Shoku Izakaya

I have been to many a Japanese restaurants all over the world. I love sushi. So I was very surprised to find this little gem one night. Service was great, sushi was fantastic. Fresh cuts of sashimi and nigiri. The negitoro roll was good. Thick cuts of fish and value wise very good. On top of that their ice cream (although not homemade) of black sesame and red bean was one of the best I have ever had. We were only a table of 4. Dinner was so good, I brought our entire family of 14 back later in the week. Again great service for our 2nd time there, they are run like a well oiled machine. All the appetizers we had, agedashi tofu, chicken karaage (great batter and so tender), meat skewers, pork belly buns, hamachi Kama, etc were really good. And of course the star of the menu, their sushi, everyone agreed was fantastic. Everyone had ice cream, and some like myself ordered 2. Drinks were great. Never heard of chocolate sake, but it’s like drinking Nutella, according to my wife who enjoyed it. This was by far the best restaurant we tried in Banff.

Shoku Izakaya completely blew me away. This place is everything you want after a long, rainy day — comforting, flavourful, and full of heart. We stopped in after a full day of hiking in the rain, and honestly, I’m so sad I can’t come back regularly! We had the daily ramen special with tender pork belly — rich, soothing, and exactly what I needed. I added a bit of spice for a kick, and it was perfection. The spicy calamari? Unreal. Crispy, seasoned just right, and easily one of the best I’ve had. We also grabbed some sushi to go 🍣, and even that was impressive — fresh, well-made, and held up beautifully for a late-night bite. Add in a couple of drinks, amazing service, and a cozy atmosphere, and you’ve got yourself the perfect spot. You can tell the team genuinely cares — every detail is done with love. If you’re anywhere near, Shoku Izakaya is a MUST. I’d go back in a heartbeat if I could.

Great food, skewers a bit pricey for what they are but sushi was really good and nice portion for price. Would recommend coming here for lunch or dinner. Highly recommend the ika (squid) skewer, it was the best squid I ever had, super soft and has a slightly spicy flavor.

Food was fresh and really tasty, just a bit pricey. Service was lovely and super quick. I was honestly a little disappointed they didn’t have ramen on the dinner menu since that’s what I came for, but hopefully I’ll get to try it next time!

Incredible food. So tasty. Good quick service as well, though we were early for dinner- just at the end of happy hour (got a beer in for $6- Banff Ave ipa- of course they also have the Japanese lagers and lots of sake). We had some nigiri and the Korean fried chicken. Fresh fish with ample portions. The chicken was perfect - crispy outside- so tender inside- awesome flavour. Friendly staff!

Today, my friend and I visited this restaurant. We ordered a lot of dishes to try, and we liked everything. The food was delicious and fresh, especially the salmon and avocado cones and the pork belly. The service was okay—not particularly friendly, just normal. Will we come back to this place? I think so. It’s a decent option in the city center.

AMAZING Food! Everything we ordered was fantastic. We sat at the bar because it was busy. Would definitely eat here again.

Had a wonderful dinner here with my party of 14! Easy location in middle of town on side road. Had a few appetizers to start: agedashi tofu was deliciously soft and tasty, the hamachi collar was well grilled. Wonderfully swift and friendly service! Not a cheap meal but for good quality sushi it’s worth it!

After a couple days of indulging in poutine, we were craving something lighter and were so glad to discover Shoku Izakaya for a seafood-focused meal! I ordered the salmon oyako don, it was generously portioned and absolutely delicious. We also shared a few small plates: agedashi tofu, scallops, chicken yakitori, and ended on a sweet note with a maple miso crème brûlée. My husband especially loved the bamboo and mushroom served with the scallops and was able to order it separately as an appetizer. Even during the busy Canada Day weekend, we were seated right away around 8 PM. Our server was friendly and attentive. Overall, it was a great dining experience in Banff, I'd definitely recommend checking it out.

In summary - disappointing experience. The place is busy - but everything in Banff is. We had a party of 4 - and they told us a 30 min wait. Eventually- that took well over an hour. The Gyozas in appetizers were good. The food portion left a lot to be desired. None of us felt with feeling of "man...that was good - we should come here again". The feelings were on the contrary...

The place was set up nice with a window next for the cool wind from the mountains. Food was doe well as we had sides and appetizers. Along with the service, we were seated quick and attended to without long wait. Tried many items. Only snack I did not enjoy was the cheesy chikuwa imo. But everything else was great

Came here with family to eat dinner. Luckily they were able to accommodate our family of 14 people with a quick notice. The chicken yakatori skewers: 4 stars. Little enjoyed with the order of onigiri Avocado salmon hand roll: 3.5 per eldest. It was ok. Vegan rolls: 4 stars. Good flavors and texture. Shoku rolls: 4 stars. Well flavored. Grilled scallops: 3 stars. Nice presentation and I like that they the option on menu. But scallops were not similar in size. Some bigger than others and relatively small. Fell like it was not worth it. Also had to order onigiri to accompany since it only comes on a bed of arugula. Grilled onigiri rice: 4.5 stars. Great flavors and comes with side of pickled veggies. I really enjoyed it. Probably my favorite dish.

My wife and I love izakaya's and Japanese food so we were really excited to give this a try in Banff and we are glad that we did! We ordered a wide variety of the menu and everything was really good! The items that really stood out to me was their chicken skewers (I wish I ordered like 10), their takoyaki, and chicken karaage. Good service and a nice restaurant as well!

Where do I start, ok at the beginning! Eight of us waited a very short time for a table together and the enjoyment was worth the wait. Frankly eight people taking in the menu and asking many questions could have been a disaster but our server was so calm and organized that it was no problem at all. On to the delicious delights. Tako Yaki, pork-kimchi gyozas, ahi tuna tataki, sides of rice, edamame, Shoku salad, miso soup, spicy prawns and a few drinks tossed into the mix was so incredible. The dishes were not only tasty but truly beautiful. And our server was still calm cool and collected! Japanese motif and gentle music was a background for the clicking of chop sticks against bowls. All in all a fabulous experience for all. So for doing such a great job selecting tonight's venue I get to do it again tomorrow. No good deed goes unpunished.

We had dinner here for our first night in town! There was snow wait and we were seated quickly at a booth. The server was super nice and the food came out at a good pace as we ordered. There was a good variety on the menu and we tried a few things. The skewers were ok but I'd probably pass next time. The Shoku roll was probably our favorite savory item! The nigiri was good, but I think I'd stick with their specialty rolls in the future. The cocktail was perfect, bubbly and not too sweet. Our favorite overall thing was probably the miso creme brulee! A perfect way to end the meal!

A bit pricey but average for banf. I had miso cod with sesame rice, Miso soup and a local soda (root beer- craft brew). Sorry no pic of main course but it was beautifully plated. Service was friendly and attentive. We are outside which was a big plus.

Great service but just a little slow on the arrival of food but it shows how carefully they prepare everything fresh with care. Food is superb! Ambience is very visually appealing. Great place overall! I can go back. Highly recommended

The restaurant was clean and spacious, with good service. I ordered the pork bento box for lunch, and it had a good portion size and well-balanced flavors. It was a simple, standard dish but still enjoyable.

Solid local sushi and Asian restaurant. It's a little tight inside but overall was a good spot for lunch. The kimchi is the best I've ever had w/ there rendition of the dish. Dumplings are soft and packed with flavor, sushi roll was solid. We didn't get to try the ramen which was the main reason for our visit, they only serve at lunch time and we got there "late". The service was ok, asked for suggestions and didn't get much out of her, the one dish that rocked with the rare tuna on a salad bed. It was delicious. Everything else was "ok" and in a town like that with so many options it's very competitive

Great service, great fresh food! Wish we knew about this place at the beginning of the trip so we could come a few more time!

I tried the 10 piece nigiri set here and each one had a generous portion of fish/protein and was fresh! The chicken skewer was tender, juicy, and saucy which I enjoyed. Overall, a solid place to go to for lunch.

Shoku Izakaya has a casual outdoor seating area that's perfect for dinning on a nice day out. I went with a party of 4 on a Thursday night and we were seated immediately. While some of the items were okay, a lot of the items we ordered was not up my alley. Let's start with the hits: - Karage - The fried chicken is a highlight. It's juicy and tender, paired with a yuzu mayo sauce that adds a refreshing citrus note. - Pork Belly Skewer - It's incredibly soft with a perfect balance of meat and fat. If you're a fan of pork belly, this is a must-try. - Duck Skewer - While it was tender, it could definitely use a little more flavor. - Short Rib: The short rib is a solid choice. It has great beef flavor and melted in my mouth. Items that we were not a fan of: - Fries: Fries were good but the sauce was on the sweeter side which threw me off a bit. - Bison Tataki: There were a lot of tendon so it was really hard to chew. Flavor was good tho. - Meat ball: The meatballs are just okay. They have a noticeable ginger flavor, which can be a hit or miss depending on your preference. I'm not a big fan of ginger so this is a miss for me. - Rice Ball: Very plain. It was lacking the crispy texture that makes the rice fragrant as you nom on it. - Shishito Pepper: Bitter. 100% do not recommend ordering this item. Not sure if it was out of season or what happened but it was my first time having a bitter shishito pepper. Overall, I would most likely not come again since there are a lot of other yummy restaurants in the downtown area.

Interesting menu in addition to very good/big pieces of sushi. Bamboo and mushroom appetizer was amazing. So were shishito peppers. Loved my seafood salad and hubby thought sushi was very good.

this joint is located a block off the main street in banff. after seeing all the hype on instagram about this place, you know i had to stop by. we stopped by right at opening on sunday and were the first ones seated. the interior has a nice bar-ish vibe which is very reminiscent of a japanese izakaya. the open environment definitely added to it, just knowing you're in a beautiful national park. we opted for 4 dishes and let me tell you, all 4 were great. the outstanding ones were the karage with their aioli and the hamachi toro. to be honest, i've never seen hamachi toro on the menu before so that was definitely a treat!

I had a bad experience here after sitting down the table by window, we were told to move 'now' as 20 party are coming. Not a word of offering other seating, and rather show the attitude, not handling right for the situation.

This place is really great! We had Korean chicken, Tokyo fries, a skewer, and a sushi roll. The chicken was great and I wanted the Tokyo fries to go with it. The fries themselves were nothing too special, but what they did that I really appreciated was they put the sauce and stuff on the lower layer of fries instead of just on the top. That way you didn't have a ton of plain French fries underneath a top layer of heavily dressed ones. It was good the whole way through. There was one topping on it that was weird kind of smoky burnt tasting paper stuff. That I did not like but otherwise I liked it. The sushi roll looked a bit different than usual. It was like a cone shape. We came in for lunch and it wasn't too busy. I really enjoyed my lunch here!

Needed a snack and a beer. Found a great little bar with great people and service. The bartender suggested a perfect IPA and a delicious roll for us to share. Thanks for the hospitality!!

Four of us had lunch at Shoku on June 4th. The service was prompt and pleasant and the restaurant is nicely appointed. We had the calamari, eel, salmon roe, tempura shrimp hand roll and a spicy shrimp roll--all were excellent and flavorful. A solid 4 Star restaurant; highly recommended and we would return.

This sushi Japanese/Korean restaurant was right off the main street. It's right next to a revolving sushi restaurant. They have indoor and outdoor seating. It's small, but very cutely decorated. Huge outdoor patio space. The staff is great! From the moment you walk into the door to the time you leave. Very accommodating. They have a lunch happy hour from 4 to 5pm it's a small menu with appetizers and drinks. The food here is a mix of Korean -Japanese. We tried a variety of items. Everything was really good especially the Japanese items. I give the Japanese dishes all 5 star and the Korean dishes to me were 3.5 to 4 star in taste. I absolutely love yuzu and they used it in the oysters. They made a special yuzu sauce with chopped onions and a hint of spice. It was perfect I didn't need to use any Tabasco or lime, even though I did request for it. The oysters tasted clean and fresh. They were the small type. I absolutely loved the Yuzu aioli sauce that comes with the Karaage chicken. To me that sauce absolutely made the whole dish elevated to another level! The tako yaki octopus were cooked perfectly, just like how you would get it in Japan when made fresh at the stalls. The pork belly ban bao was flavored very nicely, it was different from what you would normally expect. The pork was diced up and mixed with spices and veggies. It had a slight curry or cumin taste to it. The shoku bibimbop was good but not as great as what I get in Atlanta. It comes out in a sizzling hot clay plot, if you leave the rice in there long enough, the rice layer at the bottom gets extra crispy..... extra good! They give you more rice than veggie and meat but that clay pot stays hot for a very long time. My daughter ordered the rolled calamari stuffed with cheese, (I didn't get the name of it) but she thoroughly enjoyed it. It tasted like eating a Korean hotdog stuffed with cheese. The outside layer was deep-fried with a crispy batter and the inside cheese was melting as you bite into it. Overall, I would definitely go back. We enjoyed our meal. Unfortunately, we did not try any Ramen or udon because we had that the other day somewhere else.

Went for happy hour. Food was excellent, the pork belly bao is a die for! Korean chicken and Katsu curry was a must try too!!! Friendly and thr ambiance is very nice. Defo will come back again for happy hour.

We were only in Banff two days and came here twice. Top 3 restaurants we have been to in either Canada or the US, and this is coming from an Asian household. So impressed. Love the skewers (all of them) and kaarage especially.

We walked in for a late dinner Friday night and pretty much every table was being used! The pork kimchi gyoza was a nice fusion dish. The miso cod was extremely tender and well marinated! The ebi-mayo was good. It's deep fried prawn and each one is huge. It comes with four pieces. I would ask for the Mayo on the side next time though. One, it was a little overwhelming and we found ourselves scraping lots of it off. Two, it made the tempura soggy (at least for the parts it was drenched in). My hubbie also got the grilled Hokkaido scallop which he enjoyed but probably not for the price of $10 for one piece. The ambiance is perfect for date night or dinner with friends: low lighting, not too loud. Service was attentive and friendly.

Cute place right on Banff Ave! We went right around lunch time (1300), and we were seated right away! Service was great, and the food was tasty. We ordered the salmon and avocado roll, miso soup, and the chicken meatballs. Definitely recommend!

The food was merely okay. We came here after a night at the block just down the street. Block was way better. Funny thing is that their dishes felt like a bastardized version of the same food. Some of the dishes felt very generic and bland. Not sure if it's worth the price and wait to come here. Korean fried chicken was god awful. Chicken itself was not moist. It was just some random chicken with some awful generic Korean sauce Beef tataki. Omg they stole the same dish from the block. And guess what they made it worse! Cod... can't even taste the miso here. Did they forget?? This is more of a pass in this resort town. If you want generic food, great, go here.

A group of 8 of us attempted to go to their sister restaurant, Block but it was packed. The staff recommended that we try Shoku instead as it's more spacious. Upon entering, I noticed the all the modern Japanese decor, it was cute. We were seated right away. Shoku offers "tapas" but it was a little more on the pricey side. My bf and I shared a some dishes. -Pork Katsu Bun: really tasty! The pork was crispy and tender. I liked that it came with their house kimchi and spring mix. -Chicken Karaage: it was solid. Tbh I've never had a bad chicken karaage. -Yakitori: we ordered the duck breast, pork belly, chicken, and shiitake mushrooms. The pork belly and shiitake were by far my fave but the duck breast was disappointing and dry. My bf liked the chicken. -Hotpot Special: it was essentially a stone bowl udon soup with beef and mixed veggies like cabbage and mushrooms. I liked that it came with a whole egg, which was almost cooked to perfection - it was a little over. This was exactly what I was craving on a cold Monday night. The broth was savory and delicious. -Salmon Nigiri: it was decent. -Shoku Roll: we didn't order this but we tried our friend's roll. This was SO good. I loved the seared salmon, it practically melts in your mouth. Service was good, our server was attentive. Food delivered fairly quickly. Overall, I think we all had a good experience here.

We were hoping to find a less touristy restaurant off of the Uber touristy Banff Avenue. We stumbled upon Shoku Izayaka. It's trendy appearance stood out from other bar/grill/gastropubs nearby so we decided to give it a try. I ordered the miso cod because every miso cod I have am ever tried was delicious. The 3 to 4oz nugget of cod I received was not delicious at all. It had Zero miso flavour. Nada. The portion was super tiny and did not come with any side dishes. I almost went to the pizza joint next door to get a slice. I was neither satisfied nor full. The meal was more appetizer material NOT entree. On another note, my girlfriend ordered salmon, which we were later told they were out of. She ordered yellow tail instead. Ok, no problem. The problem was that her dish was brought out about 10 minutes after mine. Dishes were being removed as she was still eating. We were mistakenly billed for both the salmon and tuna. It Happens- A disappointing dining experience.

Oh my god!!! The sushi here is amazing. Truly a legit high end sushi bar. Also loved how we were treated.

Not authentic-tasting izakaya food - flavors were geared towards non Asians. Almost everything had mayo in some form. The skewers - the chicken was overly salty while the beef had no flavor and was well done. Takoyaki literally were just balls of dough. Sushi rolls were packed full of rice and uneven across the circumference of the roll. Staff was pleasant, just don't expect much from the food if looking for good izakaya. There is indoor and outdoor seating available.

Excellent, friendly service and lovely assortment of cocktails and Japanese fusion cuisine make this restaurant an easy choice as you enjoy downtown Banff. I sat outside and ordered a pork katsu steamed bao bun, tako wasabi, karaage chicken, two cocktails and matcha ice cream. The tako wasabi cleaned out my sinuses. It was a bit heavy on the wasabi. My preference leans towards a little less, overall it was yummy.

2.5/5 for me. Perhaps we came on an off day. We came during the afternoon, restaurant was not busy, just us and maybe 2 other tables. Only thing I could recommend would be the fries, they were layers properly with toppings and very tasty. The beef and curry however was very dry. The flavour was there, but the meat in both dishes were just dry. The ambiance of the restaurant was lovely, nice decor, tons of seating and the staff were nice.

Belated review as visited over the May long wknd. We drove in from Calgary so skipped lunch to have an earlyish dinner so we probably ordered too much but we started out with red devil calamari which was delicious! We also had negitoro hand rolls, tsukune chicken, chicken yakitori, salmon hand rolls, miso black cod, ahi tuna yaki onigiri. A lot of food, paired with Aizuhomare Junmai Daiginjo Kuno sake. If you're craving Japanese tapas, definitely must visit as there are so many places o which are more touristy but we found their food to be more authentic.

We absolutely loved this place! A great option to try lots of different shareable plates after a long day of hiking. Absolutely everything was delicious. Our favorites were the ebi mayo, agedashi dofu, the skewers, bao buns, and menma kinoko. I'd recommend also getting dessert! We got the matcha brookie and the miso maple crème brûlée.

My summary: Expensive, small plates that aren't even super delicious. There were 6 of us in my party. As a place that welcomes family style dining-it doesn't really provide enough food/value to support that style of dining. I was disappointed in the portions. Prices add up if you want each person to get a piece of everything. Skip this restaurant and go to its sister restaurant: Block Kitchen and Bar. Don't be like me and forget to show your Key to Banff savings key card for a discount.

The food was amazing i wrote a review about this place a while ago and i wish to come back there again. we ate outside so im not sure about the ambiance, but it was amazing anyway! service was quick!! 10/10

Food is delicious. To be expected the portion is small as it is a Japanese pub style restaurant. Service is horrendous. We waited to get water refills for 30 minutes. Server did not check on us in the hour and a half we sat in the place. Probably dropped by once or twice to see if we are doing okay. I guess it is due to the fact that gratuity is included on the bill without prior knowledge. I understand the reasoning to be honest. Another sad fact is we had to remind each staff that we are still missing food on the table. Again, great food, terrible service. Order takeout if you want to try it.

We loved it! Food was phenomenal, ambiance was hip and employees were sooooo kind! We went with our 2 year old and she loved it just as much as we did. Fair warning -- if you love blistered shishito peppers -- the shishito skewer is not for you it was just bbq'd a bit so SPICY as all get out! Other than that, we absolutely loved it. The chicken yakitori skewers for fabulous. The pork belly bao bun melted in our mouths. Edamame and seaweed salad were great and the fried Korean chicken was delicious. The spicy prawns were WOW!!! I wanted to take the peanut sauce with me in my purse My husband also said it was the best crème brûlée he's ever had!

Tried Shoku because many other restaurants were packed and we wanted a healthy meal. Should've known why the place was empty. Healthy yes, tasty not so much. Flavorless and very small portions. 3 of our 4 meals came and we waited awhile for the 4th. Then, as we were still eating our last gyoza, the plates were being picked up. Not good. Leaving hungry and unsatisfied.

We found the most delicious and authentic Japanese Tonkatsu Ramen with pork belly and nitamago egg here after trying some disappointing mediocre ramen in Banff. The unagi bowl was also super yummy that my husband had taken a bite before I can take a pic! We found out that they do have some awesome Japanese chefs preparing these authentic meals. The staff were super friendly and the service was on point. The price is just right for the quality of the food and service. The place had a fun modern Japanese vibe with a cool bar. What a gem in Banff! Highly recommended. Cool tip: Happy hour starts at 4 pm which we look forward to trying next visit.

Our group was starving and looking for a place in Banff that wasn't as close to the large crowds. We stumbled upon this place and it was empty so we decided to give it a go. That should have been our warning. The inside is aesthetically pleasing and well decorated. They have a bar area and plenty of room inside as well as outdoor seating. I ordered the salmon however was later told they were out of it so they offered me the tuna instead. The fish was good but that's all you get, no real sides with entries. The rest of my group also felt the portions were small. Overall the consensus was that it was not a good meal and would not recommend.

The wife and I decided to try this place today. We tried a few things that I can't remember how to spell but super tasty. The staff was nice and seemed cool. We found the portions a tad on the small side and a fair bit high on price. The place was clean and had a cool vibe. Happy we tried it. Flavor was on point.

Sashimi was very fresh and generous cut but I still don't like saba in general. Son loved the mentaiko pasta. Steak cube was not good. Miso cod was a bit bland. Scallop in half shell wasn't good. Chicken karage was good. Tataki beef my friend said was a bit sour. Would love to try tuna onigiri and vegetables fritter next time. Shoku roll was great!

We loved the pork Katsu bow bun - get 2(or 3)!! Skip the onigiri rice balls. Ahi tuna hand roll & Salmon/shrimp sushi roll were delicious.

Such a great place for Japanese food in Banff! I got the miso soup to start which was great and the shoku roll for my main. The roll was very flavorful and honestly, if it has spicy mayo on top I know I'm going to like it. When I went, the windows were all opened up and it was nice to just watch the downtown area from your table or the rain pouring. I would've come back to try something else too if I was staying in the area longer!

Came in on a weekday night and was seated right away. I appreciate that this place is open pretty late. It resembles a usual izakaya atmosphere with the dark lighting. We got both the karage and korean fried chicken and both were great with the korean being a bit spicy. I had an udon in hot stone pot that was on their daily specials. It had great flavour, slightly salty, but still pretty good.

We came early after a full day of hiking. It really hit the spot. There aren't too many izakayas in my area so I wanted to try this out. The server was attentive and fast. Probably because we were one of the only ones eating at 5pm. I ordered agedashi tofu, chicken yakitori, seared fatty tuna and salmon with rice and a grilled mackerel. The mackerel has way too many bones. Next time I'll choose a different grilled fish as she recommended the hamachi kama. Also got the mini creme brulee with chocolate shavings and a blueberry topping. I'll skip this dessert next time. Very full with everything else. Great menu and ambiance!

My husband and I ordered take out and it was delicious! We ordered beef yakisoba, spicy shrimp roll, and some skewers. They were quick and courteous. Definitely recommend stopping here for lunch or dinner! So yummy.

this place caught us by surprise as we had never really dined at a japanese fusion restaurant! however, it was definitely a pleasant surprise. when we walked in, we were seated pretty much immediately, and had the option to sit by the huge open windows, which was a great way to be indoor without sacrificing the view and fresh air! the menu is pretty unique, with a variety of japanese/korean food options, most of which were shareable small plates. we also ordered two sushi rolls, which were good but definitely not traditional. overall, the service and the ambiance was great, the food was unique, but would be better for happy hour than dinner!