Benihana Paris — Restaurant in Paris

Okay, so let me give you two takes in one—because I’m an American who grew up with Benihana-style restaurants and I came here with my French bestie who had never experienced anything like this.

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🇫🇷 From the French POV:

If you’re French and new to this kind of restaurant, you’re in for a treat. It’s a full-on interactive dinner where the chef cooks right in front of you—flames, flips, and all. It’s fun, it’s fresh, and it’s definitely not your typical formal French dining vibe. My bestie loved it. The novelty, the show, the communal seating—it felt like something different in the best way. 10/10 for experience.

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🇺🇸 From the American POV:

Now, if you’ve been to Benihana or similar places in the U.S., here’s the real tea:

The Good: The show was solid! Our chef was super skilled and cooked everything perfectly. She was fun to watch, and honestly, she nailed the food. Only thing is—she only spoke English, so some of her jokes didn’t fully land with our mostly French table. Still, props to her for keeping it going.

The Meh: Let’s talk portion sizes. Whew. I ordered “Rocky’s Choice” (steak + chicken) for €55 and was kinda shocked when I left… still hungry. The rice portion? More like a side dish at a regular Japanese spot. The veggies were tiny. And the pacing? Slow. I like to eat everything together—veggies, rice, meat. But here, it came out in separate stages. So I was basically done with my rice before my protein even hit the plate.

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Final Thoughts: Look, I get it—it’s a new spot still adjusting the American concept to a French crowd. So that deserves them some grace. The food is tasty, the vibe is cool, and the experience is fun. But if you’re used to big portions and faster pacing, maybe grab a little snack before you go.

Still, I’d totally recommend it—for the show, for the fun, and for the “wait, we’re really doing this?” energy. Just manage your expectations and don’t show...

Booking through The Fork was simple, and we were happy to see a 30% discount offered on à la carte items. The interior of the restaurant was visually appealing, and we were warmly greeted upon arrival. We were asked whether we preferred to sit at the sushi bar or the teppanyaki tables. Since we intended to have teppanyaki, we chose the latter.

Each teppanyaki table seats nine, and it did feel a bit cramped, with limited space between guests. Before placing our order, I specifically asked if the 30% discount applied to the teppanyaki menu, and the chef de rang confirmed that it did — excluding drinks.

Our teppanyaki chef, a Filipina, was fantastic. She brought great humor, lively energy, and excellent cooking skills to the experience. She made sure to ask about allergies and reminded us that we could request anything we needed. Her engaging presence was truly the highlight of our lunch.

On the other hand, the chirashi and umami roll didn’t quite meet expectations — the rice was overcooked, and the depth of umami flavor was lacking. If you're visiting, it's definitely better to stick with the teppanyaki.

Unfortunately, our experience ended on a disappointing note. When the bill arrived, the 30% discount was not applied. The hôtesse explained that the discount only applied to guests seated at the sushi bar, not the teppanyaki tables — something that was never clarified when we chose our seats. We raised the issue, especially since The Fork did not mention any such restriction. Instead of refunding the €120 difference, the manager offered us coupons, attributing the issue to a technical error with The Fork.

Overall, while the teppanyaki experience was enjoyable thanks to the chef, the lack of transparency around the discount and the way the situation was handled left a...

I visited Benihana on a Monday evening and mentioned we were celebrating a birthday.

We shared everything in the middle and started with the California salmon rolls (7/10) and Mango rolls (6/10). The sushi was good, but I was missing the ultimate freshness I usually look for. We also ordered the chicken gyozas, which were average. I’d try the veggie or beef ones next time. Although we wanted to enjoy these starters before the teppanyaki, they ended up arriving as the chef was already serving the main dishes.

Each signature Benihana dish includes a miso soup (10/10) and side salad (ginger is 🔥). Honestly, the miso soup was one of the best I’ve had. You also get fried rice (8/10), and the standout among the veggies was the grilled onion (10/10) buttery, garlicky, and delicious.

We shared four signature Benihana plates among five people: • Land & Sea (8/10): the filet was tender and better than the faux-filet option • Benihana Delight (7/10): loved the shrimp, and the caramelized chicken had a sweet touch • Rocky’s Choice (7/10) faux filet and mushrooms • Shogun’s Feast (7/10): also included faux filet and shrimp

It was a bit hard to keep track of which dish we were being served, and portion clarity could be improved.

They have a long list of cocktails so I had two spicy margaritas (7/10 for 16 euros drink).

For dessert, we had the Japanese cheesecake, which came with a candle for the birthday. Unfortunately, my friends didn’t enjoy it.

The ambience was great: the restaurant is beautiful, and the chefs and staff truly make the experience. Our chef was engaging and entertaining, which made the evening memorable.

I would definitely come back, especially with a group of 8 so you can have your own table and chef. Otherwise, you’ll likely be seated with...