It's been 10+ years since our last visit, for no reason than choosing Shogun or Benihana's, but reminding ourselves we needed to come back. Today we did and I'm so sad we didn't come back sooner. The food is absolutely delicious, that was never a concern. But it was even better than we remembered. The thing that garnered my attention the most though was the service everyone. Our hostess was so accommodating and so attentive... and coming from a hospitality background, this was a breath of fresh air to see a level of service for how things should be normally. Our hibachi grill chef did more than just a normal show that many of us are used to but also talked with us and answered some of the small questions that we had. It was nice to just be able to socialize in such an environment. It was truly one of the best experiences in quite a long time for going out for a dining experience. Highly recommend this to anyone! read more

From my conversations with the friendly waitress I found that this location had been a family run business over the last 30 years. It's hibachi prepared, but they have a diverse menu and a venue that offers various dining experiences. The food is just what you expect trom traditional hibachi places, yet they add something special that sets them apart. They include noodles with your meal, so you don't have to choose between rice or noodles. I love it! I highly recommend visiting Banzai for the ambience, the friendly service, and the general cool vibes. I thoroughly enjoyed every part of my dining experience! read more

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What a disappointment!!! Came here to enjoy my Mother's Day and was a complete shit show. The older woman sat us down and made everything very hectic as we ordered. Didn't listen, argued and told ME that what I ordered wasn't enough ETC!! She sat us down right in front of a fan, so we had the huge fan blowing on us the entire dinner. We had to send our little man to get 3 different refills for the the kids.. and we sat there with one drink the ENTIRE time because they didn't come refill the cokes for the adults. I am beyond disappointed with how much money we spent on a dinner for 5 of us. 180$ and it was COMPLETE SHIT SERVICE!!! we've been coming here for years and it's completely gone down hill. Won't be back again read more

Beautiful birthday experience! It makes you feel like you are not just a customer but family. Their hospitality was amazing aside for their food. Miso soup was incredibly delicious and food was just amazing perfect flavor amount of flavor. Our cook was great made us laugh my kids especially my son was enjoying the whole preparation of the meal. I love going to family own business because they give you a special type of attention, care and hospitality you can't get anywhere else. Thank you for everything we will be coming back very soon. read more

Banzai Japanese Steakhouse - Japanese Near Me - Temecula, California

This was the best Japanese steakhouse I've ever ate at & I go to all of them pretty often. The filet was like butter & amazing! Their food even the salad dressing was way better than all the other places. Everyone there was super friendly & personable. read more

Good food and the service was excellent. Highly recommend this restaurant! Owner and the Chef were very friendly. Don't miss this place if you ever get to Temecula. read more

Great food and service. Friendly and gavr good recommendations. It was our first time, but they made us feel like regulars!

This little hole in the wall is a gem! The staff treat you like family, making it feel like you're eating at a friend's house. The teppanyaki cook was highly skilled in his food preparation and also fairly quick. The wait times are next to nothing because it's not usually crowded. If you're looking for teppanyaki with a shorter wait time, this place is perfect. It may not be as fancy, but it's a cozy place to enjoy a nice meal. read more

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Wa is one of the kindest people I have ever met. She never fails to make me feel welcomed or treat me with the most beautiful kindness and compassion. I love the food here as well. I usually get sushi or the teriyaki steak Teppanyaki both are amazing. The eel bowl is superb as well. The atmosphere is vampiric and very very comforting to me as I despise too much overhead lighting since it gives me a headache. Just a perfect place in every way. Thank you for always taking care of me. I LOVE YOU GUYS!! read more

Banzai Japanese Steakhouse - Japanese Near Me - Temecula, California

We had a wonderful dining experience with delicious food at Banzai. We had a variety of appetizers, sushi, and their hibachi/teppanyaki griddle. They have a full bar, and their mixed drinks are tasty and potent! Everything was stellar, and their prices were more than reasonable, especially compared to the other chain restaurants in town. Wa was exceptional! She and the whole Banzai crew are truly welcoming, whether your group is large or small. I would enthusiastically recommend them for a memorable gathering or just for a nice evening out. read more

We went for my daughters birthday & the food was amazing. The service was great & we loved our cook. He was so funny & made jokes all the time he was cooking our food. The show was also entertaining. We love the ambiance because it's really family oriented. Wasabi is the best. We like to go there for special occasions. She really treats us like family. We have been going there for a very long time. I really recommend it for big family's too. They always accommodate us. Love this place!!!! read more

My wife and I were driving around Temecula on our way over to Armstrong nursery. We got a little hungry and decided to stop Banzai Japanese steakhouse. When we walked in, we were met by mama son. She was so polite was very careful with seeing us and we were just questioning about just having a bite to eat not realizing they cooked the food in front of you like a Benihana's, but this wasn't nothing like Benihana's. We met some good people around the table. Got our drinks and decided we're gonna have some chicken and scallop orders are fantastic. Perfect to share has some sake a light beer with some lemon water and was astonish with the customer service. Our host her name was WA such a pleasant lady treat like family. We were so thankful that the good Lord brought us to this wonderful establishment when we left we're making arrangements when we're gonna come back sorry Benihana's you're being replaced. Our cooks name was Milo and was a showman with his utensils. Hope you guys give it a try one time you'll be hooked like us say hi to Wa and mama Sun and if you have Milo as a chef, do you have the Hattrick which means all three and one visit take care everybody I can't wait to go go back the establishments been there for over 30 years and his family owned thanks read more

This is a family owned business that deserves recognition! They are so attentive the whole time you are there, and are caring and passionate about their services! They were so friendly to me and my children for lunch today, and made sure we were taken care of. The owner is such a nice lady, she even helped me pack away the kids food to take home. The food is flavorful and delicious. And a plus is you get both miso soup and a delicious salad before your amazing show! The kids were so entertained and loves the noodles! The new tile flooring is great and all of their chairs are comfy! read more

Banzai Japanese Steakhouse - Japanese Near Me - Temecula, California

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I spent alot of money there and walked out hungry. Service was good and the chef put a good show. It's an old place was here in the 90's so it needs a little TLC. All the hibachi places are basically the same and you smell what you ate for the rest of the night read more

The food was incredible and the vibes were even better. Get the hibachi steak and shrimp! Coolest staff around!

To Banzai with Love! I cannot express enough how delightful this hidden gem of a restaurant is. The food was excellent, and the miso soup was even better than the miso I have had in Japan. The customer service was outstanding and welcoming. This restaurant is undoubtedly a diamond in the rough. I ordered the teriyaki steak dinner which comes with salad, soup, rice, and vegetables and a side of piping hot egg rolls. I must say, the food did not disappoint. I will definitely be back soon! read more

This might be the best food I've ever ate my cook Milo absolute dawg a top tier cook in my book and the waiter made this experience a 6 she made you feel like family I would 100 percent come back to this place great place for your friends and family to go out and eat read more

We had a great experience here! We came to town for work and walked till we found a place! We had fun! It was kid friendly! The steak was delicious! The business is family owned and they were so friendly! We can't wait to come back, and eat our left overs because the portions are awesome! Thanks! read more

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Went here for my wife's birthday with my in laws and family and we absolutely fell in love with this restaurant! The workers are super generous and friendly the owner was our server and she was so attentive and very nice we'll definitely be returning and recommending this place to everyone we know !! 10/10!!! read more

This is my first review I've ever wrote because this place really makes you feel at home. Ate here for my sisters birthday and WOW the service and food was amazing. Wa and our Chef were very considerate, nice and hilarious. My favorite mom and pop spot out here by far and will be coming again very very soon! If you haven't been here I'd really recommend giving it a shot because these people are very genuine and know how to have a good time. Everyone who has wrote a bad review needs to give it another shot because this restaurant was fantastic!!! read more

Place is still delicious! The current prices did go up due to covid and the high cost of food currently. Still worth it for me and my family. Everything was fresh and tasted amazing. The staff has always been nice and my girls love them! Especially my 4 year old. Will be back again soon! read more

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What a fabulous family owned place. The food was really good, portions were large. The service was friendly and attentive and the prices weren't inflated. It's always nice to see a business that's been doing what they do for going on 30yrs. We wish them well and hopefully can visit again soon. read more

By far the best Japanese restaurant me and my family have ever eaten at. The cooks / owners are an amazing family. The food and service are on point every time. This is and has been our go to place for several years now and will continue to be for several years to come! Thank you Banzai family !! read more

Better than Bennihana or Shogun....Food and service was top-notch. Wonderful experience! read more

The gentleman that cooked for us was great! The service was excellent. The food was so, very good. This restaurant has been a family favorite for 20+ years! We love them. read more

Best place for The money and atmosphere? We will return. The chef was grand. Our server down to earth and comical. The shrimp were huge and wonderfully delicious. Other places would be 39% more $. Yes, we'll be back. Phi, our driver and food connoisseur, was in 7th Heaven. I was able to enjoy the Sac-hi. The ease to get to Banzai was another plus. Thank you, employees of Bonzai. read more

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I can only speak on their sushi side of their restaurant and wow I am absolutely blown away by how horrendously disgusting it was. Don't get me wrong sometimes even I enjoy sushi from the grocery store because it hits the spot . BUT this restaurant costly sushi here is absolutely next level terrible. The rolls feel like it was made by a third grader tastes like anything but sushi and we had to spit it out. Please hire an actual sushi chief or take a class or something because holy cow I don't understand how yall are still in business it's crazy. I'm warning yall don't here for sushi you will %100 regret it I pinky promise you. read more

Service is very quick, staff are friendly and welcoming, the food is absolutely divine, and the ambiance is soothing. Perfect for a date night or a night out with friends and family. read more

Banzai Japanese Steakhouse - Appetizer - first course salad and miso soup with a glass of Plum Wine - Japanese Near Me - Temecula, California

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I have been going to this restaurant ever since i was a kid. Family owned and always so welcoming and fun. Wah is an absolute delight and always makes us feel at home. Our favorite hibachi place! read more

Banzai Japanese Steakhouse - Japanese Near Me - Temecula, California

We are vacationing and wanted Hibachi. What a wonderful choice. The food and Hibachi cooking were awesome and the service was phenomenal. The owner made you feel right at home. We wish we had this place in Ohio. Highly recommend, you will not be disappointed. read more

It was Valentines Day. We got seated right away even though the place was packed. Our table then waited for more than 1 hour before the Teppanyaki chef showed up. There were only 3 chefs for 10 to 12 Teppanyaki grills. OK, it was Valentine's Day, so I can give them slack on the wait time. However, we were disappointed with the food. I think our chef wasn't very good - few tricks and very SLOW. He kept putting on more and more butter and teriyaki sauce over and over again. First of all the miso soup was over the top salty - far saltier than miso soup usually Is, which is salty. Second, the fried rice was mediocre - rice, eggs, soy sauce and butter, lots and lots of butter. There was virtually no vegetables to give it a little crunch. Instead of shrimp or a little more vegetables they also serve stir fried noodles. They really try to load you up with starchy rice and noodles. Next our stir fry vegetables were over cooked - too soft. I ordered chicken and scallops. My wife ordered Filet Mignon. My scallops, which we both shared, were fine. She ordered her filet medium rare. It was cooked well done. The cook left my chicken on there for eternity, again constantly adding more butter and more teriyaki sauce. By the time he served it to me it was way over cooked. The amount of meat was a little on the skimpy side compared to other Teppanyaki grills we have eaten at. Don't get me wrong, it's not that the food was horrible, but just not up to par compared to other Teppanyaki restaurants I have eaten at. I would say this restaurant ranks last amongst all the Teppan restaurants I have tried. The one bright note is the service. Even though it was Valentine's Day and the staff was very stressed, they still were very friendly and treated people warmly. Bottom line, this restaurant is OK, but a little too pricey for the caliber of the food and the chefs. read more

We recently celebrated my boyfriends 40th here and had a great time! The chefs were great with our large party and the service was fantastic! We love supporting a family owned and operated business! The food quality was great and everyone was happy with their meals and the show!! Can't wait to go back! read more

Banzai Japanese Steakhouse - Japanese Near Me - Temecula, California

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I have been coming here for dinner as long as I can remember, over 20 years. I cannot begin to explain to amazing family who own and run it. You most definitely feel at home. The atmosphere is fun and friendly, the food is always delicious with huge portions, and above all it is family owned and run. I love coming here and realize how much more often I should. If you are not sure what you want for dinner this is your place, they will make you feel right at home and cook you up the most entertaining and yummy meals. Go now!!! read more

The food was amazing and our chief was so friendly and very talented. Definitely put on a show for us while making food that is to DIE for!! Definitely not enough people in there as there should be read more

First time here , definitely coming back again. We have a toddler , and the first thing I noticed is they take into consideration little kids. They put cartoons on their tvs to distract our 2 Year old. The vibe inside gave old school which I like! Definitely family owned and love that. Food was delicious big portions. All the staff are so friendly. Price was decent. We were going to go to Benihana's instead of here but now I won't be going there, coming here instead to support small family owned business ! read more

The food is great. I'd give it 5 stars if the owners would scrub the place down. It's not the cleanest looking place. The floors are sticky. Grime has built up. A good cleaning and this place would be the top restaurant in the area. The food is amazing. read more

Unfortunately, I need to downgrade my review. We've been going to Banzai for years. The food is fine... it's pretty much the same... maybe a little saltier. I'm downgrading my review because the place is so dirty :-( I was afraid to touch the back of my chair because it was so sticky with old grease. Same thing with the menus. I get it that doing business is as expensive as ever right now but the last time I checked, vinegar and baking soda are still cheap and it would just take a few hours to scrub down all of the tables and chairs. PLEASE CLEAN YOUR RESTAURANT read more

Banzai Japanese Steakhouse - I can never wait until all of the food is done before I start eating it. - Japanese Near Me - Temecula, California

We ordered the filet mignon and lobster at the hibachi table. My meal came with miso soup, salad, vegetables, rice (we chose fried rice) and noodles. The soup, salad, steak and lobster were good but the rest was bland. Not much tricks at the grill...just a little of spatula tossing and he threw the egg and it landed on the spatula causing a crack which I thought it was cool. He threw the other egg and it landed on his hat. Atmosphere was dark which wasn't a big problem. We were the only ones there because we got there waiting for them to open. No need to go back. It was $45 dollars per meal. read more

This place is nothing short of amazing!! Every time we go here it gets better and better. The food is always amazing! I also love that local feel, supporting the local community and just being able to connect with the owners rather than a franchise. The proportions are huge! Would definitely recommend this to everyone! read more

We were looking to go to the pho place next door but they close on Sundays. I truly enjoyed this place. I was reading the reviews about it being dark and dirty and not being well kept but the food truly speaks for itself. We had just went to teppanyaki just last week in seal beach but this place was way better. We came in right when they just opened which was at 3pm and they already had a big party of 5 and a party of 4. If you are expecting to be in and out please go to another restaurant. The teppanyaki is a dining experience with a show and guest interaction. They get your order and prep it before the chef comes out. Why I say this was better than my Seal Beach experience is because of the quality. The last place we went to everything had the same flavor; the rice, the noodles (spaghetti noodles used) , and the vegetables. Their fried rice and noodles had a good color and flavor to it. The vegetables were very fresh. I love love their sauces they have which you need to ask for (creamy Siracha Mayo and a ginger sauce). Everything is already seasoned well but I do love dipping sauces. Impressed with the meats we ordered too and the prices are pretty fair. We felt like the show was better here and we loved that it's family owned. We met another party at the table who has been coming here since they opened in 1996. This was such a pleasant surprise and I can't wait to bring my bf here to show him up since he took us to the place in Seal Beach. read more

Banzai Japanese Steakhouse - Japanese Near Me - Temecula, California