Benihana Japanese Steakhouse Sushi Lounge

This is a fantastic place to celebrate your birthday, anniversary, or any special occasion! While it might be a bit pricey for students, treating yourself once in a while is definitely worth it. The atmosphere is wonderful, and the chef puts in a lot of effort to entertain guests while cooking right in front of them, making it a truly unique experience in Toronto. Additionally, if you visit on your birthday or anniversary, the restaurant offers a complimentary dessert—either chocolate cake or cheesecake—which is a lovely touch. I had the cheesecake, and I must say, I made an excellent choice! I will definitely be returning!

The atmosphere was just average, around 3 stars. I expected a bit more Japanese decor, and the teppanyaki cooking tables felt a bit cramped, leaving limited space to enjoy our meal. However, the service definitely stood out at 5+ stars. The servers and chef were incredibly friendly and attentive. My son particularly enjoyed the cooking show and the flames. Unfortunately, the food only rated about 2.5 stars. While the appetizer featuring sushi, seaweed salad, and tempura was fantastic, the shrimp main course was overcooked. Although the garlic butter was delicious, it was used in so many dishes that they all ended up tasting quite similar. Overall, there was a good amount of food, but I believe the quality could be significantly improved given the price.

This review focuses on the restaurant and bar area of Benihana, rather than the teppanyaki experience, as we chose not to participate in the cooking show. The drink menu is impressive, featuring a wide array of colors and liquors that cater to any mood. While many patrons come for the teppanyaki, the bar offers a fantastic selection of sushi, with skilled sushi chefs preparing dishes right at the bar in their dedicated sushi kitchen. We ordered two sushi boats and the spicy salmon, all of which were excellent and fresh. They also serve calamari and bento dishes, making for great alternatives to the teppanyaki if you prefer appetizers and drinks over a full dinner. The only reason I rated it 4 out of 5 is that, compared to other restaurants in the area, the sushi prices are relatively high.

I went there for the first time for dinner and the experience was amazing. Not only the staff where really friendly, the food was really good as well. The experience with the whole thing with the fire in the onion dome was amazing. It’s a bit pricey but it’s very much worth it for the amount of food they give. You can literally share the plate with some one and get an appetizer and it would be enough. All I would say is amazing service and food, I would definitely come back again.

First off if you're eating teppan, don't order a appetizer you won't finish your meal. The price is equivalent to the value, you get a live show and a large meal. Everyone gets: Japanese onion soup, Japanese salad, steamed rice, stir fried veggies, shrimp, plus your order. I enjoyed the samurai feast which included a 10 oz filet mignon and more shrimp! It was delicious and it was fun watching the chef prepare everything. If you're going to drive the Fairmont hotel valet has a discounted rate for the restaurants, or close to TTC subway.