Absolutely terrible service. I made a reservation for a large party of 11 for my young daughters birthday. From start to finish the service was a mess. I understand that as a busy restaurant they have a policy of not seating people until a full party is there. With a party of 11 we had 10 of our people there, while the other parked the car (the parking lot is very small and was full). As we had 5 children in our party who had been waiting I had hoped when I told them this they would let us sit, they still did not. But no huge deal. Once seated, we were split into two tables due to the size of our party. Totally fine. However, one of our tables had started being serviced, and it was a table of four adults as opposed to the table full of children, one of whom it was their birthday as the staff and chef were very aware of. We watched from behind as they got cooked for, served their food, and ate it all while we had not even received a chef. Finally I asked what was going on. They were frazzled and said that they would fix it. They did send a chef over, however he was clearly thrown into it and did not interact with us at all, skipped many of the tricks typically done, and which we saw being performed for other tables. Our food was correct, I will give that, but the whole atmosphere of a "show" was absent. When you go to Benihana you accept that outrageous prices for the cost of a fun atmosphere and show. This is why my daughter wanted her birthday there, but it was not received. My childrens chicken tenders were dry and over cooked which is not what you expect for $18 chicken tenders. Beyond that, we were told once we were all done eating that they had forgotten some of our food and were cooking it the - we asked to take it to go as we were finished, but never received the food. My daughter received zero of the special attention you'd expect for a birthday at this restaurant which was a disappointment to her. When I expressed my displeasure, I was offered gift cards for next time which I politely declined stating I did not come all that often and do now wish to come again, I instead requested a discount on that nights meal. After saying she would see what she could do she said she would give me a $100 discount (our bill was approx $500) but we had to pay gratuity which was $66. I have no issue paying a tip, however when I am being told I have to pay it when I have said that all of our service was unpleasant that didn't sit well with me. So we essentially got a $34 discount on a $500 bill for an experience that was not pleasant in the slightest. We protested this however, with all of the children and party waiting we did not want to make any further scene and said we would email regarding the matter. Upon further review of our receipts we see we got charged for items we did not order as well. Overall a very unpleasant experience. read more

I don't know about this place, but I guess if you go to Monterrey, you steer booty looking for good Asian food... Sashimi was way to thick, it was like a mini brick of fish..that's not sashimi. My sexy baby ordered filet mignon and they cut it up to little pieces...is that right? They were creative with the other sushi dish... The best thing they had was the dressing for the salad. It was a ponzu ginger sauce... read more

Benihana - Monterey - Sushi special - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

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The food wasn't good. My wife and I will be going back to Sapporo's . They actually cook it much better there. My whole plate was covered in teriyaki sauce which tasted terrible. The cooks don't care how they serve your food to you. Overall I wouldn't go back to that place. It was also very dirty at our table. The plates were not clean and we had to ask for new ones. Sapporos is where everyone should go. read more

I was excited to go to Benihana for our Anniversary because they advertised they have gluten free options. I was able to get salad with no dressing no soup and steak and vegetables. I was not once offered the green tea that was supposed to be a part of the meal I ordered, neither was my husband and he is not gluten free. I had to ask 4 times for a glass of water before I finally got one. We told them at least 3 times it was our Anniversary and they finally sang Happy Birthday to the other person at our table celebrating his Birthday. When the waiter came out to ask about dessert I asked him to check if the ice cream was gluten free which he replied it was not but I am pretty sure he didn't check because I was told previously that the chocolate, vanilla and rainbow sherbet was gluten free. I feel way overcharged for the meal I had. My husband's shrimp was burnt. read more

Thank you for an amazing experience especially to Junior and his older cousin we tried to order but we couldn't find a better table so we decided to order our food and then later the lady at the reception told us there is a table available for the hibachi experience. We finally got a table at the hibachi and had a full experience. Junior's brother/cousin came over and took care of us we can't wait to come back soon. Thank you all my stuff done read more

Benihana - Monterey - Best hibachi experience ever thanks to Junior and his cousin. We love this place we are thankful for the night we had an amazing dinner. - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

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Okay food. Insane wait they told me to be here before 7:45 and didn't get seated till 8:40

A one star because zero is not possible. We made reservation for 6:30 pm on a Wednesday. I should've got a clue when I asked for reservations availability times and she said anytime. Upon arrival, we had to get in line just to check in. There were at least 30 people waiting to be seated. We got seated in an hour despite reservations. We killed time st the bar having drinks. Once we got seated we didn't see a server for half hour. The our order got taken. We waited another 20 minutes and realized that there were four tables with no food or chef around. We decided to leave because we were starving. I think this establishment preys on tourist by overbooking and making them wait. BTW, this was our second attempt to have dinner there but no more, big disappointment!! read more

Wonderful amazing staff. Perfect portions. The manager is a gem. My husband and I love coming here!!!

We have been coming here for years and saw the recent reviews and were a little unsure of how the service might be. I'm glad I didn't follow other reviewers. We made a reservation for 8pm on. Fri and got there about an hour early thinking we can hang out in the bar area before. As we just ordered our 1st drink, the hostess came over & let us know they can seat us right away. The great service didn't stop there. Michelle was our waitress and she was awesome... and not just because she mentioned they accidentally gave me a generous pour or 2 of my wine ;) she was very attentive. Miguel was our chef for the night and did an awesome job. He was funny, interactive, and even remembered us from our last visit. Food is always great & generous portions. read more

We had an enjoyable dining experience at Benihana and would definitely return. Our chef did a great job preparing our meal AND providing a "show" and our server was helpful and attentive. Hubs and I had the steak and scallop dinner with fried rice....delicious with generous portions; we enjoyed the leftovers for lunch the next day. We were there on a Monday night, without a reservation, and though they were busy we didn't have to wait more than 10 minutes to be seated. It was a fun evening and the couple seated at the grill/table were nice to talk to. We'll be back for sure. read more

I really don't know how this place is staying open. Love Benihana but this location is not it. Ordered a drink and the girl had to read a book to learn how to make it (no big deal) then I ordered sushi there was a hair in the dish had to send it back.. then our food comes and when I tell you it had no flavor and since when does Benihana put seasame seed inside their rice ? I thought that was interesting just very very bland and very disappointing. Was expecting way better going off prices but over all don't expect much coming here read more

This is the spot to come for a special occasion. Lots of birthday celebrations happen here. We visited on a busy Saturday night. Make sure to call for a reservation on weekends. We were delayed in being seated by about 20 minutes but overall had a very nice dinner and experience. The dining area was packed but the service was great. Our chef, Mele, was on point. He efficiently prepared our orders with ease while interacting with the entire table. He had a great sense of humor. Everything he prepared was perfectly cooked and seasoned. It is a definitely a splurge as pricing has increased by A LOT since I remember coming here last year. Overall, it's worth it for us and we love the fun show that the chefs put on. We look forward to visiting again in the future. read more

Party of 7 with a 6pm reservation and nearly a 45 minute wait (minus 1 star) . Asked for unsweetened iced teas and were given flavored iced teas twice (minus 1 star), food was standard teppanyaki nothing amazing but you go for the show right? Everyone was friendly and fairly prompt with everything. Gratuity was added for large party bringing the total to $400. read more

Ok...I feel like Benihana's is not as great as before..although it was my first time at this location, I've been to many other locations and this one wasn't the best. We had a random day in Monterey and last minute decided to call and see if they had reservations available and luckily they were able to accommodate us. Idk I just remember the food being wayyyyy better, but ehhh it was okay this time. I got the teriyaki chicken with shrimp, which also comes with onion soup and salad..but the "onion soup" was horrible and tasted like the broth from top ramen with two little strings of onion lol uhhh definitely SKIP the soup. I guess I'm not really a fan of Benihana's anymore, but the service was good and chef was funny and very attentive. read more

Benihana - Monterey - Front of restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

Wish I could give them zero stars. Shotty service. No one manning the front reception desk. Poor communication. This establishment needs a staffing facelift. read more

We have been to Benihana restaurants in San Fran and Sacramento. This is by far the nicest we have ever been to. Location is fantastic, with a view of fishermen's wharf and the cost from front of building. Ambiance is good, with great decor and an upscale feel. Well trained chefs with good tricks and nice culinary skills. Altogether cleaner, more attractive, and better cuisine than other locations we have been to. read more

Benihana - Monterey - Nice decor and upscale ambiance - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

the hostess was rude upon arrival, passive aggressive in her tone and not very welcoming. as for the food, it was too oily and mediocre at best. this is disappointing considering each meal was atleast $30. all of us left with bad food poisoning and felt sick until the next day. they also almost forgot to give the dessert for one of the meals until we reminded them. i recommend going to other benihana locations in the bay area read more

Their fried rice is the best. And their ginger sauce is so good that I often add little to the fried rice. There are some similar Japanese teppanyaki BBQ restaurants nearby but They simply can't compete with Benihana. This is very popular place for special celebrations. read more

I called Benihana Monterey tonight at 6pm to order take out. They told me they had no staff???? Is this place open and operating or not? Does anyone know? Thank you. read more

Brought my family here last night. I will say our server was awesome. Very attentive and super friendly. Food is what it is mediocre but it's expected having been to numerous Benihana's. We loved the many birthdays they had going on and how enthusiastic the employees get into the drums and singing. Our habachi chef was really good and we thoroughly enjoyed our show. My only gripe would be that he wasn't very interactive and was really quiet. He kept looking off in different directions while cooking our food too that we found odd. Overall we had a great time and will be back. read more

Food was good !! The only thing that sucked was that our chef looked like he was having a bad day and had no interaction with us he didn't put on a show if you know what I mean read more

Unfortunately during our visit. We had a reservation at 6:45pm and our chef arrived to begin cooking at 8pm. Finished our meal and stepped out at 9:30pm. The location was louder than other locations with drum playing for celebrating birthdays. There were many so it seemed loud the entire dinner. May work well for others. Just didn't work well for our family with elementary age children-it was too loud and too late for them to eat. Food was still delicious as always. read more

*edited to add* looks like we aren't the only ones who have recently gotten food poisoning from here! We went on Friday April 7th and someone wrote a review that same week stating they also got food poisoning!! Sadly this place has gone down hill, cutting corners anywhere they can. It used to be an experience going to Benihana! Now the chefs are just in a rush, they don't do the shrimp tail tricks anymore, only did the volcano trick at the very end after everything was done. All of our food was extremely over cooked, literally everything, even the party next to us who ordered their steak "medium" were served very "well done" steak. My husbands chicken was so over cooked he only had a couple pieces of it. Also cutting corners like not even cutting or butterfly the shrimp appetizers like they used to do and just served it whole! So lazy! The salad was very unappetizing due to the lettuce not looking very fresh and I used to love their simple appetizer salad. The only redeeming part of the dinner was our amazing waitress, she was so kind. I also think we got food poisoning because we both felt nauseous for two days after we ate here, I was in bed for a full day after feeling sick and nauseated with upset tummy if you know what I mean. Won't be coming back anytime soon unfortunately. I miss Benihana in the 80's & 90's!!! read more

*FOOD POISONING* I wanted to start this review off by stating that we have been to this Benihana for years. In the last year or two things have gone downhill, and in our last two visits we have experienced raw food and gotten food poisoning. Yesterday we spent $350 to celebrate our daughters birthday, the kids were immediately not feeling well after dinner and everyone was up throughout the night very sick. So disappointing to spend that kind of money just to end up sick. We will never go back after these experiences. Save your money and your health, it's not worth food poisoning. read more

Food is good not most fabulous, but it's always the place to deliver happiness. You dine here for the experience not only with your group but also with random strangers who share the table with you that particular evening. But, I do suggest leaving space for different groups at one table during COVID please, I had to wear mask all the time when I'm not eating last week. read more

08/24/2016 Udating to 4-stars. Service is slipping. Dirty tables, they forgot to bring food for one in our group and then 30-min later we are all done eating and then they bring cold food, and waitress walking away while we are still talking to her. My food was great, so were the others, but overall slipping from 5-stars to 4-stars. Previous review: Great little lunch spot in the heart of Monterey near my office. Friendly, attentive, and helpful staff. Nice décor, nice tables, and a fancy Tepan room as well. We were in a hurry so we ate in the reugular dinning room. Very reasonable lunch prices, after tax and tip my bill came to $13. I had the Chicken bowl and it came with miso soup, salad, and a side of tempura. Hot tea is complimentary as well. Thank you Benihana :) read more

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We had dinner at Benihana, where I had a $30 gift certificate for my birthday. We had a great time and great meal there, as usual. It is always fun to watch the chef prepare our meals with finesse and skill. I ordered a passion fruit smoothie with strawberry swirls which was sweet, refreshing and delightful. I would have liked a bit more strawberry flavor though. For my meal, I had Filet Mignon and shrimp, which came with a multitude of sides and appetizers including soup, salad, chicken fried rice, shrimp and vegetables: Mushroom, zucchini and onion. Everything was well made and delicious. I also had chocolate ice cream which came with a lit candle in it and one of the servers played the drums and sang Happy Birthday! read more

Lunch specials are filling and you definately get a bang or 2 for your buck. Try one of the lunch boats and you should be pretty content. I like to drink adult beverages and that was most of our bill so if aren't a fan of drinking hitting up Benihanas for lunch is like free. Vegas roll rocked! I asked to swap tuna for the salmon since my friend can't eat salmon and they were happy to do so. Looking forward to their Teppanyaki... believe it or not, I'm a fan of that style of cooking. Reminds me of Something Fishy in Santa Barbara. Good times! read more

I think this is the go-to spot for habachi in Monterey. Yes, at a chain restaurant. I couldn't believe it myself, but this place is TASTY and you will leave full! Really cute service, I mean, they have a friendly staff here. Apparently, my parents have adopted this place as their favorite restaurant of the moment and have been like 3 times in the last 2 months. The waitress we had knew them by name and my mom wanted to use her free meal card that she got for her birthday there. I went with the Benhiana Excellence which is steak and shrimp habachi style with vegetables. You also get a salad and onion soup and the whole meal is topped off with a scoop of Hagan Daaz ice cream! Very reasonable price for a good amount of food. Nothing was overcooked and the meat was quite flavorful. Benihana at least at this location, definitely exceeded my expectations. An especially nice touch was the happy birthday hat and song they did for my mom. She was all smiles. I think your best bet is to come during the week as even on a Wednesday night, it was pretty packed and they do have some great happy hour specials and all you can eat sushi menu. I was so impressed with this place that I have every intention of visiting the one in NYC..I won't hold my breath there, but I do like the food. I'd come back here and recommend it for anyone in the mood for some yummy food and want to escape the tourist traps of Monterey's wharf restaurants. You'll like this place. read more

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The service and food was outstanding! I normally pick out restaurants based on reviews and this one was missing the mark. The previous reviews were misleading compared to our experience. We had incredible and quick service. Got in right at reserved 4pm time, we were the first dinner customers that day. Our dinners were all so delicious. I would recommend going in at 4pm if possible. When we left there were long lines and the restaurant was already filled. read more

Excellent meal! Thank you! Really nice Happy Hour food and drink specials are available 5-6:30pm. One hour complimentary parking with validation in the private lot up the street. We should drop in more often...Yummy! read more

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I've always heard the hype about this place but never really made the time to try it, and I love love coming to Monterey. I haven't seen my cousin in a long time so we decided this would be a perfect place for our kids because of the entertainment provided by the chef who was preparing our meal. First we started off with this onion soup. Not for me. When I think soup from a Japanese place it's automatically miso. The soup was then followed by a typical house salad. I couldn't pinpoint the dressing but I can describe it as chunky and bland. Next, our entrees. I ordered the Splash and Meadow, "colossal" shrimp and filet mignon. The shrimp wasn't that colossal but very sweet. The chef did ask me how I wanted my filet mignon cooked and I said medium/rare which translated into well done for some reason. Maybe it's because it was loud from the fan above the grill or I don't know what?! The shrimp was served first then the meat which was served with mushrooms, onions and zucchini. It's was basically something I could have made at home minus the generous amounts of garlic butter and salt. I think the best part of the evening was the bottle of Coppola Claret and the rainbow sherbet. I wouldn't come back unless if I was invited or to try the sushi. read more

Benihana - Monterey - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

Good service, great food presentation, talented hibachi chef (he spun his spatula on his finger like nobody's business), but the actual taste and preparation of food needs improvement. My family and I went to Benihana for lunch to celebrate my son's birthday. When we got there, there was already a couple groups of people before us, (especially since it was Easter Day) but we had a reservation, so we weren't worried. They promptly opened for business at 12noon. We were seated around 12:15-ish at a table with the built in grill. We've never dined there before, so we weren't sure what to order...we each ended up ordering one of their lunch special...their Lunch Boat Special. The Lunch Boat Special comes with either teriyaki chicken, teriyaki salmon, or teriyaki beef julienne as the choice of meat, miso soup, salad, half an order of California rolls, sashimi, shrimp and vegetable tempura (no tempura sauce), orange pieces, some edamame, and white rice. Since there was four of us, we ordered two teriyaki chicken, one teriyaki salmon, and one teriyaki beef julienne. We received our soup and salad first. The soup was good, but the dressing for the salad was too salty for me. When our lunch boats came out, the first thing we noticed was how each of our lunches were beautifully it was presented on the "boat." Second thing we noticed is that only three of the four lunches that we ordered were ready. My husband had to wait for his because they were still prepping it...he got his later. Meanwhile, the rest of us dug right in...after I took a picture of each meal. First food item that I tried was my beef julienne. It looked amazing, but unfortunately it was over cooked to the point that it was dry. My family said that the chicken and the salmon were also dry/overlooked. The edamame had the opposite problem...it was way undercooked (to the point that I was unable to squeeze it out of the pods), cold, and no salt at all. The California Rolls, the sashimi, the white rice, and the orange pieces were all good...fresh and tasty. ;) The tempura (shrimp and veggies) themselves were good. Only problem was that there was not any tempura sauce to go with it...I guess I could've asked for some, but I didn't bother to because I was almost done. So, why the three stars rating? Well, disputed over cooking the meat in our meals and undercooking the edamame, the staff at Benihana were attentive to our needs...our server was always coming around refilling our water glasses, the manager/owner came by to check on us, they even brought out some ice cream with a birthday candle on it and sang the American birthday song along with another birthday song. Then we had a family picture taken which was given to us as a souvenir a few minutes later. I must admit, I was enjoying the atmosphere/experience so much that I forgot to mention the meat or edamame... Will I be going back to this Benihana? Probably...but maybe try other things on their extensive menu. ;) read more

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The Monterey location has all the charm of a bog. I have been to many a Benihana over the years, and never has one seemed so run down and forgotten. There is no longer a Happy Hour which is fine, but looking at the sushi in the case I didn't want to risk it. I do hope they can turn it around. I see why the place was empty. read more

I will not return. Decor and ambiance is lacking. The space looks like a converted school cafeteria, no art work, dirty carpets, food all over the floor. It was stuffy, no fresh air and the food was sub par. I've been to many Benihana restaurants and had a great experience but this location is not recommended. read more

I am just not a fan of the teppanyaki style. Sure the show is fun and the chefs are talented beyond belief, but I do not care for the pace of the dinner as a whole. For example, if you order steak, you get your food last; and it you order steak well done, then everyone else is finished with their food when yours arrives, or it's cold from waiting for your dinner. The spectacle is fun and let's be honest, that's what you pay for. The fried rice is good too, but when I'm hungry, I want a full meal. I don't want it in stages. The Bennihanna by Fisherman's Wharf is nice. It's clean, full of nice people, and the staff is very accommodating with large groups. I've been here twice and both times, the food was decent enough, but everyone got their food at different times and I cannot stand that. read more

Always fun, just be prepared for long wait times! Good food and reasonable price when you order the right thing. Loud atmosphere, but filled with many happy people. read more

I'm just rating the sushi bar. For me, it's the only reason to visit. The teppanyaki tables are the main draw for the crowds here, but you can avoid all the hub-bub, and head directly into the bar for easy, no reservation required seating. In the bar you'll find a real treat on the happy hour menu. Here the prices are slashed and you can get a ton of really good dishes without breaking your bank. The drinks specials are exquisite, great flavors and generous pours. Usually the staff in the bar are less harried than the main room, service here can sometimes be hit or miss. And while this isn't the peninsula's finest sushi, it is definitely a steal for the prices. read more

Way over priced, ordered med rare filet mignon it was medium well when he finally got to me, everything was dry. It was my Birthday, they did nothing for me. No song no candle they brought me a scoop of ice cream, I had to ask them to please take a picture of my group finally they did. I used to LOVE this place! Not anymore! For 2 people in my group they spent $160.00, I can't imagine what the total was for 4 of us!!!!! Horrible service, horrible food, it isn't what it used to be! read more

I just finished dinner with my family and the service was the worst I've ever experienced. The bar tender E'moire served the wrong drink and refused to correct her mistake, the manager said she would take care of it and after repeated request the cocktail was served at the end of dinner. we asked for water and never received water to the end of our meal. I spoke to the owner with no satisfaction. I would strongly recommend avoiding this restaurant if you want to have a quality evening with your family. Jim read more