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.