I was shocked at the amount of fish given compared to Choppa Poke. This was my second time giving them a shot as it's more convenient, but I can't return when I know that my money can go exponentially further elsewhere. read more

if there was an option for zero stars id choose that... Horrible service by owner, overpriced, old proteins, and minimal selection. Don't even bother and go somewhere else. read more

Perfectly priced, delicious poke bowls! The service was amazing, fish quality was excellent, and the toppings were all delicious. The only reason they aren't getting five stars is for parking, it was definitely hard to find a spot at the time of day we visited but they shouldn't be a reason you don't try out this awesome spot! The food is too good to pass up. read more

Recently visited this place, and was disappointed with the service. The man who assisted us was very unwelcoming and seemed like he didn't even want to be there. Despite being the only customers in the store, he was rude and a bit dismissive. I felt as though our presence was an inconvenience to him! Definitely a negative impression. Portions were small and price was completely unreasonable. 2 "medium" bowls for $46 is absurd. I'd take my business elsewhere. read more

After a recent trip to the Hawaiian Islands, I was bummed to return home knowing that I would never find poké on the same level. Yet sure enough, Pokéwaves opened up no later than two weeks. Upon entering the shop, I was shocked with not only the size of the space (appears much smaller from the outside), but also how clean and modern the decor was. They offer grab 'n go sushi rolls and make your own poké bowls; plus a few precreated options for the indecisive. Of course I went with a small poké bowl. There was a large variety of ingredients including bases (sushi rice, brown rice, white rice, greens, or half n half), "protings" (tofu, shrimp, crab, tuna, salmon, octopus, and more) and mix-ins+toppings+sauces. I chuckled not knowing if they purposely misspelled proteins as protings or not. You can choose from three sizes and amount of protein options (small with 2 protein scoops at $15.99, medium with 3 protein scoops at $17.99, and large with 4 protein scoops at $19.99)--the small was plenty and piled up to the top. All of the ingredients appeared and tasted super fresh. I appreciated how all the bins were not filled completely in order to keep things in continual rotation. I was introduced to an cheesy egg cube which was slightly sweet but a fun texture; thanks to the staff members who allowed me to try a sample. It's a given that I can never pass up crunchy edamame, seaweed salad ($1 extra) and that addictive spicy mayo. I was also impressed that they have beer on tap and also wine for purchase. There were also family meals which I wish I had seen earlier and would have saved us money ordering 3 small bowls. Best of all, the poké is served in an adorable bubble bowl with lid. Take-out orders also have cute paper carriers that make your bowl look like an edible aquarium! As other Yelper's mentioned, I was concerned about the shared parking lot with the one and only drive-thru Starbucks in town. Luckily, each of the businesses have individually labeled parking slots. I was excited to also find an EV parking spot right in front of the shop. Mahalo, Pokéwaves! read more

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Small Poke Bowl will cost you $18 after tax. The amount of fish you get for the price you pay (at least for a small bowl) is not a great value at all. Glad I got to try this place, but won't be a repeat customer. read more

Pokéwaves - Small Poke Bowl $18 after tax Spicy Ahi Tuna Salmon Pineapple Ginger Jalapeños Edamame House Ponzu Sauce White Rice - Poke Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

They counted the number of salmon (4 pieces)- stingy! Sauce is just alright but it's just on the fish- not on the crab or rice. Just alright. read more

Amazing!!! Inside was so clean, presentable, and everything looked very fresh and replenished. I was helped right away - I got a small bowl with white rice and spicy salmon and ahi tuna. It was so so fresh!!! I also liked that they have a fresh cut rolls section too!! I will definitely be coming back. I especially liked the outdoor seating area. Very clean! read more

Pokéwaves - Small bowl - white rice, spicy salmon, ahi tuna - cucumbers, carrots, edamame, corn, green onion, house poke sauce. - Poke Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Today I had the large ahi poke bowl - it had maybe 5 small pieces of tuna, I asked the lady to please give the 4 scoops for a large bowl and she said she did? Then she added fried onions and other toppings that I didn't ask for or want. Then she was rude when I asked for a cup of ice. After that her and the manger sat at the table next to my wife and I and the lady listened to YouTube on her speakers with no care about disturbing the customers. Definitely skip this place if you're in town. I won't tell my son's team to visit here while we are in town for a tournament. read more

Was super excited about trying this place out, especially when I found out they had an eel bowl. I love eel and have had it many many times. The service was a bit unique as the server seemed standoffish and rude. The bowl looked beautiful when I got it for $25. I was excited to dig in but, as soon as I did just about every bite had multiple bones in it. I think I ended up with 20+ bones that I picked out. Honestly I lost count. It was still very flavorful but hard to enjoy when every bite is a hazard read more

Great quality and very clean store. I come here at 10am Saturday to refresh myself. Price is quite high but the fish is very frsh read more

Pokéwaves - Large Hawaiian Bowl: tuna and salmon - Poke Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I came with my girlfriend middle of the day. It wasn't busy at all. We came in , no one was in the front. Owner came out didn't even greet us. Straight up asked "what do u want" We proceeded to order (side note this was our first time having poke in general so we had questions) He was giving us attitude the whole time. My girlfriend and i have worked in customer service before so we know it's sometimes hard but it was not an excuse for how he treated us. It was a slow day for him and it was no where near to closing time . Ruined my first ever poke experience. Never going back. If your paying 20+ dollars for a bowl at least say hi to your customers . I expect more from the owner especially if u want to make it in Santa Barbara . Food was 7/10 solid that's why I gave a star but not worth the experience we had. read more

the food at Pokéwaves is absolutely amazing. out of the limited poke places in SB, he has the freshest fish and best toppings. every time I'm visiting my family in SB I visit a bunch of times to get my poke fix. the parking is easy as there are two dedicated spots in the lot and the overall vibe is 10/10. inside is so clean and bright and the service you get is fantastic. you can choose your own sauces, or my favorite, ask which goes best with the fish you selected and what your vibe is for today and they will make you a killer combo. sushi is bomb too, they make it every day in case you wanna lil something extra with your poke. beer is on tap with a good selection of other drinks. I definitely recommend this spot if you want some amazing poke and a friendly human interaction for the day! read more

I got a small poke bowl which includes 2 proteins, so I got the spicy salmon and scallops. I decided to customize my bowl and overall it was delicious and were generous with all the toppings. I went during their soft opening so they had a small discount and the person serving me was very nice. The inside has some seating but not a lot since it's fairly small and parking is hard to since it's next to the Starbucks. They have a couple of spots reserved only for Pokéwaves customers though. The only thing I didn't like was that some of the toppings were extra $ I will definitely be coming back since it's close to my office. read more

Beautiful place! Delicious food and very fast service, large portions! In Pokewaves, you can order delivery or pick up your order. Our family really enjoyed Pokewaves, we recommend this place! read more

Pokéwaves - Poke Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Great little pokey shop. Place is clean. The service was quite friendly. And the assortment of fish and toppings were super fresh. Would definitely recommend this place and will be back myself. read more

Finally! A delicious fresh poke in SB. Some things you are used to getting elsewhere are extra like masago. Seafood ALL tastes super fresh.

Tasty, fresh and clean. Good portions and lots of variety. Went back within a week of eating the first time.

Went here yesterday and have been suffering from severe food poisoning ever since. I used to love to come here for fresh poke, but after this incident and also the fact they put a sticker on my car window that won't come off, I won't be returning. Service is also hit or miss, and there is one particularly grumpy gentleman that makes you feel unwelcome from the first "hello". Such a shame. read more

Fish is fresh. Owner is nice. Shop is super clean and ambience is soothing. Would recommend! read more

Pokéwaves - Poke Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Incredible fresh fish! Love this place!! He's really nice and the beer and wine are top notch

This place is amazing! The food is fantastic. The service is always friendly, helpful, and very fast. The place is very clean and pleasant. I could not recommend this place more highly. It is owner operated. The owner is there seven days per week. He and his wife, who's is often working there too, clearly take great pride in their restaurant. I saw the couple reviews complaining about protein quantities. I disagree with them. They might get more protein at some other place, I don't know for sure, but this is very high quality fresh fish and so are all the other add ons. This is delicious food worth every penny. Quality is what matters most when it comes to fresh uncooked fish. read more

So delicious and fresh! They use the best fish (Scottish salmon and blue fin tuna) and every component from the rice to the seaweed salad is so incredibly tasty! The place is immaculate and the owners are so kind and friendly. The to go sushi is also amazing! I love grabbing a poké bowl to enjoy on the beach. Highly recommend! read more

Food was great and the guy working was very nice. Good portions , and clean store. The fish is fresh and so are all the other ingredients. read more

Pokéwaves - Poke Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Best sushi ever! Fresh, big portions , hurray! We will be back as soon as we visit Santa Barbara again.

Might be the best poke I've ever had. Fish was so fresh, didn't go heavy on the toppings and sauces and it was perfect. Crab salad was amazing too and so worth the extra $1. It is on the pricier side and i agree that the friendliness from the worker there was lacking but I'm fine with that since the food is so good. read more

I would like to express that this review is about customer service only. I have not had the food. Today my partner and I walked across the street from our hotel. Enthusiastically, we moseyed on over at 11am only to be treated very rudely by... wait for it... THE OWNER!!! Well, I'm assuming he was the owner because he was a middle aged gentleman and I don't think a middle-age man would be working at a poke shop at opening unless he owned, it hopefully. Anyway, I walk in and exclaim"oh my gosh, it is beautiful in here" to which the gentleman says nothing so I say it again, "oh my gosh, it looks so great in here"... again nothing. He proceeds to say, " what do you want?" Caught off guard I look at my boyfriend and say to him, "What do you want, baby?" The man is now staring blankly at us with that passive, aggressive you are wasting my time, stare. I say, " I think I want a medium bowl. Do you all have spicy tuna?" (It was not on the line. )The man says, in a condescending tone, " We have spicy tuna" , I look at my boyfriend again because usually this would be it for me, and my boyfriend knows that. I press forward and say, "Let me have a medium bowl with half rice and half spring mix... ", the man says, "what kind of rice ?" (blank stare). I say., " oh what kind of rice do you have?" He literally turns around to the screen menu, raises his hand for me to read the menu without a word. I say, "Nope, not going to take this level of rudeness and pay for it", I turn around, grab my boyfriend's hand and leave. I can't tell you for sure what bug crawled up he behind or if it was just US that he felt like being unjustly rude to, but I would suggest that you do not patronize establishments run by people who do not know how to treat customers with BASIC respect, regard or consideration. read more

Great food and service. Nice and clean facility. Food tastes great. Got a large Hawaiian bowl. Prices seem normal for Santa Barbara/Goleta. read more

Pokéwaves - Hawaiian bowl replacing shrimp with tuna. - Poke Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I heard about Pokewaves on my Neighborhood app. It's located in the same building as Starbucks at the corner of Turnpike and Calle Real. Plenty of parking and a nice new place. The words not out yet but this place is really good. Fresh healthy Poke Bowls that you can have custom made any way you like or get one of their Signature bowls like I did. I got the Hawaiian Bowl and it was delicious. Choice of rice and a combo of fish, veggies, Edamame, and other goodies. This is very similar to the Poke Bowl place out past Storke Road on Hollister. Good stuff and closer to SB than the other place. read more

The food is fantastic and the service is so welcoming and friendly! Love this place! I would recommend anyone who likes poke to try it

Poke is good if you are willing to put up with rude service. I have tried this restaurant on multiple occasions and each time left disappointed in the experience. You can do better. read more

BEST POKE IN SANTA BARBARA Food is insanely good Owner is such a cooler guy and is extremely consultative in what to get and makes great suggestions Recommend trying the ginger soy sauce!!!! PS - Food is cheaper than menu prices online from door dash read more

This place is awesome! Fish was super fresh, service was great. Inside very clean with ample seating. Nice shaded outdoor area to sit as well. read more

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Great food, awful customer service. The employee there was cold and could not wait to get me out of there despite me being the only customer. Rude, stand offish and seemed miserable. Wont be back read more

Food was fresh and delicious! Service was excellent :) Also, the interior is absolutely stunning! The bowls are also priced very well, 10/10 would recommend read more

Pokéwaves - Small salmon customized bowl - Poke Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I just tried Pokewaves on Calle Real. Everything was super fresh and deliciou. I definitely would recommend! read more

This is our new spot to stop in Santa Barbara! Right off the freeway and so good. There was ready to go sushi to choose from and it was fresh and good for a fair price. My son loves sushi rolls so that was perfect for him. The poke bowls were amazing! Perfect amount of sauce, rice and toppings. Everything seemed like great quality ingredients! The owner was working I believe and he was so nice to our kids and helpful. The place was clean and their is a patio for outside dining. I recommend and will be back! read more

Super impressed: clean modern eat in space, simple fresh high quality ingredients, fast service, and actually a good price point compared to a pre-packaged Whole Foods sushi roll. This place is a hidden gem, literally, it is tucked behind Starbucks on Turnpike and you have to approach from Cathedral Oaks to see it (you may miss it if you come from 101 side). read more

I ordered the ponzu salmon through doordash and they didn't include the masago and avocado for some reason, even though it's included in the item description. Disappointing especially bc those are normally cost extra. read more

Generous portions, great sauce, awesome food. We really enjoyed our first visit. So happy to have Poke! read more

Pokéwaves - Food area - Poke Near Me - Santa Barbara, California