Smokin Fire Fish

I had been craving poke bowl and this hit the spot. I got 1949 bowl and my husband got Seoul bowl. We both got it house style, which came with lots of yummy toppings. The Korean fried chicken was also very good. The service was friendly and food came fast. We enjoyed every single bite!

Smokin Fire Fish is THE Hawaiian restaurant in Portland. It was Hawaii in Portland!! Poke was delicious. Kids got the meat platters and they loved it! Kalua pork was very moist and soft. I liked it much better than the ones from an Luau. And Bulgogi was perfectly marinated for one of our picky eaters.

Really enjoyed the poke here! The portions were really big and was well worth the $$. The amount of fish they give you is a lot more than any other poke place. Both the Honolulu and 1949 were delicious! I wasn’t a fan of the wings, they were too salty. I would still recommend this place to others! Definitely want to come back and try the lunch plates!

Excellent food, friendly and quick service. Ordered to go and was delicious at home. The kalua pork was juicy, the Mac salad was not too saucy and lots of good pickles on the side. The poke and taro chips was by far our favorite and it was only an appetizer. The Kare fried rice was cooked well and tasted amazing. Can't wait to go back and try other options.

Poke was decent. Avocado, shrimp tempura musubi, Asian salad and flan was delicious. We had build you own poke bowl with Honolulu, Seoul and Køolina poke. Little too much salt for our taste. The vibe of the place was chill.

We are lucky to live so close to the best Hawaiian restaurant in the city. Every time we go it’s straight delicious. Service is friendly and food is made with care and comes out quickly. It’s always so empty when we’ve been tho, makes us nervous we will lose this gem. Please come in and dine here! Free parking at New Seasons makes it easy. You will not be disappointed and you will be helping keep a family owned and delish restaurant open for all to continue to enjoy!! Thank you!

Chris Cooks and attends with love! The food is amazing! We ordered the 2 meat Lunch special with Spicy Bulgogi and Oven Rosted Kaula Pork, Spam masubis, and a Honolulu (house style)

Chris is a rockstar! His food never disappoints! Whether you want comfort food or refreshing food- he’s got it. 11/10 always. I crave this stuff. I always get the Honolulu (house style) and the spam musubi. We also got the wings this time around. So juicy and flavorful. Chris will always keep me coming back with his delicious food. ❤️🤤

It doesn't get any more authentic or delicious than Smokin Fire! Their new location is a bright red food cart on the corner of Mississippi and Interstate so it's hard to miss. There's plenty of outdoor seating and the Hawaiian music sets a nice vibe. I had the Honolulu Poke - Hawaiian style and loved it. Super duper fresh ahi. Not too spicy. Perfectly cooked rice. And the medium size portion was so big I'm not sure I could tackle the large. Not into poke? Check out the daily specials for cooked things too. The chef/owner told me that beer (from Maui Brewing of course) was gonna be available soon. Definitely worth a visit to this little island outpost.

Did you know: The Hawaiian plate lunch has an intriguing history that dates back to the late 1800s when plantation workers needed a hearty and affordable meal to sustain them during long days in the fields. The evolution of Hawaiian culture fascinates me endlessly. Polynesian native traditions intermingled with pan-Asian influence to create the Hawaii we know today. So it makes a lot of sense that the plate lunch greatly resembles Japanese Bento. The meal traditionally consists of two scoops of rice, macaroni salad, and a meat dish made from either chicken, pork, or beef. I highly suggest you check out Smokin Fire Fish if you haven't been. The restaurant has evolved through several iterations, including their Broadway location pre-covid. They offer a unique take on the traditional Hawaiian plate lunch by infusing it with the flavors of the Pacific Northwest. Their plates include perfectly cooked rice, creamy macaroni salad that is both tangy and sweet, and a choice juicy and flavorful meats like Kalua pork, Korean fried chicken, teriyaki chicken and more. You should definitely try mixing and matching different combos to create your own plate lunch experience. The current ghost kitchen popup on N Russell shares a space with Tamale Boy and a neighboring bar, creating a fascinating collaborative environment that offers a mix of food and drink perfect for a fun night out. There is plenty of outdoor seating, bar seating, and tables in an interior corridor space, and you'll find parking a breeze with lots of options in the neighboring blocks.

This is a late review for their food truck and I must say you definitely make your way to check them out! I first came in the summer and it was hot but they were still open - TG since Poke was perfect for a hot day. Their location is off the beaten path but they have some benches and a closed off area for you to enjoy your meal. I got the tuna poke and really enjoyed it. The white rice was cooked well and the sauces they put on top are A-1. The owners were really nice and even gave us free drinks to enjoy with our poke. Thank you!

I loved everything I had here. The one thing I wouldn't recommend is the katsu, the sauce wasn't what I was used to. We tried a variety of poke mix (some tasted the same) and the cooked food. We didn't eat inside, but as you can see it's very beautiful in here. I placed a Togo order and people were quick to help and we didn't have to wait too long.

I decided to make the drive here for a quick working lunch since I kept seeing it popped up on my page. I was disappointed! 4 stars for service and 3 stars for the food, there is no 3.5 stars so 3 stars it is. I will come back if someone else pays for it to give the Ahi Tuna a chance since SmokinFireFish is literally their name; I should have recognized this and ordered it instead of what I got. I went with the 2 Meat Plate Lunch with KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) and Boolgogi Chris' Grandmothers Recipe. The KFC was dried, I didn't taste any ginger nor mango habanero listed on the sauce. The Rib-Eye was chewy and bland. To my surprise, I enjoy the mac salad because I am not a mac person at all. The rice was just rice, nothing special about it. I liked the casual setting with plants decorations throughout their shared space with Tamale Boy Cantina. Cute outdoor view for non-rainy day since there is no cover. After you order with a staff at the front counter, everything else is self-serve.

I'll keep this short and sweet! Location- Not the biggest fan, but that's ok. I just don't go here at nighttime, as I feel it get much more sketch. Food- AMAZING. Zero complaints, as I got the 4 kinds of poke sampler type bowl, and let me tell you that there was no shortage of poke in that bowl! I guess the one thing I would ask is that there be a little bit more to layering the bottom of the bowl as there is so much fish! It was fresh/colorful and over all just delicious. 10/10 would recommend Service- Great, the guy that was there was very nice and very helpful when I wasn't sure what to order. He was also helpful when I wanted to get something to go in addition to getting food to eat there. If I was in the area more, I would probably stop here multiple times a week haha but since I cannot, you should!!! If you like poke and other delicious foods. There is also another place attached to this one that has tamales, which I haven't tried, but will have to next time!

Been following their Instagram for a while, and found out their cart is nearby my work and had to stop by! I ordered the 1949 poke house style- got huge pieces of ahi that were fresh and totally hit the spot. I liked the house style because of the toppings and extra oomph it gave to my plate, and can definitely see myself swinging by for some poke to-go. My partner ordered a kalua pork plate lunch- that I stole some nibbles of mac salad from. Really great vibes and pretty fast service considering it looked like it was just one person in the truck this afternoon.

The fish quality was very high here and the poke is delicious, but I will say it's "fancy" poke. Sometimes I'm okay with foodland quality poke and this is not that, but it's still very good! Will say the missed the mark on the mac salad.

Holy bajeez. This place is everything and more. The poke was fabulous. I ordered 3 different flavors and every single one was on-point. I didn't realize the portions were so huge for everything, and I accidentally ordered more Mac salad (it wasn't listed on the 2-meat meal). We will definitely be back.

Smokin Fire Fish has been on my radar for months and finally made it. We arrive just as they opened. We ordered the 1945 - Hawaiian Style, 2 meat plate with Kailua pork and bulgogi and KFC plate. Took the food home and had it plated 20 minutes later. The reviews I read were pretty spot on. The 1945 poke was really fresh and flavorful. The KFC was crispy on the outside and juicy inside With great flavor. The Kailua pork was great! Very tender, moist and flavorful. The bulgogi was also great. These are large portions with lots of rice and macaroni salad. I wish I wasn't sharing with my daughters and could have tried the spicy variations of these dishes. I also appreciated seeing that the owner reads and comments on these reviews. It shows integrity and passion in his cooking. I'll be back!

If you are a poke lover, this little gem will blow your mind. Smokin Fire Fish is serving the most authentic, fresh, generously portioned and darn delicious poke in the PDX area. No doubt about it whatsoever! Look no further! Wow, this was good. Waikoloa and Hawaiian special. So incredibly decadent. Made with love, served with heart. Come here once and you will become a regular!

This place is Smokin' Smokin Fire Fish shares the space with Tamale Boy and they make it work. The menu is divided into 2 parts: Plate lunches and Poke. Having tried both they are both solid options and you can't go wrong going with either. Plate lunches: 1, 2 or 3 protein options. Somewhat limited to fried chicken, bulgogi and some specials they run. Even though not always lots of options, literally everything that is offered is delicious. Several Poke options as well. It's not make your own bowls but, they have a menu of options. I've tried a few and again they are all delicious. The fish is fresh and all the flavors work so well together. Price are somewhere in the $15 to $22 range. Quality and size justifies the price

When it comes to eating poke on the mainland, I am very (x5) hesitant. Growing up in Hawai'i means we do NOT mess around when it comes to a poke bowl. But there is one thing about Portland that does it right. Every time we visit. we have to check out some of the local 808 eateries. We came across Smokin Fire Fish on a Saturday night and we stopped by close to closing time. They share a kitchen and space with a Mexican joint that we will need to try next time for sure. I went straight for the poke bowl, no questions asked. I got two flavors: Ko'olina and Manoa. My friends got the KFC, Bolgolgi, Kalua Pork, and Katsu. Everything was a banger! The poke bowl did not skimp and I even had leftovers. The flavors were there and prepared the traditional way. The chef/owner was one of the main highlights. He was so kind! I love connecting with people from the islands, it's like a little chunk of home. He hooked it up with some cheesecake for dessert. Overall, everything was fire and will be coming back. Located in Portland. Street parking available. Outdoor seating available.

Hands down the best poke in Portland. Couldn't recommend their Seoul poke more! The Korean influence on this classic Hawaiian dish is phenomenal.

And the award for best Hawaiian food in Portland goes to Smokin Fire Fish! This restaurant based in a ghost kitchen provided some of the best flavors outside of the islands. Everything we tried here was excellent: beef bulgogi, Kailua pork, Honolulu poke (mayo based) and spam musubi. Everything was perfectly seasoned and the quality of ingredients seemed excellent. The serving sizes were plentiful and provided plenty of leftovers. This is definitely a must try for anyone in Portland!

The only poke I can eat in Portland is at the Smokin Fire Fish. It's not full of mayo and it tastes authentic to the one I tried in Hawaii. The fish was super fresh and the sauce wasn't overpowering. I loved the rice it's the best I've had at any other poke place. Also the little marinated pieces of veggies add an interesting texture to poke and compliment the flavors. So happy I found this place :)

Caution: Smokin' may be hazardous to your wealth. Once you discover the Hawaiian-inspired "better-than-okay" poke at Smokin' Fire Fish you just may be addicted like my smokin' hot wife who loves Smokin' Fire Fish almost as much as I love her. In her own words (and those of humorist Mark Twain) ... "Givin' up Smokin' is easy ... I've done it hundreds of times." ... so at least she's tried ... and I, therefore, appreciate that she doesn't ask me EVERY week to drive out of our way for Smokin' Fire Fish. When we get there, it ALWAYS involves a "Build Your Own with the Works" poke combo featuring 3 or 4 fresh Fire Fish (Ahi Tuna) flavors like: * Honolulu Poke with Spicy Mayo, Sweet Onion, Scallion, Alaea (red Sea Salt), and Tobiko roe * Waimea Poke with Limu (Ogo seaweed), Inamona relish, Sweet Onion, Scallion, and Spicy Shoyu Oyster Glaze * Seoul Poke wiht Chogochujang (Korean Sour Sweet Chili Paste), Cucumber, Scallion, and Sesame Oil * Ko'olina Poke with Shoyu, Inomona (Kukui Nut), Limu (Ogo seaweed), Green Onion, and Sesame Oil * 1949 Poke with Shoyu, Sweet Onion, Green Onion, Alaea (red Sea Salt), Limu (Ogo seaweed), and Inamona relish * O'ahu Poke with Limu (Ogo seaweed), Sweet Onion, Scallion, and Inamona relish, and Sweet Sesame Shoyu Of course, there is more to Smokin' Fire Fish than just the fish. Feel free to mix in a couple of these favorites. * Furikake Garlic Fries served Golden Brown with Garlic Butter and Furikake (of course) * Korean Fried Wings (KFW) lathered with Ginger Chili & Sticky Sweet Shoyu * Spam Musubi starring pan-seared Spam on Sticky Rice with Shoyu Glaze and wrapped in Nori (Seaweed) * Poke Taro Chips that are house made and covered with Ko'olina Poke, Spicy & Wasabi Mayo, Shoyu Glaze, and Tsukemono (Japanese Pickles) The only woe here is in the wallet ... and poke cures pain, amiright? No apologies required. I get it. Asking her to "quit" Smokin' is near impossible ... and may actually be hazardous to MY health. Alert the Surgeon General!

Just pretty medium as far as Poke goes. I got one of their two protein bowls and the Korean wings. The rice in the poke bowl was blown and overcooked. There was some seasoning added to the rice which tasted like Wasabi that wasn't very nice at all. The good part was the fish. Once you got the sauce off, the portion was large and the fish was good. The sauce was just redish mayonnaise. Not sure why it was called spicy. The wings were okay. Meh.

This poke place has the best poke in Portland and I refuse to ever try poke anywhere else. The salad and pickles are authentic and always fresh. So is the flavor of sauce. The fish is perfectly marinated and super trash and full of flavor. The rice is so good too, I don't know what they add to it but it's almost creamy. I wish I could go there every day but it's worth the price and the drive. Again, best poke in town without a doubt.

Their Spicy Chilli Pork was pretty darn fire. Thin, yet tender, slices of pork marinated in delicious sauce full of ginger and with a nice kick. I also enjoyed their vegetarian take on Loco Moco with portabello mushroom and the KFC, which was more like just fried chicken but still the sauce was quite tasty. Would be down to try their Poke sometimes.

Updated review since they moved to N. Russell: Still the best Hawaiian food in town. So happy they're closer to me in N. Portland! This place is a must-try. Kalua Pork is amazing and the sides are perfect. Cant wait to try more of their updated menu. I only wish they were open more hours, and that they'd stop using the huge single-use plastic containers for takeout, and switch to something sustainable/compostable. I'd eat here almost every day if they changed to less plastic waste.

You can tell if a Hawaiian food spot is legit by the Mac salad. Hard to explain. But the second I laid eyes on it I knew. I can't stop getting the KFC (Korean fried chicken) as it is insanely delicious. Rumor has it the chicken wings are killer as well. Highly recommend this spot. Owner is super cool as well.

Go here! Support this man! His food is fire! Poke is to die for. Musabi is legit. It is a small food cart so check out his IG for up to date hours and specials. I recommend ordering online if you're in a rush.

Found this gem of a food truck hidden away in a parking lot. Poke was one of the best I've ever had. Loved the Korean touch to the Hawaiian cuisine as it made everything tastier and spicier! The owner, Chris, is very friendly and gives big portions. Would definitely recommend this place and though it's a trek to get here, will come back when I can!

Smokin Fire Fish is sharing a kitchen with Tamale Boy Russell currently. We were a little confused when we walked in, but they have the menu on a board and at the bar to order from both restaurants! We were able to find quick and easy parking on the street. I split the 3 meat lunch combo with a friend today for lunch and it was a perfect size portion. It was $~20 including tax and tip for a huge plate of food with 3 meats (we picked bulgogi, Korean fried chicken, and kalua pork), Hawaiian macaroni salad, rice, and some cabbage. Kalua pork was an oven roasted shredded pork shoulder with very tender meat. The Korean fried chicken was very tasty and crispy but not spicy enough. The bulgogi was very flavorful, and the macaroni salad was also delicious. I'd be super curious to try the poke next time - it looks delicious!

Got two orders thinking it was your normal poke serving size. The large is largeeeee. Fish was super fresh and fire. Whenever you're in Portland you have to stop by and show some love.

if you love poke then boy do i have the place for you. portions are amazing, and the quality is impressive! i actually get full eating here, and they give you a decent amount of fish on your plate! (i dislike when poke shops cheap out, and not give enough fish portions) this place will make sure you're fulllll. love the vibrant presentation of the dishes too the interior is nice and clean. i appreciate the attentive service, and the owner is always so friendly. this place is a gem, my mouth is watering just thinking about this place. if you wanna support a small business, make your way here

Really cool to be able to order from both places in one location (Tamale Boy for nachos!). We ordered using a QR code that was at the bar. They seemed short on order numbers (each table is not already numbered) therefore, several parties used the same #17 and it was kinda a mess for the server to find everyone. Better if each table was already numbered and still have a few numbers available that people can hold on too. We ordered the KFC (gluten free made with rice flour I believe) ginger sauce and the Squid luau. The KFC was good, even as leftovers the next day. The squid luau was sweet for me and could have used more squid and in bigger pieces. There was a lot of rice and a huge scoop of mac salad which we couldn't finish. It took about 25 min for the food to arrive, we ate the nachos in the meantime. There was a band playing local (Hawaiian) music. They were fun and knew how to have a good time. We ate outside on the sidewalk where there are about 6 tables/benches. Outside was a good option since it was crowded inside at 7pm. I'd go back if ever in the area again. Good portions!

Nice poke place in the outskirts of Portland. I believe this place is a brewery too. Musubi and poke had ample amounts of rice. Wish the musubi had half the amount and was more bite size. But this is Portland. I suppose things are bigger out west? I ordered the Honolulu poke bowl. It has spicy Mayo sauce which is my usual go to for pokes. Server was very kind to offer me tea for free.

It's really hard to put into words how much I love this place. Hawaiian fare has always had a strong showing in Portland, but Smokin Fire Fish really did bring me back to Hawaii through its relaxed vibe, superior service, and homey meal. It doesn't matter if you are a first time visitor to Oregon or a newcomer to Hawaiian cuisine, everyone should eat here. Any reason is a good time to come. The initial impression of the place is that it looks like a casual eatery where people line up to order first and await to be served their food. The parking lot is located from within the complex and the place is actually way bigger than it looks. Group friendly dining is a must and they do it well with long communal tables. The weekend in which I was here, SFF was packed with Hawaiian families grubbing like it was back home. It was a beautiful sight. For my group and I, I ordered their special of the night, Hawaiian comfort luau stew ($16), which consisted of pork and beef brisket, stewed in taro leaves. We threw in an order of their kalua pig ($8), sesame crusted fire ahi ($24), and some musubi (2 for $5). All this included white rice and macaroni salad, the latter of which is dangerous considering how many refills we got throughout the meal. The food was stupid amazing. The kalua pig was succulent and one of the best I've had in years. Ahi like the sesame crusted steak version like we had was phenomenal; wonderful texture with the crust and a slightly juiciness with every bite. The luau stew with taro leaves was favorite dish of the evening with my party; no one could get enough of it. It was reminiscent of Filipino laing, but with a kind of intense porky flavor that made it addicting with rice. To top things off, we were offered a pineapple cake as a dessert, which was lovely. Chef Chris checked on us frequently throughout the evening and was a gentle, generous soul as he shook hands with all the diners around us. He explained his passion for showcasing his cuisine was paramount and after tasting his food, the sentiments were nothing but joy. I wish him and the rest of the staff here great success as I anticipate this being one of my go-tos whenever I'm back in Portland.

This is really hard to share. I loved supporting small and medium businesses and I really hope they can improve the quality of food. We ordered poke and KFC plate and it was not a great experience. When we got the food we smelled a weird odor from the bag itself - it smells like a trash can (?!) We thought it might just be the strong mixed smells from the food. We still went ahead and started eating. The poke... didnt taste fresh :( The old, fishy smell was just too noticeable. I tired to add some good soy sauce but it didnt save it. The KFC chicken was stale and dry. As if it was in the fridge overnight... The rice and the mac was ok. But we really lost our appetites after tasting the entrees. Were a bit concerned on getting food poisoning to be honest. So sad. 50 dollars meal ultimately went into the trash can.

This place is A-OK, the definition Yelp gives for a 3 star review. Truly, I wanted it to be more! I will go back during lunch when you have the opportunity to create combo plates and sample more. If my experience changes, I'll update review. This is a step above fast food from an "experience" perspective. You order at the counter, they prepare the food fresh, and they bring to your table. After you order, make sure to walk all the way to the right of the counter to get your utensils, napkins and sauce. None of this is available at the tables. We were a group of 5 and everyone said the food was tasty. The Poke, for those who eat and enjoy raw fish, was by far the standout. The Poke comes as a bowl and each of the three ordered were a beautiful mix of bright vibrant colors and textures. They were consumed to oohs and aaahs. Another friend had the Kailua pork, which was slow roasted, served shredded in its juices along with a bowl of half rice and half macaroni salad, the type with mayo. Again, very tasty and satisfying. Of the five of us, I was the one struggling with what to order. I don't eat Poke, I'm not a fan or white rice or macaroni salad, and kept wishing I came during lunch so I could create my own combo and get half chicken wings and half chili pork belly! Again I digress. While I have been to Hawaii many times, there were items on the menu that I wasn't familiar with, mostly the Korean options. Whenever I asked one of the three young ladies at the counter a question, they would tell me the ingredients, which were already listed on the menu. I was trying to understand how they were cooked, what was the flavor of the sauces? Soy? Sweet & Spicy? No luck. The service from this perspective is like ordering from McDonalds and I needed a little more guidance. Finally settled on the Chili Chicken which had a sweet & spicy glaze, was stir fried and very tender, with a depth of flavor, served with a side of half white rice and macaroni salad. Surprisingly, I ate the Mac salad and liked it! The serving portion is large so I took half home to enjoy for lunch the next day. They do provide takeout containers. This is a great spot for lunch or dinner when you want tasty food, cooked fresh, large portions, no frills. Lots of parking behind the restaurant in the covered garage that is shared with New Seasons and a few other places. Definitely a huge plus. Smoking Fire Fish occupies the previous Pieology space, a good Pizza place that no one seemed to know existed, in a neighborhood that needs more restaurants in walking distance. I know because I lived a few blocks from here for 18 years. Really hope this restaurant gains a following and is successful long term. I will definitely come back to try other options.

Hele On down! You gotta try dis place out! Broke dah mouth ono! Dah best kalua pig I have eaten since moving ova to dah mainland, moist and juicy with bits of fat. Little touches made the plate lunch special, a sprinkle of furikake on the rice, Kim chee tucked on the side, along with some pickled onions and a scoop of macaroni salad. Chef Chris, will there lau lau in the future????

Ridiculously delicious! This is perhaps the best poke I have ever had! So good. I have nothing critical to say which is rare for me. If you like poke you will not be disappointed.

Little poke situation set up in the old laBrewatory space. I wondered what took me so long to try this place out. They have a lot of options from KFC (Korean fried chicken), plates, to poke. I had the Hawaii style ahi poke. The fish was fresh and the portion was generous. Overall high quality and delicious. Will def come back to try more items off the menu as well their specials.

I tried the chicken katsu and the Kailua pork with just rice. I'm not a Mac salad person. The Kailua pork was flavorful, lean and not too salty and I really enjoyed it. The katsu was pretty typical but I did like that they were generous with the katsu sauce. My husband tried the Korean fried chicken and ordered the regular and thought it would be a little spicy but it wasn't so next time he will ask more questions to get a bit more spicy. The food quality was great all around.

My favorite Poke bowl/KFC place And my families favorite Hawaiian food. I'm always telling everyone to go eat here. We travel over the bridge consistently to go enjoy his food and appreciate his attention to detail in the entrees. Friendly, great service. Cannot wait to have them on Camas/Vancouver side someday ;)

Might have been the best poke I've had outside of Hawaii. Unfortunately, the different poke flavors seemed super similar but overall the fish was super fresh and good flavors! One of the poke types did have that more gelatinous, fresh tuna flavor -- but I can't remember which kind it was sadly (it was not a Mayo one). The serving size was also huge!! 5 stars for the Poke! There was only outdoor seating when we went but it wasn't a problem finding a place to sit. Would definitely be back for more poke!

Amazing Hawaiian food in NE Portland! A friend had recommended that I try Smokin Fire Fish and it did not disappoint. Had the Chicken Katsu Breast. Could not decide on the Curry Sauce or Katsu Sauce for the chicken, so Chef Chris let me try both. The portion was very large. I would recommend sharing. The entrees came with rice and Mac salad served family style to our group of five. Very friendly and welcoming staff - will definitely be back!

I really enjoyed my experience here. It is very clean and organized. The service was hospitable. The location was easy to get to. You would need to park in the garage and walk pass the water fountain. My katsu was delicious. The bugogi was marinated very well. My son ate all of it and didnt save me some. I enjoyed the kimchee-not to powerful and spice was right on. The restaurant is spacious and bathrooms were clean.

As you place your order after waiting in the typical Portland-norm queue you're greeted with a "We charge 3% for employee wellness" sign. I'm mixed on this as I do realize healthcare is expensive, but it seems kinda gimmicky and underhanded to me. They say it's best not to directly include the public on the profit and loss aspects of the business. Just up the price points and quit nickel and diming me. The place is clean, the employees friendly, the prices fair. There's an appealing healthy angle to their offerings. I'm not a soda fan, but they offer a variety of creative flavors via a Stubborn brand soda dispensing machine which apparently isn't as bad for you as the big labels. The space is so big that you wonder how they're going to make it unless they regularly pack the house. I opted for the bulgogi fries listed on the dinner menu. First, you get a very healthy portion. The fries, beef, kimchi, gravy and cheese were all individually good. But collectively as a dish, it was odd and just didn't work that well. The traditional fried rice - not the curry option with cheese - was plentiful. Taste was on par with that of Chinese restaurants: good, not great. The 1949 Poke was also good, but not great. Value here wasn't quite on par with other poke places like SeaSweets that have higher quality for the same price. Big props for offering some unique condiments like Filipino vinegar. Oh, and lets please remember what a 3-Star means: "A-ok." I don't consider that a negative, but some do. Not everyone deserves a 5-Star trophy just for opening their doors.

This was something I had bookmarked for a while. Finally had the opportunity to grab a bite here. I really want to love this place, but was disappointed. I will list a few reasons why. When I step foot in the building, my excitement was a 10. Saw two other patrons dining in on a Friday, an hour before closing (could be a good sign: they will provide excellent service). Found my way to the menu and walked up to order. No greetings from the cashier. Fine. Then, I let her know that it was our first time dining there. Most of the time, they would let us know about their popular menu items or a brief intro. However, the first thing she said "dining in or out"? After I answer, I thought should would go over menu with first timers. Nope. First impression is everything, they say. Excitement level is now a 7. I reminded myself, I came here for the food; try not to let their customer service ruin my dinner. Ordered japache $8 (I was craving for it) and katsu chicken breast $14. The first to come to the table were a bowl of rice and a bowl of mac salad. We munched on the mac salad and waited for our entrees to come. It was yummy. However, when the katsu arrived, the rice had already gone cold a little bit because it was first to come out. Katsu was good, but too much sauce. Will ask for sauce to be on the side next time. Japache was decent, but didn't like how "short" the noodles were. Personally, I do not like my noodles to be cut to 2" lengths. Flavor was fine. Excitement level is like a 4. All in all, pricing is fair. Parking is great. Mostly self service on water and utensils, however they will bus your table. I have to say, the only greetings I received was from the the manager/chef? - but everyone else seemed to just not care. The girl who brought food to the table hardly acknowledged us and seems to be bored out of her mind. Sadly, I will most likely not return. One positive note though: they have very yummy carbonate water.

Found me a new favorite place to go! Smokin' Fire Fish is a Hawaiian restaurant, order at the counter and they will bring your food to you. But they have a wide range of food not found at other Hawaiian joints. I have some food allergies and I appreciate their willingness to leave ingredients out for me, without eye rolls or any hassle. And since they make the food to order, it's not that difficult for them to do. On the first visit, we went with friends and tried a bunch of things. I really liked my 1949 poke bowl (better than the O'ahu bowl I got on the next visit). Really nice flavors and a lot of ahi tuna. The KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) was also really tasty, and came with some pickled veggies. The ginger braised bok choy was ok, not a lot of ginger flavor came thru, but the little bit of char on them was nice. Next visit, I had the O'ahu poke bowl, also good but I liked the flavor mix of the 1949 better. Husband had the ginger chili chicken, which was a bit too sweet for my taste. The entrees here come with a bowl of rice and a bowl of macaroni salad. He ate some but there was so much food, it wasn't really needed. We also split an order of the house special fried rice, which I LOVED. It was full of spam and Portuguese sausage, and umami for days. Delicious! It was also a huge portion, so we took the rest home and I had a serving for lunch the next day AND our 17 yr old son devoured 2 servings and proclaimed it amazing. Definitely recommend that one! (I ordered it without the melted cheese on top and it was still amazing.) They are in a new apartment/retail development with New Seasons and Mud Bay, and there's parking behind the building, right on the corner of Broadway and NE 33rd, near the freeway exit. Super convenient. And they were pretty quick to cook up our food. Definitely a fan who'll be back for more.

Food was good. Asked for no fish eggs. Got fish eggs. There is a connected but separate bar next door. Tamale boy is also connected/ordered at the same register as Smokin Fire Fish. The food was fresh and tasty.

Holy crap, this place is really good. As a native Korean Portlander it's rare that I say this about Asian food here but this is a must check out place. They know what's up and put bacon in their kimchi fried rice too ;). You know those places where you say "mmmm" out loud between bites? This was that for me. And my friends. Our favorites out of what we tried were the kimchi fried rice, the spam musubi, pork belly and kimchi, and the poke! I also love that it's not purely Asian but has more of a Hawaiian spin on things cuz let's be real, food in Hawaii is bomb. And the owner (I presume), stopped by to chat with us and was super friendly and thanked us for stopping by as I learned about some korean food history. Nice. Looking forward to visiting again :)

Excited to try this newly opened Hawaiian place. Tried classic soy poke, KFC fried chicken and sesame crusted Ahi tuna served with some pickled veggies (kimchi). Friendly service, live Hawaiian music, might feel a bit pricy for the main dishes, but they serve with huge bowl of rice and macaroni salad (which they need to add green onions or something and dash of pepper). Don't be surprised by Wellness fee for a couple of percent, I will take it as positive way, so they care about what we eat. I would come back to try their garlic shrimp and kalua pork next time.

Often times I'm skeptical. Cynical, even, when it comes to a new restaurant. My negative demeanor quickly melted away as I was presented with my 2 meat combo platter for lunch. Big. Bold. Beautiful. Astonishing, I admit. Bulgogi beef: tender. Sweet ginger chicken: seared outside, juicy in. Macaroni and cheese, mountain of rice, and a small complimenting salad. Huge meal !! Wife had Khalua pork, and, it was NOT drowning in some sickly sweet sauce. Cooked with attention to detail. House sauces there, to compliment your choices for your own interpretation, as well as some commercial suspects. Stubborn soda's are offered from a fountain, and I think there are some brews, too. I can think of no take-aways. Next when I come back, I will explore what a "Poke" is, and dive in to the many choices of wings. And spam. Pacific Islanders delicacy.

I don't know if I was just super hungry but everything tasted amazing. My friend and I tried this place after finding it on Yelp. The employee said they had only been open for a few weeks, so I was stoked to find such a new Hawaiian place and help a new business start out. The decor was bright and open. I loved the pictures of hula dancers and beaches. We ordered the XL poke bowl and tried 4 different kinds of poke. The bowl was a big serving of white rice with fresh ahi and an assortment of flavors. All tasted good and I cant really pick which one was my favorite. I liked having the combo. We then ordered the 3 meat combo with garlic chili chicken, bulgogi and Koren Fried Chicken. (KFC). It came with a scoop of macaroni salad and rice. My favorite was the garlic chili chicken. It was sauted with onions and a tasty sauce. The other 2 were really good as well. I can't wait to take my Mom there.

Just want to start off saying the food is really good, portions are huge and the owner is so sweet. We've been here only twice, once at the old location and once at this new one. The bulgogi & korean fried chicken have so much flavor and the meat is juicy, & Mac salad is delicious! He also came out and gave us free butter mochi because he thought we waited too long for his food and felt bad. He was so nice & literally provided us much better customer service in that 1 min we saw him than the other guy (see below)! Which is why I'm giving him 5 stars. With Covid, the location is now within another restaurant (Labrewatory I think?) so we were assisted by an unhelpful, unfriendly staff member of that establishment to take our order and seat us. He didn't even give us water for a good 15 min so I had to get up and ask if we could get a glass. The Smokin fire fish menu is also located at the very back of that restaurant so you walk in confused as to whether you're in the right place. We saw a couple come in, look around and leave, to then return a few min later and ask if they're at Smokin fire fish. The server again, acts displeased and points to the menu at the back of the restaurant. Not sure if he typically doesn't manage Smokin fire fish customers or if he just really hates his job, but he really needs an attitude check at work. I won't take off a star for his unprofessional behavior, because it's not Smokin fire fish's fault. I do really hope for this place to reopen its own location soon so we don't have to see that guy again. Ha