The food and services were great! Shout out to my chef Miguel, very entertaining and relatable guy whose food came out incredible. Will definitely ask for him to be my cook again! read more

It was my first time at Benihanas. I went with my husband to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We got there 30 min early which helped because we got seated right at our reservation time. I ordered the Deluxe Treat & my husband got the Hibachi Steak. I also ordered a Haiku Colada (absolutely delicious!). Chef John not only gave us a nice show, but he was quite the jokester as well. He had us cackling between bites of food. The atmosphere was welcoming & all the staff were friendly & attentive. We were lucky to get seated with a 2 other friendly couples. Also we got free dessert because we were celebrating a special occasion. I highly recommend this location and am excited to return. read more

Benihana - Encino - Haiku Colada - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

This was my first time ever going to Benihana, and honestly it was one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had, especially since I was there to celebrate my birthday. We got there around 4:00 PM, and the hostess asked where we'd like to sit. Since it was our first time, I told her anywhere was fine because we had no idea there were different seating options. The restaurant also wasn't busy, which made everything that followed even more frustrating. Looking back, I think the hostess should've explained the different seating options to first time guests. Nobody told us the lunch special is only available in the dining/bar area, the hibachi tables don't offer it, or that happy hour is only available at the bar. We ended up paying $17.50 per drink even though we came because Benihana's Instagram advertised happy hour from 3-6 PM. As first-time customers, we had no way of knowing any of this unless someone explained it. When our server came over, I asked about the lunch special because that was one of the main reasons we came. She told me they didn't have one. A few minutes later, my partner asked the hostess, who explained they DO have it, but only in another seating area. We had literally just placed our order, so I don't understand why we couldn't have been switched or had it canceled. Instead, we paid much more than we planned because nobody explained how the seating worked. Even though the restaurant wasn't busy, we still waited about 40 minutes before the chef came to our table. I have a severe ginger allergy. I asked our server if the soup had ginger, and she said no. To be safe, I had my partner taste it first, and thankfully it was okay. Then the salad came out. Something told me not to eat it, so I had my partner taste the dressing first. It had a very strong ginger flavor. If I had eaten it, I could've ended up in the hospital on my birthday. When I told the server I couldn't have it because of my allergy, she acted like I just didn't like it, took it away, and never brought me another salad or checked back with me. That was the most concerning part of the entire experience. My partner ordered the SPICY fried rice, and the server even repeated "Spicy?" to confirm. When it came out, it wasn't spicy. My partner told the chef, who then called the server over to ask if he had ordered it spicy. She asked him again, "You wanted spicy?" and he confirmed yes... again. Even after confirming it twice, they didn't remake it. They just brought spicy sauce on the side and expected him to mix it in himself. That's not what we ordered or paid extra for. While waiting, I ordered calamari from the bar and my partner ordered a burrito. Neither ever came out. By the end of our meal I received my birthday dessert, but the matcha ice cream tasted freezer-burned. After everything that happened, my partner left a $2 tip because the service was honestly that bad. Our server then came back and asked if we meant to leave $20 instead, which was really uncomfortable and unprofessional. My partner asked the bartender about the missing food, and he admitted he had never entered the order. He said he'd do it right away. I then spent about 30 minutes talking to the manager. Instead of taking responsibility, I was told I should've asked about the lunch special. The thing is... I DID ask. I was told they didn't have one. As a first time customer, I shouldn't have to know how Benihana's seating works to get an advertised special. The manager apologized and refunded us $30, which I appreciated, but it didn't change the fact that my first experience at Benihana and my birthday had already been ruined. Even after waiting another 30 minutes while talking to the manager, the calamari and burrito still never came out. We had already been there for two hours, so we canceled both items and only paid for the drinks. Between the misleading information about the lunch special and happy hour, the mishandling of my severe allergy, forgotten food, long wait times, an incorrectly prepared order, and being questioned about our tip, this was an incredibly disappointing first experience. I came to celebrate my birthday but left frustrated and disappointed. Unfortunately, I won't be coming back, and I hope the restaurant improves its communication and training so no one else has a first experience like mine. read more

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Another outstanding visit to Benihana on Ventura Blvd. in Encino! I ordered the Benihana Trio with New York filet steak, chicken, and grilled colossal shrimp, while my lady enjoyed the Hibachi Chicken. We paired everything with a Sapporo beer, soup, and salad, and as always, the food was absolutely delicious. What truly made this visit unforgettable was the service. Our chef, Rex ("in Effect"), was hands down the most entertaining chef we've ever had at any Benihana. His energy, humor, and skill turned dinner into a fantastic show from beginning to end. Our server, Jackie, was equally exceptional. We've been coming here for years, and she provided the best service we've experienced. She was attentive, friendly, and thoughtful throughout the meal. We especially appreciated that she offered to take a photo of us--a small gesture that made the evening even more memorable. The last time a server did that for us was years ago. Great food, outstanding entertainment, and truly first-class service. We'll definitely be back, and we'll be hoping to sit in Rex and Jackie's section again! read more

Benihana offers great deals, and I enjoyed celebrating the Fourth of July 2026 there. The Double Cheeseburger, fries, and apple crumble were delicious, especially paired with a Michelob Ultra beer. The young woman who checked me in was friendly and welcoming (unfortunately forgot her name). Justin provided excellent service and deserves special recognition and a pay raise. The environment was spacious, clean, and relaxing. Thank you, and God bless. read more

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Great food! I really appreciate the difference here from the one in San Francisco. They do some things the same and some different. I like the steak sauce better in LA although I don't know what makes it different. Maybe it's more spicy? Our chef, Juan, was on the money with the food. Absolutely delicious! We had great company too! The vibe tonight was amazing. So much energy so that everyone had a blast. Only thing I didn't like was that the prices when we got the bill differed from the menu. Not sure why that was and we didn't bother asking for an explanation. Our server Oliver was very efficient and had a super smile while serving. Good mannerisms. I've got a picture of the menu before we ate and noticed the bill didn't match. We ordered edamame, hot sake, & Hibachi Steak dinner. Parking is valet or you can park on street. read more

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Well, despite having a business employee respond to practically every review on here, management clearly has not taken action on any issues presented. It's been a year since my last visit and there are STILL issues with wait times despite having a reservation. It's almost like the owner does not care. We were a party of three and waited an hour. 30 minutes in, we received a text saying our table was ready; however, it took another 30 minutes to "clean" the table even though we could see that it was ready. The quality has significantly gone downhill. Smaller portion sizes and massive amounts of garlic butter to mask the taste of everything. Even the green tea ice cream was only a small single scoop and tasted like a different brand. The waitress did not stop by any time during dinner to see if we wanted more drinks - that's lost revenue on their end as I would've ordered another cocktail. The bathrooms need more frequent cleaning, especially since parents let their children go by themselves. I noticed a used toilet paper on the ground from a kid who went #2 - yuck! Unfortunately, this will be our last time dining at this location after many years of birthday celebrations here. read more

Benihana - Encino - HIBACHI STEAK - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

Benihana in Encino was a really fun and enjoyable dining experience overall. The food was excellent--fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly right in front of us. You can't beat the whole teppanyaki show, and everything we ordered tasted great from start to finish. The service was also on point. The staff was attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed, which made the experience even better. The only downside was the parking. You do have to pay, which feels a bit ridiculous considering it's a large lot and you could essentially park your own car if given the opportunity. It kind of feels like just another way to squeeze a little extra money out of customers. That said, the great food and solid service definitely made it worth the visit. I'd still recommend Benihana Encino if you're looking for a fun meal and a good time! read more

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I'll say this, since this my first time at a Benihana's, it was an Event! One must be prepared for a LOT of energy and people. This location had its fun challenges, like not finding the parking lot driveway for the first time as one may drive by it if not familiar with its location. Parking was valeted in a narrow driveway toward the back. Be prepared to pay $8 for parking after your meal, with no validation. Which I found interesting. Upon entering the restaurant, there were elbow-to-elbow patrons throughout the establishment at 6 pm on a Monday. Wow ! Keep in mind .. if you plan on getting the Teppan Grill Experience, reservations are HIGHLY recommended. The experience, if you've never been to a Teppan grill restaurant .. is a one chef dinner show as he cooks your food on a scorching hot grill right in front of you performing culinary antics of the onion volcano, spatula egg twirls, food-to-patron shrimp tosses, and hat catches using eggs, just to name a few. Prepare yourself for loud clanking spatulas and fork work and flashing lights while food is tossed around just a couple feet in front of you. Once you purchase a course dinner, it is served continuously until the end of the show. The menu is vast and the usual "show" dinners are 5 to 6 courses. We were seated at a full 8 patron grill, while seating is open and usually depends on how big or small they assemble all the parties. Meals consist of the usual basics like Chicken, Shrimp, Lobster, different quality cuts of steak, rice, salad, soup, etc. The food quality here is of an immensely high calibre. The freshness, tenderness, seasoning, and temperature of the food is spot-on ! I have patronized many other Teppan grill restaurants, but pale in comparison. Benihanas is the benchmark of all the Teppan Grill restaurants / experiences and IS the Platinum Standard. Everyone is there to have a great time and witness a memorable culinary wonder! It is also widely popular for birthdays, as well. This would have been a much longer review if I would have described every meal, but when you try it, its reputation speaks for itself. Enjoy and Kanpai ! read more

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Sad to have to rate Benihana so low... but my recent visits here have been subpar. Service is usually just ok but we usually are left without refills on drinks unless we flag down our waiter. During a recent visit, I was drinking iced tea and my glass cup shattered as I went to sip it. I brought this up to our waitress and she just took the cup from me and replaced it with a new one, no apologies offered or concern, to be quite frank, she seemed annoyed. We brought this up to the manager as well given that the cup could have cut me or someone else and he seemed uninterested. I also ordered a Tuna Steak entree which is typically one of my favorite dishes, however, the tuna tasted like it was not fresh at all. I understand things like this can happen but at the price point, I fear Benihana is dropping in quality. I did want to give a shoutout to our chef Hunter, I must say, he is probably the best Benihana chef I've had and was extremely attentive, interactive & kind. If I choose to visit again, I'd only trust him as our server. At the end of the day, it's Benihana, so you are bound to have some delicious bites of food, but it's sad to see some of the quality being sacrificed. read more

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Benihana had been off my radar for at least two decades. I have very fond memories of the whole experience - and it IS an experience - especially being entertained by the teppanyaki chefs. This visit was for a friend's birthday, so expectations were high. There were 14 of us, which meant two tables. At ours, about half ordered the Land & Sea (filet mignon and scallops), and that turned out to be the right move. The filet was tender, the scallops were cooked well, and overall, the food delivered. So why 4 stars? We had 7:00 PM reservations but weren't seated until 7:30. I understand they were trying to coordinate two tables for a larger group, but that feels like something that should have been sorted out earlier in the day. The location itself is older, and it showed a bit - especially with the smoke. Our neighboring table seemed particularly smoky, which drifted over at times. Our server was excellent. She was attentive throughout the meal and even helped cut and plate the birthday cake someone had brought, which was a thoughtful touch. Our chef started off engaging and fun, leaning into the classic teppanyaki performance we all remember. But about halfway through, the show element tapered off, and it became more about simply preparing the food. I'm not sure if that's the norm now or just the style of that particular chef. All in all, it was a fun night, and everyone had a great time. Was it exactly as magical as I remembered? Not quite. Maybe Benihana has changed. Or maybe I have. Either way, it was still a solid, celebratory evening. read more

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The food has always been amazing,my chef and server Oliver did wonderful with their services and serving's. The major turned off was the greedy valet guy who took his time to hustle way too aggressively that turned to be harrassing over $8 self parking?? Also the restroom was horrible without soaps solution and toilet papers considering only 2 bathrooms for the whole restaurant that packed with all the smoky cooking foods. I hope the managers are taking notes! read more

Benihana - Encino - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

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Benihana is usually the go-to spot to celebrate, but my most recent experience was just down-right awful, specifically due to poor and unprofessional service. Our server was largely absent throughout the night and it took around 30 minutes after we were seated to get some water, our drinks, and our food orders taken. Even then, the cocktails that we had ordered looked like they had been sitting at the bar for a while. It took an even longer time for our salad and soup to be brought out; the chef had already started cooking by the time the appetizers arrived. Benihana can get busy sometimes and delays are understandable in those times, but it was a slower night than I've usually seen at this location which made the service even more disappointing. On top of that all, our server had a negative attitude that made our party feel unwelcome. The biggest issue of the night was the end of the meal when it came time to close our bills. We had our checks split in 3, and with each transaction she claimed that the payment machine was not working correctly and it would not allow us to enter our own custom tip amount. According to her, she had been running into that glitch all day. As she held onto the machine, she asked if we wanted to leave 18%, 20%, or 22%. My friends were unfortunately scammed into leaving at least 18%, thinking that they had no other choice or option to close out their checks. When I requested that she try a different machine or just process the total by itself, she responded with "No tip?" and processed the check with no problem... I typically tip appropriately as I respect the work that servers do and I highly appreciate their efforts in taking care of us throughout the night, but between the delays in our food and drinks, lack of attentiveness throughout the night, and the server's deceptiveness at the end of the night, the whole experience was very disappointing and unpleasant. If it were not for our chef, Hunter, I would've given them negative stars. He definitely made up for some of the uncomfortableness we experienced throughout the night, and his cooking was the best food I've ever had at Benihana. He was extremely kind and funny, and you can tell that he genuinely cares about making sure the food is the best quality. If I ever return to Benihana Encino again, it will be for Hunter. read more

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**Absolutely terrible experience -- first time, huge disappointment (for a birthday no less).** My friends and I went to this restaurant for the very first time today to celebrate my friend's birthday. We were genuinely excited--so excited, in fact, that we drove an hour and a half just to try something new. We made a reservation, told the host it was our first time, and even specifically asked to sit in the hibachi/cook area because we wanted to experience the show in front of us (and we wanted the birthday girl to have the best view). The host agreed and sat us in the middle seats for "perfect viewing." At first, the server had an attitude the entire time, but we tried to ignore it because we were still looking forward to the experience. That's when things got worse. We all ordered the same thing because the lunch package showed a variety of food, and we wanted a little of everything. The cook was actually friendly, and he was the only genuinely good part of the experience. But we immediately noticed he wasn't cooking our food. He was focused on the couple next to us--meanwhile, we were still sitting there waiting, confused and wondering why we hadn't gotten anything yet. Eventually, the cook tells us what we ordered comes from the back kitchen and he doesn't make any of our food. To be clear: **that is exactly why we asked to sit there.** We told the host it was our first time and asked for hibachi. We told the server too. We were excited to watch the chef and have the birthday experience. And somehow none of them communicated that our order would not be cooked at the hibachi table. No one warned us we were choosing something that came from a completely separate part of the restaurant. Why would we be seated in front of a chef who isn't cooking our food, and why would nobody think to tell us that before we ordered? We were awkwardly stuck waiting through everyone else's meal. The couple next to us ate first, and we were just sitting there the whole time like we were invisible. When our food finally arrived, we were already so frustrated that we didn't even want to enjoy it. At that point, we didn't even want our drinks anymore. The experience felt ruined--our appetite was gone. We left extremely disappointed, and honestly upset that we drove all that way and still ended up feeling like we barely ate. And the food wasn't what we expected either. Our rice was just plain white rice, while the couple next to us had the better fried rice, this is exactly what we assumed we ordered based on the lunch package and what we were watching in front of us. We barely ate, got everything packed up to go, and couldn't even finish our drinks. It felt like we wasted food, time, and money. What makes it even more insulting is the lack of communication. Three staff members knew it was our first time. None of them took even a moment to explain how the menu works or clarify that hibachi seating wouldn't apply to our order. Because if we known we would've ordered something completely different!! Then at the end, the server acted like it was no big deal and basically said, "Oh yeah, it's on the menu," like we were stupid for misunderstanding. But if it was that important, they could've explained it--especially since they knew it was our first visit and we were specifically requesting the hibachi experience. So yes--we paid the tab, left, and we were all extremely upset. We drove to another place afterward just to get fast food because we still didn't end up actually eating what we came for. I've never written a bad review about anything before, but today was honestly one of the most disappointing restaurant experiences we've ever had. If you want an actual hibachi show, just be careful--**because apparently the "hibachi seating" experience doesn't mean your food will be cooked in front of you.** And nobody bothered to tell us until after we already waited through the whole table experience. We later on google the menu and nowhere is it stated that the items we selected would be cooked somewhere else. read more

Benihana - Encino - Nowhere does it state it would be coming from another part of the restaurant. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

Finding parking is your first challenge, so give yourself time to hunt for a spot on the street if you don't want to valet! This place has been here forever, for LA that is something! Came back here recently for a friends' birthday party. I don't care for a show while I eat, but that's what you get at Benihana. The food is just OK, steaks are decent, it's interactive and a different kind of dinning experience. Gimmicky and pricey! Everyone should try it once. Not my cup of tea, but it was fun! read more

Excellent food! Superb Service! Fun Ambiance! Highly recommend taking in your family here! read more

Benihana - Encino - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

Bam is the best!!! Came here last night to celebrate a birthday and she made it so special. Literally 5 stars just for her. read more

Benihana - Encino - Adult Punch! Perfect for two - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

I enjoy this restaurant and for my last order, I got the Hibachi Steak Fried Rice and the Sumo Roll. The steak was tender and each spoonful that contained both rice and meat was scrumptious and full of flavor! The Sumo Roll, which was baked, had salmon avocado, shrimp tempura, special mayo, cucumber, and krab. This was tasty and I even left some for the following day along with the rice because I knew these would still be delicious for a future meal. In the past, I have also had the Hibachi Steak Burrito and added shrimp to the item. One of my favorite burritos is the surf and turf, so this combination was exactly that and I thoroughly enjoyed this collision like I have in the past! read more

Benihana - Encino - Sumo Roll and Hibachi Steak Fried Rice!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

The service was excellent! Bam was out waitress she was on top of everything. Always there when we needed her. Food was great! Cooked perfectly! I loved the mustard sauce. Should have taken a bunch home. The cook was funny, I think his name was Juan. The little girl at our table loved him! It birthday and it couldn't have been better! read more

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We visited tonight. We had not been to Benihana in about 15 years. Front staff was great, checked us in. The lady taking our order was also friendly. Here came the chef, Elmer. Either we caught him on a bad night, or he was just tired from his job. He didn't provide any entertainment besides making a rice heart and a volcano. From what I remember & saw other chefs, the entire experience is the chef entertaining people as he cooks. We were met with a rush attitude. He basically just cooked & left. We asked him to make the kids meat well done, and it seemed like he had an issue to cook it a little longer. When anyone would ask for sauce, it felt like we were bothering him. He was so careless in the way he cooked, when he plopped the chicken on the grill, something extremely hot flew and hit my arm and burned it. The man next to me kept asking if I'm ok, I said yes but it's ok- didn't wanna make a scene. But it burned! The other party eventually spoke up for me to the lady who had taken our order about what he did, and I too addressed the chefs lack of entertainment & she gave like a $20 discount on the check. I don't think I will ever come back nor recommend Benihana. The ambiance is dingy, the carpet needs changing & it just felt dirty inside. You guys need to revamp the spot. The money spent was not worth the amount of food. I think you're paying more for the entertainment, which we did not get. UPDATE: more than 2 weeks and they still are trying to "make it right" have not received a single email or call after they replied to me to email them from their website :) read more

I love coming here even with all the cons Food is always terrific and can't beat the flavors. Service was a little slow getting a chef but place was packed (as always) so be patient. Once chef showed up the service was quick. read more

Went in for birthday lunch. Hostess was kind of rude and off putting. We were sat, everything was fine and waitress took our orders. It was until she left we noticed she put the serving tray on the hot grill and left melted plastic from the tray on the grill Then we noticed mysterious drippings coming from the vent. I was immediately disgusted at the lack of cleanliness or care. We left quickly after noticing this. Do not come if you want burnt plastic and mysterious liquids from the ceiling in your food! read more

I'm really upset that they have some of the sweetest and coolest chefs; however, the waitress we had on Sunday was mediocre, young white woman and I could tell she had little biases. The manager, a white male, we waited to speak with him, but it's almost like he avoided speaking to a group of black women about our experience. He stayed toward the tables and a really sweet Asian woman tried to get him to speak with us, but continued to apologize for his avoidance. We decided to leave due to the wait to speak to him. I just felt the energy was off. Ultimately, the experience was ok. The chefs are truly special and super kind. We had 3 pieces of hair, 1 on a plate while seated waiting for our drinks. 2nd in another plate at the same table. 3rd in the vanilla ice cream, quite long. Our chef had to go take our drink for refills, our waitress just refused to really engage. We asked for bags for our leftovers, she proceeded to tell us it'll be a wait and went to others. Asked another person, she brought us bags. The main reason we wanted to speak to the manager is because of the hair. We got new plates and at the end when hair was in the vanilla ice cream, she took it and didn't even offer another scoop or apology. It was just tacky. We spent over $350. Our family is big tippers, but that waitress absolutely didn't deserve more than $25. Overall, disappointed in the waitress and manager. I spoke on race, because they seemed super avoidant and just not helpful. I'll stick to Benihana Torrance if I decide to go back. read more

Benihana - Encino - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

A fun blast from the past awaits the fun loving patron. Tucked into busy Encino, this is a time capsule of pure joy. Absolutely worth a family celebration with kids or happy hour treat! $6 sushi rolls at happy hour is the best deal you'll find in the Valley! You can grab a mai tai for $6 too! The chicken wings on happy hour are $12 and also worth it. They are running a 5 course hibachi menu at $39 per person. Also good value. It's in the heart of the business district of Encino. So, $5 to park next door or sometimes you can park on the street. See website for hours, menus and more. And don't forget to sign up for the rewards program. read more

Benihana - Encino - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

I don't think this Benihana really needs introduction nor does it need an update. However, I am going to give an update based on my recent dining experience, and told the manager Jason if he made it right. He knows what I am talking about. Since the readers don't know, I will fill you in with what happened. I had a gift/birthday certificate that you sign up for on their App/email like probably a month ahead of time and they grant you with a $30.00 off of your entire bill; not including tip, tax, alcohol. Last night I went to take advantage of my certificate since today was the last day to redeem my gift certificate. When I got there, our server Owen who was very pleasant, kind, and very helpful took a look at my certificate and says it only covers from Monday-Thursday. So basically not the weekend. I wanted to speak to a manager. Jason comes to me and told me not to worry about it and that he will take care of it and he did!! Ambiance was chill and I liked it. It was a very beautiful Saturday night and as I walked in was greeted by the host Luis and the wait promise time was between 30 to 35 minutes. Got a text that my table was ready. Looked at the time and it was 6:20pm. I checked in at 6pm. He took me and the other group of people who were so nice, chatty, friendly and we had a great time around the table. Our chef Miguel prepared all of us a great, delicious meal according to our own specifications. The food tasted fresh, delicious and not to mention that you get a lot of portions. I ordered 8 piece Spicy Tuna Roll to start off with, their Benihana Trio (medium rare) steak, shrimp, & chicken with their Hibachi Chicken Rice..made to PERFECTION!! The meal also comes with your standard miso soup and garden salad with ginger dressing, and also the grilled onions/zucchini/mushrooms. I also got a scoop of Green Tea Ice Cream as part of my birthday dinner, which is always fantastic here. Miguel was funny and was responsive to any concerns or/and questions that we all had. I also got 28oz Saratoga Sparkling water. Total came out to be $90.18 including tip minus the $30. We were all pleased with our chef and service. Thank you Luis, Owen, chef Miguel and of course special thanks to their manager Jason for making my birthday/dining experience a very memorable one. Benihana, YOU ROCK!! Will post few pictures soon:-)) Valet parking in the back and restrooms was somewhat clean. read more

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7/28/2025 - Since Covid-19 pandemic, this is our first time to have a sit-down dinner at this location. The soup came first after arriving in the restaurant for 45 minutes, but it was not hot - one customer told our waitress "The soup is cold..." - that customer is a regular patron for this restaurant in the past 25 years. Next, a piping hot soup came (4 stars). The quality of salad and green tea went down significantly in comparison to the pre-pandemic time. I ordered an OCEAN TREASURE (Cold water lobster tail with Hokkaido scallops) $60 - 4.5 to 5 stars. The quality of the FILET MIGNON (Tenderloin and mushrooms) $43 is not as good as prior to the pandemic - 3 stars, so as fried rice just by looking at the texture of the cooked fried rice. The services from our waitress Caroline is excellent. The restaurant does not offer a WiFi access, and there is a rear valid parking lot $6 for lunch and $8 for dinner. The floor carpet is still as old as pre-pandemic - upgrading will make the restaurant more towards an upscale restaurant! The restaurant is still a good place to celebrate your special occasion - it offers its signature complimentary photo printed out for your memory - you can also download it for your future use. read more

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Weak experience weds 8-11-25. We had a reservation at 11:45. A total of 8. Upon seated , I noticed our plate is dirty. Not a good start, but no biggie in the grand scheme of. our server asked if we are ready to order drinks. Yes. However, we are told - they can't offer mixed drinks. Wait, what ? The bartender didn't show up. Um, okay. No one else can make drinks ? Making drinks isn't rocket science, nor a degree ! That's pretty lame. The chef was talented as always. However it was difficult to understand what he was saying. Granted he had a mask on , but multiple times most people in our group had to ask - what ? Food was good as always. Overall the server was pleasant and attentive enough. Bathrooms were clean. Very few people dining during our time 11:45-1:30pm. While seemingly little small things are missing, I feel the whole picture of the place is losing its touch. It's not what it used to be. I know they have happy hour daily. What will happen if the "bartender " doesn't show up ?!? Hmm. lol. P.S. I think the bartender came in when we left at 1:30pm . read more

Came to Benihana recently and had very mixed feelings about the experience. Our hibachi chef, Anthony, was absolutely fantastic. He was funny, engaging, and had such a great attitude. He kept the whole table laughing and really made the experience fun. The food was great and you could tell he genuinely cared about making sure everyone had a good time. He was easily the highlight of the night. Unfortunately, our waitress, Zoey, completely dropped the ball and honestly made the service side of the experience very frustrating. She was inattentive from the start and had a noticeable attitude the entire time. Our whole table commented on it. Not once did she come back to check on us for drink refills, which is pretty basic when you're serving a full hibachi table. She also got parts of my order wrong multiple times. I specifically asked for no mushrooms in my soup, yet it still came out with mushrooms. Thankfully I'm not allergic, but that could have been a serious mistake if I was. I also told her I didn't want the salad, and she still brought it out anyway. It felt like she simply wasn't listening. When it came to dessert, I asked if there were any non-dairy ice cream options and she told me there weren't. Later, another guest at our table was actually served non-dairy ice cream, which was incredibly frustrating. I'm currently pregnant, so these little details really matter, and it was upsetting to feel like my requests weren't taken seriously. To be honest, the overall level of professionalism was also questionable. She even had visible hickeys on her neck while serving tables, which felt unprofessional in a restaurant setting. Anthony saved the night with his energy and great cooking, but the service from Zoey left a really bad impression. Benihana is supposed to be a fun dining experience, and while the chef delivered, the table service definitely did not. read more

Had a terrible experience for dinner last night. I came with a friend to celebrate his birthday- it was his very first time going to Benihana, and he was extremely excited. Upon making the reservations earlier, I specifically asked for a fun, exciting chef. I made sure to reiterate my request upon arrival last night as well. I was told my request could be accommodated. What we got instead was Tony the chef, who put extremely little care and effort into his cooking. He performed hardly any tricks, and what he did do was very sloppy (the fried rice heart barely looked like a heart!). To add insult to injury, the shrimp was under cooked. Even when we asked for the shrimp to be made well done, it came out under cooked and inedible. The server was also very slow at every stage of the meal. While I appreciated the refund on the shrimp meal that went uneaten, I felt so embarrassed taking my friend here for his birthday, and Benihana should be embarrassed, too. This was such a depressing experience. I was a long time patron of this location, but after this experience (and a poor experience the time before, not the one I left my previous review for), I no longer wish to return in the future. My friend likewise, has no interest in ever returning. I am so disappointed. I do not feel that Benihana cares about customer's special occasions. read more

4 out of 5 stars In the past, I probably would've given Encino Benihana a soft 3 stars, mostly because even with a reservation, the wait times were frustrating due to overbooking. The food has always been great, but the experience was hit or miss. This most recent visit, though (Tuesday the 24th at 5:30 for my daughter's birthday), was a solid 4-star experience. We were seated quickly (yay for no long wait!) and our chef was AMAZING -- so kind, fun, and honestly made the night. The chicken fried rice was probably the best we've ever had. Our waitress was just okay. She didn't seem very enthusiastic, and when she took a photo of my daughter and her friends, one of the kids had their eyes closed. They weren't busy, so I don't see why she couldn't have checked and snapped another one... it really upset the kid. Overall, though, the quick seating and fantastic chef made this visit a win. We'll be back! read more

Benihana - Encino - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

If I could give 10 stars I would! MIGUEL is the best! He makes the food with love and flavor! & the show he puts on is great!! This is the only Benihana we go to and we go at least once a week! So good!! read more

We've been regulars here since the day Rocky opened the place. Never experienced any of the complaints people have mentioned. Fair priced and great service. Generous portions, friendly staff. It gets busy, it's always been busy, sometimes slammed but they accommodate everyone. We only wish they offered Miso soup instead of the boring Onion broth. Everyone wishes they did. Solid choice, excellent place to dine. read more

Wow haven't been to a Benihanas in about 2-3 years and dam, the price has gone up like crazy! We went Saturday for lunch and every dish was over $50 pp. To add chicken fried rice, it was $8.60! I remember it use to be $3.50! To add anything like sauce, it was extra. Don't use the valet! They charged us $8 for parking! read more

My adult daughters took me to Benihana for my birthday the other night. I had such fond memories of celebratory dinners there in years past that I thought it sounded like fun. And it was! Having a friendly and entertaining chef prepare our food right in front of us was a lot of fun. The waitress who took our orders and brought our drinks was also really friendly and helpful. I will say that I was put off by the odor in the restaurant when I initially walked in, but once we sat down at our table I didn't notice it anymore. read more

Benihana - Encino - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

6/10 I finally tried Benihana , after hearing so many good things, so my expectations were pretty high. I ordered the lunch chicken yakisoba bowl. The portions were generous, and I'll give credit where it's due. The chicken was cooked well and the side salad was actually really tasty and a nice addition to the meal. Unfortunately, the main dish just didn't work for me. The yakisoba and rice were drenched in soy sauce, to the point where it tasted overwhelmingly salty. It was so salty that I couldn't finish the dish, which was disappointing since the ingredients themselves seemed fine. I'm not sure if it's possible to ask for the sauce on the side, but that would have made a big difference for me. Overall, the food quality wasn't bad, but the seasoning level really overshadowed the experience. I may be open to trying Benihana again with a different dish or requesting lighter sauce, but this first visit didn't quite live up to the hype. read more

This place is a local favorite and is always super busy. Even when you have a reservation, you still end up waiting quite a bit. So come prepared. Food is great, no matter which chef you get they strictly stick to their formula which makes this restaurant so popular. The chefs never miss. The inside space is always packed and people are sitting very close to each other. Quite a tight fit. But if you're there for the show, then you won't mind. read more

Wonderful experience here. Kristen was helpful with her service. Our chef, Rex, cooked us a great meal for our party of 7. He sauced it down! We came on a Sunday so we found parking on the street. Our son had an enjoyable first time. Would recommend Kristen and Rex! read more

Why bother getting a reservation - we are 30 minutes behind what they scheduled for reservation - and the prices have incredibly increased - Rocky's choice used to be $32 - welcome to $50 for the same thing -- but an un realistic wait time - Then you don't get to choose who you're sitting with and they are delayed - not ready to order -- so even more delay to get dinner -- I doubt I'll choose to come back - and we used to come here all the time -- so disappointing read more

Always a super fun experience, we go every year to celebrate my birthday. Gus was our teppanyaki chef and he was a lot of fun! I ordered the steak with teriyaki sauce and my son had the salmon. We both added the chicken fried rice. We loved the vegetables (zucchini, onion, and mushrooms-my son also had asparagus). We each also were given three shrimp, that were delicious! A whole group of servers sang happy birthday and I was given a scoop of ice cream with whipped cream and a candle. read more

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I've been coming here for years, and these days I mainly come for the entertainment. The teppanyaki chefs always keep my kids engaged, and the food is consistently great. Chef Gus was excellent! Highly recommended! I brought my family of five for Thanksgiving. For some reason, a couple was seated with us, and they clearly weren't happy. Just a tip: this place is not ideal for date nights. read more