In search of a new favorite Hawaiian spot for poke bowls, shave ice and more?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Hawaiian eateries around Washington, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to achieve your dreams.
1. Poke Papa
Topping the list is Poke Papa. Located downtown at 806 H St. NW (between Eighth and Ninth streets), the poke spot is the highest-rated Hawaiian restaurant in Washington, boasting 4.5 stars out of 597 reviews on Yelp.
On the menu, you'll see signature poke bowls like the Volcano (spicy tuna topped with jalapeño, scallion, masago, cilantro, sweet shoyu and lava sauce), the Lomi Homie (salmon marinated with red onion, tomato, scallion, sea salt and lime juice) and the Onolicious (ahi tuna marinated with hijiki seaweed, lotus root, ginger, sesame, scallions and onion). You can also build your own bowl. (See the full menu here.)
Yelper Michelle H., who reviewed the eatery on Aug. 15, wrote, "Oh my goodness, I love this poke place. First of all, you get to choose three different proteins for your bowl! And each helping of protein is pretty hefty, too. I had the ahi tuna, salmon and spicy tuna, all of which I enjoyed tremendously."
2. Poki DC
Next up is Poki DC, situated at 906 F St. NW (between Ninth and 10th streets) in downtown Washington. With 4.5 stars out of 300 reviews on Yelp, the Hawaiian poke spot has proven to be a local favorite. The restaurant group has another DC location downtown.
Customize your poke bowl with bases that include sushi rice, brown rice with quinoa, zucchini noodles and organic spring mix. Several protein options are available, such as ahi tuna, salmon, yellowtail and more. Finish your bowl by selecting your toppings, sauce and crunchy add-ons. (See the full list of options here.)
Khang N., who reviewed it on July 20, said, "Service here was very quick and I got much more than expected. The servers here are very nice and will do everything in order to satisfy their customers. The tuna here was very good with a lot of different varieties, and there were many different sides to choose from that spice up the bowl."
3. Tiki Taco
Dupont Circle's Tiki Taco, located at 2010 P St. NW (between 20th and Hopkins streets), is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the Hawaiian fusion spot, which offers tacos and shave ice, 4.5 stars out of 118 reviews.
Tacos include the Kailua Pork (with watercress and pineapple salsa), the Island Fish (white fish, mango salsa, savoy cabbage and Sriracha aioli) and the Pork Belly (kimchi cabbage, tomato, avocado and shoyu glaze). You can also score poke bowls, taco salads, wings and more. (Check out the menu here.)
Yelp reviewer Yara F. wrote, "Super inexpensive, deliciously flavorful and well-designed tacos. Whether you live nearby or you are passing through the Dupont Circle area, I would recommend stopping to grab some tacos here as a great meal, or just as a hold-you-over hearty snack."
4. Abunai Poke
Then there's Abunai Poke in Foggy Bottom, which has received four stars out of 159 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1920 L St. NW to try the eatery for yourself.
Signature poke bowls include the Abunai (ahi tuna, onions, spring mix, wasabi tobiko, rice, inamona, abunai sauce, nori and ogo), the Shrimp Poke (shrimp, green onions, spring mix, cucumbers, avocado, cilantro, lemon zest, wasabi aioli, rice, sea salt and asparagus) and the Tako Poke (tako, rice, spring mix, onions, cucumbers, sweet chili vinaigrette, lomi tomatoes, chili flakes and nori). (See the full menu here.)
Yelper Elizabeth G. said, "Abunai Poke is awesome. The food was delicious and the staff is friendly and kind. The rice is seasoned perfectly and tuna marinated just right. It's like a healthy comfort food and I had a great experience."
