Benihana — Restaurant in Atlanta

‼️LONG POST‼️ My family and I went to this location (Peachtree St) to celebrate my daughter’s birthday. There were 10 of us, and we had a reservation. We were seated about 15 mins after our reservation time, that’s not too bad. Things got worse from there! We didn’t get a server until about 35 mins after we were seated. Our drinks took another 20 mins before we received them. We didn’t get a chef until after being seated for over an hour. When the chef came out he didn’t have the best attitude, as a matter of fact, he looked angry. But, my family is silly and I think we brought out his personality. He started to loosen up and do tricks while cooking.

We asked why he was looking mad when he first came out. He told us there were no clean dishes and he was a bit frustrated by it. We had to share the rice bowls, which meant whenever he filled the bowl with rice to turn over on a person’s plate he would then have to take the bowl and use it again to fill it with rice for the next person. We didn’t mind that so much, since everyone at the table was family, but when it came to having the sauces (yum yum, ginger) we couldn’t have them because there were no flat bowls to serve the sauce in.

He was missing food items from his cart. He left in the middle of cooking 3 or 4 times to get bowls or other items from other tables or to go find a food item from the kitchen. The server came back with 2 clean bowls she scrounged up from the kitchen. She came back to our table every now and again, but we didn’t get drink refills unless we found her and asked.

At this point I asked to speak with a manager and the supervisor Raul Nambiar came over. From the moment I voiced my concerns and dissatisfaction he said “I’m sorry ma’am,” and immediately placed the blame on the chef and server. He stated “I wish I’d known about this sooner, I would’ve found someone to bring you all clean dishes.” I was shocked!

He then went on to say that the chef is responsible for his own dishes and cart. My question was: how can he properly prepare the cart and provide food and dishes if there are none? He couldn’t answer that. Needless to say, the issue was unresolved and he walked away to get more rude from the kitchen for the chef. Once he returned, nothing else was said. The restaurant wasn’t clean looking at all. Each table we passed to get to our table was filled with dirty dishes from the previous party that was seated. We later found out from the chef and server that there was no one to clean the tables and there were no dishwashers at that location.

Now, I’m not a manager/supervisor in the food industry at all, but when the restaurant is lacking in those areas I think the managers/supervisors should roll up their sleeves and jump in to help keep the restaurant flowing smoothly. The server stated earlier that she understood the chef’s frustration, but that she wasn’t washing any dishes to bring to him. I can’t say that I blame her because she wasn’t hired as a dishwasher. But at the expense of your customers suffering something should’ve been done.

There’s a hefty service charge added to each check for parties over 6 people. And they got a good grip out of us! We weren’t treated properly at all! The experience was HORRIBLE to put it mildly. Management was a joke, the restaurant was nasty, we didn’t have enough dishes, and no drink refills. I’ve known for quite some time that this location is TRASH, but it’s centrally located for all my family members and it’s the location my daughter chose. Corporate needs to get this location in shape and fast! I wouldn’t recommend this location unless you’re ready for a long wait, bad attitudes, no clean dishes or atmosphere and management who...

I’m leaving this review hours after I left the restaurant because I didn’t have time initially when I got home I’m in the hospitality industry and a server In a high volume upscale restaurant, so I give a lot of grace to a lot of restaurants because I understand I really do on the weekends , holidays ,when you’re short staff, etc. however, my experience which was my first experience at Benihana will definitely be my last. It was very underwhelming from the moment we walked through the door. The host was not very pleasant or greeting with enthusiasm at all, we were seated pretty quickly however, once we were seated, we were seated at a grill that still had rice all over it water spots, and dirt marks all over the hibachi table where we were seated at. It was literally almost 10 minutes before a server came to greet us, and it wasn’t busy like literally there were open tables all over the restaurant, and I get that that can be the case if your shortstaffed, however the young man that was taking care of us Cooper by the way, who was for the most part pleasant did not seem to be overwhelmed or busy it was just very slow delayed service. I had read that was the initial complaint before coming here, but I wanted to experience this restaurant so I came anyway, knowing the reviews were pretty bad and mind you I’m in hospitality so I give Grace especially on Big holidays, but the reviews go back a few weeks before Mother’s Day so again that was my bad for choosing to come to this location and I can honestly say I will never be back. It was not Bad. It just was not good for the money that I spent and again I work in hospitality I work at a restaurant where the price points are about the same and guests spend about what I spent for a party of four nightly. The service was just subpar Cooper even hit on me which as a server. I find completely Unprofessional. Nonetheless the food wasn’t well seasoned. The chef was at best doing his job there was no entertainment he tried, but it was underwhelming, and it was my birthday along with Mother’s Day. I didn’t get offered dessert. They sang happy birthday, but it was again underwhelming, and the overall decor and layout of the restaurant and the servers that were there. It just does not seem professional. I had servers walking in front of me where I work guests always have the right of way regardless as to what you have going on and my last point and I’m going to end this review the busser who was probably the worst of everyone and I should’ve started there, but I’m gonna end on this note the busser was absolutely horrible. His attitude sucked. We had spots of food water all over our hibachi table when I did ask for someone to wipe the table off, he came and he wiped the table left it wet. We could not put our menus or anything back down. When I asked him could he please wipe and dry the table again he rolled his eyes mumbled something and I know for sure it was not nice And grabbed a linen napkin to wipe the table which I don’t know if anyone is reading this knows, linen napkins, do not soak up water very well nonetheless it still left a ton of water on the table to which Cooper then came finally to greet us and asked to have the tables wiped again But it was just severely underwhelming for $300 plus the tip again will not be returning. I now know how guests feel on the other end receiving subpar service on a special day and they were looking for a particular experience …………. and I did ask for a manager that was just standing around at the entrance of the door by the house stand talking to an officer. He was not walking around, making sure guess we’re OK. He was not asking guests if they need anything yes, no Bueno I will...

I’ve been a huge Benihana fan since I was a kid, and the downtown Peachtree Center location was always one of my favorite spots before it closed. That place was clean, vibrant, diverse, and had a welcoming, family-friendly vibe that made every visit feel special. So, I was really excited to return for a birthday celebration, but sadly, this visit, along with my last one in Alpharetta, didn’t live up to those memories.

The atmosphere wasn’t what I hoped for. It was so loud that it was difficult to hold a normal conversation at our table. Benihana used to feel like a universal, family-oriented spot where people connected, but this location leaned more toward a party or hipster crowd, which dampened the experience. Even before stepping inside, the smell of weed in the parking lot set an off vibe. Once seated, the people at our table came across as aloof, unfriendly, and overly demanding. In the past, meeting new table mates was part of the fun and ritual, this time it felt awkward and isolating. It’s now happened to me on two visits in a row, which is concerning. Bringing a big group of 8+ seems to help, but I shouldn’t have to rely on that just to enjoy the night.

On the bright side, the hostess who seated us was fantastic, very friendly, attentive, and gave me hope for a good evening. She even refilled my lemonade without me noticing or asking, which is excellent customer service and something others could learn from. Unfortunately, the rest of the service didn’t live up to that standard. We felt overlooked much of the night while some people seated right next to us seemed to get more attention.

I’ve seen reviews praising a chef named Jose, and I wish we’d gotten him, because our chef felt very different. He was a younger guy who came across as disengaged and dismissive, just going through the motions instead of bringing the fun, energy, and interaction that make Benihana special. When we spoke up, he acted like he couldn’t hear us, and when we finally did get his attention, our requests felt like an afterthought. At one point, hot oil splattered onto me and my brother, and instead of apologizing, he brushed it off completely. That was both careless and disappointing.

The food itself was still tasty overall, but not prepared the way it should’ve been. The garlic butter was overused, leaving dishes greasy and mushy. The steak, chicken, and shrimp were overcooked, likely because the chef defaulted to well-done after some table mates requested it, but in the process, our own instructions were ignored. At Benihana, those details matter, and getting them wrong really takes away from the experience.

It feels like this location (and Alpharetta as well) has shifted from the classic Benihana formula toward a high-volume, fast-paced approach. The result is less attentiveness, less quality control, and an atmosphere that feels impersonal compared to the warm, diverse, and engaging Peachtree Center days. Back then, all the sauces were ready without having to ask, portions were consistent, and the staff really brought the experience to life. Those are the things that made Benihana memorable, and what Master Aoki built the brand on.

Benihana has always been a go-to spot for me, so it really hurts to write this review because I have such a soft spot for it. I’m not ready to give up on it, but I’d need to see improvements in customer service, food quality, and atmosphere before I feel the same love again. I truly hope they can bring back the welcoming, family-friendly environment that made Benihana special in the...