Why the Sacramento region’s only Benihana is closing this weekend

The onion volcano is going dormant.

Benihana in Citrus Heights, the interactive Japanese restaurant chain’s only location in the Sacramento region, will close Sunday, company spokeswoman Jeannie Means confirmed in an email Wednesday.

The teppanyaki restaurant’s lease is up at 5489 Sunrise Blvd. in the Sunrise Village shopping center, which is slated for redevelopment, Means said. Managing director Gary Muljat of Merlone Geier, which owns the shopping center, previously told the Sacramento Business Journal construction would finish up in mid-2021.

“Sacramento is a great city and we would like to return when we find an ideal location,” Means wrote in an email. “We thank every (g)uest and every one of our valued employees.”

All Citrus Heights employees have been offered jobs at other Benihana locations, the nearest of which is in Concord. The chain will have 20 restaurants throughout California after Sunday.

Benihana did not respond to The Bee’s request for comment last week. The Sacramento Business Journal first reported the Citrus Heights restaurant’s impending closure.

This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 1:31 PM.