Benihana — Restaurant in Chandler

First time here, extremely disappointing experience. One star for the chef, Carlos, because he was engaging and entertaining the entire meal, very considerate as to asking our preferences, allergies, etc. great guy. I don’t blame him at all for how the food turned out, and he did do a good job on some scallops.

I’ll start off by saying we had a reservation for 7:15pm, we got there on time but had to wait outside where it was rather cold for about 15 minutes to be seated. By 9:00pm, we still had not seen our chef yet and ordered another round of drinks by that time. I understand short staffing, but over an hour wait WITH reservation is ridiculous.

I did a bit of research before I came, and the food performed as expected…and much worse. You should know that in the food world Benihana is not known for being authentic - the articles I read mentioned sushi not worth eating, bland onion soup and a boring salad - and they were right. Onion soup broth tasted literally like Cup Noodle soup water but somehow, with less taste. Cup noodles would have been more flavorful.

The salad is just the same as any salad, except they dump this bitter ginger mustard sauce on it - it quite literally looks like someone threw up on the salad, and tastes as much like it. Furthermore that same sauce is served with a ‘mustard sauce’ to accompany the appetizers and entrees, but they are nearly the same in taste and bitterness except the mustard sauce lacks ginger mulch in it.

As for the rest of the food, it tasted like gasoline, except for the fried rice, which despite heaping amounts of garlic butter, had less taste than fried rice you could buy in a Safeway deli.

My tuna steak was dry and flavorless, besides the overwhelming taste of sesame and burnt oil, and it was like trying to eat cotton balls despite the fact it was cooked medium rare. All other vegetables unfortunately accumulated a burnt oil taste as well. Trying to stomach bites of it made me feel ill due to the taste and smell. Not to mention I believe the majority of our meals came with green tea…not a single one of us were offered that item. Totally forgotten about.

The chef said himself that the grill was dirty when he was finished cooking, and put in a lot of effort to make it look clean again - and indeed, when we were seated, I noticed bits of fried rice and noodles along the sides of the grill, as well that it was dark in the middle. When he left, it was far cleaner than it had been when he arrived. I assume the dirty grill was most likely responsible for the taste of gasoline on most of the food.

While my family, thankfully, enjoyed their meal without noticing anything amiss, I saw that the party of four seated with us likewise didn’t eat more than a few bites of their food, looking just as disappointed as I was.

Really such a letdown. I hate to give a bad review, but unfortunately the food thoroughly deserved it. Certainly not worth hundreds of dollars for such terrible food. And to think that at least the burned taste of the food might have been averted if the chef who cooked beforehand there had bothered to clean the grill properly. A shame that my first experience here was so underwhelming, and I feel I may never go to one again because of how...

A Five-Star Experience at Benihana: Eamon the Chef and Josh the Server Shine

Dining at Benihana is always an exciting experience, but my recent visit was truly exceptional, thanks to the incredible service from our chef, Eamon, and our server, Josh. From the moment we arrived, the evening was filled with great food, top-tier hospitality, and an engaging hibachi performance that made our meal unforgettable.

Warm Welcome and Outstanding Service

As soon as we were seated, Josh greeted us with a big smile and made us feel at home. He took the time to explain the menu, offer drink recommendations, and ensure that everyone at the table had exactly what they wanted. Whether it was water, soft drinks, or cocktails, Josh was quick and efficient in bringing our drinks and refilling them throughout the night without us ever having to ask. His friendly and professional demeanor set the tone for a fantastic evening.

Josh also paid close attention to details, ensuring that any dietary restrictions or preferences were carefully noted before our chef began cooking. He made sure everyone had the right sauces, extra napkins, and anything else we needed. His attentiveness and positive attitude made the experience even more enjoyable, as we never felt like we had to flag him down—he was always a step ahead.

Eamon’s Spectacular Hibachi Performance

When Eamon arrived at the grill, we knew we were in for a treat. He greeted everyone with enthusiasm and immediately engaged the table with his humor and skill. Right from the start, his knife tricks, egg juggling, and signature onion volcano had everyone captivated. He turned cooking into an art form, making the experience as entertaining as it was delicious.

Beyond the theatrics, Eamon’s cooking was top-notch. Every dish was prepared with precision, and he made sure that each guest’s steak, chicken, or seafood was cooked exactly to their liking. The fried rice was one of the best I’ve ever had—perfectly seasoned and cooked with just the right amount of flair. He even customized the dishes for those who preferred less soy sauce or extra garlic, ensuring that everyone got a meal tailored to their taste.

Eamon’s personality truly set him apart. He made jokes, asked us about our day, and created a lively atmosphere that kept the entire table engaged. His energy never faded, and it was clear that he took pride in making the dining experience special for every guest. By the time he finished cooking, everyone at the table was full, happy, and thoroughly entertained.

A Memorable Dining Experience

Between Josh’s exceptional service and Eamon’s incredible cooking skills, this visit to Benihana was nothing short of perfect. The combination of delicious food, engaging entertainment, and top-tier hospitality made for an unforgettable evening. It’s rare to find a restaurant experience where both the service and the food exceed expectations, but thanks to Josh and Eamon, this meal did exactly that.

If you’re looking for a fun, interactive dining experience with outstanding food and service, I highly recommend visiting Benihana and hoping that you get Eamon as your chef and Josh as your server. They truly made our night special, and I can’t...

Annually, my family and I frequent Benihanas, so we know what to expect during our visit. As such, the following outlines several issues that occurred yesterday evening. 1) Our reservation was at 7 pm but we were not shown to our table until after 7:30. 2) While waiting, I noticed the host directed two other black couples to join our table. That was not an issue at first. But for some reason, the host thought it would be a good idea to seat all the black people together. 3) Our server introduced herself and proceeded to take drink orders, as expected. Then each couple voiced their celebration and presented birthday coupons, etc. 4)The server declined to acknowledge or accept printed coupons and then disappeared for over 15 mins. When she returned, she brought drinks, followed with soups, then salad. 5)One couple asked for vinaigrette for their salad. She left, assuming to retrieve the dressing but came back with cooking oil for the couples salad. The server appeared to be flustered, as if she needed to make up for lost time and the couples request slowed her down. 6)Then, another couple highlighted the conflicting menus prices, and asked if the lower price item could be honored. The server stated, “ I can’t do anything about that, it will be the price that is in the computer”. 7) I was able to obtain the dressing from Manager Robert, but when I arrived back at the table the server had told the couple who requested vinaigrette that they did not have any, then proceeded to remove the couples salad. At this point, management became involved. Robert addressed the price discrepancy and apologized for the poor service. At this point, a request to substitute the server for another was made and granted. Moving on to the food: Chef Savanna was EXCELLENT, she seasoned the food to everyone preference and received a large cash tip for her service. 8) You would think that all was well at this point, but NOPE.. The second server, decided to voice her assumption that we all knew each other, by stating to one couple before leaving, “Don't you want to wait for yours friends?”. ALL of us stated along the lines ,” we don’t know each other, and had just met at the table”. The moral of the story, Benihana's staff racially stereotypes, and should retrain their hosts...