I absolutely love the poke here. It's so simple yet delicious. I just got the spicy ahi and sesame ahi over rice and it was just so good. Of course they have other fish available as well. Must try! read more

Pono Market - Spicy and sesame ahi over rice poke. Try it! - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Talk about bang for your buck! On the expensive island of Kauai, Pono Market is a great reprieve with great food. It's a small place with a deli counter on one side and a refrigerator wall of drinks on the other. You order by plate or bowl, essentially rice with your choice of meat on top. Our group tried the Kalua pork, the Lau Lau pork, the fried chicken, and the mac salad. The Kalua pork is succulent shredded pork cooked luau style. The Lau Lau is pork cooked with salted salmon in a taro leaf, so it's a little fishy tasting and also very juicy. The food is simple like a home-cooked meal and again - SO AFFORDABLE. There's no seating inside but there are picnic tables outside for a nearby food truck which everyone seemed to use. The staff are efficient and friendly. Definitely worth a stop if you're in Kapa'a! read more

Taking a star off because they had no fried chicken so my hubby ended up getting snacks like beef jerky chips (pretty good), chips and cookies. I ordered the spicy ahi poke bowl with an extra order of sesame ahi. I needed to try both, it was an absolute must!!!! I didn't come out here twice (first time we showed up at 2:30pm and the place was closed) just to have 1 scoop of fish... no ma'am, give me both. Verdict: spicy ahi was good. Overall I would recommend this place but wouldn't go out my way to get poke. read more

Good meal here! We got a poke plate along with some pork. The poke was okay, but the pork was great. What was really mindblowing was the banana cream pie. Definitely tasted homemade, would for sure recommend that! read more

We came 5/6 days we were in Kauai! They had bomb manjus (little pastries stuffed with sweet potato! We also really liked their spam musubi and spicy shrimp rolls. Even though we got 6 different types of poke and right when they opened, it was just decent compared to their competitors. My fiancé also got the pork lau lau plate and it was sooo tender and good - highly recommend! There's also a coffee shop inside the store if you want to just grab everything on the go before your beach trip! Ppl were super nice too! It was def a locals spot since the people behind the counter remembered everyone's names and usual orders! read more

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"This is where the locals eat" is what we were told, so naturally we had to try it out. And we were so pleased. The staff was friendly, patient and funny. The food was fabulous. We will definitely be returning. read more

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conveniently located near our airbnb and this place has great Hawaiian dishes and poke. we will definitely revisit when back in Kapa'a.

After flying in to Hawaii we were starving and ready to start a week of non stop fresh fishy meals! We decided to go right to Pono as it was on the way to the north side of the island. OMG I didn't expect the first thing I had to be one of the best meals on the trip! Omg the ahi was really fresh and well seasoned. Compared to other places and fish markets, they were very generous and filling portions. Seaweed salad was also bomb! Generally speaking, It is small quint shop with plates and bowls. They also have a nice selection of drinks and local snacks like popo cookies (a must have!) We beat out the long line that formed right after we ordered, so come prepared to wait. We strongly recommend walking down to the beach to enjoy your meal :) read more

Pono Market - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Oh Pono Market, what more can be said that hasn't already been said? First, this place does run out of food, so get there early. My husband and I went there for a late breakfast/early lunch and scored a delicious plate lunch to share. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the potato macaroni salad, but it was really good. The poke of course, was really good. I wish I came more often, but the timing was never right. I can't say much more than you should come here. read more

This place is a take out dive that should be visited by Guy Fieri on Triple D. The inside is nothing to write home about. Non-descript is generous. The ordering process, at least for first-timers like us, was confusing, and we were not the only ones. But the food, OMG, the food is excellent. I never thought that I would give 5 stars to a place that serves on paper or plastic plates, but this restaurant deserves the 5. The pork lau lau, which is basically pieces of pork shoulder wrapped in leaves and cooked low and slow, is out of this world tender and delicious. I tried the beef curry as part of my two entree number 5, and it was excellent. The beef was soft and good quality, and the curry was spicy with a kick but not searing hot. Just perfect. The lomi salmon salad that the wife and I got was really tasty though it is more tomatoes than salmon. But it was perfect after the spicy curry. This place is a winner for sure. I now understand why it is so highly rated. If we have time, I would love to return before we leave and try some different dishes like the chicken lau lau. read more

Pono Market - #1 with pork lau lau - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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Great market. Fresh poke, sushi, and cooked pork lau lau, chicken, Kayla pork and cabbage, etc. we tried a lot of things and all was excellent. It's all to go and the line looks long but moves pretty quickly. Sushi is limited to what is out and can't custom order it. For good selection go early. read more

I had the best AI poke of my life so far. In the reviews I'd read earlier, I understood that the Mac salad had two kinds of pasta and also potatoes. It was creamy and scrumptious. It helps to look at the website in advance to know what the day's offerings are going to be because the line moves fast and you should know what you want. Open on weekdays from 6 AM to 2 PM. read more

Always a stop whenever we are in Kauai regardless of where we are staying. Definitely worth the trek. This last trip in December we ended up there 4x in a week. So much great home cooking. Love the lau lau. Love the poke (spicy is my fave). Fried chicken is a hit. Musubi of all types and great to pack for a hike. Can't wait to be back. read more

Oh man, out of the week I was here, I came here almost every day. The poke nacho is amazing & no where else on the island has them. We've gotten the cooked food, grab n go items and the poke but I must say the poke is definitely the winner. read more

Loved this place. Simple, order at the counter and take it to go type place. I got the spicy ahi poke- delish. Hubby got pork laulau, our first time trying it- he absolutely loved it. Very flavorful. Also got the taro dessert. Mildly sweet, hit the spot! They have prepackaged sushi which we took on a hike the next day and still was very fresh. All of this for 40 bucks which is a steal compared to other restaurants in Kauai. read more

The poke was fresh and delicious as well as the seaweed salad. Service has a bit of snarky attitude- but we can be a bit annoying so it was fine. Great stop for fresh local fish for sure! read more

A small takeout joint that makes fresh, uniquely Hawaiian food. A poke bowl under $10! I highly recommend Pono market because this is where the locals grab lunch. There is no seating, but take you meal to the beach and enjoy the view! read more

The lau lau with the chopped tomato and poke was one of the best things I ate on all the islands. Has a Filipino vibe to it.

Went to the gym yesterday and was told to come here for Poke instead of another spot. Got there an hour before closing and they almost sold out of everything. Luckily not everything though!! I had the spicy ahi with rice, my dad got the sesame ahi and rice and shared the seaweed salad. Easily best we've both ever had. Definitely want to go back earlier to try their other things! read more

Pono Market - Spicy Ahi, rice, seaweed salad - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

They serve a lot of very authentic dishes. The one that really got me was the Lau Lau. Pork wrapped in a banana leaf? Not too sure what the exact ingredients are but that combo plate was amazing. We went back at least twice during our few days in Kauai. read more

Pono Market - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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This place is awesome! The employees were very friendly. You can basically build your own plate using any combination. I got the pork laulau and it came with rice, mac salad, and ahi poke. Everything was sooo good! The portion size was excellent and the prices were good. There's not a place to eat on site, so we just drove to a very nearby beach and parked right in front of the waves to eat. Don't hesitate to stop here when in Kapaa! read more

Pono Market - Pork lau lau plate - rice, mac salad, ahi poke - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

5 stars for very friendly service and ono spicy ahi! Read below for a breakdown of the review by food/drink, service and ambiance. Poke Bowl: 1 scoop of poke on top of 2 scoops of rice. Decided to give their spicy ahi a try. Loved it! It was actually spicy, and the ahi was fresh! Service: Awesome! As soon as we walked in, we were cheerfully greeted by multiple people. It was a really hot day so they were also joking with us about enjoying the free AC. The girl who made my poke bowl was very friendly as well. We felt welcomed throughout the entire experience. Ambiance: It's a small take-out style shop. You order your food or purchase their grab and go items and can be on your way, or there is some seating if you decide you want to eat there instead. There are 2 small tables (3 chairs) to the right of the entrance on the inside and several tables outside as well. Final words: For a quick bite from a super friendly crew, I would definitely recommend Pono Market, especially if you're in the mood for some ono poke! Shameless plug: Like my reviews? Feel free to also check out other things I'm into by following me on IG: @kim_n_theworld :) LOVE my reviews? Prove it by voting. *wink* Thanks for reading! read more

Pono Market - Poke bowl: $6.95 - Got mine with spicy ahi and it was spicy! Nice! - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Insanely rude staff, specifically female employee who put our order together. I came here with my family for their first meal on the island and was super bummed out. Initially, we were greeted by the door staff who were friendly and had us stand to the side for temperature checks and until previous customers left (cool, glad they're taking safety precautions). We looked at the menu before hand and were ready to order. I ordered the Hawaiian Plate which comes with an entree, side, and poke. The issue came when I was trying to decide the poke selection. The poke is all kept behind a refrigerated glass which was extremely fogged up and hard to read. Instead of standing there for 10 minutes or so trying to make out letters/the type of fish each poke was made of under thick sauce... I simply asked, "Do you have any salmon poke options?" to which she annoyingly snaps at me with, "Honey, there's no secret menu." I thought her response was rude but shook it off and went with the only option I could read and attempted to finish ordering for the rest of my family. I tried to order the Pork Adobo and Kalua Pork for my parents and she responded with, "Honey, AGAIN there's no secret menu". ??? Extremely unhelpful. When you're standing close to the counter so that they can hear your order it's very easy to miss the cardboard sign that lists items without context. You'd have to step back away from the counter to see it (even then it's just listened without context) don't rely on their mobile menu. After leaving the store everyone in my party spoke out about the rude behavior. We're not entitled, we don't expect GOOD service every where and understand people have bad days but that was really something else. Kalua Pork was just okay, a bit too salty. Poke was unremarkable and expensive for the price. read more

You know a place is good when there's a line, when it's filled with locals, and when they run out of food by noon. Their poke was fresh and well seasoned, they have hot lunch too but we were too hot for hot food. Since we were late - like 1:00, we were limited to spicy mayo tuna, 2 bites of tako (octopus), and scallops. The latter was a first for us in terms of poke and it was worth trying. The best part about this place - it's family owned and they are so nice. We love the island but service isn't exceptional overall, but not at Pono - they acknowledge their customers and were very friendly. They even opened the door for us with a genuine smile and gratefulness for their customers. Thank you for making visitors feel welcomed. read more

I got this combo plate as breakfast on my last day in Kauai! Salmon poke (the best!), kalua pork (yum!) and fried karaage chicken. With one scoop of rice it was so filling and delicious! They only have 2 tables outside for dining. So it's best to get it to-go and enjoy at a beach! Wish I had more time on the island to enjoy another meal from Pono Market! read more

Pono Market - poke plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Great place for a hawaiian style bento. We picked the 2 choice with side of macaroni salad. For our 2 choices, we picked Kalua and then Pork Lau Lau. Because we picked the higher end of the 2 meats, it was $2 extra for each. I would say out of the 2 meats we got, the Pork Lau Lau was my favorite. The pork is cooked in wrapped taro leaves. It was all soft and juicy and tasted wonderful. Cost with the extra fee for this was $15.50. It was plenty of food for lunch for my husband and I. We then went to a nearby beach to sit and enjoy. Worth the visit! read more

Pono Market - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Counter lady was very pushy and mean, not a great experience. BUT you should ask about their secret menu, must try. read more

Stumbled upon this place during our visit. I got the Hawaiian plate and was blown away by the food. Friendly service. I will be dreaming about the pork lau lau from halfway around the world. read more

Absolutely the most rude staff I have ever experienced at any business period....... The girl at the counter serving was so bothered by our presence and wanted us to just order and leave. The girl at the register would not allow us to have chopsticks and forks? It's either or? All this in spite of spending nearly $50 on poke for 2 people. Food was good but way overpriced. We went to several other markets on the island and this was the worst In terms of staff and prices. read more

This poke was legit! We had the sesame poke and spicy tuna poke. Both were fresh and clean tasting. The ingredients supplemented the taste of the fish well. We also had poi, warabi salad, and fried chicken. All were solid. In my opinion, this is the best poke on Kauai. read more

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Poke here was great. I had the spicy ahi. Very tasty but not very spicy. Also had the Hanalei poi and haupia. You need to get there early if you want Lau Lau. They were sold out by noon. Workers were friendly and helpful. No sit down seating, only takeout. read more

You know this place has to be good when there is a long line of local residents inside at 7:45AM in the morning! My husband and I wanted to fill our bellies before our long day outside. We lucked out and found some street parking a few steps from the storefront. We both ordered poke bowls and shared a maki roll. The prices here are reasonable and we could see the lady going in and out of the back kitchen bringing in more freshly made food. Most people take their food to go. There really isn't any seating other than a couple tables where the coffee place is when you first walk inside. My husband and I also got ice blended coffee drinks after we got our food so we just scarfed everything down before we left. :) We ate at a handful of poke places in Kauai and Pono Market had the most flavorful in my opinion. 37/100 Reviews 2017 read more

Pono Market - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

This definitely lives up to the hype. The poke was so fresh and had really nice flavor. The cucumber kimchi was also very refreshing and delicious! read more

Pono Market - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Epic local foods. The he poke is so fresh it melts in your mouth. They also sell ono beef jerky from Kalaheo and Kapaa which are both fabulous. They also have awesome plate lunches within reasonable prices. You gotta check these guys out. read more

Great place to grab some hot food or spam masubi. I really liked the haupia sweet potato cake here. I've tried a few others since we've been on the island and this was the best one. Daily specials vary but we liked what we picked out. read more

This place was so good, we came in multiple times to get our fill on poke. We've tried, the spicy ahi, kimchee ahi, seasame ahi, and shouyu ahi, everything was super fresh! I also recommend trying their pastries, we went back for platters during our time in Kauai. Overall, this is a must visit in Kauai, you can't go wrong with any of their food items. read more

Fantastic local business. Authentic food made with care. Nice portion size, genuine care from the workers, and great hospitality! If there is a line, don't let that discourage you. Fantastic Mac salad. Amazingly fresh poke. Just go. read more

Pono Market is great. They open at 6am and have all their sides ready to go. They start serving lunch at 9am and have a sign that says what they have for the day. You can get all their lunch items a la carte or as a combo. We love the pork lau lau here. Their spam musubi is a great snack to have around to eat on the go or after a long day at the beach. read more

Pono Market - Pork lau lau - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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Line down the street. But it went quick. The food is fresh. Delicious poke . Fried chicken plate lunch w mac salad was great. Haupia sweet potato pie was great too! So many options. All good. We stop by at least once on each trip read more

Pono Market - Sesame ahi, spicy ahi - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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I really enjoyed their sesame ahi poke!! It was fresh, delicious, and affordable. Their rice pudding was pretty good too. I felt really safe going into this market, as masks and temperature checks were required upon entrance. Waiting in line, social distancing was enforced. I'd definitely recommend stopping in here for lunch! read more