Benihana - Newport Beach, CA

Review summary

1. A

   Anna

   Sacramento

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Food was delicious, but I felt my chef was a little sparse with my portions of the veggies and mushrooms. I barely got 5 pieces of mushrooms! Whereas the first few people to be served got plenty of both!
   

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2. T

   Tanya

   Orange County

   2 reviews

   1.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   It was my birthday. We had reservations and had to wait 40 minutes past to be seated. I requested a table without children no dice. However the cook was late no hat no photo nothing for my birthday even though all the other tables were also having b days. Our table was sad and the last one of the night reservations were 8PM we left at 10:30PM. I’m never going back felt bad my son took off work to be here for my b day. Our cook dropped tools I needed to flag a waitress for help as everyone he asked denied him help. It was just awful. Depressing birthday experience.
   

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3. A

   Andrea

   Orange County

   3 reviews

   3.0

   3 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 3

   Benihana was a disappointment. We had a reservation at 5:45pm, but weren’t seated until around 6:30pm, and the chef didn’t start cooking until 7:30pm. The place was a little chaotic. It felt like the management had no respect for our time, especially as we watched the group directly across from us get served while we sat waiting, and waiting, and waiting. The food was decent, but the long delays made for a very frustrating experience. Probably will not return.
   

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4. M

   Mark

   Orange County

   6 reviews

   4.0

   6 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   Food was great! Price was reasonable. Servers and chefs were excellent, fun, and friendly. Parking was terrible! We circled for over 20 minutes, tried parking on the street, and finally were in the right place in the lot as someone pulled out. There was no valet. Once we got in the restaurant to check in, it was standing room only, noisy and crowded until we were finally seated 30 minutes later than our reservation. Standing and waiting for an extra 30 minutes was not fun. We will not go on a Saturday evening again. Next time, we will try to find a time during the week when it may be easier to park, check-in, and get seated.
   

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5. C

   Charles

   Orange County

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Excellent food. Very fresh and tasty. The Chef was a good entertainer and a great cook. As always, everything was well organized. The hosts were nice, the waitress was very friendly. I always recommend Benihana to friends.
   

   Benihana - Newport Beach, CAResponded 2 days ago

   Thanks for the review, Charles! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our fresh, tasty food and found our Chef to be a good entertainer and great cook. We're also delighted to know that our organization was up to your liking and that you had a pleasant dining experience with us. Your recommendation means a lot to us. We look forward to serving you again soon.
   

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6. C

   Christine

   Hawaii

   1 review

   2.0

   1 review

   Dined 4 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 4

   We waited for more than 40 minutes past our reservation time to be seated. Once seated we did receive drinks & soup & salad in normal time but it took over an hr before chef came to start cooking. After complaining we did receive a free California roll & edamame. We didn’t finish eating until 10 pm. At that point we didn’t want to stay any longer for dessert even though we were celebrating a birthday.
   

   Benihana - Newport Beach, CAResponded 2 days ago

   Thanks for visiting us, Christine. We're truly sorry to hear about your experience at Benihana - Newport Beach, CA. It's disappointing to know that you felt delayed in receiving service and that the food did not meet your expectations. We understand that waiting for a long time can be frustrating and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed our California roll and edamame, though! We truly appreciate your feedback and will use it to improve our service and food quality. We hope you'll give us another chance to make your next visit a more enjoyable one. Best regards, Benihana - Newport Beach, CA Management Team
   

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7. L

   Lauren

   Orange County

   2 reviews

   3.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 2

   Service was very slow with very little people there. Had to ask for water, another cocktail and our bill twice. My husband ordered the A5 steak (most expensive on the menu) and it was very fatty and chewy. Our reservation was at 4:30 and we didn’t leave until 6:15. Sad so say we won’t be returning.
   

   Benihana - Newport Beach, CAResponded 5 days ago

   Thanks for the feedback, Lauren. We're sorry to hear about your experience at Benihana - Newport Beach, CA. It's disappointing to know that our service was not up to par during your visit. We strive to provide efficient service and quality food, and we apologize for falling short. We also acknowledge your concern about the steak. We'll certainly look into this matter and take the necessary steps to improve. We hope you'll give us another chance to make it right in the future.
   

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8. A

   Anthony

   VIP

   Orange County

   2 reviews

   1.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 12 January 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 3

   Awful birthday celebration. We arrived and were informed that the restaurant was running about 45 minutes behind (and this was exactly accurate- we had a 6:15p reservation and we were sat at 7pm- party of 8). We told the hostess (and subsequent manager) that our 87 year old father is on oxygen, so we have to conside the battery in portable oxygen device. The manager said I should have "notated that we had a guest on oxygen" in our OpenTable reservation (which I have NEVER done in any Opentable reservation). I received three separate alerts about our reservation, and Benihana couldn't pick up the phone and let us know they were 45 min behind schedule? Not good. Our chef was AMAZING, probably the best Chef we have had (Jose). However, or server disappeared for almost 40 minutes after the meal prep concluded. One of our guests had to go walk around the restaurant to locate him. Our server apologized that he "forgot" he had our table because he had three others. We spent almost $800, and the service (outside of the cooking) was by far the worst we have had. This will be a memorable birthday, but not in a good way.
   

   Benihana - Newport Beach, CAResponded 6 days ago

   Thanks for the feedback, Anthony. We're glad you enjoyed the food at Benihana - Newport Beach, CA, but we're truly sorry to hear about your experience with the service. We understand the importance of timely and accurate reservation information, and we apologize for the oversight. We're also sorry to hear about the delay in service and the misunderstanding about your party's status. Your feedback is crucial to us as we strive to improve. We hope to have the chance to serve you again and make it up to you on your birthday. Best, The Management Team
   

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9. J

   Julie

   Orange County

   3 reviews

   5.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on 11 January 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We ordered the filet mignon and the cut of meat was filled with nerves and somewhat tasteless. Everything else was delicious, but the poor quality of meat ruined our dinner. We will not be returning.
   

   Benihana - Newport Beach, CAResponded 7 days ago

   Thanks for the review, Julie. We're sorry to hear that your meal didn't meet your expectations. We take pride in our quality of meat, and it's disappointing to hear that the filet mignon didn't hit the mark this time. We're glad, however, that you enjoyed the other dishes. We hope you'll give us another chance to impress you with our food. We truly value your feedback and will take it into consideration as we continually strive to improve our customers' experiences. Best regards, Benihana - Newport Beach, CA Management Team
   

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10. S

    Sara

    Orange County

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 10 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Our experience was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! The host was incredibly welcoming, cracking a few jokes that instantly made us feel at home. Our servers, Luke and Jose, were outstanding—constantly attentive, ensuring our glasses were never empty, and checking in on us throughout the meal. Hunter did an exceptional performance, adding fun to the experience. As for the food, it was simply outstanding—every bite was a delight. We’re already looking forward to coming back soon!
    

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    Benihana - Newport Beach, CAResponded 7 days ago

    Hey Sara, Wow, what a fantastic review! We're over the moon to hear that your experience at Benihana - Newport Beach, CA was as wonderful as it was for your food. It's great to know that you felt at home with our staff and that they provided you with attentive service. We're also thrilled that you found our food delicious and that you're already looking forward to coming back soon! Thank you for your kind words. We can't wait to welcome you back! Best, The Management Team
    

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