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    Exit 8 Bodega

    3.4 (59 reviews)
    Closed 10:30 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

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    Jacinda X.

    Fun Hawaiian snacks and themed interior! Unfortunately, it did not live up to the social media hype. Poke was drenched in sauce and crabmeat was added to the poke, as a filler. Wonton chips were stale. Portions were small. Prices are on the higher end and not well displayed. - $12 for wonton chips - $9 for 1/4 lb of poke - $20 for 2 protein poke bowl (no other toppings except crabmeat

    Jeffery N.

    Little spot in a strip mall. Pretty hard to find until you're right in front of the store. No seating and just a line. To be honest I think it was pretty mid. I think the portions are way too stingy, considering a fourth pound is like a container not even close to fully filled. I rather have a pricier spot that does fill your container all the way; however, this place is more expensive with smaller portions than others. It's to the point that they samples, but you could see the lady in the back looking uncomfortable giving them out. Vibes were just off. As for the fish itself, I think it was alright and wasn't anything stand out from other spots. it looked good and tasted fresh, sauce gave it another layer of texture, but the taste itself was pretty boring despite the look. Beef tallow wonton chips were solid too. Not super different from normal wonton chips and again extremely overpriced. I think prices not considered, I still wouldn't go back, atleast for poke. You can find better taste else where and go out with an overall better experience

    Calli Y.

    I kept seeing this place on insta so since it was in the same shopping center as Sidecar, I had to stop. There was already a little line at 10:45am. So I figured I'd wait. They have a wide variety of poki flavors and you can try them. It does slow the line down but what can you do. I ended up getting 2 of the 1/4 lb poki of spicy ahi and garlic spicy salmon. It was $9/1/4. But as you can see, it barely covers the container. I took it home and measured it, yes it's 1/4lb but that includes the container. Wow! As others have said, got to Bear Flags instead!! I tried so I'm good.

    Ahi Hawaiian, Ahi Kilauea, Ahi Spicy Mayo, Salmon Furikaki, Salmon Spicy Garlic
    Jamal A.

    Went to check out this Hawaii-Inspired bodega from the folks from one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE places to grub in OC, Ai Pono Cafe! Place had a great variety of everything I would want; Poke by the pound, sandos, Musubis, Tako, etc. plus a really unique dessert menu and shaved ice! Hype is definitely high right now with a bit of a wait to get into the place itself but totally worth it for the freshness and delicious flavors/variety of the Poke! Got myself a nice selection of Poke and loved every single one of their savory/spicy/umami recipes! Looking forward to trying more items on the next round!

    two choice protein
    Holly C.

    amazing flavor of poke, fresh fish There is a line so there will be a bit of wait, no ac inside but a big fan so it is a little humid but not too bad There are sampling of poke when you reach the counter and the staffs are very nice and partient! There are little snacks and dessert you can grab when you make your way around the line I got the furikake and kilauea salmon for two protein bowls, it comes with crab salad The flavors on the poke are marinated perfectly and not too spicy There are plenty parking but no seating area

    Jenna D.

    Went on 07/31 around noon and there was a bit of a wait and not sure if it was a soft or grand opening. I loved the decor and little details of the whole place. There isn't any seating area inside sadly and not really anywhere to sit outside. Food however was really good! Poke was yummy, just wish there were free sides that come with the rice as well. Spam musubi was on point too can't go wrong with that. However, I will be coming back to try more of the poke options and other food too!! The dessert was all sold out last time I came so I lucked out on that but will forsure try to snag something next time.

    Dexter C.

    Busy parking lot. Great tasting items, sampled several of the pokes they had which were all great. Additionally they have chicken musubi which I loved since I do not eat pork. Must try spot if In the area.

    Candice N.

    Decided to try this place out after seeing it all over my IG feed. We came on a Sunday afternoon and there was ample parking as expected, there was a line out the door. It looked short but we waited probably around 30 minutes. I love how when you walk in it seems like you're instantly transported to Hawaii though with all the decor and different Hawaiian snacks to purchase. I also like that they allow you to sample the poke before you order. I ended up getting a spam musubi, seaweed salad and I think the Hawaiian poke (or whatever the original one is). The poke was good, it tasted fresh but I will say it could've used a little more flavor. Overall, it's a cool spot I just don't think it's worth waiting like more than 10 minutes for it.

    Menu (July 2026)
    Nancy T.

    Already a huge fan of Ai Pono, so was ecstatic to see that the owner opened up a different concept. Saw the spot pop up on IG and wanted to try asap, so drove straight down today to check out the spot. They literally just opened so be patient! Arrived around 1030 since I saw the hours were 0800, the sign on the door said 0900-1800! So heads up! Love the decor and the vibe of the place. Lots of Hawaiian merch and snacks. Plenty of poke options. Got the 3 poke combo with wonton chips. Ordered the Kilauea, Hawaiian, & Spicy Mayo all in tuna. Also ordered a 1/4 of the Thai Tuna Poke. All were so fresh and bursting in flavor. The Thai Tuna poke and Kilauea are probably my favorite. The Thai tuna has a total punch of flavor when it comes to the lime. I can taste the zest and then the bits of chili with sweet onion is just addicting to eat. The Kilauea had a bit if kanikama(crab salad) and masago in it. The spicy mayo and Hawaiian were also both excellent, but I would say the Thai and Kilauea stood out on uniqueness. Poke isn't overpowered with sauce or marinade. You can still taste the fish. So fresh! Wonton chips are fried in house. Still have yet to try the Ube tres leches but will update later once I try a bite. The food really reminded me of Hawaii and appreciate that we have a taste of Hawaii so close to home now. Since it's still soft opening they didn't have the hot sandwiches available just yet but excited to come back later on to try that and the shave ice! Location: Also, the sign isn't updated on the strip mall. They are right where the invitation store sign is at, next to the photo lab store. Plenty of parking!

    Leena P.

    Ahhh, where do I even start? First off, the parking situation in this plaza is atrocious. If you're planning to come, I'd definitely recommend going before or after the lunch rush. When I arrived, there was already a line out the door. The shop itself is packed with all the Hawaiian vibes you can imagine, but it's a pretty tight space, so it felt extra crowded. The staff was super friendly, though! Unfortunately, most of the pies in the fridge were already gone, but I managed to snag a chocolate hopia pie ($8). I also got a side of tall (octopus) poke ($9) and two poke bowls ($16 each) one with rice and one with chips. I have to be honest, I was really disappointed with the portions. What they advertised on social media looked significantly more generous than what I received in person. Even my husband was shocked when he saw the bowls. (Photo below for comparison.) Maybe they're still figuring things out, as all new places do, and I'd definitely be willing to come back and see if things have improved. But at the prices I paid, the portions just weren't worth it for me this time around. Side note: I'm sure everyone knows where this plaza is. Stop honking and be patient. Everyone is trying to find parking so be nice.

    Cimarron K.

    An awesome new Masubi and Poke spot from AiPono. The esthetics are freakin cool here. It looks like a small bodega on the island. There's lots to see and purchase here. I got the 3 pole combo and a 2 pole combo to make sure I try most of the pole recipes. My favorite was the Thai poke and the house poke they have. I got one on white rice and another on wonton chips. Fresh made wonton chips. 4/5 stars. Each was 20 and 16 bucks for the bowls. I got the short rib 3 pc 4/5 stars super thick and meaty portions. Pork belly Masubi was just ok to me. The pork wasn't crispy in the outside and felt a little rubbery. Flavor was good but texture was off. 3/5 stars I was forth. Line today completely in accident but I got lucky. Hit tk try the soft serv and it was delicious. 4/5 stars The cucumbers were very tasty, but not super crispy. It seems like they were marinating in there for a little extra time possibly from the night before, but these were from the grabbing go fridge selection so that could make sense if it was made super fresh in the morning I bet would be super crispy. Otherwise the flavor was spot on just the texture was slightly off on this one as well. 3/5 Oh, and all those great spot to visit love the aesthetics makes you feel like you're somewhere else so many colors so many signs that I need to go back and really pay attention and take some better photos of each because I would like to appreciate the effort they put into the design

    poke!
    olivia z.

    Poke was pretty good, but the line was a bit long. Be prepared to wait a little, but it's definitely a good poke spot to try in the OC area. The ahi was so buttery. I loved all the decor, it felt like I was back in home in Hawaii!

    Christy Joy A.

    I came to this place because someone on TikTok raved about how yummy and how the poke tasted very native to the poke in Hawaii. Upon arrival to the plaza it's in, it was kinda hidden. The plaza itself has terrible parking, but I remembered they use to have a huge sign on top, but I guess they don't anymore? Anyways, there was a huge line out the door, I thought to myself 'man it must be POPPIN' good for them.' I'm super hyped because there's a ton of different flavored selection of poke. And they let you sample it too. In my experience, poke places are very generous but when I looked at what I got, I was shook how little of the portion of poke I got... like the Tupperware wasn't even full. I got two different flavors and wonton chips. Yes it was yummy, but it was expensive. Kinda disappointing.

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    Ask the Community - Exit 8 Bodega

    Review Highlights - Exit 8 Bodega

    Already a huge fan of Ai Pono, so was ecstatic to see that the owner opened up a different concept.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Bear Flag Fish

    Bear Flag Fish

    3.9
    (2.1k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Took me this long to finally try Bear Flag, and it did not disappoint!…read more Got a 1/2 pound of salmon poke and 1/2 pound of ahi tuna poke., and they each came with a side of tortilla chips! The salmon was buttery and soft, while the tuna was flavorful. Honestly don't know which one I liked more, they were both delicious. 'Bear Flag Taco': this tasted really fresh and light, felt like I could have multiple! 'Pineapple Margarita': I believe this was their special drink of the day, and it was only around $12! Personally thought it was strong, so it's such a good deal! Verdict: i didn't have high expectations, but everything I tried was actually really yummy!

    Edit: I sold wahoos short. If you're down in Balboa or Lido then you might be better off driving…read morethe 10-15 minutes to South Coast, order the outer reef burrito AND a taco (same price) and enjoy your meal because it's better quality too. Oh and then you can go shopping at South Coast because you just so happen to be at a venue that's nicer than Lido anyway ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Unless you're already down in Balboa or Lifo area, then you may as well just go to wahoos fish tacos. It's the same price for the outer reef burrito and the quality is about the same imo. The lemon butter burrito catch of the day missed the mark. If you go during the day it isn't crazy busy though which was good ig

    Photos
    Ocean to table seafood in Lido Marina Village featuring freshly caught fish and bold coastal flavors at Bear Flag Fish Company in Newport Be
    Ocean to table seafood in Lido Marina Village featuring freshly caught fish and bold coastal flavors at Bear Flag Fish Company in Newport Be
    Ocean to table seafood in Lido Marina Village featuring freshly caught fish and bold coastal flavors at Bear Flag Fish Company in Newport Be
    Ocean to table seafood in Lido Marina Village featuring freshly caught fish and bold coastal flavors at Bear Flag Fish Company in Newport Be
    Outside seating available

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    Outside seating available
    Da Hawaiian Kitchen

    Da Hawaiian Kitchen

    4.1
    (1.5k reviews)
    7.5 mi
    $$

    Long time supporter of Da Hawaiian Kitchen and I'm pleased to announce that their new location just…read moreopened a month ago! They have so much more indoor seating available compared to their old spot near Target, plus two restrooms as well. I ordered my usual, which was a three piece boneless spicy garlic chili peppa chicken (CPC) plate and their generous kitchen was so kind to hook me up. I love coming here because their staff is always so friendly and the food is incredible. Their Mac salad is out of this world and their steamed rice is oh so fluffy. If I remember correctly, I think they might also have a garlic shrimp offering as well that was equally yummy, but it's been a minute, so you'll have to double check with the staff directly. Parking lot is shared in a small strip lot, so it might be tough, but it's worth the drive and wait. You can call your order in or place it online. Prices are fair for the portion and quality, and I recommend this place to everyone that visits Orange County. I'm not even a fried chicken person, but will enjoy a plate of the Hawaiian fried chicken every time I'm in the area to visit my grandpa. Long live Da Hawaiian Kitchen and their family's recipes! :-)

    I was really looking forward to trying this restaurant for the first time, especially since I'm…read morelocal to the Huntington Beach area. Unfortunately, the customer service left a really bad first impression. When I walked in, three employees saw me but didn't acknowledge me--not even a simple "hello" or "welcome." One of them had an attitude on her face, which made the experience even more uncomfortable. I stood there for what felt like 10 minutes before blonde employee finally turned around and acknowledged me. One of the other employees was taking an order while on a phone call, and I was standing there waiting without anyone saying, "I'll be right with you." The other employee was doing something else until the blonde employee tapped her and told her to help me. What bothered me most was that they could clearly see I was waiting and looking toward them, yet no one made an effort to acknowledge me. This was my first time visiting, and honestly, I was excited to finally try the place. Unfortunately, the lack of basic customer service completely ruined the experience for me. On top of that, I found the food to be overpriced and not tasty compared with other Hawaiian restaurants in the Huntington Beach area. First time here and unfortunately, it will be my last. I hope management takes the customer service experience seriously because being acknowledged when you walk into an establishment should be the bare minimum.

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    Da Hawaiian Kitchen
    Garlic Ahi
    Garlic Ahi
    CPC 3-Piece Plate

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    CPC 3-Piece Plate

    Exit 8 Bodega - poke - Updated August 2026

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