Benihana — Restaurant in Burlingame

Benihana is one of those places that you don’t just go to for dinner—you go for the show. It’s the classic special occasion spot, and we’ve celebrated everything here over the years: birthdays, anniversaries, and probably a Tuesday or two that just needed a little flair.

We’ve visited this Burlingame location several times, and reservations are definitely the move. On a recent Monday night, it was pretty quiet, and we were seated right away. Only one other group shared our hibachi table, so we had a few empty seats between us—love the extra room to spread out!

🍹 DRINKS: As always, we kicked things off with drinks. The cocktail menu is solid, with plenty of sake, beer, wine, and some rotating specialty cocktails. Right now, they’re running a “Dragon Bloom” series—highlight: margaritas with homemade dragon fruit sour syrup.

There’s also a bubbly number called Pink Paradise (Prosecco + grapefruit liqueur + rosemary), and a Sweet Heat Paloma with tequila, blood orange, lime, grapefruit juice, and a spicy chili-salt rim.

If you’re not drinking, no worries—they’ve got non-alcoholic options like lemonade, tea, soda, and a nostalgic classic: Ramune.

🥢 SAUCES: Each meal comes with their signature ginger and mustard sauces, both excellent for dipping everything in sight. Pro tip: ask your chef for “ice cream”—a.k.a. garlic butter—and thank me later. They’ll pop the cup right on the grill to let it melt slowly into buttery magic. I shamelessly ask for multiple refills throughout the meal. It’s THAT good. We even order extra containers of the garlic butter to take home. The price went up recently from $5 to $7.50, but honestly? Still 100% worth it.

🍤 FOOD: You’ll find a few appetizers like dumplings, tuna tartare, calamari, edamame, and shrimp tempura. There’s also sushi available if someone in your party isn’t into hibachi (but like… why are they here?).

We usually go for the main hibachi entrées. I always order the Benihana Trio—filet mignon, colossal shrimp, and chicken. It’s the holy trinity of protein. My partner swears by the Land ’N Sea, which pairs filet with scallops. The scallops, grilled with garlic butter, are insanely good.

You can customize your entrée by adding lobster, shrimp, scallops, or even a NY strip if you’re feeling extra. These dishes come as part of a six-course meal: soup, salad, hibachi shrimp appetizer, veggies, mushrooms, rice, green tea, and a scoop of ice cream or sherbet to end on a sweet note. Word to the wise: upgrade to fried rice! Yes, it’s an extra $7.50 per person. Yes, you’ll regret it if you skip it. It’s part of the experience, and tastes way better than the standard steamed rice. We also like to throw in an order of noodles on the side ($7.50 as well), because, balance.

🍨 DESSERT: We’ve only ever had the included dessert—scoop of ice cream or sherbet. I go rainbow sherbet every time, and my wife loves the matcha. If you’re celebrating, they’ll jazz it up with whipped cream, a cherry, and a candle. Cute, simple, and the perfect cool-down to finish the meal.

📸 EXTRAS: Toward the end of the meal, a staff member usually offers to take your photo. If you say yes, they’ll print and frame it for you on the spot. Not sure if it’s just for celebrations or for everyone, but it’s a nice keepsake to take home (along with your to-go box of garlic butter, obviously).

⚠️ ONE NOTE: We’ve had mostly great visits here, though there was one time they were seriously understaffed and the whole meal dragged out to over 3 hours. That was a bummer, and we took a bit of a break after that. But we came back recently to celebrate our anniversary, and it was back to the high-quality, fun dinner experience we remembered.

💸 OVERALL: Benihana isn’t exactly budget dining, especially if you’re having drinks or splurging on extras—but it’s always a good time. Between the dinner-and-a-show vibe, the garlic butter obsession, and the celebratory energy, it’s a worthwhile splurge. If you’re in Burlingame and in the mood for hibachi theatrics, come check out...

Last Saturday, March 22nd, my husband and I had lunch in Benihana in Burlingame. Upon arrival, we were promptly seated by the Manager, who I believe was Rose, even though we did not have a reservation.

During our meal, we shared a Hibachi table with another couple and a group of three friends. For context, the other guests and our cook primarily spoke in Spanish, creating a convivial atmosphere among themselves.

My husband ordered the Hibachi chateaubriand. He is the only one who ordered that on our table. However, when the cook was portioning the steak, he served my husband a portion and then offered a small piece to one of the other guests, which we found very odd. We have dined at Benihana many times and are accustomed to receiving the entire steak when ordering that dish.

We decided to wait until the end of our meal to address the issue. Before leaving, I spoke with Rose to express my concern. She confirmed that the chateaubriand order should include the entire portion of steak. Rose spoke with the cook and relayed to me that he insisted he had given my husband the correct amount. I chose not to argue, but I assured her that we had clearly seen otherwise. She then provided me with a "scratch and reveal" coupon, claiming it was for $10 off and a complimentary dessert. While I appreciated the gesture, I mentioned it wasn't necessary.

Upon arriving home, I scratched off the coupon to discover that it was only for complimentary desserts. Given that ice cream is already complimentary with a meal, I was quite disappointed. More importantly, the coupon did not include the $10 discount that was offered. Its not even about the $10 or desserts, but It felt insulting to be given a coupon with false promises, as if to simply dismiss our concerns.

It was a very disappointing...

This restaurant standards has reduced quite a bit. It does not have that special treat feeling anymore. Benihana,🎶"You lost that loving feeling..oh that loving ..🎶

The front reception staff were great & friendly😊. The bar staff were great & friendly😊 and the valet staff were great and friendly.😊

The ambiance is that of the Sizzler now. The ladies restroom was dirty, we observed a food staff reach in the garage then shortly after touch another staff. Apparently by the unfriendly antics of one white waiter there, his amount of respect and great service given is surmised by the color of one's skin

The small six table dining room near the bar is not romantic or cultural but cozy. It is bare basic wooden chair & table with a very high ceiling. The room can get very loud according to guests enthusiasm. The view however is nice especially during a full moon and when the tide comes in. Watching the planes depart and land can be a soothing part of dining. Nearly everyone was in the new fashion norm–dress down friday.😝

The chicken fried rice based on friends and previous reviews was better but is still good. We did not like the soft shell crab. The tempura shrimp was good but the egg rolls were fried too hard. I discovered that wakame is extra delicious with twist of lemon.🍋

The prices are higher than what I expected🤑 and the food portions less but it's the view, the fascinating table side culinary knife shows, the service and ambiance to enjoy in good company that we pay for. Unless you get the six course meal don't expect to leave with a doggie bag; a puppy bag, maybe.🐾

Plan to return with the group to order one of each of the 6...