Came here for their buy one get one free grand opening special with a few of my friends and we were pleasantly surprised by the great quality of food offered here. Environment: The restaurant is located at the King/University plaza, where there are ample of parking space and really convenient for those taking the bus as well. The restaurant itself is clean, well lit, and has a few seats. It's best to come in a group of 4 of fewer if you plan on dining here. The decor seems to be going for a "bathroom chic" as described by my friend -- "4 stars - delicious food, feels like I'm in a bathroom"! Lol. It's mainly because of the tiles on the wall and the uncomfortable seats. Food: The BOGO special only allowed us to order from their special bowls so we tried the Big Umami (salmon + tuna) and the one with the Duck. Quantity wise the bowl seems to be good value given that it normally costs $15 per bowl. They put a generous amount of toppings on top of the rice and the flavour was good and the fish sashimi was quite fresh. Definitely no watery/soggy texture! The food also looks damn good with lots of colours, which not only is super appetizing but also so Insta worthy!! Service: Basically fast food McDonald like ordering, no table service. When we were lining up they got someone to hand us the big cardboard menu and explained to us how the ordering works. However...they somehow managed to messed up the order. I got the Big Umami with rice and only one of them had rice while the other one was mixed greens :( definitely a little too healthy for me..... read more

The Poké Box - Bottom: Big Umami (salmon + tuna) Top: Ruffled Up (smoked duck) - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

BEST POKE BOWL EVER! If you never had a poke bowl, it is basically a bowl of sashimi (sushi) toppings topped with Rice or veggies. DELICIOUS. Perfect amount of topping, rice and sauce. And if u want more than one kind of dressing, just let them know! I ordered the Big Umami Bowl with white rice. The rice was soft but firm, not too hot not too cold. Perfect texture. Sashimi flavourful and saucy. Avocado perfectly ripped. FYI: If you love taking pictures, The restaurant is aesthetically pleasing. And!!!! They provide some picture booth accessories you can choose from to make your pictures even cuter!!! :) Overall 10-10!! Every bite is PERFECTO IN MY MOUTH! read more

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A new chain that just opened up close to university campus. I ordered the only vegetarian specialty option, the Little Island. I think it is more worth your money to get a specialty item instead of picking your own. The bowl was packed with lots of toppings, but there was also a lot of rice. I think the ratio was a bit off, and the bowl could have had a little less rice/little more toppings. Overall, it was super yummy and didn't leave you feeling too bloated afterward! It was really busy when we came, and there isn't a lot of seating available, so it is probably smart to get your food to go if with a group of friends. Service was kind of slow, but this may be simply due to the fact that they are a new restaurant. Verdict: Would be open to coming back and potentially trying to build my own poké bowl. read more

The Poké Box - Little island poké bowl - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

I'm a big fan of Poke Bowls because it's a healthier alternative to AYCE sushi! ...but not like there's anything wrong with AYCE either. When visiting my boyfriend in Waterloo, I always find that deciding what to eat is the toughest decision. Mostly because there aren't many options as there are in Toronto. Came across Poke Box on Yelp and was surprised to see them in Waterloo!! I've had their Poke from the Toronto location and it was pretty good, so I wasn't too worried about having a bad experience. Which I did not My boyfriend ordered our poke through Skip the Dishes and it came around 40+ mins which was expected. When it arrived it came in a paper-like box with a cute cover (as seen in the photo). They pack the rice really tightly and give you large portions for the amount your paying - definitely a plus! The flavours of the ingredients really meshed well, however it was TOO MUCH SAUCE (que song by DJ Esco). The sauce didn't taste bad, but a little less would've been perfect. I would suggest if you could - ask for the sauce on the side so you can control how much is in your bowl. Other than that, I was very satisfied with my meal! Will probably order this again when I'm back in Waterloo read more

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Got the umami bowl with added pea shoots. The combination of flavors were really good - especially the sauce! However, I asked for half greens and the grain blend, but somehow I ended up with sushi rice instead. They weren't busy at this time and I saw it printed on the receipt so I'm a bit disappointed they let it go by without saying anything Don't forget to check into yelp for an extra topping! read more

The Poké Box - Umami bowl with added pea shoots - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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Love this place! Located a bit further from the universities but if it were closer, I'd definitely go a lot more often. Healthy alternatives for students during exam season, when most end up eating out meal after meal. Poké here is both relatively healthy and delicious. Fresh ingredients and not too much grease/salt-- a comfortably filling, yet light meal that won't give you food coma :3 Would recommend, especially for students ~ read more

The Poké Box - Menu - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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Food: I think I ordered the big umami but switched out tuna for fried shrimps ( they gave me two ) because Ive always wanted to try the shrimps. I am glad I did that because the shrimp was very crunchy and probably was a better choice than tuna. I think Ill do that everytime for the future. I am a salmon lover so that could not go wrong for me. Everything else all the toppings also went really well with each other. This place is nothing TOO surprisingly but can definitely serve a good and fresh bowl of poke that I will always come back to whenever I am craving. Portion: big Environment: have several seats usually quite empty read more

The Poké Box - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Great food!!! I had the RIP Tide bowl and recommend it. Staff was friendly. The inside of the place could use some work. It looks like they tried to make it look nice but stopped renovating half way through the project lol. read more

Words cannot describe how HAPPY I am to have more decent Asian food options closeby to the universities. Poke Box is a gem in Toronto, and it maintains its specialness in Waterloo. There are so many toppings to choose from and everything is so fresh! The ambiance is also super great and the staff there are SO friendly! I usually have 304982908423 substitutions and custom requests and they are ALWAYS incredibly patient with how picky I am :') Here's what I usually order: - Sun soaked bowl with sauce on the side (salmon lovers unite!!!) - no coconut - free topping is the Umami shitake (so good!!! kind of sweet though) - half grain blend half zuchinni noodles -- best of both words aw yis - extra furikake and pickled ginger The bowl is ALWAYS super full by the end of it all. This can usually fill me for 1.5 - 2 servings. Observations on some toppings - do not get the tomago - it's kind of plain - the crab salad isn't heavily doused in mayo which is nice! - free fried onions if you are a fan of that! - the pea shoots are soooo good I think I am addicted I hope my wallet won't be too angry with me for the next few years.... read more

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I love getting poke boxes from here! The standard bowls & burritos are super tasty with unique flavors and reasonably priced at around $13 for the bowl. Today I got the sun soaked bowl which has salmon, rice, coconut flakes and some other stuff. It had a ginger sauce which was SUPER tasty - I've had poke bowls from lots of stores and I've never tasted anything similar to this sauce. Everything in the bowl tastes fresh as well. The store is quite small with some seating and cute decor! I do have to say that some of the seating is awkwardly placed (chairs pressed up against the wall). read more

The Poké Box - Sun soaked bowl - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

From starting its first location in Toronto's financial district in Fall of 2016, The Poke Box has since expanded to Waterloo. Many times with chains, quality often gets sacrificed but NOT TODAY! The poke bowl I had blew all my expectations out the window and here's my rundown: Food: Big Umami - this signature poke bowl was highly recommended by the employee and comes with salmon, ahi tuna, house shoyu, waikiki mayo, sweet onion, cabbage, avocado, seaweed salad, tempura bits, green onion, and furikake (Japanese seasoning)! Normally poke bowls either are too small of a portion or are heavily sauced or underseasoned. This poke bowl had a great mixture of flavours and everything worked harmoniously to make such a unified dish. I got the TPB (The Poke Box) Grain Blend,which was like a purple rice, as a base and it worked perfectly with the signature poke bowl. The portions are GREAT and filled me up well! It's also available in a burrito form but it's slightly more expensive! Atmosphere: I was really digging the aesthetic of the place. The walls are lined with a pink and white colour tone and it was very minimalist and geometric in design. It felt really relaxing eating here and whole place was nicely lit. Service: Service was really great and fast. The people making my poke box were really receptive and made some small talk with me which is sometimes good when you're a customer. Overall, the vibe was good from the employees and they were really fast with making the poke signature. Price: I paid $12.70 for the poke signature which was pretty decent compared to other places that have smaller portions. For the amount of food you're getting, the price isn't hefty and they are pretty generous in their portions. Verdict: I've tried a lot of poke places and this is hands down the best place I've been to. Everything about this establishment is a hit. The interior is beautifully designed, the employees are very nice, and the poke bowl was very filling and flavourful. I will for sure be returning to this place whenever I'm in the Waterloo area and try their other options! Loving the overall vibes! read more

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Very fresh, great selection of items and you can select your base as well!! Low carb options such as a zucchini base. Flavorful, healthy, nice presentation and just yummy. Also, service was fast, and friendly. Would recommend. read more

The Poké Box - Lava Blaze - Yummy! - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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This place is so cute! They have a light pink theme going on with simple decorations. There is a good amount of seating if you're feeling like dinning in. The workers are super friendly and helpful. It was my first time there and I originally thought that it was gonna be like ordering at a food court since their setup was kind of like that. But then I realized that I was at the wrong side of the line and felt really embarrassed. When it was my turn to order, the lady at the cash register was super patient to answer any questions I had. (So grateful because I was already blushing a lot from accidentally cutting people in line). Even though there was quite a bit of people during dinner, they fast so your hangry self wont get the best of you. I got a build your own bowl with two mix-in's, two toppings, and double salmon. The portions were good and I got a good amount of fish and toppings. The House Shoyu sauce was actually really tasty. It's similar to a terriyaki sauce but less thick and greasy. It went really well with the salmon. Honestly, I don't have anything bad to say because the bowl was delicious and I devoured (inhaled) it very quickly. read more

The Poké Box - Build your own poke bowl! - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

WOW!! Located just steps from Wilfred Laurier University campus, this quick place for lunch/dinner/snack offers a fresh alternative to sushi or salad or Mexican burritos. Everything you love about sushi can be made and combined in a bowl. I loved the variety of topping that can be included. You can have their preset bowls or create your own. I've attached the menu so you can easily see the toppings, ingredients and options available. Worth a try and I'm sure you'll return. Reasonably priced and satisfying. read more

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I was extremely excited to find out that a Poke Box was opening in Waterloo and this place definitely lived up to expectations! We ordered the Lava Run and Big Umami bowls and they were delicious! The salmon and tuna were very fresh and the flavour combinations in each bowl worked perfectly. I chose a base of half sushi rice and half grain blend which I highly highly recommend as their grain blend was very tasty. The portions were decent sized and I actually had some leftovers for dinner. Needless to say, having lunch here put some Poké in my day. read more

The Poké Box - Lava Run & Big Umami Bowls - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

I would give 4.5/5 for this grand open place. It's somehow like a fast food place. Cuz they prepare the food really quick. But it's much healthier than the fast food. The main tone for their decoration is pink red and blue which made inside store looks pretty cute. The staffs are very nice and patient. If you are the first time go to that place, they will explain you how the poke box works detailedly. If you have any confusions, they will explain very patiently. The price is cheaper than Toronto I think. We ordered the double meat large bowl for $15. And the meat is much more than toronto's. Compared to the same quality place in Toronto, here is cheaper. We ordered the duck. It's like Chinese smoked meat and I really like it. And I'd like to return later for trying the rest menu!! read more

The Poké Box - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Was expecting better , but maybe the hype had me believe it should be great . Service was mediocre and food just bland . Not worth a return visit unless in the area :( read more

I recall this Toronto establishment looking to please the masses in Waterloo back when it first opened, an investment that's paid dividends as it has met great success. The sushi scene is highly saturated, so The Poke Box brings a fresh change in this environment by providing a twist on the common poke experience. The atmosphere of the place is nice and vibrant, although in certain spots, it can feel incomplete. Perhaps its the lack of decal in covering up that "unfinished basement" look, otherwise the background music of top hip-hop tunes and pink tones negate some of those thoughts. The line-up for the cashier can leave some without a sense of purpose, as it can be hard to navigate the place at peak times. Simple, no-frills ordering system where you can opt for one of their signature bowls/burritos, but if you're feeling a little spicy, you can be the mastermind of your own creation. I wanted to indulge in one of the OG's, so I decided to go with the Big Umami. I decided to sub in their signature black rice grain blend versus their sushi rice. It gave the dish a heartiness that can be lacking in some dishes. Alongside pieces of ahi tuna, salmon, avocado tied together to created a strong core for the dish. Seaweed salad was typical, probably brought in from an off-site producer, and topped with your typical Japanese mayo. I've come in a number of times, and consistency would be the only downfall in the operations of The Poke Box. At times you can find yourself eating two meals worth of food, while other time you'll be left unsatisfied. Overall, it's a good experience for those looking to indulge themselves in the familiarity of the Hawaiian dish known as poke, with a few fusion elements that let's you call it a "Sushi bowl". Can be muddled with mundane operational issues, but can be easily fixed to provide you with that five-star experience. read more

The Poké Box - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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I got the shrimp tempura poke bowl. After I bought it I took the box and took a bus to school. When I finally took a bite of that tempura shrimp it was already 30 minutes after they sold it to me in the store. IT WAS SO CRISPY OH MY GOD I WANTED TO CRY. Hands down the best shrimp tempura I could ask for here，it appeared in my poke bowl!!! I will go back so many times just for that crispy bite. read more

The Poké Box - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Waterloo finally has poke!!! I went for a medium sized poke with two proteins and a green tea (19$). Not your cheapest option, but it satisfies the cravings. The salmon was fresh and some pieces were more fatty which is great. Eel was not a large portion and not as filling as the salmon. Can't go wrong with the toppings. A good option for both lunch and dinner, and the seating area is modern and colourful! read more

The Poké Box - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Best place in Waterloo. Fish and toppings are fresh and they always give generous portions. Don't forget to yelp check in for a free topping. read more

Stumbled this Poké spot when driving down Waterloo just has to stop by. There interior design is pretty cute great for taking insta picture haha. I got their lava blaze and ahhh-loha bowls. First thing to notice is how fresh their protein are you can taste it love the flavours of everything mixed together definitely would come back again to try other bowls and combo if your craving poke or even sushi this is the place to go get your fix read more

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Disappointed after constantly seeing this place so highly reviewed on all the deliver apps. I ended up throwing mine out. The toppings just did not go well with each other at all, the taste was all over place and nothing about it was consistent. Hardly any protein either, not really worth the price. Much better Poké & burrito at other places read more

Ordered Uber eats from here and I can safely say that this is my next go to place whenever I'm craving a poke box. I got the aaaah-loha bowl (funny name) which had tuna, tamago, sweet clementines, sesame, a somewhat spicy sauce, and rice. It was an interesting twist to your regular box with seaweed salad or salmon. I do wish that prices were less considering they are in a student area. I do understand fresh sashimi comes with a price, but if it was just $2 less I would consider ordering more often. read more

I've been waiting for a Poke Restaurant to open in KW, and it finally did! Definitely something you have to try. Fresh, delicious, flavourful, and filling. Also quick to grab, if you're in a rush. Atmosphere is based on a casual, minimalist interior design, but the seating isn't comfortable, so don't expect to stay here long, if you plan on 'dining in'. The look of the place seems to cater to the student crowd, which isn't a bad thing, as the restaurant is located in a student populated area. Still, it could be improved. That said, the food is great, so I'm coming back. But next time, I'll bring a group of people with me, because they *have* to try it. read more

Having tried the pokebox in Toronto, I wasn't a fan. It just didn't taste as good as poke guys and when it was announced that pokebox was coming to Waterloo, I didn't care. One day I decided to try it anyway based on some recommendations, and wow... this store is VERY well run and the poke is absolutely delicious! First of all, the toppings here are different - you can get edamame, sweet egg and other things you can't get in the downtown location. I personally like getting a double scoop of salmon and making my own bowl with roasted sesame sauce on the side. The salmon and tuna are very fresh here! Service is another thing this location does extremely well. Even when the downtown location is offpeak hours, the people rush you - they don't ask if you want additional toppings and hurriedly make your bowl. Here, they make your bowl with tender love and care - lots of salmon, good amount of toppings, and friendly service. I don't feel rushed out and my bowl comes out amazing. I highly recommend pokebox with all my heart, I've come here MULTIPLE times and loved it each time. It is miles better than the location downtown. read more

Good for a quick meal! Taste great and a quick take out. The restaurant atmosphere is Mediocrebut I don't think that's what they go for anyways. I recommend the sun saoked bowl! read more

Checked in on yelp and got 1 free topping. They had a lot of toppings and sauces to choose from. They were also generous with it. I live in Guelph and won't mind driving down to Waterloo once in a while for a poke. read more

The Poké Box - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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An exciting addition to Waterloo's diverse food options! Poke box is the place to go for food that tastes good and makes you feel good as well! I have been here twice with my boyfriend and both times we did the build-your-own burrito/poke, the step-by-step menu instructions make it easy to follow along and it's fun to see all the colorful toppings and sauces come together into a delicious masterpiece! Some of the things that I've really enjoyed in my poke box is the purple grain blend rice, wasabi citrus sauce and edamame. The poke boxes range from $12-16 on average depending on the size and number of toppings you get, it is definitely on the pricier end for a casual food place but we can all find a reason to treat ourselves :) read more

The Poké Box - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

This cute little place totally made my day! The decorations were simple and pretty. The servers were friendly and the best part... You don't have to wait long time to get your food! The serving size was amazing. They weren't stingy with the things that goes into making our food! Love it! read more

The Poké Box - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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The poke here is absolutely amazing, with flavours all mixing perfectly. The menu is very customizable and I love how accommodating the staff is. I have ordered here multiple times with the Big Umami being my personal favourite. Make sure to order a half mixed green and half rice base as a full rice can be too filling at times. read more

The Poké Box - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

The food was amaze balls!!! First time trying poke and it was great. Kind of confusing to order at first. I made my own custom poke with salmon, sushi rice, avocado, misago, and cucumbers, and added their house shoyu sauce. If you like spicy food, I'd recommend the spicy aioli sauce as well!! It is kind of pricey, but worth the experience. The overall decor and atmosphere of the store is hella Instagram worthy and love the pink and blue walls with the white tiles! read more

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Sorry guys great effort. However I found the complexity of flavor lacking in this meal. All i tasted was salt and soysauce throughout the ingredients. Not what I expected from a $15 poke bowl. read more

The Poké Box - a salad in a container - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Never had poke so i had no expectations but was pleasantly surprised! Had the lava as a burrito/roll thing, and the umami(?) bowl. The roll was bursting which was nice to see them not being stingy but made it hard to eat without making a mess. The bowls are the way to go! Their sushi rice is subtle making it easy to eat a lot of. The sauces are really good, so don't miss out on that! A little pricey as each item was close to $14 but was filling and the ingredients did feel like decent quality. It was a fun experience that i would recommend check it out since it's relatively new! read more

The Poké Box - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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Poke itself is always great, but the poke box really elevates it with its combination of fresh fish, crisp vegetables, and complex sauces. Staff is very nice and committed to making us great bowls of poke. The overall decor is appealing and unique. I've had the Big Umami, Lava Blaze, AAHHH-LOHA, and Sun Soaked, with Big Umami being my favorite. Big Umami has cubes of ahi tuna and salmon, sweet onion, cabbage, wakame salad, scallions, avocado mixed with in-house shoyu and waikiki mayo, seasoned with furikake and on a bed of sushi rice or a whole grain blend. All the ingredients flavours and textures compliment and contrast each other so well. If you want a beautiful vacation for your tastebuds without breaking the bank this is the place to be. read more

The Poké Box - Big Umami - enough said - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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I came with my friends who had little experience with poke and their initial impressions were great! The taste was refreshing and it satisfied my fish/sashimi cravings! Total: 22/25 Food Taste: 5/5 - Ordered the Big Umami and was very happy with the flavors included - The crunchiness of radish/onion worked very well with the seaweed salad, and the tuna and salmon were not chewy but tender - Would like to try the other flavors but my friends and I were happy with our choices Food Presentation/Portion: 5/5 - The amount of food was great and fulfilling, a good amount of fish and not rice - The sushi rice has a great texture, and not just fluffy rice - The bowl also contained a variety of different colors making it look appetizing to eat Environment: 4/5 - Very natural and minimal, although the walls seem unfinished maybe because it has not had their official opening yet - The tables were triangular shaped, which is cute but sometimes lack the practicality of space when sitting in larger groups Customer Service: 4/5 - Everyone was friendly and smiling, no complaints! Price: 4/5 - The food was definitely worth the $14! read more

My husband and I first tried poke bowls on a trip to Hawaii. Much to our delight, shortly after the Poké box opened in town. I'm grateful to be able to obtain poké bowls in town. The quality is high and service is decent. I recommend for a quick and casual meal or take out. read more

Amazing and great quality sushi, a little pricey but well worth it for what you're getting

The Poké Box just opened up in the main plaza right by Laurier and is an excellent addition! The decor is very minimalist but trendy. Each of their signature creations are featured on the wall but there is also an option to customize your own. The staff is friendly, welcoming, and happy to answer any questions you may have about the food. The prices are set based on how many toppings you get rather than size. I think they should introduce the option to add more. Their cost setup isn't as attractive for people who enjoy several toppings because it would be rather expensive (Freshii's you pick 6 and then pay $0.25 for additional ones is preferred). The food is excellent, especially the tempura! read more

A great healthy option close to the universities. The inside is nicely decorated and very trendy. Their Poké bowls are very standard. They give a little bit more food than other poke bowl places I've tried. I recommend the Big Unami bowl! read more

The Poké Box - Salad Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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