So nice, I stopped by twice! I recently spent a few days in Watsonville for work, and while the town is lovely, this particular corner of it doesn't have the best options -- that is, until I discovered Imura. Every item I tried was perfect, and the staff were surprisingly welcoming, both on the phone when ordering and inside when picking things up. Both nights I stopped by -- weeknights, I might add -- the parking lot was full and the restaurant was bustling, and yet everything felt like it was running particularly smoothly. Next time I'm in town, I'll be back. read more

Great vegetarian options! The ramen broth was delicious. I ordered it medium and it did not seem spicy at all so you may want to order it hot. I also ordered the gia roll which was very good. I am not in the area often but if I ever am again I will definitely go back read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

This is actually my favorite sushi restaurant. I live in Felton, which is about 45 minutes away and I would definitely drive. It isn't so good. The food is always good. The service is always good. Sometimes the week can be a little long but that's OK. I'm willing to wait for good food. read more

We decided to stop by here for lunch before heading to Gizdich Ranch. They have an extensive menu. We decided to order two lunch specials. We had the Teriyaki Chicken, Tempura, and California Roll. The second bento was Chicken Teriyaki, Gyozas, and Tonkatsu. The bento boxes came with miso soup. Our food came out in a timely manner. The server was friendly and attentive. The two bowls of miso soup didn't any tofu in them. The Teriyaki Chicken was ok, nothing special. The California Rolls should have been called Imitation Crab Rolls instead because they didn't have avocado or cucumber in them. The Tonkatsu was overcooked and it was very dry. It was the worst we ever had. read more

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The food was mid at best the fired chicken was burnt with no flavor and no sauces were given with it and the bento dinner was all over the place and honestly horrible we all got a miso soup just to get two little pieces of Tofu in each soup we also got ramen that tasted like sink water I do not recommend this place just go to jack in the box read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

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How amazing and lovely are the owners of this restaurant! I just had dinner with some girlfriends here and absolutely enjoyed the delicious food, the welcoming ambiance, and refreshing drinks. I'll definitely be coming back here in the future and I highly recommend you do too! Thank you Imura Staff for a great experience/visit. read more

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Went on a Friday night and it was packed. I'm glad that my wife and I were seated right away. Few minutes later, the waiting line was out of the door! I ordered the bento box and my wife ordered a sushi roll. The amount of food was good. Nothing really stood out, I had better Japanese food somewhere. Staffs weee very friendly and welcoming. Not too Japanese restaurants in Watsonville and I think Imura is the best. read more

It was a mixed bag experience. The food was good honestly. But several times parts of our order were missing. It was a Sunday night so it was packed and we didn't order alcoholic drinks. Everyone around us that had ordered drinks were clearly well tended. Karaage was missing dipping sauce- took a long time to get when asked. Child's order of miso soup was missed, had to ask three times to finally get it. First two Sushi orders were missing pickled ginger. Water was never refilled even after we flagged down couple of people... People ordering drinks were checked on multiple times. Something to think about.... read more

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If you're in the Watsonville area and looking for some great food, Imura Japanese Restaurant is your spot. This family-owned restaurant is a local gem and a must try! They offer an extensive Japanese menu featuring everything from fresh, delicious sushi to comforting udon soup to easy to please bento boxes. They even even some fantastic Korean favorites, low carb options, and vegetarian cuisine. Now let's talk food. The salmon teriyaki is a personal family favorite, grilled to perfection with a sweet and savory glaze. And for me, their kimchi fried rice is a standout, offering a deliciously mild to medium spice level... with a lil more kick if you ask for extra Korean pepper paste on the side. Also, any tuna sushi or salad, especially the hamachi nigiri, are always fresh and flavorful, pairing wonderfully with the other dishes. My boyfriend can be a picky eater but is always open to Imura's bento boxes and delicious kaarage chicken. My 13-year-old would eat their whole menu but usually goes for treats like their salmon sashimi, incredible kalbi, gyoza, edamame, spam musabi (newer menu item) and, of course, their green tea ice cream. I could go on. Really... there's something for everyone at Imura. Now I know the food is the most important draw but, since Imura's has that squared away, I'd like to highlights the familiar, friendly, efficient flow of their service and staff. It's easy to see why Imura is a local favorite. The family that owns and runs it is amazing and has lived in Watsonville forever. They truly care about making sure you have a great lunch or dinner experience so, you can depend on the quality of both their service and food. The cozy but cool atmosphere makes Imura comfortable to share with family or a special date. And if you're in a rush, no worries, the location is convenient with plenty of parking - on the corner of Green Valley Pkwy and Main St, right off Hwy 1 (next to the Nob Hill grocery store). Side note - closed on Sundays but open Mon - Sat from 11 - 8pm. Oh! I almost forgot! We don't drink much but, they got drinks! You won't go thirsty with the spirits, sake, and beer here - both Japanese and domestic. I even saw Japanese soda on the menu. How cool! If alllllll of that isn't enough, the family's involvement in the local community is another reason Imura is a shining star in Watsonville. You might get to try some of their catered foods at local events since I've only been here a few years and Í've seen them or their food at festivals, catered parties, and school events! With great food, exceptional service, and a welcoming vibe, you can see why Imura restaurant is one of our family favorites and can be a go-to for anyone craving delicious sushi, Japanese foods like comforting udon soup, or even a taste of Korean cuisine like kimchi fried rice. Whether you're a regular or a first-timer, you're sure to feel like part of the family when you visit and leave happy. Definitely see ya there! read more

We just finished kayaking nearby and needed warm food and fast- this place came up and met my group's needs. Friendly service and fast too! Big menu with lot of fun sushi rolls, Japanese food and Korean food items. Me and a friend got the salmon teriyaki dinner bentos- the salmon was good very well. Tempura items were crispy but yet soft, flavor was good! My partner got tofu soup and liked it. We had the tempura green tea ice cream- it was huge! The only downside was the ice cream they had was very very light on green tea flavor but it is most likely vendor issue haha. It was fun and tasty though- would order again! 2 single bathrooms near the sushi bar. Clean! Parking is abundant- shared lot with businesses. read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Salmon teriyaki dinner bentos! - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

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I've been craving sushi so we tried Imura in Watsonville for the first time and I thought it was great! HUGE menu, and they also have udon, ramen, and Korean food. I always order a salad because I love Japanese dressing, and got two rolls: Moss Landing (shrimp tempura topped with seared scallops, crumbs, tobiko, green onion, and sauce) and Holy Shrimp (shrimp, cream cheese, avocado topped with more shrimp, crumbs, green onions, and sauce). I thought the rolls were really tasty and the service was super nice and attentive. It feels like a family joint. We want to come back to try their Korean food. We also ordered takeout and the rolls were packaged so nicely. I really like the simple San Francisco (shrimp and avocado) and Moch (garlic, avocado, and cream cheese) rolls. read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Moss Landing and Holy Shrimp - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

Imura never disappoints!! It's so easy to order takeout because they package the food so well! I never have to worry about spilling my meal in the car. The bento boxes are especially delicious and the miso soup is to die for. Also, the service is always efficient and kind. read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Packaged food - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

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I ordered a chicken bibimbap to go. Wow it was something my mother would have made with leftovers. There was at least 1/4 cup of beef and only a few pieces chicken. Burnt bits of vegetables were all mixed together. I would have taken it back if I didn't have to drive 20 miles back. Please TAKE IT OFF THE MENU if you can't make it. read more

We didn't care for the food or the vibe. Tempura was greasy. Miso soup was weird. Service was careless. read more

Placed order to go: spider roll was freshly prepared along with the Grilled Chicken salad with generous portion of protein. Yummy!

Amazing food and service! I'd def visit again next time in the town. I went on Friday evening and it was very busy.

This is a nice restaurant but not one of my favorites. It gets very busy since there aren't many sushi restaurants in the area so there's quite the line around dinner. The host was very nice and good at keeping the line of people waiting in order. Our food came out very fast! The fish is fresh and the rolls are to my taste, I ordered the donburi but was disappointed by the fish to rice ratio since the sashimi was cut fairly thin. We also ordered the soft shell crab and it was good. (Unfortunately it was very busy so our server was not as attentive to our table she was only able to check up on us once, we had to stop someone else after 30 minutes to ask for the to go containers and our check.) read more

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This place is great! You can't go wrong with anything you choose on the menu. When I asked a local he told me literally everything is good. This Japanese-Korean restaurant does not close midday. We strolled in on a Saturday for an early dinner around 5pm. Seated almost immediately even though they were busy. We ordered the tempura udon, eclipse roll, and the unagi special #2 roll. This was plenty of food for two people. The udon came with a small salad. Portions are generous. The udon came out piping hot! Great flavor! Honestly everything tasted amazing. Especially being close to the coast the fish was fresh. The eclipse roll can be a bit daunting/difficult to eat. I ended up deconstructing it into three large but more manageable bites. Ambiance is casual but don't let that deter you from coming here. They've been in business for about 30 years and even expanded into the building next door. And for good reason. It's a very popular and good restaurant! If I'm back in this area and craving sushi I know I'm going to Imura! read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Eclipse and Unagi Special #2 - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

Down in Watsonville, after a soccer game... after, looking for a sushi place. Ended up here. Came for the sushi... ...but stayed for something else. Not sure what this place is, really. It's... a sushi place! ...wait, no! It's a Ramen place! ...wait, no! It's... a Korean place! I guess it's... all of the above! We had a Ramen with vegetable broth, and the Bibim Bap, plus fried chicken pieces. Both of the main dishes were big portions - unless you're hungry, bring something to take leftovers home (I try to avoid using the plastic coated paper for hot food). Both dishes were tasty, the Ramen maybe slightly below the medium spicyness I had ordered - will order spiciest next time. Recommended! read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Bibim Bap! - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

We have been eating at Imura since it opened and feel more like family dropping in than customers. We are made to feel welcome and treated like guests. The service is outstanding and the food is excellent. Their rolls are fresh and come in varieties from traditional to innovational. If you dine at busy times, things take longer, as they would at any popular establishment, but the wait is worth it read more

Imura has been our family's longtime favorite, and this was our first time ordering from their catering/party platters. I hesitated to order when I saw that they don't open until noon on Saturday which would be too late for my event. Instead of compromising on the quality having me pick up Friday night, they had the chef prepare early Saturday morning, which was so impressive already. They did not stop there-- the chef even added extra complimentary rolls to make my platters look more full and beautiful. Thoughtful, above-and-beyond service like this is rare. I highly recommend Imura for both dining in and catering! read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Oh shrimp, Monterey, Main St - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

Genuinely mindblowing. When we walked in, it looked very busy, but we had waters right away and our food within 5 minutes. I took one bite of the sake tempura roll and actually felt like I just put a literal peice of heaven in my mouth. I can't even explain how amazing it was, it was magical. 10000/10 reccomend. read more

Always delicious, its been awhile since I've eaten their food but the last time I ordered sukiyaki to try with my dad and it was delicious.

Imura's for lunch is always a treat even on a Friday. We were seated immediately and service was attentive. My wife ordered a lunch special (#22) with short ribs, gyoza, shrimp and vegetable Tempura with rice salad and meso soup. She shared her tempura, the zucchini and potato tempura was delicious. I ordered two rolls, the Full house and Crunchy Magana. Since it was lunchtime and their sushi chefs were very busy with online and call-in orders, my order took about ten minutes longer than my wife's lunch. Both rolls were delicious and filling. They were so good I forgot to take a picture before I devoured them. The cream cheese and tempura crumbles hit the spot. See menu pictures for ingredients. Restaurant is comfortable and quiet. $67 with tip, reasonable for good sushi rolls. I have never been disappointed with my decision to eat here. read more

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Everything tastes amazing! Everyone is so kind and willing to help! And it feels like an authentic and cozy restaurant inside rather than just another pop up. read more

My favorite place. Been going here since high school with friends. We all love it especially the crunch magana. So good!! Service is always so great! read more

My favorite spot for great food. Whenever I finish my set at Body zone health and fitness gym that is nearby I come here and order their broccoli teriyaki bowl. I really like it. I've been a dedicated fan of their lunch box specials, but lately to work around my post workout meals I order the teriyaki bowl. It's very filling, with tons of flavor that makes it so delicious! There is NOT a single item on the menu that I haven't tried, and I feel like there is something here for everyone. But personally I can't recommend the broccoli teriyaki bowl enough - thank you for the great service and hospitality. read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Broccoli Teriyaki Bowl. Mmm....mmm...GOOD!! - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

Saw all the great reviews online so we had to try. We had the Bonita boxes. I had the short ribs which were chewy. The dumplings were cold. The salad had a good dressing on it, but was frozen. My husband had the chicken. I need a box teriyaki hard as a rock very chewy and also he said the salmon sushi was very hard and chewy too. His salad was frozen too and it's supposed to come with a California roll, but it came with a salad, crab salad roll. our waitress in Help is very nice. Food was sub.par read more

I have been coming to Imura for over 20 years! This place is a staple of Watsonville. The interior has definitely improved over the years and the staff has always kept a professional and hospitable attitude. The food is next level Japanese and Korean cuisine. You can't be disappointed! 5/5 for sure!! read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Spicy Gyoza Ramen 4-28-2025 - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

For the price of the Tempura appetizer, it's not worth it buying. Pricey and greasy taste in mouth after eating. Pork cutlets are dry and hard to eat. We were almost done eating our main dishes before they served the appetizer. Not happy with the service. No one asks us if how's the food. When it's about time to pay, the bald guy, asked if we need change for our bills. Of course, sir! What a ridiculous question! We gave him $80, and our bill was $60.25 Definitely not going back due to poor service and low-quality food. read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

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Sushi is very good. I like their Bento boxes as well. Attractive seating arrangements. Service is excellent. Nice staff. read more

Great place for sushi near Watsonville. We had a few rolls and chirashi and everything was fresh and tasted great. Service was acceptable and ambiance like any other Japanese place. read more

Food, service, and ambiance were great! Even the bathrooms are sparkling clean. Kevin provided great service. Will come back!

I usually love imuras, their food and service is great but today with my take out lunch order, it was a mess.. I expect so much better from them considering how great this place USUALLY is. I ordered the Kati roll and asked for no ginger or wasabi, both came included and pieces of my roll had wasabi. So disappointed. read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

This is our second visit here and it's much more pleasant than the last. Came in with a party of 4. Considering it was peak dinner hours we were seated promptly. Service was very nice and our waitress was tipped generously. She polite, professional, and very accommodating. They had uni, otoro, hamachi, and ikura nigiri so that made my night. Prices were very reasonable and food quality was exquisite. The restaurant felt cramped, but the cuisine fitting decor separating the tables gave a sense of privacy. It was nice that music was not over the top to where we were able to carry conversations. Overall, I nice casual sushi dinner that we'd be glad to do again when in the area read more

17 years since my last review of Imura feels like criminal neglect, but when something's amazing... it's easy to forget. 17 years is a lifetime. They've remodeled twice, and expanded seating durig Covid. Kevin and Gi (proprietors) have kids now. I got married and had 15 happy years after my last review before my husband passed. Gi and Kevin were among the many who made small but really significant gestures of support. That's the kind of place this is - when I say they treat you like family, when others talk about their involvement in the community, it's real. Let's talk about food. I recently persuaded a sushi-hating friend to come. The Galbi knocked him out it was so good - he was raving for days about it - he also demanded to know what kind of dressing they used on the salads, which, as a consequence are definitely not a throw-away dish-filler. I had one of my go-to Bento box choices (california roll, sashimi, tempura). Meals both came with an outstanding miso soup. My sushi-hating friend still hates sushi, but he loves Imura. They are frequently packed, but manage to turn tables efficiently yet without making anyone feel rushed, ever; service is very responsive, and the proprietors are constantly on the floor gauging the mood of their clientele (and checking in on old friends). read more

Solid spot! Very reasonably priced, for a good quantity of food. It's very busy, so come prepared for that. The food itself was good, but not amazing. You'll leave there happy, would definitely recommend if you're craving some comfort food. read more

Imura Japanese Restaurant - Bento Box - Japanese Near Me - Watsonville, California

I moved to Santa Cruz county recently, and my boyfriend, who is from Watsonville, told me that Imura was his favorite Sushi Place in the world. I thought he was being dramatic but now I know he was right :) High quality of ingredients and outstanding service were what I found there. I super recommend this place. Everything that we ordered was absolutely delicious. We started with gyoza and also got their Money Maker, Bomber Special & Firecracker rolls. For desserts, we had a delicious one that I don't remember the name now. We also had Japanese beer and Sake to match with those flavorful rolls. The place isn't too big but I loved the ambiance! There's a lot of parking available because this restaurant is located in a shopping center. Perfect place for family, friends or date. read more

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Japanese / Korean restaurant with large portions and uneven food. Miso soup and banchan (vegetable side dishes) were good, but edamame was undercooked and agadashi tofu was bland and dry because it lacked the tsuyu sauce that normally makes the dish a favorite. I ordered bibimbap which came in an impressively hot thick metal bowl but was entirely bland; like the agadashi tofu it strangely lacked the signature sauce that normally makes this dish delicious. Once I doctored the bibimbap with a large amount of hot sauce it was more palatable, but the heated bowl kept the food TOO hot and I really couldn't eat it until after my dining companion had finished his food, which was awkward. Nice ambience and easy to access location. Server was efficient if unsmiling. Restaurant has a large selection of Ramune Japanese soda which was nice. Not cheap ($58 for lunch for two). read more

It was our first ime at Imura's - we were looking forward to it after seeing the excellent reviews. It was a busy Friday night with both in-house and takeout customers coming through at a fast clip. It took a bit of time to be seated (nothing outrageous though), but the food and service were well worth the wait. We had the Deluxe Sushi and two different Bento dinners - one with Chicken Teriyaki, Tempura, and Tonkatsu, and Salmon Teriyaki and Sashimi. All were were well prepared and presented with substantial portions at a reasonable price. Our server was helpful, attentive, and always smiling during our time there - shout out to Stephanie for amazing service. We will be back. read more