Benihana - San Diego, CA

Benihana - San Diego, CA reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Review summary

1. P

   Patty VIP

   Las Vegas7 reviews

   2.0

   Dined today

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 4

   We waited almost one hour after our reservation time to be seated. Once we were seated there was a lot of sitting and waiting periods. Feel they were understaffed but a manager should have been stepping in and moving things along, especially knowing people were waiting so long for their tables. Wait staff was trying but again, probably understaffed. Manager should have apologized to everyone and offered some kind of comp, nothing. Hadn’t been there in years and won’t be going back anytime soon.
   

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2. V

   Vanessa

   New Orleans1 review

   1.0

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   Terrible service, they took us to our table 30 minutes late and once seated we waited for another 30 minutes just to ask for something to drink, we kept asking to get a waiter and no one ever came, after being there for 1 hour without anyone attending our table we decided to leave, we even talked to the manager to let him know that it was very unpleasant having a reservation and still had to wait for a long time, but he didn’t really helped
   

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3. M

   Mike

   San Francisco1 review

   2.0

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   We have eaten here on several occasions and it was always a good or great experience. However this time was different because we had a 7:30 reservation on a Saturday night. They did not seat us until 9:00. When we arrived at 7:25 the hostess informed us it would be a moment. We expected 5-10 minutes like a normal restaurant. After 15 minutes we checked back in and the hostess informed us that the prior guests were not leaving as anticipated. Okay, that sounded reasonable it should just be a few more minutes. At 8:05 Benihana sent us a text stating, "Your table is ready. Check in now at Benihana." We checked in at 8:06 and the hostess told us to stand by the "wines " and someone would seat us shortly. Okay ,probably 5-10 mimutes max. Right? Wrong!! We stood there until 8:45 while checking back with the hostess on several occasions. Finally, a very angry hostess led us to our table at 9:00. Total disrespect with no menus. This hostess was one of the most mean spirited people I have met in my life. That is saying a lot as I've had to serve some very angry people in my 29 year career in the airline industry. Do not eat here on a Saturday night unless you are willing to endure a 1+30 wait; and that is with a reservation. It seems a reservation means nothing here. The unreasonable wait and the total lack of respect ruined our family experience on this night.
   

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4. S

   Sandra

   Exclusive1 review

   4.0

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   We went to Benihana for my son's birthday. It was a very busy night and I think we somehow fell through the cracks. After we were seated, it took 35 minutes for a server to come to the table. Fortunately the server knew we had been waiting and brought our drinks quickly. The chef (Trevor) was worth waiting for. He was funny, lively and a great chef. Our food was excellent. We had seafood, steak and chicken, all good choices. It's a bit pricey (about $50 a plate) but nice for a special occasion.
   

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5. M

   Melanie

   San Diego4 reviews

   4.0

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 2

   I was disappointed they didn’t take a picture like usual. I’ve been taking my kids here on their bdays since they were 8 and 5 now they’re 17 and 14 and we didn’t get the annual Benihana picture. We took our own but it’s not the same.
   

   Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Thanks for the feedback, Melanie! We're sorry to hear that your recent visit didn't live up to the usual experience. We understand how important special occasions are and we're disappointed to hear that we fell short in capturing the joy of your family's birthday. We'll certainly take your comments into account as we strive to improve our guest experience. We hope you'll give us another chance to make it up to you in the future.
   

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6. R

   Rochelle

   Unspecified1 review

   1.0

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 3

   Had a 6pm reservation, but didn’t get seated until 7:15pm. Reception and Host were rude. Food was great though.
   

   Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Thanks for the feedback, Rochelle. We're glad to hear you enjoyed the food at Benihana - San Diego, CA. We apologize for the delay in seating you and the experience you had with our service. We strive to provide a pleasant and welcoming environment for all our guests, and we regret that we fell short during your visit. Your feedback is valuable to us and will be used to improve our service. We hope to have the opportunity to serve you again and provide a better experience.
   

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7. k

   kathy

   San Francisco6 reviews

   2.0

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 2

   Our server brought our soup, salad and drinks quickly. Then we waited for over an hour for our 'chef' to arrive and start the main course. He said we were his last group and main goal seemed to be to finish with us and go home For our 5 course meal, the shrimp appetizer was 2 shrimp. The vegetables were sliced onions. And we never got any or were offered any green tea. Basically it was rice and meat. The chef had asked if there were any birthdays and we told him yes.. So, when he left without any celebration, i asked and they sent the server back with someone to sing happy birthday. It was not with tambourines and fancy fanfare that we had seen chefs do earlier. It was sad and extremely disappointing as i believe you pay for the experience. The past joy of going to Benihana's for a celebration is gone on so many levels. Side note - the interior is tired and in desperate need of a remodel. That's it for us, we won't be going back...
   

   Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded 3 days ago

   Hey Kathy, We're really sorry to hear about your experience at Benihana - San Diego, CA. We pride ourselves on our service and it's clear we missed the mark during your visit. We apologize for the delay in serving your meal and not making you feel celebrated. We also regret hearing that you found our interior to be tired and in need of a remodel. We understand that our pricing reflects the quality of our food and service, and we're sorry if that disappointed you. We hope you'll give us another chance to provide the joy you've known at Benihana's before. Best, The Management Team
   

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8. G

   Graci

   Chicago1 review

   3.0

   Dined on April 27, 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great food and atmosphere, parking is a bit difficult and they do charge $8 for valet. We did wait an hour after making a reservation which was irritating but the service was still top notch.
   

   Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded 7 days ago

   Thanks for the feedback, Graci! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our food and atmosphere at Benihana - San Diego, CA. We understand that parking can be a bit challenging, and we apologize if it caused any inconvenience. We appreciate your patience and understanding. We're glad to hear that our service was up to par despite the wait. We look forward to serving you again soon!
   

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9. T

   Taylor

   San Diego1 review

   1.0

   Dined on April 27, 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   Made a 7pm reservation. Wasn’t seated till 8:30. Didn’t eat till 9:30. Show was below average. Absolutely no interaction with guests. Just watched a man cook food for double the price. Don’t recommend.
   

   Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded 6 days ago

   Hi Taylor, we're truly sorry to hear about your experience at Benihana - San Diego, CA. It's always our goal to provide a memorable dining experience for our guests, and we regret that we fell short during your visit. We understand that waiting for an extended period of time is frustrating, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused. We're also disappointed to hear that our service did not meet your expectations. Your feedback is invaluable, and we'll certainly use it to improve our service and food quality. We hope you'll give us another chance to make it right in the future. Best regards, Benihana - San Diego, CA Management Team
   

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10. B

    Bryan

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    The food here is absolutely delicious! Every dish i tried was bursting with flavor and cooked to perfection. Highly recommend the hibachi shrimp & steak and As well Paul the chef is a great cook and skilled chef thank you for your support.
    

    Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded on April 27, 2025

    Thanks for visiting us, Bryan! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your experience at Benihana - San Diego, CA. It's wonderful to know that our hibachi shrimp & steak and As well Paul were a hit with you! We strive to provide our guests with the best food and service, and it's heartening to hear that we hit the mark during your visit. We appreciate your high recommendation and look forward to serving you again soon. Best, The Management Team
    

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