Hello, travelers!
On my last trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, I booked a reservation for dinner at Shiki-Sai in EPCOT’s Japan Pavilion. As a lover of sushi, I knew this was going to be up my alley. The real test was that the friend I was travelling with had actually been to Japan and wanted to order some Japanese favorites she had while on her trip there. We wanted to see if the food at Shiki-Sai was authentic, well made, and most of all, delicious. I can tell you first hand that it delivered on all these accounts, and blew us away. Keep reading if you are considering Shiki-Sai or are looking for upscale dining while in Walt Disney World.
The restaurant sits atop Mitsukoshi Department Store, so you either have to climb the steps to the restaurant or take an elevator that is within the store. Once you arrive, you are met with a lovely interior complete with hand painted artwork, hanging lanterns, red curtains, and a bar encircling a space in the middle of the restaurant with chefs making sushi. There are also large windows on the far end of the restaurant with fantastic views of the World Showcase Lagoon and Spaceship Earth. The seats by the window are a popular spot for people to reserve dinner reservations around the time Luminous is about to start! We sat near these windows and were surrounded by people celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and many other special occasions. I can see why this restaurant would be picked for a festivity; it feels quite elegant and high-end!
There is an extensive list of specialty cocktails, but I ordered the Okinawa Wave mocktail which is made with blue curacao and Calpico flavoring. It came with a small surfboard on top of the glass and was a striking shade of blue! As for the meal, my friend and I shared everything, starting with a bowl of edamame (not pictured, but delicious), Wagyu gyoza, a Spicy Crunch Roll (which is their take on a fancy spicy tuna roll), and okonomiyaki, a Japanese savory pancake with bacon and topped with (what we think is) pickled ginger. My friend tried okonomiyaki on her trip to Japan and was dying to have it again. She was so pleased to see it on the menu at Shiki-Sai and was absolutely delighted with it, saying it was just as good as the one she had in Hiroshima. As a sushi fan, I loved the Spicy Crunch Roll and was highly impressed with the presentation. Everything brought to our table was beautifully plated, and it tasted even better!
We didn’t get dessert because we were quite full, but I would gladly go back to try some of their mochi ice cream. Once we finished eating, we went downstairs to poke around Mitsukoshi, and we admired how lovely Spaceship Earth looked from the Japan Pavilion. If you have a chance to watch the fireworks from here, you’ll love it! It’s a very central spot and, even if you don’t book a reservation at Shiki-Sai, there’s plenty of spots around the restaurant and department store to get a good viewing of the night show.
I loved Shiki-Sai and would go again in a heartbeat! If you’re a fan of sushi, like me, you’ll probably really enjoy your meal here. From the atmosphere to the food to the views, this is truly an upscale dining experience like no other in Walt Disney World.
Hopefully this review of Shiki-Sai is helpful when planning your next Disney vacation and you’re looking for great dinner spots. If you want to read more Disney travel content, check out Walt Disney World under the “Disney” tab. Also, make sure to follow us on our socials and subscribe to our newsletter if you want to stay updated on all our travel content!
Happy travels!