Benihana

When the food finally arrived, it was just as disappointing. Everything was loaded with salt to the point that it overwhelmed the flavor and was difficult to eat. For the prices they charge, I expected much better quality and service.

Unfortunately, this was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had. I won’t be returning, and I can’t recommend this location to anyone looking for a good meal or decent service.

We arrived at 7:25 p.m. for a 7:30 reservation and were immediately told the wait would be another 20–30 minutes. Annoying, but we dine out enough to understand that restaurants get backed up, especially on a Saturday night.

While waiting at the bar, however, it became obvious that something was very wrong.

The surroundings were unkempt. Boxes were exposed around the bar, dirty glasses were piled on the counter, the bar itself was sticky, and the floors were filthy. Even more telling were the customers repeatedly getting up from their tables and coming to the bar trying to get drinks they had ordered 30+ minutes earlier. We watched at least three different people do this, all visibly frustrated.

At that point, I started reading the reviews for this location. I wish I had done that before making the reservation. What we were witnessing clearly wasn’t an isolated bad night.

After we’d already waited 30 minutes, I asked what was causing the delay and was told that the “corporate system was overbooking the restaurant.” If this were simply a technical glitch creating an unusually difficult night, I could have some sympathy. But reviews going back months describe many of the same problems.

Meanwhile, tables weren’t being turned. Dirty, empty tables sat uncleared while customers with reservations continued waiting.

We were finally seated well over an hour after our reservation time, closer to 90 minutes after arriving. Once seated, things somehow got worse. The seats were literally taped together, the walls were dirty, and there was some sort of gross residue on my plate. Had I not been with five other people, I would have left.

We ordered our food along with our drinks immediately, hoping to speed things up. It didn’t matter. We waited nearly another hour for a chef to arrive at the table. Even water and lemonade took so long that, after about 30 minutes, we eventually got up ourselves to try to get our drinks.

The table next to us told us they had been seated right away but waited 1 hour and 45 minutes for their chef.

We repeatedly expressed our frustration to management, but instead of taking ownership of what was happening, the response felt defensive. The staff themselves seemed to be at the mercy of the conditions, and I genuinely felt bad for them. They were the ones absorbing the frustration of an entire restaurant full of unhappy customers while the operation around them appeared to be completely failing.

And the cleanliness was unacceptable. The dining room was dirty, the bathrooms were inexplicably gross, and the overall condition of the restaurant was shocking.

Then, around 10:45 p.m.—while our main course was still being cooked—I had to leave the table to retrieve my car because valet closed at 11:00. Had I not done so, I was told the car would be kept overnight and I would be charged $30.

By the time I returned, it was after 11 p.m. Everyone in our party was exhausted. What should have been a fun Saturday-night dinner had turned into nearly four hours spent in one of the most depressing restaurant environments I can remember.

I hope Benihana corporate is paying attention to the reviews of this location, because I will be contacting them directly. As someone who loves dining out and cares deeply about Coral Gables, I found the entire experience unacceptable. I also genuinely feel for the employees who have to work under these conditions and take the brunt of customers’ understandable frustration.

This was not a bad night caused by an overbooking glitch. The volume and consistency of similar reviews suggest a much deeper operational and managerial problem.

DO NOT EAT HERE.

Our server Odalis made us feel like family, and Chef Oscar turned lunch into a real show, skilled, engaging, and genuinely fun. Manager Judi also checked in and made sure everything was perfect. Those personal touches are why this place stands out.

We tried the new Wagyu menu and it’s worth every bite. Tender, flavorful, and cooked right in front of you. I can’t recommend it enough.

Ambiance: 10/10 – Lively & warm.
Food: 10/10 – Fresh, expertly prepared, and that Wagyu is next level.
Location: 10/10 – Easy to get to in Coral Gables, we parked in the back garage

Service: We were greeted immediately by all of the employees in the front, as we walked in to check in. Our server, Breonca, was extremely friendly, helpful and very professional. She helped us select the perfect brunch entrée and drinks to match our craving. The chef, Karenis, was just as delightful and talented. Both ladies made the environment more welcoming.

Food: The quality of the food was great! Cooked as ordered, well-seasoned, very flavorful and great-sized portions. Our favorite dishes were: the onion soup (my friend can't stop talking about it), the seafood scrambled eggs (I was surprised at how big the portion was for this dish and it comes with lobster, shrimp, and calamari) and the chicken, steak and shrimp hibachi fried rice (my usual go-to).

Drinks: I ordered the Benihana Punch, but I thoroughly enjoyed the taste of the Rocky's (Passionfruit) Margarita. It isn't for lightweights like the punch is. The drinks are very potent, which was refreshing.

Souvenirs: We love our complimentary photo and we purchased our Benihana ceramic decorative cups.

Thank you to the staff at Miracle Mile: Breonca, Karenis, and the nice lady who managed the team that day and checked on us to make sure everything was A1... and it truly was! I'd definitely return to this location again.

As of January 7, 2026, I received an automated response to my review, directing me to a national website to file a complaint about how unpleasant the restaurant is.

Our chef showed up like a samurai who just got downsized from the underworld—spatula in one hand, shrimp in the other, and eyes that whispered, “I’ve seen things.” He chopped with the precision of a serial killer and smiled like he knew when you were going to die. I loved him instantly.

The onion volcano erupted like my anxiety. The flaming shrimp torpedoed across the grill and landed in a guy’s mouth with sniper-like precision. I clapped out of fear. The fried rice? So good I briefly forgot the void inside me. The filet mignon was tender enough to almost make me believe in love again.

It’s dinner and a show, where the show is part martial arts demonstration, part food-fueled fever dream, and part existential crisis. 10/10 would risk it all again. If I die at Benihana, just know I died doing what I feared most—making eye contact with the chef while he juggled knives and my sense of security.

We were so blessed with our experience: the food was amazing and delicious, the cook Elemantrino (apologies if I misspelled that) was entertaining and humble, the staff was polite and kind, and even suggested a gelato dessert place next door for after our meal. My wife and I will definitely be back next time we’re in town and we highly recommend this location if you are looking for an amazing atmosphere and experience for your hibachi dinner!

Odalis, the bartender, provides outstanding service every time. She crafts amazing cocktails with great attention to detail and always has the best recommendations. She suggested the Espresso Martini, and I’m so glad I tried it—it was absolutely delicious. Her dish suggestions are always spot on too. I loved the Wagyu steak with the chicken fried rice, and even though I’m not a soup person, now I always have the onion mushroom soup.

The managers are hands-on and genuinely welcoming. Paul always greets us with the warmest smile, and Jen, Yudit and Cesar go above and beyond to ensure everything is perfect.

Highly recommended!