Poke Papa

Hawaiian restaurant · Downtown

Poke Papa

Hawaiian restaurant · Downtown

3

806 H St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Photos

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Poke Papa by Poke Papa/Facebook
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Poke Papa by null
Poke Papa by null
Poke Papa by null
Poke Papa by null
Poke Papa by null
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Poke Papa by null
Poke Papa by null
Poke Papa by null
Poke Papa by null
Poke Papa by null
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Poke Papa by null
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Highlights

Hawaiian-inspired raw fish & rice bowls, with sauce & topping options, in industrial-mod storefront.  

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806 H St NW, Washington, DC 20001 Get directions

pokepapa.com

$$ · Menu

Information

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806 H St NW, Washington, DC 20001 Get directions

+1 202 393 7653
pokepapa.com
𝕏
@PokePapaBowls

$$ · Menu

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dine in
takeout
delivery
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Last updated

Mar 4, 2025

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@eater

"Located right in the heart of Chinatown, Poke Papa lets guests create their own poke bowls or stick with pre-set options. Extras include miso soup, mango snow ice, and musubi in two different styles. That includes the Original, a seared Spam and sushi rice wrapped in nori, or the spicier Volcano, made with scallion, crispy fried onion, and a spicy aioli. As one of the cheapest on this list, musubi is a no-brainer poke bowl addition or takeout snack by itself. Price: Starts at $3 per piece" - Abi Newhouse

Where to Spot Spam Musubi Around D.C.
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@eater

"Another restaurant with both existing and make-it-yourself options, this homegrown poke spot has grown into three locations (Chinatown, Foggy Bottom, and Bethesda). It takes cues from not only Hawaiian, but Thai and Korean cuisines as well." - Missy Frederick, Travis Mitchell

Where to Eat Poke Around D.C.
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@eater

"Homegrown Poke Papa is not afraid to be creative with poke, providing diners with a wide range of ingredients to choose from. Build-your-own bowls come with two to four scoops of featured proteins — think: chicken larb and tofu — and the freedom to mix and match sauces, toppings, and garnishes. Poke Papa also has several preset combinations to make ordering easier." - Travis Mitchell

The 13 Hottest New Grab-and-Go D.C. Restaurants to Try Right Now
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Noah Poirier

Google
Tight seating but amazing food! I really love the volcano bowl (super hot). Definitely stop here for a nice lunch :) Big portions, so I'd recommend splitting with someone (I eat a lot).

K. G. A. O.

Google
First time at a poke place and the experience was fantastic! The staff were incredibly patient, nice, and helpful. The food was delicious, especially the bowl I customized myself. Their tuna options, toppings, and sauces were all top-notch. A must-they’re coconut shavings to top off your bowl, but to each their own. Drink Strawberry 🍓 Teajito with Mango 🥭 Pearls

Dane Martel

Google
Don't give alot of 5 star reviews but holy moly they got the recipe down pat. It's healthy and tasty poke! Right in the heart of DC. I wouldn't really change anything except Maybe it's a wee bit pricey and clean the tables more often? But otherwise highly recommend to everyone who loves poke and Hawaiian food I'm DC

Shivani K

Google
Order at the screen. Make your own bowl option. Fresh and delicious poke bowls.

Said Durrah

Google
Great spot for some amazing poke. Clean place with many toppings and options to make it your own. The Volcano bowl with spicy tuna is my favorite as you can see in the photo! Great spot you should try.

Rebecca Krauss Giacomelli

Google
Friendly and quick service, with a big selection of toppings for customizing a bowl. Haven't tried any of the preset bowl recipes but some look like cool combinations - the make your own has been very good.

Tommaso Giampapa

Google
Sleek and chic, Poke Papa offers flavorful, zesty bowls in a cozy environment. Staff are kind and welcoming, especially for someone with allergies. As a first time customer, they offered samples of the various proteins to try, and their recommendations make for especially delicious combinations. A bit pricey, but worth the money. A regular size bowl was filling, without leaving me bloated and uncomfortable. Definitely happy to have stopped by!

Mike Horn

Google
Good food and service. The bubble tea was good. The poke bowl was delicious

Roxy H.

Yelp
Best poke build I've ever done. They have tons of proteins to choose from. I got ceviche shrimp and shrimp. The choices for add ins were terrific. Then you pick crab salad or seaweed. You know I picked both no additional charge. The amount of toppings were also great like fried onions, tempura, Masago, Fujitake. The sauce selections. Chefs kiss!! I am headed there again now. lol.

Larissa J.

Yelp
Stopped by for a quick bite before catching a movie nearby. I was craving poke, so I just searched for the closest poke place. Service was swift, and the poke bowl that I got was pretty good. It's definitely one of the more expensive poke places I've ever been to, and I'm hesitant to say that the food is worth the price, even though it was good. But to fulfill my craving, I was willing to do anything!

Ziyan C.

Yelp
Pretty good Poke spot, we got delivery for a last minute dinner. The cost was $70 total for two 2-scoop bowls and one Poke Free Bowl. Lomi Homie - 3.5 stars Salmon very fresh & soft. Too much crab salad. Spicy Ahi, Lomi Salmon - 4 stars Overall good, sushi rice was nice if a bit hard. Spam Masubi - 3 stars Way, way, way too spicy!

Ramez W.

Yelp
Poke papa is a legit poke spot right in the heart of dc, not too far from the Verizon center. I'm going to start with the good: 1) the ingredients here are high quality. Everything from the ahi tuna, salmon and imitation crab meat is a quality. 2) the manager here is a really cool dude. He's positive and he's always got a good attitude. I know he's been there for a while. 3) the place has a decent amount of tables if you want to eat in. The negatives: 1) it's definitely on the pricier side. It's $20 for medium bowl of poke so it's an upscale bite for sure. 2) the flavors are not great. The bowl doesn't really mesh well together and I think it lacks an overall taste component. There are a million sauces and it's hard to choose the right one. I got the wasabi shoyu, ginger and sweet chili. I think there was a lack of sauce for sure. Good service, good quality ingredients but again at $20 it's for me to give this any more than a 3/5 stars. Maybe the signature bowls are a decent option.

Brian S.

Yelp
A fresh food option served fast, it was delicious. The place wasn't too busy and the workers kept busy cleaning so, I'm sure the health score extends beyond the food. I got a pretty decent portion for a few extra bucks compared to a fast food combo meal. I'd take it any day.

Song K.

Yelp
6 stars if it were possible. I was staying in DC for a couple days. I had papa poke two out of the 3 days i was there. The ingredients were fresh. The service was prompt, especially with online ordering. Pricing wise, it seemed steep at first but you get so much food its so worth it. I would caution to only get like 1 sauce, 2 max. They tend to absolute douse the bowl so less is more here.

Sam M.

Yelp
Consistently delicious and quick, Poke Papa has never let me down. The portions are great for the price too!

Kay K.

Yelp
Visited Poke Papa today for lunch and had an amazing experience! I did a build your own bowl with white rice, and two scoops of protein. I got both the spicy tuna and ahi tuna, both were delicious. There are so many sauces to pick from, and I tried 4 different ones ($.25 each, worth it). I got multiple sprinkles on mine, and so many good veggies. I also got a Thai milk tea which was made to order and was so delicious.

Gloria A.

Yelp
Why did I go back?! I picked one of the preset bowls that they highly recommend on the menu---but the woman kept asking me over and over again what toppings, and what I wanted. Still not very flavorful. Brown rice was good.

Rachel B.

Yelp
I just ordered delivery of Poke Papa, but it was so good that I think it will be my new place for take-out poke orders. The ingredients were fresh! And I loved the marinated salmon and tuna. The sauces are also really good, and I like that you get to choose a couple different ones. I always like to do a customized bowl. I've ordered here twice, and both orders have been awesome!

Serena X.

Yelp
Nice ambiance, and stopped by because a lot of other restaurants in the area were a bit too busy. The portion sizes are alright, but their service was unfortunately a bit inconsistent. My bowl was made much smaller than my friend's bowl, but the actual poke quality was good!

Sydney F.

Yelp
Fresh flavors. Really enjoyed all of the ingredients together, props to me! Ordered with uber eats so not much to say about the service, but it did come quickly.

Brent O.

Yelp
Great place for a quick poke hit. Just like subway pick your choices as you go. Staff was friendly and helpful. Chill atmosphere.

Amy B.

Yelp
Found this while wandering around while my son was at his dance convention and wow it was sooooo good. I love poke places like this and they had more protein options then our local one with better prices. If this was close to me I would be there all the time. Super cute inside and friendly staff

Sydney G.

Yelp
Came here to treat myself to birthday lunch last month and really enjoyed it! I tried ordering from the website ahead of time but for some reason it doesn't include any of the boba options, so I had to place a second order when I got there just for that. The online site could be improved to include both (since the touch screens when you arrive include both). They quickly put together my custom poke bowl and boba tea to go. There was a long line for folks ordering in the store, but using the online system/kiosk was a lot faster. The poke was fresh and delicious and hit the spot. Boba was perfectly sweet and with tons of flavor. I'll definitely be back!

Justine T.

Yelp
I made my own bowl with scallops and ceviche and it was good! The ingredients were fresh and worked well together. I didn't like how soggy my rice and bowl got (probably from the ceviche), so I would choose different proteins next time. The service was pretty fast despite the lunch rush. The tables/seats were close together and cramped, so I would only come back for takeout.

Nicole O.

Yelp
I've been obsessed with poke bowls ever since my recent trip to Hawaii. I saw this place pop up on Uber eats, saw the highly rated reviews, and decided to try it out for myself. I got the volcano bowl - I love spice, and this definitely hit the spot. It's a good amount of spice, with the right combination of sauces and flavors. I recommend getting some of the lava sauce on the side if you want to turn it up a notch. I also ordered the spam musubi, which was just alright. The order was packaged well, which I always appreciate. I could also tell that they use high quality, fresh ingredients. They didn't get my order completely right, so I'm docking a star for that. Otherwise, I would absolutely recommend eating here if you want some good, quality poke.

Shruthi M.

Yelp
This place is so good. I'm so glad I found it. It's really good quality poke and amazing service. I will keep coming back. The ambience is pretty fast casual but the value is really good for the amount you pay.

Mary T.

Yelp
One of my favorite poke places in DC that I'm surprised I don't go here more! It helps that they also have boba - so many choices of milk and fruit teas and with the most fun names like "Taro Reading," "Oreo Speedwagon," and "I'm Your Biggest Flan!" I like the taro and honeydew. Make a hard right when you enter and you can see the boba menu & make an order on the touchscreen. For the poke they really load up your bowl with toppings which makes it feel worth the price. On my most recent visit tried the spicy salmon volcano bowl and it was yummy. Fast and convenient, great fast casual option in Chinatown! Come here after a study sesh at the library, a break from the portrait gallery, of if you just find yourself wandering.

John S.

Yelp
I've been going to Poke Papa since they opened, and even though the DC poke scene has expanded and I've moved away from DC, I always look to return to Papa when I come back to DC. Their poke quality, portion sizes and number of ingredients to choose from makes them the best. Bonus points for having Stubborn Soda. Don't forget the free miso soup my fellow Yelpers, it's actually quite good.

Erica R.

Yelp
I am a sucker for some good poké. I am in DC for a work conference and I saw this spot while I was walking around and decided to check it out. They have very fresh ingredients and a LOT to choose from. The prices are very reasonable. You can build your own bowl or go with one that has been crafted by the restaurant. I built my own and everything was perfection. The staff is very friendly and the space is bright and clean with fun window seats so you can watch DC life while you dine. I am definitely glad I stopped in!

Cree G.

Yelp
At work and decided to give this place a try ! I wanted something sweet so I went for boba tea . First walking in to the place I seen it was not a lot of people sitting down but that's ok . If you want to order food you get in a line to your left . If you want to order boba you order from the screen by the wall . Since it was my first time hard time trying to decide on what to drink . The ambience is nice and welcoming the people working were nice and answered any questions I might have . I went with brown sugar baby . It's good but definitely sweet to me . Will I be back ? Oh definitely I will !

Nikita D.

Yelp
I was looking for a boba place in the area and stumbled upon poke papa. Unfortunately, I didn't get a poke bowl during this visit but the boba knocked it out of the park. They have a few signature drinks as well as traditional boba milk and fruit tea flavors. The boba was delicious without being too sweet. I also tried the volcano spam musubi which was was not spicy but still had good flavor. I would definitely return to try a poke bowl and other boba flavors.

Anthony N.

Yelp
4/5! Decided to stop by this place and give it a try before the Wizards game, as I was craving some Poke. Didn't think too much of it, but I was happy I came here! The Food: I went with a regular Poke bowl that included 3 proteins and unlimited toppings. I chose the Spicy Tuna, Spicy Salmon and Lomi Salmon. All the proteins were good in their own way, fresh and nicely portioned! They had a ton of toppings for you to get as well, some cost extra but the free offerings will do just fine! The Service: Service was great! The line wasn't long and they got us in and out within a fast pace! Prices are a little high for a poke bowl, but it is DC. The Atmosphere: Restaurant was nice, plenty of seating and was clean. Not much else to say. Overall, a 4/5! Pretty good poke spot for being near the Capital One Arena. Good portions and good service,

Megan W.

Yelp
Definitely a dependable boba spot, but not the best in DC. Poke Papa gives me more of a "restaurant chain" vibe, where the service is not personable and the quality is short of amazing. The portion sizes here aren't huge, even if your order extra scoops of protein. They aren't very generous with rice, which is arguably the cheapest component of the meal, or the toppings. I visited with two teenage boys, and they were still hungry after each having their individual bowls. The restaurant itself was very busy; there were barely any open tables for my party of three. Tables that did open up were a little dirty, since customers are expected to clean up their area. With all the poke options in DC, this wouldn't be my top pick.

Mel Y.

Yelp
This review is just for the Boba. Solid Boba, skinny containers, decent price You order at the kiosks while the regular ordering at the counter is for poke. They offer the usual teas and smoothies with customization available for toppings, temperature, amount of ice, and sugar quantity. As I had just been to Gong cha nearby the day before, my thoughts were fresh for a comparison. The milk Boba turned out to be slightly cheaper (just under $6) than gong cha and tasted less watery but also wonder if 25% sugar turned out to be more sugar. Service was pretty fast and you receive a text when your order is ready. Solid Boba within a shortish walk of Chinatown, convention center and museums and Washington monument within a mile.

Sharon W.

Yelp
I've been here a few times and I have to say this is better than DC Poke. Fresh ingredients and a boba tea place inside. Pow tea shop and Poke Papa are great combined together. Fast service and has a very clean restroom and tables are kept spotless. After any convention or during I come here for a healthier option then con food.

Greg N.

Yelp
Ate here two more times this weekend, while here on business at the Mariott Marquee and convention center. Enjoyed 1/2 and 1/2 brown rice and salad poke with a couple of scoops of spicy tuna. Added crab salad, pineapple, avocado, onions, jalapeño, cucumber, spicy aioli, spicy ponzu, sesame seeds and perhaps something else ... Always great service, food and cleanliness.

Maggie L.

Yelp
The service is quick! Very convenient spot And the food is nice too Good place for poke

Angela K.

Yelp
This meal was a little disappointing. I got the small white rice bowl that comes with 2 protein toppings. The rice is generous and the protein was sufficient in amount, but I got the raw plain tuna and salmon and they had a pretty strong fish taste. I'm usually not sensitive to raw fish tastes at all but I had to pick out the protein this time... They barely put any sauce on my bowl even when I mixed it the bowl tasted pretty bland. For toppings there's a lot to choose from but I feel they don't put enough because after I mixed everything, I got mouthfuls of rice and fish but didn't really taste the toppings. I'm not sure if skimping on the toppings and sauce is because of the inflation right now but I expected more and probably won't be going here again.

Vanessa B.

Yelp
Made to order poke bowl without charging xtra for all the good toppings. Also enjoyed that they offered chicken and beef options for kids that are not yet fond of poke. Efficient online ordering and close location to the hotel I was staying at made it a great option. Ate here twice while in town for a conference.

Tessa A.

Yelp
We've been long time costumers of Poke Papa and I am disappointed to say that this will be our last time visiting the establishment. We arrived about 30 minutes before close and they still had plenty of toppings left. What I have always loved about Poke Papa is that you get your money's worth. However, tonight I was given teaspoons of each topping I had asked for. When I asked for a little more they said "it'll be 50 cents extra for each topping". I know there is a supply issue, yada yada yada, but when you increase your prices and DECREASE your portion size that is where the problem lies. I have no issue paying more due to shift in economy but I would expect the portion size to at least remain the same. Taking advantage of customers will never sit well with me. Please take this into consideration!

Phoebe D.

Yelp
One of the best places for poke in DC! The portion is huge (I got the regular bowl with 3 scoops of protein) and they have a great selection of toppings. I got the ahi poke, regular salmon, and the spicy Korean mix, and the fish tasted very fresh and was marinated well. The price is also super reasonable considering how much they give. I love how there's a boba shop within the store also - super convenient to grab poke and a drink while you're there. They had a lot of specialty drinks, like the I'm Your Biggest Flan, which was delicious, although they don't let you make it less sweet (but they let you make it more sweet??). I also tried the longan honey green tea with sea salt creme which was very good as well.

Constance L.

Yelp
Stopped by in the late afternoon for a snack and the spam musubis were perfect! Regular spam musubi is $3 and is just spam, rice, and seaweed. "Volcano" musubi is $3.50 and has spicy aioli, green onion, crispy onion, spam, rice, and seaweed. I got this one and it was really good! Not too spicy and satisfied my craving.

Meg S.

Yelp
My favorite poke place in DC (and I feel like I have tried them all!) great fresh food, lots of toppings options, couldn't be better! Thank you!!!

Scott W.

Yelp
My kids love this place and want to go whenever they visit. Parking can be a little difficult because it's in DC but I usually find a spot within a block or two. The staff are always friendly and the place is clean. There's adequate seating so you can eat inside. There's a wide selection of bowls and ingredients to choose from. I usually get the khing chicken, while my wife gets the spicy salmon and ahi tuna. Love all the vegetables.

Ethan G.

Yelp
I was really in the mood for something light and fresh and stumbled across Poke Papa. I had passed by it before, but had never really gone inside. My loss. Like wow, this place was incredible. The best part, aside from the taste, is that they have so many options for what you can get on your bowl. I did the build your own bowl and I appreciated how patient the staff were with me as I asked about half of the menu items. The price is reasonable for what you're getting and the additional free toppings (ex. seaweed salad, crab salad) really let you feel like you're making the most of your money. What I love how is fresh the food is. All the ingredients are well prepared, vibrant, well, and well portioned. I was so satisfied with my poke bowl, I got a Spam musubi to go and that was also pretty incredible (and cheap). I need to come back.

Maria M.

Yelp
Went back again...had the same thing...and it was even better this time...the ceviche not only had shrimp and scallops...it also had perfectly size chunks of fresh octopus, perfectly marinated in the lime juice and fresh herbs. . Delicious!!

Jeremy P.

Yelp
Built my own poke bowl, just how I like it. Comparable to other poke places I've been to. Service was fast and friendly. Food was good.

liz g.

Yelp
Food was disappointing. Came here with a friend because of the good Yelp reviews but was throughly unimpressed with both my bowl and my spam musubi. The musubi was cold as if it was sitting out for awhile and the spam was cold and sliced thinly. My bowl was okay, nothing to write home about. In general, the food was disappointing and overpriced. I won't be returning unfortunately.

Rohan N.

Yelp
Had Poke Papa again recently and enjoyed the bowl. The ingredients taste fresh and are well prepared. There is also a wide range of vegetable options that you can add to your bowl free of charge. The seaweed salad is a particular highlight. One drawback of this place is that the protein scoops aren't very big; the value for money comes from the range of toppings more than it does from the proteins. Overall, this is one of the better poke options in DC and a good way to eat something fresh and healthy for a decent price.

Rose B.

Yelp
Delicious poke and boba! I highly recommend the welcome to the jungle tea. The poke bowls are large and very filling. One of my favorite spots to eat in DC. When I visited there was also an option to order from a touch screen instead which I felt was a nice option.

Verina B.

Yelp
Very good poke with lots of variety. Everything was super fresh and delicious. I get why people love this place

Reppin H.

Yelp
Attention: your mango has GONE BAD. I have ordered from this place several times for late night dinner in the office. Today the mango topping looked slimey and I took a bite and had to spit it out immediately. The smell, taste, and consistency are telling--these have gone bad. Since it was touching a quarter of the bowl, I ended up throwing it away. It appears that this is a mistake, and I hope you discard the whole batch immediately so no other customers eat them:

Nooshi B.

Yelp
We were so lucky to stumble in here after the sushi restaurant we initially went to was closed. The service here was fantastic and the gentleman helping me gave me a rundown of flavors and what would work best with my bowl. They give beyond generous portions, my bowl could have easily fed 2 people. The fish was fresh and the flavors were excellent. I loved their drink selection; everything from Bubble to Coconut water was available. You can also get 1 free Miso Soup or Mochi with a Yelp Check In! This place was so busy on a Tuesday afternoon, tons of to-go orders!

Sara Z.

Yelp
Excellent poke spot! I remember coming here shortly after it opened about 5 years ago and being very impressed with the value and quality. I recently came in for lunch and was still impressed with the quality, although it was more expensive than I remember (not faulting them, inflation is what it is). I do love that you get so many protein options within 1 bowl and the toppings and sauces are very tasty. I ordered ahead of time on the toast app and when I picked it up, it was ready. So convenient! Now that I work 2 blocks away, I'll certainly be stopping in more often. I may consider a smaller bowl because I was stuffed for hours after the regular one. Although a little on the expensive side, you are getting quality ingredients and a decent portion size. It's definitely worth stopping in!

Sophie H.

Yelp
The best poke! whenever I go to DC, I come here for fresh Poke. They have many different sauces with wonderful combination and ingredient are very fresh especially fishes. Always crowded but can enjoy quick fresh yummy lunch. (Don't charge extra fee for half and half base, which is very nice)

Justin W.

Yelp
I made my own poke bowl (forget exactly what I put in now) and also got their cherry bomb drink. Both were delicious! I felt like I got a nice amount of the add ins I selected and enjoyed eating everything

Vincent X.

Yelp
Stopped by this poke shop right next to Chinatown. Terrific service & the menu has tons of customization. We got one of the preset bowls as wel as a build your own. The tuna and salmon were both marinated deliciously and super fresh. Definetly would recommend you get your bowl with sushi rice as it adds the right amount of acidity. For toppings, I would highly suggest the seaweed salad, edamame, and/or pickled red onions! They also have individually packaged spam musubi for sale. All around very high quality and delicious food! PLUS they have a boba tea shop inside called Pow Tea. Super high quality boba tea. I got the strawberry teajito which was a tea variant of a mojito. Super delicious and refreshing given the hot weather.