50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Imperial Beach

“I try the ramen and I loved it! The pieces of meat where big. Next time I will ask for like 79% more vegetables because I do like vegetables. the price was good because if how much meat it had. I hate sushi but love ramen. My whole family loves sushi so I'm happy that I can just drive 5 minutes n not 30 minutes to find a good restaurant. Also they have an area to sit outside in the sun which is a nice option. I left like at 12 noon and it got really full.“

“Fresh, one of a kind, and outstanding service! I went here a couple weeks ago with to my father and we love it! Definitely on the pricey side but it’s worth it if you’re looking for quality and experiencing a bit of the culture! Professional establishment that deserves more praise!“

“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!!“

“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.“

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

“This place is absolutely delicious! We had sushi, miso soup, and veggie tempura. We highly recommend the Crispy Crunch roll. we went here early in the week and our daughter asked to go back to this place for her birthday since we all loved it so much. the restaurant was clean and the decor was cool- very nice sushi restaurant! All ingredients were fresh and filling.“

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

“delicious fresh tasting food, affordable prices, and great portions! I ordered the beef bowl

I stopped by here a few days ago on my lunch break. It’s a spot that joins with other food places making any sort of “food court”.“

“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.“

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

“Good food and friendly employees“

“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.“

“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!“

“Ordered from Sarku Japan first time and loved it. Teriyaki chicken and shrimp are flavorful and tender, rice is fluffy and veggies have nice crunch to it. Their sushi rolls turned out pretty good too. Try some Cali rolls or Spicy tuna rolls to complete your meal. 🍱🍱🍱“

“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! 🫶🏼“

“Rico rico muy recomendable El Salmon“

“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.“

“Love their food and drinks!“

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

“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.“

“I really enjoy dining here. I was introduced to this spot by an older friend and my wife. They had been coming here for years before any of us met (this place has been here for over 20 years). The food has always been on point, the service has always been excellent and everyone is just so nice when we visit. Consistency in these three things is such a hard thing to find these days and the folks at California Sushi deliver, spot on, everytime we have visited. Thank you all and we look forward to dining with you for years to come.“

“My fiancé & I were running 30 mins late to our 5:30 reservation. After emailing them in a frantic to let them know, (they do not have a phone # to call, which I believe is intentional and just adds to the experience because they want you to focus on the meal and not be distracted), chef Maru was so unbelievably kind and waited for us to arrive before beginning the meal (big apologies and thanks to the family of 3 for waiting for us as well!).

Although there were a couple pieces I could've done without, I was impressed by all the flavors from the starter and appetizer down to the dessert, which was simply WOW and out of this world. The waiter was also great in his recommendations for sakes. The whole experience was divine and lovely; from the moment you walked in to when you leave, you are treated like family. They were so easy to talk to and even recommended other food places to check out for our last day in San Diego (definitely make a res for Callie too).

The interior design is simple and sleek, yet impactful. You can tell everyone working there loves what they do and want to bring you a fine dining experience, which is what Sushi MARU is. Chef Maru is knowledgeable and passionate about his craft and explains each piece so well. Most of his fish pieces are not what you normally get at typical omakase places, but that is what makes this place unique in its own way. Some of our favorite pieces were the seabass and Toro Takuan (both of which we ordered additional pieces of). They also allowed us to try both the San Diego uni and uni from Japan. I love that they also source ingredients from local spots.

This was my favorite meal of my San Diego trip (beating Sushi Ota by a hair though). If I ever find myself in S.D. again, I'll be sure to make my way to Maru. Do yourself a favor and dine at Maru for an unforgettable omakase experience. Well worth the money, time, and visit!“

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

“This is one of the better sushi restaurants in San Diego, especially if you want a leisurely meal. I expect it is very crowded whenn the Padres have a home game. We dined around 5 pm on a weeknight and the place was virtually deserted. We really enjoyed the sushi and we would dine there again.“

“The best place to eat, recommend it by me.“

“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.“

“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✅✅📋“

“Had a great time here. As soon as we were greeted in I knew it was a mom & pop shop. It was very warm and welcoming. The pad sew ew was delicious and she had great recommendations such as the spring rolls. Reasonably priced and reasonably portioned. I will be coming back again.“

“Good experience! Friendly atmosphere“

“Delicious food! Excellent service!“

“Food already great here 💕 🍣 🍱“

“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.“

“This is a Great Date Night Place!. The Food is Great and the Vibe is Edgy!“

“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.“

“Absolutely delish sushi! My husband & I did takeout for date night & we will definitely be coming back!“

“I am writing to formally express my disappointment regarding the service I received during my recent visit to your restaurant.

One of the waitresses was extremely rude and unprofessional throughout my interaction with her. Additionally, I requested a few slices of lemon, and later noticed that I was charged for them without being informed there would be an additional cost. I found this practice both misleading and discourteous.“

“Very good service and great food. We are planing to go back for lunch or dinner. The prices are Awesome, my Salmon was delicious and the salad all our food was good.!!!♥️ Thank you Del & Dora Delgado 🥰“

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

“I stumble across this place while running errands in National City and I really enjoyed the sushi!

Staff were great and friendly, my order was prepared in a timely manner and the prices were great!

Will definitely come back with my husband here often.“

“We loved our egg 🥚 and fruit 🍉 sando and grilled chicken onigri ! 🍙I had the taro 🧋tornado and my sister had the Kyoto matcha 🍵 it was so delicious even in the soft open. Authentic and creamy. Our new favorite spot. Beautiful cafe and lots of parking!“

“Excellent service amd delicious food“

“I love you place. The lady working the register, so accommodating. The food always 💣 bomb!! A little wait but that's because it's always cooked fresh!! Best hibachi gets 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I'd give more if I could!! Also open late!!“

“Came by when I saw they had a happy hour menu from 3-6pm for $5-6 standard rolls and appetizers. For a smaller additional cost, you’re able to test out a selection of their premium rolls for $9. Restaurant is clean, service was passable but the highlight was the food - the quality of the appetizers and sushi was outstanding, fresh, and creative. The BOGO 50% off draft beer paired well with the delicious meal. Overall excellent value for both the happy hour and also the lunch menu.“

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

“si genial todo al millón 👌“

“Asia Wok is truly one of the most underrated restaurants I’ve ever been to. Every time I order from here, the food is absolutely amazing fresh ingredients, rich flavors, and perfectly cooked dishes that always hit the spot. Whether it's their entrees, sides, or even the sauces, everything tastes like it’s made with real care and consistency.

What really sets Asia Wok apart is how generous they are. They always hook up the portions way more than expected, and you can tell they value their customers. It’s rare to find a place that not only delivers great quality but also goes above and beyond to make sure you get your money’s worth. For the price you pay, the amount and quality of food you receive is unbeatable.

On top of that, the staff is friendly, fast, and always makes the experience easy and enjoyable. Asia Wok deserves way more recognition than it gets. If you’re looking for delicious food, great service, and portions that won’t disappoint, this is the place you want to go. Definitely a hidden gem that I’ll keep coming back to.“

“Where do we begin?? First of all Joey was AMAZING! He gave us an experience. He was so very educated about every dish and recommended some interesting and unique dishes. This was not merely eating, this was dining. We will be back to try some others! The banana dessert was so yummy!“

“everything i loooove about yoshinoya, nice 2 know ya Yoshinoya!“