Delicious meal at this elegant restaurant. Friendly informative wait staff. We ate crab cakes and the special poke starters, then the special ahi tuna and butterfish entrees. All perfectly cooked/presented. Dessert was a cheesecake and an orange crème brûlée. Two glasses of wine. $230 including tip. Well worth it for a special occasion meal. read more

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Our first visit to Pono Pacific Kitchen was a delight. We live down the road and were eagerly awaiting their opening. Though most of their menu is seafood, I decided on the Prime Filet Mignon. I'm somewhat of a stickler for steak doneness, and asked at what temperature is medium rare cooked. The waitress asked the chef and reported back 130 degrees. Exactly what I'd expect. I ordered it medium rare. The steak came out perfectly cooked, it was tender and juicy on the inside with a crusty sear on the outside. The whipped taro root puree was a great spin on potatoes, and it paired nicely with the filet. The Blue cheese and bacon marmalade were packed with flavor, but did not overwhelm the beef. A definite favorite that I'll order again soon. The service was great, and ambiance comfortable. All around, a great addition to the fine eateries in Five Cities. read more

Finally a upscale restaurant in our little beach town. Please don't shy away if you are in flip flops. The food was out of this world Delish !!!!! We made reservations for 7:15 and started off with the Ruby SakeTini. Yup a martini made with sake, vermouth, grapefruit jc, a rosemary sprig and a slice of grapefruit. YUM !! I liked so much I had 2. I did just get off work by the way.(LOL...) My hubby and I shared the chilled oysters on 1/2 shell ( 6 ) which were crisp and briny. We also split the Duck Confit spring roll ( 4 pc ) perfect to share, we each had 2 pieces = 2 full rolls cut 1/2. The soft goat cheese sauce was amazing. I had the Fried Chicken and Caviar. OMG that was wonderful. My husband wanted the pan seared scallops but our server, Alfredo came back to our table with bad news they sold out, so my husband ordered the Shichimi Crusted Ahi. The tuna was sashimi grade and was like butter. It melted on our tongue it was so delicious. Of course we took home 1/2 of each main dish, I just finished my fried chicken from last night and shared with my co worker. My mouth is still happy. Before we left we could not leave without sampling the dessert. We got the Pono Parfait. If you like Peanut butter and dark chocolate ganache don't pas this one up you will not be disappointed. Since we could not finish that, I took a knife to scoop it out of the martini glass plopped it into another take home container and enjoyed it later with a glass of Remy Martin. YUM it was even better at room temp. I have pictures of our meal, they say you eat with your eyes. We were very satisfied guest's at Pono and look forward to another epic experience. Sandy & Jimmy Clark Grover Beach, Ca read more

Pono Pacific Kitchen - Our delightful dinner Thursday even July 21,2022 - Seafood Near Me - Grover Beach, California

Hands down one of the best restaurants I visited on the Central Coast of California. Started with the gulf blue crab cakes which were world class - I've never had better! For dinner had the fried chicken and caviar - was solid and I'm a fried chicken aficionado! Finished with the orange creme brulee which was delicious. The only critique would be wishing they had a full bar to compliment their amazing food - just beer/wine. But regardless of missing my favorite spirit - would come back again and again! read more

First timers here and only 1 day open and this is their first review. The restaurant is very nice and tastefully decorated. We had the burata and bread for our appetizer. It was delicious. It's nice to have it prepared on the bread versus stacking it yourself. My only suggestion would be add a couple more pieces . Entree which we shared was the Mac Nut Mahi Mahi. So good! Sauce was delicious along with the forbidden rice. Well done! Desert the "Pono Parfait" wow kick in the sweet tooth. Kind of like Reese's Cup with whipped cream. We will be back to try the Ahi or scallops! Good luck and break a plate Ashley and chef on your new adventure! read more

Really good tasty flavorful seafood dishes, good beer selection. The staff was very welcoming and friendly, will be back want to have oysters next time. read more

Had a great experience at Pono. Filet Mignon was cooked to perfection. Staff came around and made sure my visit was pleasant as well. Will definitely be coming back. I think I'll try the fried chicken and caviar next time around. read more

We just recently moved to the area and our neighbor recommended we try Pono as it is one of their favorite restaurants. We arrived right on time for our 6;30 reservation and the hostess promptly sat us at a nice window table. Our waiter stopped by immediately and asked about water and other drinks. We ordered sparkling water and I requested the Presqu'ile chardonnay. It's a very popular white wine at the local restaurants and while not quite my favorite style, a bit too oaky, non the less enjoyable. We decided to split the Blue Crab Cakes, my wife ordered the Black Cod and chose the Mahi Mahi. The Crab Cakes were our in under 10 minutes and they were delicious. Two plump lightly fried hockey puck stuffed with juice, sweet crab meat accompanied by a lilikoi pepper jelly and Pommery mustard sauce. My Mahi Mahi could not have been cooked any better. Tender, flaky, generous portion of fresh fish atop a bed of green beans that were crisp and forbidden rice cooked just right. The mango salsa was just sweet enough to compliment the fish. Well done. My wife's Black Cod was equal to my Mahi. Sweet, tender, perfectly cooked. Also a generous portion of fish with just the right amount of bok choy and forbidden rice. Two excellent meals, attentive but not bothering service and a visit by one of the owners. My only negative comments are of personal preference, a chocolate desert choice and to offer bread from their neighbor Grover Beach Sourdough. I understand this is a Pacific Island style menu and not typically accompanied by bread. But the bakery next door is too good to not put a bowl of fresh cut bread on the table. We will be back soon. I want to try the seared scallops. read more

Had a great dinner last week at Pono. Fish was fresh and tasty. Staff well trained. Would recommend to come. Some people say pricey but everywhere is no less. read more

Everything I have tried here is AMAZING. If you are in the mood for FRESH, delicious seafood, this is your place. Beautifully presented, every dish we have tried we liked better than the next- tuna poke, crab cakes, butterfish, oysters- loved it all. Service is also great- called on a Friday night without reservations and they seated us right away. read more

Finally ate here after hearing good things for about a year. Staff was very pleasant and accommodating. We sat outside on the patio and the 'fire' heat lamps made for a cozy evening on a chilly night. But it is the food that gets all my stars! We had the delicate butterfish with black rice, the macadamia nut crusted mahi mahi and the caesar salad. All very fresh, perfectly seasoned and gorgeous. I loved it so much I forgot to take a picture! Next time, hopefully soon! read more

Had such a nice dinner. Food was excellent and the service was great. I highly recommend the ahi crudo and mahi mahi.

This place is amazing! The best meal we've had in a long time. We had the mushroom toast appetizer, short ribs, and the sea bass special and everything was so delicious! read more

Food was great! The butter fish was melt in your mouth good. The short rib was tender. The service was great!

Hostess, server and ambiance were professional and gracious. Food was excellent and creative. Met the chef who is unassuming although more talented than many Los Angeles chefs. Definitely make a reservation if you are going to be in the area. read more

food was good; rudest waitress i have ever encountered and very haughty and ruined our dinner...and ambiance

Best flavors in a long time, from the Sashimi peppers to the coconut tomato soup and braised short ribs - all was Michelin star quality. Very impressive. read more

So good! We've eaten here twice in the short time that they've been open. Both times excellent. All of the seafood was terrific.

I wasn't a big fan of the appetizers we had, but the entrees were outstanding. The steak was some of the best we've ever had and make sure you order the lobster add on option. The butterfish cod was delicious, but the rice underneath it was a little plain and undercooked a bit. The sake cocktails were not good at all but we loved the champagne we ordered. Our waiter, Alfredo, was lovely. read more

We tried both the soup of the day (tomato) and the baby gem salad; both were delicious. The salad was fresh and flavorful. As entrees, I had the mac nut mahi mahi and they offered a lobster tail a la carte (or there was another option with fettucine); I got the a la carte. The signature sauce was exotic and had a great after taste. It came with green beans and a tasty black rice. My dining partners had the short rib and scallops, and everything was incredible. The fish in particular was especially fresh. We chose outdoor dining, and the lamps were lovely and worked well. Great experience! read more

Amazing quality seafood with a great ambiance! We ordered the crudo and crab cake appetizers and both tasted fresh and had great and unique flavors. Same for the shrimp and lobster tagliatelle pasta and butterfish. Sake cocktails were crisp and delicious! This is a hidden gem - great date night atmosphere or dinner with a small or large party. Highly re read more

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

Excellent food and service. We had a family brunch on Mother's Day. There was 12 of us and unfortunately we are a high maintenance family! Everything was delicious and beautifully presented. The decor is lovely as well. A very nice addition to the Grover Beach restaurant scene. We will definitely be back! read more

Not a single bad thing on the menu! Drinks food were all 5 stars for us, and the owners are rockstars, we can't wait to come back! I do wish one day they'd open for lunch, I had the best butternut squash soup I'd ever had, also I hope the mango upside down cake returns! read more

This place is an absolute gem. I've driven by it many times and was always curious - now it is our new date night spot. Beautiful place, world class food, top of the line service. Love it!!! read more

Overpriced. Heavy handed flavoring overwhelm the fish dishes. Not worth the price of admission

without a doubt, the best seafood restaurant I've visited in Californi, and I've visited many! not only was the fish top quality in terms of freshness and cut, but the flavor combinations blew my mind! i highly recommend the Hamachi Ceviche, the Seared Ahi, and the Mahi Mahi. that said, I doubt you could go wrong at this restaurant. To top it off, the staff were super friendly and knowledgeable about everything on the menu. read more

What a find in Grover Beach! Cute little restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. We had the crudo, ceviche and poke to start - all were fantastic! The beef short rib had so much umami flavor, and the miso butterfish was cooked perfectly. Beautiful and flavorful desserts rounded out the meal. Very enjoyable evening, with easy, relaxed service. read more

This is my new favorite restaurant in the 805. The food is delicious and creative. The wait staff is friendly and the ambiance is beautiful. We will be dining here over and over. read more

Don't waste your time or money. Everything is extremely overpriced, and the food we were served arrived ice cold. What a joke.

Great food, service and ambience. Luv everything about this restaurant. A true gem in the area.

Seductive, the richness of the butterfish entices you to eat another bite of luscious melting deliciousness, with the perfectly firm and flaky texture, enrobed in a savory balanced burre blanc sauce that transports. Contrasted with the crunchy nutty black forbidden rice amid bok choy, it's an excellent study of textures, subtly changing flavors, and perfection on a plate. The shrimp were plump, firm, again execution of the seafood technical grace was perfect, and on a bed of grits with not overpowering goats cheese, with corn, cheese richness was a surprise balanced with pork belly. The ahi was seared just so, flavors melded with miso, layered with the blood orange citrus, potatoes imparting happiness with each bite. The poke was excellent and the tomato soup mixed with coconut milk could've been a classic tomato bisque with basil. The interior is gorgeous, clean modern with turquoise accents,evoking the sea. Happy couples and friends enjoying excellent food and drink. Cocktails are also delish! Highly highly recommend, this place is head and shoulders above the basic Pismo and other eating establishments. I can't say enough good things. Come and enjoy! read more

Excellent food! Inside dining tables are a tad narrow though, making for a concerning dining experience. Other than that, this place should be a "must try." Classy atmosphere and carefully prepared cuisine. read more

Everything we ordered was so delicious and seasoned perfectly. The staff was very friendly. One of the best meals I ever had. read more

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Everything I have ever gotten at Pino has been absolutely amazing! The atmosphere is great and the service is better

I would give this restaurant 5 stars if they didn't ruin the ahi with their disgusting, weird tangy blood orange sauce. Bleck! Other than that & a peanut butter dessert that tasted like Skippy's peanut butter, everything was fantastic-especially the butterfish. read more

Great! Beautiful interior, full wine list, and delicious food. I could cut my filet mignon with a regular knife, and the potatoes au gratin were uniquely delicious. And the appetizer--yellowtail poke--fresh, delicious and served with taro chips. Will return as soon as possible! read more

Appetizers we received were tasty so I started out optimistic about dinner. But things went downhill after that. We were out to celebrate our very hungry graduate. I could see we might get hungry so we ordered 2 orders of bread (bad enough one has to pay extra for bread). One order arrived. I asked about 2nd order - server said - it's coming. 25 minutes later it arrived. Server apologized (a theme of the evening) and said they had to go next door to buy more bread. Then 3 of 6 entrees arrived. Other 3, including for the 2 hungriest of our party, didn't show up for ages. Server apologized and said kitchen was backed up, and this was busiest day of the year. We all knew it would be busy - couldn't they prepare for that? Server offered to give us more drinks (as compensation?) but we wanted food, not drinks. Last 3 entrees finally showed up after 3 of us had finished eating. Server eventually compensated by taking automatic gratuity off the bill. Not sufficient given how disappointed we were. I still feel bad for not giving my family and friends the delightful evening out that we had hoped for. We cannot recommend this high priced restaurant to anyone. read more

The most amazing experience! Food was phenomenal! Short Ribs were too die for! Risotto amazing! Duck egg rolls and crab cakes amazing! Chef Preston Tripp has a remarkable ability to combine flavors that make your palette sing! Bravo!!! Atmosphere is modern and comfortable! Great place to have the most remarkable meal ever! You won't be disappointed! Pono ROCKS!!! read more

Extremely impressed with the decor, the service and especially the food and presentation! 4 different meals at our table and each were awesome! The salads were scrumptious! Don't miss out on this culinary adventure in Grover Beach. read more

Had a nice experience here. Soup salad entrees and dessert were all great. Quality food in a nice quiet place. Will be happy to visit again. read more