Came for lunch with a couple coworkers and had a good experience. The interior is just like any semi-fast food place with a counter to order and various metal tables and chairs. The service was friendly. It was my first time getting tofu at a poke place. The variety of toppings and sauces really elevated the meal. I mixed ponzu and sriracha sauces and it turned out quite delicious. The only criticism I'd have is that the bottled water was $3, which was crazy... read more

Pokeworks - Tofu poke bowl - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

As a creature of habit I surprised myself and got the Luxe Lobster bowl and I am so happy I did. It was loaded up with all of my favorite things including the krab(that I added). I did half rice and half salad and switched out the ponzu sauce for the srirachi aioli and it was perfect. I asked Renee for extra sauce because I love it sauce heavy and she did exactly that! So if you are looking for a good spot for lunch check out this place! read more

Pokeworks - Luxe Lobster - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

You know how it is when you're in dire need of a poke bowl, right? Huge, nourishing bowls of seasoned rice, raw veggies, protein and sauces. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I was staying at the 21C and was pretty happy when I saw that Pokeworks was just steps away. I arrived to town hungry and not in the mood for a sit down dinner, so I placed an order via Yelp, scheduled a pick-up time, and, easy-peasy, was back in my hotel room in minutes with a giant bowl of goodness. I appreciate that there's add-on options galore, from extra sauces (pro-tip, no need to get extra when you are able to order "heavy sauce" b/c they really load you up), to veggies and proteins (double tofu for me, please). You can do half rice, half greens as your base, which is my jam. I can't think of a more healthy yet utterly filling food option and this place does them just right. read more

I love how fresh and yummy the ingredients are. The staff has improved some but their customer service is still a bit lackluster. My biggest complaint: I ordered an avocado salad. Which apparently does not come with avocado. You have to pay extra for that... I know this term get tossed around incorrectly but I think thus actually IS false advertising. read more

I ordered the 3 protein bowl over greens. It was the lobster autumn, spicy tuna and spicy salmon. It was not what I would have described as spicy. Maybe get a different sauce than the garlic aoli. The miso soup was good. read more

The food was amazing and Dee was freaking fantastic! Gave great suggestions and was very helpful.

This Pokeworks used to be dependable for company lunches and is now abysmal. The food is ok, but the service is absolute garbage. Rude, disinterested employees who time after time are late in food prep, forget items, and don't pack bowls, napkin's utensils etc for a catering. This is the third time they were 30 minutes late on a delivery and could care less. Got to be a terrible management issue for employees to be this consistently rude and disinterested. Oof. read more

I eat here almost every single week. The staff is amazing. Nothing here is bad, everything that I've tried has been great.

The food is good but the service and environment is HORRIBLE there were bugs crawling around and people in the lobby were nodding off and they just allowed it. read more

Pokeworks, why have I been passing you all these months?!? Your food is so fresh and amazing! I was really wanting a lunch that was refreshing and uplifting after a very long day and you provided that! I went with building my own bowl because I am super indecisive! I got the regular bowl with salad and rice topped with shrimp and spicy salmon. Then I added ginger, seaweed, pineapple, wontons, and aoili and house sauces. Omg! So good! Every bite was just as good if not better than the last! I love that the rice was warm too! This is probably some of the best Poke I've ever had and I cannot wait to come back and get more! Go! read more

Pokeworks - Regular size poke bowl - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

There was no one in there and yet, staff rushed us and acted like we were wasting their time. They were pretty pushy for it being utterly empty. Food is good though. Fish is fresh and soft. Sauces are delicious. They give you a pretty good portion size. read more

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Absolutely amazing ! The best poke I've had in the Triangle, hands down. Easily the freshest and also the best options for base, protein and additional items. The service is exceptional and is very clean ! It is the only place I'll go for Poke. Thank you Pokeworks ! read more

Food was great. The lady serving was either having a terrible day or just has a really bad attitude. Too bad. read more

Pokeworks - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I rarely do bad reviews but this was the nastiest poke I have ever had. It was so fishy I had to throw it away. I got it at 8pm so maybe it had been sitting out all day. The rice and sauces were really good. The fish was just so so bad. Would not recommend to anyone :( read more

Incredibly rude staff. The man working mumbled the entire time and acted bothered we were even there, the woman laughed when I asked for a small bit of sauce and refused. (I had asked for light and then realized I needed medium.) very condescending attitude. read more

I was honestly pleasantly surprised to find poke (!!) and fresh seafood in Durham, considering how inland it is from the Atlantic, but the bowls I tried here were definitely on par with what I've had in California. Definitely worth checking them out if you're craving poke or some fresh seafood! I decided to build my own bowl with 2 proteins- shrimp and spicy salmon on a bed of sushi rice, and I was so pleasantly surprised with how fresh the salmon and sushi rice were. They also have a variety of other ingredients that you can add on top, such as avocado, imitation crab, corn, crispy wonton strips, furikake, etc, as well as quite a selection of sauces such as gochujang, sriracha aioli, etc. Keep in mind that their spicy is ACTUALLY spicy, and this is coming from someone with an immensely high spice tolerance! My bowl also came with a drink and a choice of salad or miso soup, which I went with. The miso soup wasn't the most authentic, but it was definitely comforting and helped to balance out the spiciness of my poke bowl. Unfortunately, their local artisan drink machine was out of order when I visited, but they do have a decent selection of fountain drinks or canned/bottled drinks if you prefer. read more

Pokeworks - Poke Bowl - Regular (2 Proteins) - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We are all entitled to our own opinions, right? Well here's mine: Parking: 5 Location: 5 Decor/ambiance: 5 Customer Service: 5 I feel that Poke is still a new concept to many of us and if you haven't had the chance to indulge yet, check out these guys. We heard that these guys where the original poke burrito creators. They created a video of a poke burrito that went viral and Durham has NC's very first location! Yesterday we checked them out and where highly impressed! They have these amazing kale noodles that leave you feeling so full yet they are super healthy. We also grabbed an Hawaiian Classic Poke Burrito which was jam packed with Ahi Tuna! Everything was so fresh and tasty. Are you vegan, vegetarian, gluten free... they have options for you here! Their "build your own" option gives you 100s of combinations you can put together. Lastly - these guys have a dining room that is open and they are on all of the major delivery apps! *Tip- For you raw seafood lovers check out the Hawaiian Ahi and Spicy Ahi. They are both crowd pleasers. Don't care for raw? Check out the Ginger Chicken with Kale noodle ... it's so amazing! read more

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Charles prepared my Flame-Cooked Miso Sesame Salmon Bowl to perfection! This was my first time having Pokeworks and I am so pleased with my selection. The miso sesame sauce is scrumptious and ingredients in this bowl are so complimentary that even the pickiest eater would enjoy it. I added pickled ginger and wasabi to my bowl. I highly recommend the addition of those two ingredients for a kick of spice! I will happily return to try another bowl, very soon! read more

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First timer... Being a native from the islands, I have finally discovered the spot to get my poke fix! Since relocating to NC, from Fuquay Varina to Durham, and if you're looking for the best poke bowl within this area, here's your place. The quantity is just right! You can add as much toppings as you prefer at no extra charge with the exception of the avocado. I was not a huge fan of the miso soup, but the poke bowl did not disappoint. I went big, ordered the 3-protein bowl option. The seaweed salad was delish! The restaurant had great decor and ambiance. This place has a relaxed, casual vibe in downtown Durham. It's very bright and open. It was clean and organized and the service was excellent. Don't forget to download the app for a $5.00 off coupon on your first visit. Highly recommend you give this place a try. read more

Pokeworks - Poke Bowl - Regular (2 Proteins) - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Not the vibe or flavor I was hoping for. The attendant was so rude to me and my friend, but I didn't wanna make a big fuss about it. The fish was OK, but the rice was absolutely terrible. If not for their variety of sauces I'm not really sure I would've stomached this & I definitely won't go again if I'm ever in town. Not to sound pretentious, but I guess as someone who travels often to Hawai'i and lives in Los Angeles I had different expectations for my poke bowl. I discussed whether or not my friend also thought that employee was rude - he was the person I came to visit and he said that she was always that way. I hope other people have a better experience than I did. Do not recommend otherwise. read more

Really enjoyed my poke bowl here - it was probably the spiciest spicy tuna bowl I've ever eaten, but it was delicious! The spicy furikake had chili flakes in it :O read more

Pokeworks - Half white rice, half salad bowl with tuna, spicy Mayo, avocado, masago and spicy furikake (had chili flakes!) - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Oh, boy! Where do I begin? I haven't had to write this bad of a review in a long time. Especially for a new business. The restaurant it self is pretty bright and big. They do have lots of seating available indoors. I did not enjoy ordering too much. The glass wall is so high, people that were making my bowls couldn't hear me too well. It is not convenient for short people like myself. I went in during their grand opening and I must say the wait was very long but the food was not worth it at all. They were already out of a lot of ingredients right at dinner time. I only got to try tuna and it did not taste good. It was mushy and didn't taste fresh at all. I'm not sure if the portions I got is their normal size or maybe because they were running low on ingredients but they were very stingy with their ingredients. Compared to other poké bowls I've had in the area, Pokéworks bowl sizes are tiny but somehow more expensive. Not were they stingy with their fish, they were stingy with everything in general- mix ins, sauce, toppings, and crunch. They literally put in 1 pinch of each so I couldn't even taste it. And their sauce was bland that I had to put my own sauce when I got home. The worst part? I got sick after eating here. If you are in the area and are craving some poké? Just head over to Zenfish, where the food is fresh, employees are nicer, price is cheapers, and they compost! read more

Pokeworks - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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"Poke bowls, burritos, and more on Main Street in Durham" We ordered this via DoorDash on a Saturday evening. The photos online looked quite appetizing, so we were eager to try. I got a bowl with salmon & ahi tuna over rice with lots of trimmings and the wasabi aioli sauce (medium). My daughter got the same but over kale noodles. My son got a chicken/ tofu burrito. And we all got some miso soup. First, the delivery was excellent. Everything was packaged carefully, and nothing spilled or even sloshed about-- it was as good as if we brought our dishes home ourselves, and credit in part to the restaurant for extra care in how things were put together and wrapped. The quality of the bowls and wrap was very high. The tuna and salmon tasted fresh, and the mix was just right. We each got a "regular" bowl, and it was a pretty large amount of food. My daughter said the kale noodles were quite good (didn't taste like kale). My bowl was delicious, and the wasabi aioli definitely had some kick to it-- I had to pause a few times while eating. The miso soup was a bit unremarkable (though I liked the green onion on top), but when is miso soup ever remarkable? It just warmed us up on a chilly evening. Prices were reasonable, especially for downtown-- $12.50 per bowl/ burrito. Overall, I'd definitely get this again. Maybe when we have a vaccine for Covid19, I'd even go to eat it there in person. Overall, I'd say we're fans. read more

Because of its location at the heart of downtown Durham, parking options are street parking or parking garage. Because I was grabbing a late dinner, the parking garage was free. I got the two protein/regular poke bowl with the sushi rice base, ahi tuna and salmon, and the Pokéworks classic sauce with splash of umami shoyu. Ambiance: 5/5 Service: 2/5 They had slow service. Even though no one was in line, I had to wait a couple minutes to start my order. It seemed like they were understaffed. Food: 4/5 The poke was pretty good. I especially liked how they have plenty of complementary add-on options. Furthermore, they serve generous portions of fish. I've been to poke places where they serve minimal protein. read more

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In the words of a fellow yelper, I've never met a Poke bowl I didn't like! Pokéworks was a random lunch choice on a cold Saturday; the yelp reviews and ratings brought us here, but the hot miso soup for a dollar brought us IN, lol. It was a REALLY cold day. The staff was cheerful and helpful, as it was my parent's first time here and didn't quite know how to process it all. They were very patient and not once showed any sign of frustration as my parents mulled through the options and signature bowl options. I appreciated the variety of options, which seemed greater than many other poké spots I've been to. For example, I haven't see quinoa as an option at other places. Prices were fair for the serving sizes. Their sauces were good, but my only recommendation would be to add eel sauce and yum yum sauce. This place gets 5 stars because of the staff. I already mentioned the majority of the staff, but the manager made a special point to come out and sit with us for a good chunk of time, finding out where we were from, chatting up a storm with my parents - it was awesome. I loved that personal attention he gave us; truly made us feel special, as if we go there all the time and we were regulars :) read more

Pokeworks - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We visited on a Saturday afternoon. It was their "grand opening" even though I think they have been open for over a month. To celebrate the grand opening, it was BOGOF on their bowls. Typical poke bowl experience. They have a few pre named bowl with their choice of ingredients. Or, you can build your own bowl. Regular bowl is 10.95 and includes 2 proteins and your choose of base. They also have loads of ads ins that you can choose. You can add as many add ins as you would like. Ingredients are fresh and the bowl was delicious. I got the spicy Thai chili sauce. The downtown Durham location is not something that I like. Since there was an event going on at the Convention Center, we had to pay $5 to park (it would usually be free on weekends) at the parking garage across the street. Probably won't be back due to the parking situation. Hopefully the clientele downtown will keep them hoppin. read more

Pokeworks - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I was in desperate search to satisfy my craving for fresh poke, and I'm glad I came across PokeWorks. The fish quality was fresh and the variations in flavors and toppings were abundant. I ordered the regular salad which came with two scoops of protein (i ordered salmon). I decided to mix sauces to maximize the flavor which I'm glad I did since it was still slightly bland. I don't remember the sauces I mixed but my usual flavor profiles tend to be a spicy mayo with a shoyu or ponzu sauce. Though there were lots of toppings, the topping portions were small. The salmon was very fresh which I weighted heavier in this rating. My only complaint would be the slightly bland sauces and small topping portions. Otherwise it is a great spot for fresh poke. read more

Pokeworks - Poke Salad - Regular (2 Proteins) - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We happened to be visiting the Duke University Hospital and wanted to get some lunch before our road trip home. This little gem was an unexpected find and a real pleasure. Fresh fish and vegetables, delicious sauces, all combined with care. Service was great here too, we'll definitely be back. read more

mmm mmmm MMMMM. I wish you could hear me smacking my lips! We were all super hungry piggies. We all got LARGE bowls and packed every single thing into our bowls. I got this little wrap thingy like a sushi, where the stuffing was too big for the seaweed. Ooof it was so good. I always loved poke, and this one didn't disappoint! We all finished and didn't even leave a drop for the ants LOL. Yum! read more

Pokeworks - many many bowls of poke - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

This place is great! I've never met a poke bowl I didn't like. Pokéworks's take on the bowls is classic and straightforward, with a location that is so convenient to all of downtown. I always enjoy picking my own base- I picked half quinoa and half greens. Then topped it with spicy salmon and ahi tuna (both delicious). I got the regular size and it was a very generous portion! There were lots of familiar toppings, such as seaweed salad, mango, cucumber, and roe, as well as a few new ones, like a wasabi roe that was unique and so tasty. There was such a variety of sauces, and the spicy Thai sweet chili sauce I tried was delicious. My husband enjoyed his sriracha aioli. I will definitely stop back in! read more

Pokeworks - Build your own poke bowl - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I especially appreciate a couple of things about this place: 1) the inclusion of hijiki seaweed as a topping, and 2) the question from the staff "sauce level light, medium, or heavy?" Too many places DOUSE their poke like it's a sweet vinegary soup and I can't handle it. I was happy to say 'light'. The salmon quality was better than the tuna (fishy and metallic) the day we went, but I mostly enjoyed my traditional Hawaiian ahi classic otherwise (various onions, hijiki, cucumber, sesame oil, sesame seeds - about the closest you're going to find to island style). Next time I'd order the same thing but sub salmon and add some masago. read more

Came here twice during my 3 day stay in NC. The poke (fish) is fresh. It's like chipolte where you pick out what you want from the base (rice, lettuce, kale noodles), protein (fish, tofu, chicken), sauce and accompaniments (cucumber, onion, ginger, seaweed salad, avocado, corn, cilantro, etc). Comes in two sizes ... regular and large and the regular was the right amount for me for lunch. Service is friendly and fast. read more

They put too much rice and tiny portion of seaweed and other toppings. Too pricy for what I get read more

Staff was rude. Food was okay, not that good. Very overpriced. Would not recommend. I enjoyed the seating options.

I would like the opportunity to go back in time and skip the seaweed and crab salads on my poke bowl from Pokeworks. I'm usually such a fan of these salads but they tasted off... (fishy, not in a good way). The way the salads were kept made me question the quality of the fish and I didn't eat about half my bowl. The quest continues for poke in Durham! read more

Pokeworks - Seoul Poke - Regular (2 Proteins, spicy tuna and salmon) - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Pokeworks's portion sizes are quite generous, and the quality of the ingredients is pretty good. I was impressed that I could be filled with a regular bowl (2 proteins). They definitely give a lot of rice (as filler), but the scoops for the proteins are large, so I was happy with the ratio of rice-to-toppings that I ended up with. Most of the toppings can be added at no extra cost, which is a great perk in customizing your own bowl. I'd recommend simple is better, but you can also go crazy with trying a little bit of everything. The pricing is decently reasonable, and the service is quick. I came during a busy lunch hour, but got through the line pretty quickly. read more

Nothing like a deconstructed sushi bowl. Poke bowls are such a delicious fulfilling and healthy option for anytime of the day. Poke works was a really fun experience and the food was enjoyable. There so many options to choose from especially if you're picky about what's in your poke bowl. We tried both the noodle and the rice option. This is a great gluten free entree. The tuna is fresh and tastes great even the next day. The serving size is bigger than you think. I'd come back to try more of their combos. My cousin and I were Satisfied and recommend to anyone who wants to try a poke bowl to come here!! read more

Pokeworks - Pokeworks - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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If it's a poke place, i'm probably going to love it. I've been here a few times and really enjoyed my experience every time. I'd have never guessed there would be a point where Durham had multiple poke places that were both excellent. Poke works is a chain, and i'm always fickle on chains especially in downtown Durham. Yet they do what chains do best is they offer a streamlined experience and they know what works and what doesn't. It's interesting that with all the poke places in the area they all do something a little different or feature ingredients that vary from place-to-place. Every time i've been to poke works i've created my own bowls. They offer a selection of designed bowls, but i love being able to choose all the ingredients and sauces. I typically find the large bowl with three proteins is the best choice for myself. If you love sauces, boy howdy do they offer sauces. The biggest fault of Pokeworks is they go a little buckwild with their sauces if you ask them for a lot of sauce. They also have a very nice fountain drink selection of artisanal teas and fruit drinks. I love a unique fountain soda setup that offers something outside of the typical Coke or Pepsi products you find in most places. Pokeworks is another wonderful addition to the poke bowl roster of the area. You're either into poke or you're not, much like sushi. If this world of food served in a bowl (every thing is served in bowl now because it looks good on instagram, but I digress) you can go wrong with Pokeworks if you're looking for a tasty and healthy option. read more

Pokeworks - Create your own poke bowls. - Hawaiian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We stopped by Pokeworks since we were in the downtown Durham area and was surprised by the nice environment of the restaurant. My date and I both ordered two protein poke bowls and felt that the food was good and the ingredients were super fresh! While it was decent, I wish there was a bit more variety on the ingredients, especially the sauce. There wasn't any yumyum sauce or eel/sweetsoy sauce which I thought was standard at most poke places. The pricing of the bowls is also a bit more expensive than usual poke places. Overall, I'd come again to try more poke dishes such as the poke noodles or burritos but I hope they add more basic sauces to their menu. read more

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Yum! I'm not a sushi or poke connoiseur, but I've loved the couple experience I've had at this place. Positives: * I really like the taste of the rice. Sweet, sticky, pairs well with pretty much any sauce I've gotten. * Quantity - there are so many toppings, and they're so varied! Reasonable pricing for 2 or 3 proteins. * Quality - the toppings taste so good! The wasabi has some goooood spice. * Very clear ordering process - I feel like with so many ways you can take your poke bowl, the restaurant has done a great job of making the ordering process very clear. Unknowns - quality of the fish (simply because I don't know how to judge this). Personally, I think it's great, but don't quote me if you're a sushi snob! read more