Rainbow Falls (Waiānuenue) in Hilo, Hawaiʻi

the original . est . hilo

POKE MARKETHilo. Hawaii

Elevated poke bowls, fresh sushi cakes and island-inspired specialties handcrafted with care at Poke Market in Hilo. Every dish is made with quality ingredients, bold flavors and a true taste of Hawaiʻi. Proudly voted one of Hawaiʻi’s favorite poke bowls, we invite you to experience poke with a refined, creative touch.

Hilo-Style Poke.

CHEF-DRIVEN. COMMUNITY INSPIRED.

Born and raised in Hawaii with a deep connection to the ocean, Chef Ernie Gray was nurtured with the kuleana (responsibility) for culture, community and craft...and the love language of food. Feeding his passion, Chef Ernie combines his cultural connection with formal culinary training and sushi techniques.

The result is Poke Market: fresh, award-winning, Hilo-style poke that respects tradition while elevating the flavor profile of the casual poke bowl. Ingredients matter. Experience matters. Connection matters. Taste what matters.

Hours
Mon10 AM – 3 PM
Tue10 AM – 3 PM
Wed10 AM – 3 PM
Thu10 AM – 3 PM
Fri10 AM – 3 PM
Sat10 AM – 3 PM
Sunpau — closed
Order
Poke bowlMenuCatering platterCatering
Our Rootskumu — roots

Fresh ingredients. Bold flavors. Island roots. A stronger community.

Limu, green onion, house shoyu poke bowl

Hilo Style Poke

Fresh ingredients rooted in local values and practices.

Photo coming soon

Chef Ernie Gray

Culturally relevant, CIA trained and industry tested.

Fresh ahi, cubed to order

Quality

Crafting every dish with the same care, precision and reverence of a fine sushi establishment.

Sushi cakes, lined for the case

Hawaiʻi + Japan

Hawaiian poke traditions brought together with Japanese ingredients, techniques, and sushi influences.

Fish by the pound, weighed and wrapped

Fresh Fish from Hawaiʻi

Freshly caught and flown in from Hawaiʻi, handpicked for Poke Market.

Fishing boat at sea

Responsibly Sourced

Seafood from select sources using sustainable, traceable and responsible fishing practices.

Mahalo
Hilo Stylena ke kai — from the sea

Hilo Style, Sushi Quality, Always Fresh

Chef Ernie and the team holding a bowl of poke in the kitchen
Chef Ernie + team, fresh ahi at the counterPhoto by Melissa Chang
ʻEkahiFirst wave

Where poke began for us

My earliest memory of poke is from a family wedding when I was six years old. I watched the elder men in my family bring in a large ahi and prepare it for the wedding feast. Poke was more than food. It was shared with the community, brought people together and connected us to our history. This was the first wave of poke.

ʻEluaSecond wave

What the mainland made of it

The second wave brought build-your-own poke shops across the country, combining cubed fish with toppings such as pineapple, cilantro and salad fixings. Back home, we might call that a salad rather than traditional poke.

ʻEkoluThird wave

Poke Market

Poke Market represents the third wave: honoring tradition, elevating ingredients and crafting every dish with the care, precision and reverence of a fine sushi establishment.

Meet Chef Ernie

Chef Ernie Culinary Creations

Each bowl is the thoughtful creation of co-owner Chef Ernie Gray Jr., a local boy whose lifelong love of the water, art and cooking shaped his approach to food. Chef Ernie trained at the renowned Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, before sharpening his skills in acclaimed kitchens across the country. He brings that experience home, blending refined technique with a deep respect for the traditions and flavors he grew up with.

Poke Market is proud to serve the community we call home. We invite you to experience the best of who we are: tradition, craftsmanship and community, served in a bowl.

Ernie Gray Jr.Co-owner & Chef — Hilo, Hawai’i
Chef Ernie photo - coming soon
Gallerymea ʻono — the delicious things

Fresh, this morning

Fresh ahi, cubed to order
Sushi cakes, lined for the case
Limu, green onion, house shoyu
Fish by the pound, weighed & wrapped
The Poke Market shopfront on Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo
Cateringhoʻokipa — hospitality

Catering + Celebrations

Weddings, graduations, baby lūʻau, office pau hana — poke platters, sushi cakes, and fish by the pound, prepared for your table the way we prepare it for ours.

Plan your gathering
Poke Market catering tray of poke musubi and sushi rolls
Surf’s Upheʻe nalu — ride the wave

Join the lineup, and catch waves

Get in on the Lineup. Earn Waves every time you order and receive special offers, gifts, and even chances to win a trip to Hawaiʻi to catch your own waves. Surf’s up — drop in on the Lineup.

Surfers riding a large wave in Hawaiʻi
Visit Usa hui hou — until we meet again

Downtown Hilo, ten to three

Address
41 Waianuenue Ave, Hilo, HI 96720 · Downtown HiloPhone
(808) 961-5915Order online
online.skytab.comGood to know
Outdoor seating · Doesn't accept reservations
Monday10 AM – 3 PM
Tuesday10 AM – 3 PM
Wednesday10 AM – 3 PM
Thursday10 AM – 3 PM
Friday10 AM – 3 PM
Saturday10 AM – 3 PM
Sundaypau — closed
Poke Market41 Waianuenue Ave · Downtown Hilo
Open in maps
alohalove · hello
ʻohanafamily
mahalothank you
kaithe sea
ʻonodelicious
hoʻokipahospitality