Benihana — Restaurant in Parkland

We visited Benihana West Boca on a Thursday night at 7:15 PM, having made a reservation just in case. The restaurant was busy, and the reservation was necessary, though we still had to wait about 15 minutes. We went to the bar area, which was empty and had no bartender present initially. Apparently, the bartender also manages the bar tables, and it took a while to get a drink. Drinks were priced at $15-16, but the quality didn’t match the cost—my mai tai was overly sweet and weak.

Once seated, two friendly servers took our orders, which was the one positive in an otherwise disappointing evening. The food was overpriced and low quality. I ordered the filet mignon and shrimp (Samurai Special). My husband got the Hibachi Supreme (chateaubriand and lobster), and he couldn’t finish the steak because it was terrible. My kids ordered from the children’s menu (filet mignon and chicken), which was nearly $30 per plate. For these prices, the quality was worse than expected—comparable to a mediocre frozen steak, and certainly not worth the price. Of course there is always the up charge for hibachi fried rice. It’s $6 extra added to the $50-60 price per entree. And if you want it spicy - it’s $7. Fried rice is still delicious and the shrimp was also good. But the steak tasted like vinegar. Meh.

The sake ordering experience added to the frustration. I ordered a 375ml bottle of Nigori sake for $16, but I was brought a small glass instead. My husband had to take it back to the bar to resolve the issue. The bartender acknowledged the mistake and gave us the bottle while saying it would be comped. However, the sake still appeared on the bill when we left.

The hibachi chef provided the usual entertaining tricks and fire show, which was fun, but the rest of the meal fell short. We also noticed they were asking diners if they wanted the brown sauce instead of providing it by default, which seemed like a cost-saving measure. Not a big deal, but noticeable.

The bathrooms were a disaster. One toilet was clogged, and the other was marked "Do Not Use" because the lock was broken. Towels were strewn across the floor, and the state of the restrooms was appalling. If they can’t maintain basic cleanliness, it raises concerns about the kitchen’s hygiene. I took photos because it was that bad.

To top it off, the server awkwardly asked if we could leave the tip in cash, explaining that new ownership delays credit card tip payouts. While I understand servers rely on tips, I did feel uncomfortable searching my wallet for cash - and then felt badly I didn’t have enough cash . Sounds like a bad policy for their employees and perhaps that’s why they’re understaffed. Lame considering the prices.

Our total bill came to $288 for a family of four. We expected high prices for hibachi, but the quality and experience were not worth it. My daughter requested hibachi to celebrate her honor roll achievement, but this experience ensured we won’t be returning. I’ll try Saiko next time or stick to other great local steakhouses like Abe & Louie’s or J. Alexander’s, where the quality matches the price.

We’ve had good experiences at other Benihana locations, like Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, but West Boca continues to be a major disappointment. I’d recommend avoiding this location until they improve their food, cleanliness, and...

Well had reservation for 2 at 7:30 pm got there 7:30 and was caos! There were about 3 ppl telling all the guest o. The waiting area better to leave they been waiting for an hr and no food no chef and are demanding to speak with a manager and no manager has come out at all! Also notice that there where no one to greet you when come in! Finally a guy came to the front asked if we already checked in told him had reservations for 2 for 7;30pm he told us to wait ! At this point I was already doubting that this will be a great birthday dinner with my husband! Finally like 10 mins after we get sat down with a family of 6, two children and 4 adults our waiter Jacob honestly he was always attentive and continued to apologize for the wait and the craziness, took the drinks orders then the food , he brought the soup and salad , 8:30 he comes over to apologize again he even offered like complementary dumplings or edamame or something while the chef comes out , we all decline 5 mins later he comes again poor Jacob he with his positive attitude and disposition to make things right had to give the sad news to the big party that one of their dishes (salmon) run out/ no more in stock if wanted something else instead they agreed to change it he kept saying I’m trying my best to get the chef right out no worries that the whole table will get a discount ! 8:47 pm I come out of the bathroom to find out that the big group we where sharing the table with had left they didn’t want to keep waiting !!! I felt like now what we won’t have a chef cus we are 2 ppl left and I did a video it’s about a minute long but can’t add the whole vid, the. The 2 table next to us they chefs come out I was already getting upset and like hell to break loose and the server as you might able to see and here told o e of the chefs that got the wrong table and sure enough was for us , at the end the chef was very nice did couple tricks that never seen before at a Benihana he made our food with pleasure our waiter Jacob again came and thanks us for staying for the food , the food was great my steak like I ordered it and Jacob when we asked for the Check he had given us a little discount for the wait and if we need it to talk to the manager he would get him , at this point I doubt there was some sort of management In the building I thing the waiters where the ones left in charge to try to keep the boat at float it’s a shame that this caos was not handle by a manager or someone with authority was left to all the poor waiters to handle and deal with the angry hungry customers! So big Shout to our chef Rooney for a great meal and our waiter Jacob that did what he could to try to keep us and have our food was not their fault , it’s management that was not present of if there was one it lack of leadership!!! Might not come back to this place again and sorry but that’s why this establishment gets a poor review management was like trying to see a unicorn good...

I had the worst experience at Benihana, and if I could give it zero stars, I would. Here are the reasons for my disappointment:

Hostess Interaction: When we walked in, the hostess didn’t greet us warmly. We were the only people in the restaurant, yet instead of guiding us to a table, she seemed to wait for something without acknowledging us. I eventually had to speak up and ask for our table.

Waitress Attitude: Our waitress, Samantha, was rude and didn’t show any enthusiasm for her job. When I asked if we could start cooking food since we were very hungry and eager to eat, she looked at my family and me with disdain and seemed to roll her eyes. If she’s not interested in working for tips, why is she in the service industry?

Cook's Service: Our cook had two name tags, one reading "Emiliano" and the other "Adulof," so I’m not sure which is his real name. There were five of us in our party, and a group of three arrived shortly after us. They received double portions of rice while our servings were noticeably smaller. My brother and his girlfriend had warned us about the portion sizes beforehand, but it felt like there was favoritism at play since the other group received much more. When it was time to tip, we decided not to reward the cook due to his poor attitude and refusal to split the food when we shared an order. In the Benihana near our town, one order is usually enough for two or three people

Billing Issues: When I went to pay with my new credit card, it only covered half of my bill, so I had to use my debit card instead. I mentioned to the waitress that I needed to split the payment. After she handed me the card reader the second time, I overheard her loudly telling a group of regulars that she calls the cops on people who try to leave without paying and takes pictures of their car tags to ensure they cover their bill. After hearing that, I left a two-dollar tip, as I was not able to leave $0.00. I typically tip at least 18%, but that comment was the last straw. It felt wrong to be treated with such suspicion, especially when she was laughing and bonding with the regulars about what she does to non-paying customers. I’m glad I left a low tip because the server noticed it right away and told her group of regulars, “This is why I hate being a waitress, because of people like them who tip like this.” But how can we tip Samantha if you didn't want to serve my family. Additionally, she forgot to bring us our water multiple times, and we had to remind her repeatedly.

Overall, I was extremely disappointed with the service and the...