The food scene on the Central Coast is pretty amazing. Most places source locally grown produce, meat, and seafood, which I'm totally here for. The highlight of our trip was visiting Pono Kitchen for dinner. The service was exceptional, and the staff was very knowledgeable when it came to my allergy. We started with the Ahi Crudo that was so luscious, and a visual work of art. The freshness of the fish was notable on the palette. I ordered the Channel Island White Seabass which was one of many entree options clearly labeled (GF) on the menu. The Seabass itself was seared beautifully, so succulent and flavorful. The soft herb and mussel billi bi sauce elevated the Seabass and to say this was incredible would be an understatement. The sauce paired with the mussels, the Seabass, the asparagus, and shoestring potatoes was hands down one of the most amazing dishes I have ever eaten. My dinner date ordered the she crab soup and the Macadamia Mexican Mahi Mahi which is raved about. Chef Preston Tripp is a culinary mastermind. Everything we ordered was just delicious. Also, don't skip on the GF dessert, the Pono Parfait was a layered dream. read more

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Had a great meal of Sea-bass with fries and mussels last night. Cooked perfectly. I had eaten there before and thought it was ok. But, the local Seabass was outstanding! Can't wait to go back. Very fresh! read more

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This place is now my go-to seafood place in SLO county, I went twice to ensure consistency and both times it was fabulous. Standouts are the scallops, the miso butterfish, the crusted Mahi Mahi and of course that crazy delicious bread and butter! The restaurant is small, modern decor and the service was terrific. read more

I've been to dinner and Happy Hour several times and I can't say enough good things about Pono! The service is excellent and the food is outstanding. I especially enjoyed the crab cakes and the decor and ambiance are very inviting. read more

We visited this place and were blown away by the food. We were shocked how great the food tasted and look forward to going back again when we are in the area. read more

We happened to stop by here during Happy Hour after a day of ATV'ing. Good food for seafood lovers. Taking 1 star away because the truffle fries my friend ordered were not warm she got them, and there isn't too many options for non-seafood lovers. Service was great, we sat in the patio since it was a beautiful day, but the indoor decor is very chic. read more

Tonight we had reservations that we had to unexpectedly cancel. I called the host before the restaurant opened hoping to reach someone before advertised business hours. I explained we were unable to make our reservation and her mood immediately changed stating along the lines of "for future reference we are a small restaurant and we would appreciate a 24 hour notice for cancellations as I have turned down multiple parties." Completely understandable. When I went to apologize "I'm sor..." the line went dead. Hung up on me. Found it extremely unprofessional. Hoping that host keeps in mind she may have no idea what kind of business a person can be bringing to the table.. won't be recommending this establishment based off of first hand experience of first impressions. Do better read more

Wow, the food is delicious, thank you Yelp! This might be the best food in San Luis Obispo county. The fish ranks up there with the freshest I've had. We ordered the Seasonal Poke appetizer, Albacore Special, and Misoyaki Butterfish. The poke appetizer was perfectly flavored. The seared albacore fish special was out of this world. The albacore was so fresh it melted in your mouth. The wild rice and sugar snap peas just added to the perfection of this dish. The misoyaki butterfish was excellent but a bit on the sweet side. We finished with the creme brûlée which was a bit too citrusy for me but still yummy. We will definitely be back! read more

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What an absolutely beautiful restaurant, the food, the dining room, the service, everything about Pono is spot on. We were in town on a short trip and decided to stop in for dinner and we were pleasantly surprised! We ordered a couple of starters, the bbqed oysters and the shishito peppers, both were incredible, we finished ever last bite! The oysters were so unexpected, a pesto style BBQ oyster, salty, herby and bright! The peppers had all the layers, the bonito flakes giving it a nice umami smoky balance. One to the main course, the Misoyaki Butterfish was exquisite!!! Served over baby bok choy, forbidden rice and had the most amazing wasabi ponzu buerre blanc, so tender, buttery and completely delicious, we ate ever bite! Last we took the peanut butter parfait home for when our sweet tooth hits, and dang was is good! The service was excellent, we felt welcomed, not rushed and comfortable, the dining room is lovely including the beautiful bar area and complete with a charming restroom. Parking was super easy as well, thumbs up for easy wheelchair accessibility as well! We will definitely be back next time we are in Grover Beach, in the mean time we will be dreaming of that Misoyaki butterfish!! read more

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As it was our first time here, we ordered a bunch of small plates, to taste as many dishes as possible. Overall, we were impressed. I think a great chef is marked by their creativity and balance of flavors, especially with sauces and this one gets my kudos. Crab soup - nice flavors with plenty of chunks of real crab. A bit salty for my taste but I'm a low-salt gal; my hubby thought it was perfect and would order it again. Ahi nachos - okay. Sauces were poured a bit heavy and over-powered the ahi. Next time I'll try the furikake ahi. Chargrilled oysters- oysters were very fresh but sauce was too rich for my taste. I should have ordered raw oysters instead. Mahi-mahi tacos - best among our appetizers! Fish was cooked perfectly. Easy to have the fish turn dry and rubbery but this was juicy and flavorful, and the garnishes were just right in texture and flavor. I would definitely order this again. Mussels in broth with lemon grass, chives, Thai basil and other amazing flavors - Mussels were cooked to perfection and came with two slices of grilled sourdough. Someone in the kitchen watched them carefully to get the char without burning the bread. Yum yum! Our favorite dish of the evening. read more

Outstanding everything!!! Nicely decorated with great ambience. The most amazing thing was the food though, it was a party in the mouth for sure LOL! We were told the fish was flown in daily from Hawaii and you could tell it was so fresh! The presentation was beautiful too! Our server (LJ) was super sweet and attentive. Had a lovely sake martini which was a first for me. We can't say enough about this place, don't think twice just go and see for yourself! read more

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My husband and I enjoyed a lovely evening for the first time at this Outstanding restaurant. The Ambiance was perfect incorporating beautiful lighting, music, color scheme and decor. The food was amazing! We enjoyed the Oysters and Duck Confit Spring Rolls to start. We followed with 2 main courses, the California Swordfish and Hokkaido Sea Scallops which were delightful and literally melted in our mouths. The presentation of all of the food was so beautiful, it should be pictured in Bon Appetit. The service was exceptional, very timely, attentive with friendly owners and staff. Others in the restaurant appeared to be having a fun, relaxing evening. We actually met new friends' who were seated next to us and enjoyed High-quality fine wines with intense flavors and a lingering finish! Thank you Pono Pacific for the Best Restaurant Experience Ever!!! This restaurant should be awarded the highest Michelin Star rating! read more

Pono Pacific Kitchen - Seafood Near Me - Grover Beach, California

The food is the best on the Central Coast. I had the swordfish atop potatoes au gratin. It was absolutely spectacular. The shishito peppers are to die for. Their passion fruit tart was amazing. Clay, our server, could not have been better. His attentiveness was perfect. His timing was spot-on. I highly recommend this gem of a restaurant. read more

Dinner last night was phenomenal! Garlic Shrimp & Macadamia crusted Mahi Mahi for the four of us. Decor is beautiful but noise level was bad due to a large table of very loud, inconsiderate adults that made it difficult to converse without yelling, at no fault of this wonderful restaurant. The quality of the food & outstanding service made up for this unfortunate intrusion. Service was spot on attentive & their Manderin orange crème brûlée was the BEST I've ever eaten. We were seated right on time for our reservation & will certainly return in the future! It's so gratifying to see that quality, different cuisines are finally taking over from the many pizza, fast food & chain restaurants that overpopulate the area. read more

Everything was excellent! We were able to get a reservation 20 minutes from our hotel and sat down in the stylish dining room. The food was fresh, light tasting but still fulfilling. The butterfish was flaky, tender and spiced perfectly. The California swordfish was exceptionally well cooked with the bordelaise sauce that made it feel like eating a well prepared beef steak even though it was fish. The waitstaff were courteous and kept our drinks topped off. All in all, it was a very good dining experience and we'll be coming back the next time we're in Pismo. read more

Perfect location, classy party atmosphere, I got the Filet Mignon and crab cakes, it was better than I even hoped for, just what I needed, I feel soooo good... Thank you Pono Pacific Kitchen you rock! read more

Pono Pacific Kitchen - Seafood Near Me - Grover Beach, California

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It took me months+months to finally write this review because the experience was beyond awful. We decided to try this restaurant because of the write-up in San Luis Obispo News in January 2023. Terrible chairs (they looked good but are/were unbelievably uncomfortable). Then, the service was unacceptable. What was shocking is this was WITH one of the owners being present. In fact, we left soon after being served wine because the female server ignored us so I can't tell you if the food was good or not. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to my worst enemy. read more

Wanted to get away from SLO and found this gem about a mile from Grover Beach. It was fantastic and we will go again. PJ had the poke app and Ahi tuna, I had Mushroom risotto and JJ had the Short Rib (also on risotto). Great service and ambiance as well. Short rib voted favorite by me! read more

Pono Pacific Kitchen - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Grover Beach, California

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Great service and good food. A little overpriced and a little disappointing that it's only wine licensed, cocktails were very weak - even after three of them I didn't feel any effect... we were looking forward to the creme brûlée but it hasn't set yet (@7:20pm) at the time of our order (something chef should probably time-manage a little better). read more

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Food was amazing. Wife and I celebrating Anniversary and found this place. The atmosphere and and staff were great. We met the owner Ashley (also a Dallas Cowboys fan...) who was super nice. This is definitely our go to spot for now on. You must come here. read more

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For a celebration like a birthday, it's a magical place. We had excellent service for a large party, and everyone enjoyed their dishes. Highly recommended for their poke and Asian dishes! read more

We had a family Party of Nine for a Christmas Eve. dinner with a wonderful Mid Century Modern Sofa as comfortable and unique seating. All the farm to table choices from Salads to Entrees gave everyone their own exact wish list from Fish to Red Meat prepared and presented with care and pride. Attentive and great Service. All of us recently returned from the HI destination wedding and we took inspiration from the Island Vibe Pono Pacific was all about. read more

Pono Pacific Kitchen - Seating for Party of Nine in back for Christmas Eve Dinner - Seafood Near Me - Grover Beach, California

Super fresh food, all dishes were amazing. High quality service and beautiful decor. Great time here with our kids - well worth the stop. read more

Dined here the other night and they stayed open for my date and I. We were very appreciative of the hospitality. The ambiance is nice and seating was comfortable. I ordered their oysters on the rocks and they were delicious. We had a swordfish special that was really good and the macadamia nut crusted mahi, the Peanut Thai sauce was to die for. I cannot say enough how much I loved the mahi. I am looking forward to going again just to have this dish. The fish was fresh and everything was so good. read more

Pono Pacific Kitchen - Mahi - Seafood Near Me - Grover Beach, California

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Omg! Don't waste ur money at this place. Went for "Happy hour", got appetizers wine and beer. The first and second glass didn't equal one glass. Happy hour for wine is $16 per glass and then $2 off. Got ticket they forgot to take the $2 off. Owner says "happy hour over in one minute!" Only four of us at the bar. Appetizers mediocre . Left paying $120 . Stayed about 1/2 hour. Worst ripoff. Don't waste ur time nor money. read more

A hidden gem, and a super quick drive from Pismo beach! The restaurant was a little busy, but it was New Year's Eve and we had a reservation. The food was ridiculously good!! We ordered the Furikake Ahi Crudo, Blue Crab Cakes and Wild Arugula salad to start. The Ahi crudo was super fresh, and really tasty. There crab cakes were super delicate, and a big portion (comes with 2). We ordered the Butterfish and Sea Bass special for entrees, and they were unbelievably good. The sea bass was cooked to perfection, and the butterfish was so silky. One of the best meals I've had in a very, very long time. We finished with the yuzu cheesecake, and it's a must try! The yuzu sauce was tart, but a great balance with the sweet berries and rich cheesecake. We received over the top service from Alfredo, which was the cherry on top! Highly recommend, and can't wait to come back soon read more

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The food was absolutely FANTASTIC! Fresh, clean taste that was perfect. We will be back and look forward to enjoying more meals at a farm to table local eatery. read more

Pono Pacific Kitchen - Braised short ribs with homemade risotto. The meat was tender, sauce was perfectly flavored and the risotto was the BEST I've ever had. - Seafood Near Me - Grover Beach, California

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First time coming here with my family and we were pretty much satisfied with the entire meal! I liked the ambience of the restaurant as the lighting was just right as well as the noise level which was perfect asI do not like too noisy while dining. We were pleased with all of our starters which were spaced nicely. We all ordered a different entree. I personally ordered the filet mignon which was exquisite in every way as it was prepared exactly as I wanted it~ The other entries were a hit as well seeing how everyone cleaned their plates! Amazing tasting food! Our server was spot on and friendly, she answered any questions we had and made her rounds to our table at the right times- We will definitely be back again! Oh and dessert was exactly the cherry on top!! read more

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We dined at Pono on Wednesday night. We have dined at Pono probably 10+ times and, until last week, would give it 5 stars. It was my favorite restaurant in the area. I was in the mood for a steak (until now, I have only ordered fish) and ordered the filet mignon. The presentation was beautiful but, when I cut into the steak, it was rare. I ordered it medium. No problem. It's not the mistake that is important, it's the way it's handled. When the server finally came over to check on us, I pointed out the steak wasn't cooked to order. She brought a small side plate and asked me to put the undercooked steak on the plate and she'd ask the kitchen to cook it more. She did not take my plate and the remaining veggies stayed on the plate in front of me. My husband finished his meal and his plate was cleared. I was still waiting for my steak. I asked the server about my steak and she said she'd check with the kitchen. I said my veggies - that were still sitting on my plate in front of me - were now cold. She said she'd bring some fresh veggies. My steak appeared a minute later but no new hot veggies. The server said it would take 10 minutes to cook the veggies. I had a choice - eat the hot steak with cold veggies, or let the steak go cold for 10 minutes while fresh veggies were cooked. Not a good choice. I ate the hot steak with cold veggies. The owner walked by and asked if we enjoyed our meal. I explained what happened and she didn't seem interested that my husband ate before me, and that I had no choice but to eat a hot steak with cold veggies. She repeated what the server told me - fresh veggies would take 10 more minutes as if it was normal to eat a hot steak with cold veggies She offered us a free dessert - we don't eat desserts in restaurants.. I asked for a discount. I got 30% off my steak meal. The check came but we'd been overcharged. We ordered the shishito peppers appetizer from the happy hour menu (as we do every visit) but were charged the full price, even though we sat at a high top so that we could order an appetizer from the happy hour menu. My husband questioned it and she said the server had not put in an order for the happy hour shishito peppers. She told us we were lucky to get a few extra peppers for free????? Who says that to a customer when it was their mistake? We order the peppers most times we visit Pono and we've never had a problem before. I have never worked in a restaurant but my suggestion would be this: if food needs to be returned to the kitchen for any reason, take the whole plate away and either keep the veggies under the heat lamp or plate up fresh veggies. Very unprofessional and badly handled. The undercooked steak wasn't a problem. It was the way the situation was handled that was the problem. read more

What a great experience for most of our party, but the unwillingness to accommodate a customer will make it difficult to return. It was my birthday so I felt that I could ask my guests to visit a top-ranked seafood restaurant, even though two of my guests were not seafood eaters. We visited on a Monday and took advantage of the no corkage policy. Our waiter was very friendly and was happy to serve us the three different bottles we brought to pair with the wonderful meal. The seafood options on the menu were great. Every dish sounded wonderful on the menu, and most of them hit the mark. It was difficult not to order one of every item after reviewing the menu. We started with the "bread & butter" and the crab cakes. The bread was nicely grilled, but I have to confess that it was difficult to detect the brie in the butter. The crab cakes were nicely done. We were enjoying the wine and thought some more small bites would complement the conversation, so we added shishito peppers and ahi poke for a second round of appetizers. Both were delicious and tasted very fresh. When it came time to order entrees the seafood eaters went with the butterfish, sea scallops, and the ahi. The non-seafood eaters had 3 items to choose from the "mauka" portion of the menu. There were 3 items to choose from - chicken, pasta, or steak. The waiter recommended the chicken and both diners asked if the caviar on the chicken could be provided on the side. The waiter explained that the caviar is sprinkled on top and that it won't be a problem to put it on the side. When the entrees were delivered everything looked wonderful, BUT one of the chicken dishes was delivered with caviar sprinkled on top and the other had no caviar. Neither of the guests that ordered chicken wanted the chicken with caviar so the waiter said he would replace it with a chicken without caviar. This is where the evening turned quite disappointing in a way that I haven't experienced, particularly at what appeared to be a fine dining establishment. The waiter returns to explain that the kitchen is unwilling to make another chicken dish without caviar on it and the guest should choose another dish. !?!? You already delivered one entree without caviar, so the kitchen is capable of creating a chicken without caviar. But now, AFTER all other entrees have been delivered and this diner is left with no entree, the kitchen decides that they don't want to create a chicken without caviar. Maybe the kitchen was having a bad day or there was some other unexplained mishap, but to give no other explanation other than the fact that the kitchen doesn't want to make a dish and leave the final ingredient off, after already telling the guest that they would make the dish as requested, just doesn't sit right with me. At the prices you are paying at Pono they need to deliver on customer service and this fell far short for a special night out. The hostess did eventually offer an apology and a free dessert, but the evening had already been ruined by having one person without an entree. read more

Your food was delicious. Based on our service this evening, I'm so sorry I will never choose to return to your restaurant or recommend it to anyone. You cannot have your waiter tell us that we can order the chicken without caviar - then serve us one chicken meal without caviar and one meal with caviar. We had one family member go hungry this evening. This is so disappointing and embarrassing... too bad for you... read more

Finally had dinner at Pono and was so impressed! We ordered oysters, asparagus fries, and split a salad and the ahi entree. Everything was phenomenal! Our waitress was so kind and attentive as well. I have a couple of tricky allergies and she was so helpful with navigating the menu around them. Absolutely a five star experience! read more

From the beverage selection to the desert selection our experience was top notch. Food was excellent and above bar for the central coast. You would be best served to reserve a spot before you can't. Great service and recommendations. read more

Thrilled to discover I had the owner as a student! The food is amazing! So many great seafood choices. Will be back!

We love everything about this place and so do all of our friends!! Never has anyone complained about the food of service

I highly recommend this restaurant. The food was over the top fantastic. It's a beautiful space, too. Loved the specialty cocktails. Amazing service. Four of us each had different fish dishes. All were excellent. The swordfish with potatoes augrautin was delish!! 5 stars! read more

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The food here was certainly different than we're used to. We ordered 4 different appetizers with our cocktail and enjoyed most of them. The service was perfect, and the ambiance was very nice. read more

Don't come here unless you like to lick your plate clean! The setting and ambiance is perfect for the location and even though it's right on Grand Ave, the acoustic plexus glass barriers they have up on the patio keep the noise level to a minimum The food is nothing short of amazing, inspired by the many cuisines of the pacific rim, we had a curry style tomato soup, a Peruvian style ceviche, Garlic Shrimp with goat cheese grits, and pork belly, my butter fish came with black rice, seared bok choy, and an apple glaze. Order everything! Flavor is out of control. The staff is fantastic, everyone is pleasant and very knowledgeable. Ask for Clay if you want next level serv Don't sleep on Pono. read more

Pono Pacific Kitchen - Butter fish - Seafood Near Me - Grover Beach, California

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WOW THAT was as interesting as it was disappointing! I had been eager to try this place when i first saw it open...my mistake! To begin, parking here is not ample and the lot is squirly to navigate. On the up-side, it is nicely decorated, has a full bar including specialty sake drinks WITH SOJU!, you can bring your dog, and the owners are very friendly and hospitable. However, thats where the novelty of this overpriced new restaurant ends. Not an inspiring/pleasant location, a very limited menu (and they often run out of certain dishes), and my food was unnecisarrily oily! I WAS NOT WOWED by any means and wont be going back, especially with those prices and the experience being VERY HO-HUM. read more

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Came here to Celebrate Birthdays, The food was good, but the Service was not, waited 15 minutes to get our drinks another 20 for appetizers and then almost an hour for our entrees, the waitress didn't check in on us or apologize for delays and of course the gratuity was added to our 450 bill because there were 6 of us. When I called to let the Manager/owners what happened she replied with we thought you were all having a good time and weren't in a hurry, that's a big assumption! not a good way to handle it they just lost 6 good customers read more