A regular bowl of authentic Hawaiian poke, or raw marinated fish salad, at Ono Poke in Edmonds is $12. (Ben Watanabe photo)

A regular bowl of authentic Hawaiian poke, or raw marinated fish salad, at Ono Poke in Edmonds is $12. (Ben Watanabe photo)

Ono Poke in Edmonds serves up authentic Hawaiian poke

We were greeted with a “Howzit!” when we stepped into Ono Poke in Edmonds. That’s Hawaiian for “How’s it going?” — just in case you didn’t know.

My colleague Ben Watanabe and I tried lunch this week at the new restaurant serving authentic Hawaiian poke, or raw marinated fish salad. Poke — pronounced “poh-kay” — means to cut into cubes.

Neither of us had eaten poke before, so we didn’t really know what to expect. All we knew was that it was similar to sushi.

Steven Ono, owner and namesake of the restaurant, is from Oahu where poke is a staple. After he moved here, the one craving he couldn’t satisfy was for good, authentic poke. So he opened his own place.

“It’s been this craze in California and New York, but it’s been really late to hit Seattle,” he said. “But I’m not trying to be trendy. I was just trying to get that taste of home. This is true Hawaiian comfort food.”

The fast-casual restaurant offers a variety of marinated fish, like tuna (ahi), salmon and octopus (tako), paired with sides of seaweed salad and rice. If you don’t eat meat, there are also vegan alternatives such as tofu, edamame and cucumber kimchi. The menu changes daily.

Ono is proud to offer only the highest quality fish: It’s all fresh, sustainable and organic, flown in every day from Hawaii, Japan and Alaska.

I ordered a poke bowl of shoyu salmon and spicy ahi with both sides. The seaweed salad was served atop the type of greens you’d find in a spring mix.

It was light and delicious. My new favorite way to eat sushi is cubed and in a bowl. The marinade on the tuna and salmon perfectly complemented the velvety smooth and mild meaty flavors of the raw fish. The seaweed salad was sweet and crispy.

Ben ordered a bowl of kapakahi (a mix of salmon and tuna) and the tako, also with the seaweed salad and sushi rice.

Here’s how he explained it: While poke is made with raw fish, rice and seaweed like sushi, when you put it all together it’s a different flavor experience.

“The salmon was described by the gregarious and helpful man behind the counter (Ono) as ‘buttery,’ and he was totally right,” Ben said. “The ahi tuna was superb, delicious and tasted fresh. The tako, or octopus, was a bit salty but added some savory to the rest of the dish.

“All in all, Ono Poke’s bowl was a satisfying yet light meal. I devoured it in a flurry, partly out of habit and also because it was delicious and begging to be consumed.”

We’re not the only ones who are fans of poke after just one bowl. The lines prove that Ono Poke is already a popular place for lunch and dinner. Since it opened March 1, the place has sold out of poke every day.

You won’t notice the lines, though, because Ono — whose last name means “delicious” in Hawaiian — is friendly and fun. He likes to joke around and give out samples while you wait.

If you’re from Hawaii and even if you’re not, we recommend you try one of Ono’s poke bowls. It’s perfect for anyone craving fine fish for a fair price.

Ono Authentic Hawaiian Poke

10016 Edmonds Way, Edmonds; 425-361-7064; http://eatonopoke.com.

Poke bowls are served Tuesday – Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. There are three bowl sizes: Small is $9, regular is $12 and large is $15.

No alcohol. Hawaiian juices, iced tea and bottled water are available to drink.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Snohomish County Dahlia Society members Doug Symonds and Alysia Obina on Monday, March 3, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
How to grow for show: 10 tips for prize-winning dahlias

Snohomish County Dahlia Society members share how they tend to their gardens for the best blooms.

What’s Up columnist Andrea Brown with a selection of black and white glossy promotional photos on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Free celeb photos! Dig into The Herald’s Hollywood time capsule

John Wayne, Travolta, Golden Girls and hundreds more B&W glossies are up for grabs at August pop-up.

The 2025 Audi A3 premium compact sedan (Provided by Audi).
2025 Audi A3 upgradesdesign and performance

The premium compact sedan looks sportier, acts that way, too.

Edmonds announces summer concert lineup

The Edmonds Arts Commission is hosting 20 shows from July 8 to Aug. 24, featuring a range of music styles from across the Puget Sound region.

Big Bend Photo Provided By Ford Media
2025 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend Increases Off-Road Capability

Mountain Loop Highway Was No Match For Bronco

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Mustang Convertible Photo Provided By Ford Media Center
Ford’s 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible Revives The Past

Iconic Sports Car Re-Introduced To Wow Masses

Kim Crane talks about a handful of origami items on display inside her showroom on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Crease is the word: Origami fans flock to online paper store

Kim’s Crane in Snohomish has been supplying paper crafters with paper, books and kits since 1995.

The 2025 Nissan Murano midsize SUV has two rows of seats and a five-passenger capacity. (Photo provided by Nissan)
2025 Nissan Murano is a whole new machine

A total redesign introduces the fourth generation of this elegant midsize SUV.

A woman flips through a book at the Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pop some tags at Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley

$20 buys an outfit, a unicycle — or a little Macklemore magic. Sales support the food bank.

The Mukilteo Boulevard Homer on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Homer Hedge’: A Simpsons meme takes root in Everett — D’oh!

Homer has been lurking in the bushes on West Mukilteo Boulevard since 2023. Stop by for a selfie.

Two visitors comb the beach at Kayak Point Regional County Park on Friday, June 14, 2024, in Tulalip, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Nate Nehring and WSU Beach Watchers to host beach cleanup at Kayak Point

Children and families are especially encouraged to attend the event at Kayak Point Regional County Park.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.