As one of the few places you can get away from campus food and have something real, The Bench has decent prices where you can get something a little different.
I only came here once to try it out before I graduated from Stony Brook. I ordered the Crab Cakes along with a Bench Cheeseburger with Sweet Potato Fries. My boyfriend ordered Fish & Chips.
I couldn't believe my Crab Cakes only came in two little patties for the price we paid, but once we bit into them- we realized that the meat was fresh. Nothing too fishy or too chewy.
My cheeseburger was good. But the sweet potato fries that came with it were salted. So I didn't bother finishing them.
It was empty when we came in because it was in the afternoon. Bars usually don't pick up until night time. So the service was as quick as can be.
All in all, it's a good place to just get away from campus food if you want.
I've only been here a handful of times. Am I allowed to use the word "ratchet" on here...? Â That's to describe those sweaty and nasty nights when everyone is dancing and fighting to get to the bar.
Normal college/sports bar. Â The music on Thursday + weekend nights seem to be all top 40's (which isn't bad!) and very dancy. Â It definitely gets the crowd moving.
Things I hate: I cannot squeeze my way to get a drink on Thursday nights. Â Usually I'll be waiting for about 10 minutes just trying to get the bartender's attention. Â It isn't their fault in the least, but when you want to dance... or at least mingle with friends, time is of the utmost importance. (I think if you wave a Benjamin in front of their face, they'll give you top priority.)
Pros: good amount of space, good dancy/club music selections, very close to SBU campus for those nights you do not want to pay for a cab.
Cons: Drinks could be cheaper, gets really hot and sweaty in there if you're dancing, getting the bartender's attention on Thursday nights is a challenge. Â Looks a bit grimey too sometimes.
If you're from the area you probably have a pretty strong opinion on the bench. Either you hate it or you love it. I'm in the love it camp.
-Great food
-Good Music
-Reasonable prices
-All of my friends are here
-Tons of TVs with every game
-Great staff
Overall this place is a great sports bar that has pretty much whatever you're looking for. But dont be surprised if you run into a ward melivlle high school reunion. Catch you at ladies night this summer kids
Nice college bar sort of place. I find that it could have been a little cheaper though. Also, it takes 10 minutes atleast to get a drink from the bar when it is crowded.
They have 10-12 beers on tap that they change once in a while. Good stuff. A pitcher costs about 18$.
Thursday nights are fun. There is a 10$ cover for men that day though, but it is worth it.
Stopped at The Bench during the mid-afternoon for the hour and a half between an interview and the next Manhattan-bound train. I sat at the bar in the back, and was one of a couple of customers there. The bartender was attentive, and rather conversational, which was nice because I was all alone.
The beer selection was pretty decent. There was the usual sports bar fare, along with a nice sampling of local brews, including beers by Port Jeff Brewing Co. and Blue Point.
I also ordered a side of sweet potato fries. The "side" was a huge plate, way larger than a normal side. And they were served with hot maple syrup. I'd never combined syrup with fries, so I also secured a side of ranch dressing (my usual dip of choice for sweet potato fries), but the hot maple syrup was fantastic. It went so well with the fries... it's definitely my new dip of choice.
And the bathrooms were clean, which is a plus.
It's the Stony Brook hangout of jocks and the 21+ crowd. Food and beers are priced $2-$3 above what one might expect at a diner, but the service and atmosphere make it work it. Great date place if you can't get off campus! Sample platter comes with mozzarella sticks, chicken wings, and chicken fingers were great. The Burgers are on the small side, but will leave you satisfied.
I've never been there fore the bar so don't quote me on anything! Happy Eating.
The Bench is a place that I have visited originally a year ago to see my brother who is an athlete for Stony Brook University.  We went in two nights that weekend and I really had a great time we were able to walk back to campus the food was good and the service was excellent. You guys had beat the clock, so much  fun and reminded me of college.  I came back again for the weekend to visit my brother a few weeks ago and it wasn't the same.  No one was out and we ended up going down port for drinks. I really enjoyed my time at The Bench, Jackie the bartender was outgoing, cute, and attentive.  I'm 26 and I help my brother out when I can because I want him to have fun in college like I did.  I feel like you guys are trying to be a college bar but without college prices.  What college bar doesn't have an awesome drink special on Saturday? I suggest a drink special so college kids want to go there and have fun again.
Review Source:Sometimes I come here and have a great time, sometimes I don't. One thing is always consistent here; it is a college bar, it is ALWAYS packed on Thursday nights, and it takes ridiculously long to get a drink at the bar. Fun if you know people there and you're local, but if not, I wouldn't bother.
Review Source:I have had plenty experience with The Bench, always on Thursday's for their Ladies Night. To describe this establishment, the best I can say is "COLLEGE BAR". It is always crowded on Ladies Night. Always. It takes about 20 minutes to get a weak drink from the bar. There is a ten dollar cover charge for open bar until midnight... Luckily, I know the bouncer at the back door and never have to pay. For everyone else, I don't really know why they waste their time.
The dance floor is constantly soaked with spilled alcohol, and girls in ridiculous sized heels are always falling.
There are also a lot of fights and one of my friends recently had to go to the hospital and get 5 stitches above his eye.
Overall, if you are looking to surround yourself with mostly underage college students, be on a dance floor where everyone is within inches of you and is drenched in sweat, and wait for 20 minutes to get a drink... get your butt to the Bench!
Located right across the street from the Stony Brook train station, this was where I spent almost every Thursday night of my senior year in college. Ladies' Night is always insanely crowded, and the $10 cover fee is a bit steep for what you get. Despite there being two full bars, it takes at least 20 minutes to even get the bartenders' attention for a drink. They usually have a pretty decent DJ, though, so the dance floor is always a good time. And if it gets too loud or packed for you, there's a nice back area outside where all the smokers hang out. But if you happen to be female, I warn you that almost every guy you meet out here will try their hardest to take you home with them.
To be honest, the only reason my friends and I kept coming back was because the location is convenient and we didn't want to pay for the taxi rides to and from Port Jefferson to have fun. If you're an SBU student, you'll always bump into someone you know - which could be a good or bad thing, depending on your track record. :P I've been here twice on a less busy night, though, and my experiences were much more pleasant. The space is actually pretty large, once you see it unoccupied by hundreds of college students. Their wings and burgers are surprisingly good, too!
they proclaim to have the "best turkey burger on long island"................. nothing could be further from the truth!!!! Â we proceeded to order two of them, one for myself, and one for my daughter. big mistake!!!!!!! Â what we got............dry, small, thin, yucky turgey burger i could have made at home and saved $11.25!!!!!!!. who charges $11.25 for a turkey burger? Â by the way, don't ever ask for your burger on a bed of lettuce with tomato because what'll you'll get is a paper-thin slice with a few scraps.......and i mean scraps of lettuce. Â
      they had the nerve to charge $11.25 for literally a dry small turkey burger thrown on a plate............nothing else!
               shame on them!
-If you go here for lunch the place is FREEZING. Â They don't turn on the heat. Â
-I got a burger medium and it came out so rare that I got sick eating eat. Â I was too cold and grumpy to complain, I just wanted to go. Â Everything was cold, the food, the place. Â Everything. Â And not to mention I went on a Friday afternoon so the bathrooms were still gross from the night before. Â The floor was so sticky that my shoes were getting stuck to it.
-When I asked for tea to warm up, the waitress took ten minutes getting it to me when the place was practically empty. Â Not cool. Â She was sweet and all...but just so slow. Â How long does it take to get hot water and a tea bag? Â
-Went here at night and the place is a dump filled with college kids is skimpy clothing (really, at a sports bar?).
i really like the vibe of this place. i used to come here all the time when i was a student so i was too drunk back in the day to remember what it was like. now that i am all grown up, i see this place for what it really is... great for the more mature crowd, great for beer aficionados, people that like a cozy and friendly atmosphere and sports fans. the bench is a great family place too. my go to beers are Shocktop on tap with an orange slice or Long Ireland Celtic Ale. good stuff! burgers, wings, appetizers, pesto chicken....it is all good.
Review Source:The Bench / Park Bench has been around for eons. Â
The place functions as a sports bar/restaurant during the day and early evening. Â At night they put away the tables and operate as a club which caters to the SUNY and " I just turned 21" set. Â
They  seem to have a decent selection of tap beer on hand.  Previous reviewers mention drink/food combo specials but I've never been in here for lunch or during times when they are offered.  Pricing on the food is reasonable though it seems to have gone up recently.  On a typical Saturday evening you'll see families in the place with plenty of kids bouncing around.  Food is what would be typically offered in sports bar.  They also have regular entrees that you'd see in proper sit down restaurant.  For me personally, I'd stick with the sandwich/burger entrees.  The food is good but is is hard to screw up a burger/sandwich. Â
We ordered two dozen chicken wings for our appetizer. Â What appeared at our table was almost comical. Â In the tray lay two dozen or so of the smallest chicken wings I had ever seen in my life. Â I mean they were sub-atomic sized. Â I'm not even sure where wings of this size could actually be purchased. Â One wing was so small I first thought it was grizzle on the tray. Â It was a wingette ( as opposed to the drumette) and was less than 1 inch long. Â I tired to picture what type of a chicken embryo this thing came off of. Â Â They were basically skin and bones ( see picture). Â All of us burst out laughing. Â The waitress first gave an excuse that they put more on the plate because they were small. Â When she saw that we weren't going for that, she offered to bring out more wings. Â She acknowledged those would also be of sub-atomic size. Â Then they offered to give us a free appetizer for our trouble. Â We took them up on the free appetizer. Â We have had the wings there in the past and they seemed to be normal size. Â Maybe they got a bad batch. Â Maybe they ordered a batch of small ones for a wing special they were running. Â Who knows. Â The bottom line is they knew about this issue and they let a sub-par product reach our table. Â Â Everyone in our group ordered burgers/sandwiches and our "entree". Â Â All the food arrived as ordered and was good.
Service was okay.  The waitress was pleasant enough but not very well versed in the tap offerings.  When asked what was on tap she handed us a tiny scrap of paper on which she had written down the tap beers.  Too bad she didn't take the  two minutes needed to memorize the  8 or so offerings on the list.  Maybe it was her first day on the job. Â
I gave three stars only because Yelp doesn't allow 2 1/2 stars. Â This isn't a type of place you'd go to for a fancy night out. Â For basic food and a cold drink it'll work.
The Bench AKA ( The Park Bench/ Stench) has been an institution for Stony Brook and the University. This placed has changed from my college days. The bar is actually a lot nicer and looks like a sports bar.
The drink specials are good during football season. I have not gone here for the Thursday nights since college. All the wondering memories of this place will never die as long as this place is still around.
This is good for Sunday  football that I know of. As for the rest of the week I can not tell you.
Food was 3 stars
The Bench is THE place for Stony Brook graduate students (and professors) to hang out.
Overall it's nothing super special, but it's by far the nicest bar / restaurant within walking distance of campus.
I recommend it for lunch -- they have a special where you get a generous club sandwich, a side and a drink (beer or wine) for something like $7-$8.
I've also been there for dinner. They have the normal selection of burgers and traditional American dishes. My girlfriend likes the fish and chips, which are a fatty but good. The sweet potato fries are some of the best I've had.
As the name says, this is a sports bar, but the dining area has a general tavern-ish , family friendly atmosphere. They cater to all types. The bar is more sportsy, with lots of TVs. On one Friday there was a DJ there, which was cool, but extremely loud.
Overall, this is a great place, they do a good service to stony brook graduate students. I wish there were more places like this near campus.
I came to The Bench once sometime last year for a burger when it was still new to the Stony Brook area. I came back last Thursday for Ladies' Night and it was a SHIT SHOW. Even though it's a 5 dollar cover for ladies to drink for free from 10pm-12am, it's definitely not worth it for the experience.
Considering the fact that this is very close to the Stony Brook LIRR station and therefore close to the Stony Brook campus, it definitely attracts a bunch of Stony Brook students - douchebags, sluts and everything in between. The Bench on Thursdays tries to pass itself off as a club, which it clearly isn't. Rather, I'm curious as to how they clean it after Thursdays for business on Friday since the floor was COVERED with beer and god knows what other fluids when I was there. The staff is just as pretentious as the crowd - guys trying to grab girls to dance with them aka just putting their crotch to your ass and the bartender being very snappy and confused me for another Asian girl - my friend who was standing next to me at the bar.
Their liquor made me nauseous.
The bartender was a bitch.
The men were not easy on the eyes.
Very (!!) questionable attire.
Bathroom was disgusting - paper piled high on the trash cans.
And why do the girls here wear club attire to just shake their booty at a bar&grill restaurant? Questionable, indeed.
Good college bar. Â The ladies nights can vary from insanely crowded to practically coma-worthy but I'm a fan of the latter so that never bothered me.
GREAT spot for a Yankees playoff game. Â They have their own parking lot, cheap pitchers, and lots of TVs . Â There's a side with tables and booths for sitting down to eat and a separate bar area. Â The food is also very good for greasy bar food. Â I love the chicken sandwich and french fries!
Kudos to the new owners revamping the old "Park Bench". I am SUNY SB grad, who used to hit this place in the mid 90's and it was a dump!
It is a nice balance of up scale pub cafe meets sports bar. I think the food is very good and the atmosphere is great. Very nice selections on tap as well. A bit pricey, but it is in Stony Brook?
I definitely recommend this place, its also a good family spot before the late night bar crowd arrives.
Okay, so here's the deal. We appreciated the Bench for what it was, a decent sports bar with good local draft beer. In fact, I've been really impressed with their beer selection and their happy hour is great too. The food also is quiet tasty. In the past, I would suggest the Chicken Quesadilla, the Pulled Pork Sandwich, the Wings (a decent deal at happy hour), and the Turkey Burger.
BUT here's the thing, recently they revamped the menu and literally doubled all their prices! Maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but it has to be at least a 30% increase. The amazing chicken quesadilla I mentioned above used to be around $8 normal, $4 at happy hour...It's now $12 dollars for a four piece chicken quesadilla. Obviously, I'm not psyched. So thank you for letting me rant a bit.
All in all, it's a decent place, but it has also seen several different manager/owners. I'm beginning to wonder if this one is cashing in his chips :)
Unlike, apparently, most Yelpers I follow the basic rules of FUCKING MATH and round "2.5 star" establishments to 3 stars. This is one of those establishments.
If it were just a sports bar, The Bench could be a 4 star place. Lots of TVs and a fair amount of tables in the bar section, decent food and good happy hour specials ($7 Miller light pitchers, $3 pints of a nice selection of draughts, 1/2 apps, etc.). There tends to be only one waitress serving all of the tables, though, so you're better off drinking the pain of life away at the bar unless you have a group of people commiserating with you.
The problems arise when this place morphs from "semi-classy sports bar" to "douchey guido meatmarket." Which apparently could be at any given fucking moment. Case in point - I went there to watch the NFL Draft (fuck off) with a few friends (ha!) last Thursday night which, unbeknownst to us, happened to also be Ladies' Night, commencing around 9pm or so. The change was quick. Tables were removed, lights and TVs turned off, the dulcet tones of Mel Kiper's silky-sweet voice replaced by Lady Gaga. It was traumatic. We weren't outright asked to leave, but the vibrations got most unpleasant.
The restaurant side is a mixed bag. The food is above average (though the hotwings 'hotness' scale is completely arbitrary - 'Atomic' level might be properly eye-watering some days and disappointingly mild the next). However, I've had some pretty terrible waitresses in the few times I've sat down here. I'd recommend sticking to the bar end.
Good place to go for happy hour, or to pregame for other activities. Crapshoot as far as going there for a game. Staying late leaves you open to the Ed Hardy crowd, especially Thurs-Sat.
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