We celebrated my birthday, just me and my BFF we had the best hibachi chef by the name of Ray. He was totally awesome. He had amazing and fun tricks at the grill. He served us delicious chicken, beef, shrimp, veggies and fried rice! The food was amazingly delicious! He was so kind and so funny! He was very personable and made my birthday lunch so special! Thank you, Chef Ray! Our server was amazing. He had great hair and he kept filling my cup with green tea. He even served us really tasty chocolate and vanilla ice cream to me and my bestie for my birthday! And he even sang Happy Birthday to me along with my best friend! By the way, the server with the great hair! I didn't get his name but he reminded me of Jimmy McNichol from da 70's-80's 😘...thank you guys so much and the manager came out to greet us...she was so such a lovely lady named Emily. I felt so blessed to be there this afternoon with my beautiful bestest friend in the whole wide world! And even the two gentlemen at the front door that greeted us were so very kind. Everybody had smiles on their face. It was like I walked into heaven. Thank you all again so very much for today!
Kay
Excellent location for celebration lunch or dinner especially with kids. Note the many special deals including the lunch boat meals available Monday through Friday. If you are not interested in the entertainment provided by the chefs at your table, the current $39 five course meal is a great value. Reservations highly recommended.
judy
We had Trevor as our cook and he was super energetic, fun and really made us have a good time for my daughters 16th birthday. We werw hoping we didn't get someone who would just cook and leave, we wanted someone who would make us laugh and interact with our party. Trevor was awesome!
James
Had a 7:00 reservation, showed up at 6:55. Told they are a bit behind and can sit us in 45 minutes? Kind of defeats the purpose of open table or making a reservation.
Kathy
We had a very long wait at the table before a chef could serve us. They did bring a couple complimentary items to fill the gap but the kitchen is not organized at all. The chef was very nice. The food was good. The restaurant definitely needs an update. Just paint touch ups would do wonders so it doesn't look so run down.
Michelle
We waited seated over 1 hr past our reservation time for a chef to come to our table. We had 3 kids with us and it took 3 1/2 hrs to finish cooking our meal and leaving the restaurant. Very disappointing!
Sheila
Had 7pm reservation Was told we would be seated in 15 minutes or short time after. Was not seated til 8 And seems like they are short staffed as the table Next to us that seated after us received a chef immediately and we waited another hour before our chef arrived Ordered filet for most of our group and some shrimp. Neither were good quality and didn't match the value Would not return to this location
Brooke
We celebrated my mother's birthday at Benihana recently, and I can say with complete sincerity that it was one of the most memorable, joyful, and heartwarming dining experiences we've ever had—and that is entirely thanks to our chef, Zain. From the moment he walked up to the hibachi, Zain radiated warmth, charisma, and an infectious energy that immediately put a smile on all of our faces. You could tell from the start that this wasn't just a job for him—he genuinely loves what he does, and it shows in every flip of the spatula, every sizzling burst of steam, and every perfectly timed joke. He didn't just cook our food—he performed it, and we were lucky enough to be his audience. Zain went above and beyond to make my mom feel celebrated and special. He asked questions, listened intently, made her laugh, and treated her birthday like it was the most important day in the world. It felt like a private party—and he was both the chef and the star entertainer. On top of the entertainment, the food was absolutely delicious. Everything was cooked to perfection—the steak tender, the shrimp bursting with flavor, and the vegetables seasoned just right. But it's not just the taste we'll remember—it's the experience Zain crafted around that meal that left a lasting impression on every one of us. It's rare to find someone who can turn a dinner into a cherished memory. Zain did that for our family, and we are so deeply grateful. If you're ever dining at Benihana and Zain is your chef, consider yourself incredibly lucky—you're in for an unforgettable time. Benihana, please recognize and celebrate Zain for his incredible talent, hospitality, and genuine care. He's a gem, and because of him, we'll be talking about this night for years to come. Thank you, Zain, for making my mom's birthday so very special.
Audrey Schneider
We came here for our family dinner in with no reservation. The wait was fine and only took around 15 minutes. Hostesses were nice and the teppan chef Vladimir was very nice and gave us a great show. However, everything else was absolutely terrible. Our server was a middle aged woman who was extremely rude and even seemed condescending when we were unhappy with her getting my son’s order wrong. She was pissed off for the rest of our stay. Besides the waitress, there was what looked to be the manager, bald and moderately tall middle aged man who seemed to be screaming at his employees. I noticed it across the room and there were times where I could hear people yelling from the back. The management here is absolutely nuts. The atmosphere was very smoky, the air conditioning doesn’t work, the floors were very dirty and extremely noisy. I am so extremely disappointed with our experience and no restaurant should have such a terrible atmosphere especially for the price. Tables were unsanitary and they were not cleaned well at all. The worst part is the waitress acted shocked and upset when I left a 10% tip. Honestly it should have been 0 and her response was extremely questionable. Very unprofessional and we will NOT be coming back here again.
Loved my chef, Joshua! He’s a mean, lean, teppan machine! He was even able to flip the appetizer shrimp into my mouth! What a guy! The wagyu I had was so delicious, would definitely order that again! The service staff were incredibly friendly, and I had a great mental health day. Rock on Benihana Carlsbad! ?
Was vacating in California and took the family there. Great service, friendly staff, and the food was amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fred Kaiser
From the time we crossed the threshold, we felt warmly welcomed. The service and food was superb. Valentine was absolutely wonderful as a server. He genuinely cares about his customers’ experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jeoong Sung Park
Our table's chef was Daniel. He hardly used any oil for the grill dishes, which caused all the food to burn quickly, and he placed other ingredients on top of the charred remains, leaving everything covered in ash. The fried rice wasn't stir-fried well, so we ended up eating plain white rice. While the group next to us received a large portion of fried rice, we got a small serving that barely filled one bowl. While his talking with other guests at the table, we noticed that the meat we ordered was overcooked, leaving it dry and tasteless. It was truly the worst chef.
The group next to us was already enjoying their food, but we had to wait longer for ours because one person in that group had a shrimp allergy, so he cooked shrimp dishes last. As a result, our family had to wait the longest for the main dish.
The server also treated our family differently. There was someone celebrating a birthday in the adjacent group, and my wife was celebrating her birthday too, yet the server gave ice cream to everyone in that group but only to my wife in ours. This was clearly racial discrimination. When my wife asked for an extra spoon so the kids could share, we were only given spoons. My wife said it was truly the worst birthday ever.
We celebrated my birthday, just me and my BFF we had the best hibachi chef by the name of Ray. He was totally awesome. He had amazing and fun tricks at the grill. He served us delicious chicken, beef, shrimp, veggies and fried rice! The food was amazingly delicious! He was so kind and so funny! He was very personable and made my birthday lunch so special! Thank you, Chef Ray! Our server was amazing. He had great hair and he kept filling my cup with green tea. He even served us really tasty chocolate and vanilla ice cream to me and my bestie for my birthday! And he even sang Happy Birthday to me along with my best friend! By the way, the server with the great hair! I didn't get his name but he reminded me of Jimmy McNichol from da 70's-80's 😘...thank you guys so much and the manager came out to greet us...she was so such a lovely lady named Emily. I felt so blessed to be there this afternoon with my beautiful bestest friend in the whole wide world! And even the two gentlemen at the front door that greeted us were so very kind. Everybody had smiles on their face. It was like I walked into heaven. Thank you all again so very much for today!
Excellent location for celebration lunch or dinner especially with kids. Note the many special deals including the lunch boat meals available Monday through Friday. If you are not interested in the entertainment provided by the chefs at your table, the current $39 five course meal is a great value. Reservations highly recommended.
We had Trevor as our cook and he was super energetic, fun and really made us have a good time for my daughters 16th birthday. We werw hoping we didn't get someone who would just cook and leave, we wanted someone who would make us laugh and interact with our party. Trevor was awesome!
Had a 7:00 reservation, showed up at 6:55. Told they are a bit behind and can sit us in 45 minutes? Kind of defeats the purpose of open table or making a reservation.
We had a very long wait at the table before a chef could serve us. They did bring a couple complimentary items to fill the gap but the kitchen is not organized at all. The chef was very nice. The food was good. The restaurant definitely needs an update. Just paint touch ups would do wonders so it doesn't look so run down.
We waited seated over 1 hr past our reservation time for a chef to come to our table. We had 3 kids with us and it took 3 1/2 hrs to finish cooking our meal and leaving the restaurant. Very disappointing!
Had 7pm reservation Was told we would be seated in 15 minutes or short time after. Was not seated til 8 And seems like they are short staffed as the table Next to us that seated after us received a chef immediately and we waited another hour before our chef arrived Ordered filet for most of our group and some shrimp. Neither were good quality and didn't match the value Would not return to this location
We celebrated my mother's birthday at Benihana recently, and I can say with complete sincerity that it was one of the most memorable, joyful, and heartwarming dining experiences we've ever had—and that is entirely thanks to our chef, Zain. From the moment he walked up to the hibachi, Zain radiated warmth, charisma, and an infectious energy that immediately put a smile on all of our faces. You could tell from the start that this wasn't just a job for him—he genuinely loves what he does, and it shows in every flip of the spatula, every sizzling burst of steam, and every perfectly timed joke. He didn't just cook our food—he performed it, and we were lucky enough to be his audience. Zain went above and beyond to make my mom feel celebrated and special. He asked questions, listened intently, made her laugh, and treated her birthday like it was the most important day in the world. It felt like a private party—and he was both the chef and the star entertainer. On top of the entertainment, the food was absolutely delicious. Everything was cooked to perfection—the steak tender, the shrimp bursting with flavor, and the vegetables seasoned just right. But it's not just the taste we'll remember—it's the experience Zain crafted around that meal that left a lasting impression on every one of us. It's rare to find someone who can turn a dinner into a cherished memory. Zain did that for our family, and we are so deeply grateful. If you're ever dining at Benihana and Zain is your chef, consider yourself incredibly lucky—you're in for an unforgettable time. Benihana, please recognize and celebrate Zain for his incredible talent, hospitality, and genuine care. He's a gem, and because of him, we'll be talking about this night for years to come. Thank you, Zain, for making my mom's birthday so very special.
We came here for our family dinner in with no reservation. The wait was fine and only took around 15 minutes. Hostesses were nice and the teppan chef Vladimir was very nice and gave us a great show. However, everything else was absolutely terrible. Our server was a middle aged woman who was extremely rude and even seemed condescending when we were unhappy with her getting my son’s order wrong. She was pissed off for the rest of our stay. Besides the waitress, there was what looked to be the manager, bald and moderately tall middle aged man who seemed to be screaming at his employees. I noticed it across the room and there were times where I could hear people yelling from the back. The management here is absolutely nuts. The atmosphere was very smoky, the air conditioning doesn’t work, the floors were very dirty and extremely noisy. I am so extremely disappointed with our experience and no restaurant should have such a terrible atmosphere especially for the price. Tables were unsanitary and they were not cleaned well at all. The worst part is the waitress acted shocked and upset when I left a 10% tip. Honestly it should have been 0 and her response was extremely questionable. Very unprofessional and we will NOT be coming back here again.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
You can never change your first impression and the blonde Hostess Paige was amazing! She helped us so much getting the right place to sit and accommodated us in every way. We first had a drink at the bar with a wonderful person named Carly after how lovely she was- I asked if she could wait on us in a section that wasn’t hers and she obliged ….she couldn’t have been more perfect. To be honest this was some of the best food and service I’ve ever had in my life. I was in the restaurant business 35 years and I became a district trainer in charge of seven restaurants throughout California. With that being said, I’m a little particular and just can’t believe how good our night turned out. The New York steak was the most flavorful and tender one I’ve probably ever had in my life. They have a deal that for only $39 you get soup, salad ,appetizer, Choice of your entrée AND Dessert. My son and I will be back soon! Thank you, Benihana for a wonderful evening. Thank you, Carly and thank you Paige. I’m sorry I forgot the manager‘s name because of course I told him how wonderful everything was before we left, but thank you to him as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Go here every year for anniversary. Love this place, worth the cost.
Dietary restrictions: They ask before meals if you have any restrictions.
Kid-friendliness: Fun time for kids plus kids menu that turns into a hat!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hibachi Chicken Rice, Garlic Butter, Benihana Onion Soup, Tuna Roll, Benihana Chicken Fried Rice
Loved my chef, Joshua! He’s a mean, lean, teppan machine! He was even able to flip the appetizer shrimp into my mouth! What a guy! The wagyu I had was so delicious, would definitely order that again! The service staff were incredibly friendly, and I had a great mental health day. Rock on Benihana Carlsbad! ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi Rolls, Hibachi Chicken Rice, Hibachi Chicken, Garlic Butter, Shrimp Appetizer, Benihana Onion Soup, Onion Volcano
Was vacating in California and took the family there. Great service, friendly staff, and the food was amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
From the time we crossed the threshold, we felt warmly welcomed. The service and food was superb. Valentine was absolutely wonderful as a server. He genuinely cares about his customers’ experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Our table's chef was Daniel. He hardly used any oil for the grill dishes, which caused all the food to burn quickly, and he placed other ingredients on top of the charred remains, leaving everything covered in ash. The fried rice wasn't stir-fried well, so we ended up eating plain white rice. While the group next to us received a large portion of fried rice, we got a small serving that barely filled one bowl. While his talking with other guests at the table, we noticed that the meat we ordered was overcooked, leaving it dry and tasteless. It was truly the worst chef.
The group next to us was already enjoying their food, but we had to wait longer for ours because one person in that group had a shrimp allergy, so he cooked shrimp dishes last. As a result, our family had to wait the longest for the main dish.
The server also treated our family differently. There was someone celebrating a birthday in the adjacent group, and my wife was celebrating her birthday too, yet the server gave ice cream to everyone in that group but only to my wife in ours. This was clearly racial discrimination. When my wife asked for an extra spoon so the kids could share, we were only given spoons. My wife said it was truly the worst birthday ever.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 1
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