Takemura Japanese Restaurant

Reviews

• Beth Y.

  star star star star star 4 June 2026

  This is me and my boyfriend's favorite sushi place in Harvard Square. Shockingly, it's almost never busy...and we're always able to get seats as well as our food right away!
  
  For two people, we ordered the gyoza as an appetizer, 6 salmon sashimi, and 3 signature rolls (tornado, salmon lover, caterpillar)  - it was personally more than enough for me. The appetizers can be small (only 6 gyozas) so be sure to order more if you have a large party. The fish portions are fresh and very generous, especially the sashimi. At $15 for 6 sashimi, you definitely get what you pay for. I really enjoyed the tornado roll. It was a very unique take on sushi that I've never had before, with shrimp tempura inside and some spicy creamy crab on top!
  
  The service was also great. Our waitress was very attentive and friendly.
  
  The only note I'll add is that Takemura can be a little difficult to locate, as the door is at the basement level. There is a wheelchair accessible entrance though, so be sure to ask about that if you need it. The restaurant is also quite cute, especially their little sushi clock on the wall - nice touch!
  
  Favorite order: salmon sashimi and tornado roll

• Alma C.

  star star star star_border star_border 3 June 2026

  Prices are very reasonable. The rainbow and california roll were good. The shrimp tempura in the roll was cold, but the waitress said that's how they do it. It did take a while to get the sushi, but they made up for it with a complimentary tea. Ambiance is chill.

• Phillip Y.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 23 May 2026

  OVERALL: I came here a few weeks ago for dinner on a Friday and got the unagi don. It wasn't bad but was filled with hard bones -- overall, not a great experience!
  
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  FOOD: I got the unagi don (grilled eel over rice -- one of my favorite dishes), and while the taste of the eel was decent, it was ruined in part by the presence of many hard, spiky bones in the eel. I'm totally okay with soft bones and even the occasional hard bone, but eating this felt like eating a bone-in piece of fish -- I had to eat carefully and constantly pick bones out of my teeth. Unfortunately, this ruined the experience for me. :(
  
  AMBIANCE/SERVICE: Cute! A lot of empty seating. Service was also very friendly.
  
  OTHER: The location is a little hard to find -- you can enter downstairs from Gyukaku or outside through a small staircase below their yellow sign.

• Natalie L.

  star star star star star 20 May 2026

  Originally, I was gonna go to the Indian restaurant located right across from the Kennedy School, but they closed at 3. So, I went downstairs for Takemura instead, and I'm so glad I did! The restaurant wasn't busy, and there was plenty of available seating. Place was quiet, perfect for winding down after midterms.
  
  I ordered their Teriyaki Bento, which came with broiled chicken laid on top of bean sprouts; slices of oranges, dumplings of sorts; salad with delicious dressing; and generous amounts of rice. It was delicious and filling, and I ate everything without needing a to-go box, which is so rare of me since I hardly eat everything in one seating.
  
  And finally, service was fantastic. My waiter was attentive and made sure that my glass was always full. Restroom was impeccably clean. No problems with my dining experience at all! If you're looking for something simple and quick, consider going to Takemura. I will be coming back for sure.

• Angela T.

  star star star star_border star_border 18 May 2026

  The food here isn't bad necessarily, but if BuzzFeed had a show about the least "worth it" food, they'd have Takemura's Tekka Don and Sake Don because it's like paying $15 for each bowl of rice and a few extra dollars for thin slices of fish. It's almost like ordering 1 salmon/tuna roll and 3 rolls of plain sushi rice. Just get the regular salmon/tuna roll.