Had a wonderful experience celebrating my brothers birthday! We loved having chef Miguel Perez as our chef! His service was beyond exceeded! He was fun, and he was thoughtful of what we liked on our plates! 10/10 recommended will definitely come again! read more

Benihana - San Diego - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Celebrated my brothers birthday at Benihana's today it was PHENOMENAL must go to for any celebration! Food was amazing and prepared by Miguel Perez Kind and attentive! Steak was delicious service was excellent Natasha made sure our drinks were filled throughout the dinner. read more

I was invited by my friend to come here for dinner to enjoy the taste of Benihana. It is a $39 prefix meal, which is pretty good. You get a super salad, an appetizer, and then an entrée of your choice. We came during the happy hour, which is 3 to 6 PM so we were able to take advantage of the happy hour appetizers and drinks. Everything was pretty good. The place was very packed. There were so many people and now I understand why I always see a line waiting because they're limited in space at this location. The server was very customer service oriented. The food and staff added to our great experience. Overall, $39 for Taste of Benihana was great! We even had food to go! read more

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Holy cow when did Benihana get so expensive?! We went here for a friend's birthday because she had a $50 birthday voucher and I can see why they offer such a high amount because every teppanyaki entree is at least $50. Even with her voucher, she still paid almost $50 and every couple paid at least $200. And when did chicken fried rice sky rocket to $9.30 per serving? It used to be $5 or less. Our friends who are vegetarians ordered vegetarian fried rice and theirs was $8+ each which makes no sense. Don't get me wrong, the quality of the food is good, but for the price, I just don't think it's worth it. For how expensive it is, I could get a Michelin star meal instead. I do have to give kudos to our waitress and our chef Jack P. who were amazing! Jack was funny and entertaining and he did tricks and jokes that I hadn't heard before and I've been to Benihana a lot. He said he's only been a chef for 4 months but no one would ever guess because he seemed like he's been doing this for years! I would come back just for him, but because Benihana has gotten so pricey, I doubt I'll be coming back anytime soon! read more

Terrible Service. Came here to celebrate my bday family 6 The service was terrible had to ask for water we ordered appetizers and at the same time decided to order our food appetizers all cold .!! We waited for our food for over an hour . No one came to check if we needed water to clean the table I asked for tea refill and never got it . Finally got our plates all 10-15 min apart by the time I got my food I have had it I spoke to the manager told him why we were upset and told him that the amount of food service and quality for the amount charged is absurd and ridiculous he asked how he can make it up . I told him I am not going to take advantage but I do feel the service is was terrible. Manager heard and left never did anything. There goes a bday celebration and to pay over $400 and not even get a glass of water refilled . Never again coming back here very disappointed since I know Benihana's is a staple to SD well known. Customers are not taken care of. read more

Benihana - San Diego - Receipt. No tip and manager could not even say sorry went back never came out to say something - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The food was very good, and our cook and servers were all friendly, fun, and made the experience enjoyable! It definitely has a busy, lively atmosphere and is a fun place to go for the whole hibachi experience. My biggest complaint would be the pricing. It was quite a bit more expensive than some other hibachi restaurants we've been to, although that may just be a California thing! I also noticed the children's meal prices were different from what I had seen online, so it seems like their menus may have been updated recently. I was also a little surprised that the meals only come with white rice and chicken fried rice is an additional upcharge. For the price you're already paying, I personally feel like you should be able to choose between white rice or fried rice without paying extra. Overall, though, the food was delicious, the staff made it fun, and the atmosphere was energetic and entertaining. We had a good experience I'd just be prepared for a pricier meal and a few add-ons! read more

Benihana - San Diego - Kids menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I been to Benihanas many of time and never experienced this any time we've ever came. Our chef that cooked for us was new you could definitely tell but that wasn't the problem. My husband ordered the Tuna steak (which is what he ALWAYS orders) sesame crusted on the outside. They changed something within the order flavors were not the same. Comes with seared avocado, tomato, onion and edamame that is at underneath. While the chef was cooking we noticed it seared veggies were getting a bit over cooked and burned. When we told the chef he said he said no it's suppose to be like that but if we don't like them as charred then we shouldn't eat it. Whatttt?? That was the response was unreal. You pay a lot of money to go to this restaurant so this response was crazy to hear. My husband did speak with the manager and he did make it right so that was great to see. Also, I tried to claim my $50 birthday reward when I showed the server her response to me was that it's not valid during certain days and times. Since when?!! Email didn't state anything and when I logged in to the portal I didn't see anything either. Don't get me wrong the server was great. But it just overall not a great experience at all. read more

Benihana - San Diego - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The staff was very friendly and welcoming, and the food was okay. I think our chef may have been a little newer, but overall we still had a nice experience. My biggest disappointment is how much Benihana has changed when it comes to portions versus price. It keeps getting more expensive, but it feels like you're getting less and less food. They used to fill the rice bowls to the top, and the appetizer vegetables used to be a generous portion. Now it feels like you get three shrimp, a couple pieces of zucchini, and much smaller portions overall -- while the bill definitely isn't getting any smaller! I've always liked Benihana and I'll still come back, but I really wish we could hit "rewind" and bring back some of the old Benihana -- the generous portions, the elegant atmosphere, and the experience that made it feel special. ‍ For what you're paying now, the portions should definitely be better. read more

Benihana - San Diego - Shrimp and zucchini appetizer - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Next to my hotel so stopped in for happy hour dinner, spicy tuna roll, chicken fried rice, cheese burger and fries. Rice and spicy tuna came fast, burger took a little longer, spicy tuna rolls was good and tasted as expected, chicken fried rice was under seasoned, had to add some pepper to spice it up. Burger took a while to arrive, it's a smaller burger, bigger than a slider but not a 1/2 pound burger. Size of the burger was good and it did taste good. Sitting in the lounge area was ok, server was attentive. Price for happy hour menu items was reasonable. read more

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The food was delicious! Came here with family and friends, the server was very helpful. Definitely would come back again. read more

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I haven't been in a Benihanas in a very long time. I've been receiving emails about their express lunch specials for $15.95 so I had to try. I upgraded to the filet for $19.95, which was cooked perfectly. Portion size was small but expected for lunch. Chef was great with a sense of humor. The fried rice was premade so highly mediocre. Service was average, no one thanked us for coming in, not even the 2 girls standing at the hostess desk when we left. read more

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Extremely disappointed with the poor time management and customer service at Benihana for Father's Day. We had a 5:00 PM reservation, arrived on time, and encountered massive crowds. ​When checking in, the hostess was incredibly rude. After asking for my name and how many kid menus we needed, she dismissed me. When I asked for an estimated seating time, she rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. When I called her out on the eye-roll, she tried to claim she was just "blinking." ​The manager, Jesus, stepped in and explained they were running behind because tables were staying longer than the usual 1.5 hours. For a major holiday, the restaurant should plan its capacity accordingly instead of overbooking reservations. Waiting 45+ minutes past a reservation time with young children on a schedule is completely unacceptable. ​Shoutout to the second hostess who actually showed empathy, listened to my frustration, and helped cancel our reservation. While 2 out of the 3 staff members I interacted with had good customer service, the overall experience was a failure. What is the point of accepting reservations if you can't honor them? Not a good vibe. Will not be returning. I don't like taking pictures of other people to post without permission. I can't show the crowd. read more

Benihana - San Diego - Valet parking - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Overall, we had a really good experience, but it definitely wasn't without some bumps along the way. We arrived around 7:50 for our 7:45 reservation and were seated immediately, which was a relief since we were worried about being a few minutes late. Ironically, if we had arrived early, we would've just been waiting even longer. The other couple at our table had been there since 7:10, and the last group had an 8:00 reservation. After we'd all been waiting for close to an hour (almost two hours for the first group), we were told that nearly all of the chefs had to leave because of an emergency, leaving only a couple of chefs cooking at other tables. While emergencies happen and that's understandable, it would've been nice to receive updates sooner instead of wondering what was going on. About an hour and a half after we were seated (roughly two hours for the other group), our chef finally arrived, and honestly, he completely turned the night around. He was energetic, funny, and read the table perfectly. We all agreed we'd rather eat than have a long performance, so he kept the show entertaining while also cooking efficiently. You could tell he was doing his best to make up for the delay, and we really appreciated it. The food was excellent. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and worth the wait, and the two birthday guests in our party were surprised with complimentary lobster tails, which was a really thoughtful gesture that helped salvage the evening. I'm giving four stars because the long wait significantly affected the experience, and after reading other reviews, it seems delays like this aren't uncommon. That said, the staff handled a difficult situation as well as they could, our chef was fantastic, and the food was delicious. I'd definitely come back, I just hope the timing is smoother next time. read more

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July 13th Saturday Arrived here before the rush. Had reservations for 3:45-4pm for a party of 3. Was greeted and seated! We sat down at our assigned table waiting for our host to arrive. Again, we were the first ones in the restaurant to get seated so I can only think that they were still in preparation to serve their customers. Our host arrived 10 minutes later. Friendly and funny. He took our drink orders as well as choosing the type of meats we wanted to eat. Lobster, steak, chicken and shrimp were selected for the entrees. Our drinks arrived along with the Chef. The Chef was entertaining. He was funny and outgoing while he cooked our meals. Received what we ordered. All was delicous! No complaints! Yummy in my tummy! Had a good time dining at this location. The restaurant was clean and everyone was friendly. Its pricey but well worth it for the entertainment being received. Show and dinner is a great combo. Nice ambiance with the decor. Parking is tight, this restaurant has Valet service that can accomadate a stress free parking experience. Big Kudos to our Chef and Host. Their names are Sean and Jake. I forgot who was who but they were both friendly and funny!! These two made my restaurant experience worth while. Definitely coming back if I am in the area! read more

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Always love coming to Benihanas and some times the shows are great! Until you get one Chef who doesn't really like putting on a show. Food is great. Place can get a bit crowded and busy. The location is really busy and hard to find parking. read more

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I recently made my annual birthday pilgrimage to Benihanas because of the great birthday certificate they offer as part of joining the Chefs Table! I got the steak and lobster and it was cooked perfectly. Definitely upgrade for the garlic chicken fried rice. I was so full after all 6 courses. I also got the lychee martini which was refreshing and not too sweet. I had a particularly outstanding experience this time, all thanks to our chef Paul! Paul was funny, talented and a great cook! His jokes were witty, his skills were top notch and he made the experience especially special for me since it was my birthday. He had a great energy and made dinner really fun. Honestly the best dinner and show I've had here! read more

Benihana - San Diego - DELUXE TREAT - steak & lobster - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Wanted to use my birthday credit, so I had a nice lunch. One thing I have noticed a lot here is the wait even when you have a reservation can be ridiculous by the time the chef gets to your table. The chef this time around was great and made the food tasty. They did increase the prices quite a bit. For the amount they increased, you would think they would put a little into the restaurant. It's looked the same for decades. read more

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This was our first time at Benihana and our chef Jessy was awesome! He made it a really good experience for the kids and kept them entertained. The food was delicious and definitely felt like good quality, but it is on the pricier side. For example, the hibachi meal comes with steamed rice, while fried rice is an additional $9. The kids' meals are also around $30. The ladies at the front were very welcoming and it was nice vibe inside the restaurant for hibachi, not too loud like some other hibachi restaurants. read more

We decided to try Benihana because of an email I received about their new power lunch which is guaranteed in a window of 45 minutes or lunch is on them. The prices were 15.95 for chicken, shrimp, or tofu. And 19.95 for filet or NY strip. All lunches come with soup or salad and fried rice. I ordered the chicken and my friend ordered the shrimp. The chef comes out and cooks the protein on the grill. A little show but no onion volcano or anything fancy. The fried rice is brought out in a bowl which is fine with me. All proteins are served with the zucchini and onions. My chicken also came with mushrooms which was delicious. Overall the portion size was just right, except I did have half a bowl of fried rice left. So for $15.95, we feel like it was a really good meal for a great deal. Soft drinks were $5 a piece so that wasn't such a great deal. Service was awesome and friendly. The restaurant was clean and cool. We were out in less than an hour. read more

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I came in excited, I left somewhat disappointed. What caught me off guard was the non-transparency of the à la carte route of ordering. Simply adding a less than a rice bowl of salad was $7.5, and a Saratoga water was $10. Neither was on the menu we paid on and we got the extra butters assuming there wasn't any butter on our fried rice, only for them to throw on the garlic butter prior, $12. So total we spent $30 on accessories, partial human error but transparency would have been nice. Joshua was a great chef, fun time, food was great! Sadly our premier butters didn't come out and warm up till our fried rice was cold. So we walked out disappointed overall. read more

Benihana - San Diego - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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A Diminished Feast in the Realm of Flavor Greetings, noble travelers! Captain 619 here, pen in hand, ready to recount a recent journey to the fabled establishment known as Benihana in the enchanted land of San Diego. It has been many moons since I last ventured here with my kin, and I had hoped for a grand feast to celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary. Alas, my hopes were dashed upon the rocky shores of disappointment. As I crossed the threshold into this culinary realm, I found the bathrooms to be lacking in the care befitting a realm of such supposed grandeur. They were in disarray, as if neglected by the very sprites tasked with their upkeep. Furthermore, the table where we were seated bore the remnants of past feasts--food residue clinging stubbornly to its surface, a grim reminder of battles fought and won by previous patrons. The ambiance felt aged and weary, as though the magic that once filled the air had faded into a distant memory. I longed for a feast worthy of our anniversary, yet what awaited us was a banquet that fell short of our expectations--a mere shadow of the glorious gatherings of yore. In this moment of reflection, I can only hope that the guardians of this establishment will rekindle the spirit that once made it a beacon of culinary delight. Until that day comes, dear friends, I shall seek my feasts elsewhere, yearning for a time when the tables are set anew and the laughter of patrons fills the air once more. May your quests be filled with flavor and joy! Captain 619 read more

Benihana - San Diego - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

It's been a long time that I haven't been in Benihana... nothing changed though. Their customer service still superb, the performance of the chef and the food, spectacular! Shout out to Fausto! He's not too loud but still funny. He's cooking is so entertaining! Big portions too!!! Even the waitress is great! I didnt get her name. My hubby and I got the 5-course meal. Mine is the Oceanture and my husband got the Steak Hibachi. I got used to getting green tea matcha ice cream at the end of the dinner, I didn't know that the package we got doesn't include the ice cream. But our waitress was kind enough to offer it to us on the house. I was just too full already so I respectfully declined... but that's really nice of her! We'll surely come back read more

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Decided to hit up the weekday happy hour on a whim. Sat at the bar since I was by myself. Matthew & Drew were the bartenders and they were super attentive. They both made an AMAZING Exotic Mojito ($9 for HH). I'm so stuffed because I ordered so much. It was so good. I definitely will be back again, and hopefully my guys are working again when I come in! read more

Benihana - San Diego - Happy Hour Menu & Exotic Mojito - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I would not recommend this location to anybody. They are so unprofessional and the manager Jocelyn was very rude to my husband and I we are a huge fan of Benihana , usually we go to the Carlsbad location. We ordered their fried rice to go, and it was terrible the rice had no flavor and was very dry it did not meet the expectations for what I paid for. I called the same. Ight to let the restaurant know we were very disappointed and we were asking for a refund. The women told me she had to investigate and find proof of what went wrong. She was very unprofessional and rude read more

Pina was a great chef... cooked everything to perfection The new waygu beef was delicious read more

Benihana - San Diego - Cooking the onion - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Stopped by Benihana and sat at the bar only, and it turned out to be a great experience. The bar area has a fun but relaxed atmosphere, perfect if you want Benihana food without doing the full hibachi table. The bartenders were friendly and attentive, and drinks came out quickly. Happy hour is a nice bonus with good deals on both drinks and appetizers. Everything we ordered was fresh and tasty, and service was consistently good. Definitely a great spot for a casual night out, drinks with friends, or a quick date night. I'd come back again just for the bar and happy hour! https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8QujBeC/ read more

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The first thing I noticed was that this location is oooooold. It looks very dated. Despite the need for a face lift, the staff was very friendly. I sat at the bar as I was in town for work and just stopped in for a quick bite for lunch. I enjoy Benihanas food and have never been let down by the quality. This time was not any different. The chicken was cooked to perfection, the vegetables were good and the chicken friend rice, which is my favorite was good, as always. The ginger sauce is my favorite and I always get extra. The only complaint I have is that I had asked my server for a spoon, twice, and she never brought it. I had to go to the bartender to get a spoon. Not sure if she forgot or what. In addition, if they plan on keeping this location open, they need to invest in improving and updating the place. read more

If you want the Hibachi/teppanyaki show then you need to sit at the grill. There were over a dozen tables with grills that seat 8 each. You'll be sharing space with others. We shared the filet mignon ($54) 5 course meal that comes with onion soup, salad, shrimp, vegetables, 2 dipping sauces, rice (option to upgrade to chicken fried rice), hot green tea. The 6 course has ice cream added. The chef did his thing with the dancing utensils and egg along with the I heart u rice. Loved that he automatically split our portions on the plate. Instead of an upgrade, we ordered Chicken rice ($9) by itself. We were shocked that it was the same size as the others who upgraded. The rice was just full of butter and bland. We also ordered Shrimp crunchy roll ($19) and Chili ponzu yellowtail roll ($25). The crunchy roll was not crunchy. It was like old panko. I think Benihana lost its touch over the decades and we were not impress by the quality of food, smaller portions and high prices. read more

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Food was good but our server unfortunately wasn't performing much. The only thing he did was the onion volcano but other than that it was just silence. I loved our server though! He made sure to bring us all icecream and even gave us an extra salad! read more

Benihana - San Diego - BENIHANA DELIGHT - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Came her for a birthday celebration but that was short lived once our server Evander arrived. To US, he was making our time there feel very rushed, although the restaurant was not crowded. We arrived right at dinner time and there were only about 2 or 3 tables in our section with customers, in which one table left soon after we arrived. He was rushing us to order our drinks, and we had 2 Autistic kids with us, so more time is needed than others. He would come back several times, like every 30 seconds, asking us if we we're ready to order drinks, not even giving us enough time to decide. We finally get him off our backs with the drink orders, then the cycle starts all over again, when it's time to order food. He would leave and keep coming back like 30 seconds later, ready for us to order. I have no idea why he was being so pushy and rushing us the way he was. It was giving....he didn't want to wait on us, but had to, because we were sat in his section, so he was just "doing his job". He kept hanging out by our table, waiting to grab any empty dish, literally as soon as we were done with it. Anytime he took away or brought something, we would tell him "Thank you!" and not once did he say "You're welcome". Even when the kids told him "Thank you", he still didn't open his mouth, and they started looking at their mom wondering why he wasn't acknowledging them. I don't even know if he had teeth, because he never once smiled at us. Then another table comes in, and I mention to my party, that I'm glad other people came in so he can get off our backs and tend to them......WRONG!!!!! In the middle of us eating, he kept asking about boxes.....FOUR TIMES!!! The birthday girl felt like she couldn't enjoy her food, because of us feeling rushed to leave. We finally get the boxes, which I'm sure was a sigh of relief to him, because that meant we were closer to leaving. They brought the ice cream and sang Happy Birthday, and with a poker face, he was singing!!!. I didn't even think that was possible!! No smiling or excitement, because again, he was just "doing his job". After I paid and signed, as I was handing him the card reader machine back, I noticed a survey come up on the screen. He did not hand it back to me, but as he was walking away, I noticed he was filling in the stars himself and rating what was supposed to be for me to do. I wouldn't mind going back, just in the presence of a better server. read more

If my husband and I didn't love Benihana in general, this review would be lower. We've apparently been spoiled by the Beverly Hills and Santa Monica locations because this location is managed very poorly. Our reservation was at 6pm and our chef did not arrive at the table until 7:10pm. The parking lot is very small, with half of it reserved for valet (I think $8?). There's some street parking right outside the lot if you're feeling lucky. The lobby is TINY. Like they just decided they wanted to expand the bar/sushi area so they can pack as many tables in there and leave no room for anyone to stand in the entrance. The hosts were very professional and friendly, doing their best, but you can tell they were stressed out. We were seated almost immediately at our table, but then the waiting began. Our server, Cynthia, was very attentive and apologetic, but it was a surprise to be sitting there without an ETA or end in sight. The table behind us got there maybe 20 min after us and complained, got their chef immediately. We waited a total of 1 hr and 10 min. That's a VERY long time for any customer to be kept waiting, and it was even harder for my daughter (who is 3 yrs old). Once our chef finally arrived he was FANTASTIC. I did not catch his name but honestly if it wasn't for him I would have left a 1 star review. He was skilled, entertaining, excellent with keeping our orders organized, and all the food was prepared perfectly. He really saved the night. Picture here for management - please give him a bonus for single-handedly saving the evening. I do not understand why management would allow for so many tables and reservations at such close intervals if there are not enough chefs to keep up. Based on other reviews on Yelp, this was not a singular event. Dining should be enjoyable, reservations should be honored. Instead of packing people in like sardines perhaps consider a revisit of your booking system. Lastly, you'd think managers would have basic customer service/hospitality skills: if you are running over an hour behind, offer your guests some consolation! There was nothing. No appetizer, drinks, desserts, etc. read more

Benihana - San Diego - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

We've been to the Benihana location in Hawaii, so we decided to try this location because of the free $30 birthday certificate. I signed up in Hawaii. I also am a member of the Friends with Benefits which comes with a bigger birthday certificate ($50). We planned to use it at one of the sister companies. We came as a party of four, and two other couples were seated with us. A person in both parties was also celebrating a birthday with the same coupon -- woohoo for November babies! (We're basically Valentine babies ). Remember to print out your birthday coupon! Service & Atmosphere Service was great from start to finish. The restaurant was packed on a Tuesday, so I'm glad my husband made a reservation ahead of time. Our chef was funny, engaging, and kept us entertained the whole time. He cooked everything perfectly and checked in to make sure we were happy with how things turned out. The servers were attentive. Food I ordered the Hibachi Supreme -- 8 oz tenderloin and lobster tail -- which comes as part of a 6-course meal. The onion soup came out room temperature, and another couple asked for theirs to be reheated. The 6 course comes with: onion soup, salad, shrimp, vegetables, mushrooms, steamed rice, Hot Green tea, and choice of ice cream (vanilla, sherbet or green tea). My middle son ordered the 5-course steak, and he enjoyed it -- steak was tender, and he liked the portion size. The difference between the 5 course and 6 course is you don't get dessert. My youngest ordered the kids' California Roll. I know I tried to push him to order an items that needed to be cooked. I found out that kids have a special membership. They get a free mug on their birthday with a purchase of the kids meal. My husband went with the Samurai Treat, and his meal came out great as well. We opted in to pay extra for the fried rice and enjoyed it. Drinks & Extras I ordered the Benihana Punch, and it was perfectly sweet -- not too strong, not too sugary. I choose to pay extra for the collectible mug, and I got to choose from three designs. When the meal was complete the staff came over to sing Happy Birthday (3 birthday celebrants). I chose matcha which I liked. We will probably come back to enjoy happy hour or the lunch specials. It was a bit pricey but I enjoyed it :). They also offer military discount. Thanks Benihana for the $30 birthday certificate! read more

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Jacob, our cook was amazing. He went an above and beyond. He seasoned the food to perfection. This my second time here. He don't miss!! Thank you again read more

Reservations highly recommended! Especially on a holiday, but I recommend always making one just to make sure your party gets seated. Each teppan area holds up to 8. We were a party of 7. Thanks Linda for servicing us. You were on top of everything from the beginning to the end. Ray was a great chef! Very comical and kept everyone engaged. The food was great! Very tasty. Shrimp, medium rare beef and lobster, very well prepared. I suggest the five or six course meal. This comes with salad soup, veggies and shrimp appetizer. The six course entrée comes with choice of flavor ice cream for dessert. Our total bill was $431 and that was with no alcoholic drinks. BUT I originally was going to give a 5 star review until I viewed that receipt. She talked us in to upgrading to the chicken fried rice. So 6 out of 7 of us decided to upgrade. Wow! That's a $9 upgrade JUST to get a bowl of fried rice! That was a $56 charge just for a small bowl of fried rice with one thigh of chicken split up between the six of us. Yea I got like 2 small pieces. You definitely don't need to up charge $9....that put our $54 choice of five course meal to $63! Sooooooo not worth it. One star for the waitress, one star for the chef and one star for the experience for a total of 3 star review! My kids will have to beg me in order to come back here any time soon. read more

Here to dine in and unwind on a Friday night and I am glad I called ahead 10 minutes because it gets packed fast! Parking is tough especially on weekends so I used their valley parking for $10 and it's worth it for me instead of circling around the parking lot. There are two separate dining options here, teppan or sushi. I went with teppan and that is their most popular dining experience where you have your very own personal chef at the table and entertain you while you are eating. I ordered Rocky's Special which comes with New York strip and chicken. You can choose how you want your steaks done. I always go with medium rare because most of the steakhouse have trouble cooking steaks medium rare. I also added scallops to my order. I highly recommend getting fried rice even if you are on diet I promise it's worth every calories. As a former teppan chef from Carlsbad location, I know for a fact their seafood is extremely fresh and clean as they are prepped daily at the resturant. I used to prep lobster, scallops, and cleaned the shrimps myself. Eat the seafood here with confidence. As matter of fact all of the foods here is fresh, well organized and stored well and all of their dishes are excellent. You can't go wrong with any of the items on their menu. Avelino was my personal teppan chef and he made us laugh and even incorporated a magic trick I've never seen. We all have a great time and I was able to talk to everyone in my group. It was such a wonderful evening. A little secret... come here during their lunch hours on weekdays. It's less crowded and their lunch specials is just as good. read more

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Though the food was incredibly expensive It was good. This is the first time I've been back to Benihana post Covid quarantine, and it did not disappoint. The only problem I had was where we were seated, which was towards the back near a service workers area, way too much going on back there, which is part of their job, but it was not an enjoyable seating and for some reason, I have a sneaking suspicion that the older Asian woman that seated us understood that. read more

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My wife wanted teppanyaki for dinner, specifically Benihana. She made reservations for 7:15pm, and we showed up at 7:12pm to check in. There were a ton of people waiting, and despite having a reservation and showing up on time, we didn't get seated for another 45 minutes. Not a good start. After being seated on the teppanyaki table, along with the 3 others tables (4 per room) our server quickly took our drink orders, and brought them out shortly after. Then he took our orders and left. As we sat there, the other 3 stations all had chefs and started cooking, but we were still waiting. Finally our chef showed up and cooked our food, did the usual tricks and made jokes, although no one was really laughing probably because we were all hungry. By the time we finished eating, it was 10pm, and the other 3 tables had all been cleared. I didn't read other reviews, but I'm guessing slowness was probably one of the more common complaints. The food was okay, my wife and son liked the fried rice ($8 extra!) more than the main meal. I thought the rice was just okay, and sadly my main course chicken was overcooked and was dry. A $200 dinner for 3 with such a long wait is not my idea of a good restaurant experience. read more

Benihana - San Diego - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I've came here a few times and it's been great ! The people are super nice and the food is great. The chefs always make it feel special when they cook in front of you and they always have a great attitude. I went there on Thursday with my grandparents and my Tia to celebrate our birthdays, nothing fancy just to eat. They were very accommodating with my Tata who is in a wheelchair and made sure he was comfortable. Our server lety and chef Betty were so amazing and wonderful. The food is always a 10/10 and the alcoholic drinks are so good -- especially the piña colada!! The only thing I would say is they are sometimes rushy and feel like we gotta be in and out of there, which is understandable because people might have reservations or there's a lot going on. But other than that it's always a great time when I come here!! read more

Benihana - San Diego - FILET MIGNON* - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

We went to Benihana's which is walking distance from the Worldmark Timeshare in Mission Valley. Had the greatest dinner.. I go to alot of Teppan places.. but this young Chef, Jessie was hilarious... it was like a comedy act and dinner... sooo much fun... Highly Recommend... JOAN read more

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Although our experience started off a little rocky, everything improved once our server arrived. Our waitress, Yolanda , was absolutely amazing! She was incredibly kind, attentive, and went above and beyond to make our experience special. Our chef was equally wonderful--friendly yoshi, attentive, and genuinely caring. Both of them provided exceptional service and completely turned our experience around. Thanks to their outstanding hospitality, we left feeling extremely satisfied. They truly made our experience a 10/10! read more