Benihana - Newport Beach, CA

Review summary

1. A

   Andy

   Orange County

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined today

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

   Benihana in Newport Beach was chaotic and severely lacking on Christmas Day. They did not honor our Open Table reservation. We were informed that our reservation would be cancelled due to overcrowding and the wait times would exceed over two hours. The crowd management was non-existent and the staff were overwhelmed and unprepared. We will not return to this restaurant again.
   

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2. C

   Chase

   Orange County

   3 reviews

   2.0

   3 reviews

   Dined today

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

   We continue to visit already knowing to expect to have to wait longer due to the location not having enough chef's, but on Christmas Day with a reservation we still waited over an hour to be seated. We were told "We're behind schedule at least an hour" when we arrived, and they were true to that.
   

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3. J

   Jen

   Orange County

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined today

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

   A long held reservation for Christmas night: my sister-in-law and niece visiting from Minneapolis. Benihana is their Christmas dinner tradition and we wanted to make it ours. They were running over an hour behind and with no place for my 76-year old mother to sit while we potentially waited, we left and went to a nearby Brazilian steakhouse. Benihana called 71 minutes AFTER our 6pm reservation…ironically as we paying the check at the other restaurant. I can be understanding…to a point. The reservation we had meant nothing. The restaurant business is tough, and what would have turned this around for us would have been a proactive call at 5pm, asking if we could push our reservation to 7 or 7:30. To keep tradition, that would have gotten a yes from us.
   

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4. D

   Daphne

   Orange County

   1 review

   4.0

   1 review

   Dined today

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

   It was a wonderful evening. Service was excellent for how busy they were! It’s just too bad we had to wait an hr for an already booked reservation but we do understand.
   

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5. D

   Debbie

   Orange County

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined today

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

   We had 5:45pm reservations. We checked in a few minutes early and they told us they were running 1.5 hrs behind! Needless to say we left and did not have our Christmas dinner there. Horribly managed by the front of the house and completely unacceptable! The hostess was matter of fact and showed zero remorse.
   

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6. S

   Sarah

   VIP

   Orange County

   282 reviews

   1.0

   282 reviews

   Dined today

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

   We arrived for our 5:30 reservation on time and were told we had an hour and half wait! Totally unacceptable!!! This is the fault of their messed up dining policy. They book tables for every hour!!! I will not be back.
   

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7. k

   kathy

   VIP

   Orange County

   14 reviews

   1.0

   14 reviews

   Dined today

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

   Tried and true Benihana has a dark underbelly of corporate management unscrupulous overbooking fiasco at Costa Mesa location. Inconvenience to dozens and dozens of diners. Plans ruined while Benihana rakes in hundreds in bar bills for waiting diners. Imagine Christmas joy planning your day, looking forward to dinner and a movie. We have been going to Benihana at Christmas around the country for years as an annual tradition. We had a 5:15 reservation. Arriving on time, we couldn't find parking and discovered the lobby packed with people in and out waiting to be seated. We were told it would be 1.5 hours before we could be seated and they would call (ie phone call us) when we could be seated. What to do? Go across the street to the Hyatt and wait. 1.3 hours later I called the restaurant and was told we called your name and you were taken off the list! We walked back. Talked to hostess and she said she called us and we would need to be put back on list. I showed her my phone which clearly indicated calls in but no missed calls from her. She said "Oh sorry..." Other diners confirmed the same experience . Finally seated at 6:45 pm. The servers did what they could but after being seated, we waited another 1/2 for chef . The Christmas vibe was tainted , ugh. Finally out of there at 8:40 pm. As we were leaving Staff said we invite you to contact corporate mgt. Staff said open table allows overbooking. BS! Management can set their own parameters. How convenient to have diners waiting , lounging in the bar indefinitely waiting for their tables while Benihana rakes in additional revenue for appetizers, and alcohol. It's Christmas party time and the bar was hopping! Similar to airlines, corporate better clean up their act. Banking extra profits at the inconvenience of so many families in NOT acceptable. Scrooge much? PS we missed our movie. GRRRR. Never or never will I plan my holiday around BENIHANA! EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED.
   

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8. E

   Erin

   Greater Boston

   3 reviews

   1.0

   3 reviews

   Dined today

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

   It was Christmas. We arrived at our reservation time to be informed that they were currently 1.5 hours behind on reservations, with no explanation. Both the bar area and parking lot were so full from others in the same situation that there was no where to park or to sit inside to wait. It was so crowded it felt unsafe. We left disappointed. I understand that sometimes things happen and reservations fall behind. At the very least we would have appreciated a courtesy automated text or call so that we could have made alternate plans, especially because of the holiday. Last year we dined here and I was disgusted by the condition of the restrooms. It is clear that management does not prioritize customer experience. We will not return to this business because it is unreliable.
   

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9. S

   Steve

   Orange County

   1 review

   2.0

   1 review

   Dined today

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

   Way over booked!! Had to wait over an hour after reservation time before seated. Then wait another 45 minutes at the table before they actually started cooking!! Food was good though!
   

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10. S

    Stacey

    Orange County

    4 reviews

    2.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

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

    We made a reservation for 2:15pm on Christmas. We were told the wait would be 45 minutes even though we arrived prior to our reservation time. We ended up waiting a full hour + to be seated. The chef was rushed and delayed. Despite the wait, the food was excellent and the value was worth it.
    

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