It's a stop & go type place, small but meant for quick turnarounds. It was absolutely freezing inside so I wouldn't stay longer than needed. Staff was very friendly and nice. The Luau BBQ bowl was delicious- the citrus ginger sauce really surprised me with how flavorful it was without having one thing overpower it. I ordered a mac & cheese bowl but the lack of cheese just made it starchy and lacked flavor. read more

Mahana Fresh - BBQ LUAU BOWL - New American Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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This was my first visit to Mahana Fresh, and I was pleasantly surprised from the moment I walked in. The menu offers a nice balance between curated bowls and build-your-own options, and everything on display looked vibrant and genuinely fresh. Even the subtle aroma of garlic in the air set the tone in the best way. I don't usually go for chicken (I cook enough of it at home), but being from Hawaii, there was no way I was passing up on their limited-time Huli Huli chicken. For those unfamiliar, traditional Huli Huli chicken is typically bone-in, skin-on, soaked in a brine, marinated with a blend of soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, garlic, and pineapple juice maybe rice vinegar or ketchup, it's all left to the cook. Basted several times as the meat is flipped until fully cooked. Back home, you don't just eat it--you experience it. You smell it long before you see it--grilling on those iconic half oil drum kettles along the roadside, often set up for fundraisers or local gatherings. The sight of chicken quarters being flipped ("huli" means "turn") and basted over open flames is pure island nostalgia. So yes, expectations were high. I was offered a sample, and it delivered. The flavor balance was spot on--savory, slightly sweet, and deeply satisfying. The chicken itself was moist and tender. The only thing missing was that classic crispy, charred skin and the full leg quarter presentation you'd find back home--but even so, it didn't disappoint and left me wanting more. My bowl came together beautifully with coconut sweet potato sauce, fresh spinach, garlicky cilantro green beans, and basmati rice. It was flavorful, well-balanced, and delicious. Service was another highlight--the staff was friendly, patient and helpful with recommendations. The space itself is not large to eat in but it was clean, bright with ocean-toned blues that nod to its island inspiration. I'll definitely be back--especially while that Huli Huli chicken is still on the menu. read more

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summary: a Chipotle-style health-conscious spot offering a selection of different combinations of bowls, wraps, and tacos. Mahana Fresh is a relatively new spot in the Broken Land Parkway area of Columbia and I was excited to check it out because it had pretty well-received reviews for a health conscious spot. I would probably describe my experience as "ok." Like it wasn't bad, but it was a bit disappointing. Maybe it was the time that I visited (around 4-5pm on a weekend). The service was kind of slow - they seemed to get a lot of to-go/doordash orders, so a handful of the staff appeared to be occupied working on those. But, I think my main disappointment was in the food. The flavor/cook of the food didn't really do it for me. The steak was rather tough and a lot of the sides didn't feel all that fresh to me (especially given the namesake). They do seem to run promotions like a Taco Tuesday, if you wanted to take advantage of some deals. As far as the dining options go, they do have a few tables set up inside the venue, but it's pretty basic/barebones - I think it's mainly popular as a carryout or doordash place. All in all, it was okay, but I do feel like there are competitors in the area that are in the same space of food that might be better suited for me. read more

Mahana Fresh - Big Kahuna Bowl w/ Teriyaki Chicken and Steak - New American Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Overall: fast casual bowls with a base, veg, and protein, small shop with some seating and tropical decor This place was fine. There was nothing noteworthy in positive or negative directions. We all finished our meals, it felt relatively healthy and plenty filling. The price felt right for the serving sizes. Every meat and vegetable had different marinades and seasonings, which can be good but it also made it a little hard to match the flavors in a way that made a good combo. The shrimp and steak were a little chewy. My vegetables were delicious. The japchae (sweet potato noodles) were very ginger-forward. R&B music was blasting. The shop is small and where the doors are located, cold air would blast on us every time the someone entered or exited. The systems in place weren't super efficient, but the employees were kind. read more

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First time here and thought it was a pretty good lunch. Made my own bowl and went with basic protein: teriyaki & Key West chicken, kale crunch, sesame noodles, broccoli, brussels, & citrus ginger sauce. Everything looked and tasted fresh and it all came together nicely. Would definitely try it again read more

The food was excellent! I love the freshness. The service was efficient and pleasant. The ambiance was quiet,I would have like some background music. read more

Mahana Fresh - Tacos! - New American Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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This place is just great. Easy to get to just off of Rt 32, near the Snowden River Pkwy/Broken Land Pkwy intersection. A buddy of mine and I were looking for lunch and happened to be driving by. Bowl places are getting more and more popular and this one is very very good. Nice selection, great service, great taste, and the prices are not too bad. Highly recommended. read more

MUST TRY without a doubt the best HEALTHY food ever! I mean you get so much for such a great price. Everything is gluten free and so so healthy tasty. The location is welcoming, clean, and staff is friendly and patient. I stepped a bit out of my comfort zone and completely WORTH IT! I love this place and would love to have more location preferably in Rockville area! Would be a great addition to the Montgomery county area! MUST COME VISIT TRUST ME ! read more

Mahana Fresh - New American Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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I really like this QSR concept. Food is made fresh, a lot of gluten free options and very health conscious. I like the build your bowl option and they feature a lot of variety. I usually get their coconut rice, sesame noodles, roasted mushrooms, sesame ginger broccoli, bbq chicken, Caribbean jerk chicken, or the key west chicken. The sauces are also very good and I recommend putting them on the side. Definitely get the citrus ginger and cilantro vinaigrette. Service here is really quick. Don't forget to download the app to earn and redeem points. Also if you have the Inkind app you can use points from there as well. I will definitely be back to try their other protein options. read more

Mahana Fresh - New American Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Great new lunch place! Excited to find this new spot. The food is delicious and fresh. I got a protein bowl which was steak and broccoli and Brussels sprouts over noodles. My friend got a Luau chicken bowl which was bbq chicken and green beans over rice. The shop is small but does have tables for dining in. Coke fountain soda for the win. The staff was friendly and fast. read more

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This place has reminded me that you can have both - eat healthy AND still be delicious. Tried 3 signature bowls to go: Big Kahuna Bowl, Protein Paradise Bowl, and Spicy Ahi Aloha Bowl. The big kahuna had bbq chicken, which turns out to be my favorite protein of the bunch. The rice, cauliflower, and grilled steak were decent. The green beans were okay, could be cooked a little longer. It came with a cilantro vinaigrette which I thought had an interesting flavor profile, I think I'd try a different sauce next time. Protein Paradise was my favorite. I really enjoyed the sesame noodles with Brussel sprouts, broccoli, steak and the creamy wasabi sauce. I felt like this combo mix made sense. Spicy Ahi Aloha was good too. Basically protein paradise but switch the protein for ahi tuna, which was decent. Service was friendly and quick. They had my to-go order ready to go. Restaurant appeared clean. Would come back again and get the bbq chicken, and to possibly try other bowls. read more

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We placed a pickup order here for a few bowls, as well as the kid's mac & cheese. The pickup order was ready on time, parking was easy, and the staff was nice. The bowls were all delicious. I super loved the jerk-style bowl I ordered and everybody cleaned their plates. All the ingredients in the bowls felt fresh and healthy. The kid's mac & cheese was not particularly good, the noodles were overcooked and the sauce was so-so. But all together, a great option for healthy, fast, unique, and tasty bowls. read more

So they said this is the only one of its kind in Maryland. I was drawn into the store by the colorful signage lol. The place reminds me of like a healthier Chipotle meets tropical smoothie. I didn't get any food but got the tropical green smoothie and subbed the bananas out with strawberries. I definitely enjoyed it! Some of the food options (chicken and buffalo cauliflower) looked a little dry but the serving bowls were almost empty and it was almost closing time. I'd probably give it another chance but earlier in the day. read more

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Part 2 of 2 for the letter M. M is for Mahana Fresh. This place is pretty new, opening in January 2025 (or perhaps slightly before). My girlfriend & I went on Sunday, February 2 before a movie as they were running a promotion plus participate in the InKind app for additional discount. It's assembly line where you pick the various ingredients you want. It's a Hawaiian theme place. It's a generous portion of food, and the staff is nice. When I got the cashier, he explained the one promotion I was going for didn't work because I would've had to go and get specific items every month, but I still get the InKind discount. The food was delicious. We returned again on Sunday, April 27; this time after a movie. I was hangry, but overall, it was a good experience and satisfied my hunger. The place is clean including restrooms & comfortable seating area. read more

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Tried Mahana fresh for the first time and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. The service was friendly and quick. The food selections were good and the quantity of food you receive for the price is very acceptable. I did a custom bowl. The food was warm and fresh. There are only two thing that I would note. The chicken was a little chewy and the snickerdoodles lacked flavor(so I will pass on them next time). Overall it a nice place to pick up a meal. read more

Mahana Fresh - Custom bowl w/chicken & 2 Snickerdoodles - New American Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

This is place is exactly what I've been looking for! It's got delicious, healthy food, and great fast service. I like how you can build your bowl, the large bowl has 2 bases, 2 proteins, and 2 vegetables. I got a large bowl with coconut rice, noodles, teriyaki chicken, shrimp, broccoli and sweet potatoes. My bowl was flavorful and plentiful. It was big enough for 2 meals for me. The place is brand new and clean; walk up to the counter, build your ingredients in the bowl, and pay at the end of the line. Wonderful first time going to this place. I will definitely be back very soon, to try other items such as their steak, ahi tuna, Brussels sprouts, green beans, etc.. read more

Mahana Fresh - Big Kahuna Bowl* shrimp, teriyaki chicken! :) - New American Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Service was nice and quick and the food was just as good as it looks That jerk chicken bowl is a must try! Highly recommend read more

Mahana Fresh - New American Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Delicious and healthy! I tried a couple combinations and my favorite is definitely their steak (I found the chicken too salty) and for the sauce the cilantro vinaigrette or the creamy wasabi. The vegetable section is great and I love their sesame noodles! If you want a treat, the Tropical Green Smoothie is delicious. I wish their serving size was consistent though, sometimes they're generous and others not! read more

This place just opened up about a few weeks ago. We were initially planning to get chipotle but saw this place next door and decided to try it and I have to say, I am very pleased and impressed. The food quality is delicious - they had various well seasoned protein, veggies, sides, and fantastic sauces. They have ice tea, vending machine, fountain, and special fruit flavored drinks. The service was great, they are not stingy with their portions at all and will definitely give great recommendations with food. The ambiance is super clean, calm music, and just an overall well put place. The best part is the meal portion. Let me tell you - they are not kidding around with how big the slices are for their protein and vegetables. They are not stingy AT ALL like some other places. The size of the meal is much bigger and a little cheaper than chipotle or similar restaurants. If you didn't listen to anything today, listen to me - you have to try this place at least once. I will definitely be coming back!!! read more

Mahana Fresh - Top: steak, chicken, rice, feta, and sides. Bottom: Teriyaki, bbq chicken, rice, noodles, and sides. - New American Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

OK, this place rocks. Great service, fresh ingredients, generous portions. They could use some more seating space but all I can say is - go now. read more

Mahana Fresh was such a pleasant surprise. They offer a wide range of fresh veggies and meats, and you can choose from their curated bowls or build your own -- which I did. Everything tasted clean, bright, and genuinely fresh. It was one of those meals that makes your whole body exhale... the kind where you can feel your insides smiling because you know you just fed yourself something healthy and good. A simple, nourishing win. read more

Mahana Fresh - Build Your Own: Kale Crunch base, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Mushrooms, Tofu, and Guacamole. - New American Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Very tasty food, healthy, large portions, and tractor drinks. We are repeat customers and highly recommend. Order in line and pay at the counter either for takeout or to eat there. Each time we go, it seems most people order takeout and there is plenty of seating. read more

The food really is so fresh and the portions are awesome. The chicken is super moist. Service is really good and the restaurant is clean and welcoming! I will definitely be back. read more

Mahana Fresh - Big mahana bowl with bbq chicken and key west chicken - New American Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Last 2 times I've been here, some of the food looks like yesterday's leftovers. I've noticed this when I go early, between 11-12. Today, my mushrooms were all shriveled and both of our chicken dishes contained mostly shredded chicken. Not the big whole chunks you normally see. Disappointed. Definitive not fresh like later in the day. read more

Very disappointed. The food appeared to have been just sitting out. Nothing fresh was refilled while we were eating. The cauliflower was terrible, had a bad flavor. Every topping is "extra". I will not be going back, unfortunately. read more

I loved this place the food was great and incredibly healthy! Watch out Chipotle, you have competition...

I've been having my eye on this spot for a while and glad to see it finally opened. When I walked in, I was greeted by a friendly team member and I let him know that this was my first time there. He offered to let me try anything behind the window. Keep in mind this place allows you to create your own bowl or you can pick one of their creations. I was torn between creating my own or going with their recommendation. So I tried their pasta base which is served cold. It gave me the vibe of old school pasta salad vibe with Italian dressing but on glass noodles instead of linguini. Afywr trying that I decided to go with their teriyaki chicken bowl. It came with coconut rice, garlic broccoli, green beans and chicken. I ended up subbing the chicken for steak (it was cooked medium) for an additional $3. I also added feta on top and they gave me 2 sauces on the side. I did take this to go so I ate it when I got home. The food was fresh and delicious. My only gripe was how tough and grainy the medium steak was. Other than that, I would certainly try them again, I would not get the steak again. The staff amd service was great! read more

I love this "build your bowl" type of venue. My bowl included sesame noodle, Brussels, sweet potato chunks and bbq chicken and a white non-spicy dipping sauce. Portions were generous. I would get exactly these ingredients again. The chicken was tasty and moist, the potatoes were flavorful and soft, excellent Brussels perfectly roasted with a light spice. The staff was quick and friendly, greeted as we entered and as we exited. There are 4 tables for indoor dining, all were occupied at about 1pm on a Thursday, a steady stream of customers came in for carry out. I can't recall if any outdoor seating, that would be a plus! Looking forward to trying some of the other proteins and toppings. read more

Yum! We ordered a family meal for takeout and it was a good amount of food and delicious. Everything tasted fresh and healthier than most take out. We didn't eat inside so I can't really speak about the ambiance or the service. Our food was ready on time. We also utilized the in kind app to get some money back on the app. read more

Food was sooo good! Loved all the healthy options. It's like a chipotle, you create your own bowl, but healthier and tastier. .

Food was great felt way better after eating it then eating next door at the chipotle. I will never go to chipotle again after trying this

Flavorful, healthy food! A welcome addition to the Columbia fastfood landscape dotted with fried food chains! The concept is similar to Chipotle/CAVA, there is no real way to describe the food other than it is inspired by many different cuisines (asian, Indian, Carribean etc), but everything is seasoned well and flavorful with plenty of vegetarian/vegan options. There are 3 things that i think can be improved - a. The "Big Mahana" bowl and the regular "Mahana" bowl both seem to have the same portion size, this is mostly because their portion size is inconsistent when it comes to the "Big Mahana" making you wonder why did you shell out the $$ twice the protein. b. They need to add more sauce to the food. If you order carbs as the base (rice, noodles), the amount of sauce is not sufficient to overcome the natural dryness of rice. c. I do wish they had another vegetarian protein option. Their tofu is good but its the only option if you are a vegan or vegetarian. I see myself picking this over Chipotle regularly. read more

Fresh delicous food and awesome service. I definitely would return to this restaurant in the future.

Up from Alexandria. First time. Very tasty teriyaki chicken bowl. The chicken was so tender and smoky which surprised. The sauces unique and delicious. Everything so fresh. The music delightful! A great spot for a quick bite and take out. You locals are so fortunate. I wish there was one in my neck of the woods. read more

Service was patient and helpful, food was fresh and incredible. It was too bad this was an out of town visit, wish it was nearby!

very very yummy, it was like a healthy chipotle for a much better price. very affordable

Friendly staff that really wants you to have a good experience. The food is healthy and flavorful. The smoothies are also really good. I do wish they developed more menu options. but thumbs up! read more