Formosa Sushi Bar
221 E College St, Iowa City IA 52240
$
Sushi
Formosa is located in the heart of Downtown Iowa City. We specialize in the finest fusion concepts encompassing our signature sushi rolls, entrees and specialty martinis. Try the delicious Las Vegas Roll, or a one of a kind martini. Formosa can accommodate an intimate date for two or large groups for any occasion.
Reservations
Booking Notes:
We have updated our hours of operation to: Sunday-Wednesday: 4:00 pm - 9:00pm & Thursday-Saturday 4pm-10pm.
Business Info
- Address: 221 E College St, Iowa City IA 52240
- Cross Street: S Linn St
- Cuisine: American | Asian | Chinese | Japanese | Sushi |
- Cost: | Very Inexpensive
- Category: Casual Dining
- Star Rating:
- Reservations: Recommended
- Dress Code: Casual
- Meals Served: Dinner |
- Parking: Street | Parking Garage |
- Payment Options: VISA | Amex | MasterCard | Discover | Cash |
- Corkage Fee: N/A
- Website: https://www.FormosaIowaCity.com
- Phone: 319-338-8880
- Features: Full Bar, Outdoor Seating, Takeout Available, Happy Hours, Lounge / Bar, Free Wi-Fi, Big Screen TV,
- Occasion: Child Friendly, Romantic Dining, Dining Alone, Business Dining, Meet for a Drink, People Watching, Special Occasion, Vegetarian, Dog Friendly, Quick Bite, Trendy / Hip, Celebrity Spotting, Date Night,
Photos
Business Hours
Reservations Available
- Monday
- Dinner - Restaurant 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
- Tuesday
- Dinner - Restaurant 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
- Wednesday
- Dinner - Restaurant 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
- Thursday
- Dinner - Restaurant 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
- Friday
- Dinner - Restaurant 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
- Saturday
- Dinner - Restaurant 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
- Sunday
- Dinner - Restaurant 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Customer Reviews & Ratings
4.42 out of 5 stars based on 475 votes
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 6/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Nov 20, 2021
Paul E.
Excellent service and staff. Very competent waitresses. Quality of sushi fresh and superb. Very warm and inviting milieu. Best restaurant in the state.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 7/10
- Value: 10/10
Nov 16, 2021
Jeff V.
Went after the football game. We had a large group but our waiter was great. The food was outstanding and the prices can't be beat! We love sushi and this compares to our favorite place back home. We will go back.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
May 13, 2022
Ryan R.
Nice selection of rolls and priced well
- Overall: 0/10
- Food: 0/10
- Service: 0/10
- Ambience: 0/10
- Value: 0/10
May 03, 2025
Sophia H.
I made a reservation because I knew it was going to be busy. I arrived 15 minutes before my reservation time. The hostess said the wait was about 15-20 minutes. We watched as bigger parties and some people who did not make reservations get seated before us. My partner and I ended up waiting 40 minutes before we decided to take our business elsewhere. We love Formosa and the service is usually wonderful but this was not a good.
- Overall: 7/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
May 16, 2022
Corey L.
Great food, great service, reservations at 4pm for graduation dinner, 6 people. After 1 hr and 15 mins waitress asked us if she could bring the bill because our table was needed for another reservation coming in.
- Overall: 3/10
- Food: 7/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 3/10
- Value: 5/10
Oct 14, 2021
Gabby P.
We had a reservation and we’re waiting 30 minutes past the reservation while walk-ins were being sat down. We eventually were sat outside which we were not expecting and it was cold outside so the experience was not pleasant. I also wrote down in the reservation that we were celebrating a birthday and i guess that request got neglected
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Mar 12, 2022
Libby A.
Overall it's fine but last night our warm saki was very cool not hot! Found a staple on one of our sushi platters and a hair in the to go box. We didn't want to create an issue but it does need to be addressed. We enjoy eating at Formosa food is good and service but last night's experience, I need to share. Thank you!
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Sep 05, 2021
James L.
Amazing food, friendly staff, super great pricing.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Jan 26, 2022
Veda V.
Our waiter was extremely friendly! Made great suggestions and checked on us periodically.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 9/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Feb 17, 2023
Jessica H.
The salmon lovers sushi was fantastic and so was the service.
- Overall: 9/10
- Food: 9/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
May 12, 2021
Allie G.
Super good food and drinks on deal night. Wasn't too busy and the online service took my reservation so we got seated right away!
- Overall: 1/10
- Food: 2/10
- Service: 2/10
- Ambience: 1/10
- Value: 0/10
Jul 16, 2022
Christopher K.
Disaster - appetizers are good but the rolls has nothing to do with sushi. They could settle with a menu card of one roll because they all taste the same.
- Overall: 7/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 5/10
- Value: 8/10
Dec 10, 2022
Denise B.
It was really cold in there. Every time the door opened a wind blew through straight out to the hotel. It was cold the entire time though. Unfortunately, the Last time I was there, I sat back in the main area and it was cold there too. I sure do love the food though! Our waitress was also excellent.
- Overall: 9/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Feb 13, 2025
Emily C.
I always enjoy coming here, it’s my absolute favorite place on campus. Never fails to satisfy me!
- Overall: 2/10
- Food: 0/10
- Service: 6/10
- Ambience: 5/10
- Value: 3/10
May 20, 2022
haley n.
the sushi tasted like mush and made us sick.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Feb 10, 2023
Cami F.
The food was delicious and waitress was great.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Sep 19, 2021
Carol M.
We had a very enjoyable evening. The food was great, the service was great, the ambience, great, and the value was also great!
- Overall: 5/10
- Food: 6/10
- Service: 8/10
- Ambience: 6/10
- Value: 5/10
Jun 07, 2025
Jake M.
Drinks were awful. Made incorrectly. The sushi rolls were ok.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Jan 13, 2023
ellie e.
so good i love formosas
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 0/10
Oct 21, 2021
Maria G.
Very good experience
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Feb 16, 2022
George E.
great food, great service
- Overall: 8/10
- Food: 7/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 6/10
- Value: 8/10
Aug 16, 2022
Kim H.
All of our food was fantastic with the exception of the Beef, mashed potatoes and asparagus entree. All three items were terrible.
Our service was great.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Jan 25, 2023
Nancy S.
Our server Morgan was great! She recommended wonderfully tasty rolls and even remembered us from our last visit to Formosa. Love the food, service and atmosphere at Formosa.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 8/10
- Value: 10/10
Oct 20, 2021
Cameron O.
5 of us had a great evening. The server was patient with our first time sushi eater, and made great suggestions. The value for the food is incredible. I (nicely) questioned the server because I though the final the was too low. Nope. Definitely recommend, definitely coming back.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Oct 13, 2021
Kathy Y.
Our waitress was so polite and did a great job making sure we enjoyed our food and experience. The food was delicious and worth the cost.
- Overall: 7/10
- Food: 2/10
- Service: 8/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 5/10
Sep 19, 2022
Sam M.
I typically love Formosa, however this recent experience made me and one of the other people in our party sick. Our waitress was very kind and although it appears like they were affected by staff shortage, she did a wonderful job.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Nov 13, 2021
Brianna T.
everything was amazing
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Apr 30, 2022
Paul E.
Excellent staff. Excellent ambiance. Superb sushi. Superb service. Competent waiters and waitresses. Courteous hostess. Best sushi in Iowa.
- Overall: 0/10
- Food: 0/10
- Service: 0/10
- Ambience: 0/10
- Value: 0/10
Apr 07, 2021
Salvador A.
We made the reservation online at 7:15pm on Easter Sunday. We get to the door and there is a sign they were closed. It would have been nice to know that before I made the reservation.
- Overall: 6/10
- Food: 7/10
- Service: 1/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Sep 09, 2021
Reese R.
The waitress that we had only came and talked to us a total of 3 times. We asked her for water and waited 20 minutes before she even came back to the table with no water. We had to ask someone that was no our server to get us some. We also waited an extremely long time for the sushi to come out and when it did the rolls were not on the correct plates for each person. I do love Formosa but this is the worst experience I have had there.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 8/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 6/10
Jan 08, 2021
Melanie M.
Waiter was diligent, quick, responsive. Food presentation was beautiful, would appreciate more specials every night.
- Overall: 2/10
- Food: 5/10
- Service: 2/10
- Ambience: 7/10
- Value: 3/10
Jul 03, 2025
Pamela W.
Sushi was served without rice. One diner’s meal was misrepresented, had to be redone, but took 30 min. to get the new meal. Waiter didn’t check on table. Beer, when waiter was asked for a glass, brought an ice-filled glass (for beer!!).
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Apr 28, 2022
Max B.
Food was so good and everyone at the establishment was amazing
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Feb 03, 2025
Hannah F.
The hostess and our server (Reagan) were both incredible!
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Jan 14, 2022
Joy F.
Last time the tuna tower had chips but this time we were told no chips. Really like chips with the appetizer.
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Sep 11, 2025
jada k.
Really good and would go again!
- Overall: 8/10
- Food: 8/10
- Service: 9/10
- Ambience: 7/10
- Value: 9/10
Dec 13, 2022
ELLEN P.
Noisy
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Sep 30, 2022
Hayden O.
Great service, food, and place!
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Mar 05, 2023
Sarah F.
Always great service and great food!
- Overall: 0/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Nov 22, 2024
Connie M.
Our table was ready when we got there. I was glad we had reserved a table because the restaurant was packed. Food was great and our waiter was awesome! We will be back. Thank you for a very enjoyable evening!
- Overall: 4/10
- Food: 5/10
- Service: 5/10
- Ambience: 3/10
- Value: 5/10
Feb 20, 2022
Rone P.
Dirty glassware, no music or ambience, below average food for style- should have known better when I saw sushi burritos on the menu.
- Overall: 8/10
- Food: 7/10
- Service: 8/10
- Ambience: 8/10
- Value: 8/10
Mar 29, 2023
Barb R.
The dishes and restaurant itself were not very clean. Signature rolls were delicious, crab Rangoon and spring rolls were soggy and undercooked, very greasy
- Overall: 6/10
- Food: 9/10
- Service: 8/10
- Ambience: 5/10
- Value: 7/10
Dec 19, 2021
Lindsay B.
Took over an hour to get our food and drinks, a couple members of the party had to leave early because we were there for so long. But the food was good and our server was very kind!
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Aug 18, 2021
Cindy J.
Everything was great. Our server was excellent. We will be back for sure!
- Overall: 10/10
- Food: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Ambience: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
Dec 12, 2021
Allison K.
It was a lovely dinner with great food and service. Tons of options for non fish eaters as well