Benihana — the theatrical teppanyaki chain whose lively chefs grill up dishes for patrons of all ages celebrating birthdays — has sold its corporate condo inside Manhattan’s Olympic Tower for $1.77 million, according to property records.
That’s almost $1 million less than the $2.6 million Benihana paid for the residence — which is near its flagship eatery on West 56th Street — in 2015. The unit first hit the market for $1.9 million last July.
The buyer is a mystery person hiding behind an LLC named Science of Enlightenment.
Japanese-born restaurateur Hiroaki “Rocky” Aoki opened the first Benihana in New York City in 1964.
Aoki was also a champion wrestler and the first person to fly across the Pacific in a hot air balloon, although the flight ended with a crash in Northern California.
Before he passed away in 2008, Aoki was also a race car and powerboat champion, held a world title in backgammon — and fathered the model and actress Devon Aoki and the DJ/music producer Steve Aoki.
The one-bedroom, 1½-bathroom condo at 641 Fifth Ave. features floor-to-ceiling windows.
The dwelling opens to a large foyer that leads to a kitchen, a laundry room and an open living/dining area. There’s also a separate bedroom wing.
Design details include two custom-designed, built-in Italian mahogany closets and some nods to the 1980s, like mirrored walls and curved wood built-ins. The home additionally boasts skyline views of Midtown, Billionaires’ Row and Central Park South.
Olympic Tower was built by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and developed in 1975 by Aristotle Onassis, the Greek-Argentine shipping heir who married former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
It was known as the first spot for the global rich to buy without co-op board-style scrutiny. Buyers included arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi; the Gucci sisters Alessandra and Allegra, whose mother hired a hit man to kill their cheating father, Maurizio Gucci; and Anne Hathaway when she was engaged to Raffaello Follieri, the Italian fraudster who claimed to work for the Vatican.
The luxury tower, which attracted such colorful characters and jet-setters, was also a model for Trump Tower.
The listing brokers were Erin Boisson Aries and Dustin Crouse of Douglas Elliman.