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I've been ordering from this place via DoorDash often. But i had the pleasure of stopping in and picking up food in person. I got to the store a couple minutes before the store opened but they let me in and out of the cold! I got my order in and the food was prepped and packed quickly! Norman and Alejandra were so nice and helpful! I got half a pound of ahi poke and half a pound of salmon poke. This is one of the better poke places I've found in the dmv. The sauces I go for are the garlic aioli and the abunai sauces. It was fresh. I also got a kalua cabbage plate with Mac salad. The kalua pig was pretty good and a good portion that came on a bed of rice, I got plain white rice. They use purple cabbage, which was different from the kalua pig and cabbage I'm used to but it still tasted good. The Mac salad is usually a little softer but today the Mac was a little more al dente and less mayo/saucy.
History of Present Indulgence: Not too many places serve real Hawaiian food like a plate lunch and poke without all the extras, so I was ecstatic to learn about Abunai. I go to PT nearby and have stopped by here for lunch a few times now. Physical Exam: Food - The poke bowls are fantastic, with fresh, well-seasoned tuna that stands out. I love their Abunai Poke. Their mac salad is delicious, though a bit on the sweeter side. A standout for me is the mac salad spam sundae--pan-fried spam on a bed of mac salad served in a plastic cup. It's simple and perfect. I still need to go back to try some of their plate lunches, but I love everything I've had so far. Service - Quick and efficient, perfect for a fast-casual spot. Ambiance - No-frills and straightforward, with a counter for ordering and nothing extra. It's all about the food here, and I love that. Assessment/Plan: Abunai is a gem for Hawaiian food lovers. If you're craving authentic poke bowls, a plate lunch, or a place that knows how to cook Spam properly, this is the spot. I'm just so glad Abunai exists here and I would highly recommend trying it out!
Classic poke. Lots of customizations possible. Free water. Good service. Ambiance was nice with large tables and window seating.
Im pretty confident that they forgot my sauce so this was the most bland and dry poke bowl I ever had. The staff also made us wait several minutes when I came to pick up while my bag was sitting on the counter. Unfortunately I don't recommend.
It's a quick service type of spot. Very casual but when I see the food was HITTIN'?! Best musubi i'be tried in the DMV and I assumed the mac salad was going to be a bit sweet but it was very savory. It was the perfect side to the spam katsu. I definitely recommend getting both on your visit here. My only thing is I wish they had a sweet sauce to drizzle on the musubi. That would've balanced out the savory taste but besides that, I'll be coming here again and again.
Overall, no major complaints for a standard poke establishment. Fish was pretty fresh and standard, but nothing to write home about. Only thing I wanted was bigger protein size since I paid extra for extra proteins but still got a pretty skimp amount of fish. Other than that, 3.5 stars for a decent poke place that I got from food delivery app.
I got a chance to try Abunai as a neighborhood drop off. I don't think I would ever have the opportunity to have tasted their poke bowls since they are in DC and quite a distance from me. I ordered the regular poke bowl with salmon and fresh greens. As much as I thought the entire bowl was good, I was quite disappointed in the meager portion. It was barely half a bowl. More of the fresh greens would have been fine since I'm not asking for more of the proteins that would have cost extra. Also, the salmon could have been cut better. It was one long string of small pieces of salmon. The husband ordered the regular poke bowl as well and got the brown rice with chicken. His portion was at least half the size of the bowl even though he selected almost every item that was not an extra charge. We both had to share one tiny sauce container of garlic aioli sauce. We both ordered garlic aioli with our bowls but got only one container. When you halve a small sauce container, that came out to be about a teaspoon of sauce. Definitely not enough. Would it have hurt to give us two sauce containers since we ordered two separate bowls? The garlic fries were great. Even though it was a food drop off from DC (close to an hour's drive away) and the fries were definitely cold by the time we got them home, they were still good. They were not soggy at all. I am glad the bowls are compostable and they followed my notes for not including any plastic utensils and napkins. As many restaurants are adding the option not to include utensils and napkins with their online orders, Abunai should consider this.
A solid poke shop with all the classic fixings (plus, as a bonus, a smattering of traditional Hawaiian snacks and sides that you usually can't find at most mainland poke shops) and super cute decor. I've been slowly making my way through all of DC's poke restaurants, and Abunai immediately stood out with its adorable storefront -- I'm honestly in love with the little vines and fairy lights that line the shop's floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing you to peek inside and get a sense of the amazingness happening within while also giving Abunai a really cute, homey vibe. Once you're inside, the decor serves a similar purpose, allowing you to enjoy the sunshine (or the...car headlights, I guess?) streaming through the windows while maintaining some sense of privacy. The other decor is admittedly pretty utilitarian, but it's cute, functional, and fun. Beyond the aesthetics, Abunai serves up a lovely selection of poke bowls, allowing you to either select from their pre-made favorites (for which they also have daily specials if you're looking to save a few bucks) or build your own. I opted to make my own -- Abunai has most of the classic fixings, but also includes a few extra fun menu items if you're in the mood to switch things up a bit. For your base, you can get one of the classic options -- sushi rice, brown rice / quinoa, mixed greens / kale, or, if you're feeling adventurous, try out their wonton chips. They have most of the classic proteins but also include tako (octopus) and lobster, two amazing poke choices that I've struggled to find in DC. If you're not in the mood for something raw / for seafood, you can always opt for their tofu or chicken. Abunai is a touch stingy with its proteins compared to most other spots, so you'll most likely need to get two proteins (either double of the same one or try out two options) to build a satisfying meal. They also hold back a bit on the sauces (which I honestly appreciate), so if you're ordering a salad base, especially if you opt for kale, your bowl will likely feel a bit dry. If I'm taking it home, I'll usually just toss on a little bit of rice vinegar and/or coconut aminos and am pretty satisfied. As far as mix-ins and toppings go, Abunai has an abundance of classic and unique options available, and you can load up your bowl with as many as you'd like! Being the weirdo that I am, I had to try everything (except, of course, the peanuts and other items that would send me to the hospital). A few stand-out and unique choices included the ogo (Hawaiian seaweed, which added a wonderful level of umami to the proteins), lemon zest (which, despite not being that rare, added the perfect little zing to freshen up the meal above and beyond the lemon juice), and wasabi peas (personally, I won't be getting these again next time, but if you're a fan of the nasal-clearing shock of wasabi and want a little extra crunch, they're pretty fun). And for my friends with dietary restrictions, the staff is amazing -- they were super helpful in supporting me as I navigated dietary restrictions, especially with sauces, and were very knowledgeable. If you're ordering online or from a delivery app, they also have a section for allergy modifications at the top of the order that includes nut, gluten, soy, and dairy allergies. There's obviously some fear of cross-contamination if you're really sensitive, as everything is arranged on the same counter, but they definitely make a good effort to keep their customers safe and healthy. If you still want some lovely Hawaiian food but aren't in the mood for a whole poke bowl, you can always go for a hand roll, spam musubi, or one of their other traditional Hawaiian plates. I've rarely seen a poke spot that tries to feature other aspects of Hawaiian cuisine, from classic desserts like poi or kulolo, or fun takes on island favorites like the spam mac sundae. All in all, Abunai is a great spot for fresh, tasty poke, but also has plenty of options if you're feeling Hawaiian but want something a bit different. Top it off with amazing service from their super friendly owner and staff, plus adorable decor, and you've got yourself an outstanding dining experience.
I have tried Poki DC (which is delicious by the way), but I wanted to try Abunai today. The prices I would say are extremely reasonable. I placed a To-Go order for lunch. Speed of service alone gets 5/5 for me because not only were they friendly, but even during a semi-busy lunch rush my order was timely. Now I'm a huge fan of a good poke bowl and they did NOT disappoint! I got a Regular Poke Bowl with shrimp. They have your typical offerings, including signature bowls, but I will certainly be back to try their other menu items!
My wife picked up some Abunai when she was in the neighborhood in DC. This was my first time eating this version of the common Hawaiian dish. It was lighter and had a bit less favor than my go to Poke DC however, I was impressed with the chips side and meat selections. I had the spicy tuna (not that spicy) while my wife had the Sprimp as our protein. Overall it was pleasant to eat and would come back again soon. read more
5 years ago
I had just moved to the DMV a few months ago from Hawai'i and tried Abunai because I was dying for a taste of home. I was born and raised in Kalihi, the home of Elena's Hawaiian Food so needless to say my expectations were high. I ordered the Kalua Pork and Cabbage plate with furikake mac salad and the lomi lomi (tomatoes and onions) with li hing pineapple. I really was rooting for this place but I was largely unimpressed. The kalua pig and cabbage was a disappointment. It hardly tasted remotely close to kālua. A more accurate description would be BBQ pulled pork with the BBQ sauce somewhat washed off. The mac salad just tasted like mayo and furikake. I have to say the best part of the plate was the lomi lomi WITHOUT the salmon. The pineapple was okay but with very minimal li hing powder. I want to give this place another try since I do see that it is own by a kānaka maoli wahine but hopefully this time I'll have a taste of the poké. I really hope that they can bring a taste of home that I have been craving so bad. read more
Abunai is one of my favorite poke places in D.C. The ingredients are always super fresh and tasty. It's popular, so the lines are long. I usually order through Ritual because I'm not a patient person. Abunai is the priciest of poke options, especially if you want an extra scoop. They also have the least amount of toppings, and the staff is not friendly or knowledgeable, hence the four stars. But my bowl always hits the spot, so I can't complain too much. read more
4 years ago
This is definitely a 4.5 star review!!! I love being pleasantly surprised with a good deal and good food, and that's what I got when stumbling upon Abunai earlier today before my doctor's appointment at Medstar Lafayette, which is right around the corner. I arrived early so I decided to get lunch to pass the time and hopped on yelp to see what was around, I saw that this place offered 13% cash back (plus) had 4 stars (big plus) and had a 92 health score (big big big plus!) so I chose to dine here and what a great choice. There was a long line because it was smack in the middle of the lunch rush and they only had two people working, but the wait was worth it. They do a special everyday and I luckily came in on Friday where all the specialty bowls are only $10! Normally these joints are between $12-$17, so I really came up. I decided on the Abunai which was rocking and I added the pineapple vinaigrette dressing which was the perfect compliment. I loved their ahi tuna, it was so flavorful and all the seasonings they used in the bowl were bomb! The portion size was moderate although I could go for something else and I got the largest bowl. I will definitely be back to try other things. The inside of the restaurant is cute and clean, I wouldn't mind dining in. The service was friendly, although the line was jumping the customer service person didn't mind offering their recommendation on the best bowl etc. I think it's really awesome that they offer such a big discount on their bowls on fridays, considering the price of ahi tuna and poke in general. They've definitely got a new customer in me! read more
2 years ago
To quote the famous words of the great MC Hammer: Can't Touch This In the great battle of poke shops that are popping up across the District, I would say that Abunai is the clear winner. At this shop, they make the fish the real star. You have your choice between salmon or ahi tuna but no matter what you choose you can be guaranteed you'll receive a hearty helping of super fresh, super fly fish. I'm tired of buying poke bowls that are 90% rice and 10% fish -- at Abunai there is a perfect fish to rice ratio in every single bite. The other add ins (you can customize or go with their suggested bowls) are high quality as well. I went with the classic Abunai and was seriously impressed by how the simple, traditional ingredients made for a killer meal. To wash it all down they have my favorite Hawaiian Sun passion fruit juice! If I have not sold you yet they also offer a 10% off check in offer. The only way they can improve is by bringing in a beach! Five happy stars from me. read more
The poke here tastes fresh, and freshness is KEY for raw fish! I was so excited to finally give Abunai Poke a try after hearing about it since before it opened. I like that you can get poke bowls with rice or salad, and that there are predesigned bowls or you can choose to make your own. They have both seasoned and unseasoned fish. I went with the Abunai sauce seasoned ahi tuna and added my own mix-ins. While I appreciate the chance to make my poke however my heart desires, part of me slightly wishes the poke were already seasoned and came pre-prepared because the flavors would be stronger since the fish would've had good time to marinate in the flavors. The staff was awesome, friendly, and helpful which I definitely can get behind! Until I can get back to Hawaii, I'll be coming back to Abunai Poke for my poke fix! PS: The spam musubi served warm is a MUST!! read more
As the sign stated, "Da poke broke da mout!" Although the only poke that I'm fully confident about my knowledge in is the hokey pokey, I've had enough poke in DC, LA, SF and Hawaii to feel that I can solidly say that Abunai is doing things right. As soon as I got a look at what was going on behind the counter, I could tell by the cuts and color of the fish, that I was in for a treat. Everything from the proteins, to the veggies and rice were so fresh and satisfying. The number of toppings that you can choose from (most with no additional charge) was impressive and made me feel like a kid in a ... poke shop! With that being said, although their signature bowls were tempting, I had to roam wild and customize by own bowl filled with salmon, tuna, edamame, roe, seaweed salad, green onions and avocado. I can assure you there was no skimping on the part of Adbunai, and as I ate and chatted with my friend, it felt as if the bowl was never ending. Unfortunately, after experiencing Abunai's poke, it's making some of my other local poke eating destinations seem a little less desirable, which means another visit is definitely due in the near future! read more
7 years ago
My favorite place in DC to get poke! It's definitely one of my go-to places for lunch. I got the Abunai Poke Bowl because they had a $10 deal on it on Fridays. And it was a great decisions! I thought there was the perfect ratio of rice to salad to tuna to sauce. The flavors blended together so perfectly, I really loved eating it. I really want to come back and try their other bowls one day! read more
HUGE portions and perfect balance of flavors! This is a new place that's been here for about four months. They'll do well! I wish we had a place like this in my town! The staff is friendly and helpful with menu descriptions and they prepare your bowl as you watch (even asking how much sauce, etc., you prefer). It's a small area with three long tables community style with plenty of backless stools facing glass walls for watching the world go by. We went around 3:30 so it wasn't very crowded and I have a feeling much of their business is to go orders. I really liked the ambience of the place. Very relaxed atmosphere and the huge poke bowls with Hawaiian music playing almost felt like being in Hawaii in a small cafe. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE! read more
2 years ago
Finally, poke in downtown D.C.! And TWO poke places opening in D.C. in the same week? Plus the fact that this is from Abunai, one of the best food trucks in D.C.!? *Craziness and excitement ensues.* On opening day, I lined up with two friends at around 2:15 p.m. thinking that there wouldn't be many people. Well, that was incorrect. We got our food and checked out around 3:00. There were maybe 15 people ahead of us and the line was moving ultra slow. Hopefully this was an opening day blunder. Food: I got the garlic ahi bowl, and it tasted amazing! Fresh, flavorful and all that jazz. However, the garlic lingered in my mouth for HOURS. Pricing: Expensive! Each bowl, whether you customize or not, costs $12.95. With tax, that brings you to $14.25. Compared to Poke Papa, which just opened in D.C. Chinatown, this has more of a traditional vibe and seemed like the ingredients are fresher. I do like Poke Papa as well, though! The bottom line is this is delicious, but I can't make this a regular lunch spot due to the price. However, if someone were visiting or for a treat yo'self day, I will definitely return! read more
Business owner information
Akina H.
Hello Mary,…
4 years ago
9 years ago
So glad this place opened up by my job. Love their Poké bowls. My coworkers and I come here at least once a week. Lunchtime lines can be long but they go really fast.I normally do half Ahi and half salmon. Fish is always fresh. SO good! One of my coworkers is from Hawaii and he has given this place a stamp of approval. read more
Finally had the chance to check this place out! Absolutely love the food truck and was beyond stoked to hear they opened up a poke shop. My best friend was in town and we actually met about 10 years ago when we both lived in Hawaii so obviously poke is pretty nostalgic for us so we had to go here for lunch! The storefront is adorable! I love all the punchy Hawaiian decor and especially the pidgin board! We got there just before the lunch rush and it definitely filled up after we sat down so get there early if you can! I got the Abunai Bowl and my bff did a create your own (both over greens instead of rice). I was very impressed with the amount of tuna in the bowl! I've been to other poke shops before (not in this area) that it's really more like a salad with very slim amounts of fish. This was the perfect amount I was looking for. The bowls looked beautiful and were absolutely delish! I loved the different sauces and the ahi was sooooo fresh! I tried a bite of my friend's and hers was yummy too! It's definitely on the expensive side but that's pretty expected for fresh sushi. There's a 10% off check-in offer which helped! All together, 2 bowls plus 2 drinks put us back just under $30 after the discount. Great little spot, I will def be back when I need my island fix! Mahalo!! read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
Business owner information
Akina H.
Thank you for your review. It is okay to review based on dislikes of…
3 years ago
Cool on a hot day! Delicious & refreshing poké! Friendly service. Hawaii in the middle of DC. read more
Ogo - Hawaiian seaweed. This was my first time seeing this on the menu and in real life. It tasted nice but was masked with the other flavors of the dish. The best deal is build your own. You have a plethora of things to choose from but be cautious. Overloading with the sauces can definitely produce a weird taste considering they just spray it right on top. Definitely are generous with their proteins though. If you come you should do the make-your-own so you can get a mix of two proteins for instance I mixed the marinated ahi tuna and the salmon. Yummy in my tummy. Plenty of food. Definitely worth a visit, but feel a little short changed on how much was put in mine compared to my friends and we ordered the same toppings. It could be possibly because I didn't do the print mix and rice. read more
Business owner information
Akina H.
Mahalo for your review. You may mix proteins on any of the signature…
4 years ago
Business owner information
Akina H.
Thank you for the review! And we do have Hawaiian Sun drinks! Hope to…
4 years ago
2 years ago
This place is so tasty. They have awesome drinks such as pineapple cider though I did not partake in these because I had to head back to work. I chose a pineapple orange Hawaiian Sun juice instead. My poke bowl was from the daily specials menu and is really tasty. The restaurant has covid practices in place and has stickers on the ground with witty sayings denoting a six foot distance. The staff were friendly and welcoming. I definitely suggest visiting this restaurant. read more
2 years ago
Business owner information
Akina H.
Thank you for your feedback and I apologize for you both getting…
8 years ago
I ordered the Garlic Ahi Poke Bowl (about $13). This was one of their signature poke bowls. You also have the option of building your own bowl. Man oh man, this was the BEST poke I've ever had! They are not shady with the tuna (huge cubes) and the garlic flavor is out of this world good!!!! I chose white rice as my base and it was topped with some greens, seaweed salad, and garlic flavored ahi tuna. Simple, yet delicious! Sometimes less is more! If you are a garlic lover like myself, you will be in heaven!!! I will come back to DC just to eat here. So refreshing, garlicky, and will easily fill you up. I struggled to finish my bowl because the portion was huge. For $13, this is a steal. read more
8 years ago
Jesus, take the wheel...this place was everything I expected and then some!!! So first of all, I stalked them online upon learning of their opening. From there, I spent about a week drooling over their menu--yes, it looked THAT good. Fast forward to yesterday where I FINALLY found a justifiable reason to sit in traffic just to go there!! When you walk in, you are instantly greeted with the aromas of fresh seafood. The customer service was great. The menu was pretty self explanatory, and everything looked as good as I imagined! I did the create-your-own w/TWO scoops of spicy tuna, green onions, cucumbers, carrots, seaweed salad, and a little bit of everything...I don't really remember what else I put in there. But what I do remember is that car ride home, it felt like an eternity! When I finally made it, the first bite was a slam dunk! Their poké exceeded my expectations, and I am a true poké addict (my photo proves it). Needless to say, I shall return! read more
They gotta chill with the garlic in the "Garlic Ahi." I love garlic as much as the next guy, but damn. I couldn't get the taste of garlic out of my mouth for 24 hours. Took a mint, chewed some gum, brushed my teeth, and used some mouthwash. No luck lol. Besides that, everything was fresh, and it was just as good as the other poke places that I've tried (Poke Works & Poke Papa). Typically, I only come here when I'm trying to treat myself because it's hard for me to justify the $13 price tag when there are lower price alternatives in the area (Chipotle, Well Dressed Burrito, Sweet Green, Chop't, Poppabox, and District Taco). However, I will say that they are EXTREMELY GENEROUS with the amount of meat they give you! - VVP read more
4 years ago
Ordered the shrimp poke bowl for pickup. The preparation time was great for when I needed it ready. The bowl itself was tasty. The sauce over the shrimp was yummy with a nice little kick to it. The shrimp were cooked well and the greens were nice and fresh. I was pleased with my overall experience. read more
2 years ago
I ordered the Abunai Poke Bowl through MealPal and would definitely do it again. The food was ready for pick up on time, and I was in and out extremely quickly. The first thing I noticed was the size of the portion - there was a generous helping of both rice and tuna, and the tuna chunks were large and well seasoned. The wasabi tobiko was bright green and provided some nice contrast to the rest of the bowl. The salad greens were fresh, and I couldn't get enough of the sauce. I've also tried the garlic poke bowl, which is also packed with huge chunks of tuna. This bowl, while tasty, reeks of garlic and onions, so try it when you don't have to worry about your breath :) It's no wonder that Abunai Poke is one of the first spots to book up on MealPal every time! What a great deal for fresh, tasty poke! read more
5 years ago
Absolutely amazing poke. I got a make your own poke bowl and it was the highlight of my day. The fish was fresh and the Abunai sauce is off the charts. This is going to become a staple restaurant for me! read more
4 years ago
After coming back a couple more times, I'm upgrading Abunai to 4 stars! There have been several positive changes over the past few months, and most of the issues mentioned in my previous review are now solved or at least mitigated. 1) I've found that with the abunai sauce, less is definitely more. While I normally go for a medium amount of sauce, with the abunai sauce, I ask for light. 2) The rice is so much better now. Maybe it was just a fluke the first visit, but I've had no issues with the rice being clumpy or dry since then. It does slightly stick to the paper bowls still, but much less than the first time I had it. Plus, I guess there's not much that can be done if DC regulations require a certain type of bowl to be used. 3) Last but certainly not least, they've lowered their prices! Originally $12.95 pre-tax, the build-your-own option is now $12.50. They also started offering a 10% off Yelp Check-In deal, so you can get a delicious bowl of poke for only $11.25 now. I'll be back! read more
Business owner information
Akina H.
Mahalo for your review and I apologize for the rice and sauce…
More info about Abunai
1920 L St NW
Washington, DC 20036
Downtown
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(202) 838-9718
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https://www.hiabunai.us
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Gluten free options?
Yes, there are various proteins, mix-ins, sauces, and toppings that are gluten-free to customize your own bowl!
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