37 Best Japanese Restaurants near Imperial Beach

“My family (with 3+ kids) loves sushi and know good sushi when we eat it. We've been coming to Meijo for 15 years. Just stopped in again and had a delightful meal. Everything was fresh and delicious. All ingredients as they should be. Fish was colorful and artfully arranged (Rainbow!). Great vegetable tempura.

Staff was prompt and friendly and courteous. We called ahead to order but then dined-in and they were ready for us.

This is a family friendly venue. No need to dress up. I ate there with my parents who struggle to hear and it was not too loud -- we were able to talk.

Decor is not modern but don't be put off, it's great food and great service.

Vegetarian options: I'm not a strict vegetarian but there are vegetarian options on the menu that don't include fish.

Parking: Adjacent to a strip mall. Friday night there were plenty of spaces to park.

Kid-friendliness: Bring the children! Sushi is fun and it's a great environment for them.“

“I really enjoyed the food. We got 2 sushi rolls and chicken katsu. All 3 were delicious. My only complaint would be the miso soup which had an odd taste, I believe due to the bowl holding the scent and slight taste of whatever soap was used to clean it. Other than that, it was an enjoyable meal.“

“The sushi was amazing! Some of the best I have had! We decided to branch out and try some new nigiri and sashimi that we hadn’t tried and everything we had was great! The location is amazing! My one complaint is that the lighting was oddly bright for a 7 pm
Reservation. The rest of the atmosphere was great except for the lighting.“

“Everyone who works there is friendly With excellent customer service food was delicious 🤤“

“Been going to this place for over 20 yrs. Beside good excellent food , staff are always friendly never change.. love every time I’m here, it feels like my second home..“

“The food is amazing, as is the service. My family have eaten there since they opened in 1986. They were small then, when Swenson's ice cream used to be next door. My favorite dish was the champon noodles. It still tastes the same!!“

“I don’t know what happens in SD, but some restaurants (Good restaurants) look empty. This place is nice, good vibe , and good service. I like see restaurants half full, people enjoying food and flowing service and this one has potential for that! 🫶🏼“

“What a find! Completely unexpected gem in Chula Vista. Food was absolutely amazing. My garlic noodles with pork belly was the best pork belly I've ever had. By far. The cut of pork and preparation were perfect. My UK coworker gave a huge 2 thumbs up for their fish and chips. Said it was legit. Another coworker raved about their bao buns. Drinks from the bar were great as well. A must visit when in San Diego.“

“Sushi is DELICIOUS! Customer Service is Awesome! Place is Mellow and Relaxing and very Enjoyable!“

“Awesome food. Service is great also. Prices are moderate.“

“Love their food and drinks!“

“Good food and friendly employees“

“Great prices! While everything seems to be getting more expensive it's good to know there are some places putting out delicious food for a decent price. The rice is good thats what makes or breaks a sushi spot. We had the Red Dragon roll, Rainbow roll, Philly roll, California roll and some orange chicken all were really good. If you live in National city and want to stay in the area and have goid sushi this is a place worth stopping at.“

“First Time great. Second time even better because the man in charge remembered me and he was not even working.Awesome tasty food and portions are worth it by far. I buy what I buy from other places in San Diego- no comparison they are on top of their game.“

“Inspiring, creative menu that rivals the best menus in the world. Surprising affordable and unforgettably crafted cocktails. Entire staff is friendly, approachable and highly knowledgeable.“

“Best sushi in San Diego at reasonable prices! Delicioso!!!“

“Awesome staff and delicious options, plenty to choose from. I recommend the Go Go Godzilla or the Abre La Boca Mucho Roll. After six years, it's my number one place for Japanese style food.“

“Sakura's Mystery, the new hibachi food truck, offers an exceptional dining experience. Their flavorful hibachi bowls and delectable sushi platters are absolutely delicious. The friendly staff and skilled chefs create a warm and inviting atmosphere. With a variety of options available, Sakura's Mystery is a must-visit for anyone seeking a culinary adventure on wheels. Five stars without hesitation!“

“This place bangs. Disagree heavily that the food was bad. This place is not a 2 star. Absolute insanity to give it such a low review. I love the atmosphere, and I wish more people would check it out.Also, maybe it's the location? Come to Convoy guys, we'll treat you better.“

“I'm from the east coast, where this chain is most popular. And I'm so glad there is at least one location in San Diego. It is the best chicken teriyaki plates I've ever had for less than $10. I go out of my way, about 28 miles, just to eat here, at this spot, in a mall food court. Willingly.

Parking: It's at a mall so parking can be difficult but no worse than any other busy mall.

Kid-friendliness: This location is inside of a mall food court so it's perfectly suited to bring your loud kiddos that can't sit still.

Wheelchair accessibility: There are ramps and automatic doors.“

“The waitress was so nice and had great customer service skills! It was refreshing . My gf made a mistake when checking out and wasn’t able to tip her and the waitress was graceful and told us not to worry about it ( we left Cash after ) . The chef was also very kind . We will definitely be returning .“

“Rico rico muy recomendable El Salmon“

“This place is wonderful....Good Japanese Traditional Sushi and Modern American Rolls for the Non Japanese. good service and quality is good.“

“I don't usually give out 5 stars unless it's deserved but, wow this place made me feel like I was living in Japan again! The food tastes exactly the same! I had the teriyaki ribeye steak, my wife had the chicken katsu, and we got a side of tempura & mixed veggies. Will definitely come back again to try something else!“

“Good experience! Friendly atmosphere“

“Delicious food! Excellent service!“

“Pretty loud and tight seating. Felt like we were eating dinner with the tables next to us. The happy hour menu was impressive and all the food was fantastic. Staff was kind and constantly checking in. All in all, would recommend. Just be ready for a decently chaotic experience.“

“Cochinita is some of the best Teriyaki in the region, originally coming to us from about 50km south straight out of Ensenada, this is their flagship and only US location and if you’re in San Diego it’s a must; bold of me to say, but in my heart it’s one of the city’s speciality dishes. I’ve been coming here since I was a child, and we’ve always been faithful to the chicken Minoru or the chicken Nomuraki if you want a more flavorful dish. It’s basically just a bed of rice with grilled chicken on top, but the Nomuraki goes a step above and adds seasoning, green onion, and an accompanying side of a picked cucmever salad. It’s not intensely pickley though, and it’s a very refreshing side to enjoy with the chicken. Everything is always fresh and steaming hot as they cook the chicken thighs right in front of you the only thing I’ve been instructed by my mom to do is to ask for the chicken without any skin. It does cost a little extra but I’ve never not ordered it like that and I’ll continue to do so. Also be sure to let them know if you want any condiments, they have pickled red onions, pickled jalapeños, and a signature red salsa. But truly I recommend anything this place has to offer and it’s as local and authentically Chula Vista as it gets. I really love this place and I’m glad it’s survived the test of time which is why I hope y’all can give them a chance and see if you just found out one of your newest favorite restaurants. Overall, DAYGOEATSCERTIFIED✅✅📋“

“U love it. Good sushi chefs! Very enjoyed“

“This joint is the real deal! Authentic and delicious Thai food made fresh to order. You can tell because it comes piping hot. Family run spot. The lady at the counter is sweet. I may have had the best drunken noodle (pad kee mao) here. It was soo good and satisfying. Food is very reasonably priced as well.“

“The food was great. Mango-Mango roll was exceptional!!“

“I've FINALLY found a decent Hibachi place to eat here in San Diego.

I'm from the East Coast and this reminds me so much of Hibachi in my home town. Genuine hibachi taste, the yum yum sauce was perfect. The meats were perfectly cooked.

I honestly give this a 10/10 and will be going there frequently for my Japanese food.

Prices aren't too bad for the amount of food you get.“

“The food is amazing, from the bowls to the dessert. highly recommended for anymore in the area and looking for a great lunch or dinner.“

“Excellent service in this spacious asian restaurant. They offer sushi, noodles & chinese food too. We had a very tasty combination sushi lunch, General Tso chicken w peanuts, steamed gyoza, egg drop soup. No waiting & lots of staff.“

“Food already great here 💕 🍣 🍱“

“We enjoyed our meal at Downtown Sushi. The sushi fresh and flavorful. We had the baked lango and lion sushi rolls, both excellent. The drinks on the other hand were not good. We went on two occasions and both times the drinks were subpar. They have the wait staff making the drinks instead of an actual bartender, which explains why the drinks are so weak. So overall, excellent sushi, just don't order any alcoholic beverages.“

“Amazing food while we were visiting the area. Best service and the food presentation was perfection. Portions and pricing are both outstanding. 10/10 recommend.“