Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya is a table-service restaurant in Epcot’s World Showcase. The restaurant sits atop the Japan Pavilion with windows that look out over the lagoon. Shiki-Sai, attached to another restaurant named Teppan Edo, took over the space once inhabited by Tokyo Dining. The restaurant is 1 table-service credit on the Disney Dining Plan and does offer an Annual Pass, DVC and Disney Visa discount for those paying out of pocket. In this post, we’ll review Shiki-Sai’s atmosphere, cuisine and value.

Shiki-Sai means ‘four seasons’ in Japanese. So walking up the stairs to the restaurant I expected a luxury stay in the nicest hotel I’ve ever been in! Weirdly enough, they didn’t put a Four Seasons inside of Epcot. Instead the restaurant attempts to show off the four distinct seasons felt throughout Japan. During our dinner, the trees on the screens behind us would change colors and reflect winter, spring, summer and fall.

It’s a nice idea and one that could work well in the restaurant. In fact, it does work well in some areas. I came away mixed on the screens behind us though. Seeing Japan’s foliage and how vibrant it is in different seasons is a nice touch. On the other hand, the images look fake and maybe computer (AI?) generated. That may have just been the resolution of the TV’s not being that compatible with the images. I think photos from around Japan showcasing the different season would be more effective.

This brings up the classic World Showcase question of whether a ride, area or, in this case, restaurant is there to set a mood or there to convince guests to visit the country represented. Naturally, the answer isn’t usually black & white. But the screens, which do take up a good amount of the wall decor in the back of the restaurant, have more mood setting vibes. Seeing photos from Japan’s monuments in the different seasons could actually convince someone to go there. I speak from experience! I’d prefer they go that route but I digress. Either way, the atmosphere set is moderately successful.

The rest of the restaurant features wood tones throughout, which is true to the izakaya (think of a festive bar or pub) form. The bar at Shiki-Sai is a highlight, with an open setting and one where you can watch the bartenders and chefs at work. It’s a nice blend of modern and Japanese architecture.

On the other end of Shiki-Sai are the windows that face World Showcase. They don’t feel as big or integral to the restaurant as they did in Tokyo Dining. That could be me misremembering though! You know the old adage – as you get older, windows get smaller. Everyone knows that phrase, don’t look it up.

Overall, I like the atmosphere at Shiki-Sai even if it does feel a bit artificial. I’ve certainly been in less thoughtful American Japanese restaurants, where they walk a line closer to mockery than flattery. Shiki-Sai is nothing like that and has put thought into their atmosphere and decor. It’s not the nicest place in World Showcase to have a meal but I’d put it in the top half in terms of atmosphere.

Moving on, here’s a look at the restaurant’s menu. There are some seasonal offerings but everything largely stays the same. While I mentioned that Shiki-Sai does take part in the Disney Dining Plan, we don’t recommend it here as there are very few items that would make for a good value on that plan. On the flip side, that does make this an interesting value for those paying out of pocket!

Shiki-Sai does have a wide range of options but we stuck to sushi during our visit. Above is a Tekka Maki (tuna) roll. This includes 6 pieces and totals $12. I’m not going to say that it was the best tuna I’ve ever had but the quality exceeded my somewhat low expectations. I would get this one again but it’s not going to knock your socks off!

We also ordered the Tuna Nigiri, which I preferred to the previously mentioned roll. This one is less of a value though. Shiki-Sai does offer a few fish options fresh from Japan. While guests pay a premium for them relative to the other offerings, it’s nice to see the effort. This is not one of the options from Japan but we did like the nigiri pretty well and came away impressed by the attention to detail on all of the sushi we ordered.

The most exciting option we ordered was the Dragon Roll consisting of barbequed freshwater eel, avocado and shrimp tempura. A few of the pieces were a little heavy handed with avocado but there weren’t any other nits to pick. As far as Dragon Rolls go, this was one of the better I’ve had albeit not the best. The price is high at $28 for this roll but it was filling!

We came away from Shiki-Sai happy with our meal but not wowed. There’s a strong enough value here for this to be a cheaper table-service option and I think the atmosphere is nice enough to reward that. If sushi isn’t your thing, then there are plenty of hot options. In fact, I’m surprised by how many different items the restaurant offers as it’s a sampling of different specialties throughout Japan. Most of those meals come in the $20-$30 range, making it pretty affordable for guests.

Shiki-Sai ends up being a nice introduction into Japanese food for those that haven’t tried or a table-service spot with a decent value. I wouldn’t say the food is top tier, but very few spots are in World Showcase. The restaurant ends up being one of the better places to sit down and dine in Epcot and would be a fun place for a group that is looking to share food and have a few drinks.

Overall Rating – 8/10

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