Benihana Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. The official menu groups select bites and drinks at $3, $6, and $9. At this Mission Valley restaurant, Happy Hour is for dine-in guests in the sushi bar and lounge. It is not available on holidays or with other promotions.
This post uses the San Diego location as its example because the keyword list did not name a city. Benihana has many restaurant locations, and the chain says hours, menu, pricing, and availability can vary. If you are searching “Benihana near me,” check the page for your own restaurant before making plans.
What time is Happy Hour at Benihana San Diego?
The San Diego location lists Happy Hour Monday through Friday, 3–6 p.m. The restaurant’s listed dining hours are 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Its regular lunch hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
The clock matters. A Thursday visit at 4 p.m. falls inside both the location’s lunch service window and Happy Hour. Friday Happy Hour ends at 6 p.m., but the page lists lunch service ending at 3 p.m. The special is not an all-day discount. The official policy also excludes holidays and says guests cannot combine Happy Hour with another offer.
| Quick detail | San Diego listing |
| Happy Hour | Monday–Friday, 3–6 p.m. |
| Where to order it | Sushi bar and lounge; dine-in only |
| Holidays | Happy Hour not available |
| Other promotions | Cannot be combined |
| Lunch service | Monday–Friday, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Address / phone | 477 Camino Del Rio South, San Diego; 619-298-4666 |
Benihana Happy Hour menu and prices
The official menu uses three price levels rather than one blanket discount. At $3, choices include edamame, spicy edamame, vegetable spring rolls, onion rings, chicken satay, four-piece snack rolls, Coronita beer, a sake shot, and the NA-Colada mocktail. The snack-roll choices are spicy salmon, spicy tuna, or California roll.
The $6 section lists teriyaki chicken, hibachi chicken fried rice, spicy fries with Angry Mayo, pork or spicy-chicken gyoza, seasonal draft beer, Kirin Light, and three sake sangria flavors. The $9 group includes crispy calamari, shrimp tempura, spicy tuna crispy rice, shrimp crunchy roll, chicken wings, a cheeseburger with fries, house wines, and signature cocktails such as Mai Tai, Benihana Punch, Rocky’s Margarita, and Cucumber Collins.
For a light bite, start with the $3 list and remember that the sushi snack rolls are four pieces. If you want a more filling option, the $6 tier includes hibachi chicken fried rice or teriyaki chicken. The $9 tier has choices such as calamari, shrimp tempura, a cheeseburger with fries, and wings, plus cocktails. The menu does not publish portion sizes for most items, so use the prices as a guide to the offer tiers—not as a promise about how many people one plate will serve.
Food price comparison
| Food item | Regular San Diego online-menu price | Happy Hour price | Savings |
| Edamame | $12.50 | $3 | Not calculated; Happy Hour portion size is not stated |
| Spicy Edamame | $14.50 | $3 | Not calculated; Happy Hour portion size is not stated |
The standard online-order menu lists these regular prices, and the Happy Hour menu lists both items in its $3 tier. The sources do not state whether the Happy Hour portions match the full-menu portions, so the price difference should not be read as a confirmed same-size saving. Benihana also says menu prices can vary by location.
Crisp sushi-rice bites topped with spicy tuna, jalapeño, cilantro, and a soy drizzle.
Drink price comparison
| Drink | Regular price in accessible San Diego menu | Happy Hour price | Savings |
| Mai Tai | Not listed in the accessible regular menu | $9 | Not calculated |
| Benihana Punch | Not listed in the accessible regular menu | $9 | Not calculated |
Both cocktails are named in the official Happy Hour menu. Benihana’s regular signature-cocktail page describes their ingredients but does not publish individual prices in the page text. So the Happy Hour prices are clear, while the regular price and exact savings are not.
Amber Mai Tai cocktail with citrus garnish and a darker rum float.
Items marked with an asterisk may be served raw or undercooked. Benihana’s menu warns that eating undercooked meat, seafood, shellfish, poultry, or eggs can raise the risk of foodborne illness. The California roll contains imitation crab, according to the menu note.
Benihana lunch specials are separate
The San Diego location lists lunch service Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. The separate Power Lunch promotion lists three courses starting at $15.95, with chicken, shrimp, or tofu at $15.95 and filet mignon or New York strip at $19.95. The included meal has soup or salad, hibachi vegetable rice, hibachi vegetables, and dipping sauces. It is dine-in only, tax and gratuity are extra, and the restaurant asks guests to tell the host they are there for the 45-minute Power Lunch.
There is a timing mismatch to check: the Power Lunch page advertises Monday through Thursday until 5 p.m., while the San Diego location page lists lunch service only until 3 p.m. Friday has the same 11 a.m.–3 p.m. end time on both pages. Call the San Diego branch before planning a late weekday lunch.
The $39 Taste of Benihana is another separate offer. The promotion includes a starter, one appetizer, and one entrée with sides. Its date and time vary by location, and it is restricted to dine-in in the bar and lounge. It cannot be combined with other discounts, including birthday certificates. Check the local page for availability rather than treating it as a daily Happy Hour deal.
Read More About Other Restaurants
Is Benihana Happy Hour right for your visit?
It can work if you want sushi-bar or lounge seating, a small bite, and a drink at a listed $3, $6, or $9 price. It is less useful if you need a weekend deal, want the regular teppanyaki dining-room experience, or plan to use another promotion at the same time. The listed Happy Hour location is limited to weekdays, and the menu page specifies dine-in in the sushi bar and lounge.
For a full meal, compare Happy Hour with lunch or the regular hibachi menu. The Power Lunch gives a multi-course meal at a posted price, but its weekday hours should be confirmed locally. For dinner, the $39 Taste of Benihana may be an option when offered, though the schedule changes by location. Those offers have different menus and rules, so they are not direct price comparisons with the Happy Hour small plates.
If a birthday is coming up, Benihana’s Friends With Benefits program lists a complimentary appetizer for new members, a $50 birthday reward, and a $25 half-birthday reward. The loyalty page says members earn one point per dollar at participating brands. Check the current terms, since rewards and redemption rules can change.
Benihana sells digital gift cards through its official gift-card page. Its FAQ says the cards can be used at Benihana restaurants in the United States, with exceptions for locations labeled Events Only.
FAQ
What time is Happy Hour at Benihana?
For Benihana San Diego, the official location page lists Monday through Friday, 3–6 p.m. Other branches may have different hours.
Where can I sit during Benihana Happy Hour?
The official Happy Hour menu says it is available in the sushi bar and lounge for dine-in only.
Does Benihana Happy Hour run on weekends?
The San Diego location lists it Monday through Friday, not Saturday or Sunday. Check the page for your location in case its schedule differs.
What is on the Benihana Happy Hour menu?
The menu has $3, $6, and $9 tiers. Items include edamame, snack rolls, chicken satay, gyoza, hibachi chicken fried rice, calamari, shrimp tempura, spicy tuna crispy rice, wings, and listed cocktails.
Is the Power Lunch the same as Happy Hour?
No. Power Lunch is a separate weekday, three-course lunch offer, while Happy Hour is an afternoon menu in the sushi bar and lounge. They have separate prices and rules. Confirm San Diego’s local Power Lunch timing because its page and location page show different weekday end times.