In recent years, poke bowls have become a staple in Vancouver’s food scene, and I’ve been on a mission to find the city’s best offerings. For me, a great poke bowl is all about high-quality, fresh ingredients that keep me coming back for more, and Pokey Okey definitely checks all the boxes. With multiple locations in Downtown, Richmond, and Burnaby (Kingsway), Pokey Okey offers a wide variety of poke bowls, loaded with protein and vegetable toppings.

At Pokey Okey, you can choose from their signature bowls or build your own custom creation. They offer three bowl sizes: small, medium, and large. One of the things I love about Pokey Okey is the variety of base options, including white rice, brown rice, and spring mix. You can even mix bases at no extra cost, which is my go-to for a filling and healthy meal—brown rice and spring mix together are a winning combo. In addition to the regular toppings, they also have premium and unique options like onsen egg, avocado, ramen egg, flying fish roe, and capelin roe.

Pokey Okey Menu

What I Ordered at Pokey Okey

Red Bowl

If you’re into bold flavors and a bit of heat, the Red Bowl is a must-try. It features spicy ahi tuna, spicy salmon, flying fish roe, seaweed salad, kimchi radish, imitation crab, purple cabbage, fried onions, and spicy mayo. The kimchi radish adds a tangy, spicy crunch that complements the soft ingredients perfectly.

Skinny Bowl

The Skinny Bowl is one of their newer signature offerings and is ideal for those who prefer a lighter meal. It’s made with ahi tuna, soybeans, purple cabbage, sweet corn, cucumber, spring mix, seaweed flakes, smoky teriyaki sauce, and topped with Pokey Okey’s signature onsen egg. I opted for brown rice with this bowl, and the combination of rice with the onsen egg is divine. The smoky teriyaki sauce adds just the right amount of flavor, so the bowl doesn’t taste bland.

Homestyle Ginger Pork Bowl

One of my personal favorites is the Homestyle Ginger Pork Bowl, which is similar to a Japanese beef rice bowl (Gyudon) but with a unique twist. Unlike the other bowls, this is a hot bowl filled with pork, bean sprouts, kimchi radish, ramen egg, seaweed, mayo, sesame seeds, and rice. If raw fish isn’t your thing but you still want to enjoy a poke-style bowl, this is the one to try. The kimchi radish adds a subtle kick, and the slightly oozy ramen egg is a delightful addition.

Build My Own Bowl

For those who like to customize, Pokey Okey offers the option to build your own bowl. I chose Torched Salmon Belly (+$2) as my protein and added sweet corn, imitation crab, kimchi radish, and cucumber. I topped it with their Pokey Okey sauce, which has a perfect blend of citrusy, savory, and subtly sweet flavors. You can also choose from a variety of dry toppings like fried onion, fried garlic, wasabi peas, seaweed flakes, and tempura flakes.

Watching the salmon belly being torched right in front of me was a treat—it was fatty, delicate, and smoky. Next time, I might add a side of ramen egg to elevate the experience even more.

Overall Impression

Pokey Okey is one of those local poke chains that I find myself returning to whenever I’m craving a fresh, delicious meal. Their wide selection of protein and topping options is what draws me in, and I highly recommend trying their torched salmon belly and onsen egg for a more deluxe bowl. That said, even their regular bowls are fantastic, with a clear emphasis on high-quality and fresh ingredients.

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