Exploring Shiki-Sai Sushi Izakaya at EPCOT

EPCOT’s World Showcase is full of incredible dining experiences, and one of its newest additions is Shiki-Sai Sushi Izakaya in the Japan Pavilion. Opening in August 2023 as the reimagined version of Tokyo Dining, Shiki-Sai offers guests a modern take on Japanese cuisine with a strong emphasis on sushi, alongside comforting hot dishes like udon, rice bowls, and grilled skewers. With its stunning ambiance, prime fireworks views, and the unique opportunity to sit at the sushi counter and watch chefs craft each roll, this restaurant promises a memorable dining experience—but does it deliver on all fronts?

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1. Location
2. Ambiance
3. Service
4. Dishes
5. Overall Thoughts

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Location

Shiki-Sai is located in the Japan Pavilion of EPCOT’s World Showcase, right next to Teppan Edo. This restaurant took the place of the former Tokyo Dining and opened its doors in August 2023. While Teppan Edo focuses on hibachi-style dining (with some sushi options), Shiki-Sai shifts its focus to sushi, offering a variety of sushi dishes alongside hot items like udon, rice dishes, and grilled skewers. It’s a reimagining of the original Tokyo Dining, bringing a fresh take to Japanese cuisine in EPCOT.

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Ambiance

The ambiance at Shiki-Sai is stunning. One side of the restaurant features large windows that overlook World Showcase, making it a prime spot for fireworks viewing. Other tables are surrounded by screens that display beautiful, dynamic images of Japanese foliage and fireworks, which change throughout the day, adding a touch of magic to the dining experience.

Since we didn’t have a reservation and opted for a walk-up, we were seated at the counter. While this wasn’t our first choice, it turned out to be a unique experience, as we had a front-row seat to watch the sushi chefs in action. The overall atmosphere is elegant and immersive, making it a visually delightful place to dine.

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Service

The service at Shiki-Sai left something to be desired. While the staff explained that dishes would come out as they were prepared (a nod to authentic Japanese kitchens), the timing of the meal felt disjointed. For example, the sushi, salad, and tempura vegetables arrived promptly, but my beef udon noodles didn’t come out until an hour later. The long wait between dishes was frustrating and disrupted the flow of the meal. While the staff was polite, the pacing of the service could use improvement.

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Dishes

We sampled a variety of dishes during our visit, and here’s a breakdown of what we tried:

My Order

• Spicy Tuna Roll ($16): This roll featured tuna, avocado, roe, and volcano sauce. It had a nice kick without being overly spicy and was flavorful overall.
• Tomato Ocean Salad ($18): This dish consisted of a whole sliced tomato with crab, shrimp, and avocado. Unfortunately, the ingredients felt disjointed and didn’t work well together. For $18, it didn’t feel worth the price.
• Beef Yaki-Udon ($28): The udon noodles were served hot and had great flavor, with plenty of vegetables but minimal protein. The ginger garnish was overpowering, but once removed, the dish was enjoyable. However, the late arrival of this dish meant I ended up packing most of it to go.
• Summer’s End Saki Cocktail ($16): This cocktail was underwhelming. It lacked the expected strawberry flavor and tasted watery. For $16, it didn’t seem to have much sake.

Paul’s Order

• Dragon Roll ($28): This roll featured a large BBQ’d freshwater eel on top. Paul enjoyed it, though I preferred not to look in it’s general direction.
• Tokyo Negi Roll ($20): This roll included green onion tempura, tuna, carrot, and jalapeño. Paul found it flavorful and satisfying.
• Vegetable Tempura ($15): The tempura vegetables were soggy and disappointing. We left most of them on the table and felt they were overpriced for what they were.
• Sapporo Draft Beer ($14): A standard choice that Paul enjoyed.

We opted to skip dessert, as the meal had already been a mixed experience.

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Overall Thoughts

While Shiki-Sai offers a beautiful setting and some flavorful dishes, the overall experience fell short of expectations. The ambiance is a highlight, especially with the stunning views of World Showcase and the dynamic screens showcasing Japanese imagery. However, the service was slow, and the timing of the dishes disrupted the meal.

In terms of food, some dishes, like the Spicy Tuna Roll and Beef Yaki-Udon, were enjoyable, but others, like the Tomato Ocean Salad and Vegetable Tempura, felt overpriced and underwhelming. The cocktail was also disappointing, lacking flavor and impact.

For a non-signature restaurant, the final bill of over $180 (after tip) felt steep, especially considering the quality and value of the meal. While Shiki-Sai has its merits, it’s likely a one-and-done experience for us, as there are better sushi options in Orlando for a more reasonable price.

If you’re visiting EPCOT and want to try Shiki-Sai, it might be worth it for the ambiance and sushi counter experience, but manage your expectations regarding service and value.