If you've ever scrolled past a photo of glistening cubed tuna tossed with sesame seeds and green onion, you've already met poke (pronounced "POH-keh," not "poke" like a nudge). It's Hawaiʻi's most iconic dish, and it's a lot older — and a lot more local — than the mainland poke-bowl chains might suggest.
So, what is poke?
At its simplest, poke means "to cut crosswise into pieces" in Hawaiian. Traditionally that meant fresh raw reef fish, cut into cubes and mixed with sea salt, limu (seaweed), and crushed kukui nut (ʻinamona) for a nutty, savory finish. No rice, no mayo, no mango — just fish, salt, and ocean flavor, often eaten straight off the cutting board by fishermen the moment the catch came in.
Modern poke, the kind you'll find at grocery stores and poke bars across the islands today, usually features ʻahi (yellowfin tuna) marinated in shoyu (soy sauce), sesame oil, and green onion — often called "shoyu poke." From there, the variations multiply: spicy mayo poke, tako (octopus) poke, salmon poke, and vegetarian versions built on tofu or mushroom.
A dish with deep roots
Poke isn't a recent invention dressed up for Instagram — it traces back centuries to Native Hawaiian fishing traditions, where nothing from the catch went to waste. The dish evolved as immigrant communities arrived in Hawaiʻi: Japanese plantation workers brought shoyu and sesame oil, and those flavors folded naturally into the existing practice of eating fresh-cut fish. That blending is very Hawaiʻi — new influences absorbed into something that still feels unmistakably local.
Where to try it right
Skip the resort luau buffet for this one. The best poke in Hawaiʻi tends to come from unglamorous places: supermarket poke counters (Foodland and Tamura's are local legends), small fish markets, and plate lunch spots near the harbor. Look for a high turnover case — poke is meant to be eaten fresh, the same day it's cut.
- Ask for "shoyu ʻahi" if you want the classic, approachable version
- "Spicy ʻahi" usually means a mayo-based sauce with chili
- "Limu poke" is a great way to taste the old-school style
Poke pairs naturally with the rest of Hawaiʻi's food and drink traditions — think a scoop of rice, a side of poi, and something cold to wash it down after a day at the beach.
Bringing a taste of the islands home
You don't need to be standing at a poke counter in Hilo to carry a little of that island food culture with you. It shows up in how people in Hawaiʻi talk about meals, mark happy hour, and gather with ʻohana over good food.
Bring the islands home: Explore our Food & Drink collection — original designs from our Native Hawaiian–owned studio in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi. Here are a few of the newest additions:
Aloha Wine O'Clock Tee — for anyone who thinks it's five o'clock somewhere in the Pacific.
Hawaii Foodie Life Tee — a shout-out to plate lunch, poke bowls, and ono grindz.
Craft Beer Hawaii Tee — for the island taproom crowd.