Benihana Returns to Seattle With Waterfront Restaurant at Lake Union Piers
Benihana returns to Seattle after a decade away with a near 9,000 sq ft waterfront restaurant at Lake Union Piers, set to open late 2026. Read the full story. (158 chars)
Prajakta Sanjay Warwadkar 
SEATTLE, June 10, 2026 — Benihana, the teppanyaki chain known for its theatrical hibachi cooking style, is returning to Seattle with a new waterfront restaurant at Lake Union Piers in South Lake Union, marking the brand's first full-scale presence in the city since its downtown location closed in 2016. The new restaurant will occupy nearly 9,000 square feet at 901 Fairview Ave N, placing its hibachi tables directly on the edge of Lake Union in one of the city's most active waterfront redevelopment projects.
The deal was first reported by the Puget Sound Business Journal and confirms a return that puts Benihana on one of the larger dining footprints at the five-acre Lake Union Piers complex, which Vulcan Real Estate recently completed after a comprehensive redevelopment of the former Chandler's Cove site on the southern shore of the lake.
A Flagship Location on a Waterfront Entertainment Destination
The ONE Group, which acquired Benihana in 2024 as part of a strategy to scale experiential dining concepts across the United States, has classified the Lake Union location as a flagship. In remarks to investors, CEO Emanuel Hilario described the space at approximately 7,000 square feet, noting its similarity in scale to a recently opened San Mateo location. "That location is about 7,000-ish square feet, so it's almost identical to what we got in San Mateo," Hilario said on an earnings call, according to transcripts.
The company also revealed that the Lake Union space was originally designed for a Kona Grill, another brand in The ONE Group's portfolio, before executives made the decision midstream to deploy Benihana instead citing stronger revenue potential for the hibachi brand at the waterfront site.
Lake Union Piers spans roughly 60,000 square feet across four buildings, with approximately 40,000 square feet devoted to food, drink and retail concepts. Vulcan Real Estate developed the project with an emphasis on multi-modal access, promoting new piers, expanded visitor moorage and terraced seating designed to attract guests arriving by car, on foot or by boat. The project is positioned as South Lake Union's primary waterfront entertainment destination.
Seattle Has Been Without Benihana for Nearly a Decade
Benihana's previous Seattle presence ended in 2016 when the chain's downtown location was rebranded as Hamanasu, a change that marked the brand's effective departure from the local dining market. The decade-long absence leaves a sizeable gap of recognition and nostalgia that the Lake Union return is positioned to fill, particularly given the strong association many Pacific Northwest diners have with the Benihana experience from earlier years.
The brand's teppanyaki format guests seated around a communal iron griddle while a trained chef prepares and serves their meal with a performance element has consistently demonstrated drawing power as experiential dining formats have grown in popularity. The waterfront setting at Lake Union Piers adds an additional dimension to that format, placing the hibachi tables against a backdrop of open water and city views.
For context on the Japanese teppanyaki and hibachi cooking traditions that define Benihana's menu and format,
HCP Good Food's Japanese recipes collection offers useful background on the cuisine's depth and range.
Staffing Has Begun as Build-Out Progresses
Job postings advertising roles for "Benihana - Lake Union" including teppan chefs and management positions tied to the 901 Fairview Ave N address are already appearing on local and national employment platforms, indicating the operator is assembling an opening team while interior construction and permitting work continues.
The ONE Group has publicly targeted a late 2026 opening for the Lake Union location. If achieved, the Seattle flagship will join a Benihana network that the company has been actively expanding since the 2024 acquisition, with a stated focus on placing new locations in high-visibility, high-footfall environments suited to the brand's entertainment-first dining model.
Further details on the Lake Union Piers development are available at lakeunionpiers.com, and information on Benihana's expansion programme can be found at benihana.com.
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