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45th Stop and Shop and Poke Bar in Wallingford is one of Seattle's most popular places to get poke.
45th Stop and Shop and Poke Bar in Wallingford is one of Seattle's most popular places to get poke.
Suzi Pratt for Eater

Where to Try Poke, a Hawaiian Fish Favorite, in Seattle

This raw fish salad has swept the city

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45th Stop and Shop and Poke Bar in Wallingford is one of Seattle's most popular places to get poke.
| Suzi Pratt for Eater

Poke rhymes with "okay" but tastes much better. Sometimes written as "poké", this Hawaiian treat of marinated seafood has taken the mainland by storm, and Washington is one of the best places to get it.

Poke (which simply means "to cut crosswise into pieces") was created centuries ago by native Hawaiians who sliced reef fish and mixed in limu (edible algae) and a paste of kukui nuts, called ‘inamona. Now the dish is a restaurant staple typically served bulked up like a salad with a dozen ingredients, from seaweed salad to rice to pickles. Bowls most commonly use ahi tuna as their base, but at this point seem to include any fish, crustacean, or even land animal. Is it the same thing found in Hawai'i? Not so much, but clearly it works for Seattleites. Here, now, are the top places to indulge a poke craving around town.

Map points are listed geographically, not ranked by preference. Don't see your favorite poke bar on the map? Show it some love in the comments or send us an email.

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Saimin Says

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Even if you don't live near Kent, Saimin Says is an excellent, no-frills Hawaiian diner that’s worth the drive. Its thickly chopped tako (octopus) poke is full of texture and a bit of kimchi tang, a perfect appetite builder for a juicy lau lau plate lunch. You can even wash it down with a Hawaiian Sun Lilikoi Iced Tea or Guava Nectar.

Big Island Poke

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The staff here are friendly (personal poke cheerleaders helping you toward raw fish victory), the prices are reasonable, and the food is undeniably fresh — what more do you need? Oh, you also need the lemonade.

Sam Choy's Poké to the Max

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Poke legend Sam Choy has been furthering the cause of Hawaiian cuisine for years — he even founded the Poke Festival and Recipe Contest in 1991. Now, in time to ride the wave he helped inspire, the godfather of poke has restaurants in Hillman City and Tacoma to complement a food truck. The velvety salmon poke in a lunch plate with seaweed-seasoned rice is a winner, as is a poke sandwich wrap for anyone feeling experimental.

Ma’ono Fried Chicken & Whisky

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The best secret about Ma’Ono is its salt. Tinged volcanic pink and full of briny flavor, it’s sourced from the Kauai Salt Ponds in Hanapepe, harvested by a small set of families on the island, and considered sacred for generations: “Not for sale” would be a huge understatement here. Fortunately for West Seattle, the Ma’Ono family is happy to share with friends and guests. The special seasoning is sprinkled lightly over the taro chips that come with an assortment of classic ahi limu poke, miso-glazed shrimp poke, or even a creamy beef tartare poke for carnivores.

Courtesy of Ma'Ono

Seattle Fish Guys

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With satisfyingly large portions and a sterling reputation for carrying some of the finest seafood in town, this fish market will make you think you're sitting on the shores of Lahaina. The tender tako (octopus) poke is sliced nice and thick, marinated delicately with seasoned shoyu, and blended perfectly with a side of seaweed and rice.

Gopoké

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Come lunchtime, starved office workers descend upon Chinatown's only dedicated poke spot. Run by brothers from Hawaii with fishing connections, Gopoke presents its super-fresh, flavorful poke in a whimsical setting, and the staff are friendly, attentive, and eager to please. This is a serious contender for top poke place in town.

Coffee Tree and Poke

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First Hill’s own little Hawaiian oasis, sleek Coffee Tree and Poke is an offshoot of nearby cafe Coffee Tree. You can still get Victrola coffee and craveable breakfast sammies, but now you have the option of a fresh bowl of raw fish, too. This is a welcome addition to a neighborhood not known for its food. Pro-tip: The spicy mayo is the right choice.

Poke Alice

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It's pretty barebones, but Poke Alice quickly became the lunch break go-to for office workers in need of a fish fix thanks to quick service, helpful staff, and consistent quality. The menu is roughly in the Chipotle fast-casual presentation, with customization options to indulge personal tastes, and a second location now serves more of the lunch crowd in Denny Triangle.

Sushi Kashiba

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For the best upscale poke in Seattle, try Sushi Kashiba in the Market. Sushi legend Shiro Kashiba stepped out of his second retirement to establish this high-end yet surprisingly cozy location, where sashimi-grade ahi is sliced into cubes in a picturesque tower and lightly sauced with a bright flying fish roe pop of color and texture.

Lara Douglass/Eater

Fob Poke Bar

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Poke connoisseurs are falling for this recent Belltown addition. Any hype is well deserved, as the freshness of the ingredients lives up to the name (which stands for "fresh off the boat"), and the staff is quite knowledgeable. Sure, the tender ahi, salmon, and yellowtail go great with a special shoyu sauce, but even the house rice is strangely addicting, infused as it is with matcha green tea and coconut.

Metropolitan Market

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The Magnolia Met Market was the trendsetter for grocery-store poke in Seattle. Now you can find the market’s signature poke mixtures at many locations, with a build-your-own bar full of tuna, salmon, octopus, shrimp, seaweed salad, rice, and more. While it's not the most inventive or gourmet poke in the city, it is the perfect staple for many a work lunch, take-home dinner, or quick craving.

45th Stop N Shop and Poke Bar

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Behind the racks of candy bars and chips at this shop, there's a little poke bar, and it's driving fans wild. Seriously, this is probably the city's gold standard for poke, and everyone knows it. All the product is delivered daily by a local distributor, which removes the element of fear from convenience-store sushi. Make sure to get there early though. This place tends to run out of food before the day is done.

Hiroshi's Poke

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Iconic Seattle sushi chef Hiroshi Egashira's latest venture is Hiroshi’s Poke, drawing hungry crowds for its oversized portions, friendly service, and some of the freshest fish around. Large, vibrant bowls of poke feature Hawaiian mainstays like lomi-lomi salmon (a tomato and salmon salad) alongside unexpected items like octopus kimchi.

Ono Poke

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A poke haven for Seattle's northern denizens, Ono Poke wears its island influence on its sleeve, inviting guests to come say “Howzit” to Hawaiian owner and namesake Steven Ono. Instead of endless topping options, Ono hews to the traditional understanding of poke, serving minimal bowls of fresh fish marinated in a cool poke glaze or over a bed of rice. It might just be the closest thing to Hawaiian poke available on the mainland.

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Saimin Says

Even if you don't live near Kent, Saimin Says is an excellent, no-frills Hawaiian diner that’s worth the drive. Its thickly chopped tako (octopus) poke is full of texture and a bit of kimchi tang, a perfect appetite builder for a juicy lau lau plate lunch. You can even wash it down with a Hawaiian Sun Lilikoi Iced Tea or Guava Nectar.

Big Island Poke

The staff here are friendly (personal poke cheerleaders helping you toward raw fish victory), the prices are reasonable, and the food is undeniably fresh — what more do you need? Oh, you also need the lemonade.

Sam Choy's Poké to the Max

Poke legend Sam Choy has been furthering the cause of Hawaiian cuisine for years — he even founded the Poke Festival and Recipe Contest in 1991. Now, in time to ride the wave he helped inspire, the godfather of poke has restaurants in Hillman City and Tacoma to complement a food truck. The velvety salmon poke in a lunch plate with seaweed-seasoned rice is a winner, as is a poke sandwich wrap for anyone feeling experimental.

Ma’ono Fried Chicken & Whisky

The best secret about Ma’Ono is its salt. Tinged volcanic pink and full of briny flavor, it’s sourced from the Kauai Salt Ponds in Hanapepe, harvested by a small set of families on the island, and considered sacred for generations: “Not for sale” would be a huge understatement here. Fortunately for West Seattle, the Ma’Ono family is happy to share with friends and guests. The special seasoning is sprinkled lightly over the taro chips that come with an assortment of classic ahi limu poke, miso-glazed shrimp poke, or even a creamy beef tartare poke for carnivores.

Courtesy of Ma'Ono

Seattle Fish Guys

With satisfyingly large portions and a sterling reputation for carrying some of the finest seafood in town, this fish market will make you think you're sitting on the shores of Lahaina. The tender tako (octopus) poke is sliced nice and thick, marinated delicately with seasoned shoyu, and blended perfectly with a side of seaweed and rice.

Gopoké

Come lunchtime, starved office workers descend upon Chinatown's only dedicated poke spot. Run by brothers from Hawaii with fishing connections, Gopoke presents its super-fresh, flavorful poke in a whimsical setting, and the staff are friendly, attentive, and eager to please. This is a serious contender for top poke place in town.

Coffee Tree and Poke

First Hill’s own little Hawaiian oasis, sleek Coffee Tree and Poke is an offshoot of nearby cafe Coffee Tree. You can still get Victrola coffee and craveable breakfast sammies, but now you have the option of a fresh bowl of raw fish, too. This is a welcome addition to a neighborhood not known for its food. Pro-tip: The spicy mayo is the right choice.

Poke Alice

It's pretty barebones, but Poke Alice quickly became the lunch break go-to for office workers in need of a fish fix thanks to quick service, helpful staff, and consistent quality. The menu is roughly in the Chipotle fast-casual presentation, with customization options to indulge personal tastes, and a second location now serves more of the lunch crowd in Denny Triangle.

Sushi Kashiba

For the best upscale poke in Seattle, try Sushi Kashiba in the Market. Sushi legend Shiro Kashiba stepped out of his second retirement to establish this high-end yet surprisingly cozy location, where sashimi-grade ahi is sliced into cubes in a picturesque tower and lightly sauced with a bright flying fish roe pop of color and texture.

Lara Douglass/Eater

Fob Poke Bar

Poke connoisseurs are falling for this recent Belltown addition. Any hype is well deserved, as the freshness of the ingredients lives up to the name (which stands for "fresh off the boat"), and the staff is quite knowledgeable. Sure, the tender ahi, salmon, and yellowtail go great with a special shoyu sauce, but even the house rice is strangely addicting, infused as it is with matcha green tea and coconut.

Metropolitan Market

The Magnolia Met Market was the trendsetter for grocery-store poke in Seattle. Now you can find the market’s signature poke mixtures at many locations, with a build-your-own bar full of tuna, salmon, octopus, shrimp, seaweed salad, rice, and more. While it's not the most inventive or gourmet poke in the city, it is the perfect staple for many a work lunch, take-home dinner, or quick craving.

45th Stop N Shop and Poke Bar

Behind the racks of candy bars and chips at this shop, there's a little poke bar, and it's driving fans wild. Seriously, this is probably the city's gold standard for poke, and everyone knows it. All the product is delivered daily by a local distributor, which removes the element of fear from convenience-store sushi. Make sure to get there early though. This place tends to run out of food before the day is done.

Hiroshi's Poke

Iconic Seattle sushi chef Hiroshi Egashira's latest venture is Hiroshi’s Poke, drawing hungry crowds for its oversized portions, friendly service, and some of the freshest fish around. Large, vibrant bowls of poke feature Hawaiian mainstays like lomi-lomi salmon (a tomato and salmon salad) alongside unexpected items like octopus kimchi.

Ono Poke

A poke haven for Seattle's northern denizens, Ono Poke wears its island influence on its sleeve, inviting guests to come say “Howzit” to Hawaiian owner and namesake Steven Ono. Instead of endless topping options, Ono hews to the traditional understanding of poke, serving minimal bowls of fresh fish marinated in a cool poke glaze or over a bed of rice. It might just be the closest thing to Hawaiian poke available on the mainland.

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