Benihana was the go to hot spot in the 90's for everyone it seemed, upper class suburban families to rappers to drug dealers….I remember going there as a special occasion for my friends birthday when we were like 10 and 13, or his family would go there for dinner sometimes, but was a big deal. His Dad was cool like that, he took us there because it was a 'cool' (expensive) place, esp. for kids from our neighborhood. Similar to places like Planet Hollywood, which was big back then too. Now, it's kind of a place to me, where people who don't know better, think is a classy place to eat, and the food is good quality. It's not, imo, and I hate the way it's presented and served. I don't want someone putting on a show in front of me, it's uncomfortable and embarrassing, watching a grown man try to entertain, I think it's telling in our society we like people to perform for us, and we embrace the Japanese customs towards service and customers….It's basic rice and meat cooked in a flashy way, and way overpriced, but the price is the least of my objections. It is a place people idolize because they equate it with wealth, and prosperity, but what happens is the entire dining room is filled with mostly bottom feeder mid or low level drug dealers, so the illusion of class is all but gone. When I was 16 or 17, all the dope boys we looked up to, went to Benihanas.