Benny and Mary's

Jake was connected with all the guests. Present, personable, and smoothly in control behind the bar. The Delahunt Overcast IPA poured a cloudy bronze with a lemony, lightly hopped kick. The Karl Strauss Tower X was my favorite. Golden, smooth, not too carbonated, with a crisp bitter finish that sparked something young and sharp. The crispy pork belly came in huge perfect chunks. Crackling outside, tender inside. Paired with broccolini, a poached egg, and my first take on polenta, every bite was sweet, savory, spicy. An adventure in flavors and textures. The space is beautiful and stylish. Lamps and lighting add their own charm. The hockey game is on, and if you know where to look, there's a private event room that just might transform into a speakeasy. Plenty of parking right out front free with validation, being your ticket.

The food was really good here! Everything we tried was very tasty! We, especially, liked the Cheese Dumplings and the Goat Cheese Crostini! The Lobster Ravioli was very good too! However, everything was a little heavy handed on the salt. If the chefs could ease up on the salt, it would be perfect!

I don’t recommend this restaurant for brunch, might be good for dinner: 1-It’s a beautiful night decor. While I liked the atmosphere, it’s not what you want for brunch. It’s a dim interior and I was a bit sleepy after spending an hour there 2-I knew I’m at the wrong place as soon as I saw coffee is served in clear glass mugs. This is only appropriate for tea…The coffee taste was more like burnt water. If any the management is reading my review, please change your beans. Something from Costa Rica or Guatemala would be nice 3-I can’t comment on the food, didn’t finish mine because it was a bit spicy for me. It wasn’t necessarily bad tho 4-I appreciate the management taking care of the bill once we noticed there was a big piece of paper in one of the dishes

I’d been eyeing this restaurant for a while, and I’m glad we finally got to try it. It’s located where the old Prego restaurant used to be. They offer valet service, and the ambiance is dark, cozy, and intimate. I’m a sucker for that library aesthetic, and this place definitely delivered on that vibe. Here’s what we ordered: Cheese Dumplings in Tomato Bisque – I’m still unsure how I feel about this one. It was a bit unusual, but somehow I found myself enjoying it. Brussels Sprouts – Light, flavorful, and perfectly balanced with goat cheese. I really liked this dish. Thai Salad with Ahi Tuna – The Ahi Tuna was cooked exactly to my liking. Short Rib Ossobuco – My boyfriend ordered this and really enjoyed it. We also tried a couple of cocktails: the Konge, which was more spirit-forward but very well-balanced, and the Adult Green Juice, which was lighter and refreshing. Both were enjoyable to say the least. Service was okay. We had to flag someone down a few times, but thankfully we never had to wait too long. Overall, we were pretty satisfied and would likely come back. I’d definitely recommend this place for a date night.

An aesthetically decorated restaurant/bar with very pleasant service. We were attracted to the menu, so we had some expectations on the flavor profile of the food. We ordered 2 sweet and 1 savory. The 2 sweet dishes, mango lassi French toast and the berry waffle, promoted fun flavors which unfortunately were barely present outside of the aesthetic. I do have to say, The waffle was nice and airy and crispy while the French toast was moist and fluffy. The French toast and the We concluded the savory was much better. They had plenty of vegetarian options!

We came here Sunday night for our Annual Father/Daughter dinner and we had the best time! We were warmly greeted by Natalie, the hostess, whose genuine hospitality immediately made us feel at home. She set the perfect tone for what turned out to be a fantastic dining experience. Our server, Katie, was equally wonderful — friendly, attentive, and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu. She made thoughtful recommendations and ensured that everything arrived just as we wanted it. The food and cocktails were absolutely delicious! Every dish was expertly prepared, full of flavor, and beautifully presented. You can tell the kitchen takes real pride in their work. It’s rare to find such a perfect balance of excellent food and outstanding service, but this place delivers on both fronts. A huge thank you to Natalie and Katie for making our visit so memorable — we’ll definitely be back!

This is such a cool spot in Irvine! The food is absolutely delicious and I loved the cocktails, which were super unique and tasty! The decor was amazing (it felt like a 1920s speakeasy library?) and the service was fantastic as well. Will definitely be coming back!

This was the first time here, one of our friends picked to celebrate birthdays. So we ordered: 1. Cheese dumplings: the cheese stuffing was too little so got lost. However, the wonton cup was perfectly crispy and the tomato bisque was delicious. 2. Goat cheese tomato crostini: was delicious but similar tomato bisque above. Needed more crostini to accommodate the bisque. 3. Beef Tartare: delicious and beautiful presentation. Needed more bread to accommodate the tartare. 4. Shortribs Ossobuco: delicious. The meat was falling off the rib, not salty, not super rich, very meat flavored. 5. Seabass: delicious and plating was beautiful. Fresh, cooked perfectly without being dry, well seasoned. 6. Salmon: similar to the seabass. Generous fish portion. 7. Lobster ravioli: very good but didnt taste much lobster. 8. Ribeye: didn't get to taste it but looks perfectly cooked and good quality meat. 9. Banana froster: great Banana flavor and not super sweet. 10. Ricotta cheesecake: pretty good. 11. Coffee cake: good, not too sweet. However, not much flavors. 12. Birthday chocolate cake: pretty good, light and not too sweet. We were there on Sun night, not busy but the service was pretty slow. Overall, the food was very good, beautiful presentations, and "generous" portions compared to similar restaurants for similar prices and qualities.

Had an amazing dinner thanks to Kyle & Val! Definitely would recommend sitting at the bar, you won't regret it.

The ambience was great and food amazing. Large portions and good drinks. The best part of the experience though was our amazing hostess Jasmine. Thanks for giving my Mom and Grandma an amazing birthday experience and my sister and I a phenomenal experience as well. Definitely coming back

We came in for Happy Hour on a Saturday and selected patio seating so we could enjoy the beautiful weather. Our waiter, Kyle, was very attentive and provided excellent customer service. He suggested the Yum Yum Shrimp and the Pork Belly to share as a group. Both recommendations were delicious! We also ordered the truffle fries, bulgogi bao buns and charcuterie board. All of them were satisfying. Thank you Kyle for always getting us another round of drinks in a timely manner and making sure our waters were replenished. We'll be back again soon!

Went in for a weekday happy hour with some friends after work! Highlights: - The regular menu drinks we ordered were delicious! My favorite was the adult green juice (gin, mezcal, lime, pineapple, cucumber, ginger, dill, celery bitters, and angostura bitters). Very unique, refreshing, and strong! Would order it again. My friends enjoyed their Pear Martini and Punch Me cocktails - Good selection for the happy hour food! Would order the fries (huge portion!) and chicken wings again. Didn't get to try the pork belly bites - Such a cute spot! Very instagrammy. Lots of seating inside and outside - They offer free validated parking We didn't have the best service experience, it seemed like we went in at a busy time while they may have been understaffed at the bar and had a large private event on the patio. There was only one person taking orders and making drinks. One of our food items didn't make it to our table. Not sure if the kitchen was backed up or the order was forgotten. We were hoping to order more from the happy hour menu but we weren't able to get someone in time. Despite the above, would still give it another try because that adult green juice was DELICIOUS!

What a hidden gem! This restaurant is decorated beautifully and makes it the perfect date night spot. Strongly encourage making a reservation. We sat near the bar and I ordered a mocktail. It was the best mocktail I had ever had. It's bartenders choice, which I had never seen before and was hesitant. Our server encouraged us and she was so right. I'd get a mocktail here again in a heartbeat. For starters we got the bulgogi on bao, which was good but it was sadly lacking bulgogi and mostly stuffed with kimchi. It was hard picking my entree because several things sounded delicious but I opted for the lobster ravioli. My only wish was that there was more ravioli! I'd order this again. For dessert you need to get the bread pudding. It's perfection. Overall we had a great experience and would love to come back.

Benny and Mary's located in Irvine offers an upscale dining experience. The interior consists of velvet drapes, beautiful chandeliers, large bookshelves, all contributing to a fine dining experience. Some friends and I celebrated a birthday dinner here and shared several dishes. Bulgogi on Bao ($17) - This appetizer came with 3 bao buns with beef bulgogi, pickled sweet cucumbers, kimchi and yum yum sauce. It tasted great and was the perfect way to start the meal. Osso Bucco ($35) - The osso bucco consisted of braised short ribs served atop pomme puree, charred asparagus and finished with a gremolata. This was a popular dish amongst my group as the beef was so tender and falling apart. Ribeye ($47) - I asked for this 16 oz ribeye to be prepared medium rare, but it seemed to be more on the rare side. Served with pommes puree and asparagus it was a bit chewy and I would pass on this next time. Seabass ($48) - This dish consisted of 8 oz of miso glazed sea bass, ginger carrot puree, wasabi spinach pearl couscous and was perfectly executed. The fish was buttery, moist and tasted great. Lobster ravioli - The ravioli was filled with lobster, ricotta, mozzarella cheeses, leeks all wrapped in a black squid ink and egg pasta. Served in a saffron cream sauce, heirloom tomatoes and corn, I wasn't impressed with this dish and would pass on it next time. Of the 2 desserts my group tried, cherry ricotta cheesecake ($12) and the coffee cake ($12), we all agreed the cheesecake was the better choice. It was rich, creamy, and little less dense than a traditional cheesecake. Overall my group really enjoyed the ambiance here as well as several dishes. While there were some misses we would definitely be back to celebrate a special occasion here.

Came for Friday Happy Hour (which is only at the bar btw!) Restaurant is in this business complex which can be confusing because there's ticketed parking. But we later found out parking is free! The restaurant wasn't too busy, and has a snazzy cool velvety vibe. We sat at the bar area which has seats around the bar and high top tables off to the side which we opted for. It's definitely more of a lively feel there. We ordered a few items from the happy hour menu: the flatbread, the pork belly, parmesan truffle fries, and then separately the lobster ravioli and tomato soup and cheese bites. For happy hour, the portions we received for the food were VERY generous. I thought the pork belly was going to be a few pieces, but it was a few pieces with broccolini over some polenta mixture, making it the size of an entree for only $8! I would pass on the flatbread and lobster ravioli next time but the fries were amazingly crispy and satisfying, along with the drinks! If I'm in the area again I would return!

Perfect place for brunch! The interior is beautiful. Left side is velour and floral decor. Right side has booth seating available. Bar area to the far right where you can eat too. Some additional bar seating in the middle as well. We got seated in the floral room. We ordered 1. Breakfast plate 2. Pork belly sandwich ( highly recommend) 3. Salmon Benedict All dishes were fantastic! I especially liked the unusual bread which I think was a pumpernickel and sourdough mix. The ambience was very pleasing overall. Eating here was enjoyable, ( even though the Hostess was inhospitable. She didn't really acknowledge us or the party before us. We all stood awkwardly at the front wondering where she went. She seemed unwilling to help and reappeared after 10 minutes without an explanation or smilie to finally seat us.) * There's a speak easy hidden in the floral room behind the book case. ( It was not open for customers when we visited at brunch time .) We did get to peek inside though ...

What a gem! My wife and I wanted to try new drinks some place and chose Benny and Mary's based on all the pics in Yelp! The inside is so chic and fancy. The bar is beautiful and tucked away in the back. Open kitchen, beautiful decor all around. I felt underdressed for brunch, this def gave luxe vibes. Danny was our server and he was so helpful and amazing. He suggested the chilaquiles, which I got and my wife order the smoked salmon Benedict. Of course we had to get a table waffle, so we also ordered the açaí waffle. We ordered drinks too - and they were fantastic! Amazing -- if drinking at 10am is a crime then lock me up because these are worth it. I ordered the Konge; which was like an old fashioned drink, super delicious - loved the purified ice cube in the glass. My wife got a gin drink that also had dill and mezcal. Man, what a well balance drink -- it was perfectly mixed. Not too overpowering of the dill or even mezcal or gin. Just -- chefs kiss! No notes! The food was S-tier!!! Wow, we are all those dishes up. No room for desserts or another drink. We loved our stay here. Thank you Danny for all your recommendations. We can't wait to come here for dinner!

Trying this restaurant for brunch for the 1sr time. My favorite is the omelet and French toast. The service was excellent.

My husband and I had talked about going to this place forever and we finally did. It did not disappoint! The ambience was high class cozy with velvet chairs and rich dark colors. The food: on point! We tried their bao buns and the cheese dumplings for appetizers. They were DELICIOUS! My husband tried the S'more S'mores drink and I got a tropical mocktail. Yummy! For our meals we ordered the short rib and the Mexican salad with steak. Holy smokes! So delicious!! For dessert (who doesn't have room for that) we tried the banana bread. Our waiter was also fabulous! This place is a serious try!

Wanted to revisit Benny and Mary's as it has been a while. The last time I came in, was shortly after they opened. I was attending with my wife, 2 year old daughter, my manager and his fiancée. We arrived around 5 pm, so dinner service was just beginning. Plenty of parking. The interior is as it was when they first opened, clean, attractive, has a Great Gatsby type vibe. Jessica was our server. She was super sweet, knowledgeable, and attentive. She was also super patient as it can be tough dining with a toddler. We tried some of the shareables so that we could get a grasp of the range of their chef. One dish that was not on the menu yet, an octopus with pork belly on humus. I felt it was missing a starch to balance out the dish, as it sat on the saltier side. The octopus, was masterfully cooked. Tender without being rubbery. The yellowfin tuna poke as simple. Nothing spectacular. It's a solid go-to item in my opinion and I would order again. The cheese dumplings were fun. I felt the tomato soup they come out in were a bit too salty and acidic. However, I can understand why it is a very popular item on the menu and would not change it. Bone Marrow with a sirloin. The bone marrow itself was ok-good. The sirloin...BEAUTIFULLY EXECUTED. Beautiful sear, well flavored (slightly salty), and extremely tender. Again, highlighting the skill and talent of the chef who cooked it. The raw oysters. Probably in the top 3 of the best oysters I ever had. Very fresh with a slight tinge of sweetness to them. Whoever was responsible for sourcing and handling these did an excellent job. 100% would come back just for these again. 5/5 One thing that did irk us. We asked for Tabasco sauce, and were handed sauce told it was Tabasco. It wasn't Tabasco. It tasted more like Frank's hot sauce. This is an irk, because it is like asking for Coca Cola, being handed Pepsi and being told it's Coca Cola. I ordered the prime rib. It was good, 3.5/5. Medium rare, leaning on the rare side as I wanted. A bit on the bland side of flavor though. My manager and his fiancée ordered the lobster ravioli and ribeye. I got to try both. The lobster ravioli was OUTSTANDING. 5/5, I would order that next time. Usually this dish is underwhelming at most restaurants, not here. Easily the best main entree at our table. The ribeye - good thickness, beautifully seared and rare-medium-rare doneness as my manager ordered. However, both he and I felt it was too salty. 3/5. All in all, the meal was good. I would come back, if I lived closer, I could see myself dining here at least once a month.

I love the look of this restaurant with its color scheme and decor. Very spacious! Staff was quick to refill drinks and answered questions. Parking is easy. Says they validate but there wasn't a need since the restaurant was not busy. I came here for brunch and another time for dinner. I was disappointed that they didn't have a lunch menu on the weekend so we had to settle for the brunch menu. However the brunch menu did not disappoint. The French toast was delicious! Highly recommend!And I had the best potatoes for brunch as well. As for dinner, I loved the pork belly with polenta. I could have just had that for a meal. Everything was delicious! Hope to come back soon.

Food: Sunday brunch was great i highly recommend the huevos rancheros. Our server was Daniel and he was attentive and gave us some good recommendations on the food. Super friendly and always smiling. The ambiance was nice and relaxing definitely a spot for nice and quiet not too loud and spacious.

Brunch is just as amazing as dinner! We came to celebrate Mother's Day, and enjoyed our brunch celebration. I had their chicken & waffles, and it was SO GOOD! My husband was so excited that they offered Shakshuka, and it was very tasty as well. My daughter had their chilaquiles, and it got her approval (she is a chilaquiles connoisseur). We ended the brunch with banana foster (it is topped with alcohol), which we enjoyed Benny & Mary's is quickly becoming one of my favorite restaurants. The vibe is just so sexy and sophisticated, and their price is not ridiculous. Can't wait to come back next time. See you again soon, Benny & Mary's!

I come here often and outside of my normal order, I decided to try the brew Gogi Bell. It was delicious. The bell was very fluffy and the Prego seasoning was great and it appeared well with the kimchi as well. All the appetizers are consistently good and I am excited to return. The service is pretty slow so it's hard to find the server to take your order or get additional drinks so keep that in mind if you have a time crunch.

I'd been eyeing this restaurant for a while, and I'm glad we finally got to try it. It's located where the old Prego restaurant used to be. They offer valet service, and the ambiance is dark, cozy, and intimate. I'm a sucker for that library aesthetic, and this place definitely delivered on that vibe. Here's what we ordered: Cheese Dumplings in Tomato Bisque - I'm still unsure how I feel about this one. It was a bit unusual, but somehow I found myself enjoying it. Brussels Sprouts - Light, flavorful, and perfectly balanced with goat cheese. I really liked this dish. Thai Salad with Ahi Tuna - The Ahi Tuna was cooked exactly to my liking. Short Rib Ossobuco - My boyfriend ordered this and really enjoyed it. We also tried a couple of cocktails: the Konge, which was more spirit-forward but very well-balanced, and the Adult Green Juice, which was lighter and refreshing. Both were enjoyable to say the least. Service was okay. We had to flag someone down a few times, but thankfully we never had to wait too long. Overall, we were pretty satisfied and would likely come back. I'd definitely recommend this place for a date night.

This is a gem! They have the best steak and eggs I ever had around the county !! plus our service was more than excellent with our waitress being Jessica !! It's also an awesome spot for mimosas as there is a lot of space and theme of it is very exquisite with a hint of casual dining! A must try !!

This is such a super fun restaurant. We came for brunch on a Sunday and sat way in the back over by all the windows our wonderful waitress angel took such great care of us. She was probably the best waitress ever. We had everything from steak and eggs to the whole California breakfast to the delicious double burger with grilled onions. Everything was so yummy right down to the Bellini. We will definitely be back and we will bring all of our friends. Parking was free.

came here for dinner and it did not disappoint! i got the creamy lemon bucatini and the bulgogi baos -- both were so good, but those baos were chef's kiss... ended up ordering another round because one just wasn't enough. perfect mix of italian and asian cuisine the ambiance is super cute, definitely a solid spot for date night. service was great too -- really attentive but chill. overall, would def come back to try more of the menu!

The decor alone is worth the trip! Food was awesome too and it was not busy at all when we went on a Sunday night

It took me a few times to come around but specifically their lunch is a great deal. In an area with not many nicer options, you can get a real reasonable tasty lunch. Really love the yellowfin bowl. Its great. So many ingredients and textures that all work. Grilled cheese dumplings are good now and then when they come out hot. One time the soup came out incredibly spicy which was weird. Mediterranean bowl and the burgers also a good order, as well as the sprouts for a starter. Dinner is pretty good. Not AS reasonably priced but its a good steak and a huge portion of prime rib. For lunch we're talking like 1/3 less of the cost as somewhere like Joey, with comparable or better food.

Great service, decent food. Stopped by Benny and Mary's recently -- service was excellent, super friendly and attentive. The quality of the food was solid, but the menu itself didn't really wow me. Nothing stood out as particularly unique or exciting. That said, everything we ordered was fresh and well-prepared. If you're looking for reliable food with great service in a chill setting, it's a good pick -- just don't expect anything too out of the box.

We had Easter brunch and immediately came back a few weeks later for Mother's Day! We loved it. Service is great and the quality of food is noticeable. Prices are fair and the atmosphere is gorgeous. Big fan of their benedict and ribeye.

Perfect date night spot! We were seated in the "speakeasy" which was a bit interesting... like, I kind of like being out in the main area for ambiance. And it was not crowded at all and we had a reservation.. felt like it was supposed to be cool and selective but was actually just hidden away from the action. Husband got a Mocktail- incredible. Bartenders choice spicy, oh my gosh best drink we've Ever had! My wine was fine. I should have tried a cocktail! Shrimp appetizer was good, bucatini also good. The salmon Caesar salad really stole the show though. That was incredible! Oh and dessert was fine- a warm coffee cake with ice cream. I'd like to try something different. Server was really great. We will be back, and maybe with the right cocktail, dessert, and seating, I'll bump up to 5 stars!

As seen on the last season of Real Housewives OC. Not a great experience. Fish wasn't fresh and cocktails were blah. Not sure we'll be back. Cute inside and outside for dining. Service people were polite and quick.

First time we tried and totally loved it. Beautiful outdoor seating and the decor inside is amazing. We had brunch and will come back for dinner. Great customer service too.

I had long had Benny & Mary's on my list and finally got to go for brunch on Sunday! The food and cocktails were delicious, the space was cute yet luxurious, and service was...interesting. In reading the other reviews, it looks like we may have had an off experience with our server, so I'll spare you the details, but in short, our exchanges were pretty awkward. But, back to the positives! They have an expansive cocktail list between their brunch and dinner menus (and I love a mimosa but wasn't about to pay $18 for it, sorry!) and I was excited to try the Apple Blossom Jeans, but they sadly were out of some of the ingredients. I asked for something similar to that or a French 75, and when I say my cup runneth over it literally was filled to the brim (picture you see was after several sips). With that said, I would come back and sit at the bar for that cocktail alone! My friend loved her Peartini as well, including its presentation (sorry I missed out on the pic). Now on to the food. Between the three of us we ordered the Avocado Toast, Omelette and Benedict - all of which were delicious and filling. The potatoes were tasty, but I wouldn't recommend getting the salad as it is just arugula with some pomegranate seeds thrown in. Their dinner menu looks delish, so I plan on coming back to try that along with more of their tasty cocktails. And hopefully the service will be memorable for more positive reasons. More to come!

We came to Benny and Mary's for Valentine's Day dinner and couldn't have been more pleased! There was an $8 valet option or free self-parking further down. Our reservation had said outside seating, but either because of the cold or rain, we were moved inside to their private room, which is usually rented out for private events. To start, we got the cheese dumplings -- AMAZING. Think a tiny grilled cheese bite in a spoonful of creamy tomato soup. Just delicious. To drink, my partner did a Smore Smore (he said it was a bit rich, which is to be expected!), and I got the Snake Oil (a spicy grapefruit, tequila based drink). The Bucatini and Lobster Ravioli were both very good, and we loved the best dishes they were served on. We really enjoyed getting to be in the private room without having an event, but look forward to coming back to sit in the main dining room.

Great HH deal with good vibe and drinks! My friend and I came here in a Wednesday at 05:15 PM, plenty of seating on patio so we sat there. HH is Monday 3-6 PM, they have food starting from $5-$15 and wine is $5 a glass! I got a rose and got fries and wings to share. Food came out fast! Fried were thicc and crispy, just thought parm and truffle. Wings were tender, a bit too spicy but solid for $10. They validate parking for you so don't forget to do that before leaving. Overall solid HH place, total bill was $30 which was a steal. Would love to come back again for regular dinner.

Benny and Mary's was fantastic. From the helpful hostess to the staff working the bar area, the people working could not have been kinder. Likewise, the eclectic ambiance really made this place stand out. This was a great start to an even more epic meal. My colleague and I proceeded to order The majority of their appetizer menu and each item was better than the next. The desserts were okay, but not a "need to order".

The food wasn't anything special, but price wasn't bad during lunchtime. We liked the funky library look that the restaurant had and the cool adjustable lamps at the table, and the dishes were all very unique. Soundtrack was a little strange and at times out of place though. My biggest complaint was that our waitress told us that the pasta dish I ordered was the #1 pasta in Orange County, and maybe I'm just extremely dense, but I fact checked with the internet and with my taste buds and alas, it was not the #1 pasta in Orange County. I switched my order (originally yellowtail bowl) to it because of that comment, so I'm a tad bitter about it.

Can't believe they raised prices by so much! I get maybe a couple dollars but what a bummer and I was a total regular. Also, everyone is incredibly nice there but they do have one bartender that either was having a very bad day or just isn't the biggest fan of working there

Came here for happy hour and ended up ordering almost the entire happy hour menu! Everything was delicious, but the standouts for me were the charcuterie board, sliders, and truffle fries. The fries were especially memorable--crispy, perfectly seasoned, and a huge portion that was great for sharing with the table. The prices during happy hour were very reasonable, especially considering the quality and portion sizes. On top of the food, the ambiance is great--a perfect spot to unwind after work or catch up with friends. Definitely adding this to my regular rotation!

Very chic vibes and the service is immaculate. It's a hidden gem in plain sight. I would say this easily beats our all of the brunch places in the Irvine area. Classy, tasty, fairly priced for the quality and the environment. My family and I did family style here, so I got to try a bit of everything. Had the waffles, the french toast, and some of the omelette. Have to say, strangely the waffles were my favorite! Everything was delicious, but the whipped cream was out of this world. Excited to return.

What an amazing place tucked away in an office complex. This has been on my list to go to for a while and we finally had a chance to go to catch up with some friends. We had the pleasure of having Lynelle or was it Lynette as our server and she was wonderful. If you have a chance to request for a server please ask for her, you will not be disappointed. Being our first time here she made some great recommendations and effortlessly guided us through the menu. Make sure to get a bottle if you're deciding to get a mimosa it's a better deal than a single. What ever you order you will not be disappointed and there is plenty to take home for leftovers. We look forward to visiting again for dinner the next time we come!! That dinner menu looks so damn good!

First time here for happy hour. We just did drinks but enjoyed what we ordered. We got a Gimlet and an Old Fashion. Both were reasonably priced. The Old Fashion could use a cherry or garnish. The ambiance here is modern and well decorated. The entire bar top was pretty busy during this time, however, happy hour is available on the patio as well.

It's definitely worth a visit, with a lovely decor that feels like a velvet-wrapped library.

Food: 5/5 Excellent ribeye, took mine rare and it was cooked to perfection! The konga drink was also delicious, very nice congac taste and flavored so well. The steak was great, the tomatoes and fries were a great side dish! Service: 5/5 Fast and staff was extremely nice. Everyone was engaging and considerate. Ambiance: 5/5 beautiful decoration and wonderful vibe. Great for a date night, work night, or just a nice dinner or even lunch. Great location to enjoy!!!

Came here for Easter brunch. Service - 5/5 the staff was extremely friendly, attentive, and kind. Organization - 3/5 it appeared that there was a section mix up and the staff had confusion on who was supposed to take our order. We had to wait a while before someone came over who was shocked that our order had not been taken yet. Additionally, when my partner and I finished our meals, another staff member brought us over a completely different dish that belonged to another table. Honest mistake however. Cleanliness - 2/5 Overall the restaurant was beautiful, but I was incredibly off put by the amount of crumbs that were left on the booth from the previous table. It's evident they clean the tables but not the chairs after each diner. I'm a bit of a germaphobe so I found it disgusting that crumbs were stuck onto my shorts after I got up from the booth Food 4.5/5 - Quality ingredients and good tasting food but the .5 for me was the originality. Things seemed to be quite typical and your average brunch food and nothing extraordinary. The price however was very reasonable. Overall, I would come back if they had a special occasion. I thought their Easter brunch would offer unique items, but it was just their typical brunch menu. Good bang for the buck and it's quite inexpensive for a more "up scale" restaurant.

I stayed at Irvine Marriott, and Benny and Mary's is an easy 5 minute walk through the pedestrian plaza between the business buildings. Love the cozy and warm decor, with dark woods, floral curtains, velvet booths, floor to ceiling book cases and large chandeliers. We were immediately drawn to the dining space. The menu had a shareable section, perfect for a lunch with friends. We ordered a Thai salad and Bulgogi bao dish to share (which came with 3 baos on the plate). The bulgogi bao came with some kim chee but we wished there was more bulgogi meat inside the bao. As a whole, it was a nice restaurant to meet friends. There is also a large covered patio outside. And they offer 2-hour free parking validation.

This spot is located in a corporate building lot in Irvine. Parking is pretty easy. There's a backup option for valet as well. Ambience is great for date night or an intimate dinner. The lights are dim light with some vintage aesthetics. Food is worth trying, but service was very lacking here. This heavily dictated my overall rating. I enjoyed the grilled cheese dumplings and pork belly appetizer. Also had the opportunity to try the beef tartare on bone marrow. For entrees we ordered the short rib with a side of truffle Mac and cheese. In all honesty the apps were better than the main entrees. As for service, pretty disappointing. It wasn't busy and within the 3 hours, we got our water refilled once. I watched her hangout with her coworkers multiple times, and really wasn't trying to get out of my table to flag her down. It was my birthday and we had asked if we could eat our cake at the restaurant. The server insisted on bringing a candle, but ended up bringing it to the table after we sang and ate the cake. She still lit up the candle and made me blow it, which was a bit awkward. I didn't want the vibe ruined so I just smiled and thanked her, and continued to be a good sport. I still think this spot is worth giving a try atleast once but for pricing purposes and considering it being fine dining, the service did not meet minimum expectations.

My friends and I had dinner here Sunday. We sat near the bar. We planned on taking advantage of happy hour but ended up ordering off the regular menu. We shared the cheese dumplings without bacon, garlic shrimp, lobster ravioli, and chicken piccata. All of which were really good! I especially loved the cheese dumplings. The tomato bisque it was in was delicious. The waiter was friendly. After we had been there awhile it seemed like he was ready for us to leave. The place was not busy. There were very few of us there. It was rather cold in there. It was so cold it was uncomfortable. The decor is chic. I hope to go back soon.

Looking for a newish high-end, trendy, stylish place to eat? Benny and Mary's is just the thing. There's definitely a modern darker kitch artsy kind of vibe. I recently went here on a business lunch and everything was pretty good. it wasn't too busy. Service was appropriately attentive. We kicked things off with the grilled cheese and tomato soup appetizer, which was like wonton in some mildly spicy tomato soup. It was better than expected. As pictured, the poke bowl was also very colorful, full of different flavors, and quite tasty overall. Others in our group got the drunken goat burger, which was a hit just for its name alone, but was also pretty tasty according to the person who ordered it. By the way, and I might get in trouble for including this, but there is a hidden room behind one of bookcases! We saw it secretly opened as we were eating. I'm not sure if it is a speakeasy or some special reserved room you can get ahead of time. But it is definitely a mystery to look into further. Things are a bit pricy but that's due to the location and level of restaurant. Worthy of a solid four stars.

First visit and I loved the food so much had to write a review. The decor inside is very posh and cool. We ordered the chicken Mediterranean bowl, the yellowfin bowl, and the black sheep burger. Everyone liked their food, mine was the burger and I loved it! So flavorful. I got a side Caesar instead of fries. For apps we ordered the bulgogi on a bao bun and you have to order this - it was a table favorite. Two friends there were Korean and they mentioned how legit the bulgogi tasted. Service was right on par, we had reservations. I can't wait to come back again and try some cocktails during dinner!

3.5/5 Beautiful restaurant and great service! We wanted to try something new and came across B&M's on IG. Safe to say it did not disappoint and the decor inside is to die for!! Our server was so sweet, although we were the only table dining for the entire night (our res was at 8) and this was a little surprising. Our server suggested the cheese dumplings, and even though the bisque it came with was phenomenal, the dumplings had absolutely 0 cheese. I liked the beef tartare and the bone marrow a good deal. Our server also recommended the bucatini and told us it won pasta dish of the year last year. It was a good pasta, especially loved the lemon notes, but I do think I've had better in OC (surprising because our Italian game is not strong by any means). The star of the show was the Louise salad. Such a delicious dressing and all around well rounded combo, I LOVED it! The bottle of sauv blanc we shared was definitely overpriced for what it was, but did the trick. Overall, I would say a successful experience, but I definitely need to experiment with the menu a bit more.

Nice fancy restaurant for special occasions and brunch. Came here for dinner with my best friend for an early bday celebration. The menu was pretty limited and prices were pretty high. They do have happy hour at the bar for a few dollars less. We ordered the bulgogi bao, salmon and creamy lemon bucatini. Everything was cooked to perfection and tasted delicious and fresh. We also got a free cheesecake for our bday. It was the best cheesecake I have ever had and the fruit topping was tart and flavorful. Service was friendly and fast. We had an overall great experience. The restaurant is super charming and decorated nicely.

Beautiful atmosphere, but not the most attentive staff / hosts, especially for special occasions. For that, I wouldn't recommend, as I've seen a few reviews complaining about the same thing. We came here for our anniversary with a reservation and no one said anything or did anything until the host validated our ticket as we left and added "happy anniversary" like an afterthought. This was not a busy day either, so I was disappointed by the overall lack of attention. However, the food was amazing, but again, I'm not sure I'd be back to celebrate anything again. Breakdown below: Ambiance (4/5): Very classy in there. Although spacious, it felt cozy at the same time. We loved the books on the wall and the chandeliers that hung down from the high ceiling. We came on a sleepy afternoon 4:30 pm reservation on a Monday (Presidents' Day) since we were out of town and didn't want to be out too late with little ones. There weren't too many parties in there during our time there through 6 PM or so, yet the hostess seated us off to the side and I had to ask if we could move the the table literally to the left by the library wall just for better photos since it was our anniversary. She didn't even acknowledge at that point with a simple "happy anniversary," which I thought was weird. Was it because we weren't too dressed up since we were out all day at Pretend City with our kids? Who knows. Service (2/5): It wasn't a busy afternoon but they didn't come over to our side too often. Many just hung around the bar/prep area chatting. The hostess was on her phone a lot. I get it, but by 6 pm as we wanted to leave, it took a long time for someone to come by to grab our check; I had to stare at their general direction until the host saw me (it was young man by then; I think there was a shift change). Again, this was for our anniversary and the general lack of attention during the dining experience and zero acknowledgment about our special occasion until the end as we validated to leave admittedly just left a bitter taste in my mouth. It might have been the change in hosts, but the first hostess should have said something or I think they need to do a better job of communicating things like that. Food (4/5 overall): If it was any redeeming factor, it was the food. We loved every bite. Our picky toddler and our little 11 month-old enjoyed their food too. We ordered the Bucatini, Ribeye with Chimichurri, and the Black Sheep burger with fries. Breakdown below: * Bucatini (3.5/5): The Bucatini was creamy and tart, which I actually loved, as it reminded me of my favorite Greek lemon and chicken soup. The pork bits went really well with the dish. The portion is on the smaller side, but it's so rich, almost greasy, you probably want to eat it with something else anyway. * Ribeye (5/5): It was juicy, flavorful, and overall well seasoned. It went really well with the pomme purée (which my toddler devoured) and the asparagus was perfectly cooked. Chimichurri sauce complemented it well. This was my favorite dish. *Black Sheep Burger (3.5/5): The burger was interesting. It was sweet, slightly bitter, but overall pleasing. The combination of the sweet bacon(?) bits and cheese and greens made for a unique flavor. We enjoyed it because it was different. The fries were a little overdone, but the flavor was fine. Maybe we came on an off day, and maybe I was regretful we came here to celebrate. However, at least the food was good and the ambiance was good? Will we be back? Maybe, maybe not.

Benny and Mary's in Irvine is a fantastic spot for dinner or a date night. The menu offers a great variety of dishes, all cooked to perfection. The flavors are bold, and portions are generous. Be sure to save room for dessert--their cheesecake and banana foster is a must-try! The cozy, modern ambience makes it perfect for a relaxed evening out or a special celebration and also is so welcoming and reminded me of something out of the Great Gatsby. The staff is also friendly and attentive, adding to the overall enjoyable experience. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a delightful dining experience with a sweet ending! tip - they do validate parking but only in the garages. If you valet it's $7.