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    Benihana - Encino

    3.1 (2.4k reviews)
    Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Benihana - Encino Takeout or Delivery

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    BENIHANA - ENCINO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Loud
    Happy hour specials

    Recommended Reviews - Benihana - Encino

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    Dining Room
    Jeremy L.

    8/17/2026 - We had a wonderful lunch experience today! The Lunch Duet was excellent--the meat was tender, flavorful, and free of any gamey taste, while the fried rice had the perfect texture and seasoning. The Ocean Treasure was equally impressive, especially the lobster, which was fresh, firm, tender, and clearly high quality. The improvements since our last visit in 2025 are remarkable. A special thanks to Chef Arturo, who has been with the restaurant for over 20 years, for his exceptional culinary skills. The restaurant's decision to upgrade its meat sourcing has also made a noticeable difference in the overall quality of the dishes. Our waitress, Gabby, provided outstanding service and made our dining experience even more enjoyable. I would gladly give this restaurant a 5-star rating if they replaced the carpet or upgraded the flooring to better match the elevated quality of the food and create a more upscale ambiance.

    Zean C.

    There's still a long wait even with a reservation. The re we're 2 hostesses and both rude. The other one was extremely rude. They both looked like they hated their jobs and didn't want to be there. The crowd was also from far away San Fernando valley . Not your local neighborhood crowd. 3 stars for the Chef and the server. Both were nice at least. Food wise - quality has gone down big time. Will not go back anymore. That's it for me.

    BENIHANA SALAD
    Jasmine M.

    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.

    HIBACHI STEAK
    Jessica V.

    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.

    Chessa D.

    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.

    Joe-Anne M.

    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!

    Tuna Steak
    Aimee C.

    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.

    Haiku Colada
    Erica H.

    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.

    Matcha ice cream that tasted freezer burned
    Stephanie O.

    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.

    Great food! BUT!! The server (an older white lady) that was serving us was being completely rude and made everyone very uncomfortable. She kept talking about how each table wasn't tipping her enough and going on and on about it. She went to each table she had and said how much are you going to tip me?? 15% or 20%?! Which I thought was totally rude!! Telling us if you can't afford to tip you shouldn't go out to eat. Other than that drinks and food were great. But an uncomfortable experience with the server that was doing the bare minimum

    Tamara D.

    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.

    Families enjoying themselves !!
    Frank D.

    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 !

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    Shushanik, Thank you for leaving us positive feedback, come back soon!

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    Page 1 of 61

    Benihana - Encino Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Benihana - Encino

    What is the maximum number of people in the hibachi table?

    8 people

    What is the parking situation on a Sunday?

    Valet $10.00

    Do they still require proof of vax for indoors?

    No they don't

    For the birthday certificate. It says to use during dinner time only. What is the earliest time for that?

    5pm

    What is your Corkage fee?

    Yes $25

    View All 6 Questions

    The Little Izaka-ya by Katsu-ya

    The Little Izaka-ya by Katsu-ya

    4.2(800 reviews)
    1.2 mi•Sherman Oaks
    •$$

    I am sharing some love in the 818. I'll start here with Little Izaka-ya by Katsuya, my favorite…read morelocal sushi joint in the San Fernando Valley. The food is always fresh -- trust me. I visit this little Valley gem (near the 405 Fwy and Sepulveda Blvd just south of Ventura Blvd.) about one to two times a month. I went more often when I lived in Sherman Oaks. First, it's always busy at dinner, so you know the word is out that it is good. Second, the food is consistantly very good. Third (and can be First), the staff is great. They work well together and quietly and always make sure you are taken care of and they are also friendly, which is great when you are a regular. So, Katsu-ya is a chain. Little Izaka-ya by Katsu-ya serves the same great taste and standard of any of the Katsu-ya restaurants, only this one will serve smaller dishes. So, I mostly go solo and I can order a variety and get 1 piece of sushi or a mini-order of the sashimi specials. I think this is a big factor in why I started going to begin with. The managers are always so welcoming (Joe (no longer there. Boo.), Koh and the newest sweet manager (I didn't get his name, but will when I go again). The parking is the only downside. The City of Los Angeles owns the war-torn disaster of a "parking lot" in the rear of the row of restaurants. You have to pay at a kiosk (about $2.50). BUT I suggest you call the city and report the pitted asphalt and GO TO LITTLE IZAKA-YA. Some of my favorite dishes -- all gluten-free -- are the Crispy Rice/Spicy Tuna, jumbo scallop sushi with yuzu and sea salt, salmon skin hand roll (no gobo), albacore sushi with gf ponzu sauce, and the salad with blanched broccoli, asparagus, cucumber, avocado, tomato and lettuce... and a cold house sake. Mmmmm.

    Great spot and just my go-to when I'm in Sherman Oaks area and am craving fresh sushi!…read more The brussel sprouts, sauteed to well-done, were phenomenal and with a lot of flavor. The spicy shrimp cut roll, creamy salmon cut roll and the spicy tuna cut, were very yummy as well. The ratio of fish to rice was perfect, the fish tasted fresh and flavorful and these rolls always hit the spot for me. The spot gets very busy for lunch but has a good number of tables and about 15 spots for seating at the sushi bar. I prefer to sit at the sushi bar, as I love to see the action of all the chef's creating their masterpieces. The chefs and the general staff are very friendly as well and are always happy to help. Will definitely be back again!

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    The Little Izaka-ya by Katsu-ya
    The Little Izaka-ya by Katsu-ya
    The Little Izaka-ya by Katsu-ya

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    Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

    Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

    3.8(1.8k reviews)
    2.2 mi•Sherman Oaks
    •$$$

    I never knew about this chain of restaurants until yesterday when we were expecting to be in…read moreHollywood too late to return home to Thousand Oaks before they roll up the sidewalks. They "close" at 10:30 (the place was still hopping at 10) and we arrived at a little past 9:00, figuring at that hour we wouldn't need a reservation. Think again, the place was just one click shy of a madhouse. The bar was lively and the tables were occupied mostly by 20-30 somethings in crocks and belly shirts, jabbing food in the mini fire pits and shoveling it in their mouths with the authority of hungry guard dogs. We had to wait 10 minutes or so, for a table and another 7 or so for our server to appear. It gave us a chance to peruse the menus. Yes, menus, plural. There are three laminated ones and a book with pages. Given how extensive the food menus are, the drink menu was a little unimpressive. The sake list had a few things listed, not including a Nigori. The white wine had two, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. We like Sauvignon Blancs but ordered the Pinot Grigio. Mezza Corona. That's what casinos comp pour at the slots in Vegas. It was fine, but not optimum. Overwhelmed by the menus and not particularly craving one thing, we decided to order the "Anniversary" dinner for two. It was a set combination of mostly proteins with the house salad and miso soup. The "poke" wasn't the usual gooey stuff seen in most raw places. It was perfect little cubes of ahi and marinated onions over a bed of pickled seaweed. The salad was large and simple, with a sesame dressing. Then... omg the proteins started to appear. Every single one was delicious. We found that putting the pork belly on the grill helped to keep the following proteins from sticking. The rice was beautifully steamed. The miso soup was even the best I've had in a long time, with lots of tofu and seaweed sinking to the bottom. I can see how this would be a great place for a group, and I can't wait to go with more friends; albeit my husband and I really enjoyed the respite. Our server, Cole, was cool and real. He didn't seem to need to pretend to be nice. He was just a sincere, caring young man. Their happy hour times are worth noting. They're happy throughout the day and night with the exception of 6:30 - 8:30 pm. There is a happy hour combination menu you might want to consider, especially if you've never been here and just want to see what's going on. There are AYCE choices which might come in handy if you're really into some favorites. There's also a big thing about Wagyu. Eh. Different strokes I guess. We'll definitely be back. We really enjoyed the experience. We reduced one star for the silly valet parking and the not-so-great wine list.

    The food is always great when I come here. The consistency is what brings me back. Bistro hangar…read moresteak is always my favorite. Their kimchi and cold tofu are also 10/10. Our server today, Fallon, was nothing but stellar. She would check up on us when she saw our food getting lower. It was nice to see how proactive she was. If you can, definitely ask to be seated in her section. Great dinner and will be back again.

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    Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ
    Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ
    Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

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    Taisho

    Taisho

    4.6(1.9k reviews)
    2.8 mi•Sherman Oaks
    •$$

    In today's restaurant market, there are many Japanese restaurants that are good and occasionally…read moreyou find one that is fantastic. How does one determine that a Japanese restaurant is fantastic? First you start with the ambience, then you start with a selection of the menu, then you look at the presentation of each plate and dish and the creative reiteration of that dish. At Taisho which is located in the heart of the Valley in Sherman Oaks, is a wonderful restaurant with great creativity and presentation and ambience... And it hits all the marks of a truly wonderful Japanese restaurant. This restaurant is so good that even living in Orange County, what desires to go back into the valley, which is quite a jaunt. We occasionally go to the valley for family and friends and events... And from now on, we will be stopping by this wonderful Japanese restaurant. I'm going to post some pictures and let the pictures speak for themselves. If you're ever in the valley, you gotta make this one of your stops.

    In the interest of fairness, I have to lead with the fact that the food is really quite good. The…read morehostess was very sweet, and even helped us change tables when we learned that we while were sitting at an indoor table, it right next to the entrance to the open patio where they have an additional 10 tables or soy. Long story short, my wife was starting to sweat so she wanted to be inside with some A/C. So far, so good. Our waiter was so awesome, but it was his first day, so understandably, he made a couple of very minor mistakes that were easily fixed. He brought out a dish we did not order (which he swapped for the correct one) and he forgot to bring the cocktail that my wife ordered. Again, no big deal. Now... the food. If you are looking for a sushi restaurant, this is not for you. They do have some sushi, but it is very limited, and frankly the options they did have were wildly overpriced. Selling salmon sashimi for $40 is a huge ask. As for the atmosphere, it's a pretty sharp looking space, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, but they leave all the windows and doors open at all times, so if it's a warm evening, you're going to be hot even if you sit outside. Also, the music gets progressively louder as nightfall progresses, so it can be tough to have a conversation without shouting. Bottom line, if you're looking for a good sushi spot, there are half a dozen other places within walking distance that are, in my opinion, much better. If you're looking for a wider variety of Japanese cuisine, and have a few hundred extra dollars lying around, then go ahead and give Taisho a try.

    Photos
    Taisho
    Taisho - Lobster, Wagyu robata

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