From ‘Heat Wave’ to ‘Surf and Surf,’ poké returns to downtown Tacoma
Just Poké and Wow Wow Lemonade, a joint concept from a Seattle-based chain, opened the doors to its new Tacoma restaurant in December.
The shop at 1716 Pacific Ave. brings poké back to downtown and the University of Washington Tacoma campus after Sam Choy’s Poke to the Max closed last year.
Owners Norman Wu and Danny Brawer started with a single restaurant in 2016 but have expanded in the past decade to nearly three dozen locations, including stalls at T-Mobile Park and Climate Pledge Arena. The brand is recognized by Ocean Friendly Restaurants and EnviroStars for its sustainability commitment, as it strives to source line-caught tuna and salmon certified by Best Aquaculture Practices, according to the website and a placard at each table.
On the Just Poké menu are 12 signature bowls (starting at $13.99-$15.99) with one or two kinds of marinated fresh fish and, in a few cases, hot proteins like chicken karaage and garlic-fried shrimp. Choose between sushi rice or brown rice as your base. You can customize signature bowls with extra protein for $2.49 and various toppings — edamame, pickled fresnos, pickled turmeric daikon, crab or mac salad among them — for $1. If you prefer to start from scratch, a build-your-own bowl offers a small ($14.99 with two proteins) or large ($17.99 with three proteins) option.
Favorites range from the Pike Place with shoyu salmon, torched crab salad, turmeric daikon, hulled edamame, pickled ginger and chili threads, to the Heat Wave with spicy ahi, onion, pickled fresnos, spicy aioli, edamame, crab salad, roasted corn, jalapeno crunchies and a bonus of “umami crunch.” The Honey Karaage, topped not with fish but rather the Japanese-style fried chicken, is also a popular choice, per the menu.
You order at the counter and walk down the line with the server, then pay once your bowl is built. Order online for quick pickup, too. If dining in, find a seat at one of a few stools along a counter overlooking Pacific Avenue or one of a few tables. Otherwise, the space is open, ready for lunch crowds.
Don’t miss the Wow Wow menu tucked into the back-right corner, next to the utensil station.
The fresh-pressed lemonade ($7 for 24-ounce drink) also comes in flavors like passion-guava, strawberry-pineapple and lavender-blackberry. Or opt for a smoothie bowl or smoothie in a cup ($11), such as the Coconut PB&J or Uncle’s Acai. Canned beverages include Sanzo sparkling waters in yuzu, lychee or mango and Hawaiian Sun POG, of course.
Near the end of the workday Thursday, a delivery driver arrived for a pickup order, a fellow was grabbing dinner for two on the go, and a couple with a toddler popped in for an early dinner. Staff kindly shared that they had run out of a couple of ingredients, and it seemed they were still learning the ropes of the little-bit-of-this, little-bit-of-that bowls. But the fish was fresh, and the rice was warm. It’s good to have poké — especially with daily hours into the evening — on Pac Ave again.
Just Poké
- 1716 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, justpoke.com
- Daily 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Details: new poke restaurant from Seattle-based chain now open in downtown Tacoma; filling bowls starting at $13.99, plus fresh lemonade and smoothies