Benihana Sauces & Dressings Guide 2026
Yum Yum Sauce, ginger sauce, mustard sauce and ponzu — every Benihana dipping sauce with prices, calories and copycat recipes.
Ask any Benihana fan what makes the meal and many will say the sauces. The holy trinity of hibachi dipping — creamy Yum Yum Sauce, zesty ginger sauce and tangy mustard sauce — arrives with every hibachi dinner, alongside ponzu for seafood and ginger dressing for salads. Guests love them so much that extra portions are among the most-ordered add-ons in the restaurant.
This guide covers all four sauces: what is in each, what to dip in it, calories, price (about $2.50 for extras) and copycat recipes so you can keep them in your fridge at home.
Benihana Sauces & Dressings
Yum Yum Sauce
The legendary creamy pink dipping sauce — Benihana’s famous ‘shrimp sauce’ guests beg to take home.
Ginger Sauce
Zesty fresh-ginger dipping sauce — the bright, punchy partner to hibachi meats.
Mustard Sauce
Creamy, tangy hot-mustard dipping sauce with a gentle kick for hibachi meats.
Ponzu Sauce
Citrus-soy ponzu dipping sauce — light, tangy and perfect with seafood and sushi.
Benihana Sauce Prices & Calories
| Sauce | Extra Price | Calories (2 tbsp) | Best With |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yum Yum Sauce | $2.50 | 90 | Shrimp, chicken, fried rice |
| Ginger Sauce | $2.50 | 25 | Steak, chicken, shrimp |
| Mustard Sauce | $2.50 | 60 | Filet mignon, chicken |
| Ponzu Sauce | $2.50 | 15 | Sashimi, shrimp, scallops |
The Three Classic Hibachi Dipping Sauces
Every hibachi dinner comes with the trio: Yum Yum Sauce (creamy, sweet, pink — the famous ‘shrimp sauce’), ginger sauce (bright, zesty, nearly calorie-free) and mustard sauce (creamy-tangy with a gentle kick). Chefs squirt them tableside from squeeze bottles, and regulars all have a favorite. Try all three before declaring yours.
The Yum Yum Sauce Phenomenon
Yum Yum Sauce has escaped the restaurant — it is a grocery-store product, a TikTok obsession and the most-searched Benihana recipe on the internet. The magic is its balance: mayo richness, tomato tang, garlic depth and just enough sweetness. Our copycat recipe on the Yum Yum Sauce page nails it in five minutes.
Which Sauce Goes With What
Quick pairing guide: shrimp loves Yum Yum and ponzu; steak loves ginger and mustard; chicken works with all three; fried rice wants a Yum Yum drizzle; sashimi wants ponzu only. Ginger dressing (on the soups & salads menu) is for salads, not the grill.
FAQs — Benihana Sauces & Dressings
Conclusion
The sauces are half the Benihana experience — learn the trio, find your favorite, and keep copycat batches in your fridge. Your home stir-fries will thank you.