Pono Bowl Co. on 2nd — Restaurant in Albany

I first tried Pono Bowl back in 2020 and absolutely loved the product—but after a disappointing customer service issue, we hadn’t been back since. With their new storefront opening in Albany, we decided to give them another shot—and I’m so glad we did! At first, the grand opening was a little chaotic. There were people standing in line “holding spots” for friends to show up for the first 50 free mini bowl giveaway, which was frustrating and felt unfair. Thankfully, we still made the cut—and that completely turned the experience around. Not only were there more free bowls available than expected, but we were shocked (in a good way!) that we got to choose our bowl rather than just being handed a base option. The customer service has definitely improved since our visit years ago, which was refreshing. The staff was friendly, helpful, and organized despite the crowd. Price-wise, Pono Bowl is definitely on the higher-end side for smoothie and acai bowls—but they do fill the bowls generously and use fresh, quality ingredients. It's more of a luxe treat, but a really good one. The new space is stunning. The open garage doors let in so much light and breeze, and the interior design feels tropical, modern, and super calming. Tons of seating inside and even more out back—it’s a place you’ll actually want to hang out. So happy we gave them another chance. Looking forward to more...

This place feels like the ultimate hang out spot to relax and spend time with friends while enjoying a refreshing and delicious smoothie bowl and avocado toast. They’re all quite delicious. The place has so much room and you’re able to sit inside or under cover outside, if you’d like, in a nice area. I would like to see some small improvements but I am highly recommending this place as is as they’re quite fantastic. One is that they provide water in two places but it would be so much nicer to keep it cold or provide ice too. The other is to ask to provide the avocado toast slices as smashed and covering the whole toast versus only sliced onto the bread. Third, my daughter was really hoping to find a foosball table. She’s been to some places around the USA that did smoothie bowls and there was something just extra awesome to her about having that perk. There was a nice sitting area with magazines. Might be nice to have some puzzle games too. The cheerful attitude of all of the staff is a huge bonus! It’s a very inviting and fun atmosphere...

I’ve personally eaten many açaí bowls from various parts of the world at this point, so I know my way around a good bowl 🥣. This is by far the best in the Corvallis area and nears the top of my list for bowls I’ve tried period.

They are so generous with the toppings (The best part) which includes a home made made nut butter (cinnamon vanilla, almond butter) which was off the charts delicious, and it also went crazy on the toast. Can’t recommend this place enough if you’re in the market for a tastebud orgasm. The presentation and staff were also A+

I’m so glad my gf and I finally just ate here. We tried last weekend but couldn’t find them. They are illusive for sure in where there cart will be but let me tell you it’s worth the adventure, like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. We are for sure visiting...