Is It's Raw Poke Shop good for a quick lunch, or should I plan for a long wait?

Quality comes at a price here—expect 20-35 minute waits during peak hours, especially post-beach when Ocean Beach crowds roll in. Go early (late morning) or late afternoon if you hate standing in line. The fish is genuinely fresh, but the tight space and small staff mean speed isn't their strong suit.

What should I order on my first visit?

The Furikake Salmon and Spicy Ahi are the standouts that show up constantly in glowing reviews—both arrive cold and flavorful with perfect rice and mac salad sides. Skip it if you're picky about fish temperature; later-day orders can be hit-or-miss on freshness.

Is there seating inside, or should I eat elsewhere?

There's no tables inside—it's takeout only. But you're in Ocean Beach, so grab your bowl and head to the beach or a nearby park. Most people use it as a post-beach fuel stop, which is exactly why it works.

The shop itself is takeout-only with no indoor seating, so dogs aren't relevant inside. Once you've got your poke, you're free to enjoy it with your pup at Ocean Beach's outdoor spaces.

Are there vegan or dietary options?

It's a poke spot built around raw fish, so vegan options are limited. You could ask about veggie sides or rice bowls, but this isn't the place if you need extensive dietary accommodations—call ahead to check what they can do.

Yes—casual, fun, and kids can watch the poke being prepped. The only friction is the cramped ordering area and potential wait times, so go during off-peak hours if you're bringing little ones.

What's the parking situation in Ocean Beach?

Street parking around Newport Ave fills up fast on weekends and warm days. Arrive early or use the nearby lot, and give yourself extra time to find a spot before you're hungry and frustrated.

It's Raw Poke Shop — San Diego

“It's Raw Poke Shop runs on Hawaiian time and Ocean Beach accepts this—the line snakes out the door, everyone waits, nobody has anywhere else they'd rather eat poke.”

Unlike Little Chef down Newport where timing determines quality, here the fish is consistently pristine—the kind of cold-case freshness that justifies the operational chaos. This is a counter-service joint with zero seating, maximum tetris-style crowding, and a glacial ordering pace that would sink most restaurants. It survives because the furikake salmon and kimchi ahi are legitimately some of the best raw fish you'll find in San Diego, period.

The move is ordering takeout and walking it to the beach, which is what the locals do anyway. The pig and poke (kalua pork mixed with ahi) sounds gimmicky but works—salty-smoky pork against clean raw tuna, over rice that's stickier than it needs to be but nobody's complaining. The mac salad leans creamy-sweet, classic Hawaiian plate lunch style. Spicy ahi comes with actual heat, not the apologetic white-people version.

Downsides are real and worth naming: waits stretch past thirty minutes even just to order, the space is claustrophobically small, and if you show up late in the day the fish won't be as cold as morning service. They close unpredictably, keep irregular hours, and operate with the confidence of people who know they're the best poke in the neighborhood. Which they are.

This is not fast food disguised as Hawaiian—it's a proper poke counter that happens to operate in a beach town, charging less than it could and moving at the speed it wants. If you need efficiency, hit the burrito shop. If you want ocean-cold ahi that tastes like it was swimming yesterday, wait in the line.