Great food! I really appreciate the difference here from the one in San Francisco. They do some things the same and some different. I like the steak sauce better in LA although I don't know what makes it different. Maybe it's more spicy? Our chef, Juan, was on the money with the food. Absolutely delicious! We had great company too! The vibe tonight was amazing. So much energy so that everyone had a blast. Only thing I didn't like was that the prices when we got the bill differed from the menu. Not sure why that was and we didn't bother asking for an explanation. Our server Oliver was very efficient and had a super smile while serving. Good mannerisms. I've got a picture of the menu before we ate and noticed the bill didn't match. We ordered edamame, hot sake, & Hibachi Steak dinner. Parking is valet or you can park on street. read more

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Had a terrible experience for dinner last night. I came with a friend to celebrate his birthday- it was his very first time going to Benihana, and he was extremely excited. Upon making the reservations earlier, I specifically asked for a fun, exciting chef. I made sure to reiterate my request upon arrival last night as well. I was told my request could be accommodated. What we got instead was Tony the chef, who put extremely little care and effort into his cooking. He performed hardly any tricks, and what he did do was very sloppy (the fried rice heart barely looked like a heart!). To add insult to injury, the shrimp was under cooked. Even when we asked for the shrimp to be made well done, it came out under cooked and inedible. The server was also very slow at every stage of the meal. While I appreciated the refund on the shrimp meal that went uneaten, I felt so embarrassed taking my friend here for his birthday, and Benihana should be embarrassed, too. This was such a depressing experience. I was a long time patron of this location, but after this experience (and a poor experience the time before, not the one I left my previous review for), I no longer wish to return in the future. My friend likewise, has no interest in ever returning. I am so disappointed. I do not feel that Benihana cares about customer's special occasions. read more

Benihana is usually the go-to spot to celebrate, but my most recent experience was just down-right awful, specifically due to poor and unprofessional service. Our server was largely absent throughout the night and it took around 30 minutes after we were seated to get some water, our drinks, and our food orders taken. Even then, the cocktails that we had ordered looked like they had been sitting at the bar for a while. It took an even longer time for our salad and soup to be brought out; the chef had already started cooking by the time the appetizers arrived. Benihana can get busy sometimes and delays are understandable in those times, but it was a slower night than I've usually seen at this location which made the service even more disappointing. On top of that all, our server had a negative attitude that made our party feel unwelcome. The biggest issue of the night was the end of the meal when it came time to close our bills. We had our checks split in 3, and with each transaction she claimed that the payment machine was not working correctly and it would not allow us to enter our own custom tip amount. According to her, she had been running into that glitch all day. As she held onto the machine, she asked if we wanted to leave 18%, 20%, or 22%. My friends were unfortunately scammed into leaving at least 18%, thinking that they had no other choice or option to close out their checks. When I requested that she try a different machine or just process the total by itself, she responded with "No tip?" and processed the check with no problem... I typically tip appropriately as I respect the work that servers do and I highly appreciate their efforts in taking care of us throughout the night, but between the delays in our food and drinks, lack of attentiveness throughout the night, and the server's deceptiveness at the end of the night, the whole experience was very disappointing and unpleasant. If it were not for our chef, Hunter, I would've given them negative stars. He definitely made up for some of the uncomfortableness we experienced throughout the night, and his cooking was the best food I've ever had at Benihana. He was extremely kind and funny, and you can tell that he genuinely cares about making sure the food is the best quality. If I ever return to Benihana Encino again, it will be for Hunter. read more

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I love coming here even with all the cons Food is always terrific and can't beat the flavors. Service was a little slow getting a chef but place was packed (as always) so be patient. Once chef showed up the service was quick. read more

Well, despite having a business employee respond to practically every review on here, management clearly has not taken action on any issues presented. It's been a year since my last visit and there are STILL issues with wait times despite having a reservation. It's almost like the owner does not care. We were a party of three and waited an hour. 30 minutes in, we received a text saying our table was ready; however, it took another 30 minutes to "clean" the table even though we could see that it was ready. The quality has significantly gone downhill. Smaller portion sizes and massive amounts of garlic butter to mask the taste of everything. Even the green tea ice cream was only a small single scoop and tasted like a different brand. The waitress did not stop by any time during dinner to see if we wanted more drinks - that's lost revenue on their end as I would've ordered another cocktail. The bathrooms need more frequent cleaning, especially since parents let their children go by themselves. I noticed a used toilet paper on the ground from a kid who went #2 - yuck! Unfortunately, this will be our last time dining at this location after many years of birthday celebrations here. read more

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

Benihana in Encino was a really fun and enjoyable dining experience overall. The food was excellent--fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly right in front of us. You can't beat the whole teppanyaki show, and everything we ordered tasted great from start to finish. The service was also on point. The staff was attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed, which made the experience even better. The only downside was the parking. You do have to pay, which feels a bit ridiculous considering it's a large lot and you could essentially park your own car if given the opportunity. It kind of feels like just another way to squeeze a little extra money out of customers. That said, the great food and solid service definitely made it worth the visit. I'd still recommend Benihana Encino if you're looking for a fun meal and a good time! read more

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Sad to have to rate Benihana so low... but my recent visits here have been subpar. Service is usually just ok but we usually are left without refills on drinks unless we flag down our waiter. During a recent visit, I was drinking iced tea and my glass cup shattered as I went to sip it. I brought this up to our waitress and she just took the cup from me and replaced it with a new one, no apologies offered or concern, to be quite frank, she seemed annoyed. We brought this up to the manager as well given that the cup could have cut me or someone else and he seemed uninterested. I also ordered a Tuna Steak entree which is typically one of my favorite dishes, however, the tuna tasted like it was not fresh at all. I understand things like this can happen but at the price point, I fear Benihana is dropping in quality. I did want to give a shoutout to our chef Hunter, I must say, he is probably the best Benihana chef I've had and was extremely attentive, interactive & kind. If I choose to visit again, I'd only trust him as our server. At the end of the day, it's Benihana, so you are bound to have some delicious bites of food, but it's sad to see some of the quality being sacrificed. read more

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Benihana had been off my radar for at least two decades. I have very fond memories of the whole experience - and it IS an experience - especially being entertained by the teppanyaki chefs. This visit was for a friend's birthday, so expectations were high. There were 14 of us, which meant two tables. At ours, about half ordered the Land & Sea (filet mignon and scallops), and that turned out to be the right move. The filet was tender, the scallops were cooked well, and overall, the food delivered. So why 4 stars? We had 7:00 PM reservations but weren't seated until 7:30. I understand they were trying to coordinate two tables for a larger group, but that feels like something that should have been sorted out earlier in the day. The location itself is older, and it showed a bit - especially with the smoke. Our neighboring table seemed particularly smoky, which drifted over at times. Our server was excellent. She was attentive throughout the meal and even helped cut and plate the birthday cake someone had brought, which was a thoughtful touch. Our chef started off engaging and fun, leaning into the classic teppanyaki performance we all remember. But about halfway through, the show element tapered off, and it became more about simply preparing the food. I'm not sure if that's the norm now or just the style of that particular chef. All in all, it was a fun night, and everyone had a great time. Was it exactly as magical as I remembered? Not quite. Maybe Benihana has changed. Or maybe I have. Either way, it was still a solid, celebratory evening. read more

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Bam is the best!!! Came here last night to celebrate a birthday and she made it so special. Literally 5 stars just for her. read more

Benihana - Encino - Adult Punch! Perfect for two - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

Finding parking is your first challenge, so give yourself time to hunt for a spot on the street if you don't want to valet! This place has been here forever, for LA that is something! Came back here recently for a friends' birthday party. I don't care for a show while I eat, but that's what you get at Benihana. The food is just OK, steaks are decent, it's interactive and a different kind of dinning experience. Gimmicky and pricey! Everyone should try it once. Not my cup of tea, but it was fun! read more

Excellent food! Superb Service! Fun Ambiance! Highly recommend taking in your family here! read more

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

I enjoy this restaurant and for my last order, I got the Hibachi Steak Fried Rice and the Sumo Roll. The steak was tender and each spoonful that contained both rice and meat was scrumptious and full of flavor! The Sumo Roll, which was baked, had salmon avocado, shrimp tempura, special mayo, cucumber, and krab. This was tasty and I even left some for the following day along with the rice because I knew these would still be delicious for a future meal. In the past, I have also had the Hibachi Steak Burrito and added shrimp to the item. One of my favorite burritos is the surf and turf, so this combination was exactly that and I thoroughly enjoyed this collision like I have in the past! read more

Benihana - Encino - Sumo Roll and Hibachi Steak Fried Rice!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

I'm really upset that they have some of the sweetest and coolest chefs; however, the waitress we had on Sunday was mediocre, young white woman and I could tell she had little biases. The manager, a white male, we waited to speak with him, but it's almost like he avoided speaking to a group of black women about our experience. He stayed toward the tables and a really sweet Asian woman tried to get him to speak with us, but continued to apologize for his avoidance. We decided to leave due to the wait to speak to him. I just felt the energy was off. Ultimately, the experience was ok. The chefs are truly special and super kind. We had 3 pieces of hair, 1 on a plate while seated waiting for our drinks. 2nd in another plate at the same table. 3rd in the vanilla ice cream, quite long. Our chef had to go take our drink for refills, our waitress just refused to really engage. We asked for bags for our leftovers, she proceeded to tell us it'll be a wait and went to others. Asked another person, she brought us bags. The main reason we wanted to speak to the manager is because of the hair. We got new plates and at the end when hair was in the vanilla ice cream, she took it and didn't even offer another scoop or apology. It was just tacky. We spent over $350. Our family is big tippers, but that waitress absolutely didn't deserve more than $25. Overall, disappointed in the waitress and manager. I spoke on race, because they seemed super avoidant and just not helpful. I'll stick to Benihana Torrance if I decide to go back. read more

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

I don't think this Benihana really needs introduction nor does it need an update. However, I am going to give an update based on my recent dining experience, and told the manager Jason if he made it right. He knows what I am talking about. Since the readers don't know, I will fill you in with what happened. I had a gift/birthday certificate that you sign up for on their App/email like probably a month ahead of time and they grant you with a $30.00 off of your entire bill; not including tip, tax, alcohol. Last night I went to take advantage of my certificate since today was the last day to redeem my gift certificate. When I got there, our server Owen who was very pleasant, kind, and very helpful took a look at my certificate and says it only covers from Monday-Thursday. So basically not the weekend. I wanted to speak to a manager. Jason comes to me and told me not to worry about it and that he will take care of it and he did!! Ambiance was chill and I liked it. It was a very beautiful Saturday night and as I walked in was greeted by the host Luis and the wait promise time was between 30 to 35 minutes. Got a text that my table was ready. Looked at the time and it was 6:20pm. I checked in at 6pm. He took me and the other group of people who were so nice, chatty, friendly and we had a great time around the table. Our chef Miguel prepared all of us a great, delicious meal according to our own specifications. The food tasted fresh, delicious and not to mention that you get a lot of portions. I ordered 8 piece Spicy Tuna Roll to start off with, their Benihana Trio (medium rare) steak, shrimp, & chicken with their Hibachi Chicken Rice..made to PERFECTION!! The meal also comes with your standard miso soup and garden salad with ginger dressing, and also the grilled onions/zucchini/mushrooms. I also got a scoop of Green Tea Ice Cream as part of my birthday dinner, which is always fantastic here. Miguel was funny and was responsive to any concerns or/and questions that we all had. I also got 28oz Saratoga Sparkling water. Total came out to be $90.18 including tip minus the $30. We were all pleased with our chef and service. Thank you Luis, Owen, chef Miguel and of course special thanks to their manager Jason for making my birthday/dining experience a very memorable one. Benihana, YOU ROCK!! Will post few pictures soon:-)) Valet parking in the back and restrooms was somewhat clean. read more

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Why bother getting a reservation - we are 30 minutes behind what they scheduled for reservation - and the prices have incredibly increased - Rocky's choice used to be $32 - welcome to $50 for the same thing -- but an un realistic wait time - Then you don't get to choose who you're sitting with and they are delayed - not ready to order -- so even more delay to get dinner -- I doubt I'll choose to come back - and we used to come here all the time -- so disappointing read more

We've been regulars here since the day Rocky opened the place. Never experienced any of the complaints people have mentioned. Fair priced and great service. Generous portions, friendly staff. It gets busy, it's always been busy, sometimes slammed but they accommodate everyone. We only wish they offered Miso soup instead of the boring Onion broth. Everyone wishes they did. Solid choice, excellent place to dine. read more

A fun blast from the past awaits the fun loving patron. Tucked into busy Encino, this is a time capsule of pure joy. Absolutely worth a family celebration with kids or happy hour treat! $6 sushi rolls at happy hour is the best deal you'll find in the Valley! You can grab a mai tai for $6 too! The chicken wings on happy hour are $12 and also worth it. They are running a 5 course hibachi menu at $39 per person. Also good value. It's in the heart of the business district of Encino. So, $5 to park next door or sometimes you can park on the street. See website for hours, menus and more. And don't forget to sign up for the rewards program. read more

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

7/28/2025 - Since Covid-19 pandemic, this is our first time to have a sit-down dinner at this location. The soup came first after arriving in the restaurant for 45 minutes, but it was not hot - one customer told our waitress "The soup is cold..." - that customer is a regular patron for this restaurant in the past 25 years. Next, a piping hot soup came (4 stars). The quality of salad and green tea went down significantly in comparison to the pre-pandemic time. I ordered an OCEAN TREASURE (Cold water lobster tail with Hokkaido scallops) $60 - 4.5 to 5 stars. The quality of the FILET MIGNON (Tenderloin and mushrooms) $43 is not as good as prior to the pandemic - 3 stars, so as fried rice just by looking at the texture of the cooked fried rice. The services from our waitress Caroline is excellent. The restaurant does not offer a WiFi access, and there is a rear valid parking lot $6 for lunch and $8 for dinner. The floor carpet is still as old as pre-pandemic - upgrading will make the restaurant more towards an upscale restaurant! The restaurant is still a good place to celebrate your special occasion - it offers its signature complimentary photo printed out for your memory - you can also download it for your future use. read more

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Came to Benihana recently and had very mixed feelings about the experience. Our hibachi chef, Anthony, was absolutely fantastic. He was funny, engaging, and had such a great attitude. He kept the whole table laughing and really made the experience fun. The food was great and you could tell he genuinely cared about making sure everyone had a good time. He was easily the highlight of the night. Unfortunately, our waitress, Zoey, completely dropped the ball and honestly made the service side of the experience very frustrating. She was inattentive from the start and had a noticeable attitude the entire time. Our whole table commented on it. Not once did she come back to check on us for drink refills, which is pretty basic when you're serving a full hibachi table. She also got parts of my order wrong multiple times. I specifically asked for no mushrooms in my soup, yet it still came out with mushrooms. Thankfully I'm not allergic, but that could have been a serious mistake if I was. I also told her I didn't want the salad, and she still brought it out anyway. It felt like she simply wasn't listening. When it came to dessert, I asked if there were any non-dairy ice cream options and she told me there weren't. Later, another guest at our table was actually served non-dairy ice cream, which was incredibly frustrating. I'm currently pregnant, so these little details really matter, and it was upsetting to feel like my requests weren't taken seriously. To be honest, the overall level of professionalism was also questionable. She even had visible hickeys on her neck while serving tables, which felt unprofessional in a restaurant setting. Anthony saved the night with his energy and great cooking, but the service from Zoey left a really bad impression. Benihana is supposed to be a fun dining experience, and while the chef delivered, the table service definitely did not. read more

Weak experience weds 8-11-25. We had a reservation at 11:45. A total of 8. Upon seated , I noticed our plate is dirty. Not a good start, but no biggie in the grand scheme of. our server asked if we are ready to order drinks. Yes. However, we are told - they can't offer mixed drinks. Wait, what ? The bartender didn't show up. Um, okay. No one else can make drinks ? Making drinks isn't rocket science, nor a degree ! That's pretty lame. The chef was talented as always. However it was difficult to understand what he was saying. Granted he had a mask on , but multiple times most people in our group had to ask - what ? Food was good as always. Overall the server was pleasant and attentive enough. Bathrooms were clean. Very few people dining during our time 11:45-1:30pm. While seemingly little small things are missing, I feel the whole picture of the place is losing its touch. It's not what it used to be. I know they have happy hour daily. What will happen if the "bartender " doesn't show up ?!? Hmm. lol. P.S. I think the bartender came in when we left at 1:30pm . read more

New happy hour times, updated a year ago. I'm sad no one has posted this yet. This is still the best Benihana location with all the OGs. read more

We are beyond disappointed with our experience tonight at Benihana. We came to celebrate my brother's graduation and what should have been a special family dinner turned into one of the worst restaurant experiences we've ever had. The chef was extremely messy throughout the meal, throwing cooked rice everywhere, and at one point dropping some shrimp directly onto the table and his side tray dirty plates were on before simply picking it back up and just placing it onto our plates. Completely unsanitary. There was also no tricks or show provided. He rushed through the whole experience. We didn't even get a fire which was odd. My husband, brother, and I all ordered filet mignon, and what arrived was very obviously NOT filet mignon. When we questioned it, the cook initially argued with us insisting it was correct and they changed the look and size of their filets. Only after the manager came over and looked at it himself did he admit, "Oh yeah, that's not filet." The replacement they brought out was full of fat, chewy, stretchy pieces that were almost impossible to eat. Everything was drenched in garlic, the portions were tiny, and the quality was shockingly poor compared to what this location used to serve. The cook even told us they "get in trouble if they pick the good filets," which was bizarre and concerning to hear as paying customers. Then things somehow got even worse. After my dad calmly spoke to the manager about the issues, they decided to bring complimentary ice cream to the table as their apology for the filets and there was a long black hair in mine that looked like a pubic hair. Absolutely disgusting. At that point I felt physically sick, ran to the bathroom, and projectile vomited the steak I had eaten. Instead of trying to make things right, the manager became hostile and aggressive toward my father. When my dad asked for his name, the manager refused to provide it, got in his face, and dismissively told us, "You can just leave now, have a good night," while acting like he wanted to start a fight. We ended up finding out this man's name was Dean. He was extremely unprofessional and the interaction was unsettling and made us feel very uncomfortable and others unsafe. We have been coming to this Encino location for YEARS and have never experienced anything remotely this horrible. The food quality, cleanliness, professionalism, and management were all unacceptable tonight. This was supposed to be a joyful graduation celebration and instead it became a disgusting, upsetting, and honestly shocking experience. We will absolutely not be returning. read more

My adult daughters took me to Benihana for my birthday the other night. I had such fond memories of celebratory dinners there in years past that I thought it sounded like fun. And it was! Having a friendly and entertaining chef prepare our food right in front of us was a lot of fun. The waitress who took our orders and brought our drinks was also really friendly and helpful. I will say that I was put off by the odor in the restaurant when I initially walked in, but once we sat down at our table I didn't notice it anymore. read more

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

Our food and service from Chef Tony and Max were good. So many reviews complain about wait time and slow service. We did have to wait about 25 minutes even with a reservation but this place was slammed all night. If it was just adults we could have lounged in the bar. Chef Tony was engaging and cooked my food perfectly. It's a family celebration restaurant and it's loud and busy. Just know that going in and enjoy the time. read more

Benihana - Encino - Hibachi steak and scallops - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

4 out of 5 stars In the past, I probably would've given Encino Benihana a soft 3 stars, mostly because even with a reservation, the wait times were frustrating due to overbooking. The food has always been great, but the experience was hit or miss. This most recent visit, though (Tuesday the 24th at 5:30 for my daughter's birthday), was a solid 4-star experience. We were seated quickly (yay for no long wait!) and our chef was AMAZING -- so kind, fun, and honestly made the night. The chicken fried rice was probably the best we've ever had. Our waitress was just okay. She didn't seem very enthusiastic, and when she took a photo of my daughter and her friends, one of the kids had their eyes closed. They weren't busy, so I don't see why she couldn't have checked and snapped another one... it really upset the kid. Overall, though, the quick seating and fantastic chef made this visit a win. We'll be back! read more

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

6/10 I finally tried Benihana , after hearing so many good things, so my expectations were pretty high. I ordered the lunch chicken yakisoba bowl. The portions were generous, and I'll give credit where it's due. The chicken was cooked well and the side salad was actually really tasty and a nice addition to the meal. Unfortunately, the main dish just didn't work for me. The yakisoba and rice were drenched in soy sauce, to the point where it tasted overwhelmingly salty. It was so salty that I couldn't finish the dish, which was disappointing since the ingredients themselves seemed fine. I'm not sure if it's possible to ask for the sauce on the side, but that would have made a big difference for me. Overall, the food quality wasn't bad, but the seasoning level really overshadowed the experience. I may be open to trying Benihana again with a different dish or requesting lighter sauce, but this first visit didn't quite live up to the hype. read more

Never going back after our visit on 5/17/26! I used to love coming to Benihana, but it has officially gotten ridiculous. The food prices have skyrocketed, and the quality absolutely does not justify the cost anymore. The service is nowhere near what it used to be. The waitresses were incredibly rude! Our waitress Heidi has an attitude problem acting like taking our order was a massive inconvenience. Management needs to train better! The overall wait time, even with a reservation was completely unacceptable!!! Save your money and go somewhere else where they actually value their customers. read more

What's the point of having a reservation if you're still going to wait 30+ min to be seated? Reservation was at 7:45p we did not even sit down until 8:30 and first bite was at 9:40pm So uncomfortable to have to get up and move every single time the chef wanted to pass by with his food cart. Staff could be friendlier if they're gonna be delaying everyone. Can't even ask for a straw since every working staff walks like they're desperately trying to avoid you. Not the place for dinner. Location has very limited parking and valet. read more

My review! I normally don't leave negative reviews, but after our experience at Benihana in Encino on 5/17/26, I feel people should know. Our party of eight left extremely disappointed, and unfortunately, three people in our group became sick afterward. The food quality was shockingly poor, the chef was extremely careless about his cooking and quality of food cooked. Rice was being thrown everywhere, several items were saturated in garlic butter, overcooked, and far from fresh. The chef performance felt rushed and he continued to drop food on the table and then Pick it up to put it on people's plates. The overall dining experience was nowhere near worth the high prices. There was no customer care or care to make the customers happy and satisfied considering how expensive the food is. very bad and will never go back. They lack managerial leadership. read more

Corporate is trash They're the ones causing problems for the hosts and workers here Corporate keeps booking reservations When I called corporate again to complain This woman on the phone really told me "the kitchen is backed up" Don't point fingers for the people that are actually in the restaurant BEWARE CORPORATE IS HURTING THE BUSINESS THEY KEEP OVER BOOKING RESERVATIONS AND MAKING IT HARDER FOR THE HOSTS TO SEAT PEOPLE When a guest(s) is booked for a reservation You're waiting 2 hours wait I never ever had this issue with the Downey location I'm supposed to get a call from the manager I'm not sure what good it will do The hosts won't even let me speak to the manager in person USELESS!!!! By the way As I'm waiting long hours to be seated Both your hosts are complaining about customer service and also cursing It's a woman with a bun And a 5'10" guy with glasses This place is bonkers They're not even wearing name tags for me to put them on blast I hate it here Don't waste your time here read more

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

Always a super fun experience, we go every year to celebrate my birthday. Gus was our teppanyaki chef and he was a lot of fun! I ordered the steak with teriyaki sauce and my son had the salmon. We both added the chicken fried rice. We loved the vegetables (zucchini, onion, and mushrooms-my son also had asparagus). We each also were given three shrimp, that were delicious! A whole group of servers sang happy birthday and I was given a scoop of ice cream with whipped cream and a candle. read more

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I've been coming here for years, and these days I mainly come for the entertainment. The teppanyaki chefs always keep my kids engaged, and the food is consistently great. Chef Gus was excellent! Highly recommended! I brought my family of five for Thanksgiving. For some reason, a couple was seated with us, and they clearly weren't happy. Just a tip: this place is not ideal for date nights. read more

Reservations mean nothing here! Had a reservation for 6:15 pm, got there and said it was going to be at least an hour wait. The front of house says that they purposefully overbook. Really wished we could've tried it but gave up after 30 min waiting. read more

Dined at Benihana last night to celebrate a birthday, and it was pretty much what we've come to expect from Benihana. Crowded, hot, loud, decent food. We had a reservation for 7:00, but despite our whole party being there early, we didn't get seated until until 7:30. Our waitress was busting her a$$, but still had to be reminded about things a few times. But I gave her grace because she was so nice, and was running around like crazy. I actually felt bad for her. The mushrooms in my soup were still very dirty; like they hadn't been washed at all. I rubbed off the brown stuff and confirmed it was dirt, as it was gritty. I probably should have pointed it out to someone, but the place was so busy, I didn't bother. I just skipped the soup. Our chef was also very nice, and did all the basic hibachi tricks, but other than that, didn't interact with us very much, like other chefs have in the past. No catching food in the mouth, no egg tossing in the hat like I remember. (Maybe eggs are too expensive now?) But the food was great, albeit very salty. We all drank about 5 glasses of water apiece! We got a fun little rendition of Happy Birthday with the tambourine, so it's a nice place to celebrate. I recommend Benihana for large groups celebrating, but prepare to be there at least 2 hours! P.S. Valet Parking was $7. Very few street spaces, unless you are okay walking. read more

Benihana - Encino - Dirty mushrooms in my soup - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

Peter is incredible! He cooked delicious food and was engaging with us. This place is so chill. Patrick the manager is great. Why? Because good management makes great workers. Our server Piya was amazing! Honestly. Even if you just come in and sit at the bar and have a beverage enjoying the cowboys win or even better the 49ers lose you can't go wrong here. read more

Benihana - Encino - Awesome cook! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

Had a late lunch here over the weekend and it didn't disappoint. They offer Valet parking in the back for $7 which isn't bad. The inside is always a bit on the dark side, but not too bad. We were seated with an other family which is normal. So if sharing a table with strangers isn't your thing this isn't the place for you. Our Chef Hunter was so nice and an amazing cook. He definitely cooked the best meal I've ever had at any Benihana. He put in a great show and did a great job getting the kids involved and interested. Would definitely go back. Only down side is the place is a bit rundown and it shows. read more

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We hadn't been here for many years so we decided it was time to stop in for dinner. Everyone was very accommodating. Our cook, was Gus who was amazing and our waiter was Owen who was terrific. My wife ordered the hibachi steak and I ordered the salmon. The food was delicious and we had a really good time tonight. read more

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

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It's been a while since I last visited Benihana's in Encino. It was time to pay it another visit. I went there, utilized the $6 Valet and entered the establishment to have Teppanyaki lunch. One aspect that strikes you is their vast menu options, both on the Sushi and Hibachi side. During my visit, they were also featuring Wagyu beef (from Japan, Australia and the USA). They were trying to push on that. Instead, I ordered my favorite Teppan meat, the Chateaubriand ($51), medium rare. I had my own grill table and personal chef to begin my dining afternoon. It's about time :) It started with their soup, a mixture of beef and chicken broth with mushrooms and scallions. Really superb flavor wise and served piping hot, the way I like it. It was a welcome change to the usual standard miso soup starter that is available at competing businesses. The salad (that came at the same time), with ginger dressing was crisp and refreshing. The shrimps, thee of them for appetizer, was a rip off, they were very small and overcooked. The Chateaubriand (8 oz as advertised didn't look it. I have this regularly at another competitor). But it was cooked perfectly, with mushrooms and significant pepper. I requested extra garlic butter in the cooking process (it better not be dry). Accompanying vegetables were zucchini and onions. That too with more pepper. So everything you ate had black pepper in it, and visible. Why not throw out the pepper, so we could taste the meat, the vegetables in their original and natural grilled flavors? Surprisingly, no carrots. It would have enhanced the presentation. All courses were delivered in a hurried fashion, instead of a steady pace. After all, this was not their cheaper power lunch and the place had only a few patrons. Oh well. Maybe next time. read more

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After not visiting a Benihana for at least 10 years, we decided to return to celebrate a birthday in the family. We were expecting to have the best Teppanyaki experience and exceptional food. Unfortunately that didn't come true. The food had no taste and quality wasn't good. We had shrimp, steak & chicken meals. The soup wasn't good. Our waiter Max seemed overwhelmed and didn't even know the menu, which says the meals included ice cream. In fact, after reading the menu, we noticed we weren't even offered the hot green tea that's included. Max was only worried about up-selling us on lobster butter for an extra $6 and Waygu meats. The management definitely taught him well on selling those extra money making items. But how about concentrating on good service and great food; plus giving everything that's supposed to be included with the meal? I wouldn't go out of my way to return. There are many other Teppanyaki restaurants serving better food with better service-just may not have the recognition of the Benihana name. Oh and don't forget the extra $8 for valet parking. You'd think after spending hundreds of dollars in the restaurant, the least they could do is validate parking. read more

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My co-worker and I arrived here earlier today around 4 pm to check out their happy hour. When we arrived, we sat at the bar and were completely ignored by Zack, the bartender. No greeting, no "I'll be right with you," nothing. He barely made eye contact and gave off a strange, socially awkward energy that made the whole interaction uncomfortable. It wasn't even busy and the bar was completely empty -- and yet there was simply no effort made to acknowledge or serve us. For a restaurant that usually prides itself on energy and hospitality, this was the total opposite. It honestly felt like we were invisible. If you're thinking of having a drink at the bar here, I'd recommend skipping it altogether until Benihana Encino addresses the way Zack treats guests. We then asked the manager, William (purple button down collar shirt, wears glasses), if we can be seated at the table instead of the bar, but he too was rude and lacked courtesy. We were hoping for some hospitality or at least understanding from William the manager, but unfortunately his attitude was just as cold. There was zero warmth, zero accountability, and not a single effort to make the situation better. So ultimately, my co-worker and I decided to leave without even ordering, since we did not feel Benihana was deserving of our business...especially when we did not feel welcome by staff or management. I am also posting pictures of Zack and William so Benihana Corporate can have a clearer idea of the employees we are referring to. Benihana is supposed to be a place that's lively, friendly, and engaging -- this was the opposite. Between Zack's lack of professionalism and William's indifference, it left a really sour impression. Definitely not the kind of service anyone expects from a name like Benihana! Let's just say Happy Hour turned into Sour Hour here at Benihana Encino! read more

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