Pokéworks finally opened for business Thursday, July 21, and will host an official opening on Monday, July 25, Managing Director Kasper Hsu confirmed. Hsu had originally aimed for an opening in December, then April, then June.
Pokéworks is the latest in a local and regional wave of build-your-own, fast-casual spots dedicated to the Hawaiian seafood staple. It joins Poké Bar, which opened inside Ava’s Market & Deli on Castro Street in November, and pokéLOVE, newly opened at Town & Country Village in Palo Alto. Another poké restaurant with two locations in San Jose, Poki Bowl, is slated to open soon in Palo Alto.
Like its peers, Pokéworks offers both signature and build-your-own options made from raw seafood, meat, mix-ins, toppings and sauces. (The “Hawaiian Classic,” for example,” has ahi tuna poké, green and sweet onion, seaweed, cucumber, Hawaiian salt, chili flakes and roasted sesame oil.)
But at Pokéworks, customers can elect to have their poké in bowl, burrito or salad form. View the full menu here.
Pokéworks serves build-your-own poké bowls, wraps and salads with a variety of proteins, sauces and toppings to choose from. Photo courtesy Pokéworks.
All of Pokéworks’ fish is sustainably sourced, according to Hsu. He said in a previous interview that he hopes the Mountain View restaurant will help educate customers on seafood sustainability.
Pokéworks also operates a location in New York City, with more on the way in San Jose, Irvine, Boston and Seattle.
The Mountain View outpost is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.
