The Show's On The Grill, Not The List
Midtown · Anchorage · Japanese teppanyaki & sushi · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed May 30, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Benihana Anchorage is very much an afterthought — a corporate-curated roster of recognizable labels that asks nothing of you and offers nothing surprising. You're here for the hibachi show, and the wine program knows it. This list exists to check a box, not to excite anyone.
Twenty-odd bottles pulled straight from the Benihana national playbook: California Cabs, an Oregon Pinot or two, a handful of Italian whites and sparkling options, and one novelty plum wine to lean into the Japanese theme. There's nothing here you haven't seen at a hotel bar. The heavy tilt toward name-brand crowd-pleasers — Justin Cab, La Crema, The Prisoner — signals a list built for brand recognition, not for thoughtful drinking. Regions like Burgundy, Alsace, Rhône, or even domestic Willamette Valley Pinot Gris that might actually sing alongside teppanyaki flavors are nowhere to be found.
Ten to fifteen pours by the glass sounds generous until you realize most of them are the same familiar faces you'd find at a chain steakhouse. There's no rotation, no seasonal swap-ins, and no sense that anyone is curating these picks with the food in mind. It's a static lineup that will look exactly the same on your next visit.
Nino Franco Prosecco, Valdobbiadene — null
Of everything on this list, the Nino Franco is the one bottle with some actual producer credibility behind it. Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore from Nino Franco is a real, well-regarded producer — not just a grocery-store label with a pretty label. The bright acidity cuts through teppanyaki butter and soy sauces better than anything else on the list. Note: pricing wasn't confirmed in our research, so verify on-site.
Bodega Norton Reserva Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina
Nobody comes to Benihana thinking 'I'll have the Malbec,' but the Bodega Norton Reserva is a solid, fruit-forward pour that holds up to the char and salt of hibachi steak better than the overhyped Prisoner red blend sitting right next to it. Low expectations, decent delivery.
Dom Pérignon, Épernay, France
Dom on a Benihana wine list is a red flag dressed in a fancy bottle. Restaurant markup on prestige Champagne is brutal under the best circumstances — at a national teppanyaki chain in Anchorage, you're paying a painful premium for a bottle that deserves a better setting. Save Dom for somewhere it's stored, served, and celebrated properly.
Ferrari Brut, Trento, Italy + Chicken & Shrimp Combination
Ferrari Brut is a Chardonnay-dominant sparkler from the Dolomites with enough structure and acidity to slice right through the garlic butter and soy that coat everything coming off the hibachi. The chicken-shrimp combo gives you two proteins that both play well with a dry, toasty sparkling wine — and bubbles make the whole teppanyaki theater feel a little more festive anyway.
❌ The Bottom Line
Benihana Anchorage is worth every minute of the hibachi spectacle — the wine list, however, is pure corporate filler with steep markups and zero ambition. Order the Ferrari Brut, enjoy the chef's knife tricks, and keep your wine expectations as low as the flames are high.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.