Sitting proudly in sunny San Mateo’s Bridgepointe Shopping Center just off of the beautiful Bay waters, Benihana brings an elevated dining concept rooted in precision, tradition, and food-flinging theater. Known for its teppanyaki-style preparation and decades-long legacy, the restaurant offers a multi-sensory journey that celebrates both Japanese cuisine and American hospitality.
As soon as you walk in, the sleek interior immediately evokes a chic, yet approachable modern izakaya, bathed in rich red accents and dark wood finishes. Centered around shared grill stations, the Benihana layout encourages group dining, community-building conversation, and—of course—excitement. This is the ultimate choice for a solid meal with family and friends, coworkers, or even as a solo adventure!
Begin your culinary journey hydrated with their many refreshing signature libations like Haiku Colada, or if you’re feeling extra thirsty and daring, take on their large punchbowl-style Blue Ocean Punch!
For appetizers and plate orders, the must-tries are the Chili Ponzu Yellowtail featuring yellowtail, jalapeño, cilantro, and chili ponzu sauce atop satisfyingly crispy rice. Pair it with the zesty Chili Shrimp Roll fried to perfection with krab and cream cheese in spicy chili sauce, and generously topped with even more krab and shrimp.
The Benihana experience itself is the spotlight feast as it is interactive and entertaining as the chefs who make it happen are genuinely personable and charming. The Scallops grilled hibachi-style with lemon, Filet Mignon lightly seasoned and grilled to perfection with mushrooms, and the Hibachi Colossal Shrimp are highly recommended to order.
Pair their Signature Hibachi Fried Rice with grilled chicken and freshly chopped vegetables with any of them as the fluffy bed to rest your hearty entree on.
Aside from your spectacularly served feast, be sure to also room for their delectable dessert of Strawberry Mochi Ice Cream– creamy, chill, and as divinely sweet as all of the staff.
And while the flavors satisfy, the gourmet history behind it all adds another dimension of depth as founder Rocky Aoki’s vision of community dining and interactive entertainment revolutionized how America saw Japanese food. Today, more than 100 million meals later, Benihana continues that legacy across the world—with San Mateo standing as a proud representative of that tradition.
Find Benihana at the Bridgepointe Shopping Center, 2204 Bridgepointe Pkwy, San Mateo, CA 94404, or make a reservation online at benihana.com/reservations. Call +1 408-914-7529 and let the show—and the meal—begin.
