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

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

You make a reservation but they still treat you like a walk in. Made a reservation at 8:15 waited almost an hour and a half for a table. What is the point of reservations if you can't seat the guests. read more

I would like to start with the customer service and tbh they need to work a little bit more, food is good, ambiance is super loud and need to work a little bit more in the cleaning read more

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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Wonderful experience here. Kristen was helpful with her service. Our chef, Rex, cooked us a great meal for our party of 7. He sauced it down! We came on a Sunday so we found parking on the street. Our son had an enjoyable first time. Would recommend Kristen and Rex! read more

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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Food was delicious like always. But service was horrendous. They had all the black people in a room shoved together in 4 tiny tables. In my table we had me and my family and another black family. Then a red head waiter profiled us and asked us are you guys all paying together assuming we were related. Then our reservations got pushed back 30 minutes. I must say the chef Gus was wonderful and the bar tender was very lenient and nice. We messed up and ordered something wrong and he went out his way and got it cleared up without us asking. The ambience was very Smokey because they shoved us in a tiny room with no wifi. The chefs had to move around just to leave the door. Overall it was the waiter lady and whoever decided seating. Thank you Gus, Manager, Bar tender, fellow blacm people who complained and yelp. Final issue was that soup was good but they gave me two mushrooms and cut up one to make it look like more. Pitiful read more

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

Went in for birthday lunch. Hostess was kind of rude and off putting. We were sat, everything was fine and waitress took our orders. It was until she left we noticed she put the serving tray on the hot grill and left melted plastic from the tray on the grill Then we noticed mysterious drippings coming from the vent. I was immediately disgusted at the lack of cleanliness or care. We left quickly after noticing this. Do not come if you want burnt plastic and mysterious liquids from the ceiling in your food! 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

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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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

This is the second time we had Chef Hunter and his food is AMAZING!!!! The seasoning is done to perfection! He always makes it super fun for the kids too. My grandsons love him! Ray is the Manager. He is so friendly and welcoming. The ambiance is festive and they have a full bar too. We love this location and will be back soon. read more

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

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I went for my first time today! I thought it was amazing! The staff and management were very nice and accommodating! The environment was filled with laughter and smiles! I am still thinking about the fried rice! read more

Benihana - Encino - Thanks to management we got to meet Trisha paytas herself! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

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We had a great time celebrating my little sister's high school graduation. The rocky special was enough for 2 people with an extra side of fried rice! The cook was very entertaining and the food was delicious. Our family really enjoyed our time here. It was plus that we met the beautiful Trisha!!! We loved our server Chris she was very attentive to our table and helpful :) read more

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Let me start off by saying the only reason I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 is because our cook Arturo he was honestly the best the rest of the staff needs to get it together because why did I have a reservation for 845 and I didn't get sat down till almost 930 what's the point of having a reservation? The parking situation is ridiculous. They con you into paying 8$ for parking or else you can't park somewhere else such a scammm I felt fully took an advantage of. I didn't even have the choice to choose if I wanted valet parking or not I don't even like letting people drive my car much less someone I don't even know and then charge me for it. Is not about the eight dollars. It's about the respect you guys should have for people and their property never coming back here again at least not to The Encino location and the valet people are so rude and entitled read more

Parking is available in the rear of restaurant for a fee. Also our server Zoe has not gave our family great customer service at all. She did not listen and took our order correctly and was rude since the began. She did not want to take my order and just wanted to rush us. I had to go to the bartender just to get drink. She treated us unfairly and treated other customers way better. Even the cook making the food had to help us get utensils. She only came for the order and to get the check. Her attitude was nasty. Zoe please do better and treat everyone with respect. She killed everyone vibe being there and we did not enjoy our lunch. We even gave her a $30 tip but I regret every penny. read more

Food was honestly great and enjoyed it all. Besides the food one thing stood out about my experience. The great service! Chris was such an exceptional waitress and served me multiple refills of my raspberry lemonade. I will come back to this specific Benihana simply for the great service from Chris! read more

Really excellent food and service. Our waitress Chris was so good. She somehow refilled another persons raspberry lemonade 7 times ( I counted). So I had to try the raspberry lemonade after that and I understand why he needed 7 refills of that. Our chef also kept flipping things to our request. A lot of fun read more

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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Chef was entertaining and staff was attentive! Fun atmosphere for family and friends! read more

Benihana - Encino - HIBACHI CHICKEN FRIED RICE - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

Just updating about another great experience here. Our chef Marvin was wonderful. Super engaging, the food was delicious! Drinks were nice and strong and the staff was as always super welcoming. I truly love this location and highly recommend! read more

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Beni is one of those places we go to as a family to celebrate birthdays or graduation or to bring visitors to. So I'll say I've been going to this location for several years now. I've seen it change over the years. While service is inconsistent you know what to expect with the teppanyaki chef. What I love about this place is the fried rice - used to have shrimp and chicken before now it's vegan. Also even the stir fried vegetables are less now. Guess that's inflation for you. The place is always loud when it's busy. My favorites are the tuna steak, scallops and steak. If you want to save go for lunch as it's cheaper than the dinner prices. Also sign up for the birthday promo - they give you discount for that. Had a few lunch meetings here for work and on a regular day it's not as hectic. Last time I went was earlier in June when we celebrated my son's graduation. What's annoying is that they squeezed us in with a group of 5 so a table that's normally for 8 is now for 9. My son was practically next to the chef so me and my 2 boys are all on the side. Graduation is a busy season -I get it. I'll just say sometimes you get good service with a good server who refills your drink give you napkins and sometimes you'll get a server that's all talk and you have to keep reminding them for the things you asked for. And yes even with reservations you always have to wait a bit. Will it stop me for going back? Maybe not. read more

BEWARE OF SPLITTING CHECKS! 1/20/26 check was $110 and I split it with a friend. He paid first on the handheld console. When I was handed the console, I went to hit 22% tip and noticed it said $25 even though my half of the bill was $55. It seems their device shows the percentages from the WHOLE BILL even when split. If I wasn't paying attention I would have tipped almost 50%. I asked my friend and he hadn't noticed it... meaning he did tip more than his share. When I brought it up to the manager, he said "there is a custom tip option." No kidding, I used it. But how many people don't bother, assuming they aren't being duped? This is shady as hell and I am really disappointed that not only did the manager seem to be aware but seemed indifferent to theft. How many customers are duped by this day after day? read more

My Fiancee and I were looking for some place different to take her parents for lunch. We research and looked. We both hadn't been to this location in a long time. Myself, I had not been to this location in over 15 to 20 years. In fact, the last time I was at this location was with my late Mother and back then it was very nice and a fancy place to come have lunch or dinner. When you came it was special. This is why we decided on coming here this time. All I can say is things have changed. Parking is valet only but at least its low cost and the service attendant was very friendly and took great care of my car. When we got inside, we went as a walk in. There were numerous open grille side table seats that hadn't started. However, the lobby was very loud and full. No place for our elder parents to sit and the type of clientel they had didn't offer a seat for them. The hostess's were very hard to hear speaking. They said it would be about a 30 to 40 minute wait. Which at first I said it was okay, as the car was parked and everything. I noticed that the bar area was very large, empty, but also had tables and chairs. I asked the hostess if we could sit in there and eat. She said you can't see the show in there. I explained, i realize that but can we order food and eat in there. She reluctantly said yes. So we bypassed the wait, the crowds, and had to ourselves put to tables together, get chairs to accomodate ourselves because no one helped us. Kind of felt like the food for less of restraunts at this point. We eventually did get a waiter. You could tell, however, they were not prepped for having anyone sit in this area our service was definitely spotty although they did try and make the best out of it. The Margaritas were superb! The spicy tuna rolls appetizers, total fail, just don't do, no spice kinda tasted premade. The soup. I think it was suppose to be Miso soup defintely just a beef broth. The salad, at least mine had limp lettuce and the dressing definitely had been sitting on it for a while. I ordered the steak, with fried rice, and vegetables. The fried rice was very good. The vegetable way way way to over salted. And my steak, some pieces were cold where other pieces were warm. My plate definitely was on a warmer or something. All in all for the four of us $250.00. Was it worth $250.00? No it wasn't. Back in the day this place oh yes! But now with the food, the service, the present clientele, definitely not.... read more

My family and I have been coming here for years and sadly this place isn't what it used to be. We had reservations for 7:00pm and (wish I was joking) got seated at 7:35pm. The thing about reservations though is if you miss your reservation time they make a big fuss about it and make you wait longer. So, I'm not sure why it's okay for the restaurant to not respect your time but we must respect theirs. Our waitress never checked in on us, we kindly had to remind her of a few things more than a couple of times and our bill was messed up, due to the chefs table discount that wasn't applied. The chicken was so dry and overcooked and sadly I was fed the skin of the onion haha. When it came to the egg part of the "show" which is obviously used for their fried rice, we noticed that the eggs were poured from a container which was a first for us. When we asked the reason for that we were told because of the egg shortage. Cool makes perfect sense. But we started to notice that the tables around us and after us the chefs were cracking eggs left and right haha As you can tell a lot was going on and the experience just wasn't the same. Which is sad because this was the spot we chose for a birthday dinner and it's not like Benihanas is a cheap meal. Perhaps next time? 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

SOLID THREE ON A SCALE OF FIVE I've been a fan of Teppan Grill performance art for many years and have visited Benihana locations in California and Europe over the past few years. Yesterday I had the opportunity to celebrate a birthday at this location and generally enjoyed the experience. My overall impression is that this Teppan Grill restaurant is appropriately ranked at 3 stars after more than 2 thousand reviews, which totally reinforces my confidence in Yelp reviews in general. Highly popular and crowded, I found the facility a bit TOO overcrowded for my personal comfort. I'd recommend that readers who enjoyed their experience perhaps consider a more highly rated Teppan Grill for comparison's sake. Here I felt claustrophobic and a bit rushed. SUMMARY It is to Teppan Grills what Del Taco is to Mexican cuisine....a close approximation but not the real thing or the best, most authentic experience. Just saying.... 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

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

Top of 2026 and here I am to formally report an incident of racial discrimination that my family and I experienced at the Benihana restaurant located in Encino, California, on or 01/03/2026. What was meant to be an enjoyable dining experience ended in frustration and humiliation due to the unequal treatment we received from your staff. Throughout our visit, we noticed behaviors that suggested we were being treated differently than other patrons. Upon being guided to our table another family of 3 by our Host: George, we were told to separate from our daughter so that the family of 3 behind us could sit together. NOT HAPPENING! We were moved to another table with a host whom did all he could to ensure my family and the couple aside us could enjoy our dinner. However, the most concerning and unmistakable act of discrimination occurred upon leaving the restaurant and requesting valet service. Despite our family requesting our vehicle first, several other families of different nationalities who arrived after us were prioritized and assisted ahead of us. We waited while multiple parties were served before us without explanation or acknowledgment. When we questioned the delay, our concerns were dismissed rather than addressed professionally. This treatment was not consistent with standard valet procedures and appeared to be based on race rather than order of service. The situation left us feeling singled out, disrespected, and unfairly treated in a public setting. No family should ever have to question whether they are being treated differently because of the color of their skin. Racial discrimination in any form is unacceptable and directly contradicts the values of hospitality, respect, and inclusivity that Benihana publicly represents. This experience caused my family emotional distress and has significantly damaged our trust in your brand. We visited your establishment in good faith and left feeling discriminated against and unheard. I hope Benihana takes this matter seriously and responds appropriately. read more

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

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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Expensive, even at lunchtime. Choking amounts of smoke due to fans blowing smoke in direction of seated diners. My steak was of poor quality with over half inedible fat and gristle. Not as flavorful as it used to be. The shrimp were good, just a too small quantity for the money. It was a challenge to get drink refills or anything else during the meal. Many mistakes were made with the checkout and bill paying. And there is a $6.00 parking fee even if you arrive early for lunch. Parking on the blvd is extremely limited and crazy busy. read more

For two of us we spent $150($175 with tip) The food was okay(expected better) you can go to so many places & pay less for so much better food. Paying for the Presentation. Paying $17.50 for a Mai Thai & a water for my wife sucked & it sucked when you know it at most cost $2.50 for the restaurant. I don't think we will be back I had a $30 off birthday coupon & that's why we went but did not honor it read more

Benihana - Encino - $17.50 Mai Tai that was really really bad. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

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

I went with a patty of 5 tonight. We had amazing service by, Wayan. He was attentive and very friendly. He took care of all of our needs with a smile. The food was plentiful and quite good. I recommend ordering some he hot sauce! read more

We had a 5 pm reservation seated and on time. Our server Caroline was very attentive and told us about the special steaks they have now. Our chef Miguel was a very talented chef as well as funny. His performance was very entertaining and his food was fantastic!! It was cooked to perfection!! read more

Benihana - Encino - Birthday green tea - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encino, California

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I had a great time out with the family for the birthday. I've been to several locations before but this was a more memorable experience. The service was fast, the food was good and the Chef very entertaining as usual. Reservations on a Tuesday night so the crowd was fairly light, Ordered the Hibachi Delight with spicy chicken fried rice. We were seated with a family from out of town celebrating their wedding anniversary. We had some good conversation at the table. With the complimentary birthday ice cream and birthday song, it was a great way to end the evening. Thanks Fam and Benihana Team. read more

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

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Deeply underwhelming experience at Benihana this evening. Egg shells in our rice. Dirty sauce dishes filled and given out. Cook made multiple mistakes and then didn't bother to refill sauces on his way out. No smiles, no fun. No show with dinner. Owen our server was the best part of the evening! A warm friendly strong start to a poor finish. read more