I've been a Benihana regular since 1969. I have eaten at many. We came to this location in Monterey as my granddaughters, grandson, daughter, and daughter in law went to the Aquarium. Needless to say, this location did not disappoint l! From the food, chef Miguel, and our waiter Junior it was an exceptional experience. Miguel played up all the drama I remember as a child for my grandchildren and they loved it all! Junior our waiter was 10 service. He truly was not only good at his job but extremely personable and kind to us. He treated us so nicely and we all appreciated his excellent service and sweet personality!! As a well traveled and always love to eat, we can only say what a great time we had and amazing food!! Loved it all!! read more

Booked a reservation for 3 at 8:30, arrived 10 mins prior just to wait another 15 mins to be seated. Downside is being seated with strangers. Everything is very well organized despite the matter. Once you get seated your server asks everyone what they'd like to drink & if you'd like to order appetizers. Our server (I can't remember his name) did a very great job! The food is very pricey in the dinner time. I recommend being prepared to pay $20-38 for a 5-course meal. They don't let you order off the lunch menu during dinner Everything was very delicious. The chef was very funny & cooked everything perfectly. read more

My family and I (party of 3) had reservations for 1:30 PM at Benihana in Monterey, and unfortunately the experience was extremely disappointing. We were seated, but almost an hour went by before we even received our salads. During that time, no one came to properly check on us. I eventually had to ask the host to please have our server at least take our drink order, and I even got up myself to get a glass of water from the bar since I'm currently pregnant and had been waiting so long. What made the situation more frustrating was noticing that tables seated after us had already received drinks, soups, and were being actively attended to. At one point, I also observed our server frantically searching for another table's lost credit card, which made it seem like things were very disorganized overall. After waiting such a long time with little communication, I finally got up and spoke to the bartender and someone who appeared to be the manager. They said they would look into it, but by then the table next to us already had their chef cooking in front of them while we still hadn't progressed beyond salads. At that point, my family and I were completely fed up and decided to leave. Very disappointing experience, especially given that we had reservations and were celebrating time together as a family. read more

Going into this particular Benihana with mixed expectations was probably the safest approach. The food and the experience were just okay, but the place is definitely showing its age. The décor looks tired and doesn't create much of an inviting atmosphere. Service was inconsistent and really depended on who happened to be helping you. The tables may seat eight, but if you're sharing with another party -- it feels cramped and uncomfortable. The food was fine, but not impressive, and the prices feel high considering the overall underwhelming experience. read more

So glad they were able to accommodate our large group of 11 (10 and a toddler). 4 of our groups were kids. The wait and host staff were impeccable and made our experience fun and engaging. The food was exceptional, little pricey, especially the $9 for fried rice, but still good. The one big disappointment was that they do not toss the food at you to catch it. The kids were really looking forward to that. But again, the staff made their experience fun! read more

Came here on Sunday night with my family while visiting Monterey and unfortunately had a pretty disappointing experience. We had a 7:30 PM reservation but were not seated until after 8 PM. After finally being seated, we waited nearly another hour before our food arrived, so overall it was about 1.5 hours before we were able to eat. To their credit, the staff did apologize and provided a couple of complimentary appetizers for the delay. The bigger issue was the food quality. My mom ordered the lobster and immediately noticed it tasted spoiled and could not eat it. The restaurant did remove the lobster charge from the bill, which we appreciated, but it honestly ruined the meal experience for us. I ordered lobster as well -- mine seemed okay at the time, but I ended up with a stomachache the next day, which makes me question the food quality overall. The chefs and staff were polite, and I understand busy weekends can happen, but long waits combined with questionable seafood quality made this a pretty rough dining experience, especially for a restaurant at this price point. Hopefully this was just an off night, but based on our experience, I'd be cautious ordering seafood here. read more

Haven't been to a Benihana in sooooo long. I know yelp rating for this place isn't that great but we went and had an excellent dinner. Delicious! Food and service were amazing! We came and left early so the place was a bit quiet. read more

Benihana - Monterey - Entrance - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

This location is really old and outdated looking. I mean it's fine but the place is tiny and I think they could've done some type of remodeling. There's like 6-7 tables and that's it. The staff is full of young kids who are pretty lazy and don't have decent customer service. When me and my family arrived, a few employees just stared at us and didn't even come to tell us that someone would be at the host stand. They kept having their conversation at the bar so I walked up to ask them if there's someone that could help us. When we sat, our chef was nice and friendly but he didn't do a good job with our food or his show. He didn't do any tricks or any type of entertainment. He was quiet and just speeding up everything as if he was trying to leave his shift right away. The food didn't come out all that good; it was lacking flavors because he didn't pay enough attention to his cooking. We were not pleased. I've been going to Benihana for a LONG TIME and have been to many locations. This Monterey one is by far, the worse. Everything here must be revamped. We won't be coming back here when we stay in Monterey. What a shame. read more

Ok. This was my first Benihana ever. I've had tons of teppanyaki in Japan but this is not that. This is a fun and chill and a who cares experience. The Wagyu course (yes a touch pricier) was the total worth its upgrade to your course and show. You share a hot table with others unless you're in a big party but guess what. Don't do that. Go with a small group. Share a table. Make friends. Don't expect Japan's finest...just love it. Buyer beware on the cocktail list but hey set your expectations. You'll love it. read more

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I've been going to Benihana for about 20 years now, visiting four different locations and probably dining there around 20 times. The experiences can vary, but tonight was truly one of the best. Not only was the food cooked perfectly, but our server, Mark, was exceptional; hands down the best all-around service I've ever had from a Benihana server. Huge shoutout to him! The chef (whose name I unfortunately don't remember) also did a fantastic job, my Land and Sea (filet mignon and scallops) was cooked to absolute perfection. This location in Monterey has the added bonus of being right on the water, with the beautiful Monterey Wharf just outside to explore afterward. All in all, an amazing experience. Highly recommend this location and if you can, definitely try to get Mark as your server! read more

Benihana - Monterey - Land & Sea plate and Steak Yakisoba with chicken fried rice - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

Note to manager. To go orders - just have someone take the order and give it to the server. The server can put the order in and pack the to go order. This charade of calling and being bounced around on hold until an available server can take the order is ridiculous. It's not conducive to the business, the customers experience, nor the server. No one wins if the order isn't taken. Management needs to think about this. read more

Everything well so well. The service is impeccable. The food is 5 star. The Hibachi steak is tender and succulent. The zucchini and onions as well as the mushrooms are delicious. The chef was amazing. The first chef taking our orders was very cordial and made sure everyone got their drinks and double checked our orders. Loved the ambiance of the restaurant. Highly recommend for everyone!!! read more

It's been awhile since we've been to a Benihana. We went for dinner on a Thursday. No reservation no wait. The service here was impeccable. Very attentive. Our chef was cool and our food was amazing! It's very welcoming and bright. Nice decor. read more

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Staff was great they ran out of dressing for the salad and this was the last day of the private owners who sold it to corporate. The food was ok kind is basic but was super excited about the fried rice and had little to no flavor. Kind of pricey for the experience and food quality $250 for 3 of us. read more

Was In The area so we stopped to check this location out and we got in pretty quick and got to our table the service was really slow the cook was good but the service killed it the food was different it was blah won't be back at this location food was real bland I was really dissappointed read more

Order came late and the chef was not being fair with the portion sizes. So overpriced and not worth it!

Impressively horrific service. 3 hours for a lower quality, lower quantity, higher priced meal. Change of ownership seems to have killed the brand. The chef did try his best though. read more

We walked in and immediately got seated. The food was so good it was easily the best food Ive ever eaten. The restaurant itself was super clean nice and every single table so clean. I got the lunch duet with steak and chicken it was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Same with the steak. It came with a sauce that was perfect. For dessert we got the banana tempura was amazing and same to be said with the strawberry mochi. read more

Celebrating my pre-birthday in Monterey and decided to use my birthday reward at Benihana for lunch. Been here many times before so I know what's it all about with the show and all. We had an awesome waiter Pete who gave us some extras for our lunch. Food was good as always but I think the Monterey location is by far the best. read more

Benihana - Monterey - Family Meal Hibachi Steak - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

To start with context, I've been coming here for 20+ years and my last visit was very bad. We noticed that there was a sign informing us of an owner transfer. I had made a reservation over the phone and let them know that it was for a birthday. Upon arrival they asked what the reservation was for and I told them. When we get seated, they asked if there is anything special going on so communication seems lacking. Our server was standing around looking for something else to do when we wanted order more items, server never came and we had to ask the chef. Chef was on point. There is a noticeable drop in quality of the food items. The ginger was watery, gave us burnt tempura, the soup was lacking, the absurd 9 dollar charge for fried rice per person, penny pinching everywhere. When we finished our meal our waiter asked if my husband would "like some ice cream for his birthday". Typically the ice cream always comes as a surprise. We witnessed other parties have celebrations with the staff but we were exempt. Shout out to the chef. Hope he does well. read more

It's a rare occasion for me to experience a place like this. My party of 4 made a reservation way in advance as the place gets packed for dinner time. Upon arrival, we were sat immediately and given wonderful service. From the front desk person to our server and chef, all were friendly and welcoming. One was charismatic which added to the dinner. We ordered a variety of things which included surf and turf, chicken and more. I loved the show we were given. Fresh ingredients, of course, including a glass of recommended cabernet. I'll definitely remember this place to try more of their food and to experience the hospitality. Come hungry! read more

Benihana - Monterey - Teppanyaki Style Cooking - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

Me and my Nana dined here on a Sunday. We were seated at a communal table with a family of 3 and 2 girlfriends, as most habachi style dining is... The table must be at least 6 or more. We ordered the specialty 6 course hibachi meal. It comes with onion soup, salad with miso dressing, shrimp appetizer, vegetables, mushrooms, homemade dipping sauces, chicken fried rice and a dessert option of ice cream or sherbet. Also included is Japanese hot green tea, upon request. For our order we chose the BENIHANA SPECIAL. Steak paired with a cold water lobster tail. The waiter, a sweet Japanese woman took our drink orders first. Then shortly served onion soup first, then the salad with miso dressing. After the appetizer, the chef comes and introduces himself... Antonio was our teppanyaki chef. He was very entertaining, funny and attentive. He was also so hospitable. He explained every cooking step to us, from the sauces to the cooking of rice, veggies and grilling our protein. I loved his sense of humor. He took good care of everyone at our table. He cooked all of the vegetables, chicken fried rice, shrimp and our steak and lobster well. Everything was delicious. After our meal, we chose rainbow sherbet ice cream. It was the perfect ending to our delicious meal. Service: Antonio and our waiteress was perfect. They provided us with attentive and excellent service. The waiteress always made sure our drinks were full. I rarely had to ask for a refill on my Sprite. The environment was a joyous one. There were several birthday patrons. The staff comes out with tambourines, drums, guitars to sing happy birthday. It was a joy to see how much they put into wishing you a happy birthday. This Benihana is a cut above the other locations i've been to. Wonderful atmosphere, attentive staff, spacious and near perfect customer service. I will surely return... read more

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Had a great late lunch at Benihana in Monterey this past weekend! The staff was warm, welcoming and attentive, and the food was incredibly flavorful. The experience is always part of the fun--the friendly chef put on an entertaining show with special visual food tricks that brought plenty of smiles to the table. The shrimp appetizer, soup, salad, hibachi chicken (chicken breast and mushrooms grilled with sesame seeds) and chicken fried rice were absolutely delicious, and the green tea ice cream was the perfect ending to a wonderful meal. The special sauces are great, too. Took half of the entree home and enjoyed it the next day. Easy parking in the nearby parking lot too. Family friendly, perfect for celebrations and there is even a special elevator to avoid the stairs if needed. Open from Noon to 10 pm - convenient. Highly recommended! read more

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We had the best time once again at Benihana! We came with a party of 10. We were seated right on time and had the most entertaining cook that had everyone laughing and having a great time. The location is the best it is very close to the pier. The food was really good especially the rice. read more

Benihana - Monterey - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

Amazing place and very friendly staff. Perfect timing as the weekend was jam packed and today is perfect read more

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BEWARE - This is another restaurant that has now fallen under corporate GREED. After a very long time, we visited this Benihana location that used to be a joy to visit. Unfortunately, this is a location that has changed ownership to being under corporate. Before, it was owned by a nice, welcoming family that was made sure us as customers were always happy with their service and food. Now, it's corporate greed we are met with. Not only have the prices increased (+$5-10), but now they have DECREASED the food portions (visibly A LOT less food, sauces only in tiny plastic containers), obviously are overworking their employees, and have extreme wait times (saw other parties also becoming visibly upset because of how long it took for them to have a chef), which I'm sure is only another result of horrible corporate decisions. It's sad that yet another restaurant will only go downhill after being affected by corporate greed. I'll be sure to warn friends & family to seek an appropriately priced meal where the food portions are minimized to pinch pennies for their higher ups & won't have to deal with long wait times. I feel for the staff that now have to deal with all of the unfairness & have to be the face of corporate greed. read more

This location is super old and I would expect a little more for a location that is waterfront in Monterey. Walked in without a reservation and we chose to sit in the bar area... the hostess was a tad bit unfriendly, but our server was very attentive and nice. Ordered the Rocky's Choice which was steak and chicken which was good and the veggies were also tasty and a plus they give you shrimp... the fried rice lacked flavor, but I didn't eat much of that. Overall it was just ok... i think it may be more fun if you eat in the main room where you get a show too, but we didn't want to wait for the table to fill up. read more

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I've been here a few times. It's nicely located off the pier, so you can totally take a stroll for dessert or just to walk off your meal some. Reservations are a must if you are coming on the weekend. Doesn't matter if it's Sat or Sun. There is some street parking but you are better off parking at the garage or the parking lot for the pier. This time around, we came on a Sunday and had reservations for 5pm. There were at least 3 parties waiting as we walked in. The older Asian lady behind the counter was all business. She was welcoming, but she just emulated dominance. Then, as we sat there, she was approached by a Latina who very sternly gave her a review of what was happening on the dining floor. Then, he told her to stop seating people and to pay attention. She kind of could have done that off to the side so the rest of us patrons in the waiting area didn't hear the whole transaction and made us feel uncomfortable. To the point we all looked at each other. We were seated by 5:30. If you've never been, if you dont come with a party of 8, you will be seated with strangers. Each flattop seats 8. There aren't flat tops for 2, so be prepared to sit with strangers if you aren't a large party. Drinks and apps came out timely. Then, before we were finished with our apps, our chef came rolling his cart. Our chef was funny and engaging. One of the people seated with us asked how long he had been with the restaurant. He stated since 2001. The quality of food was delicious. It's quite an experience that one should have at least once. read more

Benihana - Monterey - Every mom should experience being cooked for and served. - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

Terrible service and they added food to my bill that was not ordered. There may be a communication issue due to language, but they took 3 times to get hot soup to our table. The soup was cold, then Luke warm, then nasty. They kept putting it back in the microwave. The server said they made new soup each time. In 2 minutes? lol. Stay away, bad food, and servers will charge you for stuff they should not. When I told her, she simply walked away. No one helped. read more

We came here around lunch time. We got seated right away and felt pretty private as there was another couple there and that was it. The service was great and the show was also great to see, it was our own private show and chef. We got the combination platter the steak and shrimp and steak and scallops. The food was really good, tasty and cook well. The ambience was just right. If you want to save money go at lunch time. We will definitely be back. Very happy. read more

My family goes to this Benihana every year around Christmastime -- it's our tradition. We like it. We think the food tastes good, and our most recent server was attentive and gave us free ice cream as we closed out the restaurant. He told my brother-in-law that he looks like Jake Gyllenhaal. read more

I really like Beni's but this location is unique compared to others that I have been to and I've been to 15+ Beni's The host was great, the waitress was nowhere to be found but the chefs was awesome and the food was great!! So for me when I read a review what I really want to know is if the person writing the review will actually go back and do business at this particular location again. Really that's all that matters right? It's either yes I can't wait to come back or no this place is not for me so what's my answer? Of course the answer is ABSOLUTELY YES, I love me some Beni's!! read more

Benihana - Monterey - Bring on the Garlic Butter - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

Can I leave one star for costumer service, if so that's what they would get. Today (9/3/25) came in after I called them, I was in Salinas and driving into town ( about 30ish minutes) and they said yes come in well seat you, I told them I wanted the table where chef cooks ..well tell me why I just came in and they said oh we're booked for a large party and can't seat you over there, F*#ken ridiculous, not only did you waste my time you wasted money I spend on parking.. big finger to this location read more

Food was excellent and everyone enjoyed the experience. There was so much food that we took home our leftovers and had it for lunch the next day! Service was good despite being very busy that evening being New Year's Eve. read more

Seated at the regular seating area versus hibachi seating. Server was good . Honestly not as great as if you were to do the whole hibachi seating. Enjoyed the dining bit will opt for the hibachi seating next time. read more

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Honestly we aren't new to the franchise but definitely short of 5 stars . This Monterey location is more intimate than our usual Cupertino Benihana with 14 hot plate grills. Our initial hostess was extremely short and rude the 1st picture illustrates that perfectly . She was *yelling * at our group for not all being at the restaurant. We let her know they were parking and making they're way down . She refused to seat us - that's fine but never a need to yell at the paying clientele . Although we had a rough start with being seated .. the service and both chefs were really great . Kept the show going and the waiter was constantly checking on us and refilling drinks. We were able to have some additional staff help with taking a group photo in addition to the single photo we get . Overall the birthday boy and entire group had a good time celebrating him . read more

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Geeze, where do i start? I ordered a Benihana trio and asked the server for medium rare on the filet and no onions. She came back and wanted me to clarify my order (which was perfectly fine) and I said no onions in the veggies but she could put it in the fried rice (as onions are in the mix). She came back with the order and after eating about 1/2 of the rice, I told her there was no veggies or egg in the rice and the filet was well done. I figured no big deal, a simple mistake. After bringing my food back, I noticed that the fried rice was half empty with the veggies in it. Hmm, did the chef just place my half eaten rice on the hibachi and add the veggies? The filet was now on the raw side as well. I asked for a manager and he verified the chef put my half eaten rice on the hibachi and just added the veggie mixture. I couldn't believe it. How much did they save by not giving me a new bowl of rice? Not only that, isn't that unsanitary by putting a half bowl of eaten rice and cooking it on the hibachi? Wow, I told the manager I couldn't believe the cook did that!!! He offered me a choice of a refund or a new dinner. Let's just say I didn't trust this restaurant with my food anymore. To top it off, they gave me the bill with the lemonade I had ordered. Unreal, they couldn't comp the lemonade after what I was put through? This is the Benihana in Monterey (near Fisherman's Wharf). I will never patronize this establishment again and will definitely tell all my co-workers and students to stay away. read more

Extremely bad restaurant and would not recommend to anyone. Awful food and service was also pretty bad. If it wasn't the only restaurant open on Xmas day I wouldn't go there. read more

We had a wonderful and delicious dinner here this evening. We were a party of 5 and we all ordered something different. I loved my Yakisoba noodles. Other orders were hibachi chicken, steak, and shrimp We had excellent service by Carlos and our chef, Pedro, did an outstanding job on our food prep. Pedro was also pleasant and entertaining. Thank you for a memorable experience and great food. read more

Second time a this location and I have nothing but good things to say. The food is delicious as always , the chefs and waiters are so friendly and nice. The lady that greeted us was super friendly as well we didn't have to wait much to be seated. The restaurant was fresh and really clean! read more