First timers to Benihana and it was down right Great! Our chef was Jhonny, and he himself made it a very memorable experience. He was funny as well as charismatic through out the whole experience. Food was delicious, he really prepared all of our meals great and gave us a great show while doing it. 10/10 recommend asking for Johnny, I know we will! read more

I've been coming to the Benihana in Torrance for years, especially for birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestone celebrations, and the experience is consistently welcoming and enjoyable. The staff here is almost always friendly, attentive, and accommodating, which is a big reason why I keep coming back. On my most recent visit, there was a small issue involving a promotional offer, and Jason handled it with exceptional professionalism and care. Instead of giving a quick or dismissive answer, he took the time to really look into it and make sure we felt taken care of. That level of customer service genuinely stood out to me. It's rare these days to find managers who are willing to go the extra mile for guests, and Jason absolutely did. His patience, kindness, and commitment to customer satisfaction are a big reason this location continues to be one of my favorite places for special occasions. Highly recommend this Torrance location if you're looking for consistently friendly service and a team that truly values its customers. read more

Save your hard earned money and go to a family-run business instead. Benihana charges $30 (kids) -$60 (adults) per person for terrible customer service, lackluster food and a disappointing show by the "chefs" whose training seems to be inconsistent. It is clear corporate greed is more important than the customer experience. Emma, the manager, and her sidekick Marine ruined our dining experience rather than improve it. Emma seems to be more concerned with exercising her limited control than focusing on customer concerns. After reading through the reviews dating back several years, she has not changed despite repeated negative feedback. read more

To the Management Team, I am writing to provide feedback regarding a recent dining experience at your establishment on May 14, 2026, in the evening around 7pm which was intended as a special birthday celebration for my husband. During our visit, we were attended by Aaron, whose dedication and amiable demeanor truly stood out amidst the busy service. His efforts to manage multiple tables were evident and appreciated. However, a significant issue arose concerning the delivery of our beverages. Following our order, which included an alcoholic Hawaiian-themed drink for myself and a non-alcoholic option for my granddaughter, we experienced an approximately 45-minute delay before they were served. Aaron was notably apologetic for this prolonged wait, demonstrating his commitment to customer satisfaction even under challenging circumstances. Fortunately, we had water available to drink with our meal during this considerable waiting period. Subsequently, a manager, whom I believe was named Vanessa, approached our table to address the delay. Her proposed resolution was to offer a card entitling us to a complimentary dessert with a future purchase. While I understand the intent behind such an offer, I found it to be an inadequate response given the extent of the inconvenience we faced. Furthermore, her communication regarding the possibility of any other form of compensation for the extensive wait struck me as less than professional, as she firmly indicated that no discounts or alternative forms of redress could be provided. This experience, particularly the extended wait for drinks and the handling of our concerns by management, has unfortunately left a lasting negative impression. While we initially chose your restaurant for a significant family occasion, this incident has led us to seriously reconsider any future visits. read more

The food is will always be delicious. The Torrance location is a zoo! The company operates this location as a circus that serves teppan food. Please don't go here if you, unless you want drama, and bias Management. read more

Benihana - Torrance - HIBACHI CHATEAUBRIAND, HIBACHI COLOSSAL SHRIMP, Chicken Fried Rice - Sushi Bars Near Me - Torrance, California

I really wanted to root for Benihana because you can tell they're trying to reinvent themselves a little -- and honestly, they're almost there. But the experience still missed the mark in some important ways. First impressions matter, and unfortunately the person I spoke with while confirming my reservation was extremely condescending and rude. That immediately changed the tone before I even walked through the door. I was also disappointed to learn they no longer offer the birthday certificate program. For many longtime customers, little traditions like that mattered and helped make celebrations feel special. They do have a new "Friends With Benefits" program now, though I honestly still don't know much about it. Another thing that surprised me was learning they no longer offer celebration photos. Back in the day, those little souvenir pictures were part of the experience. People actually looked forward to taking them home after birthdays and special occasions. It may seem small, but touches like that created memories and made the night feel more personal. The biggest issue, though, is the entertainment aspect. The hibachi experience used to feel exciting, but now the grill show feels outdated and repetitive. Most people at the table barely pay attention anymore because we've all seen the same tricks for years. I really wish the chefs were taught new techniques, more interactive experiences, or updated performances to bring the energy back. That said, the food was still very tasty, and our server was absolutely amazing. Our chef wasn't bad at all -- just not particularly memorable, which feels like a missed opportunity for a restaurant built around experience and performance. Benihana isn't far off, but if they truly want a revival, they need to focus less on rebranding and more on hospitality, innovation, and bringing back the little touches that once made the experience feel special. read more

Through out the years, I hav e been to Benihana. When I did not know much about the foodie-verse this place was a theatrical display of flavor in flame. But now that I have earned my stars and stripes, this place is a chain restaurant with a gimmick. But when I went the last time, the gimmick felt fresh, and exciting. It not feel like I was seeing it for the first time, but it feel like I was seeing it through a fresh perspective. I guess, in. a way I felt Jamais vu--- the notion, offered by the French, that something familiar feels new. My friend Conrad had his birthday dinner here, and I went to help celebrate his place on earth plus 35 years. I got there a tiny bit late. I got there, and I was hungry. Like I slept, skipped, breakfast and lunch, and I was desperate for food hungry. I also had the task of meeting his family for the first time, and I was not in a place to mingle with glee. As soon, as Diego (a server of acclaim) brought the gyoza I went in deep on them. Conrad's brother in law understood, my hunger was well known by this point. As soon as I had one, I knew I had to eat more of them. In response, I asked Diego to bring more of them, cause I wanted to replenish what I had taken. I did not catch the video, but in one of the pictures, Diego can be seen tending to a big platter full of miso soups. His hand is hovering above, it almost willing the platter to stay, in a Jedi kind of way. What I wanted to capture (on video) was the struggle that this young man had as he placed the platter on the corner of the Hibachi, all super carefully, like I felt his sweat as he did it, in a second hand struggle kind of way. His faced showed focused worried, his body showed careful restrain. This effort alone qualified him for applause, as I would not want to teeter a platter of Miso unto the corner of a table. And Diego did it with effort that showed. In a way that makes the act imore heroic because some heroes do their work with ease, others do their work with focus and hard intent. I rather root for the second type of hero. The Hibachi show itself was fun, and engaging, but not something that I can enjoy on the regular, the heat of the Hibachi would lose its gleam. My favorite part was when the chef threw eggs into his hat and then a chic came out--- a wind up toy. It was clever. And if I had the eyes and innocence of a child, I think I would have been more in awe. I am glad that Conrad's family had kids to view and smile upon the chic. The food, although, good is less than solid, more like stable. I did appreciate the miso, and the soup, and the gyoza, but when it moved to the main dishes, they were bland. I had the surf and turf-- steak and lobster. And again, there is not anything necessarily wrong with what I ate, but there is also nothing noteworthy. It stands to reason then, that this place is a spectacle for the eyes, and standard nourishment for the body. It is also important to note that for my self, I was asked to spend 60 dollars in the bill. Would I recommend this place? Yes. Would I recommend it to all? No. This is a place that is a response to a particular question? Where do I go for a meal that seems special but it is not going to demand that I cut my leg to pay for it? read more

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Had a few bad experiences in the past. But I came here once again as I received my birthday certificate. And boy was I surprised. We had a 3pm reservation. We were seated within minutes. Our Chef Daren was very energetic and friendly. One of our waitresses was in training and had another waiter with her helping around. They were very quick and attentive to everyone at the table. I was expecting to be here for a couple of hours. But we were out within 1 hour. They definitely turned things around or I was just really lucky. I hope this will be everyone's experience moving forward. read more

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It's hard to watch something die, especially a guilty pleasure like Beni's for a foodie like me. The food was reliably decent enough to justify crowds looking for a good time with a blind eye to the bill. We'd be there for hours, ordering drinks and sushi to keep us from starving to death before the chef arrived. Elbow to elbow we'd make the rounds; 'what are ya in for?' It was communal. Finally the star of the show arrived, our blade-wielding chef who would turn the grill into an interactive disco, hips swaying to the clamor, flinging jokes and shrimp tails around at lightening speed as he prepared our meal. Salvation had arrived; it was time to get this party started, 'ew-ew!' 10 years ago, I noticed a shift. The decline in food quality happened first. Little stuff - scallops with sand in them, frozen salads and lukewarm soups. Fried rice saturated in too much butter, uneven cuts leading to incorrect cook times and less generosity with the veggie sides. Guests stopped coming for special occasions or dressing up. I came less frequently, but the chefs were still charming enough to cheer me up. I'd leave smelling like onion volcano, joy‑juice mug empty, riding that ginger salad and onion soup high. 'Ew, ew ...' But what I experienced last night shocked me. I was able to book a table during what should have been the diner rush on a Friday night 2 hours before I walked in the door. The bar area was empty, the tables half full, and the menu gutted down to a single page of combos that forced expensive upgrades. The energy was joyless; patrons sat slumped and bored at their tables, barely speaking to their own parties. The chefs pushed their trays in perfunctorily, servers dropped off modified soup and salads at the same time so they were room temperature and gross, and the food was so poorly prepared I didn't even take home the leftovers. The only reminder of Beni's past glory is the cost of your meal; but you won't turn a blind eye to it anymore. read more

Jacob the manager came an told us we had to "wrap it up" at 6:25 My friend and her husband paid over $2000, we were booked for three tables from 4:15 to 6:30 He was beyond rude!!!! Didn't ASK "do you mind, can you possibly wrap up so we could seat someone else at one of the tables" Then when I told him kindly, That was rude, and he could've asked in an appropriate manner he didn't apologize so I walked away., Later before leaving, we spoke with Emma, who kindly explained that the host should have explained about reservations. Her demeanor, her face and her tone was kind, something Jacob didn't have those qualities at all. I don't see how he's working in Customer Service. When we got to our seats, the floor was very filthy The Menus were greasy, but the chef was amazing. I will also be placing a complaint with corporate and the district manager. read more

The taste was great, so delicious! Service slow, but we understand its a very busy go-to restaurant for a special celebration or just because. The bathrooms are not well kept. No, hand paper towels and no toilet paper in stalls. read more

AWFUL. OUTRAGEOUS prices. Waited at the table and hour and 15 minutes to have our order taken. We made reservations 2 weeks in advance. No show by the chef. Our appetizer was mixed in with our food, they don't understand that appetizer comes before entre and separately. They carded our 90 year old guest at 74 year old guest. REALLY?!?! (This wasn't a kindness or a compliment). The Onion soup was clear brown broth with raw mushrooms on top. The salad was Iceberg lettuce with what looked like vomit on top. The hot sake was room temperature. What a horrible, expensive, disappointing experience. If you don't value your time or money, this place is perfect, otherwise keep on driving past this terrible excuse for a restaurant. The days of Benihanas being a place to celebrate special occasions is long gone. read more

Benihana Torrance non-apologetically treats melted, burnt, and gasified plastic on the grill surface as "normal". We had 3 kids at the table. The manager said "it happens all the time". Plastic is known to cause cancer and chronic illness when consumed by the human body. We will also report this incident on Benihana's website. Posting here for everyone's awareness. ... Our dining experience raised serious concerns about food safety and management professionalism. After we ordered, our server dropped a plastic container lid onto the hot grill without picking it up immediately, where it began to melt. We were told the chef would take care of it, but no one addressed the situation for nearly an hour. (Yes we waited for an hour after we ordered for the chef to come) During that time, the plastic visibly burned and produced fumes at the center of the grill where all food is being prepared. When a manager eventually came to check on us, we asked about the burnt plastic on the grill. Instead of addressing the plastic or offering an apology, she told us that "plastic melting on the grill happens all the time." She also repeatedly commented that we "sounded aggitated," rather than addressing the situation or taking responsibility. We had to move to another table because the manager DECLINED to take care of the plastic. We should have just left at that point. For your health, please avoid this place at all cost. read more

Benihana - Torrance - Melted plastic - Sushi Bars Near Me - Torrance, California

Loved it for sure it's everything that we hope for when we want to combine quality meals with wholesome entertainment.

This review is mainly about the cleanliness, which was a major distraction from the dining experience. I arrived around 3 pm on Christmas Day and the restaurant was packed. Even after things died down around 4 pm, the main dining room carpet still had visible food debris, napkin pieces, and grime, and the bathroom was in poor condition with a toilet and sink out of order. The restaurant could use renovations and much better attention to cleanliness. I sat uncomfortably for about 40 minutes before our chef arrived, but once Chef Eric came out, his humor and personality really turned the experience around. At that point, I was able to enjoy the meal. The food itself was good I ordered the hibachi steak. I will do the filet mignon next time. read more

Don't bother coming here, rude reception doesn't like her job Took 2hrs to get our food Manager is incompetent, dirty place... I rather refer you to Tokyo Wako in Long Beach They have great service, Excellent Staff, great chefs Amazing management... If you want to waste you time and money at Benihana's be my guests But I warned you... 0.1 stars if I could... read more

Benihana - Torrance - Trash... - Sushi Bars Near Me - Torrance, California

We came here for the power lunch menu. It comes with soup or salad, entree, veggies, a bowl of fried rice and hot tea. The chef did a great job cooking out meal. We got 2 lunches. One with shrimp and one with steak. Every thing was fresh and delicious. They also printed a photo for us to take home. Service was friendly. Everyone was very nice here. We will definitely come back again. read more

Benihana went up in price & down in portions. They also brought my food cold, because I didn't eat at the teppan table. I've been eating here for 20 years. Today is my last day. read more

Great experience!! It was my first time ever going to a Benihana. I went for lunch on a Thursday with friends. The food was delicious and there was lots of it, enough to take home extras. The highlight was our chef, Jake!! He was lively and funny. You could tell this was his personality and not just an act to put on for us. We had so much fun and everyone from servers to hostess were all kind and accommodating. read more

Benihana - Torrance - Jake is the best!! Request Jake, if you can. :) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Torrance, California

Excellent service from Alejandro. You know he is tired, but did his best to entertain. 4 stars due to reservation at 8pm, got seated at 9pm, and cook came at 936pm. Out of salad, we only had 3. We have to wait for the rice too. Left the place around 1130pm already. People really waited, but it's Father's Day! 6-15-2025 read more

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My friends took me here for lunch on my birthday on April 26, and it was a wonderful time. The food is always consistently good, so my review will be focused on the service and chef. My past week's dining experience was particularly fun and enjoyable thanks to the excellent service provided by our waiter, Chris, and the very entertaining chef, Saul. We had our own table, and Chris was very attentive and made sure all of the guests at our table had everything we needed and kept checking in on us. He was customer service oriented, patient, and very good about answering questions everybody had about the menu. From when we sat down to when we left, Chris made sure that each of us were taken care of and had a great time. Our chef was Saul, and he was fantastic! Saul was extremely entertaining, professional, and humorous. He had terrific energy that resonated at our table. All of the guests, ages 5 to 60 were fully engaged with Saul, and he was interactive with each one of us. We commented on how he was one of the best Benihana chef's that we have experienced. He was so much fun! Thanks to Chris and Saul for reminding me how much fun Benihana can be and what a great dining experience it is. I will be back and hope to request them for my table all the time. Thank you! read more

We hadn't been here in a few years. The wagyu of the world menu drew us in along with the birthday coupon. We had reservations and were seated promptly upon arrival. My wife ordered the A5 Japanese Tokyo broil and I ordered the American Madami ribeye. Our cook, Earl followed our low sodium diets perfectly. He prepared the wagyu perfectly to our medium rare requests. The onions, shrimp, zucchini and mushrooms were served right off the grill and hot. We were impressed at the wagyu and the Japanese Tokyo Broil was extremely tender and full of flavor. My ribeye was very good too, but I think the Japanese Tokyo Broil was more melt in your mouth tender. The cooking show was good and Earl was fast in preparing our meal. It was a fun experience and the food was great and we enjoyed our dining experience. Finished our dinner with rainbow sherbert. We hope they keep the wagyu of the menu. read more

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Let me start by saying this location was not the best it's small the manager and team seems to be a little confused about how reservations work. We waited entirely too long and after we got inside the back where you cook we could see why. It's small and the waiting area is even smaller. This location is great for the being near the house, but we prefer the Santa Monica location as it's bigger on the inside where the tables and chefs are. The food was tasty and our chef Nate was very sweet. There were a few loud birthdays celebrations happening, but everyone was just squeezed in. This location needs to either not over book or learn to handle the reservations better. All in all the food was cooked well and we enjoyed ourselves. read more

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Food: the food was good & the chef was nice. There was extra rice & veggies since there were only 7 in our party (I assume the trays are portioned for a full table, which is 8 servings); he split it between us instead of trashing it. Cleanliness: Female restroom was disgusting. 2/4 stalls lights didn't turn on. 1/2 remaining stalls had pee/toilet paper on the seat and floor. Sinks had a yellow ring stain (both of them!). If this is what the bathroom looks like, imagine what the kitchen looks like! (I didn't see male restroom but was informed that it was also pretty gross) The dining room was maintained. Not well maintained. Just maintained. The carpet was greasy/sticky, but that's to be expected in a hibachi restaurant. Service: They asked if we needed refills on water, but never came by to actually refill the water. One of our party tried to wave someone down, but eventually had to walk to the entrance of the kitchen to ask for water. They eventually dropped off a pitcher and had us fill for ourselves. Mind you, it's not like we asked for multiple refills - at no point during the entire meal did they actually refill the water for us. The server left the wrong check at our table & when I told him it was the wrong check (for about $100 cheaper), he said he knew - he was just setting it down there. We were the only party at that table. The hostess & manager were less than accommodating, citing policy would not allow us to be seated before our entire party arrived because the server could only come out once & they can't allow a non-productive table to be occupied. For a party that took the entire table, the server would only have to come out once anyway & they had at least 4 tables that weren't utilized the entire time we were there. My dad owned a hibachi restaurant for nearly 20 yrs. Working the hostess stand was the worst - putting parties of different sizes together was like playing Tetris, which I'm not particularly good at. A large party that took the whole table was ideal. But whatever. A chain like Benihana doesn't haven't to worry about customer service - they can fall back on the fact that they're well known & wide spread. If you have a choice of different locations, I'd choose a different location or go to a hibachi restaurant that isn't part of a chain - they actually care about customer service in order to keep their business afloat. read more

Johnny made our Mother's Day lunch special. His service was impeccable, and we all had a jolly time. I love his egg spin trick, and will no doubt break many eggs at home trying to make it my own. read more

Came here with a guest who had never been here before. Luckily, we were able to make a reservation for two literally inside of 10 minutes of our arrival. The CSA or Customer Service All Star of this experience was definitely Alvaro, the cook who was as pleasant as he was entertaining. Not sure why this location has only three stars, but we had a blast. We clearly overate, but suffice to say everything made in front of us was absolutely delicious. Alvaro was clearly the star of the show, and with any luck at all we'll have him again. read more

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Best filet mignon on the west side the staff and the chefs are excellent. You must request chef Eric. Chef Earl chef Jake all three are great chefs.... and the manager Jason if you have any problems, he will fix it quickly. read more

Benihana - Torrance - Graduation dinner for my daughter - Sushi Bars Near Me - Torrance, California

Reservations for 8, seated at 9, was told it'd be an additional 45 minutes til the dude came to cook for us. They took our drink and food order before they informed us about the wait! That's pretty scummy. Luckily we were able to inform the waiter we wanted to go and we didn't have to pay for our drinks. Awful restaurant operations and you guys should be ashamed. I've dined at tons of Benihanas across the country for decades and this is by far the worst by miles. Clientele was also sketchy. There were several security guys stationed around the restaurant just to substantiate my claim. Never seen that at a "fine dining" establishment. Unacceptable treatment. Shut this place down. read more

Hello, My name is Rochelle, and I visited your restaurant yesterday. Normally I enjoy my visits, but this experience was honestly disappointing. The atmosphere felt tense and uncomfortable. Employees looked unhappy, and I couldn't help overhearing staff discussing their frustrations throughout the restaurant. It was clear management issues were affecting both the staff and customer experience. Aside from seeing my favorite chef and server, A A Ron, the visit was concerning enough that I felt the need to speak up. You may want to seriously reevaluate your current management before it impacts more loyal customers and employees. read more

Our reservation was at 8:30 PM, and we were seated right away, but we didn't get our drinks until about 9:30PM, and our cook didn't come out until around 10 PM. Once he started, two of our orders were wrong--one person only received rice, and another got something she didn't even ask for. For three out of the four of us, it was our first time, and they hated the experience. They drove hours to come, yet left completely disappointed. Our cook himself was great--he tried to make us laugh--but you could tell everyone was already over it, including the strangers sitting with us. At that point, there was no point in even making a reservation if service was going to happen whenever. It's not like the place was overly packed either--tables across from us were seated after us but received their drinks, food, and chef before we did. By the time they finished eating, we were barely getting a chef. We just sat there watching other tables get served, even though they arrived an hour after us. We didn't want to complain, but thankfully one of the ladies at our table spoke up for everyone. In the end, they gave us a "manager" discount of only $6 off our total, and one of us still had to pay for a meal they didn't even order. One of the workers even mentioned they've been getting a lot of complaints about wait times, so you'd think they would improve their timing--but no. And honestly, that's still not an excuse for how everything was handled. Imagine waiting all day to go out to eat, only to not be served until 10:30 PM--and not even receive the correct food. Instead of fixing the mistakes, their solution was just a $6 discount. It was honestly sad seeing how disappointed everyone left. In their words, it was their first and last time ever going to Benihana. Do better, please. read more

Came in to try taste of Benihana at the bar for a 5 course meal which was delicious! Food did take a while to come out but staff let us know what was going on. Would love to come back and enjoy the full experience another time read more

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Filet mignon they serve, previously good,, is now fatty, chewey, and unapoetizing. Obviously, they are using inferior cuts of meat to lower costs. read more

Disappointment with my recent visit to the Torrance location on Friday evening. I had a 6:45 PM reservation and, as a long-time customer of over 25 years, this experience fell far below the standard I have come to expect from Benihana. There were eight people seated at our table, three of whom were children under the age of ten. Unfortunately, the chef performed no hibachi tricks whatsoever--no shrimp flip, no onion volcano, nothing. The interaction was minimal, the conversation was dry, and there was no sense of entertainment or engagement. I genuinely felt uncomfortable for everyone at the table, especially the children, who were clearly expecting the classic Benihana experience. If I simply wanted a basic hibachi dinner, I could have easily gone elsewhere for a fraction of the cost. Benihana has always been more than just a meal--it has traditionally been both dinner and an experience. This visit did not reflect that at all. I was disappointed not only for myself, but for everyone at my table. Given Benihana's reputation and my long-standing loyalty to this location, this experience was especially disheartening. I contacted the company through the website provided two weeks ago @ www.benihanalistens.com and received no response. It is clear this same template reply is posted under many reviews posted here, which suggests the response is procedural rather than genuine. Customers deserve more than an automated redirection. These "replies" from them want them to look responsive and move it out of public view but its just a PR strategy. Your better off going somewhere else. read more

Celebrated my birthday here with my family and it was very entertaining and enjoyable!! * variety of food choices * fun and entertaining * great service * fun environment * great parking It was overall a really experience for our family. The kids were amazed and ate everything. I wasn't too sure how seating worked - we have a two year old and an infant so wasn't sure if they counted as a full seat because I wasn't going to order a meal for them. They were so helpful and kind to us to accommodate our seating needs and told us that every kid doesn't need to order so don't feel obligated. We order for two adult and one kids menu (which was shared between a 7 and 2 year old). Make sure to make a reservation on the phone - we were greatly surprised how packed it was!! Endless people coming in for dinner!! We ordered - kids : filet mignon & shrimp - adult : wagyu ribeye - adult : land & sea (filet mignon & scallops) It was delicious! Birthday ice cream & and generously gave every one of us ice cream dessert. With an exciting birthday chant and song Sign up online to be a rewards member - for your birthday you get a big coupon! read more

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Jacob was the best manager ever. This is the best Benihana I've ever came to better than Las Vegas better than San Francisco better than Chicago thanks to Jacob 10 out of 10 would recommend Best staff and best chef. Thank you Jacob!!! read more

1st time here with my 2 kids. But it'll be the last. The service was fantastic, thank you Daniel. Polite and attentive, no issues with him. The food and the show was great too. But my ISSUE was with the comment the chef made to my son, he's 12 and yes, he's a bit large for his age. During the fried rice pass, the chef gave my kid a tiny bit, saying "he's on a diet." I understand he was trying to be funny, but nobody was laughing. I wasn't laughing nor the other family. I chose not to make a scene or confront the guy. However, since the chef mentioned my son being on a diet, my family won't be coming by at that restaurant, since he's dieting. Honestly, the chef wasn't in the best shape himself. read more

Benihana - Torrance - Receipt, to show i was there. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Torrance, California

We had a reservation for 7 pm but didn't get seated until 9:15. When we got there they said it would be 20 minute wait but that turned into two hours. It doesn't make sense to have a reservation if they can't seat you at the time you reserved. Once we were seated it still took a while for a chef to show up. The chef was great and the food was good but we left at around 11 pm so it just took so long. They need to hire more chefs for the amount of tables they have. read more

I went to Benihana's for a birthday dinner and it was just OK. In my opinion I mean you're more paying for the ambience and the experience. The food was OK a bit salty for my liking but a fun place to go and hang out with your friends and family and have a celebratory get together. read more

Went to Benihana expecting onion volcanoes and fried rice. Instead, I got a plastic lid melting directly onto the grill, leaving a smoky spider-web looking splatter with a perfect circle of melted plastic stuck to the surface. (see photo) Accidents happen, fine. What was INSANE was leaving that visibly melted plastic on a food-contact cooking surface, which honestly feels like a basic health concern, while we waited forever for food. When we pointed it out, the manager said, "it happens all the time, things splat on the grill." I honestly thought I misheard, so I repeated slowly, "Melted plastic?" and asked, "Did you just say melted plastic happens all the time?" She confirmed it in front of our entire table. Yet there was still no urgency to clean it, only an offer to move us because she loudly said I "looked agitated." At that point I stopped engaging because it felt like she's trying to shift focus from the plastic to the customer. Fortunately, everyone at our table heard the exact exchange. just WOW. Because in the modern American dining experience, apparently the real problem isn't what's on the grill... it's the customer noticing it. Funny part? The moment we moved tables, a server cleaned the old grill immediately. So yes, it could have been handled the whole time. Chef did their best. Food itself was fine. But melted plastic shouldn't be part of the teppanyaki experience... well, If eating plastic is the vibe here, I guess I ordered wrong. After two decades in LA, I didn't expect the culture shock to come from a so-called 'Japanese' grill experience. read more

Benihana - Torrance - For anyone wondering what 'it happens all the time' looks like. (This is not water, it's melted plastic) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Torrance, California

Me and my wife have been here a couple of times. Front end staff is professional and friendly. Our waiter was good and professional. The ambience as usually nice and accommodating. The food on the other hand this time was terrible. Chicken was almost dried and hard. My steak was well undercooked and rice just didn't have the consistency. When you come to a place like this it's almost mainly for the food and experience. The fact that the food came out like this was terrible that only means no one checked it before it came out. I was asked for a replacement but I didn't accept. I'm not one to ask for an item to be removed since I didn't accept eat the pieces that were cooked and me personally I'm not that type of person that would ask if I ate some then I'm entitled to pay. The waiter was nice enough to have it removed. read more

Benihana - Torrance - STEAK A LA CARTE - Sushi Bars Near Me - Torrance, California

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