Benihana - San Diego, CA

Review summary

1. D

   Denise

   Palm Springs

   19 reviews

   2.0

   19 reviews

   Dined today

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

   We did not have a good experience. It took an hour between when they seated us vs a chef cooking for us. We will not be returning. The chef was nice & fun but waiting so long for the chef to show up was ridiculous. I tried to speak with the manager & ask what was going on. Manager said that it’s normal. I’ve been to Benihanas in different cities& even this location and it has NEVER taken that long. I do NOT recommend this restaurant.
   

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2. S

   Sogol

   VIP

   San Diego

   11 reviews

   4.0

   11 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

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

   Our chef Peul was great! He was the best! The food was great as well!
   

   Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded today

   Hey Sogol, Thank you for taking the time to leave us this wonderful review. We're thrilled to hear that you had a great experience with our chef and enjoyed the food. We always aim to provide our guests with the best dining experience possible, and your feedback is a testament to that. We look forward to serving you again soon. Best regards, The Management Team at Benihana - San Diego, CA
   

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3. J

   Juan Francisco

   VIP

   Dallas

   2 reviews

   1.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

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

   They gave me my table, 40 minutes after Waiting For My Reservation Period. The Cook was clearly in a really bad mood answer my son only very rude manner. Told him he no any of the tricks. Then they forgot the two birthdays we we’re celebrating they, mixed up all our order. We got our drinks and never got a single refill until we got the check. They refilled one of the sodas. The smell of the restaurant when you’re walking. It’s also none pleasant. Definitely not what a Benihana experience used to be
   

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4. G

   Gbemisola

   San Diego

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined 2 days ago

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

   We waited over an hour . Not worth my time and money. Dirty environment. The food are made right in front you but they can get someone to sweep the floor.
   

   Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Thanks for visiting us, Gbemisola. We're sorry to hear about your experience at Benihana - San Diego, CA. We strive to provide a clean and comfortable environment, and we apologize if you felt otherwise. We also understand your concern about the wait time and the cleanliness of our restaurant. We assure you that we are committed to improving our services based on your feedback. We hope you will give us another chance to provide a better dining experience.
   

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5. m

   mariano

   VIP

   San Diego

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined 2 days ago

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

   Our reservation was at 9pm They seat us at 1030pm We didn’t ordered till 11pm At 11:15 they told us chef will be able to cook in another 20min Completely bad management
   

   Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Hi Mariano, We're really sorry to hear about your experience at Benihana - San Diego, CA. It's clear that we didn't meet your expectations and for that, we sincerely apologize. We strive to provide excellent service and it's clear we fell short this time. We appreciate your feedback and will use it to improve our services. We hope you'll give us another chance to make it right. Best, The Management Team
   

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6. k

   karla

   San Diego

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined 2 days ago

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

   I dinned here 6 months ago and the experience was poor to say the least, dirty restaurant, rude staff, average food. I decided to give it a second chance and this time it was worse. We were seated 1 hour and 30 minutes after our reservation time, everyone was. It was extremely crowded, they take more reservations that they can handle, hostess is rude and I cant blame her because she gets overwhelmed with so many unhappy dinners. Waiters and chef were friendly and helpful but they are overworked and understaffed. After we got seated it took and additional 40 minutes for the chef to arrive and begin dinner service. Food was good but not as it used to be back in the days of Benihanna’s excellence, or maybe it seems like it because I was so upset by the time we were actually served. We got there at 7:20 and ended up leaving at 10:30 and we left earlier before dinner service was over, my 8 year old was falling asleep at the table. Costumer service is not a priority for them anymore.
   

   Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Thanks for visiting us, Karla. We're truly sorry to hear about your recent experience at Benihana - San Diego, CA. We appreciate your feedback about the cleanliness and service. We strive to provide the best experience for our guests and it's clear we fell short this time. We're also sorry to hear about the extended wait time and the delay in the arrival of the chef. We're working on improving our systems to ensure a better experience in the future. We hope you'll give us another chance to make it right.
   

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7. Z

   Zola

   San Francisco

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 3 days ago

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

   Excellent, easy to make a reservation and was seated on time. Hope they keep the Taste of Benihana Promotion so we can visit more frequently!
   

   Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Thanks for the feedback, Zola! We're thrilled to hear that you had an excellent experience at Benihana - San Diego, CA. It's always our pleasure to provide excellent service and delicious food, and we're glad you enjoyed your time with us. We're also looking forward to your next visit under the Taste of Benihana promotion. We appreciate your support and look forward to serving you again soon!
   

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8. J

   Joey

   Phoenix

   1 review

   2.0

   1 review

   Dined 3 days ago

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

   Even with reservations I waited almost an hour to be seated.
   

   Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Thanks for the review, Joey. We're really sorry to hear about your wait time at Benihana - San Diego, CA. It's certainly not the standard we aim for. We understand your frustration and we're taking your feedback seriously. We hope to have the opportunity to serve you better in the future.
   

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9. J

   Justin

   San Francisco

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined 4 days ago

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

   Great for the kids!!! They were super wow’d by our chef Ray
   

   Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Hey Justin, Thank you for choosing Benihana - San Diego, CA for your family dinner! We're thrilled to hear that you and your little ones were impressed by our chef Ray. We always strive to provide a memorable experience for our guests. We appreciate your high ratings for our service and value. We look forward to serving you and your family again soon! Best regards, The Management Team
   

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10. J

    John

    San Diego

    12 reviews

    3.0

    12 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

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

    We had a 7:15pm reservation and they didn’t seat us until 8:10. What’s the point of a reservation if you have to wait an hour past to get seated?
    

    Benihana - San Diego, CAResponded 4 days ago

    Thanks for the feedback, John. We're sorry to hear about your wait time, especially considering your reservation time. It's certainly not the experience we aim to provide. We appreciate your patience and understanding. We hope you'll give us another chance to serve you better. Best regards, Benihana - San Diego, CA Management Team
    

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