If you're missing the islands, this is the spot to go! The poke was fresh, flavorful, and the vibes were on point. The atmosphere really captured that laid-back island feel while still being welcoming and modern. Service was excellent -- the staff checked in to see how we were enjoying the food and even made sure our water was topped off. Great food, great energy, and a place that makes you feel right at home. Definitely worth checking out! read more

Island Rootz Cafe by Aunty Mailes - Dynamite and Wasabi Poke, Mochiko Chicken and Teriyaki Beef with Mac Salad and a Lilikoi Tea! - Hawaiian Near Me - Gardena, California

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I heard of this place via word of mouth from some friends in the city community! I love poke and anything musubi related so I had to stop on by and try this place out! Cafe Pruvia was the place that used to be here before Island Rootz came to town. My first time trying out this place was with my dad for a pre-Father's day lunch and it was during the restaurant's soft opening! There is a bit of seating inside only. The only outdoor seating is for the Pruvia Coffee Bar next door. It is a tiny hole in the wall place but cleaned up real nice with such Aloha vibes! They even have a tiny section inside where they sell their own merch! For the first time,My dad ordered the large Wassabi poke and I ordered the regular Shoyu poke with an order Kimchee musubi on the side! I tried both pokes and they were both very flavorful. The Wassabi poke definitely has a kick to it in terms of spiciness! My dad liked the Wassabi poke, but thought it needed a little more something to it. He also said he found the large size pretty big for him and would get a regular size next time. The second time I came was on the day of their grand opening! I ordered one order of the OG spam and a regular bowl of the Kimcee poke! I also ordered another order of OG spam to take to my husband! My father ordered the regular Dynamite poke and thoroughly enjoyed it. He stated he liked how it had spicy mayo on it. I thought the Kimcee poke had the right amount of sauces and seasoning on it! The place is gaining quite some popularity so it may be a bit of a wait especially during the lunch rush hour or on weekends! Definitely try this place out when you have time! I will be back if in the area! read more

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I'm so convinced all these high reviews are bartered cause there's just no way the community thinks the poke is amazing? To start, 1 out of our 3 person party suffered on the toilet hours after consuming. We got the Wasabi, Hawaiian, Spicy Garlic and Dynamite. All of these flavors lacked a level of consistency. Some needed more salt. some needed less salt. some needed MSG (tbh) but the main concern was that the tuna they are cutting ... is either not being cut by a professional who doesn't know fish or this establishment is purchasing frozen pre-cut tuna, which wouldn't be surprising. And the cherry on top was the immensely sad... sad spam musubi. I'm not sure how anyone could mess that up but they definitely did. Any spam lover will immediately notice that they are NOT using Spam branded and is definitely off brand. This was tough and a hard miss. I understand it's soft opening but wow, needs major overhaul. read more

Island Rootz Cafe by Aunty Mailes - old looking spam, insane rice ratio, no SALT??? not real spam! - Hawaiian Near Me - Gardena, California

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I know I just wrote a review for Island Rootz, but my co-workers and I are obsessed with their food right now. We have been picking up lunch here twice a week on average! Today, I had their mixed plate with half beef teriyaki and half garlic butter shrimp. It was so good and satisfying. The beef was charred and cooked well-done, just how I like it, but it was still very tender. It had a really good flavor. The garlic butter shrimp was so buttery and flavorful. The plate came with seven large and plump shrimp, along with white steamed rice and mac salad. The serving was pretty big and could be enough for two people to share. I also got their banana bread loaf with chocolate and walnuts, and it was so good and moist. It's definitely among the top banana breads I've had. It was pretty pricey at $8.50 for a mini loaf, but the taste made it worth it. read more

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3/5 musubis didn't taste that seasoned and the proportion had a lot of rice 5/5 garlic shrimp. Very seasoned. The rice was cooked really well and it was a nice surprise that the side of Mac salad was 2 servings 5/5 lots of seating and the line wasn't too crowded but I went while it was still the soft opening read more

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Given that this is a soft opening, I can understand the delay of getting my food as they start to get into the swing of this new business, so please be patient during this time. Aunty Maile's has been around for a long time, and now the owners of Aunty Maile's and Aloha Platez also own Island Rootz. This location offers a much larger selection of poke than their other two businesses. There are some hot food items offered during the soft open, as well as some specialty teas and coffees that are not available at their other locations. They have all of the Hawaiian Sun can drinks too! Ample seating is available inside to eat your meal. The overall service is friendly and I am sure in time once everything is up and running smoothly, the serve time will be quicker. My favorite poke was the spicy garlic poke. read more

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Aunty Mailes does it again!!! Wonderful new menu, plenty of space inside and new menu that definitely upholds the flavors and deliciousness of the other restaurant. I like all the different spam musubi options as well! read more

Island Rootz Cafe by Aunty Mailes - Mochiko (?) Chicken and Garlic Shrimp - Hawaiian Near Me - Gardena, California

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We love their sister restaurant, Aunty Maile's, so we had to check out Island Rootz! We visited during their soft opening after they went viral on TikTok, so there was a bit of a line, but the wait wasn't bad at all. We ordered a couple of musubis, poke, and the haupia pie. The musubis were such a good value and super filling, the poke was fresh, and the service was just as friendly as we expected. Can't wait to come back once they're fully open and we can try the rest of the menu! read more

Island Rootz Cafe by Aunty Mailes - soft opening line! not too long a of a wait - Hawaiian Near Me - Gardena, California

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Another restaurant by Auntie Maile's! This location is in the Pacific Square Shopping Center next to Pruvia Coffee Bar. Island Rootz Cafe has moved into the Cafe Pruvia shop. They just opened this location yesterday, 06-03-2026. Staff is very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. During their Soft Opening, they are offering a very limited menu. Only musubis, sweets, & snacks including drinks are available now until they get the city's approval for their full menu. Then they will have the Grand Opening. The lady explained the 8 varieties of Musubi & 1 Onigiri. We chose the Red Wiener Musubi & Katsu Dipped Korean Sauce Musubi! Super fresh, warm, and so delectable! Yum! We took home a Banana Bread and ate a slice when we got home. It is really moist and tastes great! Will be back! I can't wait to try their plate lunches & more desserts! read more

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Amazing food with super kind and friendly staff. My sister and I love the food over at Auntie Maile's, so we obviously had to give Island Rootz a try! They sell snacks, musubi, a variety of fresh poke, plate lunches, desserts, baked goods, drinks, among other things. I think once items run out (in the cases) they are gone for the day! So go earlier in the day if you want more options! Also, FYI, I believe they are still in their soft opening phase, so the menu/offerings are still being tinkered with. We tried a variety of things today: mochiko chicken, beef teriyaki, poke, cheesecake, and took home a banana bread. I haven't had mochiko chicken before. It was flavorful but not as crispy as I would have imagined. Still decent to try though! But if you're a fan of crisper food, probably go for the katsu instead. If they bring their furikake chicken to this location, I'll be in big trouble! Beef teriyaki was also delicious. The staff was accommodating and was able to cook the beef a little more on the rare side as requested. So if you don't notice super charred meat in my photo, that's on us. Poke was super fresh! I couldn't decide between two flavors I wanted and was told I could try half-half. So we got spicy garlic and dynamite (spicy mayo). Both were very good, but I liked the spicy garlic a bit more. Would definitely come back for more poke. Dessert items... We actually ate the cheesecake first while the plate lunches were being prepared lol. Forgot to take a photo of the cheesecake, but I LOVE how Auntie Maile's/Island Rootz makes desserts with THICK crusts. Banana bread with chocolate chips & walnuts... Took that one home but couldn't wait to try it. It was so good... I wish I had bought another one, but I already took the last one on the counter haha! We ate it "warm" because it baked in the hot car during the 1-hour trip back home... I have yet to try the other pieces "chilled," but I would imagine eating it warm makes it taste better! An overall wonderful experience, which is not surprising as we always leave full and happy at Auntie Maile's. Will have to try Aloha Platez next! read more

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My husband and I stopped in for lunch. Very welcoming and friendly staff. We both ordered a mixed plate. I got the garlic butter shrimp with chicken katsu. Everything was absolutely fresh, tasty and so good !!!! Portions were good, just enough to satisfy you. Nice inviting casual ambience, which we liked. Will definitely be returning :) read more

Even during the soft launch, this spot was serving up amazing food. Couldn't be happier to welcome this spot to Gardena and my family will most certainly be hitting this place up often!!! Same friendly customer service as Aunty Maile's! read more

I am so happy they opened this second spot. The food is so fresh and delicious! Service is awesome!! I had the BEST chicken teriyaki the other day! I can't wait to go back! (Fortunately it is 5 minutes from my Mom's place!) read more

Located off Redondo Beach Bl in Gardena inside Pacific Square shopping center this was formerly Cafe Pruvia. So the layout is pretty much the same just the added displays for the desserts and treats. As of right now it's a soft opening with only Musubi's and desserts. Oh and also smoothie drinks. I got spam and katsu musubi's. Since it's part of Aunty Maile's I know the musubi's are good as well as the desserts. Service is great as always. Overall so far glad they opened up here I can't wait to try the other foods once they get up and running and don't forget to go and try Aloha Platez and Aunty Maile's for all their delicious grinds and desserts. read more

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They're in their soft opening, they're offering a few dishes at a time and it changes frequently. Even at the end of the day, the Poke was very fresh! This is a new fast casual stop with the same aloha service and delicious plates you've come to enjoy from Aunty Maile's. They have a good size dining room to enjoy your favorites, it has the same ohana feel as the other Aunty Maile's locations. This will be the main location for desserts, I hope the menu will have all my favorites. There is abundant parking in the Pacific Square parking lot. read more

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Friendly aloha spirit service ordered Mochiko chicken which was tasty like your mom made it and large portioned and cut bite sized pieces so you don't need a knife. Rice was Soft and fresh , and mac salad was ono. Located at pacific square shop Ctr next to Tokyo Central & Main Plenty of parking and would come again for more hawaiian Japanese fusion food. read more

Island Rootz Cafe by Aunty Mailes - Island mochiko fried Chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Gardena, California

The flavor was really good and the fish was fresh, but $15 for a small scoop of rice, no sides included is definitely not worth it, the long line isn't really worth the wait for me. For two bowls, 2 drinks and a taro treat (was good!) they had was $60... I was disappointed and had high expectations Just Poke will literally pack a plate with two poke flavors, 2 sides for nearly the same price. Not sure if it's just because it's a soft opening or still new but I won't be coming back, service is great though read more

Island Rootz Cafe by Aunty Mailes - The bowl that only comes with a scoop of rice, the taro treat, and 2 canned drinks for $60 - Hawaiian Near Me - Gardena, California

So excited that Aunty Mailes opened up this spot! I am a huge fan of their original spot, I visit it often. This location is definitely more of a modern vibe inside the restaurant. The food/menu is similar to the original location, so the quality and taste is amazing! The poke is always fresh and this location I feel like has more poke selection? (Don't quote me on it lol) I also love all the spam musubi selections, but you gotta come early because they sell out fast! They also have a selection of candies there, which I love! I think it's made in house with a twist. I always get a box The staff is always super nice and kind! I always enjoy eating there and the takeout is pretty fast! It is not super cheap, but for the quality of fish I think it is worth! read more

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Highly overrated. I'm convinced that the people who gave this place 5 stars have never actually eaten good poke. I got the Hawaiian, dynamite, and sesame. The Hawaiian was bland, and the fish was very fishy. Such a disappointment. The dynamite had the most flavor, which helped in masking the fishy taste. I'm not usually a fan of sriracha mayo, but since this masked the fishy taste the best, it was my favorite. The sesame was just okay. I think it could've benefited from a bit more seasoning since it was a tad bland. And of course, it was also fishy. The rice was okay. Nothing special about it. The mac salad was so bland! Definitely low on my tier list of mac salads. Overall, I wouldn't waste my money or time waiting in line here again. Go to Jus' Poke in Redondo or Ry's Poke Market in Lomita if you're looking for good quality poke. read more

Place was nice. Service was good. The beef teriyaki and katsu were good the shrimp and poke on the other hand wasn't so great there wasn''t any garlic taste to the shrimps and the spicy garlic poke wasn't at its best. read more

Food was authentic. Service was friendly. New location is awesome. Poke was fresh and delicious. read more

This is some gooood poke. Aunty Maile really knows how to make real Hawaiian poke. I got shoyu ahi and dynamite ahi. Fish was buttery and just melted in your mouth. For the quality of fish at this price point makes sense because that is some quality seafood. Will definitely be coming back when I'm craving poke. read more

Got the regular poke bowl and Portuguese sausage musubi. Poke was absolutely flavorless and you could tell it had recently been thawed out. Prices are way too high to justify not just mid but bad poke. Musubi was aight tho. read more

This place is legit.! Love they have things you can't get at Auntie Maile's or Aloha Platez! Can't wait to visit again!

If you want to eat authentic Hawaiian food that is served as if you're ohana, then this is the spot. Great selection of poke (ahi tuna only) and a huge variety of musubi. Can't wait to go back and try more flavors and grab a plate lunch. read more

Island Rootz Cafe by Aunty Mailes - Kamikaze poke - Hawaiian Near Me - Gardena, California

Probably the best chicken katsu I've ever tried! Fresh and perfectly cooked with a crispy outside and juicy inside. Paired perfectly with their tangy/sweet tonkatsu sauce. The macaroni salad was a bit bland, but wonderfully creamy & delicious. The rice was warm and fluffy. The interior is sparse yet warm and welcoming. My only negative were the chairs which were probably from the former place and looked kind of beat-up. Being in the industry, though, I understand how much a restaurant full of new chairs costs! THE STAFF WERE AMAZING! So cheerful and knowledgeable about the menu, especially considering it is their soft opening. Even though it is not a full service restaurant, they came and checked on me while I was eating to make sure I was happy with everything. I got there around 4p.m. on a Wednesday. It was half full with a short line. By 4:30 there was quite a line. Plan accordingly. They will probably need a second cashier at some point which is a great problem to have! I can't wait to return to try other items! read more

Island Rootz Cafe by Aunty Mailes - Chicken katsu. Would recommend! - Hawaiian Near Me - Gardena, California

Visited during the soft opening and had a great experience! The space was clean and inviting, and the service was fast and friendly. We ordered the poke and garlic shrimp. The poke was fresh and well seasoned, and the garlic shrimp came with a generous portion of shrimp. Looking forward to coming back to try the musubi! read more

Island Rootz Cafe by Aunty Mailes - Hawaiian Near Me - Gardena, California

Loved the flavors of the poke! My bf and I got Furikake and Sesame. We got one à la cart and one bowl. The bowl came with a side of rice and mac salad. We also got a side of seaweed salad and kimchi. We got one liIikoi tea was refreshing not too sweet! I definitely would recommend. Our total for everything was $60 with tip included. We were very happy with the taste and service. The restaurant itself was extremely clean! For a soft opening, the team had a really good flow!! my only wish would be bigger portions for the sides to justify the price. The kimchi was fantastic but only enjoyed 3 bites. :-( $3.50 forgot to take pics of our food, it was too good! read more

Island Rootz Cafe by Aunty Mailes - Hawaiian Near Me - Gardena, California

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We had the spam with hash brown. It's not featured in the pictures because we ate it, but it was ono. The mochiko chicken was so good as well. The chicken is moist, but not under cooked. It's very spacious inside. The poke is a little expensive, but as are fish prices in America right now. I plan to try their poke soon. Definitely a return customer read more

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Soooooo much ALOHA at this establishment! from the ONO grinds, to the service from the staff. From Auntie Mailes to Aloha Platez to now Island Rootz, always Ohana, always Aloha! This staff holds a high standard for themselves that they seem to surpass every time! Go check 'em out today! read more

If you need to put on a smile in a quick second, just stop by here! You will be greeted at the door with heartfelt aloha spirit. The ambiance is relaxed with a feeling that you're there with your cousins. The poke was flavorful and not overpowering. My sister-in-law who doesn't like spicy even loved the wasabi poke. For this restaurant and their others, it isn't just about nourishment. It's about making it taste as best that you can for others to experience. Get here for some great aloha spirit and flavor!! read more

Island Rootz Cafe by Aunty Mailes - Good eatz!!!!! - Hawaiian Near Me - Gardena, California

Wow anything Auntie Mailes touches turns to gold. We came into this spot greeted with such warmth and hospitality. We chose the mochiko chicken and the dynamite poke and it was amazing. The fish was so tender and the chicken just to the right crispy. The service in between our meal was amazing as well. I wish you guys much success read more

The line is out the door and for a good reason. The food is so delicious and flavorful! Really recommend the spicy garlic poke (most popular). Also got the chicken katsu plate and it's equal parts crispy and juicy. The katsu sauce is yummy too. A really enjoyed the lychee tea as not too sweet (just how I like it) and the service was top tier. Will definitely come again! read more

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I went in excited to try a new poke spot near me, just to be let down by stringy, just thawed and mushy poke. I got the dynamite and spicy garlic and the flavors were there, the poke was not. read more

We got the chicken katsu and beef teriyaki with rice and Mac salad. And everything is sooo good love the teryaki beef has a really good char and the katsu is perfectly crispy and perfect thickness can't wait to come back! Also we got the li hing sour blossom candies super sour also delicious. I wish island roots could be on door dash so I could order it for lunch at work read more

Island Rootz Cafe by Aunty Mailes - Chicken Katsu and Beef Teryaki - Hawaiian Near Me - Gardena, California

Broke da mouth (Oahu local approved) Tastes great, just like the poke on island, highly recommend read more

Food is good with good size portions. Friendly staff and great service. Casual dining.

Nice place for snacks!! They also have merch too! Love how they many choices of spam musubi's. They also have cake slices and cookies A place you would like to visit!!! read more

Another hidden gem. Everything was fresh, plentiful, and the staff was amazing. Some of the best chicken, shrimp, and poke I've had on the mainland! read more