Apparently price is no object for the management of Japanese steakhouse Benihana.

The restaurant chain recently rejected an offer from a New York investment firm that wanted to buy it — without even asking how much they were willing to fork over, The Post has learned.

RDG Capital, founded by Russell Glass, a former Carl Icahn hedge fund executive, reached out to Benihana CEO Richard Stockinger, expressing interest in paying a “significant premium” to the current stock price of roughly $5 a share. Sources say Glass is seeking to take the company private with several buyout backers.

It’s perfectly legal for a board to reject a buyout offer out of hand, according to corporate-governance experts, but the move is expected to raise eyebrows given Benihana’s financial troubles, and its recent battle with shareholders over plans to raise much-needed funds.

“If this was a company that was doing well, yes, you could stiff-arm them,” said one expert who asked not to be named. “But given [Benihana’s financial condition], why would it be dismissive?”

Benihana has been seeking ways to raise money in part because of a problem with one of its credit lines, which is coming due next year. The company set up a special committee to analyze “various alternatives,” and recently fought with stockholders over plans to issue additional shares.

A company spokesman declined to comment, but some investors are demanding more information about why the offer was so readily rejected.