Keep coming back for more to see what new magic Chef creates!! I've tried the Prime Rib Dip and the poke bowls and Korean Chicken Musubi! All Ono!!! Brings me back to the MothaLand every time!!! read more

Exit 8 Bodega - The BEST Prime Rib Dip you'll get in OC! - Poke Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

just left and was so amazed by how good their poke was i had to write a review! this poke is so buttery smooth and fresh. definitely the best poke i've had in LA/OC area and in the top 3 of what I've had in SoCal. The thai ahi is perfectly seasoned and really allows the quality of fish to shine. I only wish that the portions were bigger (the container for my 1/4 pound of fish still had a lot of room in it) but the 1/4 pound was $9. I got a side of their wonton chips that were fresh and crunchy! They use beef tallow to fry them and they did not feel heavy or greasy and gave it good flavor. I also ordered a pork manapua on the side. The bottom of mine was a little underdone and maybe just needed a little longer steaming. Beyond that, I am definitely pleased with my visit to Exit 8 and am already a big fan of Ai Pono. Happy to have a legit poke place out here and will def be back! I'm excited to try their shaved ice because of their homemade syrups and also their musubis. Hoping they can get some more hawaiian goodies for sale in the shop (banana lumpia bark from noms please ). Also it goes without saying that the shop is so cute inside. Great work, Chef! read more

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What an incredible spot! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was very welcoming--equal parts stylish, felt like Hawaii, and vibrant. The food was ono. Every poke option was thoughtfully crafted, insanely fresh, and packed with bold, unforgettable flavors. You can tell they pay attention to the little details, from the presentation right down to the exceptional service. The staff made us feel right at home, offering great recommendations and keeping the vibe high. Exit & Bodega completely blew me away and I love how they add authentic crab salad to every poke bowl. It's currently their soft opening still, so keep in mind the menu items may be adjusted. They start serving poke at 10:30am. There is a convenient parking lot (free). If you're coming in for a casual bite, this place delivers on every front. I'm already counting down the days until I come back! 10/10 recommend. read more

Exit 8 Bodega - 2 choice poke bowl (Kilauea and Spicy Ahi) with crab salad and sides of poke - Poke Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I've been seeing Exit 8 everywhere since they soft opened. The lines have been crazy, it's supposed to be authentic Hawaiian poke, and since I love Hawaiian poke, obviously I wanted to try it. But with a new place, you never know if the lines mean it's actually that good or if it's just the hype. I didn't actually go inside this time. My friend picked up two bowls for us and brought them to the golfing range, so by the time we ate them it had probably been about 15-20 minutes. Not exactly fresh from the counter, but also not long enough that I'd expect the food to completely change. Presentation was nice, but once we started eating, we both had pretty much the same reaction: **eh**. The rice was okay, but the poke itself lacked flavor. We had different flavors and could barely tell the difference between them. Nothing was necessarily bad, it was just really underwhelming. For once, I didn't even finish my poke bowl -- and not because the portion was huge. I just didn't care enough about the flavors to keep eating it. My friend didn't finish hers either, so two people, two unfinished bowls lol. That said, they're still in soft opening and I didn't eat it there, so I'm willing to give it **one more try**. Next time I want to actually go in, eat the poke fresh, and see if that changes my opinion. For this first try though, especially with all the hype and the lines, I expected a lot more. read more

Walking into Exit 8 Bodega genuinely feels like stepping into a local Hawaiian shop selling fresh poke. The decor and setup set high expectations right away. Unfortunately, the prices make it completely not worth it. I bought two pounds of poke, and the total came out to over $40. While the ambiance is nice, the food is way too expensive for what you get. I won't be coming back anytime soon. read more

Grew up eating poke from Hawaii and I feel like this spot satisfies the craving! Their spicy mayo and ginger ahi are my favorite and I like how it comes with sushi rice and crab salad. I feel like portions kinda inconsistent and depends on who's scooping? Can be kinda pricey but fresh ahi is hard to come by so I get it. After trying a bunch of recommended spots in LA & OC I would only come here and one other spot. read more

Exit 8 Bodega - Poke Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

came around lunch time on a friday and it was about a 45 minute wait. they recently opened so i think their system is a bit inefficient and they were sold out of a lot of things we wanted to try. i preferred the furikake salmon over the hawaiian ahi and i liked the crab salad. we also tried a sample of the mixed dole whip, the pineapple was my favorite of the two. i think it's worth checking out hopefully if the wait gets shorter read more

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Unfortunately, my first experience at Exit 8 Bodega was extremely disappointing. The line was actually much shorter than what I normally see out the door, yet it still took about 30 minutes to get a poke bowl and a sandwich. The biggest issue was how unorganized and inefficient the operation felt. The staff seemed lackadaisical, and during the short time I was there, I personally witnessed multiple order mistakes. I was overcharged for an extra item I never ordered. Two customers ahead of us both had to come back because the staff forgot extra meat they had paid for. Our spam musubi was also left out of the order even though we paid for it, and on top of that, we were given the wrong type of poke. Unfortunately, I also ended up throwing up later that day after eating the food. I obviously can't say for certain that the food was the cause, but given the overall experience, it certainly didn't help my impression of the place. Overall, the customer service was poor, the operation was extremely inefficient, and the food itself was nothing memorable. With this many mistakes happening during a relatively slow period, I can't imagine what it's like when the line is actually out the door. Definitely not worth the wait or hassle for me. read more

The line seemed long but it goes by fast . I really liked the salmon garlic and the Cali mayo tuna. Really want to come back to try their sandwiches too read more

Customer service spot on, nice vibes. The Hawn ahi poke and lechon (pork belly) broke da mouth ono The ice shave just like home See you next time we're in town read more

Exit 8 Bodega seems like it could be good but left much to be desired. The good: 1. Wonton chips fried in beef tallow should be the norm. 2. "poke bombs" essentially inari/yubu stuffed with their poke tasted great The not so good: 1. For a place where most of the food is already prepared ahead of time the line moved at a crawl, food was good but not worth the time. 2. The price, the price of poke was 1.5 to 2x the price of most by the pound poke and was nearly the same quality. 3. The musubis which took up half of the counter for display were just okay for the regular spam musubi, not as seasoned as you would see in Hawaii but not bad. The garlic butter Mahi Musubi sounded good but was so dry that we could barely finish it and just tasted like rice and Mahi no garlic or butter to be found. Overall not worth the effort when there are so many places in Southern California that are as good without the stipulations or the wait. They also have an AI generated award plaque for an award they gave themselves I think. Which is just confusing, like why? read more

Really enjoyed the poke & authentic Hawaii vibes, especially for Costa Mesa. The line was a bit long since it just opened, but still super tasty nonetheless. We had 2x poke bowls, OG spam Musubi's, and seaweed salad. Will be back again I am sure, but great experience overall read more

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After a week in Hawai'i, I was missing some legit Hawaiian Poke. Chefs new place is ono. Everything in the store reminds me of Hawai'i. I arrived closer to closing time so there was no hot food and the poke was starting to get low so I didn't get a chance to try everything yet. The poke is legit though. Fish is fresh and flavors are on point. The store is small so if you're coming in a group plan accordingly. Staff is still getting bearings so if you're going now expect a few hiccups but don't ding them for that now. And literally do what the big ass sign in the store says, Get your ish and go! Don't loiter, do your IG or TT reviews in your car read more

Food is good, definitely pretty fresh, but it was like 9 bucks for a quarter pound, so I wouldn't say it's worth 9 bucks honestly, plus the atmosphere was not the best, and I felt they were very stingy on the portions, the customer service was relatively slow, with no line, and only 2 people at checkout before us, we were in and out about 45 mins, long wait time just to get checked out since they weight eveything, hopefully the price comes down, if not I'll go else where, I'm sure driving to Vegas and getting poke express is cheaper then driving here and ordering. *sarcastic* read more

Exit 8 Bodega - Poke Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I came expecting good hospitality and genuinely good food but was given the exact opposite of all of that. The food is mediocre at best and the service is hostile and degrading. I'd only recommend the place if you want to be disappointed with how you're treated as a human being read more

Really fresh, good poke. The Filipino banh mi was also delicious. We came shortly after opening on a Saturday and there was no wait. The servers were Gen Z stare type people but that's fine, as long as the food is on point. Will definitely come back again. read more

Fresh and delicious. Everything you love about Hawaiian poke and more. It is worth the hype. The lines are super long right now but hopefully it will calm down because I'd like to be a regular. I came at 1pm and they had already sold out of most of the menu. Poke was mostly available and the snacks and desserts were all stocked. I tried spicy mayo, Hawaiian, and spicy garlic. All were great. Spam musubi was good. The Korean chicken musubi could have been a little crunchier but still tasted good. Highly recommend! read more

Exit 8 Bodega - Poke Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Been here 3 times already since the soft opening, here's my experience so far: 1st time: Got there around noon lunch rush. Line wasn't too long but didn't move an inch for like 20 minutes and it was hot asf outside. Decided to bounce and get Jersey Mike's next door as I had to go back to work. 2nd time: Got there with the Fiancé at 1pm. Line was shorter and inside the store thankfully. Out of mostly everything other than poke & musubis. I got 2 hotdog musubis & she got a 1 item poke bowl. Both were delicious, especially the musubi, I'd come back just for that if I had to, but small portioned items. No tables or chairs outside so we had to sneak our food at the Shirley's bagels tables down the strip mall. Ended up having to get Jersey Mike's again to fill our appetites. 3rd time: Went in with the Fiancé again around noon lunch rush, there's a few other food spots in this strip mall and we couldn't decide on what we wanted to eat but she wanted to try it again. Only two people in front of us, full menu available. We decided to share a pair of hot dog musubis and split the Portuguese sausage & egg sandwich. Man, it felt like they flew back to Hawaii to get it. I actually joked with my fiancé that I could get a Jersey Mike's sub and then meet my fiancé back in time, sure enough we waited an additional 15-20 minutes after I got my sub next door, and we had to mention it to the homegirl/manager behind the counter for it to be checked. She was at least nice about it and grabbed it but she seemed like the only person doing anything out of the total 4 employees. Took it all home, hotdog musubi still gas, sandwich was good too but it was open faced??? Wasn't sure at first if it was what we ordered but the Portuguese sausage was in there so I guess it was correct. Honorable mentions: - If it's truly a "Bodega" then why not just fill up the fridges and shelves there with all the food on da menu? Seems counterproductive to the whole "grab your shit and go" message if the average customer is waiting 30+ minutes for a sandwich. Also given that other people hate the portion sizes here at least show the people how much poke you're willing to give them before they pay. - The staff is nice, wouldn't say overly friendly or helpful but I wouldn't say I was disrespected either. That being said it just seems like they're either friends of the owner helping open the joint or they're some type of skeleton crew tasked with operating the store until they can get full-time employees. - Stickers $2-$5 each, embroidered foam trucker hats $30, $68+ for a hoodie. CHEEKS. - I'm kinda over these overhyped TikTok/instagram spots that blow up overnight to disappoint the locals with massive lines out the door and expensive mid food. Why can't we just have a good, affordable, hole-in-the-wall type spot serving quality food anymore?! We had our experiences previously with Northgate Mercado & Marty's Patty's, enough is enough. I want to like this place but I just go to eventually end up at freaking Jersey Mike's after because they're either sold out or I got shafted with the portion I got. This place still feels very "conceptual", and I hope they can work out the kinks and make the place better. I would like to try it again, but given the other reviews I hope it stays in business. read more

Super cute market with a good variety of poke and other Hawaiian food! We arrived 10 minutes before opening and waited around 30 minutes before being able to order. The poke was all super fresh and flavorful-- definitely order the wonton chips to eat with them! read more

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I was excited to try Exit 8, but it was a huge disappointment. First, they got my order wrong. Mistakes happen, but that was just the beginning. I ordered the $16 one-choice poke bowl, and the portion of fish was honestly embarrassing. You can literally count the handful of poke cubes in the bowl. It was mostly greens and rice with a few chunks of tuna scattered on top. To make things even more frustrating, they advertise shaved ice on the menu, but when I tried to order it, I was told they don't even have the machine yet. If you can't actually serve an item, it shouldn't be on the menu. I've attached a photo so people can judge for themselves. Between the incorrect order, tiny portions, and advertising menu items they can't make, this place feels like it opened before it was ready. Save yourself the time, money, and disappointment. There are much better poke spots nearby like Bear Flag, Salty Horse, and Uroko that actually deliver on quality and value. I won't be back. read more

Exit 8 Bodega - Poke Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Saw this place on tiktok and thought it looked good. Got the actual food and wow... this was $9!!!!! I thought the container would be full for that price. Seasoning is okay fish quality is pretty good. Also the menu was not.... It felt like a mess. I understand it is supposed to be a mix of cultures as Hawaii consists of diversity however, the item "Filipino Bahn Fucking Mi" is not correct. First off, banh mi is spelled WRONG and we corrected them but they did not really care or understand the cultural context. When we asked the staff why it was filipino, she simply described pork and vegetable on a baguette so banh mi..... also staff was not welcoming AT ALL. No energy and they looked like we were wasting their time!!! Would not go back... it feels like the place is catered to a very white demographic honestly. read more

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Epic place! Just like Ai Pono, you can't go wrong. I had the pleasure of being here for a private tasting and man, it's the best poke I've ever tasted. Everything in the place is done proper, no corners cut, all the signage is hand painted, all the eye candy on the walls is authentic, it's as good as it gets. And you get good service. *chefs kiss* read more

SOOO delicious. The poke is a spectacular. However, this place is on the pricier side, but I don't mind paying for it, except the large poke size is pretty small portion wise. Other than that this place is somewhere definitely worth a visit read more

Exit 8 Bodega - Poke Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Didn't finish my first review.The lines inside and outside were long but was worth it. Our family enjoyed all the food we bought.While standing in line a customer in front on me mentioned that's Gene( Eugene) the owner also Ai Pono across the street can't wait to try. We are originally from Kauai now live in Costa Mesa. Thank you for delicious local hawaii foods Chef Eugene. read more

Found this place after it went viral on TikTok. The line was long and moved a little slower than I expected for a poke spot. I ordered the Hawaiian ahi and the sesame ginger salmon. Portions were solid for fresh poke. The ahi had good flavor but was slimier than I expected, and the salmon came out a bit salty. I also got the spam musubi the rice on the bottom was dry and a little hard, and the spam itself wasn't anything special. It got tiring to eat, so I didn't finish it. The bigger issue was the staff. A person was chewing gum while serving, playing with it in their mouths at one point I watched one take the gum out of her mouth. A girl also wore gloves, but I saw them handle food and then use the same gloves to adjust their shorts. That said, the lady who took my order and the cashier were both very nice. read more

Service wasn't anything special, we waited for maybe 1.5 hour to line up and get food during soft open as they work out their processes. Interior decoration and vibe is super cute and warm. Got a $16, 1 choice poke bowl. Genuinely genuinely disappointed by this portion size because where is the fish. I think I was also mislead because they have a refrigerated section that had pre-packages bowls with a lot more fish if my memory is right, so felt misleading. I got a thai style with half/half chips and rice. Flavor itself was good (atleast for thai style) which had a little bit of a kick and a nice acidic brightness. Tuna was good velvety firm mouthfeel that I would expect from proper poke. Rice was pretty good when I'd catch a bit of the juices from what the tuna was marinated in. No furikake or anything though. Their wonton chips aren't very sturdy or lowkey got soggy(?) fast ish. So trying to scoop the poke with the chips just meant they broke. I really did not look inside my bag until I got home so it was a punch to the gut to see how it was packaged. read more

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Super disappointing experience. We came here at 6:00 a.m., only to find out they don't actually open until 9:00 a.m. After killing some time and coming back, we were then told that the poke isn't sold until later in the morning. What made the experience worse was the customer service. I politely mentioned that we'd been waiting since 6:00 a.m., hoping for a little understanding, but the employees at the register just stared at me and responded, "Okay... the poke line will be in the front on the right at 10:30 a.m." I wasn't expecting them to change the policy, but a simple, "I'm sorry about the confusion. We hope you'll come back later," would have gone a long way. Instead, the interaction felt cold and dismissive. Better communication about the hours and poke availability online--and a little empathy from the staff--would make a big difference. [NOTE: They advertise these incorrect hours on their official Instagram page, Yelp, & Google Maps] Don't know if I would ever come back to try the food, but will update review if it ever happens. read more

I love the food here. It's a "grab your shit and go" bodega. There is no seating just a quick line and you're on your way. Really cute branding. Pricey, but good quality and nice staff! read more

LOVE THIS PLACE!!! The vibes inside are so fun and friendly, all the decor is amazing. The food is great and fresh, and the ube tres leches is sooo bomb. Service was good and fast considering the long line. Definitely will be back!!! read more

Exit 8 Bodega - Ube tres leches cake $8 - Poke Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This is the only review you'll need to read as I'm quite surprised on the low reviews, but this place is top 3 and I'm a poke eater at heart. I've been here twice and the poke has been consistent at least the two times I've been. But this place is legit, and I'm very pleasantly surprised how fresh the fish is, if anything it taste the most fresh in SoCal. The fish temperature is perfect, the flavors are fresh and marinated well. The key is though you have to go out of your way to get a 3 scoop poke bowl for $24 to get a satisfying meal. I can see why majority complain about the portions though, which I assume they order a 1 or 2 scoop. You have to go all out and get the 3 scoop to get your moneys worth, and although the portions are on the smaller side compared to other joints, I still find 3 scoops satisfying me. You pay for quality though and I'm telling you, the fish here is the freshest I've tasted and it speaks a lot. Every bowl comes with crab meat so price and portion is fair in my opinion. Crab meat is very fresh. I got spicy tuna, a garlic tuna? And spicy garlic salmon. Don't listen to the low reviews, get a 3 scoop bowl and try it for yourself. read more

Exit 8 Bodega - Poke Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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So bummed about this place. The poke had a slimy flavorless texture to it. The white onion were HUGE, like the size of a quarter. The masubis weren't the best either you get a sliver of meat with a ton of rice. It was very pricey for what I got and the pretty young girls at the front weren't friendly or approachable. Like the sign says "grab your shit and go" literally read more

I feel like this place can do better. The wonton chips were stale, but the poke was decent. They were stingy on the poke portion though. I got more chips than poke. It should be the same ratio for both with the price it came with. The employees were great though. read more

Poke bowl was great and the tallow cooked wonton chips were bomb as well. I don't like crab meat but this place made it good. Not to sweet and just the right amount saltiness for my liking. Great job can't wait to try your other store. Ambiance was a vibe as well service was simple straight to the point, they let you try flavors of the poke as well. read more

I visited on Sunday, 8/9/2026 around 11:00 AM and received food around 11:40 AM. Side-note: I've been to three poke spots within the last few weeks, and I don't know why the lines take so long when you don't even need to cook the poke?! Haha. Granted one was a grand opening, and this spot is fairly new so the hype was up. This was a cute, small space, so the line was outside but not too long. There were probably 5 people in line outside. The line inside wrapped to the back and u-turned to the register by the door. i.e. Don't panic. You're not ordering right away before seeing the menu. They weren't selling a lot of other snacks and items compared to other spots. They had cute t-shirts and other merch. You were able to sample the poke, which was nice. And they cut their poke pieces into big chunks compared to other spots that cut into small cubes, which was also great. I think the overall customer experience could have been better streamlined if you knew the following: 1) They serve poke bowls with rice and crab salad. Seaweed salad is extra. For some reason this is not on the big menu, but it is printed on a small sign right where you're about to order your poke. So, the person taking my order thought I was ordering poke by the 1/4 pound instead of a bowl. I think the same thing happened to the girl behind me. I think her intention was to order a 2-choice bowl, but he thought she was ordering à la carte. She asked if she can order half and half, and he said no. So, she ended up with two 1/4 lbs of poke instead of a 2-choice poke bowl. 2) You grab desserts in the fridge while in line, not at the register. So, I had to go back through the line to check if any desserts were available (there weren't). 3) You order sandwiches at the register, not with the staff taking your poke order. 4) I asked three people if they knew what was in the Filipino Bahn Fucking Mi sandwich, and no one could tell me specifics. The responses I got were "pork" and "I don't know. We've never served that before." Like?!? LOL. The staff was nice don't get me wrong; they just didn't seem as informed of the menu? So, management if you're reading this, I think your staff needs to be trained on explaining to customers in more detail about what's on your menu. I didn't end up ordering the sandwich because I don't know what type of Filipino pork it could be. Is it adobo? Is it pork bbq? Is it tocino? Is it longganisa? Literally could be anything. 5) The fried wontons are fried in beef tallow, and it is not subtle, so it won't taste like regular fried wontons. If you like beef tallow then you will probably like this. Overall, it was a cute little spot with okay poke. I wouldn't drive out here just for this, but if I happen to come back, maybe I'll try the Filipino bahn fucking mi to end my curiosity. read more

Few things scratch a deep itchy itch than a hot bowl of meaty gravy-ey loco moco. And nothing cleans and coats your mouth with umami in anticipation than delicious, cold, gently marinated poke. And this is what I came here to achieve. To scratch this itch. As I entered the premises, my gaze was immediately drawn to a clean glass separating my taste buds and an assortment of fresh, delicious, clean and saucy morsels of raw fish. My heart leapt. "Hawaiian" Ahi? "Kilauea" Salmon? What did these flavors mean? I licked my lips as it became MY turn to order. As I looked up in anticipation to this young man taking my order, the rhythm of the music faltered. Here I met a human who looked to be human. Looked solid to be human. Looked lifelike to be human. But into the windows of his soul sat.... Just... air. An endless vacuum sucking eagerness, playfulness, and childlike joy out of the air. This was not an Aloha. As my not-human-human let me try a couple toothpicks of fish to try these mysterious flavors, I felt my giddiness melting off of me. A warm ray of sunshine that had now turned my pits wet, sweaty, and uncomfortable. "Can I get a loco moco too?" I meekly ask. Silence "Hot food ends at 5" Oh (truly there is no sign that says this) I move along. I have yet to try the food as I await 16 minutes for the not-human-human's identical twin cashier rings up an order before me. But approach this business with warning. EDIT- I have tried the food. It is yummy. I am eager to eat this again, but I am not eager to go back. read more

Mahalo Gene for the Hawaiian hospitality and 'ono grinds! We loved all the fresh poke and musubi and we will be back! read more

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Stop scrolling if you're looking for a legit poke spot--this is it! Hands down, the best poke in SoCal. It's flown in fresh from Hawaii daily! The line moved quickly, and I only waited about 10 minutes. I'll definitely be back! read more

Was excited for this, it was super hyped up on insta but unfortunately overhyped. The poke was alright but wow it was very expensive. We got the yellowtail jalapeño which I thought flavor wise is pretty good. 1/2lb was $24 which is crazy. read more

Went to Exit 8 Bodega on Sat Aug 1 to try it out. Waited more than an hour in line and wasn't worth the hype on social media. The people behind me also complained that it was taking too long. Got the poke bowl (2 selections) for $20. The rice portion was massive compared to the two scoops of poke which was very little. Maybe they were trying to stretch out what they had left to serve customers as its first come, first serve?The crab salad in the poke bowl wasn't good either. Too much mayo and the taste of the mayo threw me off. The poke was good. I got to ahi kilauea and ahi sesame ginger soy. If I were to go back, I'd only order poke and just cook my own rice. Also, I recommend going early as they sell out by the afternoon. read more

Skip it for now. Wait until it improves. The cost is expensive, and the portion size was unreasonable. My friend got a poke bowl, and she got one small scoop of poke and a tub of rice. We waited 30 minutes to order and arrived around 3:15/3:30 pm on a Friday. They ran out of musubis and desserts. I ordered the Kilauea salmon poke, 1 lb. loosely packed. The flavor was a 2/5 for me. If you've had Hawaiian Fresh Seafood in SD or poke in Hawaii, the flavor doesn't compare. The interior looks great though! Clean and organized storefront. I'd pass for now. read more