The Palm Court Reviews

Great dining experience at the Palm Court inside the Benson hotel. Ate here for dinner two nights as well as breakfast. Great food at an amazing value and Service was on point. Bobby and John were very accommodating and friendly and assured I had a great experience.

This is a nice place and went there for drinks. The happy hour beers are only 10oz and still $5, they serve Gruet sparkling which was nice. the food is okay and they will have to work much harder to earn more happy hour business. Can't comment on dinner food as we didn't eat dinner.

I started with a Stella.. I ordered the Ruben with a side salad. It was served Hot! The bread was a crispy sourdough with a hearty helping of corned beef, coleslaw and gruyere cheese. Excellent meal!

Our waiter Bobby was fabulous - a wealth of knowledge. On a side note he makes a killer bloody mary that is a must if you like them.

We had dinner two nights in a row. Everything was cooked to perfection and the service was amazing. Definitely returning.

The old-world elegance always makes this a special treat. And the best time of year to come is Christmas. The service is top notch. Sadly, the food is just good, solid comfort food. But maybe this is what you need after lots of traveling.

This restaurant needs help. At least for breakfast. Fantastic service by the wait staff. The food is overpriced, over done and over-ordinary. The biscuit crumbled and had no depth. The ham reminded me of the packaged slop that was the object of my grammar school sandwiches. Weak latte! How can anybody screw-up an egg? Two blocks away, at another hotel is a better spot that supports good food, fair prices and great coffee. An embarrassment to this Hotel. Coast Hotels, a giant corporation, runs this operation and the management should be ashamed.

Was working in my room at the hotel and wanted a nice relaxing lunch so went downstairs. The soup of the day was Cream of Tomato which hit the spot. The service was quick and service nice. The sandwich half of the combo was just as nice.

I was amazed how wonderful The Benson Palm Court became. We were nervous of how fancy the place was with the surroundings and menu options. The servers were so kind (Thank you Richard) for welcoming us as family. I don't want to leave out anyone but the Chef (great cook) and food server (new young lady, great smile). The menu options were perfect - we had two dinners and one breakfast. They had lovely recommendations of the stairway mini-museum, venues, and other fun information. It was fun to have a few celebrities join us, the servers respected everyone the same. I loved that!

We had nightcaps and dessert here, just missing the light jazz live music that was about to begin. But wonderful service in an elegant location. I felt elegant with my Manhattan;-)

Had dinner the day we arrived & breakfast the next morning. Breakfast was great, but dinner was amazing. The chicken & salmon entrees & the mussels appetizer were all as good as anywhere we’ve ever eaten before. Our waiters, Johnny for dinner & Bobby for breakfast were both great servers, but also had great stories to tell from their many years of working at the Benson Hotel. Give the Palm Court a try if you’re in Portland, even if you’re not staying at the Benson.

The Palm Court is inside the Benson Hotel near the reception desk. We were staying at the Benson and stopped in for a late dinner. The french onion soup was delicious and so was the Caesar salad. I don't drink but I had a sip of my partner's Spanish manhattan and it was great; almost enough to get me to order one of my own. We also had breakfast here and it was wonderful. All our servers were friendly, helpful and cheery. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. There was live music Saturday night - a keyboardist and a singer and they were very nice and their quiet music made it easy to converse.

Excellent meal and service. Really enjoyed the ambience. Recommend for a nice informal meal. The live piano music and excellent cocktails before dinner made for a wonderful evening.

We stumbled upon The Palm Court after dropping our bags at the nearby Marriott. What a find. We were hungry early after our two-hour drive in from the coast. We walked into the magnificent lobby of The Benson Hotel and were directed to The Palm Court. Our being early for lunch was not a problem, and Sunner, our waiter, greeted us warmly and seated us. The restaurant, which is in the lobby of the hotel, has 40 foot ceilings, Circassian Walnut (now extinct) pillars and paneling, and Austrian crystal chandeliers. It is simply magnificent. Now, the food. Handsome Companion had the Salad Nicoise, which he found very much to his liking, and I had the vermicelli with mushrooms and spinach in a white wine broth. It was light and perfectly executed. The service, by Sunner, was attentive and thoughtful. This is such an elegant contrast to the weird and all-too-liberal atmosphere that is Portland.

The food was very good and the service was excellent. Located in the lobby of The Benson Hotel. The price is about what you would expect for a place like this and, as it is also a bar, there are plenty of choices for drink.

My friend and I recently stayed at The Benson Hotel and we were in the mood for something classy and low key so decided to stay in and enjoy dinner at Palm Court in the hotel. What a good decision on our part. Service was exceptional, food was fast, and atmosphere was lovely. The menu was a good size and everything on it looked amazing. My friend and I were both thrilled with our choices (I had French Onion Soup) and wish we had room in our bellies to order more.

If you get the chance for Breakfast in the morning, make sure to come visit Kathryn or Bobby. Both provide incredible service, and are a delight to talk too. The food is good, but the service makes the experience excellent.

An oasis in downtown Portland, the Benson Hotel and its lobby cafe cum restaurant The Palm Court are like a transplanted piece of San Francisco. Think of The Redwood Room in San Francisco's Clift Hotel and you have the genre and ambiance. The bar and the bartenders are outstanding, and the menu, while small, is well selected. While in many things it should be the thought that counts, that should not be the case, however, with the food. It slips down a few levels from the good to the average all too often, and The Benson should up its game in this regard. Still, a fine place to stop, relax, and reflect.

Our waiter Bobby made us feel so welcome and comfortable. He engaged us in conversation and when our meal was done, took an anniversary photo of us on the marble stairs. I hope he will always be working at your hotel so we can see him again. He was awesome.

We had crab cakes and clam chowder.....the chowder was pretty plain but had huge chunks of clams.....not my favorite way to have chowder but it was OK.....the crab cakes were on the menu as Dungeness but if so the crab was so fine you really couldn't tell.....the cakes were very thin and very small....and there were only 2.....certainly just barely enough for one person.....so I'd say no on their crab cakes....

We were staying in the Benson Hotel. We stopped by for a quick evening meal and cocktails. We choose the cheese plate and Mediterranean salad. The cheeses (blue, cheddar, white cheese), fish pate, fig jam (caramelized ginger, pickles, pearl onions), home-made crackers, and salad were wonderful but one of the best treats were the cocktails. I had the Aviation and have had a variation of this cocktail at other places. it was very good. My husband had a dill drink that was spectacular. He out ordered me. We will explore other treats on the cocktail menu. We experienced friendly and engaging staff. We ventured back for breakfast and I am so glad that we did. I had the Dungeness Crab Benedict and my husband had the Lox Benedict, both were spectacular. Our waiter, Bobby, suggested the off menu item, the Lox Benedict, after conversing with us and discovering our preferences. As we continued to converse with our friendly and funny waiter, Bobby, we discovered that the pastry chef has been at the Benson for 40 years and the breakfast chefs for 30 years which directly contributed to the excellence of meals. It was evident in the meal that they take great pride in their art, it was exceptional. I highly recommend the Dungeness Crab Benedict. Between the friendly/funny staff and the meal, I have no criticism. We will be back to visit BTW- If you have the pleasure of sitting at Bobby's table, enjoy his numerous one liners, he was very engaging and enhanced our great breakfast dining experience.

We stopped for a drink in the bar of the beautiful and historic Benson Hotel. The building is breathtaking with old wood paneling and stunning chandeliers. The bar is in the lobby and is small, quaint, and beautiful. The bartender was friendly and helpful. Even if you don’t stay at the Benson, a visit to the bar is definitely worthwhile. Oh....and the drinks were delicious and beautifully made!

We went down for happy hour during our stay at the Benson. Excellent value and the sweetest funniest servers. Thank you!

With the exception of a breakfast order that was completely messed up, our experience at the Palm Court at the Benson Hotel was excellent. After a couple of trips to the bar and to breakfast, the servers knew who we were and what we probably wanted. The food was good and the room has an ambiance of a old time hotel. We enjoyed glasses of wine and fried calamari at the bar and breakfast on three mornings.

Food was good but seemed a big pricey for what you got. The service was excellent. I was disappointed the açaí bowl was not available either day.

Located in the lobby of the historic Benson Hotel, it's a feast for the eye as well as the stomach. I ate there twice during my trip - once for dinner and once for a cocktail and a snack. I would absolutely eat there again. Service was great with the team being very attentive but not overwhelming.

My wife and I were looking for a place to eat after church where our "Sunday-go-to-Meeting" attire wouldn't be too out of place and settled on the Benson Hotel. Off the lobby, we found the Palm Court with a very nice, though full-price upscale lunch menu. We were most impressed by the ornate high ceiling, the beveled leaded glass windows, leather chairs and beautiful dark woodwork. We were surprised to be the only ones eating lunch there, and our server explained that there are some Sundays that very slow and some Sundays when the place was filled. We very much enjoyed the special attention that we got from our server on one of the very slow days. My wife had the Salmon and I had the Pork Cheek Stroganoff. Both were superb. My wife "forced" me to share her apple tart a la mode. Delicious. With an iced tea and tip, or tab came to $80, but it was worth it.

The food is mediocre and overpriced at The Palm Court. The staff is friendly but with the abundance of restaurants in downtown Portland, I highly suggest going somewhere else. In addition, even though this is listed on the Urban Restaurant Group as one of their properties, they would not accept our gift card. I've emailed URG twice hoping to make this right but they have ignored me. I would be hesitant to go to another URG property because of this.

The only thing better than simply visiting the wonderful historic Benson Hotel is visiting the historic Benson Hotel when it is dressed up in its holiday finest for the Christmas season, and the lobby bar and restaurant is the Palm Court, off to your right as you walk in the main entrance, and a totally worthy place to grab a table or a chair to relax, grab a bite to eat, or even a fine cocktail as you listen to some wonderful live music on the weekends. It made my trip to the hotel complete!

Every time we stay in the Benson, we make it a point to have a cocktail in the bar. Always excellent and the main bartender is personable and an expert in drinks. Always friendly conversations while sitting at the bar. Breakfast is served in the same place and it has, in the past, been acceptable. This time we ran into an attitude that was nothing short of rude. Our server, when asked if the "plain" yogurt was really plain or was vanilla, shrugged and said that it wasn't her job to know what the kitchen put together, she just served what she received from them. My wife can't eat sugar so it makes a difference. She took a chance and sure enough, it was sugary vanilla which she couldn't eat. Got charged for it anyhow. The server never ventured near our table after that probably out of embarrassment

What a nice experience at The Palm Court. The food was great and the service, especially John, was terrific. It really felt like family when we ate each day. Would highly recommend.

While staying at the Benson, we wanted to linger in the beautiful lobby and what better way to enjoy it than a leisurely breakfast? The menu isn't extensive but over the course of several days I tried several things—all of which were uncommonly good. They offer gluten free toast (other choices available too) with scrumptious homemade jam. The menu lists only a couple of omelettes but you can customize them in a number of ways. The potatoes—usually a throw away item—were soooo delicious! The coffee is a local brand which was good; the Stash tea is also local. It made for a luxurious start to our sightseeing day. Staff was pleasant and helpful, even offering us a cup of coffee/tea to take with us.

This is the type of hotel lobby restaurant you go to when you dont know where else to go. Nothing wrong with it or the pricing, but there are much better options nearby.

I love this bar. Not in a Toby Keith kinda way, because this is a beautiful, stylish bar with fantastic wood from Russia. The presentation is fantastic. However, the place feels “corporate.” Shout out to the handsome gent in a deep purple shirt, tie and khakis talking corporate numbers on 2/24/18 at 1:00 pm, your customers do not want to hear shop talk, and yes, we noticed, you monitor the number of drops poured in each drink. This may make HQ happy, but the answer to your inquiry to the bartender re:reduced numbers is, “You.” And your kind. Kind readers, this is still a great bar. However, I will keep you posted. Arthur, you’re a great bartender

Breakfast was great. We particularly appreciated our servers, Bobby and Richie! They took time to share local insights and hotel history!

Darren, our server, provided excellent service. He answered our questions, followed up with requested items. The food and cocktails were what we hoped for.

While recently staying at the Benson we ate at the Palm Court a few times (breakfast, and dinner). The food was good and the service friendly. It was super convenient for a steaming bowl of french onion soup the night we arrived - they serve until 11pm. Nice old hotel bar with beautiful woodwork and windows.

This is a nice restaurant within The Benson Hotel. It is a beautiful old space with lots of elegant detail from floors to high ornate ceilings. We ordered drinks, rosemary fries (gluten free) and a salad. The food was delicious and the service was impeccable.

This was my first stay at The Benson. I was fortunate enough to have dinner, breakfast and lunch at The Palm Court. It is a delightful oasis set off the main lobby of the historic Benson Hotel. The atmosphere was both inviting and relaxing. My server for all three meals happened to be the same waiter. He was friendly, courteous and knowledgeable as to the menu items. The food was delicious and I must give a loud shout out to the best French toast I have ever had anywhere. The cheeseburger was outstanding but the pommes frites aka French fires were awesome. Do yourself a favor when in Portland and stop by The Palm Court for a great meal served by friendly staff in a relaxing environment.

I ate dinner and a breakfast here. I has the fish and chips. They were really good. For breakfast I has the brazed beef hash. It was amazing. I didn't even need to eat lunch. The staff was very friendly.

We enjoyed our breakfasts at the Palm Court during a recent stay at The Benson in Portland. Very friendly staff with a high desire to please made the experience extra enjoyable. Food was quite good and very tasty. Highly recommend!

Ask for Wong he has been there for more than 20 years and makes your day. We also had after dinner drink at night as they had great live music

As overnight guests at The Benson, a Coast Hotel, we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at the hotel’s dining room, the Palm Court. The lox and bagel plate was delicious and included an abundant portion of lox. It is served in the period splendor of the hotel’s main floor.

Eat elsewhere!!! How do you burn an omelet with poured eggs????? For three days the food hasn't been right! Ordered medium rare burgers - more than well THREE times!! Very slow service. Waited over 45mins for breakfast while other tables arriving after us received their breakfast waaay before us!! Completely unacceptable!!!! AND one of our to go orders was given to someone else!!?? Really!!!??? Can't make this stuff up!

The food and service were exactly what you would hope for at this caliber of hotel and restaurant. The decor and atmosphere are classic. See photos once posted.

We arrived in Portland late and after checking in to our room at the Benson Hotel, we wondered if we could still get something to eat close by. We were directed to the Palm Court which is just across from the lobby and had outstanding service and a great dinner. This was all enhanced with a pianist playing some wonderful music. Cocktails were great and My salmon dinner was excellent! The best part. . .just walking to the elevator and going to our room without leaving the hotel!

We had appetizers and happy hour drinks; returned in the evening for night caps and jazz. The service was great. We stayed at the hotel which made it easy to enjoy this gem in the corner of beautiful grand old hotel. Make the effort to visit; you will not be disappointed

Nice server, and food was great, highly recommend trying it out for a quiet and peaceful dinner and drinks.

If you're staying at The Benson, this restaurant is very convenient! Quite a bit of selection was surprising and decent price. Drinks were well made and also decently priced. But the best was the service! I was really impressed by the attentiveness of the staff.

Since we are staying at the Benson Hotel we had breakfast this morning at The Palm Court restaurant in the lobby. My wife had the vegetarian omelet and I had the ham omelet with amazing coffee. Our waiter, Bobby, however was the star of the show. He has been at the Benson, along with is buddy, John for over 40 years. He is an entertaining and knowledgeable professional waiter and is a font of information about the food scene in Portland, especially Asian food. He is a Portland native if Chinese heritage with many chefs in his extended family. We got great tips for Chinese and Vietnamese dining options in the Portland area and can’t wait to try them out. I haven’t had this much fun at breakfast in ages. Oh, and the food is really good! 😊

My husband and I took an impromptu trip to Portland and booked our stay at The Benson, mostly for its location to the food tuck culinary scene. What we didn’t expect was that our best meal would be at the Palm Court inside The Benson. While the dinner was delicious and beautifully prepared, the highlight of the meal was our servers Richard and John. They were so welcoming, attentive, and delightfully entertaining. Truly made the dinner special.

We stayed here one night and enjoyed both dessert and breakfast. Everyone enjoyed their food, and the staff was very friendly, particularly Bobby at breakfast. Great experience.

Beautiful dining room. Great menu. We had decided already on the eggs Benedict and the French Toast, was funny Bobby the server actually said before we ordered those were his recommendations. Spot on. Food was great, and Bobby was a wealth of information on local stuff and history of the hotel. Will definitely take advantage of this place again.

I have been enjoying happy hour here for some of my visits to Portland. I have loved the new menu for the great value and the great food. I have also enjoyed some wonderful service from both John and Richard. Thanks for taking good care of me on my travels!

After checking into The Benson, just arriving from an early morning flight, we were famished and didn’t want to look for somewhere to eat so we thought we would try Palm Court Restaurant in The Benson lobby. We were pleasantly surprised at how wonderful the service was and the food we ate. Everything was delicious and prepared just to our liking. Our Waiter, Bobby Wong, was wonderful. He gave tips on the city, things to do, where not to go, and just all around fun to talk to. We enjoyed our lunch so much that we went back for happy hour and breakfast the next day. Each time our servers were great and our food delicious! Definitely recommend the Palm Court for a meal.