Abunai

This is my favorite place to get lunch in DC and is one of the only (?) Hawaiian (and woman) owned poke places that I know of in DC! The food is 100/10. Love bringing friends from out of town and casual work lunches here. Poke bowls and furikake mac salad are incredible and the spam katsu musubi is something I get at least once a month. Truly one of my faves!

A solid poke shop with all the classic fixings (plus, as a bonus, a smattering of traditional Hawaiian snacks and sides that you usually can't find at most mainland poke shops) and super cute decor. I've been slowly making my way through all of DC's poke restaurants, and Abunai immediately stood out with its adorable storefront -- I'm honestly in love with the little vines and fairy lights that line the shop's floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing you to peek inside and get a sense of the amazingness happening within while also giving Abunai a really cute, homey vibe. Once you're inside, the decor serves a similar purpose, allowing you to enjoy the sunshine (or the...car headlights, I guess?) streaming through the windows while maintaining some sense of privacy. The other decor is admittedly pretty utilitarian, but it's cute, functional, and fun. Beyond the aesthetics, Abunai serves up a lovely selection of poke bowls, allowing you to either select from their pre-made favorites (for which they also have daily specials if you're looking to save a few bucks) or build your own. I opted to make my own -- Abunai has most of the classic fixings, but also includes a few extra fun menu items if you're in the mood to switch things up a bit. For your base, you can get one of the classic options -- sushi rice, brown rice / quinoa, mixed greens / kale, or, if you're feeling adventurous, try out their wonton chips. They have most of the classic proteins but also include tako (octopus) and lobster, two amazing poke choices that I've struggled to find in DC. If you're not in the mood for something raw / for seafood, you can always opt for their tofu or chicken. Abunai is a touch stingy with its proteins compared to most other spots, so you'll most likely need to get two proteins (either double of the same one or try out two options) to build a satisfying meal. They also hold back a bit on the sauces (which I honestly appreciate), so if you're ordering a salad base, especially if you opt for kale, your bowl will likely feel a bit dry. If I'm taking it home, I'll usually just toss on a little bit of rice vinegar and/or coconut aminos and am pretty satisfied. As far as mix-ins and toppings go, Abunai has an abundance of classic and unique options available, and you can load up your bowl with as many as you'd like! Being the weirdo that I am, I had to try everything (except, of course, the peanuts and other items that would send me to the hospital). A few stand-out and unique choices included the ogo (Hawaiian seaweed, which added a wonderful level of umami to the proteins), lemon zest (which, despite not being that rare, added the perfect little zing to freshen up the meal above and beyond the lemon juice), and wasabi peas (personally, I won't be getting these again next time, but if you're a fan of the nasal-clearing shock of wasabi and want a little extra crunch, they're pretty fun). And for my friends with dietary restrictions, the staff is amazing -- they were super helpful in supporting me as I navigated dietary restrictions, especially with sauces, and were very knowledgeable. If you're ordering online or from a delivery app, they also have a section for allergy modifications at the top of the order that includes nut, gluten, soy, and dairy allergies. There's obviously some fear of cross-contamination if you're really sensitive, as everything is arranged on the same counter, but they definitely make a good effort to keep their customers safe and healthy. If you still want some lovely Hawaiian food but aren't in the mood for a whole poke bowl, you can always go for a hand roll, spam musubi, or one of their other traditional Hawaiian plates. I've rarely seen a poke spot that tries to feature other aspects of Hawaiian cuisine, from classic desserts like poi or kulolo, or fun takes on island favorites like the spam mac sundae. All in all, Abunai has super fresh and delicious food topped off with amazing service from their super friendly owner and staff, plus adorable decor -- perfect for a casual meal.

This will probably now be my go-to lunch place in the area whenever I’m feeling poke or something similar. There’s plenty of variety of food choices, even the tofu was tasty, the serving sizes are solid and the price is fair for the area and food. The service was kind too. I only wish that they had allergen warnings for the sauces for gluten.