Benihana

My husband and I love the hibachi grill experience but were VERY disappointed with Benihana in Seattle! The soup was just chicken broth, they charged extra for fried rice, the chicken was chewy, and they didn't even have the traditional orange shrimp sauce!!! There wasn't much of a show and the server wasn't particularly polite either. The only good thing was the sushi and drinks. We are definitely going to try some other places in the area, because this was not worth the $75 for two people!!!

Pros: good sushi and drinks

Cons: Terrible service, gross entrees, way too expensive!

Posted 09/27/08

I have been to the restaurant two times this month, once for grill and once for sushi. It was great experience to have food enjoying chef's performance for grill. But in the second visit for sushi, I was really annoyed by the terrible service of a waiter. She throwed forks, spoons, and glasses on the table. As my friends and I order more food, the service got better.

If you are to enjoy sushi, it would be much better to be served by chef on the bar.

Pros: grill, chef's performance

Cons: service in the sushi lounge

Posted 04/23/08

I've been to Benihana many times and the service in the sushi bar is had been pretty good. But lately, it's been pretty bad. A week ago my wife and I had sushi in the lounge and I have to admit the the food was terrific. Unfortunately, the service was terrible. We ordered a bottle of premium sake and not only did the server serve it with unmatching glasses, tacky if you ask me, they were dirty and covered in some kind of film. The server was extremely slow to bring our drinks, apathetic and at times rude. Here's a helpful hint, sit at the sushi bar and get served by the chefs.

Pros: Fresh Sushi

Cons: Sushi Bar/Lounge Service

Posted 11/15/07

Although it can be a bit crowded this is one of my favorite restaurants from the chain. Always a great time.

Posted 11/02/07

About 6 months ago, I had my first experience at a Japanese steakhouse, a Benihana knock-off in a strip mall in Renton. It was an exciting and fun experience, although a bit salty. I assumed that Benihana would be even better, and took my mother there for her birthday last night. Although the food was a bit better, and less salty than the other, the "show" left much to be desired. Our chef seemed very tired and eager to go home, and mumbled his way through cooking our meal with no excitement whatsoever. I expected flames, flying food, jokes, etc. Although I certainly can't complain about how our food turned out, we might as well have sat at a table and had our food brought to us. Don't make the drive to downtown and pay for parking if there is a japanese steakhouse nearby. I'm going to try the Japanese Steakhouse in Woodinville (same distance, free parking) and see if their chef can stay awake while cooking!

Pros: convenient downtown location, high quality ingredients

Cons: downtown parking, lazy servers, tired chef

Posted 10/31/07

great Japanese Sushi place! Be yourself: If you're an expert on burgers, let us know. If this is your first-time massage, say so.
Compare apples to apples: Burger joints shouldn't be held to the same standards as four-star restaurants. Be conversational: Write it as if relaying your experience to a good friend.

Posted 09/16/07

We went to Benihana for a birthday celebration and had a great time. It was fun to get to know the people sitting at our table and eat in a social atmosphere. We were sat at a back table and so unfortunately service for drinks was a little slow and unattended to. We also had a later reservation, and the chef was obviously tired of entertaining for the day. Overall the food was delicious and timely compared to everyone else's at the table. We had a fun and entertaining experience and would go there again!

Pros: Delicious, FRESH food, fun atmosphere, unique dining experience

Cons: Tired chef

Posted 05/28/07

I had the worst dining experience ever at Benihana last night. The service was terrible, the food mediocre, and the "show" tired at best. We made reservations for 6:00. We arrived ten minutes early and yet had to wait (standing) for 45 agonizing minutes. With two children and two adults over 90 years, this was not a happy start. The hostess kept telling us "another 5 minutes" - about four times. People, arriving after us were seated before us. If it was just my wife and I, we would have cut out after twenty, but it was a special occasion and we suffered through the wait. The sushi was on par with day-old bento, the chicken had as much taste as old shoe leather, and, instead of Kobe beef, they chop the steak into inch cubes to tenderize the gristle. The soup looked and tasted like dishwater. For $25-39 per person it was not only mediocre, but about as poor a value as I've ever had, anywhere. The show consisted of some tired jokes, and clashing knives and metal spatulas. In response to some questions, our "chef," appeared indifferent and indignant. I think he couldn't wait to get off shift and kick back with a beer and his tv. The next table actually got thrilled by having a raw egg thrown in one of their cocktails and splashing on the poor nattily dressed woman. The noise was about the same as dining under the Alaskan Way viaduct. You could only really converse with the person next to you. If your party is larger than two, be prepared to use a megaphone, and feel free to share your thoughts with the strangers at your table. For this dining experience, at over $30 a head, you get to sit picnic style with whomever the management cares to throw you together with. And yes, we too suffered through the smoke and haze and raced home to throw all our clothes in the wash. My advice: avoid Benihana and spend your hard earned dough somewhere, anywhere, else.

Pros: Bottled beer

Cons: Everything else

Posted 05/14/07

Still one of the best. After renovation back in 2005, this place is a great place to dine. Before, it was too smoky. It's fun, entertaining, food is good, and they take Microsoft's passport card! (buy one and get one free)

Okay, let's not have all of the Microsoft employees go there at once, or else they will stop accepting the passport. Regardless, the sushi is surprising one of the best and the steak is good quality.

Happy Eating!

Pros: Entertaining and fun place to dine, great food

Cons: the seating can be a bite tight for those larger set.

Posted 03/25/07

I absolutely love Benihana's. It is the best restaurnat anywhere. The price is good (though the portions are small), and they have the best food ever. I love their shrimp, salad dressing, and their soup is delicious! I would have to say that my favorite thing there would be their fried rice. Its the best fried rice in the world! Everytime I go to this restaurannt I have to get their fried rice instead of their white rice. I recommend this restaurant to all of my friends that are looking for a nice place to have a fabulous dinner.

Pros: All the food that I have tried there is fab-u-lous!

Cons: Small portions, though you will be full when you leave

Posted 12/03/06

Benihana's is always good. The chefs are nice and very entertaining. Their sushi is pretty good. I especially like their vegetable delight and rocky's choice. Their drinks, like their tokyo peach, are pretty decent.

Pros: Good food, good chefs

Posted 11/23/06

I was so sad when Nikko closed its doors...where would I get sushi for lunch, let alone all you can eat sushi at a great value? thank goodness for Benihana. They have a surprising variety for their sushi buffet and it's all fresh... For under $15? That's quite a bargain for sushi lovers like me, who've been known to eat their weight in raw fish and sushi rice!

Posted 11/03/06

Once we got our table (took forever) the experience was well worth it. Scrumptious sea food and beef sautes, and the chef actually flung a shrimp right into my friends mouth. Interactive, entertaining, and delicious, great for a group.

Posted 10/12/06

I have to admit the price was a bit on the high end for the food we had.
However, if you like a fun, interactive dinner place, I would recommend friends to visit this place. Quality of the food was excellent, (it only lacked in variety) and chef was entertaining.
I'm thinking about going back there for their all-you-can-eat sushi lunch specials.
It was definitely worth a visit.

Posted 07/18/06

I visited Benihana last night with a few friends and it was great. Our chef had a pretty green hat, twirled his knife and spatula, and made the coolest volcano out of an onion.

The food was really awesome - I had steak and shrimp. Also, they have drinks in cool ceramic muge shaped like the chef.

It may be my favorite dining place ever. Two thumbs up for Benihana.

KBH

Pros: Food, green hat, the show

Posted 08/17/04

Went for a friend's birthday and had a great time! Lots of fun for groups. Our chef wore a light blue hat and had an incredible laugh. Also saw a young chef with a pink hat at the table next to us that went CRAZY with his utensils and salt and pepper shakers! Steak and seafood was delicious. Enjoyed the sushi too. Service was good and staff was friendly. I will definitely be back.

Pros: Fun chefs, Good food, Friendly staff

Posted 05/26/04

The chefs were apathetic (barely entertaining or engaging in the least). The chef just spit out recited material every so often, while never showing signs of having fun.

The serving portions were very small. Unlike most hibachi restaurants, I walked away with an empty stomach. On top of the portion sizes, the prices were exorbitant for what you get.

There are A LOT better hibachi places that charge about the same (or less) but have better staff, more energy, and bigger portions. The last time we went (in a group of 10), no one had anything good to say about Benihana's anymore. Apparently, they have past their prime.

Pros: Pat Morita ate there

Cons: , Small Portions, Apathetic Staff

Posted 03/06/04

Oh. OH. The best place ever. The (weekday) lunchtime all-you-can-eat buffet is a steal! Not only is the sushi amazing, the sushi chefs (is that the right term??) are ridiculously pleasant - One in particular has made something of a habit of sending plates of what's he's observed to be our favorites over so that we don't have to wait as another round are prepared. The salmon and unagi, in particular, almost literally melt in your mouth - buttery and perfect. I seriously can't say enough good things about this place.

Pros: Inexpensive, Great staff, Fantastic food

Cons: Occasionally crowded

Posted 01/15/04