Forget Benihana, Mexihanas is where it's at!
I had a Fivestars reward for a $10 bowl at Mexihanas Hibachi Grill in Long Beach. Since Mexihanas has two locations in Long Beach, I had to be really careful and make sure of the location. The other Mexihanas is on Palo Verde right off the 405 freeway. This Mexihanas is on the southeast corner of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Martin Luther King (MLK).
Parking isn't too spacious, but I got really lucky because when I came at about 2 PM, it was mostly empty.
A couple of customers came in to pick up their orders, though it took a little while, probably because they were chatting with an employee there. There is minimal space inside. So minimal that during COVID-19, I'm certain only one customer would have been allowed inside, so definitely don't plan on dining there unless you're willing to dine at one of the very few tables outside.
I told the employee that I had the Fivestars reward, and I saw the SumUp tablet at the front counter. However, it was off, and I wasn't sure why. I think the employee mentioned it was down, so he needed to restart it, but he was willing to honor the Fivestars reward for me after seeing it on my phone. All I needed to do was tell him my choice of protein: chicken, steak, or shrimp. Shrimp always! lol but if I wasn't trying to avoid red meat, I likely would have gone for steak instead.
It took about 5 minutes before he handed me my order, but they were a pretty long 5 minutes since a couple other customers came inside and chatted with the employee while placing their orders. During their conversation, I heard the employee throw an f-bomb, affirming to me that this wouldn't be a family-friendly place, or at least a place I'd recommend to bring your kid(s) to while you pick up food.
After checking in on Yelp, I noticed a check-in offer for a Free Jarritos soda*. I showed it to the employee, and he honored it without question. All I needed to do was tell him my choice of flavor. I saw mostly orange inside the cooler of Jarritos, but asked him what the other flavors were. After he recited the other flavors, I went with strawberry. He got it for me no hassle. His demeanor was more laid back, so I'm glad he was pretty chill about honoring the offers I showed him on my phone, but I wish his behavior would have been more appropriate for a parent looking to reward his/her child with delicious fusion food.
After receiving my order in a plastic bag with the words "MUCHAS GRACIAS" splattered on the side, I took the bag back to my car to eat.
I saw a small takeout box as well as two sauces, one of which resembled Chipotle Mayo. Don't let the size of the box fool you because it was chock full of fried rice, grilled vegetables, and shrimp! And it was real good I tell you! I savored every bite and morsel of their food in my car. And that's even without the sauces, which I was a big fan of! Those sauces really elevated the taste to a whole another level!
I would have given 5 stars, but hearing an f-bomb from an employee is grounds enough for an automatic 1-star deduction. I'd still love to return to try something else, but I rarely visit this part of town. I'm more likely to be closer to the other location, but I'm not actually sure the other location participates in Fivestars. If they do, I'd love to try the other location and see how it compares. If you live closer to this location and are deciding between Mexican and Japanese for dinner, this Mexihanas will certainly help you decide! lol
* I must caution the reader of a sign that says you can get a free Jarritos by writing a Yelp review. That would violate the platform's T&C, but redeeming via Yelp check-in does not. If you would like a free Jarritos from here, check in via Yelp instead of writing a Yelp review. read more