The Poke Company — Restaurant in Boynton Beach

I must be missing something here. My wife and I just visited 'The Poke' for the second time (at my wife's insistence) and I did not enjoy the food... nor the dining experience.

As for the food, I find it to be convincingly bland. This time I ordered a small dish with chicken and brown rice. Well, they call it brown rice but it was a dingy off-white and was devoid of any interesting flavor. The serving of chicken was about 1/4 cup and I did not finish it. It just wasn't something I wanted to keep putting in my mouth.

To be fair, my wife said she enjoyed her meal (white rice with steak)... so her opinion of the place is more inline with the average rating of other reviewers. She calls it 4 stars (but being Asian, anything with rice is up her alley).

As for the dining experience, both times I found it to be actually quite distracting and unsettling. Not only are the table and chairs an uncomfortable hodgepodge, but the noise that comes from behind the counter is ridiculous. They have these stainless steel pans and bowls that they actually 'throw' into the metal sink... and that is not an exaggeration. I kept cringing and could not wait to be free of that noise. Certainly not a relaxing dining experience.

Even if the food had tasted good to me, I do not see the value. For $10 you get a bowl of rice with a 1/4 cup chicken. A small 10 oz. cola cost me $3.30. To me the place is like a Subway but with bowls of rice instead of sandwiches. To me, Subway is better (and I do not like Subway). I'm giving it 3 stars and...

Here's my beef with this place. Now, the food is almost always fantastic - no issues there. My issue is the little passive-aggressive note I received in my DoorDash order this evening.

The note read something to the effect of, "We agree. Delivery fees are expensive. Order pickup instead," followed by a link to the restaurant website. First of all, I do order pickup. A lot. I stop by on the way home from somewhere, deal with the typical bad service from typical South Florida service workers, and bring the meal home. Some days, it is nice to have the option to order delivery from a restaurant I enjoy. Why am I made to feel negatively about that?

Secondly, DoorDash is not a mandatory program. You are not required or obligated in any way to participate on DoorDash. If DoorDash is not good for your business, you have the choice to not participate in the service anymore. Stop blaming customers for using DoorDash (or similar service) in which you are willingly participating in. If you are a franchise owner and have no choice because corporate is telling you to, then let me ask you this: when did your franchise open? A couple years ago? DoorDash has been around nearly a decade. You knew this before you made the choice to open a franchise that participates in these services. You agreed to this when you opened the franchise. Again, stop blaming the customer for choices...

My first visit to The Poke was a delightful experience and won't be my last. Being a fan of rice bowls and a true foodie, I'm always looking for new dining experiences that Birmingham, AL, doesn't offer. We decided to stop by during a break from my real estate classes.

The restaurant was impeccably clean, and we were warmly greeted as soon as we walked in. I inquired about the menu and how to make the best choice, and the staff explained with courtesy and confidence, helping me decide.

I opted for a small bowl with white rice, steak, cucumbers, onions, edamame, jalapenos, cilantro, and spicy mayo. My son went for the large bowl with white rice, tuna, cucumbers, jalapenos, cilantro, and spicy mayo. Our orders were swiftly delivered to a clean table, and in no time, we were savoring the delicious flavors.

I'm already looking forward to returning to The Poke to try something new outside my comfort zone. If you're a fellow food enthusiast, this place is a must-visit!...