Poki Poki - Escondido — Restaurant in Escondido

Update: The owner called me to make it right and apologized for the experience and asked me to come back so he could make it right! That's customer service I mean he called after a hour of me posting this. That's great thank you for taking the time to make me feel like I'm important! Please come here because your business is wanted !

I’ve been to this location a few times, but after today, I won’t be returning. I called with a simple question to double-check an ingredient due to a potential allergy — something any responsible business should handle with care. Instead, I was repeatedly hung up on. No callbacks. No apologies. Just flat-out disregard.

When someone finally answered, I was met with a dismissive, irritated attitude as if I was a burden for simply asking questions about the food. The employee, who identified himself as Edgar, was extremely rude, unprofessional, and gave off a tone that made it clear he didn’t care whether I came in or not.

When I asked to speak with a manager, he said, “We don’t have one. It’s just me and the cook. The manager never comes in.” If that’s true, it’s deeply concerning. Who is holding this team accountable? Who’s managing the cash drawer? Who’s ensuring customer safety or food quality?

Edgar’s behavior was completely out of line. I’ve managed teams in food service and other industries, and if any of my employees acted the way he did, they would be written up or sent home immediately. He spoke with zero professionalism and seemed to feel immune to any consequences — and if there truly is no manager on site or checking in, that would explain the lack of standards.

If ownership reads this, take note: this isn’t just a one-off bad moment — it’s a clear sign of mismanagement. Your Escondido location is driving away loyal customers and ruining your brand’s reputation.

I’ll be driving to the San Marcos location from now on, where I’ve consistently been treated with respect and where I can speak with an actual manager if needed.

Time of incident: Monday, April 21 at approximately 7:30 PM Employee name given: Edgar (if false, then whoever was working this shift should be identified)

This experience was not just frustrating — it was unacceptable. I wouldn’t trust this location with my health...

I will never be coming to this restaurant ever again. I order from Poki Poki through DoorDash on the regular and usually have it delivered. Recently I’ve been opting for pickup since it’s cheaper. Every time I have picked up an order the same employee helps me and gives so much attitude, and all I do is say I’m picking up an order.

This last pickup was the final straw. I walk in, she asks me if I have a pickup and I say, “yes, it’s an order for Heather.” She couldn’t hear me so I repeated myself and emphasized my name so she could hear me better through my mask. She brings me my order and goes, “Here you go HeaTHER. HeaTHER. Her name is HeaTHER.” I grabbed my order said thank you and she went, “you’re welcome HeaTHER.” And continued to make fun of me and my name as I walked out of the restaurant... I could hear her still doing it as I was in the parking lot. I have no idea why she literally mocked me for repeating my name when she asked me to, but I am over it. Her consistent obnoxious and rude behavior is unbearable. The food may be good but the HORRIBLE customer service is disgusting. Congratulations Poki Poki, you lost a...

My go-to spot for a delicious bowl of poke. The food is always fresh and flavorful. There are a good number of options for toppings and bases. The portions are always generous. The regular size is quite a meal so I would try that one before attempting a large bowl.

They do charge extra for additional avocado and additional proteins, however the other toppings and sauces they do not. This is really important because they provide quite a bit of rice that can be a bit dry without extra sauce. They are always generous with the sauce if you ask.

The staff is incredibly kind and polite and professional. The girls working tonight in particular were very nice and very helpful to me and my husband.

the restaurant itself is very very clean. I never have any doubt about the sanitation or cleanliness when I go here. Even the outside is always kept neat and orderly.

The price is quite affordable. For 2 regular bowls plus additional avocado we paid $34. This is cheaper than some fast food places nowadays, definitely cheaper than the Panera right down the road and I feel like I get way more nutrients and quality ingredients...