Formosa continues to be a family fav for us. Is it the best sushi you'll ever have? No. Is the service always spot on? No. Is the menu limited? Kind of. -- They have sushi galore. But the entrees are indeed limited. Is parking readily available? No. -- You'll need to park at the Dubuque Street Ramp (first hour free.) Is the location convenient? Sure! -- If you're downtown, it is a great spot just off the ped mall. Does it deliver? Heck yes. -- Check out CHOMP and also see on Formosa's social if they have a promo code for x off. They typically do. We come here for cheap sushi that hits the spot and bomb.com crab rangoons. My family of four typically comes during a day they have specials, too. So you'll find maki rolls being extremely cheap, as well as specific apps and adult beverages. Pricing is pretty on point. Last night we ordered five maki rolls with two specialty maki rolls and two crab rangoon orders with delivery fee/tip for under $80. I feel like that was a net win. We all left the table happy campers. Formosa serves a purpose and it gets the job done if you walk in with the right expectations. read more

Got seated. Took 10 minutes before they even gave me a menu and water even when the sushi chef told 2 different servers I was just sitting there with nothing. The water glass had dried food on it. I waited another 10 minutes to try to get another glass, but I ended up just leaving. I picked this place because I a staying at the hotel. I found a different spot 2 blocks away with much better service. For context, they were at roughly 50% capacity. read more

Formosa - Dried food on the water glass. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Food: Great food! Rainforest sushi is amazing! Very nicely priced sushi and appetizer special. Atmosphere: place was vibrant and hopping. Has a spacious outside seating area. Service: Responsive and staff very nice. Will be back! read more

I mean for a sushi spot, it's okay. I came in around 8:30/9 and the bar was FULL of employees that were either off for the night or it was their day off, so it was kinda awkward to sit at the bar. I will say, if you're looking for rolls worth your money, I wouldn't stop here. I had a couple appetizers, rolls and one roll to go and my bill was $60. The rolls are SMALL. I mean, like, ITTY BITTY. Any other place in the area has rolls the same price but twice or 3X as big. I'd heard so many good things and wanted to give it a try, but will just opt out next time. Restaurant overall looked very clean and aesthetically appealing. read more

A classic for downtown Iowa city. Good prices with decently quality sushi. Honestly, the sushi is what you pay for. It's definitely more Americanized sushi at cheaper price with cheaper quality. Nice place to get a quick bite and their drinks are decent and they often have happy hour. I've tried their specialty roles too and they're good. This is a good place to meet someone if you're looking to have something for everyone! Service is decent - usually they're on top of it but occasionally a bit slow. Ambiance is usually bustling but you can still hear each other if you dine there. Solid spot for a chill lunch or dinner! read more

Both the tropical rainforest roll and the tuna poke bowl were perfect. Service was great too, this spot is a must try. read more

Formosa - Tuna Poke Bowl Tropical Rainforest - Asian Fusion Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

The succulent huge bowl of Lobster Soup was what warms your bones as the fall chill drops in unsuspectingly. Morgan, my server, was very gracious, and gave superb tips on what was good. The quiet melody of soft music added a homey feel to the environment. Each dish was more than one person could eat which made for a great take home or dorm bag. Don't let the scarce parking or the $$ deter you because the tasty food is worth the price. read more

See all

I can eat virtually anything but what was served to me at Formosa was inedible. I ordered two classic rolls, and the rice was prepared in a manner I have never seen before. It was as if the rice had been melted down to a single, congealed, rubbery mass. I could only eat a few bites before giving up. I did enjoy the appetizer seaweed salad, however. It was served in a generous portion. I made my concerns known to our kind waitress, but no relief was offered, other than "I'll tell the kitchen next time." Some type of apology from the manager or other gesture would have been appreciated. read more

This sushi bar and restaurant is located hotel vetro by Hilton. There is street parking or parking garage available. I ordered the edamame which on the menu just lists that it is salted. I asked for chili garlic and the chef made it! It was delicious. The waitress said it's a secret menu item. I also ordered the green monster sushi roll. It came with 10 pieces which was the perfect potion. It came with cucumber, tofu, asparagus topped with Thai basil pesto. The pesto was so fresh and delicious. They have a very extensive sushi list and quite a few veggie options! read more

Formosa - Green Monster - Asian Fusion Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

See all

When it comes to weekday deals, it's hard to beat Formosa especially on Tuesday and Thursday because they had apps, martinis, and basic rolls starting at $3! Their martinis are pretty sweet and fun, which I like personally. I always get a variety of rolls when eating with a crowd. Love the raw rolls myself but it's undeniable that the cooked are crowd pleasers! My personal fave crab rangoons in town⁣. Sometimes there is a wait but understandably so for the deals but just prepare ahead unless you make a reservation. read more

See all

Great service. Best General Tso I've ever had. Loved the huge martini that we all shared. Cool atmosphere. Nice decor. Will return.

Formosa is one of my go to's in Iowa City. Living in Iowa, it can be difficult to find good sushi, but Formosa hits the spot every time. The environment is fun and located in the ped mall which is extremely convenient. I have dined in and done take out and I have enjoyed every meal. My favorites: - sweet potato roll (the sweet potato is always crisp which is hard to find) - edamame - captain crunch - udon soup read more

See all

What happened to this place?? It was so good a few years ago. We went tonight to celebrate my birthday. Our waitress was smacking her gum at our table - yuck, right? She brought me the wrong appetizer- twice - even though I pointed at the item on the menu. She also brought the wrong sushi but at that point I was tired of correcting her. The food was mediocre and the service was abysmal. And do they really need to play hockey games on all those TVs? There are much between sushi places in town - don't waste your money on this one. read more

Formosa means beautiful isle. Having recently moved to Iowa City by way of New York City, I was cautiously optimistic to have sushi in a landlocked state, with no island (or body of sea) in sight. Honestly, it was pretty good. I ordered basics - just in case. The gem: Tamago Roll. Sweet egg is so good when done well. And it was fluffy sweet omelette packed in a rice roll with seaweed around. The surprisingly good: Salmon Nigiri. Salmon wasn't the best I've had (Sugarfish status) but was smooth, flavorful and tasted good. The ok: Philly Roll and Shrimp Tempura. Solid - but nothing special. Overall, I'll be back (well delivery not in person) and be a bit more adventurous with my choices. read more

Formosa - Tamago Roll, Philadelphia Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll, 2 Piece Salmon Nigiri - Asian Fusion Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

I have ordered from Formosa three times from doordash. The first time, the tempura in my roll was disgustingly soggy and chewy, like it had been sitting in the fridge for a while. The second time, same story. I could tell it was not fresh. My boyfriend (who is not a picky eater) didn't even finish his roll because it was so gross. The crab rangoons were also chewy and gross. I gave Formosa one more try last night. I was thinking maybe it was because I ordered late at night or maybe it didn't taste fresh because the tempura got soggy while in the take out package. So I decided to order a roll with no tempura in it, along with a miso soup and seaweed salad. Of course, the rice in the roll was WAY over cooked and the roll had barely any flavor. The seaweed salad was not the best, it was also lacking in flavor. I've had better at Burge dining hall. I have yet to try the miso soup, but I will update. read more

My husband and I had a reservation for 6pm before a concert. We were seated at a red table near the sushi bar, and a few minutes in, my husband had red lines all over his hand and wrist. For a moment, I was afraid it was blood, but then saw the red smears on the menu. Turns out they had painted the tables that day and the edge of the table was still wet. Our waitress was kind, but when she asked the manager where she could move us, he said we could only go to the bar. He didn't apologize or ask if the paint had stained our clothes. We pointed out there were empty tables nearby ( that weren't painted red) and our waitress managed to move us despite this young, unskilled manager. The sushi was also not good: lots of mayo, scant seafood. The best part was the gin martini so we could shrug off the bad experience and enjoy our concert. read more

this is a super cute spot in the heart of Iowa City! We tried the Las Vegas Roll, the Plaza Tower Roll, and the chicken roll!! They had a great special on the day we went with $9 signature rolls which made this place super affordable! They have daily specials so stay on the look-out when you go, and there is so much to try. read more

Formosa - Las Vegas Roll, Chicken Roll, Plaza Tower - Asian Fusion Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

The owner here is just horrible. Rude to staff, rude to patrons, rude to takeout customers. I would hate to give him any of my money ever again. Food is just mediocre, no reason to support this restaurant over any other sushi place in Iowa City. So disappointing. read more

This place is good if you like sushi rolls! I usually only go on their Tuesday or Thursday special deals. But make sure you have plenty of time! The wait is usually pretty long and the service is extremely slow.. The servers are young and forgetful and the food takes forever to come out (even the appetizers). But if you go with a friend and have plenty of time to kill, it's pretty decent! I personally will never order nigiri or sashimi here ever again, as it's not worth the price and the quality is not very good.. but if I'm craving colorful and flavorful rolls, I will go on their special nights. Also, if you order take-out, always double check they have the right order because I placed a few rolls and nigiri pieces before and they forgot some and messed up some rolls when I checked after getting home.. always double check before leaving! read more

Formosa - Asian Fusion Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

See all

Have been to this restaurant twice now and have to say that both experiences were very good! Definitely not the best sushi I've ever had but it was very pleasant for the price especially...and that is exactly why we came back. Great for a nice lil date night with your significant other :') read more

See all

I kept coming back to their menu and eyeing the lobster ramen soup they have and after two weeks of deliberations I finally ordered the takeout and it was a shame that I waited so long. It was so delicious and kinda on the spicy side but I loved it. Super fresh and overall something I would obsess over, too bad I've graduated and will be moving away from IC and the Formosa lobster soup. read more

Formosa - Lobster Soup - Asian Fusion Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Probably the worst sushi I've ever had. The shrimp tempura appetizer was over battered and mushy. My two rolls tasted like nothing more than mayonnaise. Most of the rolls contained cream cheese or were fried. It's just not the fresh meal you expect with sushi read more

poor quality food, much better sushi around IC, unfriendly management, seats weren't cleaned

This place is good and the sushi is great, but the best part about it is this one specific waitress, Jordan Dahlberg! She always has the biggest smile on her face and is so polite. She always brings laughter to the table and a positive vibe. Sadly she is graduating to chase her next adventure in life, but formosa will always be blessed to have Jordan there. read more

This place is Fine. Go if you absolutely can't live another day without satisfying your sushi craving. Otherwise seek other options. I wouldn't return, because there are a lot of other Iowa City options to be explored. Our party had a great server who was very accommodating! He was friendly and did what he could to make things right after mishearing one of our orders. The kitchen took way too long to remedy that mistake by the way; it wasn't busy when we were there. As for the food, it was definitely not up to par with its cost. There were creative sounding options, but everything that was delivered to the table felt like mid to low grade grocery store sushi level food. I ordered one roll which came with soy paper (which I love) but was disappointed that it arrived soggy and mostly flavorless. Overall, I would have rather taken something off the hot bar at Bread Garden next door for the cost and quality of the meal. read more

We came in on a Friday during happy hour. We were seated immediately but needed some time to view the menu. They have A LOT of great options! We decided to order fried calamari while we decided what our main course would be I chose the two rolls pictured, and my guest tried the orange chicken (not pictured) it was a generous portion!! We both enjoyed our meals. I'll definitely be back to try some different rolls! read more

See all

There aren't many pho options in Iowa City for some odd reason. But this is one of the places you can get it at. However, it is $15 a bowl.......Never seen that price and pho before, WTP(What the Phock). So we tried it is and first mistake is they don't give lime wedges or peppers. They broth is just okay, a little fatty for my liking. The meat is fatty and chewy as well, not the best of cuts. Overall Pho is a 3. Did try some crab Rangoon, which were pretty good but nothing out of the ordinary. Very pricey place, seen the sushi menu was pretty high priced as well. Not sure if I feel the value is worth it here. read more

Good food and prices and good service. Their ahi tuna needs help and their cocktails need more booze. Otherwise I love them.

Hit this place up for their happy hour! We came Thursday evening and the $3 martinis are delicious. If you have a sweet tooth try the mango with coconut rum :) The happy hour rolls vary from $3 to $9. Overall the sushi here is probably a 3.5 so I would only come during their happy hour. My favorite is the tropical rain forest! In terms of the happy hour menu I'd round off your order with their sweet potato roll to feel full. They are winning with their location right on the ped mall which makes this a desirable patio to sit and people watch while enjoying drinks and sushi. read more

See all

My roommates and I come here every Thursday for their discounted drinks and sushi. It is always soooo delicious!! Some of the best sushi in Iowa City area read more

We got one appetizer but then we were totally forgotten. Our party of 3 ordered 7 rolls, not hard for a sushi restaurant. Wrong. In the hour waiting after getting the appetizer and placing our order, we noticed 5 tables seated after us were served. In addition at least 20 to go orders were filled. We've never waited that long, hence why we left and we suggest the reader of this review do similar & not go here. read more

Stopped by to get some sushi and catch up with a friend! The sushi was on point. Ordered the: Godzilla, Formosa, Las Vegas, and tropical rainforest roll. We also ended up ordering orange chicken and a Moscow mule. Great bang for your buck! read more

Formosa - Tropical rainforest, Godzilla, Formosa, and Las Vegas Sushi rolls - Asian Fusion Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

should have read reviews first. WORST sushi and tempura i have ever had. no flavor. on the other hand, lobster soup was so flavorful!

Eh...I just didn't like the food here. The sushi was mushy and didn't really seem fresh. I had trouble separating them from each other. The service was ok, but I wouldn't go back. Sorry. read more

1. favorite place to go in iowa city for good quick sushi! 2. go there on your birthday and get this awesome cake on fire! 3. this photo shows the california roll and the LIBERTY BELL ROLL(which is the best roll they have) My friends and i go here every tuesday or thursday every single week. Awesome service, great martinis, fantastic sushi! Loveeeee formosa! read more

Formosa - Asian Fusion Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

See all

Service was ok. The appetizer was served within seconds of the meal. Tempura combo. Grease soaked and when I bit into the shrimp, it was filled with a heavy vein. Where do they NOT devein a shrimp! Gross!! I ask the waitress to please find this out for me. She apologized and said she would. She then proceeded to ignore the situation for the rest of my dinner. No answer offered. Sushi was mid temperature and seemed off, didn't finish this either. Nothing was raw, which especially on this case I am very thankful! Sub par to be generous read more

If you like McDonald's you'll love this place. Lots of metal, glass and wood. Pages and pages of sushi options, however even standard options like a spicy tuna roll tastes like airport sushi that was prepared yesterday at ORD and flown in for the dinner service. Also edamame is really intended to be served warm. Iowa city sushi doesn't have to taste like it's from Iowa city. read more

No complains with this place, the sushi was good (we got Caterpillar, Godzilla and Beef.. All were good, tasty. Nothing life changing but solid options).. Drinks, got the Pineapple Express, it was like a pineapple juice, but that does not mean it was bad, it was refreshing.. read more

Visited on a Saturday afternoon with my 14 month old son and his mother. The hostess was pleasant and attentive. We were immediately sat in a booth and a high chair was promptly brought to the table. We ordered a couple sushi rolls. The presentation was phenomenal and the quality was on point. Very vibrant colors and flavors! Our server was AMAZING. Very, very polite. Addressed us as "sir" and "ma'am" every time. Kept our water glasses full. Occasionally checked to see if we needed anything. And was friendly towards my son. It was obvious he wanted to make our dining experience enjoyable. He's the real MVP. read more

Formosa - Asian Fusion Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

This place is so good! If you're looking for a good sushi place with many options, this is the place for you! They have all of your favorite classics, but also have their own house specials which are my personal favorites. Every time I come, the staff is always super friendly and the food is outstanding! read more

Formosa - Liberty Bell, Scorpion, Seared Steak - Asian Fusion Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa