Ah, the poké bowl—a dish meant to transport us to the sun-kissed shores of Hawaii with its fresh ingredients, vibrant colors, and health-conscious appeal. But does Hawaiian Poké Bowl in Utrecht actually deliver on this promise, or does it take a detour straight into the realm of sneaky fast food? Our panel of food adventurers took on the challenge, and the results are in.
Let’s start with the good stuff: the food itself. It’s safe to say that the bowls here are delicious—so delicious that Martijntje declared it the best poké bowl of their life! Yemoe and Alex were equally impressed with the flavors, the freshness of the ingredients, and the overall experience. The ability to customize bowls was a definite plus, making every visit a new culinary adventure. But then…there was Lin’s surprise ingredient—a big piece of avocado peel, lurking in the depths of their otherwise beautifully presented bowl. Oops.
Ambiance-wise, the restaurant nails it. The spacious seating made it a perfect spot for big groups, which was much appreciated. However, there was just one person working the kitchen, meaning service times slowed to a crawl, especially for larger parties. Some found this frustrating, while others, like Martijn, took the opportunity to ponder whether they were eating a health-conscious meal or just a deconstructed Dutch sushi with extra mayo.
Let’s also talk about the futuristic ordering system. It’s 2025, so of course, there’s a big-ass iPad to take your order. However, for our IT-savvy reviewers, this felt less like a seamless digital experience and more like an impromptu coding challenge. Nevertheless, once the orders finally went through (and were eventually served), the verdict was clear—Hawaiian Poké Bowl is the new-age of junk food, and we kind of love it.
Now, onto the math. Due to a few slip-ups (literally, in the case of that avocado peel), we deducted a point. However, the option to create custom dishes earned a small redemption of +0.1. Final corrected rating? A solid 7.7/10.
If you have time to wait and don’t mind a slight identity crisis between healthy and indulgent, this spot is definitely worth a visit. Bring your patience, a love for nacho-laden sushi, and maybe double-check your avocado.
Martijntje - 8
Lin - 8
Martijn - 7
Yemoe - 8
Alex - 8
