Johnathan took great care of me at the bar! I can in for a simple solo lunch date anger very satisfied. The service was on point and the surprise drink he made was amazing! 10/10 read more

I've been going to Benihana Bethesda for a while, but today's experience was different in the best way. Johnathan was the bartender and his customer service was excellent. He was attentive, proactive, and made sure I never had to ask for anything. Great energy and hospitality throughout the visit. I'm already looking forward to coming back and even hoping to catch one of his shifts again to experience happy hour. Great job, Johnathan! read more

Request for a performance from Rufino. Expect at least a 45 minute wait AFTER your reservation time. Annoyed? Contact corporate. As a frequent hibachi diner, I don't say this lightly -- Chef Rufino is exceptional. I've seen countless performances over the years, and his energy, precision, and charisma truly stand out. He had the entire table engaged from start to finish, and every dish was cooked perfectly. The flavor, timing, and presentation were flawless. He ALMOST makes up for the lack of corporate dining time limit enforcement. If this would be addressed and more talent like Rufino, I'm 100% sure their 2 rating would increase. read more

Benihana This was my first time visiting Benihana, and unfortunately, I did not enjoy my experience. The food was disappointing overall. The only items I truly enjoyed were the California rolls and the wings. Everything else missed the mark for me. The vegetable egg rolls were crispy on the outside but didn't seem fully cooked on the inside. The dumplings barely had any chicken in them and were paired with a sauce that didn't complement the dish at all. The calamari was also overcooked, and while the mango lemonade was decent, it wasn't enough to save the meal. The service was also extremely slow. It took about an hour for our food to arrive at the table, which made the experience even more frustrating. However, I want to make it clear that this was not the fault of the bartender, Julia. Julia was honestly the highlight of the entire visit. She was incredible and deserves recognition for her work ethic. She seemed to be everywhere at once--managing the bar, helping guests throughout the restaurant, correcting food issues before dishes even reached the table, and stepping in wherever she was needed. She was attentive, professional, and handled everything with a positive attitude. Based on what I witnessed, she has the qualities of a manager. Overall, my first experience at Benihana was underwhelming due to the food quality and long wait times. If I ever return, it would largely be because of the exceptional customer service provided by Julia. She truly went above and beyond and was the bright spot in an otherwise disappointing visit. read more

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Had a fantastic experience at Benihana in Bethesda! From the moment we walked in, the staff was welcoming and attentive. Our chef was entertaining, energetic, and incredibly skilled making the whole teppanyaki experience both fun and memorable. The food was delicious and cooked perfectly, from the tender steak and chicken to the flavorful fried rice and fresh vegetables. Portions were generous and everything tasted fresh and well-seasoned. The atmosphere was lively without feeling overwhelming, making it great for a celebration or a night out with family and friends. Service throughout the meal was smooth and friendly. Overall, an excellent dining experience we'll definitely be back! read more

Benihana - Bethesda - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

We took our niece to Benihana for her birthday, and overall it was an okay experience. The staff was friendly and attentive, which we appreciated. However, the food itself just didn't quite hit the mark this time and flavor felt a bit off and not as good as we remembered from past visits. Still a fun experience for a celebration, but the food was definitely lacking compared to what it used to be. read more

Did you know that Benihana serves burritos? That's right you're not reading that incorrectly. I picked up a couple of hibachi burritos this Monday with no expectation, but I was floored at how good this taste tasted. I mean it makes sense because the hibachi rice is phenomenal so why wouldn't it taste delicious. It came with a side salad and your choice of dressing or sauce, and the burrito itself is massive. Like old-school chipotle massive. I thought it was delicious and I'm pretty sure this is gonna be on rotation for me and the fam. To clarify, this is from the to-go menu and you can find it online. read more

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Representing 2020 for B is for Benihana. Not sure why all the negative reviews of Benihana; this place is great! Been here multiple times over the years to use my birthday offer. They give like 90 days on the birthday offer so it tends to be spring when I'm using, which is great. I was so impressed the 1st time I ever went in the mid-2010's with a friend. You sit at a table around the chef and watch him make the food in front of you. He does various tricks like a fire volcano with the onions, flips the spatulas, etc. The food was great too. I've had various foods over the years like the seafood, chicken, steak, etc. Everything is great including the rice & veggies, salad with peanut sauce you get, etc. April 2020 was a tough time, Covid, where no dine-in & all takeout. I was determined to use my birthday deal anyway. My girlfriend & I drove from Wheaton to downtown Bethesda to use this deal. They were organized with all the to go orders. Then, we ate in the car like animals as we didn't want the food to get cold by the time we got back home. It was inconvenient for sharing the food, but we made do, still delicious. Unfortunately, that year Benihana lost the appeal of the whole experience of having the chef cook in front of you. Thankfully, dine-in was back when I redeemed the birthday offer in early June 2021, which I used with a friend who lives near here. March 2022 I went with that same friend. Didn't end up using in 2023 & 2025. My girlfriend & I had planned to go to use my birthday deal and meet up with my friends, one of which she hadn't met yet on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. Sadly, on that morning the Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed. I was depressed that day, but I wasn't changing my plans. Another great experience with my girlfriend. Food & service was great per usual. Even with the $30 off, it's still expensive now like $90 total for the two of us. So, I determined the birthday offer isn't that great these days plus Bethesda was never that convenient on a Monday-Thursday in 2025 to use the deal. read more

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The food was great. The service was great!! Thank you Julia!!! This is my first time at a Benihana. I have planned on going many times but hadn't pulled the trigger. Not to mention I've always been pretty far from one. The ambiance is very relaxing and chill. No more happy hour next time it'll be for dinner. Wondering if Benihana does anything special for birthdays? I'll definitely find out. My 50th is at the end of the year. They do have WiFi if I'm remembering correctly. Unfortunately, no first responder or military discounts. read more

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Food had too much pepper. I ask for a med stake and got a med well. Service was good........... read more

Benihana - Bethesda - HIBACHI VEGETABLE FRIED RICE and filet HIBACHI STEAK - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

My food was seasoned, but not Japanese style. It was not cooked like a traditional hibachi meal so that threw us off a bit. The chef was sweet and had a pleasant disposition though. The staff had to be asked a few times for items. This had to be the most diverse staff I have ever seen in a hibachi restaurant. Loved that! The restaurant was clean and we were greeted upon entry. There was a bday at our table and the waiter sang to him in English and Spanish:) read more

Benihana - Bethesda - Calamari appetizer - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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These my favorite lunch boat. It's combo, come with soup, salad, and rice..! And 4 flavor sauce. I have ordered almost 10years. The same food. the price is very fair.! read more

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I've been visiting Benihana since I was a youngin and I'll always love it. Now the prices have gone up but that comes with the economy. I'm always entertained here (my favorite part being the onion chu chu train lol) and I always leave with leftovers. The food is fresh and the staff is great. I haven't had a bad experience or meal here yet. Casual dining that's good for celebrations and birthdays. Side note: Pay for parking in the app to avoid getting a ticket. read more

Benihana - Bethesda - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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Don't understand the low reviews. Food is consistently good, atmosphere is fun, service is excellent! The servers are chefs are very kind and friendly. Went once with a baby and a small child in the group and was impressed by how much they accommodate children, including small children. Very family friendly restaurant that also is fun enough for a young couple. read more

The service is great and the sake flight was delicious. But on Mother's Day I was left feeling ripped off. They only offered a dinner menu for our 1230 reservation. The portion sizes were greatly underwhelming. A few pieces of chicken, the steak portion was better. $7 extra for fried rice that gets cold waiting on the rest of your food. $7 extra for noodles that was skimp as well. After paying $50+ already for the entree. The veggie portion was sad as well. One thinly sliced zucchini and onions. They gave macaroons to the moms which was nice but we will not be back. read more

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I went here on a Saturday 11/2 for a celebration. I'm giving a 4 star because the chef was not as active and did not engage with the table like I saw some of the other chefs do. He was very good with identifying any allergies guest may have so he can prepare the food correctly, I give him a 5 star on that. The food tastes great I pretty much finished my entire meal at the table, our table was celebrating birthdays so it was nice the entire table was able to select an ice cream choice. Over all I had a nice time and will return. I ordered the filet mignon with large shrimp, which was very delicious. read more

Benihana - Bethesda - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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Really don't want to bash this place -- it's the OG hibachi spot that everyone else has copied, and I genuinely hope it sticks around forever. But the prices are pretty steep compared to other hibachi restaurants in the area, easily about 30% higher. A kids' meal that's usually around $14-$15 elsewhere is $24 here, and a veggie dish that might run you $20 at another spot is $33. Biggest offense is charging an extra $7 for fried rice when every other hibachi place includes it. How much is an egg and some peas? Service wasn't great at first, but everyone was friendly, and they ultimately made up for it. I'd also say the food isn't quite as good as what you can get at other hibachi places nearby, but it's still enjoyable overall. read more

I took my daughter to eat here, absolutely amazing service. Great chefs, amazing atmosphere, and an amazing manager Mimi. She was very kind and passionate as it was our first time here. The foo was amazing as well and the experience was definitely worth it! Would go again! read more

Outstanding service from Aaron!! He was very attentive and made great suggestions! And Mr Jonathan was also top notch! He checked on us and made sure our party was well taken care of!! Thank you Aaron and Jonathan.. WE WILL BE BACK!! read more

we had a terrible experience. we spoke to the manager about it and he seemed frustrated instead of helpful. please don't go here. food was not the best. other Benihana's are great. but this one stay away. waste of money and your time. read more

Really enjoyed this experience today. The food was well prepared right in front of us, the Hibachi steak was delicious and the veggies crunchy. The cooking show was entertaining, with some fun for the kids. I highly recommend this restaurant to families and groups of friends. read more

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I ordered takeout from here and ordered the chili shrimp roll and hibachi fried rice trio. The hibachi fried rice only serves 1 but was big enough to serve two. I did not care for this rice however, just didn't taste like hibachi rice. The chili shrimp roll on the other hand was pretty good and bursting with flavor. 8.5/10. read more

Benihana - Bethesda - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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I love hibachi and everything here is amazing. The meats, vegetables and seafood were so fresh. The drinks were delicious. I love the chefs and the entertainment. Such a wonderful experience. The atmosphere was upbeat and positive. The decorations were beautiful. 5 Star dining at its best. read more

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The food here is good. We enjoyed our filet mignon and chicken fried rice. Everything was perfectly seasoned and was enjoyable. The lychee cocktail was very good. Our chef was very friendly and took great care to ensure we had the proper food and that it was cooked how we wanted it. However, there are a few things I wanted to mention. This place is a tad pricey, other hibachi places in the area are at least 30% cheaper overall with very little drop off in quality (although the food here tastes the best IMO). It's quite loud, there are a lot of kids (Saturday night) so just be aware of this. But my main issue was the lack of showmanship. You come to hibachi places for the tricks and showmanship of the chefs. Only doing the flaming onion tower isn't enough IMO. As I watched other tables I saw a few chefs throw some food into their hat, but that was it. I expected a lot more since Benihana is such an institution. read more

I've been coming here for you 10+ years but Herman made my experience totally different with the great service! The drinks were amazing ! The food top tier per usual. can't wait to come back! read more

A Hibachi place where the chefs cook your food in front of you and put on an entertaining performance while doing it! If you sign up for their rewards you can get $30 off for your birthday! The place is pricey but the quality of my Filet Mignon was excellent. I got the Land and Sea which included Filet Mignon and scallops, unfortunately my scallops were wildly overcooked. I wish they let us specify like for steak. My meal was supposed to include 6 courses but the tea never came. 5 courses that did arrive were: onion mushroom soup (delicious broth), salad (fresh dole lettuce and tasty dressing), shrimp, main entree, rice, and ice cream. My favorite part was watching the chef! I wish ours did egg tricks but he did do the onion ring volcano which was fun. Overall the portion size could have been bigger as the meal was pricey. No tea read more

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Benihana is Japanese-style teppanyaki cooking. On this occasion it was Christmas day and the restaurant was very busy at the bar and in the main dining room. I didn't have a reservation because quite honestly I didn't expect it to be as busy on the evening of Christmas Day. However after approximately a 30 minutes wait the hostess was able to fit me and my family in at a table with another party of three. Once seated our waiter was quick to approach us to take our drink order. One thing for sure is on this day the restaurant was very efficient in getting patrons in and out of the dining room. The food was good however I've been to other Benihana's that once thrived in the DMV years ago and the table side experience was lacking and the food portions seemed small. If you're familiar with Benihana then you know their chefs perform a number of grill presentations including the "beating heart" and "smoking igloo" (which was a sloppy execution). On this occasion our chef didn't perform the beating heat and the smoking igloo was everything but that. The chef also didn't toss any pieces of protein into the mouths of diners which I remember at one point was a signature segment of the grill presentation. We did get the blazing fire show which the kids enjoyed. It seemed almost out of control, however grand which the kids enjoyed. Overall an OK experience. The kids will love this place and so will adults who aren't familiar with the old product of Benihana. One word of caution: the chefs don't prepare the meal as a whole. They prepare the entrees in piece meal, cooking the ingredients one-by-one and serving the entree deconstructed. If you're not used to this you might be tempted to eat the ingredients as the chef places them on your plate, thinking they are just appetizers when in fact it is the deconstructed contents of your meal. It can be quite disappointing at the end of the cook when the chef wraps up only to realize you're not getting any more food. Give this place a try. read more

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Went to Benihana for lunch! Jonathan took care of me, service was prompt, food & drinks were a 10!

Had a great experience at Benihana thanks to manager Sergio. He was friendly, attentive, and made sure everything went smoothly. Really appreciate his great customer service! This is my favorite location highly recommend. read more

Such a fun, interactive dining experience. The hibachi chefs are engaging and skilled, and the food is exactly what you would expect from a hibachi restaurant. read more

Went there with a coupon which they accepted but they still charged my credit card full price. Then we went to the Manager to complain and he said we had to come in again to and he would comp us...why didnt he do it the first time?! Why would we EVER go back there? DISHONOST SCAMMERS. read more

It says to consider food, service, and ambience in my review, but the only aspects ive gotten is ambiance, which is mediocre at best. I have been and probably will be waiting for the rest of my life to get a chef at my table. I arrived at 12:30, and it is currently 1:45 as my chef finally makes an appearance. read more

I like to explore different restaurants in the area and came across Benihana on Google. I ordered to go and the waited for about twenty minutes. I got edamame, calamari and sushi. When I looked at the menu, I felt like there was not a lot to choose from under the sushi menu. Then again, it is a hibachi spot. Anyways, I would say the food was good. Sushi was very filling. Next time, will try the hibachi. Also note, the spot is expensive. read more

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You know your foodie love a Hibachi! I am a stan for a Benihana. My go to Fliet Mignon and Chicken! Love this place. Make a reservation on Open Table. Always packed. read more

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love this location, mangers and servers AND HOST were amazing !! i would definitely come back and definitely recommend to others . thank you jackie and for being so helpful and for providing expert advice on the menu , it helped enhancing our dining experience! also thank you to the manger named german ,he was really helpful and very generous! thank you again !! read more

Dined in for lunch and sat the the bar, manager Jonathan and germen waited on me and both managers were great. Phenomenal service with a smile read more

Jonathan Hargraves gave us the best service at Benihana! Friendly, attentive, and ensured our food was to our liking which made the whole experience memorable. Highly recommend asking for him! read more

My family hosted my son's 10th birthday at Benihana's this week and it was incredible. Sometimes it is hard coordinating and executing a large party (over 25 people) at restaurants, especially with 11 children. The manager Johnathan made sure we had everything we needed to include highchairs and cake plates without asking. When we had a few guests pop up that didn't RSVP, Johnathan quickly accommodated them without missing a beat. The event was hugely successful because of him and the staff's effectiveness. I would highly recommend Johnathan and his team in Bethesda for your special dinner with your family. Melanie On Monday, October read more

The service was so amazing. This place is a 10/10. A big special thanks to mimi. She made my family feel so special and went out of her way to make my 18 birthday the most unforgettable birthday ever! Big shout out to her! read more

Lackluster food and overall underwhelming experience! It's been years since I've been to this place, and I truly see why I haven't been back.....bland food and average tasting hibachi at best. There are certainly better hibachi spots around the DMV that would run circles around this place. Benihana is one of the original "OG" hibachi spots in the DMV but I am afraid to say they have fallen off and the overall experience that I had concluded years ago seems to be the same today. THE SHORT I came here for a birthday celebration and I am sure this would be the only case for coming here again--not by my own delight. First and foremost, I'm going to give it to you straight up and simple. The food was unseasoned, average at best and the hibachi chef was the worst -- lacked excitement, energy,, entertainment skills and made the entire experience boring as hell. Let me also preface this by saying I have had many types of Japanese hibachi and steak house encounters to know a good experience versus bad. This one was really bad! Also, I've been to enough hibachi-style restaurants to compare differences where the price-point matches the food and overall experience. Definitely not here. THE LONG Now that this has been said, let's get to the strong points and factors that did stand out....THE DRINKS! That's about it. Oh! And the hibachi steak cut was tender and of a good quality. Can't say that about the rest of the proteins in my hibachi trio (steak, chicken & lobster). For starters, the reservation was prompt. As we waited for our table we had great drinks at the bar. The only thing that was a bit offputting was the smell at the bar. It seems to have had a smell of sewage or bad bathroom stench that was nearby. Definitely not the first thing you want to smell before eating your meal. Once the table was ready, we were all seated. This is where things went downhill for the rest of the night The table in which we sat was not cleaned fully. There were food crumbs left around the eating area, and seats from the previous party. We had to request for the area to be cleaned again before we sat down. Now on to the drinks and food..... * Cocktails -- All good and compliments on the: - Dry Martini - Red Plum Sake Sangria - Exotic Mojito - Stong Bone Crushers....Yes, old school drinks! lol * Appetizers: - Pan Fried Gyoza Dumpling (Spicy chicken) on point. Great flavor and crunch - Tokyo Wings: A fail. We ordered this appetizer and then a few minutes later our waiter came back to inform us that they were sold out of wings for the entire night. WTH!? Mind you it was 4:30 PM in the evening and you are sold out for the entire day/night!? So the makings of a good night was already starting to fall short. On top of some of the appetizers not being available, we were also informed that a kitchen fryer was not working so they were not doing any appetizers on the menu that were fried at the moment which included the wings, chicken fingers, some tempura items, etc. I did manage to complain enough to get a tempura lobster sushi roll made that was decent. * Dinner: This is where most of the yelp star deductions are warranted. The restaurant was clearly short on staff and the chef sent to our table was ill-prepared and barely had the ingredients for all of our orders. He seemed very rushed, clumsy, and had no excitement or interaction with everyone at the table. At times, he was dropping the spatula, knife and performing very bad tricks with no success. He even spilled part of the meal on one of my friend's clothing. There was a combination of seafood, steak, chicken, & veggies ordered by all. Overall everything served was in small portion, under-seasoned, and cooked/served in a rush. The rice and noodles that was made to complement the dish was very bland. Everyone agreed to this and at times you could see folks drowning their meal with soy sauce and the ginger sauce provided to get some flavor out of their dish. Lol I really hate to sum up things this way, but what else can I say except for it was a birthday celebration dinner that this place did not make special for the occasion. At least the cocktails and apps (at least those that were available) were good. I would give Benihana 2 1/2 stars at best! As mentioned earlier, the overall experience was lackluster, and they definitely did not make the birthday celebration seem special. The "Salt & Pepper" rating was "0".....meaning bland and and the seasoning-spice level factor needed to be turned up! Not to mention, the vibe and decor of this place still looks the same as when I came here well over 25 years ago in the late 90s!! lol It is clear I would not recommend Benihana as to there are many other Japanese steakhouses-hibachi spots in the DMV that are way better and offer a far more elevated experience. I certainly will not be back here again by choice. However, make your own decision and enjoy. Perhaps your experience may be different. read more

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