Poke was sold at fish markets before it was sold at restaurants. The original format — ahi dressed with shoyu, sesame oil, sea salt, and Hawaiian inamona (roasted kukui nut paste), sold by the pound from a fish counter — is still the dominant format at Oahu's best markets. No rice bowl. No toppings bar. Just fresh fish, simply dressed, in a plastic container, and you find something to sit on.
The Benchmark: Tamashiro Market
Tamashiro Market on North King Street in Kalihi has been selling poke since the 1970s — before most poke restaurants existed. The family-owned market has been operating since the 1940s and started offering fresh poke from the counter as the form became popular. Today it has over 20 preparations: Da Real King poke ($28.95/lb) is the signature, made with ahi, sesame, shoyu, green onion, and a house blend that has won awards. The Ahi with Creamy Crab Sauce is $26.95/lb. Both are better than anything at a downtown poke restaurant.
Tamashiro also sells whole fresh fish (not previously frozen) from local boats. For anyone who wants to cook fish at home, it is the best source in Honolulu. Open every day of the year except Christmas and New Year's.
Kahuku Superette: The Drive-By
Kahuku Superette is a gas station convenience store at the top of Oahu's North Shore. The poke counter is in the back of the store. There is no sign. You walk past the chips, past the refrigerated beverages, to the back wall. The shoyu ahi is as good as anything in Honolulu, made fresh daily, sold by the half-pound. People driving the North Shore loop stop here without telling anyone else. It is the best-kept food secret on Oahu's east side.
The Kalihi Options
Amy's Fish Market and Choi's Fish Market are both in the Kalihi corridor near Tamashiro. Smaller operations with daily fresh poke, often cheaper per pound than the destination markets. Worth knowing if you live on the west or north side of Honolulu and want poke without the Tamashiro Market wait.
88 Fresh Fish Market is another Kalihi option — Chinese-American family fish market with poke prepared in a slightly different style (more sesame-forward, less shoyu-heavy) that reflects the family's background. Different enough from Tamashiro to be worth comparing.
How To Buy Poke at a Market
- Ask for a taste. Every market in Hawaii will give you a toothpick taste before you commit to a pound.
- Half-pound minimum at most markets. Order a half-pound of two or three varieties to compare.
- Eat within two hours. Market poke is made to be eaten the same day. Refrigerate leftovers and eat within 24 hours.
- Ask what's freshest. Good fish markets have different fish on different days depending on what came in. 'What's best today?' is the correct question.
- Don't overlook tako (octopus) poke. It's underrated at most markets and often the best value per pound.
What's the Difference Between Market Poke and Restaurant Poke?
At a restaurant, the poke is typically assembled-to-order, the rice is warm, and there are toppings and sauces. At a market, the poke is made in a batch in the morning, dressed in a marinade, and sold as-is. The restaurant version gives you more control and warmth. The market version gives you fish that hasn't been handled twelve times between the boat and the bowl. For people who know what they're doing, market poke wins.