The food was so good. The entertainment was so fun I ate the shrimp with rice and the meat is super good hopefully people get to come here more often. The best place you could eat. Marvin was the best cook we ever had. he's really good at the egg skills. read more

Mario our chef and our waitress were incredible! Our kiddo had a very memorable and social first Benihana experience and it felt so nostalgic from my husband and my childhood! Thanks again! read more

Let's be honest--Benihana is no longer what it used to be. If I could give this experience a 0 out of 10, I would. From the moment we sat down, everything felt understaffed, and painfully slow. Our server seemed overwhelmed and didn't have much time for us, and our hibachi chef looked completely exhausted. Unfortunately, there was none of the energy or entertainment you normally expect from a Benihana experience. There was no real action or excitement at the table--everything felt like it was happening in slow motion, and the entire experience was honestly disappointing. I paid just under $470 for a table of seven, so I expected much more. My fried rice was oddly undercooked, which was especially disappointing considering the rice is already pre-cooked. The overall environment also felt messy and not as clean as I would expect from a restaurant at this price point. I genuinely feel like the overworked chefs and servers were doing the best they could with the circumstances they were given, so my frustration isn't really directed at them. Benihana needs to do better when it comes to staffing, service, cleanliness, food quality, and the overall dining experience. Unfortunately, I will not be coming back. If Yelp allowed me to give zero stars, I would. read more

With having a reservation the wait time is still crazy long that needs to get fixed ASAP, but I can say the young lady hostess was incredibly accommodating and very welcoming she told me all I needed to know for a first timer. Thank you to her! (I think her name was Camile sorry if that's wrong!), although the place does need a little bit more cleanliness. I did have one issue the service, her name was Heidi. I would say she was sassy with taking my order. She was very inconsistent, but it was my first time trying Benihana so I ignored it. The chef Eduardo was amazing. My kids loved the show he put on! Plus his food was delicious and I will definitely be coming back here just for his cooking.LOL! read more

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. read more

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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. 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 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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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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Where's the quality gone?? We ordered the Tokyo Wings for 2 & I will say it's a decent amount of food but what's the point if it's not good?? The wings were dry & tasted old/freezer burnt...the salad was definitely from a bag, no freshness or crunch to the veggies whatsoever. I had to doctor up the chicken fried rice that comes with it (that chicken was dry as hell too!) because that too, was old & pasty...the whole meal that we paid $40 for was inedible & they forgot the edamame that was supposed to come with it! Customer service was not bad but then again, I ordered pickup so the interaction was minimal. There's valet parking if you choose to dine in. I won't return, there are plenty of teppanyaki food trucks in the Valley that have better quality food for less than what you're paying at this dump... read more

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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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

The food and service have always been good for me. No problems with reservations and the walk-in power lunch is pretty good and fast. Chef's are generally very entertaining and make the food well. Ambiance is good and they accommodate big parties well enough. The only shortcoming would be parking. Parking in the valley is generally a pain and this place isn't the exception. They charge for valet but their lot is empty whenever I go. Just an unnecessary service. Also annoys me that they advertise $6 parking for lunch but if you're reservation bleeds into dinner time you're charged the higher rate. read more

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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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 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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Our host Oliver was amazing! Super friendly and helpful, and really went above and beyond to make our visit extra special. We really appreciated him and his kindness. Thank you, Oliver!! read more

We have loved Benihana's since the 80s. We went for a birthday. rsvp was for 8 pm, seated 8:45 pm. It's not special anymore, no photo, no hat or little buddha/kitty. Our table had 1 person singing happy birthday, other tables had train whistles maracas, and other crazy things. Prices higher, food was fair. Two of us had the yakisoba and stomach trouble afterwards. I kind of feel bad for the chefs having to do laser shows, sound effects etc. The traditional cook was always fun, (flaming onion volcano), egg tricks, etc. There was also a roaming security guard which started to give off college bar vibes. The past was fun, but we won't be back. We know other regulars who emulate the same feelings and won't be back. Was there a change in management? We'll miss you. read more

Not what it once was. Why take reservations if you don't honor them? I made reservations two months in advance and clearly that really didn't matter based on our experience. We were hit with a barrage of reminders to confirm we had reservations along with asking us through text message for confirmation which we confirmed. However, that really didn't matter. We arrived 15 minutes before our reservation and the hostess couldn't give us an ETA to be seated ( waited an hour past our reservation). She seemed annoyed and I can understand considering they seem to overbook as a general practice. My recommendation to you is to find another place or book an hour before you really want to sit down. This particular Benihana restaurant ruined a special occasion. read more

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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When you arrive to the restaurant parking lot, they have mandatory valet unless you decide to park on the street. The valet is $8 so if you do not want to pay, then you will need to find parking. I made a reservation for my husband & myself we arrived early so we waited a little bit before we were seated. Once we were seated, it took about 10 to 15 minutes before our waitress finally came to the table. We were seated with a family of three at our table. The waitress that we had was really sweet as she took our orders and provided us with our drinks. When she came back with our drinks, she did advise the table that she has another table that she will be waiting on, but someone else would be coming with our soups and salad. The chef who came out to cook our entrées was good at what he did. My husband got the filet mignon five course entrée which included the soup and salad and the shrimp appetizer and I got the lobster tail shrimp and scallops. The food was all right. They could've used a little bit more seasoning and I think the chef needs a little bit more knife skills. There was a point where I thought he was literally going to stab himself in the side because he could not find the place to put his knife back on his hip. However, the soup and salad never came. We did mention to the shop that we were still waiting on our soups and salads, and he kind of looked around to see who he could get to bring them to us, but then he just continued to cook the food. When our original waitress came back, we relayed the message to her that we never got our salad. The family that was sitting with us, had also ordered appetizers in addition to their meals, and they kept mentioning it to the chef that they were still waiting on that as well. By the time they finally brought my husband's rice for his main entrée he had already eaten through majority of it. Needless to say the other waitress that was supposed to back up, our original waitress never showed up. We did speak with the manager, and the manager didn't even seem phased by it at all and he didn't even apologize all he said was let me see what I could do and took $30 off the bill. The restaurant had a lot of people working there, so I'm not sure where the disconnect was and we made sure to let our original waitress know that it had nothing to do with her. Unfortunately, whoever was supposed to back her up they never showed up and it was on them, and hopefully she speaks with them and hopefully management. It just seems like there was a huge disconnect amongst the weight staff and management at this restaurant, and unfortunately, we will not be returning. read more

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

If you get to your table and your chef is Elmer, don't even bother placing an order. I paid $80 for my Hibachi Supreme meal (medium), and the only thing drier than my steak was his personality. There were three kids at the table, and not a single trick was done. He didn't even bother checking his tray to make sure he had all the items. He incorrectly cooked the fried rice even though we had specifically asked for no onions, and he was missing an entire lobster tail, which we ended up having to wait for them to bring out. We tried to bring this up to the manager (the short guy--I forgot his name), but it took him 25 minutes to come over. The waitress told us he was upstairs in his office. It's Sunday night, prime-time dinner service, and you're upstairs in your office? It was a disaster. As if that wasn't enough, they didn't even bring out the ice cream they were supposed to. Between the chef, the basically nonexistent waitress, and the manager doing I don't know what somewhere in the building (according to his own waitress), it was a complete waste of time and money. Do yourself a favor and just go somewhere else. It's not worth the bill. read more

Great place to eat but then they fire you when you tell them mom is dying and then she passes less than a year later. But yeah great food would definitely recommend. 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

Holy smokes this place has gone downhill. What used to be a fun, once a year, kids bday place, has been overrun by incompetence. Food is bad. Service is bad. Waited over an hour plus to get seated with reservations.. Def reporting these folks to OpenTable. read more

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

Honestly, one of the most frustrating restaurant experiences I've had in a while. I had a PARTY OF 10, so obviously I made a reservation for 7:30 PM. You would think making a reservation would mean, you know... actually having a table ready around 7:30. Nope. Our party was not seated until 8:12 PM. I brought up my concern to the host, who casually told me that they get "overbooked" even when people have reservations. EXCUSE ME??? Then what exactly is the point of making a reservation?! If you know you are consistently overbooking, maybe stop accepting more reservations than you can actually accommodate. This is not a difficult concept. And somehow it gets better. After making a PARTY OF 10 wait 42 minutes past our reservation time, we finally get seated... and the table is only set for 9 PEOPLE. How does that even happen? We literally made a reservation for 10. After waiting that long, the absolute bare minimum would be to have the table properly prepared. Then we waited ANOTHER 48 MINUTES for our chef to come out. At this point, the entire experience had already started on such a bad note. The food was good, I'll give them that, but good food does not make up for incredibly poor organization and service. And because apparently nothing could go smoothly, my Coke Zero was flat. When I mentioned it to our waitress, instead of simply replacing it, she told me that it "usually is" and recommended that I get something else. If you KNOW your Coke Zero is usually flat, why is it being served to customers?! There is a huge difference between having an occasional issue and having issue after issue throughout the same visit. A 7:30 reservation should not turn into being seated at 8:12, sitting at a table that isn't even properly set for the number of people on the reservation, and then waiting another 48 minutes for the chef. Very disappointed. The food was good, but the overall experience was absolutely not worth it. I will not be returning to this location. Also they do not have free parking but offer valet for $8 just an FYI. read more

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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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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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

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

**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

Birthday celebration. We had a reservation and they took us in right away. The Restaurant and restrooms were clean. We arrived early and sat at the bar while we waited for the rest of our party. Drinks were good! The sugar rim option on your drinks can make your hands sticky. Overall great customer service from the staff. We sat at the table with a cook that prepared our meals in front of us. So much fun! Food was hot and delicious. The waiter was attentive and friendly! Sitting around the cook area can make you and your guest feel warm and you may sweat due to the heat from the cooking surface area. It's not excessively hot but can be uncomfortable. The cost of the food is pricey! They may have discounts if you eat at the bar, happy hour discounts and through the app. The Staff kindly sung happy birthday and all of us received an ice cream treat. We even got a free group photo after dinner. read more

Benihana - Encino - Our cook preparing our dinner on the cooktop. We all sat around this table/cooktop and watched him in action. Pretty cool! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

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

This place was absolutely horrible! First of all since we have been going through a heat wave you would of thought they would of known to crank up the AC, but no, it was extremely hot! The floors were dirty and everyone was sweating! We got sat with a family with a toddler and a new born who had every allergy imaginable, it took our cook so long to just take their order. Then the grill wouldn't work and no one would fix it, they would touch it and feel it wasn't heating up then say "it's not working" lol... After sitting there for about 45 minutes the grill heat up just enough to start cooking, while sitting in this crowded hot room, with smoke and stickiness the mother sitting with us starts breastfeeding without any cover, while grease and smoke is billowing around us, and their toddler screaming! The cook was frustrated beyond belief, which I don't blame him, so needless to say we did not get any kind of food cooking show you usually get when you dine at Benihana's. Amazing how we waited in this hot room for the grill to work 45 minutes then when we were eating our ice cream the bus boy starts cleaning our table, making feel rushed, so we had to wait now your rushing me out? Walking out the hostess area was absolutely packed, hot and sticky, never again, at least too this dirty location! read more

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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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

Evidently this location is under new management and are over booking more than they can handle. We are asked to arrive on time and they make us wait for one hour. Corporate does nothing about it. We had over foot families yelling at the host. We will not be returning to this location ever! read more