(My VERY belated birthday) Dinner at Benihana BBQ (SF Japantown): Table for 8

Note: Benihana is a chain. This SF Foodies meetup will take place at the 1737 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94115 location in San Francisco’s Japantown.

(Historical Factoid: Benihana translates to "red flower" or "safflower" in Japanese (from beni meaning red/crimson and hanameaning flower). The name was originally chosen by the founder's parents for their coffee shop in post-war Tokyo. It was inspired by a small, resilient red flower they found growing in the city’s rubble.)

Benihana provides a sumptuous Japanese yakiniku (grilled barbecue) dining experience where customers enjoy premium cooked meats, seafood and vegetables as well as a spectacular interactive cooking performance on the sleek teppan-yaki grill around which the diners sit and eat while they also can also imbibe (if they so desire) in Japanese sake, shochu, and frosty cold beers as well a bevy of non-alcoholic drinks.

Benihana has a pretty large and diverse menu. Basically, it has and serves (most) all of the standards and favorites that one would come to expect at a regular Japanese restaurant. However, what sets Benihana apart from this other “regular” Japanese restaurants is that their 5- (or 6-) course meals (as well as their “Specialty Dinners”) are served with premium (cuts of) steak, chicken and/or seafood. Additionally, these “course meals” (and/or “specialty dinners”) also come with Benihana onion soup, Benihana salad, hibachi shrimp appetizer, hibachi vegetables, homemade dipping sauces, steamed rice and Japanese hot green tea. Finally, the 6-course also include hibachi mushrooms and ice cream or sherbet.

https://www.benihana.com/menus/main/

Note: Everyone should respect the teppan-yaki cook (aka “grill master”) and (naturally) do their best to be a good and pleasant diner.

Costs
$$ ~ $$$ (more about this soon!)

Of course, cost/s can and does all depend/s on what you/we order. Costs for extras, including drinks, will be borne by the people who order them. Most likely, there will be no separate checks. Basically, everyone will pay for what they order to eat and/or drink as well as paying their “fair” of any item/s that they share with another diner and/or diners. Please be prepared to reimburse the host via cash (bring some small/er denominations and not just 20’s, etc.)…plus Venmo, Zelle and perhaps Apple Pay.

Taxes and Fees
Dining in San Francisco has a sales tax (8.625%). This restaurant may also add an employee health surcharge and likely a mandatory gratuity (20%?) for a large party like this one of eight.

Parking and Transportation
Bart (Embarcadero/Montgomery St./Powell St.) and then hop on the 38 Geary bus.

Also, the 22 Fillmore bus is an option from 16th St. Mission BART station.

Street parking (which can be challenging in J-town) and/or parking in the Japan Center (underground) Parking Garage.