Washoku Guide
Cities/San Francisco/Teppanyaki/Benihana
San Francisco · Teppanyaki · casual

Benihana

TeppanyakiTeppanyakiJapaneseJapantownFamily DiningChain

Benihana Japantown is one of San Francisco's most iconic dining experiences — a legendary teppanyaki restaurant with Japanese castle architecture, founded by Rocky Aoki of Tokyo and now part of One Group Hospitality.

Price
¥¥
Area
Japantown
Since
1999
Owner
One Group Hospitality (founded by Rocky Aoki)
Benihana — authentic teppanyaki restaurant in San Francisco, Japantown
Plate № 23
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About
The Benihana brand traces its roots to Japan: founder Hiroaki 'Rocky' Aoki was born in Tokyo in 1938 (son of Yunosuke Aoki, who opened Japan's original Benihana café in 1947), and brought the teppanyaki concept to the United States in 1964. The San Francisco Japantown location — situated in a distinctive Japanese castle-style building with a blue tile roof — is one of the brand's most culturally resonant outposts, located at the heart of the country's oldest Japantown. Benihana was acquired by One Group Hospitality in February 2024 for $365 million. Though now a large American chain, the brand's Japanese heritage and teppanyaki performance tradition remain central to its identity, making the Japantown location a fitting ambassador for the art of tableside Japanese cooking.
Neighborhood & visiting

Benihana sits in Japantown, one of San Francisco's neighborhoods where authentic Japanese kitchens have taken root. Reservations are available online — for a focused teppanyaki counter this is strongly recommended. Check the posted hours before you go — traditional teppanyaki restaurants often close between service periods.

Why it's on Washoku Guide
  • Founded by Tokyo-born Rocky Aoki — a direct descendant of the Aoki family that created Benihana in Japan in 1947
  • Landmark Japanese castle-style building with iconic blue tile roof in the heart of San Francisco's Japantown
  • Live teppanyaki performance dining — chefs slice, dice, and cook at the table in a theatrical tradition dating back to Japan
  • One of Japantown's most family-friendly dining experiences, open daily for both lunch and dinner

Benihana was acquired by One Group Hospitality (parent of STK and Kona Grill) in February 2024 for $365 million. The SF Japantown location continues to operate under the Benihana brand. — Authenticity: Japanese-owned

Links
Reserve →Website →Map →Google →Yelp →Tripadvisor →

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Frequently asked

About Benihana

Is Benihana an authentic teppanyaki restaurant in San Francisco?
Yes — Benihana is featured in Washoku Guide because it meets our authenticity standard for teppanyaki in San Francisco: a kitchen grounded in Japanese technique, ingredients and preparation consistent with Japanese practice, and a focused teppanyaki format.
Where is Benihana located?
Benihana is located at 1737 Post St, Suite 350, San Francisco, CA 94115, San Francisco, USA in the Japantown neighborhood.
Do I need a reservation at Benihana?
Benihana accepts reservations online. For an authentic teppanyaki experience, especially at a focused counter, booking ahead is strongly recommended.
What is the price range at Benihana?
Benihana sits in the ¥¥ price range — typical for teppanyaki of this format in San Francisco.
Keep exploring
All Japanese restaurants in San Francisco →Teppanyaki in San Francisco →Authentic teppanyaki worldwide →All cities →