Kamea Poke - Dana Point

The food at this restaurant is decent, but there is one staff member who works incredibly fast and throws the food around haphazardly. This results in the food looking unappetizing and loses my appetite. Additionally, the staff member put an excessive amount of soy sauce on our dishes, making them taste overly salty and unappetizing. The rice was also soaked in soy sauce. If the staff member would slow down and handle the food more carefully, I would consider giving this restaurant 4 stars. It was also noted that there were no other customers waiting in line. While the staff member may think it is impressive to work quickly, it ultimately detracts from the dining experience.

Date: 10/9/23 While driving along Pacific Coast Highway, my husband and I stumbled upon a poke shop. We were casually looking for a place to eat, and poke sounded better to me than burgers. When we walked in, we were warmly greeted by the staff. The ordering process was typical - choose your size, base, sides, veggies, protein, sauces, and toppings. I opted for a large bowl since I was hungry and decided on half brown rice and half salad, with macaroni and seaweed crab salad as my sides. For protein, I chose salmon, tuna, yellowtail, spicy tuna, and scallop. I topped it off with spicy mayo and sesame oil shoyu sauces and furikake sesame seeds. The bowl was quite heavy, although the portion size didn't seem as large as expected. I thought it could have used more salad, possibly because the greens were soaked in sauce. Overall, the taste was pretty good and the service was attentive. The restaurant is located in a small strip mall and while it didn't wow me enough to make me go out of my way to return, it satisfied our craving at the time. Price-wise, it was comparable to other poke places I've tried and there was ample parking in the lot. Good poke bowl overall.

This Poke restaurant is at the bottom of the barrel. Everything here is average, from the cleanliness of the dining area to the quality of the fish and toppings. I wouldn't choose to eat Poke here, but if you're really hungry and have no other options because you're unfamiliar with the area or your phone is missing, then this place will suffice.

Kamea Poke in Dana Point is a fantastic choice for a customizable poke bowl experience. The restaurant offers indoor seating and a wide selection of ingredients for you to choose from. The regular bowl includes three scoops of fish and two sides. I found the tuna to be more preferable than the salmon, which is unusual for me as I typically prefer salmon. The fish was fresh and served at the right temperature. The menu also features a variety of unique sauces, such as cilantro ceviche and miso-chang. Personally, I enjoyed the tangy and herby cilantro ceviche sauce more. The mild shoyu sauce was also excellent, providing a savory flavor without being overly salty or sweet. Despite there being only one person taking and preparing orders, the service was efficient, with a short wait of just over five minutes. Situated near the PCH, the restaurant offers beautiful ocean views and a casual beach atmosphere. I am happy to have discovered Kamea Poke and will definitely be back, along with Kawamata Seafood, whenever I am in the area.

I have been coming to this restaurant for many years because of the fresh food and reasonable prices. However, our experience today was disappointing. One of our friends ordered a regular size portion that was larger than all of our large sizes. Additionally, the server, a blue-eyed girl, only gave us a small spoonful of protein. I was baffled by her actions and when I complained, she argued that other customers pay more. I demanded a refund as the portion of food we received was not what we expected. Food rating: 5/10.