A beautiful awesome day amazing people of the world. We are in Banff, Alberta, Canada and we're at Shoku Izakaya for a proper lunch sesh with the boys. Lets get to the food shall we * Karaage - Texture is on point. Crisp is nice and light. Lemon compliments the chicken pieces. 8.7/10   * Takoyaki - The temperature is super correct. It has to be below molten lava levels. The flavors are good to go. 9/10   * Shoyu Ramen (Ramen of the Day) - let's get the egg out of the way. Its a little overdone. But the whole this is really good. Noodles are bouncy, pork is tender and the broth is on point. 8.6/10 The setting is very nice. Service is on point and I would definitely recommend this spot if you're ever in Banff, Canada. Let me know in the comments below. Hit that follow for more food and travel adventures by yours truly. Share this review with a smash mode buddy and thank you so much for reading my review. I love you Mwah! read more

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I was excited to try Shoku Izakaya after a waitress recommended this spot to us from when we were dining at Sky Bistro the day prior. The place was pretty busy when we arrived for dinner. Things we tried: - Agedashi Tofu: fried tofu with a warm dashi. It was light and the dashi had nice flavor. (3.5/5 stars) - Karaage Chicken: the chicken was tender and well-seasoned. (3.5/5 stars) - Edamame: the edamame arrived at the end of our meal which was odd. It was also not cooked well and tasted like it could have been frozen and then warmed up. Disappointing. (1/5 stars) - Shoku Roll: the roll was pretty good with the salmon on top and negitoro inside. I wish they used less of the sauce and mayo on top or put it on the side instead, because it was a lot and was overpowering the fish. (4/5 stars) - Salmon Oyako Bowl: I liked the raw salmon and salmon roe part, however the cooked salmon was overcooked. The bowl also lacked flavor and required soy sauce, though I wish there was a different sauce to add to it. (4/5 stars) Overall for the food, it's okay. I'm from California so we have better food so I'm trying not to be too critical knowing it's in Banff. It's nice to have an izakaya spot in downtown Banff though. Service: mixed. The waiter was nice, however they seemed under-staffed. He had too many tables so service was slow and we struggled with flagging him down when we needed a refill or the check. read more

Exceptionally good food. Waitress is well mannered although she has a little bit of an attitude. Good ambiance and clean bathrooms. read more

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. read more

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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. read more

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I don't have much to say about this one, I think it was ok, but I was not overly impressed. My Japanese wife liked it, so I'll give it 4 stars. Service was attentive and fast. Food was good. read more

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This is my overall rating for the restaurant. The servers were very nice and checked on us frequently to refill our water and clear our plates. As for the food, it's a 3.5/5 for me. I arrived in town late in the evening and came here for dinner. I tried their skewers, beef udon hotpot, and spicy tuna roll. For the skewers, I ordered the chicken, ika (squid), and duck breast. I wish there had been more seasoning on the chicken and duck breast. I was looking forward to the duck breast, but it was dry. The squid tasted good but the texture seemed overcooked. The beef udon came in a curry broth that was flavorful but the beef pieces were a mix of tender and dry. I liked how the spiciness of the tuna roll came from the pepper toppings instead of spicy mayo mixed with the tuna. There are probably other dishes at this restaurant that standsout. The ones I tried were not bad in flavor but lacks quality in the ingredients. read more

Shoku Izakaya - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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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! read more

Shoku Izakaya - Takoyaki and Pork Katsu Bun - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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. read more

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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. read more

Shoku Izakaya - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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! read more

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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 read more

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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 read more

Shoku Izakaya - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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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! read more

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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. read more

Shoku Izakaya - Nigiri Set - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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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. read more

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 read more

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. read more

Shoku Izakaya - Craft brew local Canadian root beer and delicious miso soup. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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... read more

Following our first hike, we had a wonderful lunch! The crab bun was amazing, as was the roll we chose and the chicken skewer. All of the staff were so friendly and helpful! We loved the open windows which let the Banff sunshine in, too! read more

Shoku Izakaya - Roll and skewer. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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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! read more

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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. read more

Shoku Izakaya - Seafood salad - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

Their food was so tasty. Sashimi was super fresh. Their fried calamari was amazing. We would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys Japanese cuisine. read more

Shoku Izakaya - Sashimi - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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This place is amazing I got a few beef skewered which melt in your mouth. I also got the ramen which was to die for. The service was very quick. The ambiance was great read more

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!! read more

Shoku Izakaya - Love a good cold beer. Especially one I've never tried. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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. read more

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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. read more

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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

Shoku Izakaya - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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! read more

Shoku Izakaya - Miso soup - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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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. read more

Shoku Izakaya - Matcha brookie and miso maple crème brûlée - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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! read more

Shoku Izakaya - Asian Fusion Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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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. read more

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. read more

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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! read more

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. read more