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    Poke Fresh

    3.9 (36 reviews)
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    Updated over 3 months ago

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    POKE FRESH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    3 rolls for $12.95 -- all tuna/avocado.  DELISH!!!

    I usually grab tuna/avocado rolls when I'm at H‑E‑B for groceries. On a whim I decided to try Poke Fresh. I mean they have 3 rolls for $12.95. They can't be any worse than store bought rolls and they are much cheaper. I was shocked at how good these rolls were. They were HUGE and had plenty of tuna and avocado. All three rolls were consistent in the way they were prepared and none were smaller than another. I'm definitely going back as soon as I have another sushi craving. Less expensive, much higher quality AND across the street from my job?!

    Anna T.

    Legit sushi and ramen with affordable prices for lunchtime in the downtown area! I came on a Monday during lunch hours for the first time and though it was pretty empty, it did not deter me from ordering and dining at the restaurant. The space was open and clean. There was fast and friendly service at the counter and they deliver the food to your table. I ordered the Roasted Pork Ramen (yummy broth!) and 3 Sushi Rolls (Yellowtail Scallion, Salmon Avocado, and Eel Avocado) and enjoyed every single bite. Many people now work from home or have a hybrid schedule , so I am happy to support these local businesses downtown, like this one again.

    Had to go with the Roasted pork Ramen which had great flavor but could be a little spicier for me.
    George R.

    Ramen was the word of the day so had to give a place close to wife's work, and found these guys just up the road. Quick service in a walk up type setting so orders go in quickly. Taste of the food was great but could have been a tad spicier for me, and provenir more veggies to be sure. Nice ambiance with lots of seating but get there early for lunch because it fills up quick at high noon. Love the fact that they have dark tint on all their windows because sunset Texas heat is not a good friend! lol

    Shrimp Shumai and spicy tuna roll
    Deborah N.

    Used UberEats to try this place, and was shocked at how tiny the shrimp shumai was when I opened the to go box. Misleading to say the least, the photo of the shumai on their appetizer menu photo resembles nothing of what I got. I was imagining dim sum size shrimp shumai, and what I got were mini fake-shrimp-pai lol...they are tiny, so it should be called mini. Got the spicy tuna roll. Rice is dry and the spicy is not spicy at all. The spicy tuna is Definitely not fresh....tuna tasted ground up with no flavor... I will prob give this place another try and try their higher priced items but I guess you get what you pay for!

    Spicy salmon poke bowl (select your own ingredients)
    Estenna M.

    Today was first time here. I had seen it before on my daily walks at lunch but curious about the place. I love fresh poke bowls!!!! This staff was friendly and helpful with choice of selection. Service was amazing!!! Everyone smiled and ver patient. The atmosphere was serene and tranquil. I will definitely go back for lunch more often. Thank you everyone!!! Love this place!!!

    #6 Chicken Gone Wild Poke Bowl
    Jacqueline M.

    Huge menu selection and always fresh and delicious! My favorite lunch spot while working downtown!

    The Rain of Fire Poke
    Kevin K.

    They changed their containers to a bio-degradable fiber material, which is a thumbs up for me. We got there at 9:50, which was a little early as they were still prepping their kitchen for poke. They told us that they'd be ready at 10:00 am and we didn't mind because all the pokes spots within a 5 mile radius open at 11:00am. As for the food, the presentation of the bowl was nice and colorful. The taste of poke was very good as well. Although it's no where similar to Hawaiian poke, it was delightful to eat. It was early and I didn't feel like using my brain so I just went with combo bowl vs. build your own. I ordered the "Rain of Fire Poke" and boy was it delicious. I would definitely come again.

    Karen W.

    To sum up: overpriced, feels stingy, but the ingredients were at least fresh. Is relying on a captive crowd to draw business. The details: poke is a welcome addition to this part of downtown and I was excited to try it. The additional sushi and ramen offerings are also a nice touch. Unfortunately this poke experience was pretty sad. It started out with my salad mix. My server started dumping a mystery dressing on it without asking. I didn't want it, so I had to stop her and start again. Next, as mentioned by someone else, one protein gets you one tiny scoop. I chose tuna, which was fresh enough. But the portion was small so I asked for shrimp. (Spicy tuna looked like cat food). Got three pieces of shrimp. This wasn't mixed in a bowl with sauce, like many other places do. Just dumped on the top. Next was toppings. They limit you to three, so I got tomato, cucumber, and mango. I would have liked more, perhaps some edamame, but nope, you get three. Next was the smaller toppings. I got green onion, a pinch of sesame seeds , and some sunflower seeds. Once again, three is the limit. Want toasted onion? Nori? Nope! Three it is. I added a scoop of avocado mush too, for an extra cost. Sauces were drizzled on the top. Overall, I had a decent lunch. but this place is definitely the worst poke in the area. Limiting simple toppings is ridiculous, and turns a fun experience of creating a meal into an uncomfortable one. I'm sure I'll land here again but I hope it's after they change their ways.

    Poke bowl
    Benjamin C.

    If you're looking for an affordable healthy meal to replace the fast food options downtown, this is the place to go. Large restaurant space, great variety of drinks and so tasty. Pros- great quick option for an affordable healthy meal that will fill me up. I love sushi and sashimi. This is perfect since it all comes in one bowl. It's about time there was a poke place downtown amidst the chik fila and other chains. Also like the larger eating area compared to most places in town or food courts. Great boba drinks too. Cons- I wish there were more locations

    a plate of sushi and a container of sauce
    John C.

    Poke fresh...Meh 3 star review for now...I may have to do some more research! I never expect much out of downtown Houston lunch sushi, but this place looked clean and inviting. I walked inside and suddenly realized I should've done some research before waltzing in unequipped to order! I stared at the lengthy screen, the lady behind the counter asked twice "can i help you" before I could read the first few items...the place is setup to pick out items for bowls (picture subway style) and that stuff all looked very fresh and wonderful, but i wasnt prepared so my default sushi answer came out instead. I ordered the volcano roll (shrimp tempura with crab topping) and some pan fried gyoza. The dumplings were pretty good, filling was nice...the roll looked good, but was pretty skinny in girth and it was somewhat fishy tasting. I'd like to go back and have a bowl made, but I'd suggest looking at a Menu and getting more familiar with things before wandering in

    Cindy W.

    By far my favorite pOke place in downtown. You can choose from a variety of bAse including salad, brown rice, sobs noodles and more. For $10 you can have one protein and many sides. They also have a loyalty card where you caN get one free after 10th bowl.

    Front door
    Jon N.

    Poke was decent but a bit pricey (2 protein scoops for $11), the cashier got my drink order wrong but I just wanted to give it a try anyways.

    Outside
    Crystal John K.

    Super fresh sushi here. Quick in and out service. The portions are really big here. They also have ramen and you can order sushi too. We will be back.

    Their take on a "Shaggy Dog" (very delicious)

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    2 years ago

    Nice cheap affordable sushi with not alot of rice which i love!!! Food came out fast too!

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    7 years ago

    I ordered hand rolls eel, yellowtail, and Salmon. They were are all quite good but the eel was the best. I may definitely try again.

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    Aiko

    Aiko

    4.5
    (338 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    Locally owned & operated
    Free parking

    Loved the food here! The fish is super fresh and high quality and even the non-sushi menu items had…read moregreat flavors and were well executed. I got the pan daiquiri as my drink to start and my friend got the herbed lavender lemonade. For food we shared the hamachi crudo, the chutoro nigri, the kanpachi nigiri, the A5 tartare, the kani handroll, The kinoko yasaimono, and the hot scallop dish to share. The pan daiquiri was SO good. The smokiness from the mezcal hits you first and then the sweet and creamy after taste takes over. It was so well mixed and I would highly recommend trying this if you are a mezcal lover like me. (9/10) The herbed lavender lemonade was too tangy and sweet for my liking. The lavender flavor get lost in the drink. It tasted like a typical lemonade, nothing special. (5/10) The hamachi crudo was so fresh and I really enjoyed the sweet and tangy broth. I'm not sure I would call it tom kha broth but it tasted good regardless and paired well with the tomatoes. (7.5/10) The chutoro nigiri was SO buttery and melt in your mouth delicious. I would definitely get this again. (8.8/10) The kanpachi nigiri was fresh and I enjoyed the sauce paired with it. It was my first time trying amberjack and I liked it. (7/10) The A5 tartare was super unique and well seasoned. There was plenty of tartare compared to the amount of milk bread you are given to eat it with. The uni, caviar, pate and waygu all mixed together was a decadent combination full of flavor. My only note was the contrast in temperatures that I did not love, the tartare came cold while the milk bread was warm. Overall, a very luxurious and tasty dish. (8/10) The kani handroll surpassed my expectations. Typically I don't go for crab first, but I did enjoy the flavors paired with the crab and the hand roll was well filled. (7.8/10) The kinoko roll (king trumpet mushroom roll) really surprised me. I was weary about getting this roll because I normally don't opt for vegan options, but this king mushroom was so well prepared and the sauce was so delicious that dare I say that I enjoyed this more than some of the fish/meat sushi rolls I've had in the past. (8/10) The hot scallop dish was one of the best bites of the night. The scallop was perfectly charred and cooked and the creamy polenta base with the umami salmon roe, with the fried red cabbage to add texture was amazing. I would definitely order this again. (9/10) Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Aiko and the food surpassed my expectations. I loved everything I tried and do want to come back to try more. The service was quick and helpful with the menu. Parking can be a bit tricky, but there are some free street parking spots around the plaza. The ambiance is definitely upscale and classy. It's a great place for a date! My only complaint was that I made a reservation for 2 at least a week in advance and upon arrival, though they had plenty of open tables, we were seated at the opposite end of a table that was already occupied. We were close enough to hear their entire conversation throughout dinner, and I just thought it was an odd experience because that had never happened to me before. Though it did not hinder me from enjoying the food I would have preferred to be seated at our own table.

    I thought Aiko delivered a really memorable meal. Overall I'm giving this place 5 stars -- the…read morequality of the fish and the execution were excellent -- though personally I did find the progression of courses a little rich toward the end. For context, Aiko is part of the same group as Doko (their sushi omakase concept) and Handies Douzo (their handroll-focused restaurant), and you can definitely see the overlap in technique and flavor profiles across the restaurants. We went for the Valentine's omakase menu. The meal started with the Oyster Duo. One had a yuzu granita and aguachile that was bright and refreshing, while the other had a roasted onion soubise with smoked trout roe that leaned richer and more savory. Nice contrast between the two. One of my favorite early dishes was the chilled zaru soba. The buckwheat noodles had a great chewy texture and the mentsuyu broth was light and refreshing with mirin, mushroom, and seaweed notes. It was a really nice palate reset. The smoked ocean trout sashimi (masu) was another standout. It had garlic aioli on top with oil and black pepper, and the tomato added a crunchy brightness that balanced the richness of the fish. It's a simple combination but worked surprisingly well. The temaki course was excellent. The snow crab handroll had this creamy mayo texture with chili and crunchy shallots, and you can tell they roast the seaweed sheets right before serving because the nori had an incredible crunch -- honestly some of the best texture I've had in a handroll. It reminded me a lot of the style they do at Handies. For the hirame crudo with pomegranate and shiso, the flavor was good but a bit more subtle. I think the pistachio really helps that dish; without enough of it the flavors felt a little muted. I know pomegranate and pistachio is a common flavor pairing for middle eastern cuisines. My partner has a tree nut allergy so they removed it for both of us. The wagyu fat rice was very indulgent. The first thing you taste is the wagyu fat, but the fried shallots and other crunchy elements help balance it out. The sauce reminded me a lot of something you'd get at Doko -- rich but very satisfying. Adding fried rice in between fish courses was an interesting choice from the chef, but I think Aiko aims to be more western fusion than a traditional Japanese omakase. The tuna trio was fantastic. The chutoro with negidare (garlic, sesame oil, scallion) was probably my favorite bite of the night -- super flavorful and perfectly balanced. The foie gras course leaned sweet and savory, almost like an eel sauce flavor with some crunch on top. Delicious, but by this point in the progression I was definitely feeling the richness of the meal. Dessert was a milk tea tiramisu that I thought was really interesting. The mascarpone layer had a tartness to it -- almost like there might be a little sour cream mixed in -- and one layer had a subtle salty note that balanced the sweetness. Overall, the food quality was excellent and the fish was clearly very fresh. My only minor critique is that the progression of courses skewed a bit rich for my personal preference, especially in the second half of the meal. That said, every dish was thoughtfully executed and there were some truly standout bites. If you enjoy creative omakase with some richer flavor profiles, Aiko is definitely worth trying.

    Photos
    Aiko
    Cucumber tomato salad
    Cucumber tomato salad
    Salmon toro w. truffle & caviar

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    Salmon toro w. truffle & caviar
    Himari

    Himari

    4.3
    (118 reviews)
    5.1 mi
    $$

    How damn cute! They go over the top with their to go/delivery packaging…read more Sushi is good and travels well. The edamame was a great surprise - not your typical boiled and salt. It was that but also charred on a grill that added a little plus plus. We'll order from them again.

    There's seating outdoors, inside at the sushi bar, tables, and more seating upstairs. I noticed…read morethat they used machines to give proportionate amount of rice for the nigiri and rolls. This is nice to have consistent amounts of rice for each dish. I do wonder if this would make service slow or not because it did take awhile to get our food. There were a lot of to go orders and the way they package the items looked top tier. I did see they had a reasonable price for omakase for 2 ($95). This alone I think is worth trying this place out. However, I was not hungry enough for their omakase. I don't know if the machine played a roll in it but the seaweed was a bit soft and got stuck onto the dish. This made the quality of the rolls disappointing. The fish tasted fresh but I think the flavors and ingredients overpowered the fish. I would have liked ingredients that would elevate the fish and make it stand out as the highlight of the rolls. However, I thought they did a good job with presentation in each dish. I tried the rainbow row and that was a bit hard to eat because the seaweed got stuck onto the wooden board. I also thought the menu didn't reflect all of the ingredients that were inside of the rolls. They list the main stuff but not everything else. For example, I noticed that there was asparagus inside of the rainbow row but it isn't listed. For that reason I'd give it 3 stars. I wouldn't order this again. The next item I tried was the yuzu kissed and this was my favorite out of everything I've tried. I do think that it was missing something that would balance out the citrusy flavor but nevertheless it was still tasty as long as you don't douse the fish in the sauce, 5 stars. I also tried the Wagyu pitchfork and I think something that would've made this taste better would be a sauce maybe like an eel sauce. This would also get 3 stars for me. The spicy tuna roll was 3 stars for me and it was more so of the texture of the tuna. The tuna felt like it was stuffed in the roll and was like a soggy texture. Some of the tuna fell out as I was eating it and it also made the seaweed wrap around it a bit moist. I think if you go here you definitely should get the sashimi that way you could actually taste the quality of the fish. I tried the medium tuna and fatty and these were actually what I would expect from a place like this. The quality was there but the other items didn't hit the mark for me. The other item I tried was the Japanese scallop and the scallop was tasty and had that smooth buttery texture. The seaweed again kind of ruined the scallop for me. It felt like the scallop was shoved into the roll and was all soft and squishy when I picked it up.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Salmon roll
    Salmon roll
    Lychee martini

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    Lychee martini
    Koi

    Koi

    4.6
    (287 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$$

    Amazing all around! Decor was refined and modern throughout the entire dining floor…read more Fish were all super fresh and delicious! Also had to highlight their house made soy sauce which was extremely umami, very unique and sets this place slightly apart from the many other sushi joints in its range Truffle crab chawanmushi was certainly a top highlight for me as well - rich truffle oil with the perfectly light steamed egg and sweet crab chunks, just an incredible dish and I could have easily eaten several of these The uni was also extremely fresh and buttery and was nice even for someone who doesn't usually like uni In the same class and range as places like Kata Robata and I would say it's a strong rival! Would come back again!

    A great spot for sushi in the Montrose area. They have a small parking lot in the front otherwise…read moreyou can find street parking in the neighborhood behind the restaurant. Easy to make resy online. The inside had low lightings, giving an intimate ambience. It wasn't too crowded when we were there on a weekday night. Menu had a variety to your usuals between sashmi, nigiri, maki, or cold tasting items. They also have a chef's feature menu. We ordered a few items to share: - Carbonara udon - Uni pasta - Royal chutoro maki - Wagyu and mushroom tarts - Toyosu sashimi platter - Salmon flight My favorite of the night. I am usually not a huge udon fan but the udon noodles were super soft and melts in your mouth. Probably one of the best udons I have had. We had to try the uni pasta when we saw it on the menu. A good amount of uni and the sauce was perfect with the pasta. For sashmi option, the Toyosu sashimi platter was a great choice that offer a variety of the chef's curated imported fresh Japanese sashimi. We also got the salmon flight which had 6 pieces of the salmon and salmon belly. Service was friendly and quick. Overall, a good spot for sushi in the Montrose area.

    Photos
    Aburi roll, el Diablo roll
    Aburi roll, el Diablo roll
    Crispy rice
    Crispy rice
    Yuzu Mojito

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    Yuzu Mojito
    Tins

    Tins

    4.9
    (52 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    I had been eyeing Tins for a while and finally took the plunge - and I'm glad I did. It's a very…read moreunique "not sushi" omikase, with a very good character as the mastermind by the name of Chef Sky. I'm not sure what I enjoyed more: the food or the service but it was hands down one of my favorite omikase experiences I've ever had (and I've done this in Japan). There were very thoughtful dishes centering your staples like high quality tuna, salmon, scallops, and oysters. One thing that resonated with me was the laksa, which is a Malaysian style curry. Such a fun and unique experience, you'll definitely enjoy your time with chef Sky!

    We went to TINS on Friday for my birthday. We love going to an Omakase, but this is more. This is…read morean experience. Chef Sky puts all of his passion into this 14 course adventure. Each bite is elevated and delicious. We wanted to eat slow and enjoy each bite, but each was better than the last and so hard to eat slow! We were anticipating each piece! We loved the addition of laksa and his Malaysian influence. It was so hard to pick a favorite. The sake FLOWS! It's truly unlimited. We had so much fun. The interior is vibe in itself. If you go for the 8 o'clock seating, they do karaoke after and I can only imagine how fun that it since Chef Sky is so fun. He shared so much knowledge and was just so much fun to talk to as well. We finished our meal and stayed another 40 minutes talk to Chef and enjoying the sake. It really is more than just sushi. You will not find wasabi and soy sauce anywhere. Each of the sauces elevates each bite you take and compliments it so well. Here's what we enjoyed: 1.Madai (jalapeño dressing ) 2.Hickory smoke sichimi salmon ( crunchy garlic and sweet & sour sauce ) 3.Scallop with sesame oil , truffle salt , fried garlic , ponzu and mint leaf ) 4.Malaysian curry laksa 5.Tuna (Spain ) mango salsa make with tom yum sauce 6.Kanpachi (Hawaii ) truffle oil , Himalayan salt & lemon zest 7.King salmon (New Zealand ) seared with yuzu miso and Malaysian crunchy fried anchovy 8. Santa Barbara uni shooter 9. Founder (repulic of Korea) homemade pepper sauce 10. Seared escolar with pork floss 11. Toro with creamy cilantro lime sauce with kizami wasabi 12 . Hamachi with Malaysian style sweet garlic sauce 13. Unagi with old granny spice and yuzu salt 14. mango crepes cake

    Photos
    Tins
    Unlimited sake
    Unlimited sake
    Yellowtail (sweet garlic sauce)

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    Yellowtail (sweet garlic sauce)
    Kata Robata

    Kata Robata

    4.3
    (2.3k reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$$

    Kata Robata absolutely lived up to its reputation. The sushi was incredibly fresh, beautifully…read morepresented, and every bite was outstanding. The nigiri was one of the highlights of the meal. The seaweed salad was unlike any I've had before, it featured about eight different types of seaweed and was beautifully presented. While it wasn't quite my personal favorite, I appreciated the creativity and quality. The true star of the meal was the miso black cod. It was perfectly cooked, buttery, flavorful, and literally finger-licking good. I would come back just for that dish. Excellent food, elegant presentation, and a memorable dining experience. I will definitely be back!

    Kata Robata used to be one of my favorite restaurants before I moved away from Houston. After…read morerecently moving back, I chose it for my birthday lunch with friend because I had such fond memories of dining there. Unfortunately, this visit was disappointing. I arrived about 20 minutes before opening and had to wait outside in Houston's summer heat 93'F. While there are a few benches, there is very little shade, and guests are not allowed to wait inside. When the restaurant opened, there was no clear system for seating guests. Even though I was first in line, several people rushed in ahead of me, making the process feel disorganized. The biggest issue involved a $300 gift card that my friend had received years ago. She simply asked the staff to check the balance. When the server returned, he told us the manager had cut the card in half and that the entire balance had to be used during that visit. What bothered me was the lack of communication. We were never informed of the policy before the card was invalidated. If that is the restaurant's policy, it should be explained clearly beforehand. As two ladies having lunch, spending $300 was difficult, so we ended up ordering far more food than we normally would. The sashimi was fresh but cut thinly than what I've had at comparable restaurants. The hamachi kama, chirashi, and lobster mac and cheese were good. The green tea soufflé cheesecake was the biggest disappointment. For $10, it consisted of three very small cubes and felt overpriced. The waitstaff were attentive, friendly and professional, which helped salvage the experience. However, between the uncomfortable wait outside, the chaotic seating process, and the poor handling of the gift card, this visit did not live up to my previous experiences. While I have many good memories of Kata Robata, I'm not sure I'll be returning anytime soon.

    Photos
    Back dining space
    Back dining space
    Lunch nigiri.
    Lunch nigiri.
    Okinawa Sun - strong AF

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    Okinawa Sun - strong AF

    Poke Fresh - poke - Updated July 2026

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