The Benjamin Hollywood
Restaurant · Fairfax District
7174 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046, USA
Highlights
Burger and martini hotspot with Art Deco flair
Burger and martini hotspot with Art Deco flair
"This Old Hollywood-themed bistro on Melrose is dark and moody with plush green booths, a room-spanning bar, and nine different martinis on the menu. In other words, it’s the perfect setting for a throwback bar burger. The Benjamin’s version is as unfussy as it is juicy: there’s an inch-thick, medium-rare patty, gooey American cheese, pickles, and a generous coat of smoky hickory sauce (a subtle nod to Apple Pan). A slab of sauteed onion on the bottom sweetens the plump sesame bun as you eat. The burger is available in the dining room if you want to book one of the booths, but we prefer sliding up to the bar and ordering one. That’s why they call it a bar burger after all. Reservations are released at 9am a week in advance, but they're usually snapped up in minutes. The bar area is first-come, first-serve, though and if you arrive by 6pm, there are usually stools available." - brant cox, cathy park, sylvio martins, garrett snyder
"The Benjamin is where you go when you want a martini but also want to keep your cocktail options open. This dark, sexy bistro on Melrose has nine variations on the menu and we’ve yet to try one we didn’t love. The house martini is made with gin and sunshine-bright lemon oil, and the smooth-as-silk Manhattan pairs nicely with the smoky bar burger, one of the best in town. If you’re looking for post-dinner drinks, head upstairs to Bar Benjamin, which is basically an extension of the restaurant, except with ambitious, culinary-leaning cocktails like a savory Gibson with “everything bagel” gin or a brandy and walnut liquor creation inspired by the Persian stew fesenjoon. Reservations are released at 9am a week in advance, but they're usually snapped up in minutes. The bar area is first-come, first-serve, though and if you arrive by 6pm, there are usually stools available." - sylvio martins, brant cox, garrett snyder
"This dark and moody bistro on Melrose doesn’t shy away from Old Hollywood touches. There’s a long bar where Manhattans flow, booths the size of jacuzzis, and a wedge salad buried under a metric ton of bacon. But don’t mistake The Benjamin for a living museum. By 6pm most nights, the place packs in a crowd dressed like they’re auditioning for a Stüssy print campaign. Huddle with your personal Brat Pack in the corner over strip steaks and caviar baked potatoes, or join the neighborhood scene at the bar that sneaks in for martinis and burgers. There are many ways to do a meal right at The Benjamin and none of them are snoozy. Reservations are released at 9am a week in advance, but they're usually snapped up in minutes. The bar area is first-come, first-serve, though and if you arrive by 6pm, there are usually stools available." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park
"This Melrose restaurant is launching a guest chef dinner series beginning June 22 with Evan Funke cooking the inaugural event, followed by Michael Voltaggio in July and Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo in September; additional dinners and participating chefs will be announced. Tickets are priced at $99 and include a multi-course prix fixe menu and a limited-edition T-shirt. Tickets for the first event will be available on Resy starting at 9 a.m. PST on May 29." - Rebecca Roland
"This dark cavern of a restaurant on Melrose (not technically Hollywood, but close enough) is a clear homage to Old Hollywood. There’s a wrap-around bar with Art Deco fixtures, plush green booths, and New York strip steaks parading out of the kitchen. The American menu leans retro, but feels fresh. Count us fans of the shrimp cocktail with tangy aioli, decadent crab beignets with dill vinegar, and a bar burger we’d put against the best in town. And they’ve crucially mastered the ice-cold martini (nine variations are available). Tables are hard to come by, so just walk in at the bar when they open—you’ll be closer to the martinis anyway. Reservations are released at 9am a week in advance, but they're usually snapped up in minutes. The bar area is first-come, first-serve, though and if you arrive by 6pm, there are usually stools available." - brant cox
