Pokeworks

The food is good whenever they have it more times than not when I’ve come 15 to 30 minutes before closing, they are out of tuna, kinda hard to make poke when you don’t have tuna and most of the basics of poke bowls (edamame, avocado, rice ) just the basics of any sort of poke been there multiple times 15 minutes or more before closing (they close at 8, they already one of the earliest to close in the shopping center) and the doors are locked and they’re cleaning up and shutting down. They make you feel like you’re an inconvenience when you come in 30 minutes before closing time. A bunch of high schoolers just wanting to go home early. Staff isn’t the friendliest most the time. I have had good food and good service handful of times but more times than not food and is mediocre if they have it and staff is mediocre.

Service was so kinda and friendly! Food was excellent as well? Definitely a top tier poke place! Got a choose your own protein bowl and it was really good!

The food was good, but I ordered a “handcrafted” cherry limeade and instead received a can of apple green tea? They never even communicated that it wasn’t available. Disappointed.

My go to place for Poke bowls, but lately it seems every time I’ve tried to order a bowl something is off. Most recently I was craving a large poke bowl last Friday and ordered a large with Ahi Tuna, Salmon and Spicy tuna. The fish was delicious and fresh totally worth it! But somehow the seaweed salad and ginger tasted old and stale. Almost like it’s been sitting out for too long. Maybe it was a one off, but next time I hope the staff can sample the ingredients and notice the taste differences. The young man serving me was very attentive and generous with the portions.

Great poke spot in Dana Point! I got the spicy tuna bowl and added crab and avocado. Good size bowl and portions so make sure to come hungry. They also have some new drinks that are really tasty, I recommend the mango coconut refresher with boba. Will be coming back! 🤙

Who’s craving Poke? Build your own Poke bowl at @pokeworksco Perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. The flavor of their customizable poke bowls exceeded our expectations! Super fresh salmon and ahi tuna (spicy and regular), great selection of sides, mix ins, sauces and toppings. Love the freshness of the seaweed salad!! The sauces were so good; especially the Umami Shoyu, Pokeworks Classic and Sriracha Aioli. The onion and garlic crisps give it a great crunch and texture. Love Hijiki Seaweed and shredded Nori!! The kale noodles were an extra charge. Worth it though. Perfectly al dente. Simple, fresh ingredients 🤙🏼 My new favorite Poke spot!

We pick up dinner from here every once in a while, probably only as often as it takes to forget the last experience and give them another chance. ..but then at pick up we remember: food not ready on time, portion so small it leaves you hungry at $25 a bowl (and I’m not even a big eater), orders almost always wrong with items missing. Today though, on top of all of the above the rice was also raw and uncooked. First bite scratched my throat, the rest of course just as inedible. Tuna is always fresh though, I’ll give them that.

Absolutely phenomenal! This poke spot is a hidden gem. The ingredients are incredibly fresh—every bite bursts with flavor. I built my own bowl and was impressed by the variety of toppings and sauces available. The fish was tender and high-quality, and the portions were generous. The staff was friendly and helpful, and the space had a clean, modern vibe. Whether you're a poke lover or trying it for the first time, this place is a must-visit. I’ll definitely be back!

Portion and flavoring was spot on with expectations. Very flavorful and filling. Tasted fresh but wasn't packed with utensils or chopsticks, making it 4 vs 5 stars. Had the perfect amount of spice. Ordered through DoorDash so can't comment on ambiance or service. But will definitely go in and experience this in person soon based on my delivery experience.

I think they fixed their plastic problem. Last time I was their everything was served in paper cardboard.

Was craving a poke bowl and this happen to be near by. I really enjoyed what I got, which was a rice bowl with tuna and spicy tuna. The mix of all of the sauces was a really flavorful blend. I also thought the quality of the tuna was good. I'd love to come back and try a spam musubi! The workers were super friendly as well here.

Terrible service. I understand it's close to closing time, but the attitude of being an inconvenience is bad. There was still 30 minutes to closing, she seemed unhappy that we ordered. When placing my order I asked for no onions on two of the burritos, she must have not heard me, which is okay things happen. I asked for it to be corrected, again the look of being bothered. I asked what sushi burrito they recommend, she recommend the yonzu ponzu, only it turns out they were out of a couple of the ingredients, she didn't mention it or offer to replace them with something else, it was only because I asked why they were missing that she mentioned, "oh yea we're all out." Considering the price, they should at least offer to sub the ingredients that are missing. The customer behind me comes in and gets offered free avocado and additional protein at no added cost (the lady making the bowl stated she was adding extra at no charge) to his order, but then again they seemed to know each other. I'm not looking for any free food, but at minimum what it states on the menu for the burrito, and wish the friendly service he got, was the same for us when we were very polite regardless.

I've really tried to give Pokéworks in Dana Point (next to Xenopoulos) the benefit of the doubt, but I'm officially done. I've been here multiple times hoping the experience would improve, but I'm continuously disappointed -- especially considering the price point. The portions are consistently small compared to other poké spots in the area, and what's worse is how often they're missing basic ingredients. One visit really stood out: they were out of cucumbers on the line (a pretty standard ingredient), but when I asked about it, they casually mentioned they had some in the back. I literally had to ask the guy to go cut them up for me -- which he did, but only after I pushed. Why should I be the one reminding the staff to offer complete ingredients? It just feels like the effort and care isn't there, and as a customer, that's frustrating. Poké is one of those meals that should feel fresh and customizable, not like you're settling. Unfortunately, that's exactly what I feel every time I leave this location -- like I settled. Hope they turn it around, but I won't be going back to find out.

Two pictures: 1) PokeWorks: -MEDIUM poke -$20 -Only 17 ounces 2) Kamea poke -SMALL poke -$15 -almost 25 ounces +MORE and BETTER quality fish Pokeworks still tastes good but it is a chain and the chain is there to make money. It's mostly rice. It's become very overpriced over the last two years and the bowls keep getting smaller. The fish is also not as fresh (although still good). I do think the customer service is great and the place is very clean. But after years of going here, it's time to move on to better food with better pricing. KAMEA and Kawamata poke shops are both better in every way

I've had multiple issues with this location, and after today, I'm done. Every time I order a large bowl through DoorDash, they send me a regular-sized bowl, despite me paying extra for the upgrade. This has happened repeatedly. On top of that, the fish is never fresh. It's always subpar, which is really disappointing for a poke spot. But what really made them lose my business is when they sent my order in a carton that was completely melted from the rice. It was honestly horrifying and a major safety concern. Not to mention, they charge $20 for a bowl! I can't recommend Poke Works at this location after these repeated issues. Very disappointing experience.

Overall my experience at this Pokeworks location was amazing. The quality of fish tasted fresh, the service from Jonathan and Randy was top notch, and the space was very clean. Will definitely be back!

Jonathon Sana manager of Pokeworks Laguna Niguel went above and beyond catering our wedding ceremony The reviews of the food were excellent especially the Spicy Ahi We would encourage anyone wanted to cater an event to use them

This place doesn't miss. I've been to several locations and this one is like the rest: reliably fresh poke. I took a break from the crazy pricey food at the Ritz while on a business trip and this spot fit the bill just right!

Subject: Severe Allergic Reaction After Consuming OG Shoyu Sauce - Urgent Attention Needed Dear Pokeworks Team, I am writing to report a very serious incident that occurred after I visited one of your locations in Los Angeles. I ordered a poke bowl and selected the OG Shoyu Sauce as part of my meal. Shortly after consuming the food, I experienced a severe allergic reaction that required emergency medical attention and transportation by ambulance to the hospital. I have eaten at Pokeworks before and have not experienced such a reaction, but this was the first time I selected the OG Shoyu Sauce, which I later learned may contain oyster extract, soy, sesame, or other strong allergens. I was not aware of these ingredients at the time of ordering, and there was no visible allergen warning specifically highlighting mollusks or sesame on the menu or packaging. I urge you to do the following: * Please review and update your allergen labeling and ingredient transparency, especially for sauces like OG Shoyu that may contain shellfish or sesame, which are among the most dangerous allergens. * Consider clearly marking high-risk ingredients on digital menus, in-store displays, and online ordering platforms. * Ensure that your staff is trained to assist customers with allergies and can provide ingredient lists upon request. This incident was extremely dangerous and could have been fatal. I am now under medical care and pursuing allergy testing to confirm the exact allergen. I kindly ask that you treat this message with the seriousness it deserves and provide a response regarding how Pokeworks will address this issue to protect future customers. Please do something Sincerely, Mireli Zamzamov My phone number 3105053037

Great quality poke and top customer service experience. Greeted with a smile and food was freshly prepared unlike other Poke places I've been. They have great choices and great flavors! Had a great experience and would recommend others to go to this specific location!

I was craving raw fish and searched for nearby poke spots. This chain fit the bill. I got a custom bowl with spicy tuna and salmon. The fish was fresh. I customized my toppings and sauce. Overall, it was an adequate poke bowl but it is small for $17. It is enough for 1 okay lunch but it's sad to see these tiny scoops of fish. Parking is easy near the theatre.

Come here often it's always consistently good. Endless options, friendly staff, and reasonable prices given the high quality of the poke. Big hack is sub ramen noodles for rice!

Who's craving Poke? Build your own Poke bowl at @pokeworksco Perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. The flavor of their customizable poke bowls exceeded our expectations! Super fresh salmon and ahi tuna (spicy and regular), great selection of sides, mix ins, sauces and toppings. Love the freshness of the seaweed salad!! The sauces were so good; especially the Umami Shoyu, Pokeworks Classic and Sriracha Aioli. The onion and garlic crisps give it a great crunch and texture. Love Hijiki Seaweed and shredded Nori!! The kale noodles were an extra charge. Worth it though. Perfectly al dente. Simple, fresh ingredients My new favorite Poke spot!

This is a great poke place with fresh fish and great sides for your poke bowl. I think they have the best fish in the neighborhood as far as poke goes.

New ownership and it shows! Generous portions of tasty poke. I had the Yuzu Ponzu Salmon and it was delightful!

Amazing service! Welcoming environment! New owners!!!! Food is absolutely delicious!!! We will be back again! Thank U Pokeworks for making me smile!

Fresh delicious. Good portion. Awesome staff. Went in right when they were about to close but they service us anyways.

First time went, rice was hard and old for some reason. tried one more time, and the portions were really not worth my $20.20 for a bowl. nah

I've been wanting to try this chain for some time and I was really happy with their fish quality! Walking in, you can see the quality of the fish, you can't go wrong choosing any of them. They have salmon, and tuna and then they have a marinated salmon, and tuna. I will say, we ordered 3 bowls and they consistently showed us that they give smaller scoops for marinated salmon and generous scoops for the plain fish. I deducted a star because I wish their portions were bigger, I was surprised how small the bowls were, the large bowl is the same size bowl, it's just one more scoop of fish. I do recommend this place! Everything was yummy, ingredients were great, service was nice, and you get to grab a table outside and enjoy your poke :)

So happy I decided to try this place last night. I will be coming back often. Loved the build your own poke bowl option. You are able to choose what kind of rice you want, fish and toppings. They have so many toppings to choose from such as edamame, avocado, corn, and ginger. They also have signature bowls to choose from. The service was excellent and the place was clean. There was the nicest girl working there who was very attentive and friendly. We will be coming by again to try other healthy options.

Picked up a poke bowl and a spam musubi for lunch. THE FOODS | They offer Hawaiian-style poke bowls, garlic spam musubi, and miso soup. - Poke Your Way | Large Poke Salad - Half Salad/Half Kale Noodles ($0.50 extra) with 3 Proteins. I selected salmon, ahi tuna, and spicy surimi with sriracha aioli on the side. Mixed in almost all the options because I like my poke bowls with different flavors and textures. The salmon is soft & velvety coated with sesame oil. The consistency of ahi tuna is a little more firm and a little less fishy than salmon. Spicy surimi is minced Wild Alaskan Pollock and mixed in their spicy sauce. It's quite tasty and has a little kick to it. Kale noodles are intentionally cold and it doesn't sit as heavy as pasta noodles. Overall, I appreciate the fresh ingredients and attention to detail. Side note, there's an option to torch the protein, but I'm stubborn to change and stuck with the protein as is. - Garlic Spam Musubi | Thinly sliced spam is placed above a generous portion of rice with shoyu sauce, crispy garlic, and wrapped by nori seaweed. Then, the whole thing is wrapped and secured in place by a cardboard strip with their name displayed on the front. The spam is salty goodness with which the rice counteracts as a balancing agent. My only suggestion is to serve larger slices of spam so we can experience the full flavor profile of that canned miracle. ORDERING LOGISTICS | I ordered off their app and signed up to accumulate points (spend $99 for $9 off). New customer sign-ups receive $5 off their next order. Their most enticing deal is $1.99 delivery fee if ordering through their app!

Since Ladera ranch location closed we decided to come to this location on 5/25 6:50pm. Mind you we live in Ladera so this is out of our way. There was a long line, more than one employee was working but other guy didn't come out to help out. Fine, we aren't in a hurry we can wait. The guy who was making our poke bowls was very stingy, barely put anything in the bowls, we actually had to ask to put more. As you all know when you are paying, they ask you if you want to tip, we didn't tip because of their bad service. So what does he do, give us a bad attitude. He totally ignores us when we said "thanks you, have a good night". You work for a tip, don't expect it. We are definitely NOT coming back to this location and no longer supporting this company. I won't be surprised if this location goes out of business as well.

Unfortunately just had the worst poke bowl I've ever had.. I was hesitant to even order because the proteins all looked like they'd been sitting out for 3 days. Grey tuna and the girl working clearly didnt know how to run the store. No chili oil, no eel sauce, no ginger, and top it all off with no forks stocked at the end. Such an embarrassment seeing the tip questions waiting after paying, do people really think I want to spend more money for 0 service and nasty food? Wish I saved the bowl post pictures but threw it away almost upon opening when I got home. Never again

fresh poke. great service. clean ambiance. super friendly staff. fresh salmon and tuna!!! amazing quality. their bowls are delicious. the ambience is perfect. a++++++

Everything was delicious! What even better was the service was amazing! Everyone working this days was very friendly and helpful.

Gotta say first and foremost this isnt about the food. The food is a solid healthy option and the portion isnt too bad for the price point. I have come here multiple times over the years, but last week when I went, I've never seen someone try to do something so slimy at the register before. The gentleman preparing my order was very nice at first, but when it came time to pay for my food he instructed me to tap the top left button on the device. This is the button to tip 15%, I didn't feel like this was necessary so I declined the tip to advance to the pay screen. Upon seeing this, he appeared visibly frustrated, said that I must have misheard him and restarted my checkout process. I again skipped the tip but this time tapped my card quickly so I could actually check out. When your employees are making above minimum wage, maybe ask them to not try to nickle and dime your customers!

Such a good poke spot, new ownership really turned this place around. Good portions and greate quality poke!

Great food and service! The portions were very filling. I'll definitely be returning.

Don't come here. Save your stomach. Felt sick soon after eating from here. Called to let the restaurant know since I ordered it online. Tried to get a refund and told me they don't do that and even doubted my sister and I were even sick from their food.

10/10 best poke spot in Dana! Portion sizes are great, super clean and friendly. Coming back!

Very friendly service from Justin and the staff, delicious healthy food, just wondering if they use any seed oil? taste great!!!

AMAZING! I must say, I've been here before but the bowls used to be smaller and I remember I didn't have the best first impression. Apparently it's under new ownership and it REALLY shows!! They have new bowls (generous portions) the fish was fresh and overall everything was delicious! Definitely recommend, best poke around the area. Will definitely come back more often now!

Stopped off here on my way up to Anaheim...I'm always open to eating poke and this place hit the spot! There is a decent amount of proteins to choose from but toppings choices were few. Staff was very attentive and nice, pricing was good and I was happy to see they had Hawaiian Sun on hand!

Service was nice but quality was sub par from other places I've had. It was just okay.

Food was amazing! The energy of the staff was great and I can't wait to go back. The restaurant was so clean. One of the best poke spots for sure!

Food is great and will come back for super friendly staff workers. Place is clean and very appealing!

This poke joint is pretty good! It is very busy and crowded. They have really good service though. The employees are so nice and patient explaining the steps, how to order and what they recommend that's popular. I built my own salad bowl with half rice and two portions of protein. Their sauce is nice and light and they have so many different toppings to choose from. The pineapple soft serve was a nice treat!

Good pokè is a great thing to find. This place is like the Chipotle of pokè. They have some premise options, but offer a full service build your own and have multiple options for all walks of life. I had the pokè burrito with spicy tube and salmon. It is a seaweed wrap with rice and your choice of toppings. I loaded it with a variety of veggies, spicy peppers, seaweed salad, crab salad, multiple crispy toppings, and two sauces! The variety they offer is great and can fulfill anyone's needs. My wife had the two protein bowl with white rice. Again same thing, so many veggies to choose from and a variety of sauces to customize. If you like sushi and looking for an alternative to a roll this is the spot! The also have Pokè Nachos that I was dying to try, but was too stuffed! For dessert they have a pineapple whip like what you find at a certain theme park in So Cal. Be sure to check in before ordering for a special treat!

What a fun first experience with a poke bowl. I wouldn't have thought that I could eat anything at a poke place given that I am currently pregnant but they actually had options for me! I got the steamed shrimp and chicken and they torched the shrimp too. The ponzu citrus sauce was delicious. The meal was fresh and light - I did base of half rice and half mixed greens. Husband enjoyed the salmon and tuna bowl. Our toddler really liked our bowls and actually ate a good portion of both of ours. He was definitely a fan of the oranges and edamame. But the highlight of the meal was trying their desserts: pineapple dole whip and the coco mango Haupia! These were incredible! I'm glad I got a spoonful of each to try because the boys polished them off very quickly and were all smiles afterwards. Will look forward to returning and trying it again.

Stopped by for a quick meal and it was absolutely delicious, service was excellent, and the fish was fresh. Definitely recommend checking out!

Love this place! Great, friendly service. The Food is fresh and delicious! We eat this weekly or biweekly on average because it's healthy and satisfying. Definitely worth a try!

Officially done with pokeworks. The inconsistency in orders when purchased through their app for pickup is astonishing. Ordered a regular bowl yesterday for pickup and got home to realize there were 0 scoops of protein (despite being one of the first and main steps), no surimi salad and no edamame. It appears that something is always missing but to have half of the selected ingredients missing this time around, including the protein choices, is unacceptable. Called back to inform them of their mistake to find out they had all the items available, just decided to not include it in my order. Their only way to rectify the issue is for me to drive all the way back to have them then add the missing ingredients. I'd rather not and instead, will not be returning to Pokeworks in the future. Tired of the constant mistakes with this one being the final straw. Save your money and time and try one of the many poke spots nearby (wow poki, kamea poke, poki tiki,etc)

Yes, another poke place has sprouted up in South OC, but when I learned that Chef Sheldon Simeon was the brain child behind it, I knew I had to check it out! Chef Sheldon is well-known on the Hawaiian islands, specifically Maui where he is the chef owner of Maui Tin Roof. You may also recognize his name from Bravo's TV Show, Top Chef. Pokeworks is located in the Ocean Ranch Village shopping center in Laguna Niguel. They're strategically located right next to the Cinepolis movie theater, giving them plenty of opportunity to draw in the movie crowd. It's a small hole in the wall with no seating inside, but quite a few tables outside. They just opened this location last week, which may explain the few Yelp reviews thus far. Plenty of parking is available in the shopping center. I was greeted by an outgoing, friendly girl named Chelsea. Come to find out, she used to live on the Big Island, which may explain why she really had that aloha spirit! This is your typical poke bowl place where you select your base, protein, toppings, etc. They have a few different sauces that I had never tried before, such as Umami Shoyu (honey bonito infused soy), and different mix-ins, such as ogo seaweed, hijiki seaweed and mandarin oranges. They also had unique toppings such as lotus chips and macadamia nuts, which definitely lean towards the poke bowls that you might find in Hawaii. They also have the typical toppings, including avocado, which was a bit expensive at $1.50 for a small scoop. I had asked for my bowls to go, and since my hubby wouldn't be eating his bowl until later, she put the rice in one bowl and the fish/toppings in another bowl so that I could put the fish in the frig without getting the rice cold. Chelsea also gave me a different sauce that she recommended to try with my salad, which was very nice. But what REALLY stood out was I had noticed that they sold Coco Mango Haupia. I mentioned that I used to live on the islands for many years and loved haupia, and she gave me one for free! Who does that?! When I finally got home and dug into my poke bowl, I have to say that it wasn't the most amazing bowl I ever had. I thought that the different toppings would add some excitement to my bowl, but unfortunately it didn't. I'd give the overall poke bowl 4 stars. My husband got the sushi rice as his base, but the rice tasted just like regular rice. In terms of pricing, it's a bit steeper than most places. My husband got a large bowl with avocado and his came out to $15. I got the regular bowl for $10.95. Total came out to $27.96 with tax, and then adding tip put it over the $30+ mark for 2 poke bowls. Ouch. Service, however, was exceptional. Chelsea gives a great first impression, and Chef Sheldon should be proud of the friendly team members at the Laguna Niguel location.

Second time coming here, haven't been back since over a year but nothing has changed. The portions are so good over here they don't skimp out on the protein at all. The fish is of really fresh quality. I really like that they offer Thai chillis, it changes the flavor in a good way. And customer service is always A1.

Love love this place on Golden Lantern, Dana Point!! . It's my 3rd time and the service is always great! Clean and very friendly staff! My favorite is the Salmon bowl with all the works!

Absolutely love this place but can y'all maybe reconsider the bowl? Like how am I suppose to eat it without it spilling out

Amazing service; very caring and courteous. And yeah poke was awesome. Got my order done in perfect time