Seattle's Poke Craze Has Hit the Central District

Poke, the Hawaiian raw fish salad currently taking Seattle by storm, is now having a moment in the Central District. A new seafood market and raw bar at 23rd and Jackson called Seattle Fish Guys opened this past weekend, bringing poke, smoked salmon, clam chowder, and more to the new Verse Seattle apartment building.

Husband-and-wife team Desiree Chinn and Sal Panelo are behind the venture. Panelo has worked as seafood manager at Uwajimaya and Pike Place Fish Market, and the two were partners in the market's City Fish.

The menu includes tuna, salmon, and tako (octopus) poke bowls with sides of kimchi, squid salad, and seaweed salad; two types of smoked salmon; sockeye and European-style lox; smoked scallops; smoked mussels; crab and shrimp cocktails; oyster shooters; cut-to-order sashimi; and clam chowder from Pike Place Chowder.

Poke, a type of Hawaiian raw fish salad, may be poised to become the next big fast-casual trend nationwide; Seattle is ahead of the curve with a ton of great options for the dish, an unusual and crazy-popular convenience store/poke bar, and the influence of Sam Choy, known to many as the Godfather of Poke.

And the Central District seems to be on a roll lately. The Atlantic opened this summer at 25th and Jackson and popular food truck Woodshop BBQ announced plans to take up residence next door. A Feed Co. Burgers is in the works for 24th and Union and French restaurant L’Oursin is coming to 14th and Jefferson this fall.

411 23rd Avenue S, (206) 485-7388, Facebook. Open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.