Benihana is a multinational restaurant company that specializes in Japanese cuisine. Based in Aventura, Florida, Benihana owned more than 100 Japanese restaurants all over the world. Their flagship restaurant brand is named Benihana Teppanyaki. Besides the flagship brand, Benihana owns Japanese fusion cuisine restaurants like Haru and Sushi restaurants like RS Sushi restaurants. Let’s know ‘How much is an average dinner at Benihana?’
The company is a privately held or limited liability company with more than $30 million annual earnings. Benihana was founded in New York City by Hiroaki Aoki in 1964. Aoki, who was a wrestler, started the restaurant company with an investment of only $10,000. The first Benihana restaurant was named Benihana of Tokyo, after a coffee shop that Aoki’s parents owned in Tokyo. The word Benihana translates to red safflower.
In 1968, Aoki opened the first Benihana restaurant outside New York City in Chicago, Illinois. Benihana National Corporation went public in 1982, under the leadership of president Joel Schwartz. However, a few of the restaurants remained in Aoki’s private possessions. In 2012, the company was acquired by Angelo Gordon & Company, a private equity firm. The acquisition cost $216 million. Benihana has since remained in possession of Angelo Gordon & Company. It is led by Thomas Baldwin, who is the CEO of Benihana Inc.
Ambiance
Benihana restaurants are famous for serving their guests at a “Teppanyaki” table. Aoki introduced the concept of theatrical dining when he first opened Benihana of Tokyo in New York City. The restaurant chain has since continued with its concept. Teppanyaki, also known as Hibachi, is a kind of Japanese cuisine, which uses iron grills for cooking. The word Teppanyaki is derived from teppan, which means metal, and yaki, which means grilled. The food in Benihana restaurants is cooked on a metal cooking surface.
The food at Benihana is cooked in front of the guests by a hibachi chef. The hibachi chefs have extraordinary knife skills and are famous for doing various tricks with the food ingredients, giving the customers a very entertaining experience. At Benihana, the chefs are therefore responsible for preparing a perfect meal and keeping the guests entertained with their performance and conversation skills. Benihana restaurants also feature artifacts like samurai armors. In addition, they have sliding shoji doors to provide the guests with privacy and give them a closer experience of Japan and its culture.
Food
Benihana is known to serve Hibachi or teppanyaki-style Japanese cuisine. The guests are seated around a large teppanyaki table where all food preparations and cooking are done in front of the guests like an exhibit. The food served at Benihana usually includes beef, shrimp, salmon, tuna, chicken, tofu, several vegetables, rice, and noodles. The first items to be cooked and served are usually the rice or the noodles, followed by the meat and vegetables. The restaurant also offers sushi, usually as an appetizer and mochi (stuffed rice flour balls) or green tea ice cream as dessert.
How much does a Benihana meal cost?
How much is an average dinner at Benihana?
How much is an average dinner at Benihana? An average meal at the Benihana is a five coursed meal served with items such as onion soup, shrimp appetizer, vegetables, Benihana house salad, dipping sauces, rice, and green tea. The Teriyaki chicken at Benihana costs about $18, and the Filet Mignon costs $25. Thus, an average dinner for two, excluding the alcohol and the drinks prices, can cost about $60 to $70. The different prices of the drinks are usually $6 – $10 per person, generally depending on alcohol. Benihana also serves several memorable meals. The items on the Benihana menu like Chicken or Salmon lunch boats. These items may cost about $15 to $20.
Best of Benihana
The most popular items in the Benihana menu are as follows:
- Hibachi Shrimp
- Calamari
- Udon Noodles
- Sashimi
Among the best food items to order at Benihana is the grilled cold water lobster tail. The restaurant serves this dish with grilled scallops and shrimp. Hibachi Steak is another popular food choice at the restaurant. This dish serves grilled New York strip steak with grilled mushroom and complementary sauces. Benihana also does a fantastic birthday special. For the birthday special, Benihana sends out special birthday coupons that are worth about $30. These coupons can be redeemed any evening Monday through Thursday of your Birthday month.
More About Benihana
Benihana is one of the world’s largest Asian-themed restaurant chains in the world. The Japanese teppanyaki cooking style has been made widely famous through these restaurants. The food is cooked live in front of the guest at a Teppanyaki table. About 8 to 12 guests can be seated at one table at a time. Each table at Benihana is assigned with an expert hibachi chef, who not only prepares the food but entertains the guests with their brilliant skills with the knives and ingredients. Benihana is rightfully more than just a dining experience. The restaurant brilliantly presents the art of cooking as a performing art.
Is Benihana expensive?
A Benihana meal can cost about $60 to $80, thus putting it on the list of more expensive restaurants. However, the prices at Benihana are entirely justified considering the quality of the food served and the services provided to the guests. From the performing chefs to the kind waiting staff, a meal at Benihana is an experience worth the money.
FAQs
- How long is the duration of a meal at Benihana?
The meals at benihana are usually quite long. This is primarily because of the chefs’ performance for entertaining the guests while preparing the food. An average dinner at Benihana lasts about one to two hours. This also depends on the number of guests that are seated at a table at a time. - Is the food served at Benihana Healthy?
Benihana is known to use fresh ingredients and house-made sauces for its food. As a result, the food meets all general safety standards and is healthy. However, the customers that are on a specific diet or are refraining from food items with more excellent calory content can still enjoy a meal at Benihana. The restaurant’s sashimi and nigiri are excellent choices for healthy eating guests. In addition, the articles contain only about 40 to 160 calories apiece. - How to register for birthday gift cards at Benihana?
The customers at Benihana can register for the Birthday gift cards at the chef’s table. The guest can visit the restaurant’s website at the Chef’s Table portal and click Join.
