The 45-Minute Power Lunch at Benihana Is a Killer Recession-Era Deal

When times get tough, nothing tastes better than a reasonably priced lunch, which can now look like a 45-minute plow through the steaming, clanking, and slicing experience of Benihana, the original hibachi. Launched a few weeks ago, the sub-$20 power lunch guarantees a 45-minute meal or else it’s free, like the mattresses from Sit-and-Sleep if they can’t beat an advertised price. Benihana’s power lunch is ideal for office workers and work-from-home folks who want a satisfying lunch break with a little visual appeal over a bowl of the usual salad or a limp sandwich.

Angelenos have long cherished Benihana, which founder Yunosuke Aoki first opened in Tokyo in the 1940s and later was expanded to New York City by his son Hiroaki “Rocky” Aoki (the father of famed DJ Steve Aoki and 2 Fast 2 Furious actress Devon Aoki) in 1964. It opened a popular location on Beverly Hills’ Restaurant Row in 1971 and operated there until its closure in 2015. Today, Benihana still maintains outposts in Torrance, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Encino, and Downey in Los Angeles County. Benihana was acquired by One Group (STK Steakhouse) in February 2024 for $365 million, solidifying its position as one of the country’s top Asian restaurant chains.

I grew up going to Benihana for special occasions, but had not been in at least 25 years. Our family enjoyed the “tainment” of a chef throwing shrimp tails into his hat with a metal spatula or stacking onion rings into a mini-volcano and lighting it on fire. While the show was fun, the best part of the teppanyaki dinner was the interplay between the appetizers (a profound onion soup or crunchy iceberg lettuce salad with a tangy sesame dressing), main entrees, and sides — the way the meal progressed like a proto-omakase. Each bite tasted different because of those superb sauces: sesame for vegetables and the savory soy-ginger for meats. And of course, the fried rice, prepared on the steel teppanyaki counter.

At a time when inflation and other rising costs have made the average sit-down meal beyond the reach of an everyday experience, Benihana’s power lunch offering feels like a refreshing change of pace. For $15.95, diners get soup or salad, pre-made fried rice, vegetables, and either chicken, tofu, or shrimp; a choice of New York strip or filet mignon costs $19.95. In comparison, a chicken parm sandwich from Ggiata costs $16, and a Cote-collaboration salad from Sweetgreen will run you $18. And neither of those comes with a chef cooking the food in front of you.

Stepping into the traditional tile-roofed Benihana in Torrance, the building tucked behind office buildings and a big Korean grocery store, I noticed that the space felt long in the tooth. Low-flung counters featured weathered wood, varnished at least a few dozen times in its life and stamped with the fingerprints of thousands of hibachi dinners. The room felt less remarkable during the brightness of day, when its age clearly showed. Shortly after ordering, a chef dragged in a cart full of ingredients, sauces, and a clucking blue plastic rooster (ostensibly for entertaining children, which our table did not have). I started the timer on my phone to make sure they stuck to the 45-minute guarantee.

A small salad came with the ginger dressing (I regretted not getting the dark brown onion soup), and I downed it quickly while watching the chef go to work. He started slicing and searing onions, mushrooms, and zucchini, with steam billowing out and salt shakers rattling against a spatula. My New York strip hit the grill a bit later, followed by swift cuts into bite-sized pieces. Chopsticks are the only utensils required to eat at Benihana, thanks to the knifework. The fried rice, typically the final part of the teppanyaki show, was pre-made, which also cut down on the meal time. I checked my phone to confirm: I was ready to dig into the main entrees with sides in 14 minutes and 30 seconds.

Matthew Kang

For some reason, with the fried rice finale skipped from the show, I felt a slight hollowness, like I was paying just under $20 for a plate of vegetables, rice, and steak. Still a good price, but somehow deprived of the full Benihana experience. I quickly forgot about it after taking in a few bites, dipping the juicy steak into the ruddy ginger sauce or zucchini into the nutty, barely sweetened sesame sauce. I experienced a brief Ratatouille-esque snapshot of past meals at Benihana, sitting next to my dad, sister, and mom; stealing a bite from Appa’s plate because I wanted to taste his shrimp.

Benihana now — on a Wednesday at 1 p.m., dining solo in a Torrance strip mall, checking my watch to make sure I get back to my desk after lunch — wasn’t quite the same kind of event. However, it was quite good and the total cost was $31.79, including a $4.50 soft drink, tax, and tip; the whole meal had taken just 35 minutes. I would gladly power lunch here again.

The Benihana power lunch is available at all locations in Southern California and Arizona (including Phoenix Arena, Chandler, and Scottsdale); it’s not served in Las Vegas at the Westgate or on the Strip.

Matthew Kang