oriented bunch and plastic "brick" wall coverings and painted paper towel holders acting as candles....aren't going to cut it. Save your money or host your own, PInterest is loaded with great ideas! Fell quite short as it was a Christmas gift I gave to my daughter....embarrassed and buying her something more, to say the least! read more

Attended a wedding at the end of August in 2015. This establishment is a joke. I was in the wedding party. The inside of the home was filthy. You could see all the dirt and dust, and who knows when was the last time anything was vacuumed. All of the porch and deck wrapping around the home, needed to be sanded, and painted badly. The home just smelled old, musky, dirty, and very hot. The electrical hasn't been updated, so lighting is nil. The house hasnt been upkept (power washed, windows, roof). None of the walk ways (some solid cracked concrete and some brick), hadn't been power washed for the event. The tent that covers the "dancing reception" area was old and hadn't been cleaned. The service of the dinner was horrible. The food was even worse. Myself and guests had chicken and beef. Both were able to be choked down because all attendees were starving due to the kitchen and wait staff not being prepared. Food was room temp and all guests werent served at the same time. Wait staff wasn't rude but certainly wasn't warm or prompt. Even water was hard to come by...yes...water. The worst wedding dinner we've ever ate. The only pro to this venue is the foliage. The plant life is beautiful via pictures, but to attend an actual event outside, is hot (minimal shade), and the bugs! I don't think the BCH even pre-sprays the morning of. Basically, I think they charge so much per event just so they can stay afloat. This establishment was not polished and didn't appear to have any standards regarding quality of service. read more

Save yourself the time and money!!! We took our kids for the Harry Potter themed dinner and it was abysmal!! We paid $65 dollars a plate and ordered 3 chicken pot pies and chicken strips for our son. The pot pies were tv dinner style (literally still in the tins) and the chicken strips were a cut up chicken breast (unbreaded). The decorations (used to transform the place into Hogwarts) were cheap store bought items and the one employee in character was a guy who was supposed to be Dumbledore looked more like Gandalf from Lord of the Rings. In their defense the salad was excellent (actually reminded us of Olive Garden's). I'd give them a pass on the room decorations but the food was INEXCUSABLE!!!! Couple all of this with a cash bar (overpriced) even the kid's drinks ($5 for a coke - if you wanted a souvenir glass/cup you had to pay for it). The kid drinks were free refills but again at $65 for a plate you think they'd throw in a plastic souvenir glass!! This is one of the biggest scams you will see, don't waste your money!!!!! read more

I wanted to start by saying that I specifically created this account to leave a review about the Harry Potter dinner. We read the reviews on here an hour before leaving and my heart sank. We decided to still go since we spent the money and I am so happy we did. Firstly to the person who said their son wouldn't get our of the car...where do you live?? I'm expecting some drug den and we pulled up and it was a perfectly pleasant little residential area with a school at the end of the block. Please broaden your kid's horizons. I have not one criticism of the decorations. They absolutely had card board cut outs and posters but that was not all of the decorations. There was obviously a lot of effort and planning into them and there were so many details! If you expected the level of Universal Studios I suggest you go to Universal Studios. They do not have that kind of money or that kind of space. It was definitely cheesy but we had a great time. We mingled with others, competed for the house cup and took adorable pictures afterwards. I cannot say enough nice things about the staff who were friendly, helpful and very fun. They obviously loved their jobs or were tremendous actors. My one criticism was that the food was mediocre (except their mashed potatoes. Those were delicious). Not great but not terrible. And my boyfriend's one criticism is that he wished there was more of a sorting process for the houses. That's it. We had a great time and I was informed that they were having more Harry Potter events next summer which we will definitely be attending. I really hope that the negative comments do not deter people from going, there was a mix of all ages and everyone had a great time. If you're a Harry Potter fan and love a little dorky cheesiness you'll love this. read more