About

Dr. Watanabe was always intrigued by medicine because his father was a pharmacist who worked with many physicians. He enjoys interacting with his patients, and finds each one unique. He spends most of his free time with his wife and two daughters. He also enjoys swimming, hiking and many other sports.

Dr. Watanabe is also an Assistant Clinical Professor in Family Medicine at UC Irvine.

Languages

English, Spanish

Provider Specialty

Family Medicine, Primary Care

Areas of Care

Education

Medical School

Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara

1984

Internship Program - Family Medicine

Prince Georges Hospital Center

1986

Residency Program - Family Medicine

University of California - Irvine Medical Center

1989

Fellowship Program - Family Medicine

University of California - Irvine Medical Center

1990

Locations & Affiliations

Locations

Insurance

Please consult your health care provider or health plan for the most accurate information about your health plan’s coverage of a particular health care service offered at a MemorialCare facility. Learn more about our Accepted Health Plans.

Patient Reviews

4.9 out of 5
(500 Ratings)
Nov 5, 2026
Rosa C.
Dr Watanabe has been my PCP for over 25 years and always look forward to see him for treatment and advise.
Nov 5, 2026
Derek T.
Nov 4, 2026
Steve E.
Oct 27, 2026
Robin Y.
Dr. Watanabe is truly a wonderful physician, and our family is so grateful for him. He cares for my adult son, who has profound autism, and consistently treats him with dignity, compassion, and respect. He is also incredibly kind and patient with my elderly mother, always making her feel comfortable and respected. I receive that same level of kindness and consideration in my own care.What I appreciate most about Dr. Watanabe is that he treats every member of our family as an individual, with genuine patience, understanding, and respect. He has become the doctor our entire family trusts, and that means so much to us. We feel very fortunate to have him and are grateful to MemorialCare for having such an exceptional physician. I cannot recommend him highly enough!
Oct 27, 2026
Anonymous
An Exceptional Doctor Our Whole Family TrustsDr. Watanabe is truly a wonderful physician, and our family is so grateful for him. He cares for my adult son, who has profound autism, and consistently treats him with dignity, compassion, and respect. He is also incredibly kind and patient with my elderly mother, always making her feel comfortable and respected. I receive that same level of kindness and consideration in my own care.What I appreciate most about Dr. Watanabe is that he treats every member of our family as an individual, with genuine patience, understanding, and respect. He has become the doctor our entire family trusts, and that means so much to us. We feel very fortunate to have him and are grateful to MemorialCare for having such an exceptional physician. I cannot recommend him highly enough!
Oct 25, 2026
Erna S.
Oct 21, 2026
Stephanie E.
Oct 18, 2026
Adelina D.
Oct 16, 2026
Karen G.
Oct 15, 2026
Jose A.
Dr. Watanabe is down to earth super chill doctor. I like his energy and honesty.

Source: Reviews are aggregated from third-party review sites such as Facebook, Google, HealthGrades, RepuGen, Vitals, WebMD, and Yelp.