Restaurant Workers Fight in Benihana Brawl, Caught on Camera

Diners at a Torrance, California Benihana got more than chicken fried rice Monday night — they watched some live-action butt-kicking between 2 of the restaurant’s employees!

You can see some of the altercation in the video … utensils clang and dishes go flying as the workers get into it — causing some frantic bystanders to flee their seats while the situation escalates.

Plates continue to be smashed as someone lets out a yell … and eventually a security guard is seen with his arms wrapped around a highly agitated man who is escorted out.

The Torrance Police Department was called to the scene, and Lt. Freddy Ahmad tells TMZ … the suspect was gone before authorities arrived. Their investigation determined there was a dispute between a manager and one of the employees.

We’re told a manager instructed an employee to leave the restaurant, but the employee refused, which is when security stepped in to help … and things got more heated than an onion volcano on a hibachi grill.

A physical altercation occurred between the employee and the security guard — not the manager — and the security guard suffered injuries that were treated by Torrance Fire Department personnel at the scene.

No one is in custody as the investigation continues, Lt. Ahmad confirms.