Shokai Sushi

Burlington, United States

3.2

Open now

19 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 319-758-0006
Website:
www.shokaiburlington.com
Address:
1115 N Roosevelt Ave, Burlington, IA, 52601
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
2.3 miBurlington Amtrak Station
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
Yes
Waiter Service
Yes

Today

Today 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
4:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Burlington) 4:49 PM Monday, June 9, 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
4:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Tuesday 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
4:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Wednesday 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
4:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Thursday 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
4:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Friday 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Saturday 2:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Japanese, Sushi and Seafood

History

Established in 2007.

Shokai was created as a way to introduce new sushi to Burlington, IA. Shokai started out with a very small clientele. They didn’t have very many entrees so people thought there was only raw fish, which, to many, was a turn off or fear. However they started to receive attention because of their menu which had been customized for the new customers. Shokai dedicated half of their menu to cooked food to ease people into the idea of sushi. Shokai started to slowly gather clientele by talking to the locals and getting their name out there.

As of lately Shokai sushi has continually introduced sushi to the people of Burlington. With its delicious western style sushi and warm welcoming atmosphere they make customers feel at home and assure that they never leave hungry. Whether you haven’t had sushi, are scared to try it, or even if you love it Shokai will always encourage you to come and join its community.

Meet the Business Owner

Kanda S.

Business Owner

Kanda has had many years of working in the business starting out in Iowa City, IA working at Takanami and Three Samurai in Iowa City in 2004. He then partnered up in 2006 to 2007 Kaji in Cedar Rapids. Then later in 2007 they were looking for a new area to start a new restaurant and ended up in Burlington, IA. They also expanded their business in August 2011 and opened another Shokai in Fairfield, IA as well.

Vicinity

Near this location:
210
ft
Rheinschmidt’s Floor Specialists
1201 N Roosevelt Ave
390
ft
Fairfield Inn
1213 N Roosevelt Ave
430
ft
First Federal Savings Bank of Iowa
1010 N Roosevelt Ave
430
ft
Great Western Bank
1010 N Roosevelt
530
ft
Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center
1000 N Roosevelt Ave
530
ft
Zaiss Motor Sales
1000 N Roosevelt Ave

19 reviews of Shokai Sushi

No registration required
Place rating: 1
Bloomington, IL
Nothing worse than walking in alone, being ignored, standing around, even acknowledged by the waiter, but no offer to be seated. I left. What did I have to do, sing a medley?
Place rating: 1
Denver, CO
I recently moved to the area and had heard pretty decent things about this place, so last night a friend and I decided to try it out. My friend called on Thursday to make a reservation for the two of us, at which time she was told they don’t take reservations for less than four, but that she would go ahead and put us down. We walk in and the host couldn’t find our reservation, and someone whom I’m assuming to be the manager overheard us explain what the girl on the phone had told us and he rudely said, «no, we don’t take reservations for less than four.» To which he followed up with, «it’s not like I’m hiding tables from you!!» He was so condescending and rude, I honestly couldn’t believe it. He then very sarcastically said, «I sooo sowwy» in baby talk. It was the most bizarre thing. I’m floored that that is the kind of customer service they deem acceptable, and I will absolutely never set foot in there again. After reading the other reviews, it appears I’m saving my money and not missing out on anything anyway. Good riddance.
Place rating: 5
Keosauqua, IA
Great food! The spicy beef ramen soup was amazing tonight! We always love the sushi… I always get the best kapa roll and my husband loves the spider roll. Actually, we have never had a bad roll here …fresh and tasty. This restaurant has the best service. The people who work here are amazing!
Place rating: 5
Osage Beach, MO
My entire family eats here a few time a month. One of the top 3 places to eat in Burlington Iowa. Quality of ingredients are Great. Usually staff is great once in a while they seem distracted but overall legit. Owner is knowledgeable and friendly
Place rating: 5
Burlington, IA
Great food, good atmosphere and friendly, attentive staff. Each dish is Instagram-​worthy and delivered in a timely manner. They have even had our food waiting for a quick dine-​in experience on a few occasions when my coworkers and I call ahead for our lunch breaks. I suggest the Yorokobi shrimp and the Jungle Fever roll!
Place rating: 5
West Point, IA
Awesome Awesome Awesome. Can’t get enough. Never a bad night. Recommended for everyone. 5
Place rating: 5
Tillsonburg, Canada
Shokai. Yes.
We like sushi.
We love the staff, and my kid won’t stop eating salmon roe.
Place rating: 2
Iowa City, IA
The staff was friendly, some other reviews mentioned issues but when I was there they were cool.
The food, I kinda expected that from the location of the city I wasn’t sure of the volume which may effect the freshness of the fish. The raw style pieces weren’t as fresh as I would have liked. Had a bit of a fishy after taste which wasn’t pleasant. They didn’t smell terrible but it wasn’t as nice as higher volume places. The miso soup was pretty bad, the broth, tofu, and what every they used to substitute the traditional seaweeds pieces need to be changed.
I wanted to like it since it’s nice to have another sushi spot to go to in rural Iowa, but based off this experience I can’t recommend.
Place rating: 1
Hayward, CA
Sushi was great but the staff was terrible. I ordered soda with my meal she came back with a chip glass and I told she her and politely replaced it, then she came back with another chip glass and I showed her, she said the kitchen staff did it they just throw dishes in the dishwasher but she checked the glass before she poured the soda it just cracked and it’s ok… hell no I’m not going to drink in a «just crack» glass…
Place rating: 1
West Point, IA
My wife and I ate there yesterday. The food was good but the waitress brought my wife a chipped glass and we ask for another. She brought another glass of soda, this time it was cracked. She exclaimed it would be ok n that the dishwashers were young and not careful with the dishes and said again it would be alright to drink from… Not very profesional help at all. My wife left the drink n said she wouldn’t go back. The resteraunt itself looked reneck and thrown together n stacks of beer boxes next to the bar area, again not professional. for one three piece sushi meal, one shrimp side and 2 soda it was $ 25. Kinda cashy. would rather eat at the Great Wall buffet for less money, and professional help there
.
Place rating: 5
Burlington, IA
One of my favorite places in town! Great food and great staff! Fun and friendly environment! Perfect for a nice lunch date or a fun night out with friends on the weekend to get the night started!
Place rating: 4
Burlington, IA
Best sushi in Burlington. I have tried most of the rolls. The snake is still my favorite. Service can be slow, sushi is good. The wings are also excellent.
Place rating: 2
Chicago, IL
Meh pretty much sums it up We went with a friend who lives in the area and she said it was really good, so we tried it. I think that a lot of the stuff was OK, but it wasn’t anything special. For the area there isn’t much around, so I guess if you need a fix then it’s alright, but if you don’t really NEED sushi I would look elsewhere.
The fish wasn’t super fresh. Being a «real» sushi eater (meaning I mostly eat the fish and not ‘rolls’) I feel like the freshness of the fish should be the most important thing at a sushi restaurant. The Rolls were pretty good, they even had one with steak on it that a friend had, but it’s not really sushi. Overall I wasn’t happy with the freshness of the fish. It was a little too firm and smelled ever so slightly fishy, which means that it’s not fresh.
Everything else seemed to be pretty good. Everyone else was happy with their meals but me. I think it was partially because most of the other people had cooked food or rolls with a little fish and a lot of ‘stuff’. If you’re an amateur sushi eater, or don’t really get the rolls with fresh fish in them, then I would say you’ll be fine. If you enjoy having a nice, buttery soft, no smell fish I wouldn’t eat here.
Place rating: 4
Chicago, IL
My parents live in the Western IL/​Southeast IA area, and I like to come here when I visit home. I will admit, the first time I came here I was NERVOUS. I know what the Chinese «food» in Burlington tastes like, so I was afraid that the sushi would also reach similar levels of vomnacious.
I was more than pleasantly surprised — Shokai was delicious and interesting. Still a little blown away that it tasted that good.
The only downsides to this restaurant were the mediocre service I’ve had before and the poor ambience. Restaurant supplies are stacked in their boxes on ugly industrial shelves right across from the tables. The building doesn’t have the best layout for a restaurant, but I think Shokai could do a slightly better job of improving their feel for customers. But since this is Burlington and I’m still so surprised that it was yummy I’m willing to give them 4 stars anyway.
Place rating: 3
Mt Pleasant, IA
If it were based on the food, it would be a 4.5. Delicious, unique and tasty. My one problem is that sometimes the sushi can take FOREVER and that’s when there are maybe two other tables in the place. I would rate their sushi as the best around.
The atmosphere is OK. Its an older building and kind of seems cobbled together to make it passable. Do not sit by the door in winter, it is freezing!
My main problem is with the service! Servers there seem to take forever, will talk with their friends while your food is sitting there and never ask if you want more drinks or even how the food is. Put simply: the service sucks.
Place rating: 3
Hilo, HI
We lunched there. Our hostess was friendly and attentive. We ordered egg rolls and sushi rolls where were rather small and overcooked. Sushi rolls were mediocre. Do I go back again. Yes, they just started a half price on all rolls between 5 to 8 pm on monday only.
Place rating: 1
Atlanta, GA
Shokai was recommended by the hotel desk clerk who told me it was the best Sushi in the area. Maybe it is; but, I wouldn’t know. When I came in, I was ignored for four or five minutes by the waitress and the person I took to be the manager. The manager finally acknowledged that I was standing at the door and seated me at the sushi bar. Another few minutes minutes passed and the waitress took my order. I sipped my beer and sat, sipped my beer and sat, as the two sushi chefs pushed out to-​go order after to-​go order. After 45 minutes, I asked the manager if my order had been started. It had not. I settled up and went down the road for dinner at the other sushi place. Not great but quite a bit quicker.
Place rating: 4
Burlington, IA
Best sushi place in town. Priced reasonably. Super friendly staff.
Place rating: 4
Chicago, IL
The best sushi in the area by far! Other sushi places in the area the sushi is tasteless but not Shokai. They have a awesome menu that is split up into cooked and uncooked sushi which is really great for first timers. They also have some very inventive rolls. I get random cravings for sushi and this place fills the need. The staff is super friendly and very knowledgeable about sushi. They often have weekly specials that are not on the regular menu such as oysters, prawns, or fresh fish. This is a nice restaurant addition to Burlington!
My Favs at this place:
Firehouse roll (keep in mind its spicy and fried!)