Bennett Pointe Grill — Restaurant in Durham

Service 5/5. Our server made sure our drinks were constantly filled. So did the manager. We were asked if we wanted bread and if our meals were okay. Waiter was very respectful in tone. Cleanliness 5/5. Dinnerware was clean, glasses and tables appeared clean as well. None of our condiments were sticky and had been wiped down which is nice. Quality 4/5. Bread was very generic. Not to say "bad" but at least it was toasted. My wife felt the pasta salad was a bit bland as well. The Peasant Pasta I ordered was good, but the sauce very obviously straight from a can and ruined the flavor of the added shrimp and vegetables mixed in. The atmosphere was very relaxed and dark. So dark, I could barely see a persons face from 15 - 20 feet away. It was odd but comfortable. Price 3/5. A crab cake sandwich, pimento cheese and cracker appetizer and my pasta totaled $37 (tip not included). We ordered waters with our meals. I believe people go out to eat to eat something they can't ordinarily make at home. To enjoy a culinary delight. But the food while "okay", tasted like something I could have easily whipped up at home for free.

We...

Bennett Pointe Grill has many things going for it. It's a Durham institution, having been here for years. They must be great to their staff because they seem to retain them and they seem to work quickly even when the place is packed to the gills. I've had a member of the staff seem rushed a time or two, but I take it as them being busy but trying to fulfill everyone's needs. The bar area is pleasant. They also can arrange seating for large groups, which is of great value (last time we sat a party of 11 all together). They take reservations as well.

It actually pains me to say anything about the place that's negative, because I do think there are some positive aspects to the place. The food is just okay. It isn't special. There isn't anything you couldn't make at home without the proper supplies. It is usually slightly undercooked or pretty overcooked I've noticed. The acoustics are also incredibly loud. A table of six would have a hard time hearing one another from one end to the other. If you don't like noise, don't go here...

We really enjoyed our meal at Bennett Point Grill today. I had the oysters, and I asked for the side salad and steamed vegetables instead of the fries and slaw for my two sides. The oysters were crispy and tender, just the way I like them, and the tarter and cocktail sauces were excellent. My husband ordered the special: Grilled Wahoo topped with blackened shrimp, served with a crabmeat sauce. His entree was tasty and perfectly cooked. I’m subtracting one point because our waitperson did not ask him what sides he wanted with the special (2 were supposed to come with the dinner). Because he didn’t realize that he was supposed to get two sides with his dinner, he ordered 2 appetizers (soup and Caesar salad) for a total of $14. He told me after we left that he would have ordered the side salad and mashed potato sides instead of the appetizers if he’d known that sides were supposed to come with his entree. I suggest that the wait person should ask people which sides they want instead of assuming that they want no sides if they...