Benihana - Santa Monica, CA

Review summary

1. K

   Kareem

   Los Angeles

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined today

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

   It was a great experience. We went for Christmas dinner and it was very packed. Unfortunately, reservations were for 8 we started eating 9:45 / 10 . Food quality was great and made up for the wait
   

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2. C

   Carl Ray

   Los Angeles

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined today

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

   Amazing experience! Hard working crew on Christmas 🎄
   

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3. S

   Spencer

   Los Angeles

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined today

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

   It was Christmas and it was extremely busy. You could definitely tell that they were trying to push people through as quickly as possible. Quality of food was fair, but not to the cost of the meals. I was not impressed and I don’t think I’ll go back again.
   

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4. I

   Iris

   Los Angeles

   6 reviews

   5.0

   6 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

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

   We were there around 3 pm on Christmas day and the young lady at the front desk was warm, welcoming, and efficient. After checking in early, we only waited a short time for our table. Our server was Joseph and he was also very welcoming and efficient. He made us feel like our business was valuable. He asked numerous times if we needed anything and was prompt to bring whatever was requested. Our chef was Nmemon (spelling??) and he did an excellent job in preparing our food. We come to Benihana's frequently and will continue to do so with employees like Joseph and the front desk hostess. Thanks for an outstanding Christmas dinner.
   

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5. C

   Cathy

   Los Angeles

   1 review

   4.0

   1 review

   Dined 1 day ago

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

   Good fresh food. Fun to watch and listen to chef theatrics.
   

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6. F

   Francis

   VIP

   Los Angeles

   3 reviews

   1.0

   3 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

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

   We love Benihana, unfortunately we had an 8pm reservation and were not seated until 9pm. not great reservation management on the part of the restaurant. management and staff seemed overwhelmed. If they would have told us they were running behind, we would have left for another restaurant instead of waiting for an hour to be seated.
   

   Benihana - Santa Monica, CAResponded today

   Hi Francis, We're really sorry to hear about your recent experience at Benihana - Santa Monica, CA. We understand that waiting can be frustrating, especially when you have a reservation. We apologize for the delay and the lack of communication about the delay. We strive to provide the best service to all our guests and it's clear we fell short in your case. We're glad to hear that despite this, you still enjoyed the food. We hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future and provide a more seamless experience. Best, The Management Team
   

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7. J

   Jessie

   Los Angeles

   22 reviews

   5.0

   22 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

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

   Super busy but great service nonetheless. Food was on point!
   

   Benihana - Santa Monica, CAResponded today

   Hey Jessie, Thank you so much for your kind words and high ratings! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the food and found our service to be great. It's always our goal to provide an exceptional dining experience at Benihana - Santa Monica, CA. We appreciate your understanding regarding our busy schedule. We look forward to serving you again soon! Best wishes, The Management Team
   

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8. J

   Jason

   VIP

   Los Angeles

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 2 days ago

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

   It had the feel of a private engagement for just our family. Franky should be considered the top choice for entertaining groups or private parties.
   

   Benihana - Santa Monica, CAResponded today

   Hi Jason, We're overjoyed to hear that you had a great time at Benihana - Santa Monica, CA. It's wonderful to know that you felt like you were hosting a private engagement for just your family. We strive to create the perfect atmosphere for special occasions and we're glad we could do that for you. Your high ratings for our food, service, and value are greatly appreciated. Thank you for your kind words and we look forward to welcoming you and your family back soon! Best regards, The Management Team
   

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9. J

   Johnnie

   Los Angeles

   2 reviews

   1.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

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

   This location in recent weeks has been overbooking their reservations. I had a reservation for just myself for 7:15pm and did not get seating until 8:42pm. I saw other parties that had reservations around the same that were seated well before me. I went to address it with the manager and he precedes to make an excuse that they have been running behind all week and gave a simple sorry while going to speak to someone else. I went back to my table and asked the gentleman next to me when their reservation was and he stated 8:15pm. This made me even more upset as the guy was also upset for me. I was extremely disappointed in the entire experience. Due to the time spent waiting, I had to pay double for parking in the garage due to the 1.5 hour wait time before eating! I used to frequent this location all the time, but the service isn’t the same!
   

   Benihana - Santa Monica, CAResponded today

   Hello Johnnie, We're truly sorry to hear about your recent experience at Benihana - Santa Monica, CA. We understand how frustrating it can be to not get your table in a timely manner, especially when you have a reservation. We assure you that this is not the standard we strive for. We will definitely address this with our team to ensure it doesn't happen again. We hope you'll give us another chance to provide you with the service and dining experience that you've come to expect from us. Best regards, The Management Team
   

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10. Y

    Yuliya

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

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

    This was our second time at this location with unbelievably long wait time. We had a reservation for 5:15pm, we were seated 30 minutes later, and didn’t get to eat the food until about 6:45pm. The kids were starving! Not a great experience! It was so exhausting! I will definitely not come back here again especially with hungry kids…
    

    Benihana - Santa Monica, CAResponded 2 days ago

    Dear Yuliya! Thank you for taking the time to review us. We regret that your visit didn't meet your expectations. Rest assured, your comments are noted and will be used to enhance our services. We hope for the opportunity to exceed your expectations in the future.
    

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