Overview
Like Poke? is a casual poke-focused spot in Kahului, on Maui’s central corridor near the airport and Costco area. The Google Places record shows it as operational at 70 Lono Ave with a 4.7 rating from 191 reviews, and the broader evidence points to a long-running, locally known food-truck style business rather than a formal sit-down restaurant. (restaurantji.com)
For travelers, it matters because this is the kind of place people seek out when they want a fast, Maui-style poke meal rather than a polished dining-room experience. It appears to be best understood as a popular quick-stop for lunch or an early dinner, with a reputation built on fresh fish and generous portions. (restaurantji.com)
Cuisine & Specialties
This is a poke specialist first and foremost, with a menu centered on raw and prepared fish bowls and plates. The strongest evidence suggests the place goes beyond standard shoyu poke and includes fried and baked interpretations as well, which is one reason it stands out from more generic poke counters. (foodnetwork.com)
- Overall menu style: Maui poke truck / counter service with a seafood-led menu built around poke bowls and related fish dishes. (foodnetwork.com)
- Notable specialties: fresh poke, baked poke, fried poke, Hawaiian poke, spicy poke, poke nachos, ahi katsu, furikake fries, and poke bowls/combo plates are all repeatedly referenced in source material. Some of these come from review aggregation rather than an official menu, so treat them as well-supported but not fully menu-verified. (foodnetwork.com)
- What seems to stand out: the Food Network feature specifically calls out oversized tuna cubes, housemade poke sauce, and fresh-caught tuna, which suggests the restaurant’s signature is more about fish texture and seasoning balance than novelty toppings. (foodnetwork.com)
- Price range: Google’s price level of 2 suggests a moderate spend, and traveler-facing listings describe it as good-value casual food rather than a budget-only stop or an upscale splurge. (foodnetwork.com)
- Dietary usefulness / limitations: strong fit for seafood eaters and people wanting a lighter, protein-forward meal; a weaker fit for vegetarians, strict shellfish-avoidant diners, or anyone who does not like raw fish. The evidence base is limited on detailed allergen handling. (foodnetwork.com)
Notable Features & Ambiance
The setting reads like a food-truck or casual outdoor-eating stop rather than a conventional restaurant room. Secondary descriptions consistently mention shared outdoor tables, shade, and a convenient lunch-stop setup near the Kahului airport / Costco area, which makes it feel practical and informal. (restaurantji.com)
- Service model and seating: counter-order, quick-turnover, food-truck style service with outdoor seating; reservations do not appear to be part of the model. (restaurantji.com)
- Atmosphere and decor: casual, functional, and low-key; the draw is the food and convenience rather than design or ambiance. Review summaries describe shaded picnic-table style seating and a food-truck-park feel. (restaurantji.com)
- Practical features: easy for a quick meal near the Kahului transportation and retail zone; outdoor shade is a meaningful advantage in this format. (mauihawaii.org)
- Best fit: a lunch stop, an airport-area meal, or a casual poke run for travelers who want something local and efficient. (mauihawaii.org)
- Weaker fit: travelers looking for table service, a date-night setting, a long lingering dinner, or weather-proof indoor comfort. That is an inference from the food-truck format and repeated descriptions of the setup. (restaurantji.com)
History & Background
Meaningful background does exist. Food Network identifies the chef-owner as Danny Kalahiki and says he has been serving fresh poke out of the food truck since 2009. The same source links the restaurant to a Food Network feature on “Soakin’ Up Maui,” which helps explain why the name has stayed visible in Maui food-travel circles. (foodnetwork.com)
The broader media trail also suggests this has long been treated as one of Maui’s recognizable casual food stops, especially in the airport/Kahului area. I did not find strong evidence of a recent relocation story or ownership change in the sources reviewed. (mauinews.com)
Review Sentiment Snapshot
What People Love
The recurring praise is for freshness, generous portions, and a distinctive poke style that feels more substantial than a standard scoop-and-rice counter. People also repeatedly mention fast, friendly service and the convenience of the outdoor food-truck setting. The most specific celebrated items are the poke bowls, fried poke, poke nachos, and ahi katsu. (restaurantji.com)
Common Gripes
Hard criticism is not prominent in the sources reviewed. The main practical downsides are the limits of the format itself: it is casual, outdoor-based, and less comfortable than a full restaurant, which may matter on hot, rainy, or crowded days. That downside is well supported by the setup descriptions, though not by many explicit negative reviews. (restaurantji.com)
Practical Visitor Tips
- Google Places currently shows Monday–Friday 11:00 AM–7:00 PM and Saturday–Sunday 11:00 AM–5:00 PM. That is a useful baseline, but food-truck operations can drift, so it is worth checking before making a special trip. (restaurantji.com)
- Expect walk-in, order-at-the-counter service rather than reservations. (restaurantji.com)
- The location is in Kahului, near the airport / Costco-area food-truck zone, which makes it convenient for arrival-day or departure-day meals. (mauihawaii.org)
- Best timing is likely midday or early afternoon if you want the smoothest food-truck experience; that is an inference from the lunch-oriented hours and casual setup. (restaurantji.com)
- If you want the broadest read on the menu, the strongest repeated signals point to poke bowls, fried/baked poke variants, and ahi katsu. (restaurantji.com)
Verification Notes
- Official identity anchor from Google Places: Like Poke?, 70 Lono Ave, Kahului, HI 96732, (808) 757-8402, currently marked OPERATIONAL. (restaurantji.com)
- No official website was found in the supplied Google record or in the highest-signal sources reviewed. (restaurantji.com)
- A minor address-history conflict appears in some third-party sources, which list 591 Haleakala Hwy or otherwise reference the older Food Network location; the current Google Places address and several newer listings support 70 Lono Ave as the working address. (foodnetwork.com)
- No major verification issues found beyond that address drift. (restaurantji.com)
Sources
- Google Places record for Like Poke? —
https://maps.google.com/?cid=17322446015861719044— Retrieved 2026-03-31 — Best source for the current baseline identity, address, phone, hours, rating, and operational status. - Food Network, “Like Poke” —
https://www.foodnetwork.com/restaurants/hi/maui/like-poke-restaurant— Retrieved 2026-04-01 — Best primary source for ownership/background, Food Network feature context, and signature items like poke, baked poke, and fried poke. - MauiHawaii.org, “Like Poke Food Truck” —
https://www.mauihawaii.org/restaurants/like-poke-food-truck/— Retrieved 2026-04-01 — Useful for the outdoor food-truck setup, picnic-table/shade context, and practical visitor experience. - Restaurantji listing for Like Poke? —
https://www.restaurantji.com/hi/wailuku/like-poke-/— Retrieved 2026-04-01 — Useful for menu-pattern corroboration, review-pattern summaries, and confirmation of the current Kahului address/hours posture. Some menu specifics are aggregated from user/review data, so treat them as supporting evidence rather than a formal menu. - Hawaii Guide, “Best Poke Bowl Spots on Maui” —
https://www.hawaii-guide.com/maui/best-poke-bowl-locations-maui— Retrieved 2026-04-01 — Useful as secondary confirmation that travelers still treat Like Poke? as a notable Maui poke stop near Kahului.
