The wait can be quite long, so either make reservations or come early to be prepared to wait. The table arrangement was small, so having 8 people was already crowded, so the couple that was supposed to be seated had to be taken to another table. Service was fine. Our server was fast and very thorough. I did not enjoy the upselling part. It's the same thing being said to nearby tables since I heard the same story a few times which was off-putting but other than that our food was good. The chef was amazing. The spicy tuna roll was delicious. I forgot which meal we chose but I chose the wagyu option. It was worth the extra money; so tender. My Diet Coke was refilled frequently which is so appreciated. For the wait and having to share a table, I would not come back. read more

I finally checked Benihana off my list because I'd always heard the name and had never been before. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. The food was just okay, especially considering the price. The biggest issue was the pace--we were there for over 2.5 hours. If you're starving when you arrive, be prepared to wait because the service was painfully slow. The restroom wasn't much better. The water pressure was so weak that it was difficult to wash my hands properly. If you're looking for great hibachi in the area, I'd recommend Kyoto Palace in Campbell instead. In my opinion, the food is better, the experience is much quicker, and it'll cost you about half the price. Thank me later! read more

Food is not bad. I ordered the set that came with chateaubriand and lobster. The filet was tender. However the lobster I did not enjoy as much. The shrimp is better. Lychee martini was yummy. Service was mixed. I asked if I could use my $50 birthday gift from Benihana, and the host said "this time you can" as if I was doing something wrong and they were doing me a favor. Then I had an issue with my phone and needed to connect to the WiFi in order to get access and no one would help me. I just ended up paying in full. Our chef and waiter were nice. So of course I still tipped %20 as I received full service and people are working hard, but overall i was a little disappointed by management. read more

Living in the Bay Area for 20yr plus but this is my first time trying Benihana and i really love the experience. The chef kept everyone entertained with the tableside cooking, and the food was fresh and flavorful. The portions were generous, and the fried rice was especially delicious. Service was friendly, though it can be a bit of a wait during busy times. Overall, a great spot for birthdays or special occasions, and I'd definitely come back. read more

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You are definitely going to be paying for an experience when you visit Benihana. Our chef (Wayne), waitress, and wait staff were all wonderful, funny, and kind. The pricing of the food is unreasonable given the amount of food given, however the food wasn't bad, it was just "okay" We ordered the Benihana Trio, along with other sides like the crispy calamari. Crispy calamari was great although it wasn't nearly enough to share between our party of 6. The fried rice is a good and fun option, although it tastes better the day after when the flavors have settled. Filet Mignon steak option was okay but I preferred the regular hibachi steak. Shrimps were good and the chicken was decent. Nothing mind blowing but honestly just mid. If not for the flair from the chef, the food itself would be quite bland, but again you're paying for an experience. We went earlier in the day and dodged the crowd but the vibe is fun. Lots of families, friends and, strangers getting to know each other. But as we left, around 7-7:30 or so, the line was way out the door with so many parties crowding the doorway. My advice, make a reservation and make sure your entire party is there on time. Benihana is a fun "experience" and not much beyond that. Obviously for special occasions it's enjoyable but it's definitely not my choice for an everyday meal. read more

Benihana - Cupertino - CRISPY CALAMARI - Steakhouses Near Me - Cupertino, California

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My family lovessss Benihana! We've been a fan for many decades. We've seen a lot of the changes but also the consistency of the restaurant. I haven't been to this location much but probably one of the better ones in my opinion. Hostesses were all nice and welcoming. We had a reservation for 5 on a Tuesday evening and it was packed so be sure to make a reservation online. Luckily we were seated promptly when our entire group showed up. A walk in of 2 sat with us. Three of us ordered the 5 course and two ordered the 6 course. I just realized none of us got the hot green tea it came with. Be sure to ask for it if they don't give it to you. The price has gone up significantly and if I recall correctly, it was starting at $45+. I got the hibachi steak medium rare and it was delicious. The steak was a little over seasoned but it was fine. Of course upgraded to the famous chicken fried rice as well. The food was good as I remember but nothing to die over. The chef cooking was great and it was nice watching the nostalgic show. Overall, everything was how I remember. The food isn't outstanding and it's definitely hard to justify the price since the foods alright but you're paying for the hibachi show. We enjoy the show and the atmosphere which makes it a place we like to visit on birthdays or special occasions. This location was good in my opinion and I'll be back if I'm wanting hibachi! read more

Benihana - Cupertino - Steakhouses Near Me - Cupertino, California

Me too, like many other customers...I'm still waiting to be seated after an hour later. They sure suck! And this is a birthday dinner for our niece whose family came all the way from PA. They were impressed so far by every single meal in here except for this one. Now they are finally seating us and they are still missing a chair and seated two strangers next to us (we already have 7 people in our group). We had to ask for the missing plates for that missing seat repeatedly too. My SIL waited for half an hour for her cup of hot tea so that we could finally cheers. This is the reason why the last time I came here was 12.5 years ago and this is definitely the last time. read more

So we decided to go watch check out the San Jose Sharks in April and after the long drive from Sacramento decided we should probably eat before the game-after jumping on Yelp and looking for a solid spot we decided to go with an oldie but goodie-we headed to Benihanas in Cupertino. I've always loved going to Benihana-I remember the 1st time I ever went to one of their locations-dinner before my high school senior prom we went to the location in San Francisco-it was a magical meal and a great memory. Over the years I would frequent Benihanas whenever the itch for teppanyaki came up but sadly there are no Benihana locations anymore in the Sacramento area so now whenever I want to go to Benihana I have to travel to the Bay Area-that being said-I still really enjoy the Benihana experience and look forward to it whenever possible. So this location is located at a mall in the Cupertino area and when we got there we fully expected to enjoy the typical Benihana experience but I did notice it was happy hour and after looking at their offerings for Happy Hour I asked my party if they just wanted to do that instead and we did-was an easy switch up-we just grabbed a table in the bar area and we were good to go. When we sat down we started with some beer and they had really good happy hour prices at just $6.00 a glass and ended up getting a Sapporo and an IPA from Coronado Brewing. We started our meal with a bar only offering called Taste of Benihana($39.00).This item gives the following. Starter -choice of either Benihana Onion Soup or Benihana Salad Appetizer -choice of Edamame-California Rolls-Spicy Tuna Roll-Dragon Roll-Rainbow Roll-Hibachi Shrimp-Pan Fried Gyoza Dumplings-Tempura Shrimp or vegetable Entrees -choice of Hibachi Chicken-Steak or Shrimp Served with side of chicken fried rice or vegetables. I went with Onion Soup-Gyoza Dumplings-Hibachi Steak and Chicken Fried Rice. We added a Happy Hour pricing Spicy Tuna Roll ($6.00) and Spicy Salmon Roll($6.00) along with an order of their Black Pepper Teriyaki Tokyo Wings($12.00) I will admit we way over-ordered but I haven't been to Benihanas in more than a few years and just wanted to taste as much food as I could-especially at Happy Hour pricing. Let's rate it. -Onion Soup-delicious and comforting-7.9/10 item -Pork Pan Fried Gyoza Dumpling-pretty tasty and the dumpling itself had a nice chew to it-8.1/10 item Hibachi Chicken Fried Rice-just ok-lacked some flavor and didn't seem as fresh as I expected-7.2/10 item Hibachi Steak-decently tasting-seemed a bit thrown together but not in a good way-7.1/10 item Spicy Tuna Roll-rice was good but tuna didn't seem too fresh-6.4/10 item Spicy Salmon Roll-rice was good again but same thing-salmon didn't seem too fresh-6.4/10 item Black Pepper Teriyaki Tokyo Wings-Now these things were near perfect-I loved em-served very hot and with so much seasonings to give so much flavor-I savored these things so much-9.1/10 item When you eat in the bar the bartender does it all-takes the order-delivers the food and drinks and our bartender was excellent-I couldn't ask for better service. Parking at this location is plentiful as it's at a mall-so the parking is pretty much unlimited. In closing-Benihanas had me as a life long customer from the moment I walked in as an 18 year old senior in high school and they still got me today.Though I did enjoy the convenience of eating in the bar at the Happy Hour prices,the true excellence of this restaurant is truly sitting in the dining room and experiencing the excellence of their hibachi chefs preparing your meal in front of you-I will be sure to do that on future visits. read more

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I went to Benihana with one of my girlfriends to try their Power Lunch, which is more affordable than the regular dining experience. It's a quicker, more streamlined option, so don't expect the full teppanyaki show (no onion volcano here). The meal includes soup/salad, pre-cooked vegetable fried rice, and your choice of protein. My gf and I shared the protein: shrimp and fillet mignon. The chef prepares the protein right at the table and divided the protein for us, then moves on, so the service feels efficient and fast-paced. One nice perk is that if it's not busy, you might get your own table. It was just the two of us, which made the experience more relaxed. You typically have about 45 minutes to dine before heading out, which was actually plenty of time for us. We had a great time and didn't feel rushed. The ambiance was pleasant and noticeably quieter than the usual dinner service, which I appreciated. The staff were also friendly, which is always a plus. read more

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Amazing food! We celebrated my Twins 8th grade graduation for dinner. We ordered the 5 Course Meals and had the: * BENIHANA ONION SOUP * BENIHANA SALAD * HIBACHI SHRIMP APPETIZER * HIBACHI VEGETABLES * MUSHROOMS * HOMEMADE DIPPING SAUCES * STEAMED RICE * Fried Rice * JAPANESE HOT GREEN TEA Protein: Filet mignon and chicken breast. Both were cooked well, and watching the chef prepare everything added to the experience. The meal is served in courses, so you eat each item as it is prepared rather than all at once. Everything tasted excellent! The onion soup was flavorful, and the fried rice was especially delicious. Service from both the chef and server was excellent. Although the meal is expensive for the food, the quality was high and much of the value comes from the dining experience and live cooking show. read more

We brought my dad to Benihana Cupertino to celebrate his 78th birthday. Overall, it was a mixed experience, which honestly seems to be the norm here since every visit is a little different. Unfortunately, there appeared to be some kind of corporate event taking place in the front section of the restaurant, occupying the first several tables. The group was extremely loud. At one point, a woman screamed at the top of her lungs when the chef lit the onion volcano, as if she had just witnessed a disaster. It startled the two kids in our party and had everyone nearby looking around wondering what had happened. Our waitress seemed overwhelmed throughout the meal. Drinks were either delayed or never arrived at all, and another server ended up stepping in to help pick up the slack. On a positive note, our chef, Salvador, did a great job. The food was prepared correctly, tasted good, and the cooking performance was enjoyable. One recommendation: skip the gyoza. They were not good and definitely not something I'd order again. We do dine here fairly often, and every visit seems to be a different experience. Thankfully, we had a reservation and were seated relatively close to our reservation time. However, there have been previous occasions where we've waited 30 minutes or more despite having a reservation. Despite the ups and downs, we still come back, and we're looking forward to the new Almaden location opening. Hopefully it will provide a more consistent experience. read more

I don't think it was made with sushi rice.. Super weird taste and texture. Service was disappointing.. Was told to come before 11pm And the food was ready just after 11:10pm Also- I find it ridiculous to charge $2 for sauce.. it's like they would charge me for ketchup when I get an hamburger.. I won't be back. read more

Benihana - Cupertino - Steakhouses Near Me - Cupertino, California

I didn't actually get to eat here, because my party arrived on time for our reservation and they told us it would be a 30 minute wait. 30 minutes pass, they tell us another 30. It's been an hour at this point, they tell us it could be another hour. 1 star for the service. I would get it if we were a walk in, but we had reserved it weeks prior. read more

(Cupertino) Food: We ordered the 6 COURSE MEALS SERVED WITH *BENIHANA ONION SOUP (30 cal) *BENIHANA SALAD (90 cal) *HIBACHI SHRIMP APPETIZER (40 cal) *HIBACHI VEGETABLES (50 cal) *MUSHROOMS (20 cal) * HOMEMADE DIPPING SAUCES (10-170 cal) *STEAMED RICE (300 cal) *JAPANESE HOT GREEN TEA (0 cal) *ICE CREAM (90-100 cal) OR SHERBET (130 cal) BENIHANA TRIO (8.5/10)Filet mignon, colossal shrimp and chicken breast. Dish was cooked well. You get each part of the meal in portion so you eat depending on what he's cooking first not everything all at once. Food was well seasoned and tasted fresh. Green tea ice cream- 8.5/10 Onion soup- 8.5/10- very flavorful Ambience: has a bar and plenty of group sitting. Definitely make a reservation because the restaurant gets really full later in the day. They will combine small groups together if your party is too small. Service: great service. Server was really friendly and the chef on and off gives you a show while cooking your dish. We went for my mom's birthday and the staff was kind enough to sing her a happy birthday. Vegetables were also flavorful with its seasonings Price: It is very expensive for what you are eating. Although the food was delicious, you are going for the experience and show. Parking: plenty of outdoor parking in front of the restaurant read more

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Had an early birthday dinner here with my family and it was so pleasant! Our server Myceau was super kind, helpful, and attentive. He even took our photo at the end of our dinner and printed out a pic for us to take home! I ordered the yakisoba trio with fried rice and it was everything I wanted!! The sauce on the noodles has a subtle sweetness to it but it wasn't overpowering. The shrimp, chicken, and steak were cooked perfectly and so great with the noodles and veggies. The soup and salad appetizers were really delicious too. The dressing was tangy and umami! For dessert I had the green tea ice cream and it came with a little candle for my bday! So cute! We had reservations for 5:30 on a Friday and there was a short wait but it got pretty packed around dinner time. read more

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We made reservation on weekday late dinner at 8pm, we arrived 15 minutes early, they didn't seat us till 8.15pm. They only will seat us until there's a group of 8 people to fill up the teppanyaki table. Once seated we ordered our drinks and food, and waited for one hour, yes one hour at the teppanyaki table for the chef to come. The chef was tired, he simply couldn't perform much cooking tricks, it's just a normal cooking routine. The food was good but the dining experience and the wait were disappointing. They also overcharged us, we ordered normal rice but was charged fried rice price. read more

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When I think of a birthday celebration, hibachi is what comes to mind. On a Thursday night, I was looking for last minute dinner plans to celebrate a very good friend. She had never been here before, and I love a great show with grilled meat. Thank you for living up to the hype! Christian happened to get our table, and have an old friend sitting with us. The energy was friendly, fun, truly engaging. Honestly, this is probably the best protein portions I've ever gotten at Benihana's. I can't believe how much butter was slathered on the grill, but...did I love every bite? I surely did. And while it took some time for the actual cooking to begin (I kind of think they were slammed on a random night, all the cooks walking away from tables looked like they had just gotten out of a really long surgery of some sort: tired, astonished they'd completed their job, and happy to be leaving the floor for the evening), our server was beyond friendly and attentive from beginning to end. I was appalled at the state of the women's bathroom, but as soon as I notified the hostess at the front, she rushed in to get the chaos under control. What a wonderful revisit of a place I've loved since I was a kid. Celebrating tonight was like getting the opportunity to celebrate MY birthday, which normally feels like a struggle to get through. Thank you for making this Sag's birthday one to remember. read more

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Why?!? How could you do this to me Benihana?? Leaving this review is particularly painful only because I've patronized this specific location for over 26 years and though had a wide array of experiences both good and bad (completely normal for a long term review) I really liked this specific location. Sadly, I cannot hide the fact that this location has become an utter nightmare to visit and is made especially difficult due to their reservation booking system (Open Table). Within the last few years, trying to secure a table even when using Open Table long in advance has lead to at least and hour wait after our schedule reservation just to get a table. THIS IS UTTERLY UNACCEPTABLE...especially since we live in a digital age where scheduling in advance is simplified by using services like Open Table. The problem with this Benihana is not that the place doesn't have sufficient capacity or there's extreme demand. The repeating issue I've had is that the management CONSISTENTLY and INTENTIONALLY allows the restaurant to get over booked. All they have to do is limit the total number of available reservation slots. Good luck trying to book the restaurant on Open Table. The last time I went, I had a reservation at 8:45 which when I arrived they were busy still seating people from 7:30. There were more than 10 parties ahead of us yet when I went on the app I was able to book tables from 9:45 to close. In the restaurant, they were unable to give me an estimated timeframe of how long I'd have to wait before being seated yet they were still accepting reservations. When this happens, the honest thing to do would be to shut down taking reservations and not continue to fool people into thinking they have a shot at getting a table. Eyes opened...disappointed by the dishonesty. Sorry Cupertino Benihana, your Chateaubriand is spectacular but your dishonesty is spectacularly disappointing. I would have posted this review on Open Table but unfortunately I had to use my credit card to hold the reservation and the restaurant cancelled my reservation so I wouldn't be charged. read more

Benihana - Cupertino - Steakhouses Near Me - Cupertino, California

Mother's Day 11:45 am... our experience was different than other times. Food tasted different. I love the fried rice but this time it was garlicky or something. I ordered hibachi chicken, it was not like before, sort of chewy. Lots of butter in our food it left my mouth oily. I never order a drink I drink water but this time I ordered a coke, was watered down . Been here so many times and always leave happy and full with our picture. Being Mothers Day, it didn't happen. Not returning any time soon until I forget what a let down this visit was. Oh! The shrimp was good! read more

Benihana - Cupertino - Fried rice with vegetables on the side . Got tons of onions - Steakhouses Near Me - Cupertino, California

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I can definitely understand that Father's Day is one of the busiest days of the year, so we expected some delays. However, our experience at Benihana in Cupertino was disappointing from start to finish. Benihana used to be one of our family's favorite restaurants, but it has definitely lost its touch. Our Father's Day early dinner did not go as planned. The food was mediocre at best--I'd give it about a 3/10. It was overly salty, and the chef wasn't very engaging. Part of the Benihana experience is the entertainment, but he only did about two tricks before rushing through the meal. Service was just as disappointing. Our appetizers were forgotten until our entrees were already being served, our milkshake never arrived, and after our food was delivered, no one checked on our table to see if we needed anything else. To make matters worse, we were seated in a corner right next to the garbage area, which made the experience feel even less enjoyable. The restaurant itself feels outdated, the bathrooms were dirty, and the staff at the front desk came across as rude and unwelcoming. Overall, this was a very disappointing experience, especially for a special occasion like Father's Day. Unfortunately, this visit felt nothing like the Benihana we used to love. I hope management takes these concerns seriously because the restaurant has a lot of room for improvement. read more

Benihana is always more about the experience than the food, and this visit was no different. I had the scallops and chicken -- both were okay, not amazing, but enjoyable enough. The chef did the classic volcano, cooked up the fried rice, and served zucchini on the side, which added to the fun teppanyaki show. Overall, not the best food, but definitely a fun night out if you're in the mood for entertainment with your meal. read more

I've been disappointed before, but recently had a decent experience here. Our group of 8 arrived for a reservation at 6pm. Once checked in, it was about a 20 minute wait for a table. Highly recommend making a reservation for an early dinner (around 5pm) if you don't want to wait. Our waitress was very nice and attentive and our chef was great as well. Our table ordered a mix of steak and seafood and everything came out well cooked. It was about $90/each including drinks, so a bit on the pricy side. read more

Benihana - Cupertino - Hibachi grill - Steakhouses Near Me - Cupertino, California

Exceptional service by the cooking crew who put together my Uber Eats pickup order, Made sure nothing was missing. Cheers to becoming the Next top chef at Benihana, Robertin! What a great team! read more

Benihana - Cupertino - OCEAN TREASURE BENIHANA ONION SOUP Hibachi chicken Fried Rice - Steakhouses Near Me - Cupertino, California

Been coming here for my birthday for the past couple of years because it's a fun experience and the food always tastes good! They usually have a $30 birthday reward but now has a new program called Friends with Benefits that offers a $50 reward, I recommend signing up! I always get the Benihana trio that comes with chicken, steak, and shrimp with the 6 course round and it is so good each time! I got the lychee martini to drink and it was perfect. Would reorder that again! Pro note: Ask for diablo sauce, they do charge for each sauce so get the pint as it is a better deal. It has a really good spice and flavor. You can use the sauce on pretty much any of their dishes and it adds extra flavor! read more

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Huge disappointment! My daughter requested to come here for her 10th birthday! It's a huge milestone and she loved Benihana. We made a reservation but they were "over booked and short staffed," so we ended up getting seated 40 mins after our initial reservation time. We had a party of 7 so going elsewhere "nice" close to 8 pm wasn't an option. We had 3 elderly grandparents with us too. They were all starving. The menus were not readable, it was smeared in grease. Only 2 out of 7 were readable. It was disgusting. The hibachi chef's performance was so underwhelming. My son and daughter were so disappointed and asked what happened to the performance. The poor chef looked over worked and tired. He was probably just trying to get through the day. He wasn't engaging and he didn't hardly do anything besides just cooking the meal and giving it to us. It was the grandparents first time there and they asked why there wasn't any performance. They were also looking forward from the advertisements they've seen. Not tying to be mean but the lip ring on our server was not something I wanted to see before dinner. We are inclusive but that was a bit much for us. It was the size of a nickel and unsightly. I honestly thought for a minute at first that it was a huge wound. Also, if they are going to advertise Wagyu as an option, they should really hand out some sort or menu or pricing. Our server wasn't very good at explaining or offering more information. The fried rice was so small, my kids asked why it was half the usual amount. The meats were also smaller in portion size than usual. At the end, the server took an unusually long time getting us the check. We waited and waited and then she gave us someone else's signed bill. When I asked about the kids Benihana birthday gift (a cup), she said it was only given out on Mon-Thurs. My daughter again disappointed. We ended up asking the manager why it was only M-T and she told us that our server was wrong. They do give them out daily. She told the server to provide us with a gift but we sat there waiting and waiting again. My husband asked the manager if she could assist and she said she was not able. As he was speaking to the manager at the host stand, the hostess stood there eating food in front of guests. We sat waiting and waiting for the server as people all around us had left long ago. Finally when the server came back, they were out of all the different figurines. There was only 2 to choose from. We got home 2 hours later and my daughter was so sad and tired. We tired to make her happy and said it was probably just a rough day for them too so let's try to be kind and understanding. She understands but can you imagine how we feel. We spent over $500 there. Truly disappointing! read more

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First time having lunch here. We normally have dinner at the teppanyaki. It was nice to sit in the bar seating area. They were kinda busy. But, the service was good, especially from the manager, Andrew. Thanks for your help with the luncheon bowls. The menu was different online from the restaurant but Andrew helped us out. HIBACHI CHICKEN BOWL: Chicken Breast and mushrooms, grilled with sesame seeds. Served on a bed of vegetable fried rice. HIBACHI STEAK BOWL: Grilled New York strip steak and mushrooms. Served on a bed of vegetable fried rice. read more

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Benihana is a fun place to get teppanyaki and has good food, but the service and wait could be a hit or miss. My family and I have been there a couple times already to celebrate occasions. Although we make reservations days in advance, we always have to wait an hour past the actually reservation time, which can be extremely frustrating. Even after you get seated, you still have to wait a while for the chef to arrive and the waiters to serve you. It feels like they overbook people on the weekends. Location wise, there is lots of parking and the ambiance is lively. While the wait is long, the staff are still nice. Note that if you'll likely be sharing a table with other people as well, as each table has to fit 8 people. The chef is amazing and always puts up a fun show. I always enjoy seeing the onion volcano. For the food, I usually get the emperors feast with fried rice. You get mushroom soup, salad, fried rice, shrimp, onions, zucchini, chicken, and filet mignon. While the meal is quite pricy ($60), it is quite tasty. I especially love the fried rice since it very buttery and has a unique flavor. Overall, Benihana is a decent place to get a nice dinner, but you have to expect to wait for a very long time even with reservations, which can make or break your experience here. read more

I'm guessing most folks have been to Benihana or a similar place, but for those who haven't, it's all about teppanyaki cooking. The decor is definitely Japanese-inspired, with a big table featuring a flat-top grill called a teppan. They cook right at your table, which usually seats eight. I'm in my late 50s and have been going there, on average, twice a year for over 30 years. I went recently and have to say I'm kind of done. The night I went was the wildest I've ever seen. It was a Saturday, and they were running a special, so the wait was expected. More often than not, it's mostly mid-range. There have been times when the shrimp was lightly sweet and tender, the fried rice was comfort food elevated, and the steak was cooked to perfection, but that was more the exception than the rule. Unlike most restaurants, Benihana is an experience, which can vary depending on the chef, their personality, and skill, not only as a chef but with the entertainment. The night in question was the final straw for me or the nail in the coffin, whichever you prefer. The shrimp was almost flavorless, the fried rice was just as bland, and my medium-rare steak was tough and nearly well done. The staff was polite and professional as always. There were some hiccups in our order, but they credited the mistake. I don't see myself choosing to go there anymore, but if it's for a special occasion and I'm invited, yeah, I'll go and hope it's one of those rare times where the food exceeds my 30+ years of expectations. read more

Another fantastic experience! We made our reservation about two weeks in advance and I even called the day before to confirm (even though we received the confirmation text). We had six people in our party, including some out-of-town guests, so I wanted everything to run smoothly. None of us had ever been to Benihana before. I had a general idea of what to expect, but the experience honestly started the moment we walked up to the front door. The entrance itself felt elegant, and when we walked in we were greeted with a burst of color, bright lights, and the lively energy of the bar area with both high-top and low-top tables. The staff was welcoming and organized right from the start. At check-in they confirmed our party size and asked us to take a seat in the bar area for about a 10-minute wait. We were actually seated in about four minutes. For such a popular restaurant on a Friday night, that was impressive. Honestly, even with a reservation I always expect a small wait -- that's pretty normal for busy places. Our table was a large booth in the corner that comfortably fit all six of us (and trust me, not all of us are exactly tiny ). Our waiter came over right away and explained how everything worked. He was fantastic. When we noticed a little smudge and a bit of dirt on one of the plates, he immediately replaced the tableware without hesitation. Drinks and onion soup came out quickly. If you've never had their onion soup, you're missing out. It has a rich, deep flavor -- almost a hearty beef broth with a lighter finish. It was so filling that most of us couldn't finish it along with the rest of the meal. I definitely took mine home and reheated it the next day with noodles -- highly recommend! The only "problem" we had was that we ordered way too much food -- completely our fault. Our waiter even warned us, but we ordered with our hearts instead of our brains! The real reason I wanted to leave this review though is the staff and chef. Our chef had been with the Benihana company for 25 years and was absolutely hilarious. The cooking performance was smooth, entertaining, and you could tell he had perfected the craft. There wasn't a missed step the entire time. The only small critique (which is why I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5) is that some of the food could have used a bit more seasoning, and the plate smudges at the start. Otherwise, the experience was easily a 12 out of 10. It was a fun night out, great entertainment, and surprisingly reasonable for a group of six. Thank you to the Benihana team for such a great evening. We're also excited to hear the Emeryville location is opening soon -- we'll definitely be back. read more

Will was our server tonight and he made our night extra fun!! Constantly joking around with us, and cracking jokes left and right. The chef assigned to him was equally as amazing. I've never had so many laughs at one meal before. It was my cousin's first time and she loved it. read more

Benihana - Cupertino - Steakhouses Near Me - Cupertino, California

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Benihana Cupertino is dead, long live Benihana Cupertino. I think I was 4 when I first came here - Behinana in the 90s was LEGENDARY. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have dined at every table in this place. It's gone downhill - and my last visit was very sad indeed. Reservations: like the Seinfeld sketch, they take the reservation, they do not HOLD the reservation. They will not tell you an estimated wait time over the phone or in person (seriously, try asking) and a 7:00 reservation gets you a table whenever. They will blame open table, but what is actually going on is they have no consideration for your time. Last visit: We had an hour between being seated and the chef coming out. One party left, we almost left. We should have. The chef didn't do awesome, which I'm not mad about - but the food was horrible. They brought out a very mangled fillet, and cooked it in fluid. It was rubbery. My date's ahi tuna steak was also seared in fluid, with all the sesame falling off onto the grill - the chef laid the center portion down, kind of boil-cooking the center. I wish I'd taken a photo. The chef cooked everything serially - we sat at 8, chef appears at 9, and finished cooking at 10:30. There were a few minor screwups - like not being served the mustard sauce. Worst part - the waiter came around to apologize for the huge delays, and told us that our 'next drinks' would be on the house. I complained about the steak, they said they would comp it, then forgot to comp it. The manager came out, it was a whole ordeal. I don't fault them (I should have left) - and despite everything I tipped the chef $20, and had to basically force the waiter to take a $20. You have been warned - Benihana Cupertino is falling apart. Between the manager not righting this wrong, and the shabby ambiance of a place that hasn't had the carpets steamed in a decade (seriously, the floor is sticky, especially at the kitchen exit), and the "reservation lol" opentable nonsense, if you come to this place you will regret it. read more

It was my first time at Benihana and it was amazing! We got the Benihana trios with fried rice and Diablo sauce on the side and the food was so good. The people we sat with also highly recommended the sushi, which looked great! The prickly pear margarita and the old fashioned were very good as well. The service was great and very entertaining, the only thing is that we did not get a shrimp appetizer and the server had forgotten our tea and dessert. Other than that, our experience was great! I highly recommend for a date night if you don't mind sitting with others. read more

Benihana - Cupertino - BENIHANA TRIO AND PRICKLY PEAR MARGARITA - Steakhouses Near Me - Cupertino, California

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I had a great experience at Benihana! Christian R. was an awesome server - friendly, attentive, and made sure we were taken care of the entire meal. Chef Mariano was amazing! He was entertaining, engaging, and cooked everything perfectly. Great food and even better service. We'll definitely be back! read more

Food: The food was yummy! And there was so much of it too!! Service: My boyfriend and I ordered only one of the tepanyaki meals because we wanted to get sushi too. The chef was still SUPER nice about making sure we still felt included! Ambiance: It was pretty packed, and a little awkward to share tables with a whole family lol. read more

Benihana - Cupertino - Steakhouses Near Me - Cupertino, California

Since my mother loves Japanese food, we thought what better way than to celebrate Mother's Day than to take her to a teppanyaki. Benihana it was. We decide to cut through the madhouse that will be on Sunday for Mother's Day and celebrate on Friday instead. I made reservations on a Thursday morning for 6:45pm on Friday. The 10 of us arrived at Benihana at 6:25 we checked in to what seemed to be a very chaotic hostess stand. We were told that our reservations were not there, so I showed them my confirmation email along with the reminder that had just popped up on my phone. They apologized and assured that they would get on it immediately and make it a priority. 20 minutes went by again we checked in and again they assured soon. Another 15 minutes went by and we were called only to be told sorry wrong group. Another 20 minutes went by at this point there was a conversation to which we asked is... why make a reservation if we still have to wait a whole hour? When I see walk-ups in smaller groups going in at a constant stream. The answer to that question was a shrugged shoulder with no real answer, just white noise. After waiting over an hour for our RESERVATION we were finally seated. The only reason I can give one star was the food was good. How the mighty have fallen. Benihana was once on top of the teppanyaki world, where you felt like a special guest about to experience a culinary masterpiece right at your table. Now by the time you are seated you are spent and no longer care and just want to eat and get this over with. I know that may not be true for all Benihana locations, but save yourself the pain and skip Cupertino Benihana. I have no reservations about that! read more

History: I have had some issues with my take-out orders. Items missing, not enough sauce, etc. Update: Colton "Kenji" Tokunaga has proven to be a true class act manager. I reached out to him by phone to let him know that I've had quite a few occurrences of missing items from my order. I requested that he consider assessing this ongoing issue in order to prevent future oversights. I was glad that he took my feedback the way it was intended to be received, in a respectful and constructive way. There were no excuses, only acknowledgment. He appreciated that I brought the issue to his attention and thanked me for the call. He then went above and beyond to correct the issue. Kenji turned a negative experience into a positive and productive one. read more

Yasmine was great! The restaurant is very busy on Saturday night & we were seated 45 minutes after our reservation. Then a couple other mis-haps. Uggg. Yasmine clearly made an extra effort to make our visit comfortable. The food was as tasty as ever but the cook's 'show' was missing. No show, no flying food, no nothing. Sad. It used to be a memorable experience but this time it was boring and just another restaurant meal. I've never seen so much "up-selling" at a restaurant. Are they becoming a time-share now ? read more

This review is for the one and only, Mike. He's the BEST teppanyaki chef we've had at Benihanas. He's great and knowing everyone's personal preferences and double checks to make sure people with food allergies are well taken care of. He's quick at modifying his cooking while people are shouting specific stuff on how they like their food cooked. He's personable and very entertaining. He's not too over the top with jokes or gimmicks either which is perfect. He was our cook a few nights ago and he's on point with everything. He knows how to read the room and say the right things at the right time. He's also amazing with his little magic tricks such as making 2-3 eggs appear with a snap of a finger. Mike cooks differently by letting the food rest more on the grill to get that nice char on the tips and edges. The timing of when butter or oil should be laid out with the ingredients is also on spot. He's legit and the best in the business. Mike IS THE MAN! read more

Benihana - Cupertino - Steakhouses Near Me - Cupertino, California

Picked up a couple hibachi bowls and the quality was bad. We picked up 15 min early, and The food temperature was cold, my order was missing mushrooms and onions and the portions were so small for the price. When I asked for utensils it seemed like a hassle. The only person nice was the host at the door. I would never order lunch here or return. Overpriced and not worth it. read more

Benihana - Cupertino - There's 7 lines total rimming this bowl and only filled 2: it was cold, No mushrooms No Onions. Definitely not worth the money. - Steakhouses Near Me - Cupertino, California

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This one is a little harder for me to rate. I had a great time, but I think that had more to do with the company than the restaurant itself. My wonderful friends took me out for my birthday and chose Benihana. We walked in and were seated immediately around 6:30 p.m. Since we were only a party of four, they sat another party of four with us. The server came to take our drink order. He seemed a little new--either shy or intimidated. We weren't difficult at all, but he seemed to lose his train of thought a few times. Once we placed our orders and clarified allergies, it was a while before we saw the cook. Not a huge problem, though--we had our drinks and the starter soup. I have no idea what the soup is called, but it was delicious. Just broth with mushrooms, but it was amazing. The salad that followed was disappointing--just wet lettuce with dressing plopped on top. My friends ordered an appetizer--the potstickers--which were pretty good and a nice way to start the meal. The main reason this review is 3 stars instead of 4 is because, as more dishes came out, the less space we had to eat comfortably. I understand it's a six-course meal, but they literally wouldn't take away the empty plates. I was in a corner seat with people on both sides, and I eventually ran out of room to put anything on the table. Once the cook arrived, we didn't see the server again. That made things harder, since the dirty dishes just kept piling up. I couldn't eat or drink comfortably. The prices are out of control. You'll see in one of my pictures--my husband ordered the steak, which cost fifty dollars, and he barely got any steak. It was incredibly disappointing. The "show" was mediocre at best--not worth the money at all. I ordered the chicken and shrimp, but I didn't get my food until everyone else was almost done eating. I understand chicken takes longer to cook, and there was an allergy at the table, so they held off on the shrimp until the end. Not really their fault--just something to note. I truly appreciate my friends for taking me out, and I had a lovely time with them. But I definitely won't be coming back on my own. read more

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