This is a go-to every time we visit Big Bear because there is nothing else like it. There's just a vibe here with super friendly staff, funky music and even funkier decor. You're part of the fam as soon as you walk in through the giant shark mouth. It can be a little overwhelming for a first time visitor with its mix of regulars and first timers. There is a winding line that jumps across the main aisle when it gets long, and sometimes goes out the door on busy days. Just ask anyone and they'll help you figure it out. They all had that same experience their first time in this non-traditional order system. The bro behind the bar will invite you to order a drink while you wait in line to order your food, which you can also do at one of the kiosks after the line jump. When you get to the front, you order from one of three giant screens you scroll through to pick your food and drinks, pay with your card and wait for the staff to tell you your order has washed up on the beach. I've tried several of their bows but have settled on the Pele bowl, usually with a cucumber base and only one scoop of rice. They have beef, chicken and ahi in a wide variety of flavors, and again, if you're not sure, ask a staff member and they're happy to help you through the process. They have small waffles as a base option but I have not tried those. I'm sure they're good. There is a reason they're consistently ranked one of the top restaurants nationwide -- yes, poke on a mountain top -- unlike anywhere else you may have it. read more

Since my last visit they moved into a new location which is a big upgrade! It's a super fun, quirky (you literally walk in through a shark's mouth), awesome tropical vibe and has way more interior and exterior seating than their old location. When you enter, you order on a touchscreen and then they'll call your name and/or number for your drinks first then your food and you walk up to the counter, get your food and then sit wherever you want - like at In&Out! I highly recommend getting their smoothies since they are DELICIOUS! Think tropical blended drinks but without the alcohol. So refreshing and you can still do the curvy drive up/down the mountain! Their poke bowls aren't as amazing as I remember sadly. They are a little too over the top in terms of strong thick sauces and bold overpowering flavors. Their pulled pork bowl was still yummy though despite all of their rice in all of our 3 bowls being a little undercooked (I prefer the fluffy sticky rice) So 5 stars for ambiance, 5 stars for service, 5 stars for drinks and 3.5 stars for food imho. Too bad I can't give 4.5 stars. read more

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I LOVE THIS PLACE! My friend recommended it to me and so glad he did. Food: I got the Krakatoa and got extra spicy sauce. It was really good. The poke was fresh. It was a stacked bowl. I asked for extra crunchy chips and they gave me a whole bowl of it. I will definitely come back. I want to try the other flavor bowls. (For the record, you can't compare this to Hawaii poke or Orange County. Let's be real here. It's Big Bear..and there's not that many bomb places to eat, most are mediocre, so with that being said, Tropicali was bomb!) Service: A1. The workers there are so awesome. So friendly and welcoming. Very chill, fun, kind vibes. Every single one of them. And also very attentive. Walked by me while I was eating several times to make sure everything was okay. They brightened up my mood and set the tone for my day. Ambience: super cool and hip. The entrance has a cool huge shark where you enter in through the mouth. There's indoor and outdoor seating. I would usually sit outside but it was really hot during lunch time when I went. And the inside decor looked so cool so I just wanted to stay inside and sat at the bar top which faces the outside patio. If you sit at the patio you can see the lake view from afar too. Everything about this place was amazing. I think this is the best food spot in all of Big Bear. I will 1000% come back & recommend Tropicali to my friends. read more

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We're back in Big Bear! That means stopping at Tropicali. I love the new location. Its bigger and has an awesome outdoor balcony with views of the lake. I got the cabo bowl again and is was just as good as I remember. I also tried the gangsta smoothie and it was such a good pairing. I might be back for dinner, haha. read more

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This place is equal parts poke restaurant, kitschy tiki-bar/eatery, and pop culture contemporary museum. And honestly, I'm not sure if I'm describing this place well. For starters the entrance is a giant shark mouth. To order, you go to one of the kiosks. There wasn't a line when I went but I heard this place could get really busy. The guys here were super chill and friendly. They even made a spectacle out of the drink I ordered which fun. (It was the 'Haole' and it involved with lighting up the cinnamon, haha). For food I got the Tahiti poke bowl. And just a note: the ingredients were fresh and tasty, the portion was solid, and with all due respect, I think the super high Yelp scores here have to do with the space, the cool decor and fun vibe as much as it has to do with the actual food and drinks. I think there was a minor controversy where people were offended that this was voted the best poke. I don't think there's anything to suggest that people think the poke here is better than places that you would find in Hawaii. But taste is very subjective anyway. I came here after a full day of snowboarding so my body was a bit weak and I was hungry for sure. This place definitely hit the spot while allowing me to enjoy such a fun place to eat that is so unique. You won't find many places like this if at all. I heard or read this place could get crazy busy, but since I was here late afternoon on a weekday, I was able to order and find a great seat right away. Parking was also easy to find as there is a dedicated lot for this place. I can't speak for when this place is crazy busy though. read more

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Friendly services. Line can be really long during busy snow season. Could be up 45 minutes wait just to order. I went back this time during the month of April and the line was not bad at all. Probably 15 minutes wait to order. Order at kiosk. Plenty of seatings inside and outside. This place is in pricey side. The pole bowl portion was small. I got the kraken bowl. So good and could have eat another one. But it's $18-$19 for a small bowl. Barbacoa beef was also good and flavourful. Not a big fan of the chicken bowl. Not bad but not that remeverable neither. I would recommend sticking with pole bowl as what they are known for. Overall, this place is a treat. Expect expensive but it's worth it to try. read more

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My siblings often visit Big Bear and decided they wanted to have lunch here before we headed back to San Diego. The parking can be challenging, so be ready to circle around a few times. The entire ambiance of the place is definitely "Instagrammable." It feels almost like walking into a Disneyland-style eatery, with tons of different areas for photo opportunities. The food ordering process is basically self-service. You stand in a Disney-like queue, waiting for one of the 3 to 4 self-service kiosks to place your order. The line moved faster than I expected, considering there was no staff available to assist or answer questions about the food products. People were jumping in and out of line to place orders for drinks on the left side, where the enthusiastic bartender was calling out orders. Once we reached the front of the line to place our order, things got a little hectic, especially since it was my first time there and my parents were with me. With a line of people behind us, we definitely felt a bit of pressure to move faster than what was comfortable. My brother's girlfriend is vegan, so we had some questions that went unanswered while placing her order. This was not my favorite style of dining. The food comes out pretty quickly. My mother ordered a rice and chicken plate, which I got to try, and I was not thrilled with it. The rice was overcooked and too watery, and the chicken was quite dry. Everyone else got poke bowls, which were decent. My dad liked his the best, but I don't recall the names of the bowls now. I later found out that this place holds the title of "Best Poke in the United States," which I find difficult to believe. The poke was fine, but it raises the question of whether those who awarded this title have tried poke in Hawaii, where the fish is definitely fresher than it would be in Big Bear. Would I come back? Yes, of course, if I'm in the area, but I would definitely not title it as the best poke I've had. read more

Tropicali - Hawaiian Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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When visiting Big Bear, Tropicali is a MUST-STOP!! I loved this place so much the first time I went, I went back again the next day! I seriously love EVERYTHING about Tropicali! The theme, decorations, service, drinks, food, views of the lake, the quirky and funky and comfy seating areas, the ordering system, and the overall vibe!! I might be going a little over the top here, but if I could live inside Tropicali, then I would do it in a heartbeat! They don't have a ton of gluten-free options, but that's ok because the Choloha Smokin' Bowl is what dreams are made of... and is one of the bowls that they can make gluten-free! That is music to my ears, because it is like a dream inside of an enigma wrapped in love and placed into a bowl of heaven on earth!! The Caribbean Queen tiki drink is my favorite - literally the perfect tiki drink! INCREDIBLE!! Tropicali is literally my favorite restaurant anywhere! Overall rating: *****FIVE STARS***** Gluten-free rating: ***THREE STARS*** read more

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Thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Tropicali. Amazing views, great drinks, and upbeat customer service. I honestly wasn't expecting much from the food itself but was pleasantly surprised by the barbacoa bowl. The beef was perfectly tender and seasoned very well and all the ingredients in the bowl were delicious. If I ever find myself back in Big Bear I will definitely be back here. read more

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Such a great place to eat. The location is amazing right in a prime spot next to the Village so you can look over the lake while you eat. The decor feels right out of Disneyland and the staff was all very friendly! Service was fast and all of the food was awesome. We all sampled each others dishes. Great spot to visit while you're on the mountain. read more

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This restaurant has such a cool theme and the interior is a spectacle to look at. I just came for lunch, but still had lunch looking at all the decor. The vegan poke and pineapple salsa side were both great, somewhat expensive, but I still enjoyed. Staff all do a good job playing into the gimmick. read more

Tropicali - Vegan poke and pineapple salsa - Hawaiian Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Truly one of the craziest dining experiences I've had. Food is great. Experience and ambience is unlike anything I've seen. Family biz and these guys really care about what they're doing, a lot of passion. The biggest takeaway is this place is fun, happy, and great food read more

Tropicali - Hawaiian Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

what a unique delicious place to get food at, had the CABO spicy bowl - devoured the poke Def recommend atmosphere, food, service 10/10 so fun read more

Super fun, and festive environment! The owners great each customer with a smile and genuine gratitude. Visiting this restaurant is an experience fron the miniute you walk through the shark's jaws. Food was really tasty. Food is ordered through a tablet...so the line can get long. My only recommendation is that they give those in line a menu or QT code to look at in line so customers are ready to order onve they get to the ordering tablet. read more

Tropicali - Interior of restaurant - Hawaiian Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

I mean this place is def now part of a must visit in big bear. If you haven't visited here then you haven't been to big bear

Yes! Yes! And Yes! This is a must if you are in Big Bear. Fun atmosphere, great service! Long lines sometimes but worth the wait! Check them out...... they close early, so plan accordingly. Definitely a must try!!! read more

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The place is definitely a vibe, the dudes behind the bar definitely make getting your drinks a cool experience as far as service. However, the food is just okay. read more

FINALLY! I'VE BEEN TRYING TO REVIEW YOU GUYS FOR MONTHS! NOW THAT I'VE GOT YOU RIGHT WHERE I WANT YOU... i'd like to leave a 5 star review. :) Tropicali is the best thing to happen to Big Bear. The food, service, and atmosphere is all top tier. I have tried: the Pele bowl (FAV), Krakatoa bowl (Great), Kraken bowl (other FAV), Island Style Coco Mac Nut Cold Brew (Tasty), Why Tiki cocktail (YUM), Baja Bubbles cocktail (When you want something not sweet), and one of the waffles I dont remember the name (not for me). On my last visit, I accidentally spilled half of my Why Tiki drink all over the table and the staff was quick to clean and even remade me a new beverage. They were all smiles while doing so too. Everyone I've interacted with at Tropicali is so awesome! The food and drinks are always super fresh and delicious and the place does feel like you stepped into a tiki wonderland... They have the coolest decor! Anytime I'm in Big Bear, Tropicali is a must stop! read more

Great spot with awesome vibes! Tropicali is a really fun place with a unique atmosphere -- the décor and setup instantly put you in a good mood. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and the service was smooth from start to finish. The food was flavorful and fresh, and the whole place has a relaxed, tropical vibe that stands out in Big Bear. Definitely a spot I'd recommend and come back to on my next trip up the mountain! read more

Tropicali - Hawaiian Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Is there a need for another 5 star review for this poke spot? Yes, there is. This is how you do it. Serve great food and make the place great fun. The excellent poke is served as it should be served: over rice. I have nothing against poke spots where you pile on the veggies and sauces. Those places are fun but the poke flavor gets lost in the mix. If you have great poke, season it, and then serve it by itself or over rice. There. Done. The decor of this place is a blast. It is like a mash up of the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland, a church, and a great tiki bar. (Yes, a church: Jesus pops up in a quite a few places here but it is not overbearing.) The tiki drinks are excellent and apparently you can get them with or without booze. The poke bowls are great. Even the bowl with shredded pork and rice was delicious. The only downer--at first--was parking. The lot next to the restaurant is a chaotic madhouse. But there is a designated parking lot just down the street from the restaurant. From that other lot, it is just a short stroll up the wooden steps to the crazy parking lot. Signage could be better for the parking. Frankly, I would skip the main lot and go to the other one. Parking is crazy here because the restaurant is a victim of its own success. It is just very, very popular. Yes, you will wait in line to order your food so be patient. You can go up to the bar and order a drink while you wait in line. You should do this. Ordering is a breeze on the kiosk. The food is ready in a flash. While you are waiting, walk around the entire place. The attention to detail is amazing. There is plenty of inside seating--and the interior design is fantastic--but the outdoor patio seating with the amazing views is harder to snag. The staff is extremely friendly. These people love their jobs and what they do. Eat, drink, enjoy. read more

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It's a very good poke place, but very crowded in the weekend. We had a hard time finding parking. All three dishes we ordered were pretty good, the albacore was very fresh, grilled pork is not too dry, even the drinks are pretty ok, just I'm questioning the wait. We waited for more than 30 min but they came out pretty timely. The whole restaurant had a Hawaii/vegas vibe, with a huge shark head at the entrance which was definitely fun. Would come back if I can find parking next time. read more

Tropicali - Hawaiian Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

AMAZING VIBES IN THIS PLACE. Just for that alone, 5 stars! You can tell that the people who work here love what they do and that same energy definitely comes across in their product. A lot of love (and probably money lol) went into curating this place and it pays off every single day. I ordered the Krakatoa Bowl and a tiki drink that I completely forgot the name of. It's a rendition of a piña colada with lilikoi IIRC. My boyfriend got the Rasta Bowl and a shark attack. First of all, this place isn't lying when they say something is spicy, believe it when they say it! All the ingredients are fresh, well made, and they don't skimp on them in every single bowl. My only star deduction is because I found the drinks to be too sweet and the sauces a bit too sweet/salty as well but that could be entirely personal to me. I did water my drink down halfway to make it less cloying. Seating was plenty to go around on a Sunday afternoon but I can see how this place can fill up during busy weekends. Would definitely come again! read more

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Amazing food, atmosphere, and service! Visited Tropicali for the first time in Big Bear and was overwhelmed by the menu options. The best waiter ever took the time to explain all the bowls to me, and helped me decide what I was in the mood for. I went with the Paniolo bowl with barbacoa and enjoyed it so much, that I returned the next day with a friend to try the Pele spicy tuna poke bowl! The Tropicali Gangster (POG) drink was a slushee consistency, rather than the juice I was expecting. read more

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Tropicali is a true 5 star poke place, and after their move to the new location in December 2024, they've managed to improve on a nearly perfect experience. The views of the lake and the mountain from their new patio add to the dining experience. They have a private lot, although it seems small for how popular the restaurant is. You enter through the shark head and on your left side is the pickup location for drinks followed by the pickup for food. They have ropes to mark the line and they have three screens to place your orders from. I'd recommend looking the menu up ahead of time since there's pretty much always a line and they have an extensive food and drink menu to choose from. The staff are amazing. They are friendly and funny and constantly looking to go above and beyond to both provide the tropical atmosphere and to make sure everyone is having a great experience. They manage to bring boundless amounts of energy every hour of everyday. The poke has been refined into some truly great options. The fish is fresh and delicious and the options are slightly different from your standard poke bar selection. The staff is more than happy to guide your food selection depending on how sweet/spicy you are looking for. After trying nearly all the options, this is one of their rare restaurants where it's hard to pick a favorite since each bowl is delicious and it really just depends on what mood you're in. If the food, service, and views aren't enough for you, they also have a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The cold brew is particularly smooth and can beat most restaurants and coffee shops. We visit Tropicali every time we come to big bear and the only decision we have to make is how many times we want to go. read more

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One of the best poke and vibe shops in all of so cal! We came in a Saturday around 2:30pm and it was pretty busy at that time which we were surprised by. While we waited in line we got alllllll the vibes from the bartender who was super cool and was literally the definition of vibe king. Just go there and you'll see what I'm mean. Poke was amazing and super fresh! Atmosphere is even better with tropical looking art and statues all around the restaurant. If you sit outside you even have a sick view of big bear lake! 100000% recommend this place!! read more

Tropicali - Entrance - Hawaiian Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Love the food Fun vibes and ambiance Great service CANNOT stand the smell! Definitely made me feel nauseous so we ate our food and headed out read more

I can't say enough good things about this place! From the second you walk in, you are treated like family. The vibes were amazing, everyone is so happy to be there, and the energy is contagious. And to top it all off the food was so good! I ordered the luau bowl and the pog seltzer. Everyone I went with was satisfied with their food. Honestly I can't wait to come back here! read more

To start, I've NEVER seen a 4.9 star Yelp review with 3,00 reviews! - Wow!! The food here is great, and we'll get to that in a minute but I need to talk about how special this place truly is. First of all you can't not see the huge shark, whose mouth you have to walk into to get in. You'll see that from the highway. But from the second you step in the door l, they have created an experience with the decor & design. Quite a few things came from the guy who designed the Tiki Room at Disney parks and was a long time family friend. After our dinner we talked to Kyle for quite a while. He and his cousin Michael (It is Michael's vision) built this place by hand and started with a very small place back in 2017. They have been collecting all the artifacts you'll see inside for a long time and can tell you where everything came from. (The taxidermied bear came from Alaska & was hit by a car, then was mounted in a community park until it closed & Michael acquired it) One detail that lots of people might miss in the display with the bear is the clouds above the bear that has what looks like lightening in the clouds that is synced to the music - brilliant! Down to the Zoltar-like order kiosks. Now for the food: I'm sure when you hear Poki in Big Bear, you will think what everyone else thinks - Big Bear is too far from the ocean to get fresh sashimi. Guess again, Kyle told us that they get fresh, line caught Ahi tuna in every day. (They are originally from San Diego & have a wonderful hookup for their fresh Ahi) We shared the Pele Poki Bowl ($18.95) and the Choloha Smokin Bowl ($17.95). The Pele Poki Bowl was probably the best Poki I've ever had - and we get a lot of it in the South Bay, Los Angeles - this was better! It is spicy sashimi grade ahi tuna served on a bed of rice topped with sweet onions, cucumbers and drizzled with Lava Boss Sauce and it is absolutely ah-mazing! The Choloha Smokin Bowl is all natural sweet light spiced smoked tropicali pork carnitas with 2 scoops of rice topped with onions, cilantro drizzled with Cali Dream Boss Sauce. It was good but I wish it had more sauce because the pork was a little dry - but it was still good. Anyway, our entire time here was a total experience - and if you're in the area, please don't miss it. read more

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The poke is flavorful and they have so many great options to choose from. They close Tuesdays and Wednesdays so keep that in mind when you decide to go! read more

Legitimately some of the worst food I have ever had. DONT BELIEVE THE FAKE REVIEWS THE FOOD SUCKS! The staff was excellent but the food was horrible and would not come back. Please for the love of god avoid read more

Food was good, choice of meat, spice levels easy on kiosk menu. Fun iced smoothies or rum drinks. Good atmosphere and California style Hawaiian decor. The drinks and meal are called out on speakers but what really stands out are the staff: ready to help with ordering, helping with ensuring a gluten free meal (allergy). A good find in the So Ca mountains. read more

Tropicali - Dining area - Hawaiian Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Just got back from Hawaii. We stayed in Waikiki and tried spots like Ono Poke and Poke Bar, chasing that perfect poke. After all that, we realized Tropicali back home still sets the bar. It's fresh, flavorful, and honestly delivers everything we were looking for in Hawaii. Crazy that something that good is sitting in Big Bear. read more

Came for labor day weekend and it did not disappoint. If you are in town, highly recommend you stop by. Line does get long and the speed of the line is dependent on the customer as there are 3 kiosks in which you order from. So if you know what you want, it goes by quickly. Otherwise it may take a little longer if people are casually browsing menu items for the first time. For food, got the Krakatoa. It's a mix of the Kraken and Pele bowls. I opted for the larger size and spiced it up. Also added jalapeños. Overall, great umami flavor from the sauces and great texture balance with the crispy wonton skins. If I had to make a change to my order, I'd get the sauces on the side and double or triple the amount of jalapeños. I love spice so I was a tad disappointed that spicing it up wasn't enough. They also take out the center veins of the jalapeños which is where the heat is contained so you get the nice texture and flavor of the jalapeños but with muted heat. The setup inside is pretty smart. As you wait in line for the kiosk, the drink bar is located nearby so you can order drinks while you wait in line. As you see other people get drinks, it entices you to get your own. Someone thought ahead! read more

Tropicali - Krakatoa - Hawaiian Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

This restaurant is so worth the hype! we arrived at 10:55 and waited about ~30 minutes for our food, if you want to be the first in line, get there at 10:30 am! I got the secret menu bowl, so filling and the perfect fish to rice to topping ratio, the flavor of the fish was immaculate and tasted very fresh. The waffle was a great touch to finish off the meal, the perfect tropical twist for dessert. the entire restaurant is hawaiian/island themed and all the servers play into it! Ps. for extra fun make your order name something clever and the staff will call out your order name! read more

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Tropicali gets it. You don't need a bowl with 47 toppings that looks like it came out of a Build-A-Bear workshop for food. I got the Pele Bowl and the Kraken extra spicy, simple, bold, and a flavor punch that makes you question why anyone needs kale chips and chia sprinkles on top of fish in the first place. The place itself is like a tropical museum--you'll find yourself distracted by the walls before the food even comes. And yes, it's busy. But busy in the worth it way, not the why am I standing in line at DMV. I was seriously considering round two, but the line was still stretching out like it was holding auditions for a new Survivor season, Big Bear Edition. First time here, already planning my next. Less is more, unless we're talking about their spice levels--then more is exactly right. read more

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This place was lots of fun! The food was good, the atmosphere is totally on theme and fun for the whole family. The drinks were good too. The service was fast and energetic. My only complaint and completely mine alone, was that the place smelled very strong of artificial fragrance. I definitely recommend a visit! read more

I haven't been in a while and the place is bigger now! They also have kiosks for people to order at. When I'd go in the past, sometimes the line gets quite long, but with the kiosks it goes by faster. I went in early August and it was pretty sunny out, but they had a misting system for outdoor seating which was very nice. The workers there are amazing as always! They always have good vibes and energy which I love. One of the guys would come and check in with us as we were eating outside just to make sure we were all good! I really like the poke bowls here!! They all have their own special twist to them making them a little different from the traditional poke. I usually get a smoothie with my bowl too! The portion doesn't look like too much for the price, but they give you a lot of fish and it's pretty filling read more

Tropicali - Togo style (everything is separate) krakatoa bowl, tropical gangster smoothie - Hawaiian Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Haven't been through Big Bear in a while. This location is different than their old spot. The new location is very spacious and the decorations are on another level. They have a patio now also that has a pretty decent view of the lake. The poke itself is just ok for me. I feel like there are a few places that I like better. They give you very limited toppings also. I tried the cold brew for the first time here and it was very good. Food came out very quick also but it was a weekday at a non busy time. read more

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It's was like waiting in line at Disneyland! Super entertaining, a lot to look at and cool people to chat with and our Aussie Jake was welcomed by all. But what you need to know is the poke lives up to the hype! Simply delicious! read more

Everything is Good Food, Good Service, Good music, Store is Clean. They are also Very Hospitable...