For starters, I went in expecting the worst from the service at the Downey location based on previous reviews, but fortunately for us, we did not have horrible service. So yay to that! We had our reservation for 3:15pm and were seated by 3:30pm. Our waitress immediately took our drink order. We ordered our food, everything was pretty prompt considering we were a group of 10 (8 adults/2 children). When we received the bill, it seemed kind of high, but everyone had to leave to other plans so we paid and went about our day. When I got home and reviewed it, I realized that clearly 8 adults either don't know how to properly read a menu or it's not super duper clear where the extras come into play... when the waitress initially took our food order, one of the questions was whether we wanted white rice or their chicken fried rice and when you ordered your meat you were asked which sauce you wanted. WELL.. let me tell you, it was $8.30 for ONE serving of chicken fried rice per person and it was $6 per sauce (truffle butter)... basically an extra $14.30 per plate if you're not paying attention, which I guess we weren't!? Also, I'm assuming kid's drinks are more expensive than a regular soft drink or iced tea because they come in a reusable plastic cup with a lid. Iced Tea/Soda $4.50 vs. kids juice/lemonade $6 Anyways, besides the lack of clearer explanation of the additional costs, it was an overall fun experience for our group. We were celebrating my aunt's birthday and our chef, Maria, was amazing with her jokes and food drawings of hearts, my aunts name and the little volcano fire show towards the end. Although we had fun, I feel like coming to this Benihana or any wouldn't be too often because of the cost. read more

One of horrendous experience I've had in my life. I give one star for the chef who entertained us and the food was at least good. Otherwise this place deserves ZERO star. We made a reservation a month ago for 6:30pm and wasn't seated until 7:10pm. We were finally able to eat around 7:45pm. Where we were seated, in the back room with no window, with boxes stashed with a trash of energy drink can I found food bits from the last round and the table oily. I understand the placement but the cleanliness and tidiness has to be corrected. As I started eating the rice, I found something in my rice which was a black, gooey wax thing. The server didn't even apologize, he just brought the new one. I also found our server not too kind when the ventilation is extremely loud in the room how he talks is smaller volume than a mosquito can. There was an elderly in our group but no one also could hear him. You must hate your job but it's none of our business. The restroom was dirty with all toilet paper on the floor. Can't any of the host/hostess clean while they are chitchatting and waiting for the table? Extremely bad management. read more

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We used to come to Benihana quite a bit back in the day for my husband's birthday. He would always get those birthday coupons, and apparently Benihana remembered us because... welp, he got another one! So off we go! Walking back into Benihana was definitely a little trip down memory lane. And honestly? It hasn't changed all that much over the years. Same concept, same hibachi experience, and pretty much the same good food. We went in the afternoon, so it wasn't crowded--which was nice because we didn't have to wait around. BUT... I will say, part of the fun of Benihana is watching the other tables, hearing people celebrate, and feeling that little birthday-party energy throughout the restaurant. Since it was so quiet, some of that excitement was missing. Our chef was entertaining and kept things fun at our table. The food was good, and I really had no complaints. Our waitress was attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. Overall, everything went well. Nothing over-the-top or wildly different from what we remembered, but it was nice to return to a place that has been part of our birthday tradition over the years. The birthday coupon brought us back, but the memories made the trip worth it. And yes... if another birthday coupon shows up next year, I'm sure we'll be having this same conversation again. read more

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I just wanted to update this because I screen-grabbed these pics from a video on Facebook. This was one of the waitresses, and our waiter as well. read more

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We came in last night to enjoy some great food and atmosphere at Benihana's. Our reservation was for 7:15pm and were seated immediately. One of the best features besides the food and entertainment is the birthday coupon you receive! The food was amazing with ordering the Splash n Meadow which is the steak and colossal shrimp which is always good. Our server was Denisse and she was amazing, providing excellent customer service and being so professional. You definitely want to sit in her section! Looking forward to returning again for another great meal. read more

Benihana - Splash n Meadow - Sushi Bars Near Me - Downey, California

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Went for the $15.99 Power Lunch. Got the steak protein which was an uncharted but I wanted to treat myself. The tableside show was fun as always. A little truncated due to the 45 minute or less guarantee. Food was alright. A little less than what I expected portion wise but I was here for the show so it didnt bother me. Wait time was quick. Didn't wait more than 10 minutes and got sat with another party. Only thing that bothered me was the lady in the other party was a pescatarian and she saw the chef handle her shrimp after he handled our steak without wiping anything down. Allegedly its allowed because of the 45 minute policy. She brought it up and the resto tried to make things right. read more

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The food was good :) steak and the shrimp were delicious. The chicken a little dry. The salmon tasted very fresh and was very good. The "sign up for a free appetizer" did not work at all and now I'm signed up and I don't think they remembered to add the points to my account so I would skip that entirely. They seemed very understaffed & like our waitress had a few tables all very far apart from each other. . It was about 1.5 between sitting and ending the meal so it's not a quick meal but it was fine since it was with family. Overall it was a good experience due to our cook and the company we had - everyone at the table was very friendly. The restaurant wasn't quiet due to the shows but it was still very nice where we were seated, just loud in general. read more

Benihana - Chef - Sushi Bars Near Me - Downey, California

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We came for the power lunch. We checked in with the hostess who told us to have a seat in the lounge area. ( we did not make reservations) we waited for around 10 minutes which is ok they were probably waiting on more people to come in to sit us at our table. Nice seated we were promptly greeted by our waitress who took our drink order. For the power lunch you get a starter ( soup or salad) fried rice (which is cooked in the kitchen in the back) and your choice of protein (we got the filet mignon) steak comes with mushrooms. You also get veggies onions and zucchini. If you are use to the "show" at Benihanas you will not be getting that however our 5 year old thought it was so much fun and now wants to be a chef. Services was attentive and the cook was very nice. We will be back. read more

Benihana - Sushi Bars Near Me - Downey, California

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I visited Benihana today to celebrate my daughter-in-law's birthday, and unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience. We had a reservation for 12:30 p.m., but our service didn't begin until 1:10 p.m. Waiting 40 minutes after having a reservation was frustrating, especially since we were there for a special occasion. There were also two other guests seated at our table celebrating, so we expected a more enjoyable experience for everyone. The chef's performance lacked the energy and entertainment that Benihana is known for, and the food was very bland and lacked flavor. Overall, the long wait, underwhelming show, and disappointing meal made this birthday celebration less enjoyable than we had hoped. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and works to improve both the timeliness of service and the overall dining experience. read more

29th Anniversary Dinner -- Disappointing Service From a Restaurant We Normally Enjoy My husband and I have visited this Benihana location in Downey more than a dozen times over the past two years, and we have generally had very good experiences. Unfortunately, our anniversary dinner on August 16, 2026--our 29th wedding anniversary--was probably our most disappointing visit. I have several food allergies, including chicken and zucchini, so when dining at Benihana I always ask questions to make sure I order something that can be prepared safely. This has never been a major issue at this location. I understand that restaurants have policies and that substitutions cannot always be made. My concern today was not being told "no"--it was the dismissive manner in which our server, Cynthia, communicated with us. The menu had changed since our previous visits, so I asked several questions about entrée combinations and possible substitutions. Rather than helping me understand my options, Cynthia's responses repeatedly felt abrupt and dismissive: essentially, "No, we can't do that," without much effort to explain what could be done instead. Once I began asking questions, the service toward my husband and me felt increasingly transactional and unpleasant. Drinks, salad and other items were delivered in a very matter-of-fact manner, without the warmth or hospitality we have experienced during our many previous visits. I remained polite, thanked her each time she brought something to the table and tried very hard not to allow the interaction to interfere with our anniversary dinner. Thankfully, our chef was EXCELLENT. He listened carefully, understood the allergy concerns and prepared my food first before placing ingredients I could not have on the grill. He handled everything professionally and demonstrated exactly the level of care we have experienced at Benihana in the past. I sincerely appreciated him. My husband eventually spoke with the manager simply to clarify what options were available for my meal. Again, we weren't asking anyone to disregard restaurant policy--we were trying to determine what I could safely order and enjoy. The final disappointment came with dessert. At the beginning of the meal, I specifically discussed wanting the course option that included ice cream because I was looking forward to chocolate ice cream at the end of our anniversary dinner. When it was time for dessert, Cynthia told me that the meal I had ordered did not include it. At that point, after everything else, I simply threw my hands up and said never mind. She then said she would give it to me anyway. By then, it wasn't about the ice cream. When two people are spending approximately $150 on an anniversary dinner, good service matters. A guest asking questions--particularly because of food allergies--should not be made to feel difficult or bothersome. A simple, "Unfortunately, we can't substitute that, but let me show you what we can do," would have completely changed the interaction. I also couldn't help noticing that the warmth and engagement we received seemed noticeably different from the interaction Cynthia had with some of the other guests at our table. I won't speculate about why, but the difference was noticeable enough that both my husband and I left discussing it. After more than a dozen visits, one mediocre experience will not erase all of the good ones we've had at Benihana Downey. That's why I'm giving three stars instead of allowing one disappointing evening to define the restaurant. However, this was our 29th anniversary dinner, and instead of leaving talking about what a wonderful evening we'd had, we left talking about our server's attitude. That's unfortunate--and completely avoidable. Five stars to our chef. Three stars overall for this visit. The service from Cynthia simply did not meet the standard we've come to expect from Benihana Downey. read more

We had such an amazing experience at Benihana! Chef Precious was incredibly patient, engaging and worked so hard to make our meal fun and memorable. She made everyone at the table feel included especially my six-year-old son, who had the best time watching the cooking show and interacting with her. Our server, Rudy, was just as wonderful and attentive, friendly always making sure we had everything we needed. The combination of Chef Precious and Rudy made for such a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere. Thank you both for making this such a special experience for our family. read more

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Taylor, giving you a 5-star rating for your exquisite service! You were incredibly attentive, and I want you to know that I see and appreciate you! I especially appreciated the frequent check-ins letting me know the onion rings were being made. You were exactly on point and brought them out piping hot! Hot darn, that's the way to go, man! Great service and great attention to detail. Thank you! read more

We came for happy hour and sat in the self seating lounge area. It took about 15 minutes for someone to come by to greet us and drop off menus. While sitting near the sushi bar, I noticed multiple rolls sitting on the counter for a long period of time before being served, which stood out to me. For food, we ordered the Taste of Benihana which includes a starter, appetizer, and entree for $39. The deal is available every day for bar/lounge seating only. I also ordered a burger from the happy hour menu and I was told it would take about 30 minutes. After an hour went by, it never came. When we asked for the check, the server realized the burger had been missed. At that point, I didn't want it anymore but we were still charged for it. The server said they put a patty on the grill so it would be fresh. We had to wait another 5/10 mins even though we were ready to leave. The overall cleanliness of the restaurant could be better, the lounge area didn't feel maintained and the bathrooms were also out of toilet paper. read more

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I grabbed some food to go on a Friday night. I've never had an issue at this location. The staff is pleasant, the ambiance is busy as it should be on Friday night, and the whole experience is always a 10/10. JORDAN The food was seasoned to perfection. The meats were juicy and cooked perfect. The customer service was top tier and quick. Thank you for always delivering quality and consistency! read more

I recently visited Benihana for a birthday celebration and wanted to share my experience to help others plan ahead. The service was truly a highlight--everyone was warm, attentive, and made the experience feel special, which I really appreciated. I did visit using the birthday offer, and while I was excited about it, I wish there had been a bit more clarity around what was included. Some items I thought were standard ended up being considered add-ons, which changed the overall expectation of the "birthday treat." It wasn't a bad experience at all, just a little different from what I anticipated. I also think it would be helpful if guests were given a bit more space when it comes to selecting gratuity, as it can feel a little pressured in the moment. Overall, I still enjoyed the atmosphere and the kindness of the staff. I would definitely recommend coming here for the experience--just be mindful of the details of any promotions so you can fully enjoy your visit without surprises. read more

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It was our first time here and let's say this place left an impression on us. We placed a reservation for 7 they texted me at 6:37 if I was on my way. When we got there they made us wait which I direct you to the early text. When we finally sat down they took our order they try and up sell you on everything. Water, butter for the food so we didn't know what to order or how it worked and we did say that. Our chef didn't arrive until 7:45 and it was loud in our area and he didn't have a loud voice. He cooked our meal and did his whole hoopla and the kids really enjoyed it. Oh I must add we only had 5 ppl at our table. We felt the chef didn't show much enthusiasm like the other chefs. We ate our food paid and left. Overall it was an ok experience that honestly I could have never attended and I would have been fine. Maybe our experience was average but I won't be visiting a Benihana's anytime soon. read more

Benihana - Kids menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Downey, California

Good food, fun experience. Chef messed up a few of the tricks but it's all good and fun. read more

Benihana - Sushi Bars Near Me - Downey, California

Always coming to this benihana since its relative closer distance to DTLA, and it is far more an dining experience than just food, so always enjoy chef's demo and interactions and of course the fire exhibition! :) Service is good but really really slow, it took us over an hour to get our first real food items, so can definitely use some improvement. Our chef was very friendly and directly to the point, my rice was really delayed for some reason as well But overall, the ambiance is more live food performance with a round table set up. Been to many benihana over the years, definitely always a good experience and good to stop by here for special occasions! Also sign up for friends with benefits, they are actually a great loyalty program that worth the value read more

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I hate writing negative reviews because every time we've actually eaten at Benihana in person, the experience has been great. This review is strictly about their takeout service on Mother's Day. I placed an online order because I didn't have the luxury of sitting down for a full dinner this time. I had my two kids with me and honestly trusted that the order would be correct. When I arrived, the front desk told me to head toward the back where they were handling takeout orders. I gave my name, they confirmed the order was ready, and handed me one heavy bag. Unfortunately, I didn't think I needed to open the bag and double-check everything right there. I drove all the way back home to Lynwood only to open the bag and realize almost the entire meal was missing. The bag literally only had two fried rice containers and utensils inside. That was it. My wife is pregnant, it was Mother's Day, and this was the meal she really wanted. Everyone's face just dropped when we opened the bag. What made the situation worse was how difficult it was to even get someone on the phone afterward. Once I finally did, the person I spoke to was extremely nonchalant about it, basically saying "it happens" and offering to refund only the missing items. No real apology, no urgency, no effort to make the situation right considering the circumstances. I explained that I wasn't about to sit through another 30-45 minutes of traffic with two tired kids on Mother's Day just to go back and pick up food that should've been there in the first place. I also asked to speak with someone higher up and never really got that opportunity. Again, I'm not someone who enjoys leaving bad reviews. But this experience honestly left a bad taste in my mouth because of how careless the situation felt and how poorly it was handled afterward. Customer service matters, especially when something goes wrong. Instead of enjoying Mother's Day dinner, I ended up scrambling to figure out an entirely different meal at the last minute. Really disappointing experience from a place we normally enjoy. read more

Mother's Day reservations at 12:30 PM. Checked in on time. Was told Corporate overbooked and reservations were running an hour late! Sat down eventually, waited 30 more minutes for water, then learned food prep alone would take another 30 minutes before cooking even began. It was 2 PM, the restaurant was extremely hot, and we had a 3 PM commitment. We left without eating. Such a disappointment for all the moms in our group who deserved better. We walked over to Five Guys instead, had delicious burgers and fries, and enjoyed each other's company without the stress. The staff was clearly overwhelmed and doing their best -- this was a Corporate failure, plain and simple. Benihana needs to do better by both their employees and their guests. read more

I guess because of the cost of living they do not give you garlic butter on your food anymore. You have to ask for it if you ask for a spoon of it it is two dollars wow. I think their cook should be a little bit more friendlier why are you in your lunch? Then you feel more comfortable in the server the lady who set you down and take care orders are not very friendly. Some of them are, but the one we had was not very friendly at all she was quite rude. just know that if you're gonna buy a two scoop of garlic butter, you might as well buy a pint. It's only 8 dollars. read more

We came here on Thanksgiving and were greeted by a warm and welcome host that elevated our dinning experience. The waitstaff were attentive, polite, abd friendly. Our chef was entertaining, engaging, and cooked our food to perfection. The food was full of flavors, delicious, and well seasoned. We had a great dinning experience and will be back! read more

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Used Yelp to book a reservation for that evening. Come in very handy. When we Arrived we were greeted right away & we were taken to our seats. Waiter was very attentive & friendly. Our chef for that night went above & beyond food was delicious & service was incredible! My partner & I Also got a complimentary picture taken with a Benihana Font around the corners. Definitely worth it :D read more

Benihana - HIBACHI CHICKEN FRIED RICE - Sushi Bars Near Me - Downey, California

Food portion. Overall food appearance when served. See pic attached All else was fine. read more

Benihana - This was the lunch duo. Chicken and shrimp. This is exactly what was served. $29.99 Received a small bowl of rice and soup. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Downey, California

We came here for a birthday dinner with a 6:00 p.m. reservation but weren't seated until 6:30. We didn't receive all of our food until around 8:20, and by the time everything arrived, most of it was cold. Unfortunately, this was one of the worst dining experiences we've had. This was our first and last time eating at this location. If I could give no stars I would ! read more

Food as always was delicious, chef was amazing, but let me tell you about our waiter When I ordered a prickly pear margarita, he kept asking what flavor I wanted, even though I specified the prickly pear more than once, my SIL wanted to order the trio noodles but asked him if she could just do chicken and steak no shrimp and he said yes no problem. But it was a problem, they ended up giving her the steak noodles and added chicken al a carte which ended up being an extra $18 that he could have explained ahead of time. They had a special on margaritas he didn't even mention and when we found the specials menu he took it away from us and said nothing, but left the rest on the table. When the check came he pointed out that tip wasn't included, which I figured, so I tipped 18% which felt right due to everything. We had asked for some sauce to go, he brought us a the empty containers but no extra, it's fine if they don't give out to go, but tell me. He never came back and when we left he gave us the dirtiest look that me and my SIL couldn't help it but laugh. This wouldn't have been this review if it hadn't been for that cherry on top. But come on, if you're having a bad day, I am sorry, but that's not our fault. He was nice, just a little maybe distracted up until the end when he maybe felt we gave him too small of a tip? I don't know, don't think I'll be back. read more

Benihana - Sushi Bars Near Me - Downey, California

Horrible service and a complete waste of my time. I made a reservation and drove 45 minutes to the restaurant, only to arrive and be told they were having "system issues" and could not honor my reservation. I was then sent to the Torrance location instead. What was most disappointing was the complete lack of empathy or consideration for my time. After driving 45 minutes based on a confirmed reservation, I expected at least an apology and some effort to make the situation right. Instead, I was simply redirected to another location. Very frustrating experience and extremely poor customer service. I would not recommend relying on a reservation here. read more

Terrible service and poor management at this location man I keep telling myself about this place. Made appointment over a month ago for 6 pm I got here at 5:45 and still waiting for a table they told me 2 hr wait this is so crazy they said call corporate they did this not them they just work here I told them that I called it in not online they are so full of crap and they still taking walk ins that's so terrible service who ever subs this location needs to get fired ASAP !!!!!!!!!!!! read more

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The food was amazing. It was a lunch special actually $19.99 for filet mignon vegetables and rice and onion soup. We had a great experience for a good price. I took my niece there. She loved it and our chef Clark was awesome. The manager Nicholas was great. The ambience was very good. All in all great experience definitely will come back read more

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Absolutely terrible experience. The service was beyond disappointing from start to finish. Everyone seemed to have an attitude, and the entire environment felt hostile and uncomfortable.Our orders came out wrong, and to make matters worse, the cook actually forgot to bring out part of our food. We had to wait and remind them about something that should have been brought out with the rest of our meal. There was no sense of urgency, accountability, or genuine effort to make things right. For the prices they charge, I expected much better service and a much more enjoyable dining experience. Unfortunately, this was one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had in a long time. Between the incorrect orders, forgotten food, attitudes, and overall hostile atmosphere, the entire night was frustrating. Definitely not worth the money or the headache. I will not be returning read more

BIRTHDAY MONTH=BIRTHDAY COUPONS=HAPPY RODNEY $20 Birthday Month Food Credit for RA Sushi Rewards members RA Sushi is the sushi bar portion of the Downey Benihana Not being a standalone RA Sushi, I called the day prior to ascertain if the Ra Sushi Birthday Month Food Credit was honored here. I was told the affirmative. Arriving the next day, after being seated, it took a good 10-15 minutes before an attendant asked if I've been helped. I showed her the email promo, and she said he had to ask her manager. The manager was across from the sushi bar, and he said they don't accept the promo. I informed him I called yesterday, and told the promo was accepted at the restaurant, and he didn't budge on his position. Wasting time, not to mention my patience with the wait to be helped, the Downey Benihana left me with an unpleasant experience. I do not recommend patronizing this restaurant. read more

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Good was good but service rates a 4 out of 10. Took 20 minutes to food, forever to get food started, overall, I've been to better Benihanas with great service For this location read more

Wow wow wow, I can see the reviews are a little low for this location but my friends and I had a wonderful experience. And for my experience, if it wasn't for Chef Carter's service it would not be the same. Carter's comedy and great service made the meal for me. Not only was his great presence add to the ambiance of the visit, but his cooking was also great. Come back and ask for Chef Carter guys! read more

It's been a while since I have been inside of Benihana's me and my wife decided to go cause we had a gift card. We were greeted at the door kindly. She was craving lobster so she got the colossal lobster and I got the salmon to be honest the Yard House has a lot better tasting salmon, This was really dry. and we both got the lobster fried rice that was good. The ambience was this at onetime was a cool restaurant. Our waiter was a nice person, but he seemed new or clueless about the menu. I don't think it's too much to ask if you order lobster that the waiter should know what it comes with. Also he asked for our IDs if we wanted to order alcohol and then he brought us a pretty dirty wine. glass. My wife had to steal napkins and chopsticks off a neighboring table. We had to ask for plates for our appetizer. The food didn't come out at same time. My wife did not like the lobster it was incredibly salty. She just ate a few pieces that's it , put the rest in a box. To throw away when we get home. Maybe this just isn't our place to eat, other people seem to enjoy their food. read more

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The La Puente bar and bar table service is crazy slow. We got there at 4:30 and left at 5:30 and still no chicken teriyaki. We will never return read more

I am very disappointed in my experience at this Benihana location. Our food was served cold to say the absolute least. When this experience was brought to management, they did absolutely nothing to resolve the matter or my poor experience. I will not be returning to this location. read more

My bestie treated me for My Birthday we went on a Tuesday. She had never been. We had no idea they offer lunch Specials. We opted for the $15.95 specials. She got Chicken and I got shrimp. It's a faster experience but worth it. She loved it and as usual I did too. I told her she needs to see the whole experience with the longer version of the "show". We will definitely be back for that! Service was great and it wasn't crowded. We got there at 11:30 and lunch starts at 11. By the time we were leaving it was starting to fill up with people. We also didn't know they have take out. I didn't see the menu or prices though. If you've never been to a Benihana. Find one near you. read more

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It's been years since I've been to a Benihana and if I remember correctly, this might have only been my second visit ever. We came for a work lunch and although we had made reservations beforehand, we still had to wait for them to set up. Regardless of that, I wasn't expecting much since I haven't gone back ever since my first visit and I don't rmetbeing a big fan. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed the food this time around. I got their filet mignon, which was supposed to be medium rare, but half was medium well. Although it wasn't exactly how I wanted it, it was shockingly softer that I expected it to be. If anything, it was softer that other places I've been to, including a steakhouse. It could have used more salt, but they do offer sauce and I just ate it with the vegetables as that had more flavor. The fried rice was also better that I imagined and had a well balanced flavor. Since we didn't opt for the show since we were eating on a time limit, our chef still made an effort to talk to us and crack jokes. read more

Made reservations to celebrate my granddaughter's graduation. Went hours before to eat. We had to wait 40 minutes to be seated even with reservations. We sat and it's been almost an hour for cook to bring main course. Running late and still have to eat and rush to the graduation. This is the worse place to come. Also super loud. read more

Came here to celebrate my birthday and we didn't have any reservations. Waited about 20-30 min to be seated. We then order some drinks, I got the Lychee martini which tasted more sour than anything, I think it tasted like grapefruit. We then proceeded with ordering and for the most part the salad was good the food and show was good too. We ordered rice which never came until the end of our meal. The portions are super small and unfortunately we were still hungry after. Ambiance inside was good, we enjoyed our chef that cooked our meal and very family friendly. read more

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