Benihana - Carlsbad, CA

Benihana - Carlsbad, CA reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Review summary

1. J

   Jo VIP

   San Diego31 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 2 days ago

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

   We had a great experience here. Came in for a friend's birthday, we had Tarow as our chef and he kept us laughing with corny jokes the entire time! He was very friendly and did a great job cooking our food. The service was excellent as well, our server Lizzie (sp?) was attentive and friendly. This is a great special occasion place to go!
   

   Benihana - Carlsbad, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Thanks for the review, Jo! We're thrilled to hear that you and your friend had a great experience celebrating a special occasion at Benihana - Carlsbad, CA. It's wonderful to know that our chefs' corny jokes kept you entertained and that our service met your expectations. We strive to make every occasion special and we're glad we could contribute to your friend's birthday. We look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable experiences.
   

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2. V

   Victor

   San Diego2 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 2 days ago

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

   Had a GREAT BIRTHDAY!!Santos was incredible. An Oscar performance with cuisine to match! GRACIAS por la experience!
   

   Benihana - Carlsbad, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Hey Victor, we're over the moon to hear that you had a great birthday celebration at Benihana - Carlsbad, CA! It's fantastic to know that our team made your special day even more memorable. We take pride in our Oscar-winning cuisine and are thrilled that you enjoyed it. Your kind words mean the world to us and we look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable experiences. Thanks for choosing us for your birthday celebration! - The Management Team
   

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3. GS

   GoSeeAaron

   Orange County7 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 4 days ago

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

   Irvin made the 90 min drive in the rain worth while. Amazing food great stories everyone at our table had a great time.
   

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   Benihana - Carlsbad, CAResponded 3 days ago

   Dear Guest! That's fantastic to hear! 😊 We're so glad Irvin helped make your 90-minute drive in the rain totally worth it! Amazing food and great stories are what we strive for, and it sounds like your table had an awesome time. Thank you for sharing your experience—we can't wait to welcome you back for more great moments! 🍽️✨🚗
   

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4. C

   Carrie

   San Diego3 reviews

   3.0

   Dined 6 days ago

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

   Son's 30th birthday, made a reservation for 2:45 didn't get in till after 3:00. Plenty of tables. We didn't leave until 5:00! The chef was so slow and service so slow it took forever. And the food was extremely overcooked. I won't Go back the portions are smaller and they just seem so understaffed. I had a rum and coke . It cost $15! For a rum and coke. Crazy I normally don't review badly unless it's way bad. The family next to me at the same table said the same thing that they never saw anything like this before and had becoming plenty of times and won't be back
   

   Benihana - Carlsbad, CAResponded 4 days ago

   Dear Carrie, We're truly sorry to hear about your disappointing experience, especially on such a special occasion as your son's 30th birthday. Long wait times, slow service, overcooked food, and high prices are unacceptable, and we deeply regret that your celebration was affected. Your feedback about the slow service and understaffing is concerning, and we’ll address these issues with our team immediately. We appreciate you sharing your experience, and we’re sorry we let you and your family down on this important day.
   

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5. B

   Bridgett

   San Diego3 reviews

   3.0

   Dined 6 days ago

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

   Our reservation was for 7pm and it took 45minutes for us to be seated! We were celebrating my son’s birthday and were sat with another family which was a bit awkward. We were not aware that table would be shared, I think that is something that should be communicated. Food was great and our chef Nick was very fun! I love this place but this last experience was a bit strange for us.
   

   Benihana - Carlsbad, CAResponded 5 days ago

   Dear Bridgett, Thank you for sharing your feedback, and happy belated birthday to your son! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the food and that Chef Nick made the experience fun. However, we’re truly sorry for the long wait and the awkward seating arrangement. You’re absolutely right—any shared seating should be communicated upfront, and we’ll work on improving this. We appreciate your loyalty to Benihana and regret that this experience didn’t meet your expectations. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and we hope to make your next visit flawless!
   

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6. R

   Ryan

   Washington DC7 reviews

   1.0

   Dined 7 days ago

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

   Unfortunately, this was the worst restaurant experience we've had. Our reservation was at 7:30pm and we weren't seated until 8:40pm and we finally got our drinks an hour and a half later at 9:00pm. Upon arriving and checking in and the front desk, the hostess was shockingly rude - we couldn't figure out what we did to upset her or have her talk to us like we were such an inconvenience. She initially told us it would be. 20 minute wait - had she told us we'd be siting in the lobby with our baby for over an hour, we would've left and eaten elsewhere. At the table, our waitress took our orders and asked each person, "would you like stewed or fried rice?" Each person answered "fried rice, please" and it wasn't;t until the bill came did we realize that there was an extra $7.50 added per person for the "rice upgrade." It's not that big of a charge, however, it felt really misleading and it surprised us to see it on the bill for each of us (including the kids' meals) for our 7 person party. Perhaps it was busy and that's why it was so loud and slow - and perhaps why the hostess and server seemed annoyed to have to deal with people (the people behind us were so offended by the hostesses attitude to them, they just turned around and left). However, we're not coming to a restaurant to enjoy the experience, and spend a few hundred dollars, to be treated like we are an annoyance. Unfortunately, it gets worse.. our orders were wrong, things that we were told would be brought were completely forgotten about more than once, and with the misleading feeling of the bill, it just was a major let-down.
   

   Benihana - Carlsbad, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Thanks for the review, Ryan. We're deeply sorry to hear about your disappointing experience at Benihana - Carlsbad, CA. We apologize for the long wait time, the misunderstanding about the rice upgrade, and the incorrect orders. We understand that this experience did not meet your expectations and for that, we sincerely apologize. We appreciate your feedback and will use it to improve our service. We hope you'll give us another chance to provide a better dining experience in the future. Best, The Management Team
   

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7. B

   Brett

   Orlando3 reviews

   1.0

   Dined 7 days ago

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

   Horrible experience. Been to multiple restaurants around the country and took us a hour to get fried rice and steak in the lounge. Not busy enough for that
   

   Benihana - Carlsbad, CAResponded 3 days ago

   Dear Brett, we're truly sorry to hear about your experience. That wait time is not what we aim for, and we appreciate your feedback. We’ll address this with our team to improve. If you wish to contact us with further details regarding this experience, you may reach us by visiting our website.
   

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8. F

   Foodrocks VIP

   Chicago1 review

   1.0

   Dined 7 days ago

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

   Ridiculously long wait times. Had a reservation but was seated over 45 minute after the reservation time. Approximately 1 hr 30 minutes to have the chef come to the table. The chef and waiter were attentive, but the wait times made the experience miserable.
   

   Benihana - Carlsbad, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Hi Foodrocks, We're truly sorry to hear about your recent experience at Benihana - Carlsbad, CA. We understand how frustrating long wait times can be and we apologize for the inconvenience. We strive to provide our guests with an enjoyable dining experience and it's clear we fell short during your visit. Please know that we take your feedback seriously and we will use it to improve our service. We hope to have the opportunity to serve you again and provide a better experience. Best regards, The Management Team
   

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9. R

   Rachael VIP

   San Diego1 review

   5.0

   Dined on March 14, 2025

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

   My mother & I had a fun lunch Friday afternoon at the Benihana Cbad! Lauren & Vlad took such great care of us!! Lauren was so sweet and went out of her way to make us feel special & took our picture, ensuring that there was no glare. Vlad was so funny &, not only was the food delicious, but his entertaining skills were top notch! We really enjoyed ourselves & can’t wait to dine again with friends and family.
   

   Benihana - Carlsbad, CAResponded 1 day ago

   Hello Rachael, Thank you for choosing Benihana - Carlsbad, CA for your family lunch! We're thrilled to hear that you and your mom had a fun experience with us. It's wonderful to know that our team made you feel special and that you enjoyed the food and the entertainment. We look forward to welcoming you and your family back for more memorable dining experiences. Best Regards, The Management Team
   

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10. N

    Nicole

    San Diego1 review

    2.0

    Dined on March 14, 2025

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

    I had a reservation and was excited for my first time. It was my birthday. We waited almost 2 hours for the chef to come to the table and our server had an attitude. It was bummer. The chef was entertaining and if not for him I would be giving this experience a 1.
    

    Benihana - Carlsbad, CAResponded 1 day ago

    Thanks for the feedback, Nicole. We're truly sorry to hear that your birthday experience at Benihana - Carlsbad, CA didn't meet your expectations. We understand how frustrating it can be to wait for service and it's unfortunate that you had to experience that. We always aim to provide a pleasant dining experience for our guests, and it's clear we missed the mark this time. We appreciate your honesty and will use it to improve our service. We hope you'll give us another chance to make it right. Best, The Management Team
    

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