We're Making Waves

Poké may be all the rage, but the founders of California-based Sweetfin think their Japanese_ inspired twist is a game-changer. The pair, along with Los Angeles restaurateur Alan Nathan, wanted to offer an alternative to the popular cuisine that wouldn’t break the bank for diners.

When word spread in January that Poke Poke, the Venice boardwalk storefront that in 2010 launched L.A.’s love affair with poke, had closed, many wondered if the city’s obsession with the raw fish bowls was abating. But what seemed to be the beginning of the end for poke looks more like…

You’ve probably seen poke bowls on social media, overheard the buzz, or seen them on menus IRL. (Psst … it’s pronounced “POH-keh.”) You may even live in a city where poke shops are popping up faster than build-your-own burrito bars ever did.

The traditional Hawaiian dish, poke (pronounced POH-kay) has become one of the fastest growing food trends in recent years. It first blew up in LA but has rapidly spread to major cities across the country via fast-casual chains.

At peak poke times the lines can get long at this Santa Monica hotspot, with Sweetfin locations in DTLA, Silver Lake, Larchmont, and Westwood Village. But if you’re willing to wait, you’ll be rewarded with one of the best of the new school bowls in L.A.