Poké Bar — Restaurant in Honolulu

TL;DR: add pineapple, always add pineapple, come on, you're in Hawaii. Great food but a bit on the spendy side for the proportion you receive.

Parking: resort/hotel garages or lots outside the shopping strip only. Minimal street parking if any.

Atmosphere: small dining area abides to 6 foot distancing due to COVID. Like a Subway but for poké.

Menu: straightforward step by step process. You have many topping options here but the price difference depends on the number of proteins you want.

Service: start at the far left, choose your toppings, pay at the end, seat and water yourself. Utensils located to the right of the register and a self watering station with paper cups is on the far right. Bus your own table near the water dispenser.

Start by choosing a base (brown rice, white rice, or salad. Then choose your protein(s) -- I choose 2 proteins (double salmon scoops). Then all toppings are a free for all unless marked otherwise.

Below are each of the toppings I chose.

White rice: typical sushi rice in my opinion. Tastes good.

Salmon: not the best in my honest opinion -- it's not as tender as some other poké bars and wasn't really that cold. That being said, I did not get any digestive issues, which is a huge plus for a poké bar.

Seaweed salad: really tasty and tangy! I really appreciate the fact that it was fresh and crunchy and not fishy or overly salty tasting. Totally refreshing to have with each bite.

Ginger: typical pickled yellow sushi ginger.

Edamame: fresh and shiny, not shriveled and dry.

Furikake: total must add for that photo pizzazz and flavor!

Pineapple: nice hunks that are super...

In search of a satisfying poke stop near our hotel, we stumbled upon Poke Bar, a highly-rated local favorite that intrigued us with its rave reviews.

Poke Bar's approach offers a comforting familiarity, particularly for those who hail from metropolitan areas in the US, where poke eateries are becoming increasingly popular. The establishment provides an array of choices, presenting an array of fish options and toppings akin to what one might find in mainland poke spots.

While some may argue that the most authentic Hawaiian poke places center their attention on the quality of the fish rather than the accompaniments, Poke Bar skillfully balances both aspects, ensuring that the quality and freshness of the seafood are not overshadowed by the variety of available extras.

I opted for the 3 Fish Combo Bowls, which proved to be an indulgent feast. While these bowls may not strictly adhere to the traditional blueprint of Hawaiian poke, they encapsulate all the quintessential characteristics that make poke bowls so adored - freshness, versatility, and flavor. Each bowl was brimming with freshness and the ingredients were harmoniously combined, satisfying our poke cravings.

Overall, Poke Bar provides a good poke experience that's a blend of the familiar and the exotic, making it a great destination for any poke...

Went to buy take out here after a beach outing. Originally bought enough money for Maguro brothers but the wife suddenly craved the food here so we decided to walk the extra distance thinking that we have enough money. After ordering we found that we were a dollar short because we forgot to factor in the state tax (we are not Americans). The girl serving us had a absolutely disgusted look on her face when we told her we will be back later as we didn’t bring enough money. My hotel was a kilometer away so it took me a long time to get back with the money. When I arrived I found that the food (containing raw fish) was simply left on the counter for the slightly under one hour I was away. The same girl was still wearing the disgusted look when I asked her if the contents will leak if I place it sideways in my bag, she just told me no it’s pre-sealed. And of course the contents leaked and stained my brand new clothes. After returning to my hotel, I opened the box, and some of the raw fish smelled a bit stale and as I am writing this am contemplating if I should risk my health and eat the food or just dump it completely.

So maybe the food this place serves may be good generally, but personally I will not want to return to a place with such lacking standards both in service and in the management...