This place is definitely quality over quantity. The fish is probably the freshest out of all the poke places, but you only get two choices. I enjoyed my bowl, but it is pricier than other places, and even«free» toppings at other places(like avocado or imitation crab) will cost you an additional $ 1 each. You also get only 1 choice of sauce. I prefer the Chipotle-style poke places better where you can see all the ingredients laid out in front of you as you order, but I suppose the space limitations here make that less of a possibility. Overall, a-ok, but it’s not a place I would crave or keep coming back to. I’d probably only come here out of convenience, whereas I’d go out of my way for Pokinometry or H2O Poke…
Christa L.
Tu valoración: 5 Anaheim, CA
Great poke bowls! Love the concept of building your own. Everything was fresh and delicious! We’ll be back!
Bryant N.
Tu valoración: 3 Irvine, CA
Was very excited about a poke opening near me. I tried their cali bowl which was okay. Their bowls are not really premade just that if you order their fixed item bowls its cheaper. This place is a little different from other poke places in that you do not get to see the ingredients up front. You do however get to see they make your bowl if you go to the side. Quality of ingredients was excellent however the proportions are smaller than I am used to for price point they are asking. Some how for me each item in the bowl was good but didn’t synergistically produce the wow factor that I’ve come to expect from PokiNometry and FINS. Their watermelon drink was refreshing.
Wanda T.
Tu valoración: 4 Diamond Bar, CA
My boyfriend and I came here today June 17, afternoon for lunch at around 1:30PM. It was our first time trying this place that we just happened to walk by. I am a huge sucker for POKE so I had to try and see what this was all about! They have about 7 set poke bowls you can chose from, all very different from each other, or you can build your own bowl… So we definitely went with building our own bowl! Here are my two cents on this whole experience: 1. Parking/Waiting in line: there is parking right outside this place! Easy walking distance but it can get kinda crazy during lunch. We waiting for about 15 minutes to order our food… Kinda long but worth the wait! 2. Service: the staff was friendly and I just love it when they actually offer there recommendations and favorites! 3: Food & Portions & Cost: My bowl: salmon poke, spicy mayo, green onions, sesame seeds, masago, tempura flakes and wakeame. I added imitation crab and avocado both $ 1 each! So worth it! — At first, I was complaining how much my meal was, it was about $ 15 just for my bowl… Holy smokes right??? But when it came out, I thought I would eat it all, but it actually came with big big portions of salmon and all the other ingredients. I couldn’t even finish my bowl but best believe I will pay $ 15 for it again! I guess you never judge a poke bowl by its cover :) His bowl: spicy tuna, salmon, spicy mayo, masago, wakeame, garlic chips and jalapeño over brown rice. –my BF loved it! He ate the whole bowl while I was still drinking my water. Hahahahaa jk but he ate it pretty fast! But don’t be fooled, the portions are really big compared to other places! What to not get: Forbidden rice– I did not like at all!!! It is a little bit crunchier than brown rice, sad that their white rice was not ready to be served when we got there. Next time I hope it will be warm and ready for me! Will definitely be coming back here again!
Alisa S.
Tu valoración: 2 Irvine, CA
This is my 2nd time coming back to this place in a week and a half time span. Our first experience was great so it was my idea to come back. We put in our order and I ordered a large. The girl had no smile, and was most likely in a bad mood. When it came out it was a regular size and I told her that I ordered the large. She gave me an attitude and decided to argue back saying she repeated it being a regular. Ok, well that’s not what I ordered. She could have very well not been so rude about it. To top it off she didn’t even say thank you when we said«thank you» to her. There so many good poke places around here. So why should I come back here to get this nasty attitude? Such a shame because the food really isn’t bad but this experience doesn’t make me want to come back here nor recommend this place to any of my friends, family, or clients that constantly ask me of new food recommendations. I would advise the owners to have more training for management in customer service and really evaluate their employees behavior.
Victoria N.
Tu valoración: 5 Fountain Valley, CA
Ordered 15 of the PCH bowls for an event I hosted. Worked on the process of this order for about a week with one of the owners to ensure everything would turn out great; from the freshness of the product, to the presentation in order meet the company’s standards. We were also given instructions on portions and the order of toppings, which was very helpful. I can definitely say they are passionate and proud of what they’ve created. In terms of the actual product, we were recommended to do half tuna and half salmon, which was nothing short of amazing! Their garlic ponzu sauce was to die for. And I love love LOVE mango salsa. I’m super addicted to the taro chips. It has the perfect amount of seasoning and crunch. All 15 bowls remained fresh even after picking them up from the restaurant and serving them at a different location. Don’t know why I never thought about this before when stepping into a poke joint, but if they have set menu options, try those instead of customizing your own. They’re the Poke pros, so they know what’s up. They took the time in developing these special bowls. Thank you Cubed Poke for providing such a delicious entrée at my event! Definitely my new favorite poke spot. Can’t wait to come back!
Kelley U.
Tu valoración: 4 Foothill Ranch, CA
I don’t think there is a city in Orange County that doesn’t have a poke place anymore. This is fine by me, as I love trying out any new place to get me one of these fresh fish bowls. FRESH being the key. Nothing is grosser than going somewhere where raw fish is fishy smelling or fishy tasting, which is definitely a sure sign that the fish isn’t too fresh. Decided to check out the fairly new Cubed Poke in the Union Market in Tustin Legacy with my friend and poke aficionado, Aaron E, to see what it was all about. The menu here offers pre-made signature poke bowls or build your own bowls. While many of the pre-made bowls sounded good, I enjoy building my own to add my own ingredients to make my own creation. I also wanted to see what Aaron was going to make as we usually build varied things and see how the combos taste. You have two options for size here, small or large. Small includes 4 oz of fish and is $ 8.99 and the large includes 6 oz. of fish and is $ 10.99. As I wanted the 6 oz. of protein, I went with the larger size. I opted for brown rice in an attempt to be healthier but not as good as my friend who ordered the kale salad base. There were six sauce choices. I chose the garlic ponzu. I went with the tuna and yellowtail for my proteins. You can add an additional 2 oz of protein for 2 bucks more. Then come the toppings. There are regular, free toppings and premium toppings which are $ 1 each. I added garlic chips, cucumber, masago, avocado and pickled ginger. The avocado and pickled ginger were premium toppings so that was an additional dollar each for those two. I don’t think that I have been anywhere where they charge a premium for pickled ginger. I was a little surprised by that. Anyway, I thought this poke was very good. The fish was very tasty, as it was very, very, fresh. We were really happy with the quality of the fish as this bowl was a tad on the expensive side for the size. I really liked my garlic ponzu sauce choice. As a person who loves both ponzu and garlic, it added a perfect flavor to my bowl. My added garlic chips added an additional garlicky goodness. After looking at my friend’s bowl, I said, «Your’s is prettier.» It definitely had more color. I was jealous that I had overlooked the tempura flakes and corn that he had chosen for his bowl. Next time, I will add those. I noticed on a board on the counter that they were offering a Watermelon Refresher drink. I ordered one of those. Light and refreshing and nice on this sunny Southern California day. We took advantage of the nice outdoor side patio area to sit and eat at as the weather was beautiful that day. You order at the counter here and get a buzzer that looks like some weird old school cell phone that rings when your order is ready. Staff was friendly. I noticed, after I had ordered, that there were taro chips that I will take get the next time around to scoop up my poke, Cubed Poke is a nice new addition to the ever-expanding Union Market in the Tustin Legacy.
Jackie D.
Tu valoración: 5 Newport Beach, CA
Had the LILO Bowl because I’m going through a Kale kick. Fish is so fresh and the large is a good size portion. Service is good and fast. You also have the option to build your own
Aaron E.
Tu valoración: 4 Orange County, CA
Are you in Tustin? Do you like Poke? If you answered yes to both then here is your spot. Slowly all of the promise once envisioned for the Union Market at Tustin Legacy is coming to fruition one opening at a time and I will be the first to mention that the opening day and subsequent year was something between painful to watch to a complete abortion. The latest restaurant/stand/merchant to open is Cubed Poke and that is a good thing because OC has too few Poke spots. Just kidding. Okay — the concept is familiar but does have a twist. You can choose from six arranged Poke bowls; OR build your own Poke(start with a base, choose sauce, protein, and add signature or premium add ons); sides and drinks such as Hawaiian Sodas, Mango Black Tea, fresh young Coconut, Hawaiian Beers, Lychee Sake, a House sake. So it is a mash up of a traditional Poke joint with the Pokinometry experience which actually is the best of both worlds. The prices are steep as a Large bowl(6 ounces of seafood) with 1 «premium» addition(in my case picked Cucumber) rang up to nearly $ 15.00. The service is very friendly fast casual that asks for a tip at point of purchase(they don’t even bring the food to your table). Pretty soon we will be tipping people for giving you the time of day. At any rate… I built my own bowl and chose a Kale Salad base, Tuna and Salmon as the protein, the Yuzu sauce, with Cilantro, Corn, Shallots, Sesame Seeds, and Tempura Flakes as toppings and shelled out extra for the pickled Cucumbers. The seafood was noticeably fresh from the jump. As a person that was eating Sushi at the Tsukiji fish market a week ago I was shocked at how incredibly clean tasting the fish really was. The smoothness of the fish juxtaposes perfectly with the crunchy snap of the Kale Salad and the Tempura Flakes gave the mouthfeel an exciting pop bite after bite. The Yuzu sauce is a perfect accompaniment as it doesn’t get in the way of the proteins but acts as a crescendo for the finish of the flavor profile. This is damn good Poke people. Once again I get to thank Unilocal OC’s own Kelley U. for finding another great spot to meet for a quick lunch to catch up over. I look forward to my next visit to Cubed Poke and if you find yourself at the District, you really ought to order yourself a bowl.
Mandy L.
Tu valoración: 4 Irvine, CA
There are so many poke places that keep popping up, it’s getting to be challenging to try to differentiate one from another. This is, however, one of my more favorite poke places. Here is my breakdown: The poke portions here are a big bigger than other poke places I’ve been to. I’m sure in terms of quality of fish, the weight is about the same, but having it bigger just tastes better in your mouth. And… there is an opportunity for an inappropriate joke there but I’ll let it be. The bowl itself is a little smaller in comparison to other poke places, but I think it also tastes better. I usually do the build-you-own option, where you get 5 different toppings that you can mix and match. I like that they have garlic and shallot chips: the crunchiness adds some texture to the poke bowl. Also the sauces are pretty good. I’ve had the garlic ponzu and the spicy ginger wasabi sauce, and both complimented the bows well. T They also have seaweed salad and masago as a regular topping too, which is nice. They also offer«forbidden rice» for a dollar more. For those who don’t know what it is, its a black rice similar to glutinous rice. It does have more nutritional value to it and has an interesting taste to it that I can’t quite pin down, but it is good. Some negatives: avacado is considered premium, though places like Poke Dot has it as part of their regular bowl. And again, the bowl is a bit smaller than other poke places. Also, they use cardboard bowls, which is nice for recycling, but the rice sticks to the bowl! There is no recycling bin close by either: suppose they should invest in one. In any case I think this place is good for lunch.
Alli Y.
Tu valoración: 4 Irvine, CA
So made it here to try the poki. They have a few predesigned bowls or you can make your own. The regular was 8.99 which includes 2 protein. It’s a bit more for less than other poki places but I did enjoy the flavor/taste. I built my own. I had kale with 1ahi &1 salmon in spicy mayo. Then you can pick 5 toppings so I had corn, garlic chips, wakame salad, jalapeño and cucumbers. Also these regular toppings at other places will cost you $ 1 more here: i.e.-imitation crab, avocado, edamame& other sauces. That’s a bit much. Bowl size is definitely smaller but it does taste fresh!
Lily A.
Tu valoración: 3 Cerritos, CA
My Co-Worker: Hey, there’s a new a poke place that just opened up at the District. Me: Okay… let’s go. I will never pass down a chance to get poke, especially if it’s a new place I haven’t tried before. It’s located right on the outskirts of the Union Market at the District. So it’s easy to just park and walk across to get to it. You can either pick from a list of signature bowls or build your own bowl. I decided on the signature Kupa bowl with forbidden rice. Everything there seems is streamlined and clean. The service is very nice and sincere. I enjoyed my meal. The fish was fresh and yummy. But I think I still prefer poke dot across the way. Only because I think this place is just a bit more expensive, since everything cost extra. But I’ve been back a few times, so it’s definitely A-OK!
Fae F.
Tu valoración: 1 La Habra, CA
Being part of the Union Market at Tustin gave me high expectation of the poke place but it was an utter disappointment. Their fish was fresh, I give them that. Aesthetically appealing, that’s for sure. But let’s get down to service and quality of the poke bowl. For such tiny bowl at a higher price range, they would at least give you more, or more toppings or flavor. Making your own bowl did not quite level up. So much limitations, so little in the bowl as compared to other Poke places. Toppings, you pick 5. Do they give a lot? Nope. Unlike other Poke places, this place is the stingiest when it comes to toppings and flavors. Such bland taste. And oh by the way, the sauce, you can only pick one. And the flavor was not incorporated well enough throughout the bowl. The guy infront was the least enthusiastic dude. My order was sitting on the corner for good old 2 – 3 minutes and I had to tell him there’s an order behind him for him to realize. For their price on the small one, you’re better of getting something more abundant and flavorful elsewhere with generous toppings like Poke co., pokinometry, ten ren. Forget cube.
Carolyne T.
Tu valoración: 3 Santa Ana, CA
Giving this place a 3.5 stars! Honestly, how can you go wrong with Poke other than have bad fish or rice? Located in the Union Market, lies Cubed Poke! This place has several of choices for you to pick from. They have their signature bowls and also you can build your own starting from $ 8.99 for a regular and 10.99 for a large. I opted in for the build your own, which you order by using a dry erase marker and check-marking boxes on a laminated sheet of paper. Something different Cubed Poke offers is their«Forbidden Rice» in which it’s more healthy or something. I didn’t end up getting that but their workers very informative. You’re able to order 2 different fish(without extra charge) and other stuff such as avocado and imitation crab meat(which I ordered) are an additional $ 1. Check into Unilocal for 1 free premium topping! The portions look pretty small but it actually filled me up. I can appreciate that they give the same portion when you order for here and to go. I was watching them give other people’s orders and they were overfilling the top and was thinking since I had a lid, they would give me less but they didn’t. They just put a lid on top of my order and taped it down so that it wouldn’t spill. The only downside I would dock them stars for is how slooooooowwwww it is to actually get my food. I came during lunch time and I spent the whole lunch ordering and getting my food, then I had to quickly run back to work. Other poke places are very quick in which they have an assembly line. Also, it’s pretty pricey in comparison to other places. They have a soda machine next to the cashier so free refills! They also have some pretty interesting flavors. Other things I noted is that I think Cubed Poke is owned by the same people as The Kroft. All in all, I would eat at Cubed Poke again but it probably wouldn’t be my first choice.
Chiyuu M.
Tu valoración: 5 Irvine, CA
great addition to the union market! I got the yuzu kisu bowl and was delighted to find that the fish was fresh tasting! The bowl was light and refreshing and the forbidden rice added a unique touch to the meal. Will definately be going back sometime!
Lily Y.
Tu valoración: 3 North Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA
I love poke! Especially when it’s a warm sunny day and I just want something lighter for lunch. This place offers poke bowls that they have created or you can create your own. I asked the cashier what she would recommend since I like salmon and tuna and she suggested the Cali poke bowl since it’s one of their popular ones. Cali poke bowl came with pieces of tuna and salmon mixed in a wasabi sauce with imitation crab on top of white rice. It reminded me of a California roll in poke bowl form. The ingredients were good and fresh but it wasn’t the best poke I’ve had. Thanks to Unilocal for the free avocado upon checking in!
Michelle H.
Tu valoración: 4 Irvine, CA
I stumbled upon Cubed Poke on a Sunday afternoon after stopping for a coffee break at Portola Coffee. As with all the shops/restaurants at Union Market, Cubed is an open space casual restaurant with minimal seating. Really, the minimal seating didn’t bother me because I could walk anywhere in Union Market or outside of it and take a seat. I liked that their kitchens had open windows where you could see them making your glorious food. When I walked up, their cashier was very friendly. She was also really diligent when answering questions; she was able to give plenty of great recommendations for bowl types and good add ins. I ended up getting the regular sized cali bowl. While it looks small, it is FILLING! It came with a hefty amount of salmon, tuna, crab, and I added avocado. I liked the creamy sauce wasabi sauce that was added in and the cucumbers/crispy shallots gave a nice bite. Pros: –Great Food –Great Prices –Nice Staff –Quick Order Up Cons: –Limited Seating –Ice machine is RIDICULOUSLYSLOW Tips: –Regular is good for one; Large is good for two to share!
Daniel K.
Tu valoración: 3 Tustin, CA
If you’re looking for fresh flavors and quality fish, it’s here. You can definitely appreciate the difference compared to some other run of the mill poke places. That said, I think I’ve become too used to saucy poke bowls: P Everything just tasted so bland… They have some tried and true combos or you can elect to build your own bowl. I ended up building my own. You pick the rice, 2 types of fish, sauce, and up to 5 toppings for free, with premium toppings costing more… and they have a good number of toppings, pretty impressive. I got the garlic ponzu sauce… I think… since I couldn’t really taste it… And they really should rethink their toppings strategy. Especially since ginger is a premium item! Whaaaaaat? How can I enjoy poke without ginger? With most places offering these toppings for free anyway, limiting should be enough, no need to charge extra, right? Either way, it was filling. Haha I guess it’s a bad thing if that’s really the best thing I can say :/Maybe I just need to try one of those preset combos? Hmm meh. At least they serve alcohol heh
Geoffrey O.
Tu valoración: 3 Chino Hills, CA
This poke place being bound to be tremendously popular because of its location in the Tustin Union Market, is still slightly over priced and doesn’t offer as much fish that I would hope for in my bowl. Here is what I ordered: BYOB(SIZE: Large-6OZ of Fish) $ 10.99 + ½ Cabbage & Kale + SHOYU + SALMON + Shallots + Sliced Onions + Sesame Seeds + Furikake + Cilantro BYOB(SIZE: Large-6OZ of Fish) $ 11.99 + ½ Cabbage & Kale + GARLICPONZU + SALMON + Masago + Chili Oil + Furikake + Fried Garlic Chips + Cilantro + Imitation Crab(+$ 1.00) The BIG gripes are that premium options like imitation crab, avocado, and seaweed salad are not premium in many various fast food poke stops that I have gone to. Another gripe is that if the protein was at least 7 or 8OZ instead of 6Oz would make such a big difference. It doesn’t seem like a large amount of fish when you ask for a large bowl. I can’t complain that the food tasted great and the garlic ponzu was just awesome. I enjoyed my meal. Another big difference is that I brought my own avocado there so I sliced my own to the bowl, so that could make the big game changer as to why I was more fulfilled with myself in that bowl. I was happy with the flavors that were available, but I think other places, give more options at a cheaper price. Nonetheless, they’re are in a great location and will be successful otherwise. Thank you for the meal.
James N.
Tu valoración: 5 Newport Beach, CA
Words do not describe the happiness I feel with every delicious healthy bite! Just when you thought that the creativity with poke has fallen off the very trendy choochoo train. Cubed Poke pops up out of nowhere and reminds us why we love raw fish on a bed of perfectly cooked rice again. Super fresh Fish, Taro Chip, and toppings. Leave me the F*** alone I’m eating! The District is starting to really make its mark on the restaurant plateau. The entire place gives out a very relaxing and mellow vibe. I can definitely see myself pretending to study here while checking out chicks. I love love love the concept! Whoever said that«there are plenty of fish in the sea» has yet to try Cubed Poke! P. s. Forbidden rice will make you confess your sins!!!