Love the aesthetic of the place, but for me the poke was not my favorite. The fish is definitely amazing quality, but I didn't like the combinations they had on the menu and how you have to pay extra to add extras. I only like salmon poke bowls and they only offer 2 salmon bowls to choose from, so my options were extremely limited. I ordered the citrus salmon and it was wayyyyy too sour for me. Excessive amount of soy sauce and vinegar where the rice was drenched to the point where it was overpowering the taste of anything else. Next time I will try something else and hopefully it will be better. read more

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Thank you Libby for the delectable meal! It was yummy and tasty and will definitely be coming back!

Stopped by here on the way to the beach the other day and I fell in love. Not only is the fish super fresh and tasty but the whole establishment has such a cool vibe. They were also nice enough to top my bowl with kimchi even though that's not one of their advertised toppings. Simple and amazing. Hope to return soon ! read more

Pono Ono Poke - Outside - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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This place is amaze!! Authentic poke bowls with fresh ingredients, love the atmosphere, enough plants for a green house, very relaxing. Great place for a mid-day boost loaded with proteins that won't leave you feeling sluggish. Will likely visit at least once a week. read more

Pono Ono Poke - Love the greenery - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Pono Ono Poke is a great little spot that you need to check out! I met a friend here for lunch and loved it! We were originally going to go to another Evanston Poke restaurant, but there wasn't any seating. Pono Ono Poke has GREAT seating and is absolutely adorable inside with beautiful wooden furniture, clean white walls and counters, and fresh greenery potted on the walls! What a great place to sit, eat, and chat with friends! The food was also amazing! I got the 'Classic Shoyu Tuna' on white rice and medium sized. It was deliciously savory with the oyster sauce and limu seaweed. The sweet onion and ginger brought in a fresh and sweet note, while the avocado garnish brought it all together in a delectable meal! And all of that for $10.50. While this seems a little high, it is worth it for the fresh ingredients. My friend got the bowl of the month which was a delicious looking blue crab bowl. I'd love to go back and try it! The servers were great and everything was clean and fresh. It was a little chilly, but not a big deal. Looking forward to going back and trying other menu items! read more

Pono Ono Poke - Classic Shoyu Tuna - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Found out about this place as a recommendation from a friend so I used the address to find the location. But it is kind of hard to notice the restaurant from the outside. I was really amazed by the interior decorations! I thought I was in a scene of Jurassic park or Jumanji. Welcome to Pono Ono Park. I ordered the Island Style Tuna over white rice and a Cool and Crisp fresh pressed juice. Both were amazing. Will be back soon. read more

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By far, my favorite poke joint. My wife had the Island Tuna and I had the Spicy Tuna. Both had layers of flavor (sea salt, spicy peppers, lemongrass, etc) that made me want to grab a spoon...because the stix weren't delivering it fast enough. The service was outstanding and the guys really knew their stuff. The fresh juices and teas are refreshing and healthy. Great flavor. We will be back for sure! Also...they said soups are on the way! read more

Pono Ono Poke - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

After a much anticipated wait, I finally had a chance to pick up a bowl of poke from Pono Ono today! I was really surprised that a new poke spot opened up in Evanston and in a very convenient location as well. I've frequented another poke spot in Evanston and I was curious to see how this one compares. Located right in the same building as Park Evanston, Pono Ono is aesthetically charming and has many seats and space to offer. One of my main complaints with the other poke place was that there are no seats there. I wish I could've stayed to eat, but I ended up picking up a bowl for carryout. They have few different types of bowls and I chose the spicy tuna bowl. They also have brown/white rice or salad options as well. They offer two sizes: medium and large. One thing I wish for in the future is if I could make a custom bowl with my own choice of ingredients, but the spicy tuna bowl was fresh and delicious. It wasn't exactly "spicy" but I think it was still tasty. Service was friendly and fast and I was out the door in no time. I would love to stop by to try some of their other bowls and their seaweed salad sounds amazing! read more

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Yelp doesn't let you give half stars, but I'd give Pono Ono around a 3.5 rating. First of all I want to say how beautiful the restaurant is. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but also there are outlets and WiFi for when you want to do work which is definitely a plus. The only problem is that unlike coffee shops, where you can get a drink and seat for around $4, at Pono Ono even the juices are a little pricy, so I only go when I want to have a full meal. As for the poke bowls, I've had both great and okay experiences at Pono ono. The sweet and spicy was a bit of a miss for me, and sometimes the rice in the bowl gets completely over saturated with sauce. I've found the other salmon and tuna bowls to be quite good though! The fish is definitely fresher than places like Aloha Poke, and while it would be nice to be able to customize my bowl a bit more, I do appreciate their dedication towards making their food as authentic as possible. read more

Pono Ono Poke - medium citrus salmon bowl - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I really love this place. I'm picky with poke & sushi but this place is worth your time. Also, very kind service!

I'm a poke snob, and as someone who grew up in Hawaii, I can say that Pono Ono is the best poke shop in Evanston and Chicago. Super chill vibe, great decor, and friendly owner. The place is classy and the poke is always fresh. I believe they get tuna from Hawaii and you can tell the difference in taste. Been going here every week for the past two years and can't imagine life without it. Thank you! read more

Best Poke Place ever! Kind of hidden but follow the good music and vibes to find all this: + The food is always fresh & it tastes as good as it looks + Great choice of fish + Great choice of self-made sauces + Great choice of toppings + Best Chicken you can get in the Northern Chicago suburbs + Fantastic atmosphere & concept (you feel like you are in Hawaii there ) + They have recycling and biodegradable to-go boxes. I hope there will be reusable water cups in the future as well! I love to sit outside in the summer with the music. All the people that work there are very nice. Would totally recommend this place to everyone!! read more

Pono Ono Poke - Build your own poke with shrimps and multiple toppings - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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My favorite go to poke place in the area! Love how they have unlimited topics (avocado is free) and build your own poke. The aesthetics of the place is pretty cool and they are really big on recycling. Their fish is very fresh, I usually get a medium bowl with mix of salmon and tuna with chili mayo sauce on top of brown rice. Then just a bunch of toppings. And of course top it off with tempura flakes! read more

Pono Ono Poke - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

The first thing you notice when you walk through the door is the beautiful decor. The restaurant is definitely the most beautiful in downtown Evanston. It definitely has a environmental friendly vibe and all the natural light. The restaurant has a very simple menu. You just pick a size, base and one of the preset combinations. We tried the Island Style Tuna and the Shoyu Tuna. If you want something on the saltier side I would definitely say the Shoyu Tuna. The sauce was ok but on the saltier side. The Island Style Tuna is more of a simple taste which was nice. The fish was definitely fresh and the veggies were crisp. I think they should give you the option to create your own custom bowl. That is why I am giving the 4/5 rating. I think the regulars would want different options. In addition it would be nice if they asked how much sauce. I am definitely going to come back. The food was great! read more

Pono Ono Poke - Top: Island Style Tuna Bowl Bottom: Shoyu Tuna Bowl - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Tasty food. Friendly staff. Yelp wants more words before I can post. Why can't I just rate with stars??

I've tried Poke before & honestly wasn't into it. When a friend recommended grabbing lunch here, I was hesitant. Upon opening the front door, I already knew I'd love it. The decor - minimal yet SO many plants - made me feel as if I was teleported somewhere tropical. + definitely instagram worthy btw (Their employees wear hawaiian shirts & that's just such a cute little touch that definitely plays into the atmosphere.) There was plenty of space to sit & quite an open yet quaint environment. The food was TO DIE FOR. Literally, I still can't stop thinking about it. The staff was very accommodating with any questions we had or substitutions we wanted to make (thank you!!). All three meals tasted extremely fresh & clean, & each flavor definitely played its role out; absolutely incredibly. (They also have cold water in case you need to rehydrate, it's definitely the little things) I will no doubt be back every time I'm in Chicago/Evanston & will be dragging any & everyone along so they can experience such delicious goodness.. read more

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I am a big fan of poki and so decided to try them for lunch. I had their month special which said the lump crab with other veggies. The one I got had all shredded crab and no lump crab meat which was a little disappointing. I hope it wasn't the imitation crab that I paid $ for. Frankly I was expecting chunks of sweet crab just like the salmon Chuck's that my friend had in her poki. I would recommend the chef if it was the real crab, then to switch to chunk crab meat then shredded that would really make you stand apart from the rest poki places. The sauce and the presentation is great. Thank you! read more

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Ok balance of protein/rice. Had to keep adding seaweed flakes and onion flakes for extra crunch. Shrimp is tiny, had about 6-7 pieces. Ambiance is nice if you want a quick healthy lunch or dinner but the small bowl didn't fill me up. read more

Pono Ono Poke - Steamed Garlic Shrimp Bowl 7/10 - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Portions good for carry out, the flavors were nice as well. I got the citrus salmon poke bowl with white rice. They pack the to go in a different kind of box. Was very full and filled to the top. The salmon was nicely marinated. read more

In Evanston, this poke place is around the corner from aloha poke, but this place is the clear winner of the 2. For the price, you seem to get larger portions, the ingredients seem fresher, and the overall restaurant vibe is more unique ("righteous"- think lots of green plants, tropical vibes). My boyfriend and I shared the spicy tuna bowl and the citrus salmon- the spicy tuna was better as it was more flavorful with the mayo. Only point off would be that's it's still a bit pricey, but overall worth it for the fresh, healthy ingredients read more

Pono Ono Poke - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Great relaxed vibe and tasty bowls. Choose from their options (I did) or build your own. Loved the way the servers worked together!

Lots of rice. Little substance. I had higher hopes of a refreshing raw vegetable and tuna delight.

Upon my friends recommendation I tried this restaurant. They raved about it so I had to see for myself. I found the interior to be clean & very inviting. I like the menu choices & like that they're accommodating to customers wants & needs. The food...so fresh & yummy!!! It was hard to make a choice because I wanted everything! The prices are very reasonable as well. I love the shaker bottles for nori flakes & tempura bits. Yes, I'm strange but these two things made me very happy. I'm definitely going back. In fact, I'd love to go right now but I'll contain myself... read more

If you ever have a hankering for sushi or raw fish, going to Pono Ono Poke is a much better bet than any local sushi spot in Evanston. The fish here is always so fresh that I honestly think that it beats the sashimi you'll find at Todoroki or Koi. It isn't only the fish that's so great about Pono Ono, but everything else from the rice to the sauces to the toppings is all amazing. I highly recommend the spicy mayo sauce because it's the best of both worlds between creamy and spicy. Unlike a lot of other poke shops that give you small amounts of toppings, Pono Ono does not skimp on any topping you ask for. They even give you a whole heaping ball of avocado! I also love how you could customize your own bowl here because I have a very specific order combination that I get every single time I eat poke. I have to admit, the service isn't the most friendly, but I guess I shouldn't expect much from a fast-casual spot. But since the poke is THAT good, I'll give Pono Ono a pass. If not the best, this place is hands down one of the top places to eat in all of Evanston. read more

Love this place so much!! Consistently flavorful and fresh. I get cravings at least once a week

great service and very fresh food. they were so helpful with my soy allergy. was happy to be able to try a poke bowl restaurant. can't wait to go back. read more

Had the spicy tuna salad and loaded miso soup- Amazing! Fresh, balanced and filled with yummy tuna goodness. This is the second time I eat here and the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by the seaweed salad- fresh with no artificial coloring or flavors! If your into poke, I highly recommend you give this place a whirl. read more

Pono Ono Poke - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Citrus salmon with mango, pineapple and crab was just about the best Poke I've had the Chicagoland area.

My favorite Poke anywhere. Perfect for vegans and vegetarians. Great veggie options, generous portions and great atmosphere. Really nice staff. For those that eat it, they fly fresh fish in from Hawaii. Puts other Poke to shame. Try it I'm sure you will agree. read more

Pono Ono Poke - Killer Vegan Poke. I love this place! - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

This poke is delicious. Super fresh and tons of great ingredients pick from! Highly recommended! read more

Pono Ono Poke - Poke bowl to go. - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Hands down the best Poke ever. The interior is clean, fresh and comfortable The service is extremely fast Very generous tuna portion Can not find a fault Only 4 stars because I haven't tried everything on the menu... Highly recommended read more

How many raw-fish/sushi/poke establishments can Evanston support? This review doesn't answer that question, but I wonder... M and I came here looking for something fresh, fast, tasty, and different from our usual raw-fish based choice, and we got it. The ambience is sort of hip and minimalist, with pale colors and clean lines. You go to the counter and order from a relatively small list of options. Possibly you can customize more if you are a poke expert. I'm not, so I just ordered from the set menu. In a little area where you can get utensils and napkins, there's also dispensers for additional nori flakes, fried scallions, and tempura bits. I think it's worth noting that the chopsticks are a step-up from the lowest rung of wooden disposable ones, as the sticks are smooth, and we both had clean breaks to separate, rather than having one with a giant chunk on top, and splintery bits coming off of it. I had the large bowl-of-the-month, which featured radish sprouts among other tasty things, with tuna, on brown rice, and the tuna it came with was firm and tasty. My wife had the same, but the "medium", with a salad base, and I may go that route myself next time. The large was not quite so large as I might have hoped. There was no "small" option, that I could see, but the medium was pretty small. Overall, pretty tasty. I'm not sure it's enough to beat our go-to choice for raw fish (Sea Ranch), but the modern-minimalist flair might make it a good first-date option, if you're looking for low-key and affordable, but just a little less sticky and rickety than Sea Ranch. Also there's fresh-made juice. But it's $8. That's pricey juice. Or maybe the average price for a beet-carrot-apple concoction. I'd rather have free Barley tea, but if you're really into juice, this may seal the deal for you. read more

Low key best poke in the Chicago area. Fish tastes quality and delicious. Spicy tuna is my go to. Have driven up to Evanston from Chicago when the poke craving hits. Highly recommend. read more

Full disclaimer: I'm vegetarian so this review definitely doesn't apply to everyone. I came the other day and got the one vegetarian poke option. It had rice with the typical sauce and sweet potato, edamame, seaweed, etc. I found it to be very bland and rather unexciting for the price I paid. There weren't many vegetables, and the ones it had weren't terribly exciting. It wasn't very filling, partly because there was no tofu or other protein offering. I found the dish overall to be around a 2, but decided to give it a 3 because of the great atmosphere and the fact I know the vegetarian poke isn't representative of all dishes. read more

I love me a great and fresh Poke bowl so decided to try you out. I liked the ambiance with plants nested high and around your seating area. Felt good to walking in on a cold breezy day in Chicago area. We ordered two types of bowls: Shoyu and Spicy tuna. Delicious! As expected. I'll come back again for sure. Congrats and we wish you lots of success and happiness. read more

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This is my fave poke spot in Chicago. You really can't go wrong with anything you choose, but my fave is definitely the shoyu tuna! It taste like it's fresh off the island of Maui. I find myself craving this tuna at least twice a week. Also staff is super friendly and the restaurant has an awesome vibe. read more

Pono Ono Poke - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

A great place for a quick to go lunch or even a long sit down lunch (or dinner). The interior design is super comfortable and relaxing; the music they play are also chill and fitting. The food is really flavorful and made swiftly. It has one of the better Poke bowls I have tasted. The bowl of the month (this months is broccoli ahi Tuna) is a risk with taking. Would definitely come back again! Downside, the portion sizes aren't that~ big for its price. read more

Pono Ono Poke - Large brown rice based Shoyu Tuna Bowl - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Met friends at Pono Ono in Evanston and so glad I did. I am new to Poke, and was a little skeptical, but loved what I ordered - Citrus Salmon. Yum! Ginger, avocado, sweet onion, fresh citrus salmon over brown rice. Had a taste of a friends spicy tuna - really good. I was especially happy with the fresh juice, Beet/apple/ginger, cause I have not been able to find a juice bar since moving to Evanston - looking forward to trying the green juice as well as seaweed salad on my next bowl. The atmosphere is creative, comfortable, well thought out, hip, clean and conducive to doing a little work while I fuel up. Service/staff was great. The location is good for me, the prices were reasonable, and as I move into a healthier New Year, Pono Ono Poke is going to be a regular spot for me. (Oh, loved the photo of Obama, where did you ever find that?) read more

Simple and delicious. Reminds me of food from Oahu. Don't skip on the crunchy cucumber side read more

Pono Ono Poke - Sweet and Spicy Salmon Bowl, Crunchy Cucumber, Shoyu Tuna Bowl - Poke Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Best Poke in Illinois. Come at me. Highly recommend the spicy salmon but even moreso the spicy tuna. Adorable interior design and great choice in music. read more