Poke coming back to Pac Ave: Seattle-based chain opening Tacoma restaurant
Downtown Tacoma soon will have a poke place, a year after Sam Choy’s Poke to the Max vacated its storefront on Pac Ave.
The fast-growing Seattle-based chain, Just Poké, plans to open its Tacoma restaurant at 1716 Pacific Ave. in November.
Co-founder Norman Wu said the shop will double as a Wow Wow Lemonade, brand specializing in pressed lemonade with a tropical bent, as well as superfood smoothies and salad bowls.
Initial permits for the space were filed in June. Located on the University of Washington-Tacoma campus, Just Poké and Wow Wow will join a few new retailers, including Lune Cafe and S-Level Tea.
“Their arrival adds to the variety of quality dining options available to our campus community and visitors,” said communications director Elizabeth Metcalf.
Wu opened the first Just Poke in Seattle with friend Danny Brawer in 2016. Both Seattle natives, they “discovered poke while chasing sunsets in Maui.” They set out to build a fast-casual restaurant with an eye toward sustainability.
According to the company website, Just Poké’s tuna is line-caught and its salmon is certified by Best Aquaculture Practices, an international organization that works with seafood feed mills, hatcheries, farms and processors to confirm that their practices are safe, environmentally responsible and ethical. The business is also certified by the Surfrider Foundation. Stores also use biodegradable and compostable-friendly packaging.
Wu and Brawer quickly started fielding queries from potential franchisees. Just Poké now has 34 locations around Puget Sound, including stalls at T-Mobile Park, Climate Pledge Arena and the Microsoft campus. The website lists nine “coming soon” locations, including Tacoma, as well as one in Washington, D.C., Salt Lake City and Scottsdale, Arizona.
The duo has opened other concepts: Pure Acai Bar, Matcha Magic, Pure Boba, Seattle Juice Co and Sugo Hand Roll Bar.
Just Poké bowls start around $13.99 for furikake rice and marinated shoyu salmon topped with scallions, pickled fresno chiles, masago (roe), seaweed salad, roasted corn and jalapeno “crunchies.” Add extra protein for $2.49 and other fixings like Hawaiian-style mac salad and house kimchi for about $1. Specialty bowls like the honey karaage (with Japanese fried chicken nugs), crispy tofu, the Surf and Surf with seared ahi and shrimp tempura start at $15.99.
Wow Wow has locations in nine states. In Washington, the brand operates in tandem with Just Poké and an offshoot called Catch by Just Poké.
Lemonades (most $7) feature flavors like butterfly mojito, mango pineapple and strawberry mint, plus creamy coconut options such as the Blue Hawaii with blue spirulina and pina colada with pineapple. Smoothies, including protein options, range from coconut peanut butter and Kahuna Koffee to the Chia Tropical with ginger, guava and turmeric. The menu also offers fruit and avocado toasts with Hawaii flair (lilikoi butter with macadamia nuts and strawberry) and on-the-go salad bowls also packed with proteins like teriyaki chicken.
The Tacoma shop should open by mid-November, said Wu.
Just Poké & Wow Wow Lemonade - Tacoma
- 1716 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, justpoke.com
- Details: new poké and tropical drink shop, target opening mid-November 2025
This story was originally published October 26, 2025 at 5:00 AM.