The spot: Benihana, 16403 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale

Happy hour: 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday

The vibe: Benihana is pretty crowded for a Monday night when we arrive. There are only a handful of empty tables available at the hip restaurant and bar, which opened in December. A hostess, who has a little bit of an attitude and is wearing too much eyeliner, directs us (read: points with a vengeance) to the bar where happy hour is offered. We later find out that it's also featured in the sushi bar. A man and his daughter and a few couples sit at the bar where a rico suave-looking bartender is mixing up colorful cocktails.

The food deals: Discounted menu includes $2.50 kani kani cheese; $2.75 marinated salmon, tako tacos; $3.50 beef sashimi; $4.95 kaisan trio, soft shell crab and mixed sushi dishes.

The drink deals: $4.50 sake pineapple rum martini, sake mango rum martini; $5 sake bombers, sake sangria, sake tropical punch.

The review: A bartender warns us that we may not like the sake sangria so he offers us, along with a couple who is also curious about the sangria, a sample. We like it but opt for a sake mango rum martini ($4.50), which is extremely tart and doesn't hold a candle to the sangria. We have a better experience with the food. The tako tacos ($2.75), which come in an order of five, are light and refreshing. The unique item is mainly comprised of salsa in a crispy gyoza shell. The cold marinated salmon ($2.75) is thinly-sliced and wrapped with cream cheese, onion and avocado, is equally unique and just as tasty. The kani kani cheese ($2.50) — a six piece order of crab with cheese wrapped and fried in a gyoza shell — is packed with cheese and delicious. We also try an order of the sushi ($4.95), which is a combination of four crunchy rolls and four spicy tuna rolls. We don't like the spicy tuna roll, which leaves a bad taste in our mouths, but love the crunchy rolls which are sweet.

The inside scoop: Benihana kicked off this new happy hour last week so be sure to check it out before word gets out and it becomes as crowded as Kona Grill's happy hour.

Info: and www.benihana.com