Benihana sets itself apart from other Japanese restaurants all by itself. With its exciting teppanyaki (also known as hibachi) style delivery, Benihana definitely isn’t your average night out.
Food
The concept at Benihana is slightly different. You can choose from a selection of small dishes which includes a few sushi combinations, gyoza and spring rolls. However the bulk of your food will come from either the traditional or speciality dinner list (or both, no judgement here!).
With options such as fillet mignon, black cod, hibachi chicken and lobster tail, it might take you a while to make a choice, but when you do, your mains will be accompanied by a host of sides. To be precise, you will receive: onion soup, a side salad, a prawn appetiser, hibachi vegetables and steamed rice which you can upgrade to egg fried rice for a few pounds more.
Pretty much all the food is cooked in front of you, so freshness is of no issue. I ordered the hibachi prawns, which was a bit of a bad idea, as with the added sides I ended up with double prawns – duh! All the food was full of flavour, even the soup (and I’m not much into soups).
Entertainment
So let’s be honest, this is the whole reason why we’re here. Don’t come to Benihana with a big group if you want to sit and have meaningful chats with everyone around the table. This restaurant is hibachi style, which means you’re all sat around the grill with the chef in the middle.
The chef’s here aren’t like your everyday cooks, they have been trained in the art of entertainment. Expect utensils being flipped around in the air, fire shows and even a little singalong if you get the right person!
You’ll find a lot of different groups of people at Benihana, from colleagues at a big work meal, to hen do’s, and couples on dates. If you are planning a date night here, be prepared to be sat next to other people, there are no mini grills and it’s usually set up for a minimum of eight people.
Price
Aside from the wagyu beef which comes up at just under £85, you’ll be looking at around £38 for a traditional dinner item, and around £55 for something off the speciality menu. And don’t forget, all your sides are included.
Drinks are pretty reasonable for London with cocktails ranging from £10-£12, beers at around £5 and a glass of wine averaging £8.
Overall
If you want to catch up with friends and just want your food served straight up, this isn’t the place for you. If you fancy a different type of evening with good food for a decent price, book a table at Benihana.
Like Japanese food? Check out Bisushima.
