Poke Austin

Our Story

Before Poke Austin, food was mostly about convenience. I enjoyed sushi and salads,

but I never thought much about what went into the food I ate.

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That changed during college at UCLA, when a serious digestive health issue forced me to rethink my relationship with food. During my recovery, I worked with a nutritionist and began paying much more attention to ingredients, preparation, and eating simpler, less processed foods.

Those lessons stayed with me long after I recovered.

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Years later, the idea of opening a restaurant came into the picture—largely because of my husband, Trent.

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Trent has always believed that some of life's happiest moments happen around good food —

sharing a meal, discovering a favorite flavor, or simply enjoying something that makes your day a little better.
For him, serving people isn't just about food. It's about creating those small moments of happiness and seeing someone genuinely enjoy something you've made for them.

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When we began thinking about what kind of restaurant we wanted to create together, poke felt like a natural fit. It combined so many things we already loved: fresh ingredients, seafood, vegetables, bold flavors, and the freedom to build a meal around what you actually want to eat.

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We also knew firsthand that making a great poke bowl at home isn't as simple as it looks. There are a lot of ingredients to buy, sauces to prepare, toppings to prep, and fresh items to keep on hand—especially if you want something different every day.

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That became the idea behind Poke Austin: we do all that work for you.

We wanted to create a place with enough fresh ingredients, proteins, toppings, and

house-made flavors that you could come back again and again and

never have to build the same bowl twice.

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Poke Austin grew from our two different experiences—

my desire to make better everyday food choices and Trent's love of feeding people.

 

Today, that same idea still guides us: make good food approachable, give people plenty of choices, and make every bowl something they can truly make their own.