Mike L.
Yelp
Whenever I do research on a restaurant on Yelp, it's not all that different than what anyone else would do - read about the experiences friends and fellow Yelpers have had, flip through the photos, and read through the menu. One last thing I make a point of doing, though? Checking out how their rating is trending (the little "details" box next to their overall average). It's one thing when you see a place consistently getting the same rating over and over again. It's another when you see a pattern of decline. Which, sadly, seems to be the case with Poke Origin. To think, I used to really like this place too!
Even though I never got around to posting review after first trying Poke Origin a couple of years ago, it was never because I couldn't decide if they were good or not. Rather, I just couldn't figure out just how many stars to give! For me, it was pretty clear that they were deserving of a good review. Not only was my poke bowl sizable, but their menu of choices was very extensive (they've even got lobster tail!), the fish was fresh, and the condiments/toppings all looked terrific. Quite simply, everything tasted great. What's more, the workers were all super friendly and nice!
-- LARGE POKE BOWL #1 - Sushi White Rice, Salmon, Tuna, Imitation Crab, Avocado (+$1), Seaweed Salad, Red Onions, Wasabi, Furikake, and Fried Garlic Chips with Mild House Poke Sauce
(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/poke-origin-san-francisco-2?select=0C4PCfRn4X6iTum0qvTyaA)
Fast forward to this last visit and, unfortunately, the experience wasn't nearly as impressive. Coincidentally, my order was almost identical to what I got the first time I came here - a LARGE POKE BOWL with Sushi White Rice, Salmon, Tuna, Octopus, Avocado (+$1), Seaweed Salad, Red Onions, Wasabi, Furikake, and Fried Garlic Chips with Mild House Poke Sauce and Spicy Aioli ($13.99). While the bowl was just as loaded as I remember, the taste of everything was just okay. The salmon was fine, but the tuna didn't seem quite as fresh, the octopus was squishy, and the sauces didn't mesh (though, that's more on me). Even the sushi rice was a little off (it was mushier than I recall).
-- LARGE POKE BOWL #2 - Sushi White Rice, Salmon, Tuna, Octopus, Avocado (+$1), Seaweed Salad, Red Onions, Wasabi, Furikake, and Fried Garlic Chips with Mild House Poke Sauce and Spicy Aioli
(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/poke-origin-san-francisco-2?select=p5taVns6ldTvxU6pDLyy0w)
Beyond the food, the service here didn't seem quite as stellar. For as warm and welcoming as it was the first time around, things felt more robotic in a sense. That's not to say they failed or anything; it's just that the process felt more transactional than personable - take order slip, mix ingredients, assemble bowl, add toppings, ring order at register. Still, this was far better than the reverse (being nice but getting orders), so I guess this would qualify as more of an observation than a complaint.
All in all, had I finished this review right after that first visit, this would've easily been a four star review (I debated on giving five stars). Now, it's more like a three - not bad, just not amazing. Still, as much as I bemoan how Poke Origin isn't as good as it used to be, they're nowhere near awful and certainly better than the poke options near my office. It's also possible that this last trip was more of an aberration. Either way, I imagine I'll be back at some point, whether to try some of their more unique options (lobster tail, snow crab) or to just give them another shot. When I do, hopefully it'll be more like my first visit and less like my last!