The reviews don't lie. We drive past many poke places to come here for date night. The service is great and fast but there can be a line. The fish quality is great, the addons are unique and well done and add a lot of variety to the poke. Love the spicy chili crunch and garlic etc. Ordered 2 large poke bowls and spent around $40 and were completely satisfied so much so we have been back several times. read more

Pokeworks - Poke Bowl - Large (3 Proteins) with all the toppings and then some - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

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I am absolutely blown away by the complete lack of basic health standards at this establishment. My wife and I wanted to try something healthy for lunch today, and she suggested this place, Pokeworks. Sounded like a nice, modern deli or maybe a grill. Boy, were we wrong. I walk up to the counter and the kid working there--who looked like he was barely out of middle school and couldn't even bother to take his airpods out--asks what I want. I look at the menu board, which is incredibly confusing, and I just order the Spicy Ahi bowl because I like a little kick to my food. I figure it's like a spicy chicken or cooked fish taco bowl. I watch the guy scoop some rice, put some vegetables in, and then he reaches into a container and scoops out a bunch of pink cubes. I thought maybe it was marinated tofu or something that was going to get popped into a microwave or a toaster oven behind the counter. But no. He just slaps a lid on it and hands it to me. I took it to a table, opened it up, and picked up a piece with my fork. It felt cold. And slimy. I took a bite, and my jaw hit the floor. IT WAS COMPLETELY RAW FISH. I walked right back up to the counter and told the manager, "Hey bud, you forgot to cook my lunch. This fish is completely raw, it's a major health hazard." The kid literally looks at me, blinks, and says, "Sir, it's poke. It's supposed to be raw." Are you kidding me?! I don't care what hip millennial trend you call it, you cannot serve people uncooked seafood in this country! I asked to speak to a manager, and some young woman comes out and tries to explain to me that poke is a traditional Hawaiian dish of raw marinated fish. I told her I don't care if it's from Hawaii or the moon, I am not trying to get salmonella or a tapeworm on my lunch break. I work hard for my money, and I expect my food to pass through a heat source before it hits my plate! They refused to put it in an oven or even a microwave for me, and they wouldn't give me a refund because they said the food was prepared correctly. Unbelievable. I ended up throwing the entire $18 bowl right into the trash can and going to the restaurant down the street where they actually understand how to cook meat. Save your hard-earned money and avoid this place at all costs unless you want a one-way ticket to the emergency room for food poisoning. I will be contacting the local health department first thing Monday morning. Utterly ridiculous. read more

Pokeworks - Nasty poke - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

I enjoy getting Pokeworks for snack or dinner to go. Food: I usually get the 2 or 3 item bowl. The tofu,chicken and lobster all taste delicious. I also the toppings such as edaname and mango. They also have the best spam musubis around. Service: It can get crowded here, sort can take a long time to get food. Ambiance: The decor inside is nice and there is plenty of seating. read more

A special shoutout to Franz who has been such a tremendous help with two separate order issues!! For the first order, the driver delivered to the wrong address & wasn't picking up my calls or texts. For the second order, I accidentally ordered delivery instead of pickup. Both orders were made with the Pokeworks app, which has terrible UX. There's no cancellation or edit feature. The app uses doordash as a third party delivery as well, so it's extremely difficult to make any changes after ordering. Fortunately, Franz was able to help me both times & provide a full refund although it wasn't easy! So thankful!! read more

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The lady who helped us on Saturday night maybe like 40 mins before closing. She was the nicest, helpful and friendly server! I give her a huge shout out for helping and bringing all smiles to all of us who came super late. She was so attentive and helpful. We got the huli huli chicken and salmon plate and a poke bowl. I order a poke bowl for myself and my boyfriend got the huli huli chicken. Food was delicious and tasty! They do give a lot for the poke bowl that I had to share it with my boyfriend as it was alot ^^ Cozy vibe and a nice sit in poke place definitely will come back and try the other items in the menu read more

Pokeworks - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

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I been here a few times over the years for poke and it satisfies my poke cravings. Every time I get a whiff of the charred salmon they're searing with a torch, I always think it smells so intoxicating I must order it one day, but I always choose a custom poke bowl instead. Finally tried the Charred Salmon and the salmon bites were amazing. The teriyaki sauce was too heavy so it was overwhelmingly sweet and salty - would probably ask for less or none next time. The little mac salad and green salad sides are simple and enjoyable. Added Lobster and Salmon Poke Bombs and those were delicious bites! Inari super stuffed with proteins and mayo-y. The lychee tea was refreshing also. Great stop for a quick lunch. Workers were especially sweet and helpful, considering I ordered through classpass - weird! L Lots of bright spacious seating inside. read more

Pokeworks - Charred Teriyaki Salmon Plate - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

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I ordered on doordash and received an order that was lacking a lot of the ingredients i ordered BUT when i called and discussed what was wrong the shift lead, fred (i believe!) , helped me so much and remade my bowl himself ! this place takes accountability and truly wants to make sure the customers are satisfied and happy. this place is so delicious, never be afraid to order here ! thank you again guys, i work in food service as well so i apologize if my call was a little annoying, nonetheless you guys are awesome !! read more

Pokeworks - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

Always great variety of toppings. I made my bowl with 1/2 rice, 1/2 salad, tuna, and salmon, with so many toppings! I think I added almost every option! I also got some sauces on the side so I can get different flavors. Everything tasted fresh. Service was friendly. I also got a miso soup to go, and it was packaged nicely and I just reheated in microwave at home. read more

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This is a split rating where I gave it a 2 and my son gave it a 4; and hence, our combined rating is a 3. Service was meh as we entered at apparently the busiest dinner moment on a Friday evening around 6 pm; there was only a trickling of customers thereafter. I probably stood in line for at least 5 minutes before being acknowledged by any staff member while they were tending to other customers at various stages of preparing their meals. I used this time to snap up photos for my Yelp review!!Meanwhile my son used one their two available kiosks to place his order. Finally, I was helped and was able to make my poke bowl custom selections. I chose a regular (2-protein) sized bowl. There are a few atypical options from most other poke places such as the option to sear your protein and a lobster-like salad as a protein. Mix-ins and toppings are not all free like seaweed salad and masago, which is disappointing. And, dressing are much different here where most have some spice level, and that I do not care for which eventually made for a unpleasant experience. The interior dining spaces are plenty, clean and spacious. But not enough to get me to come back for a return visit. read more

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Horrible portions, everything is so expensive and I get half portions? Imagine paying $18 for half a bowl. I went on the 14 around 8. Won't be coming back. read more

Pokeworks - No - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is delicious. Ok I'll be honest why I even bothered coming here ... it's because I used the credits on my ClassPass!! Haha yeah .. they accept class pass here!!! I have class pass thru my workplace and had some extra credits that I needed to use. Got the Hawaiian ahi and the spicy ahi Both were delicious!!! 7 class pass credits for each one of them Food was delicious. Service was quick. Everything was yummy. Nice powerful ac during the crazy heat wave so food was great! Rice was well cooked. Had just the right amount of sticky texture. Raw fish was flavorful and yummy. Sauces were on point. Would I pay that much in cash just for this? Nah probably not ... because I can prob get something similar from Costco or something. But I'll definitely be back as I'll have more ClassPass credits to use next month! read more

Pokeworks - Spicy Ahi and Hawaiian - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

I've tried a lot of poke spots around town, but Pokeworks consistently stays at the top of my list for fresh ingredients and unique toppings. My Order: I went with a custom bowl featuring Tuna and Octopus. The Proteins: The tuna was high-quality and fresh, but the octopus was the real star, it had a great, firm texture without being chewy or rubbery. The Base: Instead of the usual white rice, I tried the Seaweed Noodles. I absolutely love the light, crunchy texture they add! It's a great low-carb alternative that makes the whole bowl feel much more refreshing. Toppings: One thing I love about this place is that they don't skimp on the toppings. I loaded mine up, and every bite had a different, delicious crunch. The Experience: The service was fast and the assembly line moved quickly, which is perfect for a quick lunch. The shop is clean and bright, and the staff was patient while I was deciding between all the different sauces. Summary: If you're tired of the same old poke bowls, definitely switch it up with the seaweed noodles here. It's a healthy, filling, and super flavorful meal that never feels heavy. Pro-Tip: If you're a fan of a little kick, their Umami Shoyu mixed with a bit of spicy ginger is a perfect combo for the octopus and tuna! read more

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I love all the choices of protein and sides. The fish is fresh and the spicy Serrano sauce is so good. My favorite is having the crunchy garlic and onion on everything. We got a good portion bowl for $15.95. The garlic spam was good, but in my opinion, but too much rice. Definitely, a good spot for poke and I would come here again. read more

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I feel like they free-styled my order. There's stuff missing like my seaweed salad and instead, crab salad and I wanted a poke rice bowl and I got a poke salad. They added regular salmon instead of spicy too. Flavor is so boring. Barely any protein all, lettuce. read more

I got the Huli Huli chicken plate and it tasted like boiled chicken. Not much flavor and definitely not what I was expecting. The mac salad and greens were good, but the chicken just didn't do it for me. I've had the poke here before and liked it, so I'd come back for that, but I probably wouldn't order the chicken again. Updated review, so my colleague and I got stomach aches after eating here. Was out for half a day going in and out of the restroom. read more

Pokeworks - Huli huli plate - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

Food highlights: Build your own Poke bowl is the move, but they have some really good signature bowls for the indecisive. Despite the name, the heat on the Spicy Tuna and Spicy Salmon are very low, about a 1 out of 10 on the spice scale, but very flavorful. The fish quality is very good and all of the ingredients are fresh. Service: You can order via a kiosk or have one of their friendly employees take your order and ask for recommendations. Ambiance: The inside is very vibrant, plenty of seating and space to accommodate several groups of people. There is also plenty of outdoor tables and seating with parking to match. read more

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I was super hesistant to use my class pass credits here from the bad reviews but Alex helped make the process extremely fast, efficient, and portion sizes were not "smaller" than usual. read more

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A decent spot for poke in the Irvine area. It shares a parking lot with many other restaurants so it can get crowded at times, but I have never had an issue finding parking. They have both indoor and outdoor seating available. The prices are about even with everywhere else in the area and they give a good portion size for the amount that you pay. You can either order from the kiosks/screens or you can order at the counter. They have a variety of different proteins and toppings and all are fairly fresh. The fish quality is decent and they prepare everything very quickly. Everything is very customizable which makes it easy to get exactly what you want when ordering. read more

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The poke salad was really nice. The portion size was generous and filling while still feeling healthy and light. read more

Pokeworks - Poke Bowl - Large (3 Proteins) - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

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Pokeworks is my favorite of the build-your-own poke bowls in Irvine. They're very consistent with quality and portion sizes. I like that the fish isn't cut too small, unlike some other places, and that seaweed salad and surimi salad is no additional cost. I order online and my orders have always been ready by the time I get there. Staff greets you when you enter, which is a nice touch. Pokeworks bas a loyalty program so you can earn $ towards future purchases. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Plenty of parking in the lot. read more

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I always enjoy the wide variety of toppings available. For my bowl, I chose a mix of half rice and half salad, typically topped with tuna and salmon. There's an extensive selection of toppings, and I usually pick about 90% of them based on what I feel like that day. I also requested some sauces on the side to explore different flavors and heat levels. Everything tasted fresh, which is important for poke, and the service is consistently friendly. I've noticed that many of the staff members are Filipino, known for their warmth and hospitality. Ambiance is open and inviting with ample indoor and shared outdoor seating. Keep up the great work! I used to be loyal to Uroko, but this place is slowly becoming my favorite. read more

Salmon bombs were skippable, but I'll be back for the high protein bowl. It's all I think about! The outdoor patio is nice!

I am updated my review because they ended up making things right by refunding me. Thank you! read more

Pokeworks - This is what I got. Missing Avacado, surimi salad, seaweed salad and green onion - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

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It was our first time with a big group of my co-workers. And we will certainly be back! I'm so glad we gave this place a try. We were all pleased with the quality and quantity of our poke bowls. I had the two proteins of salmon and marinated spicy salmon with rice and salad. They have a great variety of veggies, fruit such as mango and pineapple, crunchy toppings, and sauces to choose from. I was so happy that we all walked away full and satisfied. One of my co-workers is allergic to fish and shellfish. Fortunately, we looked at their menu beforehand and noticed that they have grilled chicken on their menu! Win-win for all of us. We were impressed with the friendly staff and their kindness. That's something rare these days. We appreciated their positivity and quality of food. Can't wait to return when we're in the mood for poke bowls. read more

Pokeworks - Poke Bowl Regular with salmon - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

Still one of the best poke deal around! They are generous with content portions. Lots of topping selections. If you like variety of toppings like us, you'll love this place! read more

Pokeworks - Two proteins and lots of toppings! - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

I have a night shift today so I left home early just to get poke at this place. I put an order in the store kiosk, but they said the system did not have the order. I gave a gentleman my receipt, they said they will check the system and complete the order. I waited for 30 minutes because this was my favourite place to get poke. I saw them just kept making orders for people came after me. I had to leave and tell them to get a refund because I have work later. I didn't leave such a low rating review just because I couldn't get anything to eat before my work, but because of the fact that they wasted my time. I truly hope they could have communicated with their customers better. read more

Ordered on Uber Eats delivery experience Made my own bowl with shrimp and lobster surimi My bowl had 3 pieces of shrimp and 1 lobster , not exaggerating Wanted it torched and I can tell they didn't even slightly sear it or anything Tried the spicy Serrano sauce for the first time and it's disgusting . I don't know if it's old or rancid but it ruined the entire bowl and had to throw it out Unfortunately Waste of money and food , will stick to Uroko read more

Pokeworks - Dug around the bowl to show you guys my 1 piece of lobster and 3 pieces of shrimp. Sauce was absolutely disgusting and old . Robbed - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

stopped by Pokeworks in Irvine and was so impressed! The fish was super fresh, the portions were generous, and everything tasted amazing. You can really tell they put care into the quality of their ingredients. I even tried their açaí, and wow--so good! It was also great for my kids since they had cooked hot plated items, which made it easy for everyone to enjoy. Definitely a great spot for a satisfying and flavorful meal. I'll be back for sure. read more

Pokeworks - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

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The poke bowls are incredibly fresh and customizable, The staff is super friendly, and the atmosphere is really inviting. The fish is fresh and they have a great selection of toppings to choose from , however that the portions are a bit small to compare with the price . Otherwise, very tasty and fresh! Overall, it was a great meal and an amazing encounter with poke bowls. read more

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Ordered a Poke Bowl - Large (3 Proteins) as shown in the receipt. No salmon No ahi tuna No cilantro No garlic crisps No wonton crisps Tried calling the restaurant 5 times, never picked up. 18.75 + tax for an incomplete order is crazy lol read more

Pokeworks - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is hands down my all-time favorite OC poke place! Ive been to their store and ordered DoorDash possibly more than 15 times, and never not even once it disappointed me! In the beginning I got the 3 protein option but later switched to the 2 protein options as the portions are pretty big! I used to get their salmon and tuna but recently switched to the marinated spicy tuna. The fish is so fresh that doesn't require marinade to be tasty. The thing that I love about this store vs rivals is that they have the half salad half rice on their menu and on DoorDash which makes it more convenient to order and that they mix all the ingredients with the sauces in a separate bowl before adding it to your order which makes everything so well combined and extra delicious! They also have a reward program that you can take advantage of in-store! The staff is not stingy and actually does a great reasonable job with the portions and are super nice and friendly! I am a regular customer and am back at least once every week or two! Keep up the good quality and service! read more

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Spicy tuna bowl tastes great and tastes fresh. Appreciate the friendly and patient staff.

Their poke bowl has some fishy sashimi cubes that have gone bad. It was almost inedible. I voiced my concern to the lady there that one of the fish might have gone bad and she didn't do anything about it. The least she can do is check which fish and toss that batch. Anyways, I'm not going back. read more

A cozy place for poke bowl in Irvine. I had their new menu which is cooked plate, unlike most raw food offered here. The salmon and chicken plates were very nice. They put the right amount of sauce that didn't make it too "sauce-flavored" and still retain the real meat flavor in it. Spam musubi was also delicious. I downloaded their app and they gave each new user 50 points just for signing up, which was enough to exchange for a can of drink, soup or sweets. Quick service and free wifi available too. read more

Pokeworks - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California

Huge portions, fresh fish, excellent ingredients and a super friendly staff. I get two meals out of each bowl so for under $20 this is a WIN!!! read more

Greatest non-Hawaiian Poke in SoCAL! Service is great and the place is a vibe. I think it is pretty pricy compared to your average poke bowl, but it's 100% worth read more

Just wanted to give a very good review as i do rarely for a crew that is best on what they do. Damien and the night crew here are very accommodating, friendly & professionals. Makes you feel welcomed and the quality of their food and top services just gets you to keep coming back. 100/100 I own & worked with companies and these are the type that gets you returning customers. Will definitely hire Damien & these crew anytime of the day. definitely a keeper Will recommend to all my friends read more

Pokeworks was not bad. I ordered a small salad bowl, which comes with one protein ($12.95). It was definitely small in size, but I was disappointed how there were very few pieces of fish. I don't think it was worth it. My friend ordered a medium size ($15.95) that comes with two proteins, and even though it seems to have more fish, she didn't think it was worth it. I got salmon, and it tasted fresh and not fishy. The toppings were tasty, too. I liked the flavor of the ponzu sauce that I chose as well. There were many free and paid toppings to choose from. Staff was friendly and helpful. The restaurant is big and clean with seating options inside and out. This place isn't bad, I just don't think it's worth it compared to some other poke places. read more

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This is a super belated review but I was very pleasantly surprised with the great customer service here. Everyone here was all smiles and happy (which you don't see often). You can't go wrong with any of their choices here, but poke here is great and a great option for something quick/fast to eat! Portions will keep you full, and everything tasted delicious! Overall, prices are decent, credit cards are accepted, and there's plenty of parking read more

I was surprised. I came here in 2018 and I loved Pokeworks (forgot to write a review though, whoops, sorry). I went here in October 2024 and I had a suboptimal experience. The service was great, the servers were nice, and the vibe is modern and chic. I was so surprised at the salmon, though. I got the salmon poke bomb. I thought the fish was bland. I didn't finish it. I walked in and ordered. I eat raw salmon sushi all the time. Believe me when I say this was one of the worst salmons I've had in a while. I'd say the flavor here is on the same level of the Costco salmon sushi I ate a few months ago or the horrifying Las Vegas desert salmon AYCE sushi I went to. Those were terrible. Their misdeeds were understandable. I can't remember the last time I went to a legitimate California poke/sushi place that had salmon that I thought was bad. I went near the end of the day (5PM Sunday), so that may have played a part. The actual poke bomb was a strange menu item. They gave a good amount of salmon, so I thought that was great. The rice and inari skin just had a lot of sweet flavor, I think they added a boatload of mirin. It was messy, my box came in super sticky. It took a somewhat long time to assemble and someone had to babysit it the whole time. All for $6. It just doesn't seem worth it. By the way, you can't mix and match the poke bombs, so I got 2x salmon. By contrast, H2O Poke and Uroko Poke always have such flavorful and delicious salmon, so I can't recommend Pokeworks. Reading other reviews, I'm flabbergasted, people seem to love this place, so I probably got unlucky. It's 2 stars for what they did well. Maybe you'll have a better experience. read more

Pokeworks - Salmon Poke Bombs Inari (salmon and rice wrapped in tofu skin) No mix and match, you must order 2 of the same protein - Poke Near Me - Irvine, California