okay... so here goes. what to say about the rellik? the place is not the pastime! big deal! the pastime had it's... how do you say... it had it's time. come on people. everyone keeps comparing the rellik to the pastime, then they continue to compare it to o'learys (love it) and B.O.5 (not so much). really!? NO... REALLY!? it's a really beautiful bar. the place has been open for 2 weeks, and everyone is expecting it to be without flaw. there are little kinks that will be ironed out. all great things take time. it's a place that shows sports 7 days a week, and when you ask to see your team, the staff will change the channel. the atmosphere changes thursday, friday, and saturday nights to give it a lounge/club vibe, and if that's not your thing... well... i think it's a turn in the right direction. give it a fair chance, and i think most people will come to love it. and as for the coors and bud and miller dilemma, i suggest you try a real beer: chimay, dogfish head, maybe a rogue dead guy ale. read more

Wonderful place to hang out and grab a drink. We recently hosted a party there and have nothing but great things to say about the staff. Kudos to Keith, Ed and Jenn for a very enjoyable evening as well as Tom who guided us every step of the way. We will definitely come back not only to have drinks but to say hello to our new-found friends. Thanks again for your hospitality! read more

We will be back to this jewel. Came to see our friends playing in the band Austin Mo experience...knew we were in for a special treat with the music and was very impressed with the venue we were able to order food from a delicious menu..lots of choices that served our appetite. The owner Debbie was very accommodating and personable. Venue was clean and the perfect space for dancing ,drinks and gathering with friends. Will definitely come back. read more

Some co-workers and I came here for "Happy Hour" (they don't really have one) to commemorate our summer HR inter's last day. Walking in, you immediately notice colorful, tasteful art on the brick walls with couches laid out on the left-hand side, greeted by a long bar with bar stools on the right-hand side. The furnishings and wood flooring looks relatively new, and it has a classier look than when looking on the outside. My group slowly started streaming in, and throughout the entire night, our waitress remained really nice and didn't get upset trying to get orders from 10 different people. Service was slow, food came out slow (they only have one oven, but that's how they cook all of their food). Drinks are a little expensive, but all were delicious. It just seemed like a nice place to just lounge and hang out with co-workers/friends, which is exactly what we did, and we had a blast! Looking around, though, I think we were definitely the youngest in the bar. The rest were late 30's to early 50's Caucasian people. read more

The Hood Hunters' day ended on a social & mellow note at a private room (arranged by the always-fabulous Nique) at the Rellik. The private room was comfortable though a little too dark for my taste. The food (several pizzas and hors d'oeuvres) looked good. The server seemed vigilant and J noticed she remembered everyone's order and the correct cost when it was time to settle up. The seating is varied - lounge area on one side of the front room with a small stage in the rear. There is an impressive arrange of virgin drinks (see pic). Surprisingly, the menus are on iPads. The bathroom was immaculate. I would like to return to the Rellik on a live music night, but for now, positive first impression. read more

The Rellik Tavern - late afternoon snacks - Lounges Near Me - Benicia, California

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Love this place, it's a cool spot to hang out at grab a drink and listen to cool love music. They also have a DJ that plays all the latest music you can dance to. Food was good too. This place has a cool vibe and a nice mixed crowd. read more

I came here with a girlfriend on a Sunday night and the Rellik was fairly busy. We were looking forward to moscow mules with the homemade ginger beer and were planning to share some tapas. There were only two bartenders working so it took a while to get noticed. Once we were able to place our order we found out they don't do the homemade ginger beer anymore.. lame but I'll get over it. For tapas we ordered the ahi crisps, a cheese plate and spinach artichoke dip. The best of the 3 was the cheese plate which is not saying much about their food. The ahi and dip was just bleh. We went to get a second drink and this time took even longer to get attention. All in all we enjoyed ourselves, and the couches were an intimate spot for catching up and having girl talk. I'm not big in the Benicia bar scene so I don't know how other places compare but in terms of just service/ food quality The Rellik is just A-OK with me. read more

My best friend and I wanted to go out for a drink. Because we wanted to keep it local, we decided to stop by the "talk of the town" spot. Through word of mouth, Rellick was highly recommended. Since First street is upcoming, I had no doubt that Relick was an added treasure to the small town. As a local, I'm impressed (only because I didn't have high expectations). read more

I thought I should go back an update my review - when I first went to the Rellik, I was NOT the target market - and I don't think the Rellik quite had their market figured out. Well last time I went there I was impressed - a ton of seating, live music, and pretty good service. They also have food now. While I am NOT the target market - this isn't exactly the type of place I would want to hang out nor are the live events really up my alley. But my MBA brain is impressed with the job they have done carving out their market - good upscale cocktails, good service, live events in a town that has nearly none, an impressive upscale environment that seems to be doing well after much local skepticism. Keep up the good work. read more

Sydney was the best!!! She was running around making sure EVERYONE was taken care of. She was urgent , approachable, and caring. I understand that bar and food service can be difficult, but she genuinely loves her job. She made me feel taken care of in a crowed room. Debbie is an amazing owner as well... she recommended the food and drinks and didn't disappoint! The Rellik is my new favorite hang out thanks to the AMAZING service read more

Out of the blue at 10PM my good friend Geraldine took me to Rellik's. Whoah, there were people there on a Monday night. We had the cheese plate with Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog (stiff), German Cambozola Blue, Laura Chenel's Che'vre (creamy) & English Derby Sage (a white cheddar). Really tasty & inexpensive. The Rellik Amber Ale is a good basic amber ale. Place is spacious & staff rocks: informative and very pleasant & one could sleep on the couches they are so comfy. Looking forward to the events. Tuesday's Taco Bar - we're there. read more

I wanted to not like this place because they offer bottle service but that simply belies my Chicago upbringing and disdain the disdain I have for the Viagra Triangle. So as it stands this place is solid. Decent drink menu and the food is interesting and tasty. True the dishes are bit more artsy and small than I was looking for but that seems to be the trend (too many cooking shows) so I won't hold that against them. I had the ravens claws which were quite good but could have stood to have more cheese and thinner wrappers if only to bring out more flavor. They aren't hot at all but that may just be the fickle nature of today's jalapenos. I also had the Tuesday special - $2 for 2 mini-tacos. Not bad but tasted much like ground be mixed with salsa. The espresso is good and coffee is mediocre. The bartenders and owners are amusing or cool - both acceptable. The trivia (Tuesdays) was difficult to hear near the door (my fault) and the questions were of medium difficulty which basically means I got half right. I'm going with 4 stars because I'd definitely go back and hang. to try the other dishes. read more

I'm so happy I decided not to let one experience ruin it for me. I went in for my birthday a few weeks back and let me say I HAD THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!! The staff was so attentive, we never had to track anyone down and our drinks stayed full all night. On top of that I tried a good portion of the menu and everything was great! I love this place and have been back a few times since then. read more

This lounge may look out of place in Benicia, but downtown has been transforming from a row of just antique shops and real estate offices to a pretty decent bar/wine scene. Well, decent enough to not have to make the unnecessary drive anywhere further. Rellik is a nice cozy lounge where mini reunions take place, seeing familiar faces at the bar or on the small performance stage. An intimate setting allowing just enough room to dance to either the house DJ or a locally well known musician/group. Even a familiar former Chemistry teacher makes his singer-songwriter gig a weekly norm. If you're a smoker, there's a hot box in the back, which could get suffocating depending how many are back there, so choose your smoke breaks wisely. Or quit smoking...to be honest. The bartenders are friendly and make really good drinks. I don't go crazy with the cocktails, but if there's an unusual favorite of yours, they probably know how to make it, and a lot of times, better. The cocktail servers are awesome and friendly. Overall, there's not a thing that comes to mind that I can complain about. They've treated this local well. read more

This place is hands down one of my absolute FAVORITE places! The food is great! The drinks are great! Asian pear martini!! OMG! Then of course there is the owner Delando(sp) and the manager Tom just great people! The bartenders and wait staff, amazing! This place ALWAYS makes me happy! It's a great place for gatherings or just to hangout. On a weekday or weekend, it's all good!! LOVE LOVE LOVE Rellik!!! read more

Booked a private party here for the night before my wedding. Debbie was so easy to work with and customized everything to fit what we were looking for! We were able to reserve the back vip room and the cocktail tables in the rear for about 75 people. Had an open bar and they gave us drink tickets to pass out to our friends. Everyone had a blast and the food and drinks were perfect! read more

"The Rellik is what Benicia is not known for; a good place to have a beer or a drink." First of all remember that the Benicia Police Station is 2 blocks away and they just love to park near first st. Also the CHP station is about 1-2 miles away off the highway. Drink responsibly! I would call it an upscale pub. It's a little pricier than your other pubs, but it is a nice place and they have a good variety of beer with some very high end beers on tap. The owners are great. Tom is usually there during the day and he's the bartender too. He's as friendly and helpful as it gets. It's obvious he cares. I remember being there one night and a customer was not happy with some of his drinks and food. Tom sent a complimentary round to the group and gave them a little attention and soon made fast friends. I've seen many owners get upset or even tell people to leave but Tom realized they were high maintenance and difficult but instead of being confrontational like so many insecure restaurant owners are, he calmed the situation and made these people want to come back. The beer is cold, and the Tuesday night Taco night is fast becoming popular. Free tacos for anyone drinking in the pub. I'm not a mixed drink guy but they seem to be good portions and a little pricey for a pub. The food is good. If you sit at the bar you can watch tv and get better service. Sometimes sitting down the service can be hit or miss. Pros: Good beer selection, good owners, helpful staff, nice place, good food. Cons: A bit pricey for a pub; sometimes in the sit down area the service is just ok. read more

Very welcoming and cozy. Love the couches. Staff is super friendly... it's like going over your friend's house and they're hosting a chill gathering. We had the lettuce wraps, Irish nachos, mushroom croquettes and Spanish meatballs. I've never had anything like the Irish nachos and they were delicious. Our top favorite was the Mushroom croquettes. Their whiskey selection. Is awesome. read more

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Not entirely impressed with this place. I came for the Bloody Mary with the kitchen sink in it. Supposedly you can only order them at certain times of day... stayed for a drink. It was just ok. Not much was going on here during the midday. read more

The Rellik has been one of my favorite local restaurants and continues to be a favorite during the local "times". They have implemented a hostess at the front of the restaurant to assign tables and ensure social distancing guidelines, the food is as delicious and comes out as quickly as ever, and the staff is so friendly and makes the dining experience a joy. I am so glad I chose to order from the Rellik for my FIRST post-quarantine meal! I ordered my usual favorites which includes the key lime pie martini, crab cakes, and the lumpia (which are the BEST, and only lumpia in town to my knowledge). I have always loved the Rellik Tavern, and even though things are different right now, it was nice to feel a sense of community during these weird times. read more

I try to go there at least once a week, yet I've never ordered an alcoholic beverage from them. Their coffee, however, is fantastic! I work less than a block away, so if I need to escape the office, I head down there to get a "dirty" chai latte, which, in my experience, is as close to heaven on earth that a person can experience with a coffee beverage. I love the staff there. The owners, Tom and Delando, are great people who I love to talk with when I get the chance. Very inviting atmosphere, even if some consider it a little dark. I like the absence of harsh light, especially when I am escaping the florescent bombarded desktop jungle of the daily grind. One of these days I'll get the opportunity to check out the night life there, but for now I enjoy it as my occasional afternoon escape. read more

Great food, great company, great time. I would come here anytime for drinks & bring my friends

Great management team here. They contacted me after a bad review I left and now I have a totally different outlook on this establishment. I highly appreciate how they care about their customers. Can't wait to come tonight for a drink! Thank you Debbie :) read more

I love the venue and the people but the drinks are just marginal at 4 star prices and don't let the menu fool you fancy name still marginal bar food. read more

Ninkasi on tap, couches, live music, a good spot. The Rellik Tavern is on Benicia's First St. with plenty of free parking and other stuff around for before and after you decide to come by. The bartender was pretty friendly and the drink prices are a little north of standard. As far as bars in Benicia go, and in Vallejo too for that matter, The Rellik is definitely one of the "nicer" spots in town. Plenty of seats, a long bar, some tables, and like I mentioned about, a few groups of couches around low tables. There's a stage for live music but you should check to see if a band is playing. When we went, a girl sang solo and had to keep checking her phone for her lyrics. A good voice, good strumming, but a few too many pauses to check the phone. It's all good, though, bring a group of friends, there's definitely room here on a slow night, and you won't notice if the music is a bit iffy. One of the other reviewers mentioned how space is tight when good bands come in, and I can definitely see how that could be true. If you don't have a spot to sit in, standing room is very limited. I'll be back, on a weeknight. read more

Went here when we realized that we didn't have the time to make it to Russian River. Beer selection: great selection, loved the variety of choices. Also appreciated that I could sample beers. BF ordered a beer that ended up tapping out while pouring. Our server (pretty sure he was the owner) ended up giving him the beer for free. Awesome customer service Food: ordered the meat pizza, the relic pizza, and the fried pickles. Fried pickles were pronounced awesome. Both pizzas were good, tasty dough, good quality toppings. The rest: they embrace the term lounge and have couches. The bathrooms were clean. IPad menus. The best part was our server: he is what you would expect if Steve Buschemi and Christopher Walken had a child. Fabulous energy, really friendly, lots of great stories. Overall a wonderful experience read more

This place is COMPLETELY turned around from the Pastime. It's like stepping into a totally different building and city. Doesn't have the Benicia vibe (not that that is a bad vibe). I almost forgot I was in Benicia until I stepped outside. I love that it's close to home. They have a really nice waitress that served us there and when she messed up and got us the wrong drinks she gave them to us anyways and made the right ones. Score! free drinks! We got there before 10 pm and ended up getting a little booth where we could kick it all night. The decor is really nice beside that damn light fixture everyone kept hitting their head on! lol I'm definitely a fan of this place, bye bye O'Learys! read more

Gotta check out this place & see the owner's Harley Arlen Ness. He bought a new 2013 street glide & dropped another 20k to have Ness trick it out! Ill add to the stars if warranted after we visit :) read more

I'm going to be biased. I work in the Benicia area and have for a long time. I didn't think anything like Rellik would ever exist in Benicia. Straight-up Jules-style Bullets: _ Super-upscale look and feel. _ The place is packed with locals; locals are awesome. _ Great drinks. _ Fantastic wine list (for being Benicia) _ Close to my office _ Close to my (other) gym _ Tons of space _ Fun _ Table service for when things get out of hand (weird but cool) While this review might not be as helpful as it could / should be, the point is: if you are in Benicia, and you're looking for a cool bar, and you're reading Yelp reviews, then just go to Rellik. [out] read more

I'm not the "bar-hopping" type, and don't have my favorites or bars that I hate but I like this place. I've been here 3 times and all were good experiences. The first night I went here was on a Wednesday night and my first impression was that this place is really classy. It was pretty empty so I felt comfortable. Our bartender for the night was Deb. She is wonderful, really nice and super friendly. Also, she made me a fan of Dirty Martinis! She made one that actually tasted good to me. She hooked it up with the olives, too. The next 2 times I went there were movie nights. The first movie night was "Sex and the City" and the second I went to was "Animal House." Movie nights are cool, they even have kettle corn. They come up with a special drink menu that fits the theme of the movie and the staff also dresses up to fit the movie theme too... really cool, but Sundays are the only nights they have movie night. read more

I went to the Rellik with a band that was playing a show there on tour. Being a little on the country side, from a small town in podunk Washington, it was a little intimidating to walk into such a fancy looking establishment. Where we come from, there are bar stools and tables with half the varnished chipped away, not fancy red couches against the wall. The people, however, treated us nicely and the crowd was amazing! More people got on their feet and danced to the music at this show than possibly any of the 60+ shows I've gone to with this particular band. The drinks were delicious and the crowd was very generous with their band tips and merch purchases (I was selling merch for them). The only downside, and I didn't even let it keep me from giving 5 stars, is that the drinks are very expensive, and the band was only comped 1 free drink per person. In the sticks, where we come from, it's pretty common for the band to get all-you-can drink PBRs, but this is not that kinda place. read more

My band SideFX played there last night and we give it two thumbs up! Great hospitality, excellent wine and beer menu, good food, but most of all a great crowd that was super fun! Can't wait to play there again! www.sidefxcoverband.com read more

Amazing spot! Great food, drinks and Music! Definitely coming back!!! I adore the backyard that they created. It adds another great vibe to an already fun location. read more

Went in a couple weeks ago. Food is good, but they really need to get better entertainment. A lot of the people who play sound like karaoke singers.Ex 5'o boys' and some of the older guys.Now that music is back, I suggest to get better music. read more

My med school class and I came to this joint on a Tuesday night because we had just finished some exams. I believe this place opens late every night (as long as there's patronage) and the staff is friendly. The atmosphere is nice--the crowd seems to be older though (like 40+). Since this joint is in Benicia, I didn't expect much in terms of "crackin'-ness." It is a cool place to go to though if you have a big group of people and you just want to drink and be loud. read more

I enjoy coming here with friends who are home for the weekend. It's a good place to hang out at, but it gets crowded. I DON'T like that they try to be baller status sometimes (i.e. charging a cover the night before Thanksgiving when everyone is home from college or reserving the tables/couches for "VIPs"). But it's usually a good atmosphere, and the price is generally okay. I love looking at the art on the walls. And the bathrooms are generally clean, too, lol. read more

Came here on a monday night with some friends to celebrate her bday. The bar was pretty dead at around 9pm. I wish the street was more popping. I had this vision that the street would be like downtown palo alto or davis. But the street was dark, nothing was open, and it felt so dead. Perhaps it is Benecia anyways. It was my first time there so I can't expect much. This place is purely lounging around on a couch and just chatting. The place had some cool lights, a Photo Booth camera, that you can't even access your photo after you take it. And plenty of older men. It wasn't my scene. The drinks were a bit pricey. read more

Came in for a simple meal and beer. Ordered Mac & cheese and fish tacos. Waited over half an hour before we asked if our order was in. The waitress came back and said that the cheese was bad so they had to start over again. Ok that's fine. She comped one of our beers. Waited another 20 minutes for the fish tacos before I went to ask. Apparently they were out of fish and they didn't think about telling us. Asked for the bill...fish tacos were on it. I had to ask her again to remove the tacos from the bill. I honestly loved this place. But this was the worst service I've ever gotten. It wasn't even busy. read more

Honestly, been here 4-5 times. It's never disappointing, but it's never made me want to come back. And today, I wanted to watch a hockey game but the bartender said he can't change the channel because an insane elderly lady might pitch a fit if he changes the channel off of a movie from 1942ish. After having received a prompt response from the owner, I am amending my review and adding a star. It's definitely still something fun and different in Benicia, and hopefully next time I can stay longer and enjoy more of what it has to offer! read more

What a fantastic place to go out to have a great time. My friends and I have been coming to the Rellik for years and have never had a bad experience. The bartenders are friendly, professional and always make you feel welcome. The food and drinks are always delicious and I love the selection of music on the weekends. This is one bar I feel completely comfortable going out to alone as a woman as they have great security and the owner handles anything that comes up with swiftness and class. I highly recommend this establishment to anyone looking to have a great time. read more