Benihana - New York, NY

Review summary

1. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Lower Saxony1 review

   1.0

   Dined today

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

   I was really looking forward to dining at Benihana, expecting the exciting and engaging teppanyaki experience that the restaurant is known for. Unfortunately, our visit was quite a letdown. First, I want to acknowledge that our server was fantastic—attentive, friendly, and professional. However, the chef who prepared our meal was far from the high-energy, entertaining experience we anticipated. He seemed rushed, unorganized, and lacked the usual showmanship that makes Benihana special. There were barely any tricks, no interaction with the guests, and the overall performance felt uninspired. On top of that, cleanliness was an issue. The cooking station looked messy, and the chef did not handle ingredients with the level of care I would expect from a restaurant of this reputation. It made the experience feel sloppy rather than exciting. When we brought up our concerns to the manager, we were met with little more than a shrug. He seemed disinterested and did not make any effort to address our disappointment. Customer service at this level should be much better. For the price we paid, we expected a great meal and a fun experience. Instead, we got neither. While the server did their best, the chef and management really dropped the ball. I won’t be returning to this location, and I wouldn’t recommend it to others looking for the classic Benihana experience.
   

   Is this helpful?

2. A

   Aziliz

   New York City1 review

   5.0

   Dined 2 days ago

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

   High-quality for high price but impossible to finish our plate. We can bring the rest of food. It's perfect. Thank you very much for the show!!
   

   Benihana - New York, NYResponded 1 day ago

   Thanks for the feedback, Aziliz! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our food and service at Benihana - New York, NY. We understand that dining with a large group can be a challenge and we're glad we could provide you with a memorable experience. Your kind words are greatly appreciated and we're looking forward to your next visit. See you soon!
   

   Is this helpful?

3. R

   Ralph

   New York City1 review

   1.0

   Dined 7 days ago

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

   Firstly, I would like to give compliments to our server Saul. He was incredibly helpful and supportive even though the rest of the experience was a complete flop. With the chef being very fast, no entertainment even though we told him we brought people to Benihana for the first time. The food was also everything but the Benihana standard, meat was cooked well done when asked for medium rare, no flavor in rice, no consideration of allergies and preferences. When the manager came out he did not seem to care about the concerns and gave us a discount that was more of an insult rather than a solution. With the manager coming back for a second time, even the chef came in the restaurant to yell at us when he heard we were talking about the experience. The manager did apologize for that behavior even though he let the chef speak for 2 minutes too long. Having informed him that we were disappointed he kept pointing out that chef Roy had never been critized in his 27 years of working there even though multiple others told us it’s not the first time. Ultimately, a solution was found after 30 minutes with the only response from the manager “just don’t come back here” - we were shocked but so be it. Saul nevertheless, told us that if we ever come back to ask for him and he will make sure we are taken care of. Therefore, nothing but praise for him, it’s a shame his job is made so much more difficult by tricky management and kitchen staff.
   

   Benihana - New York, NYResponded 6 days ago

   Hi Ralph, We're truly sorry to hear about your experience at Benihana - New York, NY. It's disappointing to know that we didn't meet your expectations, especially with regards to service and food quality. We take your feedback seriously and will be addressing these issues with our team. We're glad to hear that our server made a positive impact, and we hope that despite this setback, you'll consider coming back to us for a better experience. Best, The Management Team
   

   Is this helpful?

4. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   New York City1 review

   5.0

   Dined 7 days ago

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

   Are yearly tradition to come to Benihana for my son‘s birthday. This year, our server outdid himself he was really gracious and very attentive. Our chef was phenomenal very friendly. Did a beautiful job in preparing all the food right in front of us and it was delicious. We even got a complementary birthday ice cream, Buddha mug, and photo as a gift at the end of the evening as a birthday present For my child. Benihana is a great place to go for special occasions. I highly recommend it ! 
   

   Benihana - New York, NYResponded 6 days ago

   Dear Guest! We're thrilled to hear that you choose Benihana - New York, NY for your yearly tradition. It's wonderful to know that our team made your son's birthday memorable. We're glad that you enjoyed the food and found our service to be exceptional. It's always our pleasure to make special occasions extra memorable. We appreciate your high recommendation and look forward to serving you again soon. Thanks for choosing Benihana!
   

   Is this helpful?

5. A

   Annette

   New York City3 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 5 March 2025

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

   The food was great and the service was excellent. I do recommend this place. You can come with, family, friends or a date.
   

   Benihana - New York, NYResponded 6 days ago

   Hi Annette, We're thrilled to hear that you had a great dining experience at Benihana - New York, NY! It's wonderful to know that you enjoyed our food and found our service excellent. Your recommendation means a lot to us. We always strive to make our guests' experiences memorable and we're glad we could do that for you. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to welcoming you and your group back soon. Best regards, The Management Team
   

   Is this helpful?

6. K

   Kawana

   New York City2 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 5 March 2025

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

   Great atmosphere, great food, great service! Would definitely go again.
   

   Benihana - New York, NYResponded 7 days ago

   Thanks for visiting us, Kawana! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the atmosphere, food, and service at Benihana - New York, NY. Your kind words mean a lot to our team. We strive to provide an exceptional dining experience and it's always rewarding to hear when we've succeeded. We look forward to welcoming you back soon! Best, The Management Team
   

   Is this helpful?

7. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   New York City4 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 3 March 2025

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

   Excellent. Food was fresh and the drinks were really good
   

   Is this helpful?

8. S

   Stéphanie

   Montreal2 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 2 March 2025

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

   Haque Was just superb! A really Nice Guy and chef, Thanks to enjoy our experience 💖
   

   Benihana - New York, NYResponded on 4 March 2025

   Thanks for the feedback, Stephanie! We're thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful time dining with us at Benihana - New York, NY. It's always our goal to provide a stellar experience for our guests. We're glad you enjoyed the food and service. We look forward to serving you again soon!
   

   Is this helpful?

9. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   New York City1 review

   3.0

   Dined on 2 March 2025

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

   Waited an hour for my reservation to be ready when I had booked in advance for a group of 8
   

   Benihana - New York, NYResponded on 3 March 2025

   Dear Guest! Thanks for the feedback. We're really sorry to hear about the long wait you experienced, especially with your reservation in advance. We understand how frustrating that can be and we apologize for any inconvenience. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed our service, and we hope that the issues you faced are the exception rather than the norm. Your comments will certainly be taken into account as we strive to improve our service. We hope to see you again soon for a more pleasant experience.
   

   Is this helpful?

10. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles3 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on 2 March 2025

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

    Waited for over an hour to be seated for a **reservation**
    

    Benihana - New York, NYResponded on 3 March 2025

    Dear Guest! Thanks for visiting us at Benihana - New York, NY. We're truly sorry to hear about your experience. It's disappointing to know that you had to wait for over an hour to be seated for a reservation, despite having a confirmed reservation. This is not the standard we aim for. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention and we'll ensure we take necessary steps to improve our reservation system. We hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future.
    

    Is this helpful?