Wisefish Poké

So I’ve been to Sons of Thunder and now Wisefish but not to Pokéworks. But from my understanding, Wisefish can be deemed the low-​key, hipster-​chic sister to Pokéworks’ raging popularity queen and Sons of Thunder’s more conservative and conventional grace.
I went alone for take-​out at 5PM on a Saturday and the vibe was pretty chill; there were two servers on staff and two couples ahead of me on line, and things moved pretty quickly.
Servers were super friendly and smiley, and more than happy to offer assistance to anyone who was confused about ingredients or wanted recommendations.
Décor was super cute and bright and everything, including the utensils station, was very neat and clean (ok don’t judge me but I stole like 5 pairs of chopsticks because they had cute packaging and were of good quality).
As for the bowl itself — I saw some reviews complaining about the serving portions of the fish, but I found no qualms with that. I ordered a regular-​sized (little over $ 11 with tax) bowl: half white rice and half zucchini noodles, ahi tuna, edamame, hijiki, ginger, herb mix (which I think is mostly cilantro and dill), crunchy onion, toasted sesame seeds, wasabi avocado cream, and wisefish sauce (described to me as a garlicky sweet soy sauce).
Um, it was so good. Poké doesn’t look as pretty as chirashi but goddamn the flavors were there. Zucchini noodles are unique to Wisefish amongst its competitors so I do recommend giving it a shot, although as expected the bowl comes out to be a little more like a salad. Mixed with the rice though, I was pretty full afterwards. The ahi was fresh as hell too, and the wasabi avocado cream had just the right amount of kick.
As for how it stacks up against Sons of Thunder, I don’t know if you can really make a comparison. Both places offer high-​quality ingredients and a pleasant atmosphere, so what it comes down to is whether you prefer a more traditional style of poké or a trendier «modernized» version. Or how broke you are. Wisefish is a little pricier (and maybe smaller in portion? The regular-​sized bowl at Wisefish is wider but more shallow than Sons of Thunder’s and I have terrible depth perception so I have no idea).
Peace and blessings y’all.

I really love everything about this place. The vide is very west coast, simple and calm. They even have cute succulents along the great table. The staff is always friendly and smiling, making small talk.
But now in to the good stuff, the food is delicious and super fresh. I’ve been here twice and got the heat wave (very spicy) last time and the west swell today, hubby made his own and I didn’t realise it but you can add so many toppings and only a few cost more (like avocado, crab salad). I love that they’re not stingy with the amount of fish they give you. Also great is they have snack size and regular and large.
This is definitely a great find and will be a summer must.

**3.5 STARS
Maybe it’s because I’ve been totally spoiled by the poke on the west coast, but this was place was just okay to me.
I made my own poke bowl containing zucchini noodles, salmon, cucumber, hijiki, ginger, wisefish sauce, masago, scallion, and avocado.
I don’t know — I didn’t find it that tasty. I felt like the salmon wasn’t marinated enough (or even at all)!
However, I give MUCHO credit to the people that work there. They were SO friendly and so streamlined (I appreciate places that are ready, and good to go when entering a place). Even the girl at the cashier was SO friendly and I just loved chatting with her. Kudos to the staff! :)

Haven’t been eating poke for a while so came to Wisefish to grab a bowl. There was no line at all yay.
Unfortunately they do not have mixed green option any more as base, so I settled myself with zucchini noodle (surprisingly tasty though) with ahi tuna. Compared with Pokework, Wisefish has fewer sauce choices and fewer topping selections. Price was also slightly higher, given the size of their regular bowl (only half of that of Pokework).
Better part is they do have a table for dining in; but I do not see a point coming back.

Serving size: A-​OK if you get the regular. I wasn’t full, but I wasn’t hungry either.
Sauce: Got the spicy sauce, it was a little salty but it was aight. However, my friend made his own bowl with zucchini noodles (would get this over rice) but it was DRENCHED in sauce. The fish could swim in it if they were alive.
Fish: Unflavored, but that’s what the sauce is for right?
Staff: Friendly, and helpful.
Avocado: The usual $ 2 on top :’(
I haven’t tried other poke places yet, but I have a feeling that Sons of Thunder & Pokeworks will have better tasting bowls that can pull me back to revisiting their restaurant. I lovee raw fish, but this place’s poke just didn’t cut it for me.

So I went to wisefish bc the line at poke works has gotten ridiculous (1hr wait during lunch time, crazy!) and although I went for dinner, there was no line! And there was seating space! And it didn’t have the scent of raw onions so strong that your eyes burn! 2 stars just for that.
I love that they have a snack size bowl, its great so light eating!
I got the zucchini noodles since they’re unique to this restaurant and I was under-​impressed. They had been sitting for too long and didn’t have much taste really.
The fish was really fresh and the toppings were great but they didn’t have as much variety as the aforementioned place!
Overall, if you’re really craving it go to poke works but if you don’t want the line, come here!

This place is BOMB!
Came here today around 2:00 PM and was surprised that there was still a line! While on line, there is an employee who goes down the line taking half your order (base & protein if you’re building your own bowl like me) and your name. Then when it’s your turn, they call you down.
This place gives you unlimited toppings and mix-​ins! For the base, I got half brown rice and half zucchini noodles. For the protein, I got salmon since I’m not a big fan of tuna. For mix-​ins and toppings, I got edamame, hijiki, fresh ginger mojo, crunchy onion and toasted sesame seeds. My choice of sauce was spicy mayo.
Overall, I love this place! Super, super fresh and the flavor was on point! Although the spicy mayo did end up being a bit too spicy for me. I do think this place is slightly better than Pokeworks but service is a little too slow for me. There is only 2 people actually making your orders. I spent almost 20 minutes waiting in line. The décor of this place is super cute! Love the ambience here as well. Will definitely come back :)

After being exposed to Poke– and going to Pokeworks a couple of times I wanted to try more! They have limitations on toppings and other mix-​ins compared to Pokeworks but they do give more portions for everything else. The décor inside is also very cute but like most of these Poke spots they do not offer a public bathroom.
The service was great and everyone was friendly. I did notice however that the bar was smaller which may be displeasurable if it gets busy during high traffic hours.
They offer 3 different sizes including a snack size (awesome) and also zucchini noodles (should’ve tried that instead) they additionally have brown or white rice. (No quinoa though :(.)
Glad I tried this spot out and will be back one day to try a different bowl!

okay i know everyone has been to pokeworks but this place needs some hype! first the décor is on point. i love that there was enough seating! a long table with succulents tell me that isn’t ascetically pleasing. do it for the insta photos lol
the staff was on point. the noob that i was and didn’t know what any of the japanese toppings were, they went out of their way to explain everything to me even though there were customers behind me. thanks for being so patient!
we got the cucumber noodles, ahi tuna with a bunch of toppings i don’t really remember. oh get the wasabi avocado cream i can’t handle spicy and it wasn’t bad at all! adds a little kick but was perfect! the tuna was well seasoned and they give you a good amount! I’ve actually never had cucumber noodles but i am a fan. anything that can make me feel a little healthier while not compromising on flavor when i eat out is a definite win. the price point was also reasonable. a regular came out to around 11 $ after tax and i shared it with a friend. if i were to eat that alone i would have been super full since i was already at a good place eating half.
i will definitely be back! it has ample seating and not as crowded!

Poke bowls just like the ones in LA! Finally it in NYC!
Small place with limited seating but people don’t usually linger that long so if you just wait a little you should be able to get seats.
Basically a chipotle style place but with sashimi bowls. You pick white rice, brown rice, or noodles for your base then you pick your fish (salmon, tuna, etc). They have several toppings you can add (cucumber, sweet onions, edamame, ginger, etc) and several sauces as well to pick from.
They have bowls you can pick from if you don’t feel like making/​building your own bowl. My friend got the heat wave and enjoyed it.
For my bowl I picked white rice with salmon sashimi (fresh!) and added sweet onions, cucumber, edamame, avocado ($ 1 extra). I picked the spicy mayo sauce with wasabi avocado cream. They two sauces compliment each other pretty well. I really liked my bowl and it reminded me of the poke bowls I got from LA!
Regular bowl (decent lunch or dinner size is $ 10.95) NOT BAD for NYC!
I will be back!!!

Wisefish is the New Kid on the Block as far as poke places in NYC go (for now).
The place is small, so it’s very easy to miss. Just look out for the sign with the Rainbow Fish doppelgänger on it.
Once you walk in, you’ll see a long, communal table — almost like a biergarten. But that’s it. Save for a few stools and ledges next to that, there’s not much room to sit. So if it gets packed, you might want to (or have to) get it to go. It wasn’t packed on the day I went but it also might have been because it was the coldest day in February.
You can order one of their creations, or you can build your own bowl. You have a choice of white rice, brown rice, greens, or zucchini noodles (which sounded interesting, so I think I’ll be trying that next time!). Then you choose between ahi tuna, salmon, or tuna. There are a few toppings and add-​ons you can choose from. They don’t have as many options as some of their competitors but sometimes, less is more — so that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Next come the sauce. I got to try a few (try before you buy) — the citrus ponzu was refreshing but it is pretty tart. I ended up going with the wisefish sauce, which is their own concoction. I forgot what was in it but I just remember really liking it. Then, to finish it all off — come the toppings. I would recommend wasabi avocado cream. It’s more avocado than wasabi but it’s a nice alternative if you’re sick of spicy mayo.
I took my bowl home, so by the time I ate it, the rice was cold and hard. Even then, it was still a pretty great bowl. The pictures don’t come out looking quite as nice as its competitors but this is one of those times where looks are deceiving. Wisefish definitely proves that it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

Man, the poké craze is sweeping New York like wildfire. Wisefish Poké is just one of the many poké places that have opened in the past few months, and I gave it a try recently for lunch, mostly due to geographical convenience. Beware though, I actually tried to make a visit a week ago for dinner, but they were out of ahi tuna by dinner time, so if you come at dinner, there’s no guarantee that they’ll have all the ingredients available.
Touted as Chipotle but for poké bowls, the format is exactly the same as Chipotle, sans burritos. You pick a base (white or brown rice, greens, or zucchini noodles), protein (ahi tuna, salmon, tofu), and then add your toppings. You can also pick from the pre-​determined bowl options, which can be a good idea, because it takes the pressure off of you of making the right choices. I got the West Swell on brown rice: ahi tuna poké, herbs, tobiko, sesame, wasabi cream. When all mixed together, a pretty explosive combination. After eating the entire bowl, I was pretty satisfied, though not completely full. As a result of your healthier meal, you can always go to 16 Handles, City Bakery, or Empire Cake nearby for a dessert.
Service was fine and nondescript, quite like a Chipotle. Main difference is that they have one person prepare the entire bowl for you, not the traditional line cook formation that Chipotle does, so it can get busy if there are a lot of people there. For $ 12 (includes tax), a regular-​sized bowl is a bit pricey for what you get, but it is filling and delicious.
I would likely come back for a decent, healthy dinner or a snack that would make feel good about myself. In all, an actual healthier alternative to the Chipotle nearby on 8^th Avenue, albeit more expensive. The bowls are unique and flavorful, and you feel good about eating it afterwards. I have yet to try the other poké places in Manhattan, but I can say that Wisefish is a solid fast casual option in general.

The poké hype is very real and infectious, and has spread all over the city.
Though I’ve never had poké in Hawaii or the West Coast, I’m certain it must be a lot better over there and the hype has long died down. Being my first poké experience, I have mixed feelings about whether or not my stomach can handle this stuff, or my experience here was different. Rather than trekking to Pokéworks, I was excited to see Wisefish as the nearest option. It’s a very new place, as with the rest of the poké shops – it’s like their minds all zinged and decided to open up a poké shop simultaneously. Seeing that I just came from happy hour, I got the snack-​size bowl in Hawaiian Style with the Wasabi Shoyu sauce.
As you can expect, it was not filling – it is a snack, after all. But quite an expensive snack ($ 8+ after tax). I shared some of this with my friend and he loved the brown rice. Cubes of the ahi tuna were minimal, but I did get the last few pieces left. The staff was nice and left me sampled the sauce, but I think they put way too much sauce, it overpowered the bowl. My stomach was feeling a little ill not long after I finished and I think it was due to the tuna – I mean, again, I got the last bit of what was left. I (reluctantly) had poké at the Unilocal cruise event a few days later and that reassured me that nothing was wrong with my health. The inside is very hipster and the table, basically a backdrop for Instagram-​worthy photos. Luckily, there was no line when I went, but I got the short end of the stick.

My first Poké experience outside of the Unilocal Holiday Hangover, Wisefish Poké is a clean, modern, fast-​casual, and super friendly Poké restaurant on a side street in Chelsea. Pretty much brand new at this point, and with Poké being newish to the scene, they know that most of the customers… aren’t really familiar with Poké. So don’t worry if you aren’t. Here’s what you need to know:
Do you like ceviche? Tuna Tartare? Sashimi sushi? Most of Poké is a form of cubed fresh fish (raw ahi tuna, in this case) mixed in with a few preparations and sauces served over rice.
At Wisefish, they have options: Vegetarian? Get yours with tofu. On a low-​carb diet? Get yours with zucchini noodles (like from a Veggetti). Don’t like spicy? Try the Hawaii-​style.
Wisefish has a number of «House Favorites» — in other words, suggestions to try if you don’t want to build your own. I’ve tried the Hawaii-​style, and the West Swell. While both were really tasty, my preference is the Hawaii-​style. I still plan on trying the other two suggestions, which are the Heat Wave and The Chelsea.
Hawaii-​style is traditional style Poké — get this one if you want to try Poké the way it is traditionally supposed to be eaten. West Swell comes seasoned with a bit of wasabi avocado cream and wisefish sauce (don’t worry, it’s not spicy). The Heat Wave is served with a spicy citrus sauce.
This will be one of my regular stops for a somewhat healthier meal in the neighborhood. As this area of Chelsea becomes a hot spot for restaurants (Temerario opening a block up, Momofuku Nishi a few blocks up, Soccarat a mainstay on 19^th — practically next door — and more), Wisefish Poké is perfect for a quick, inexpensive bite, on-​the-​go or just taking a few minutes to relax at the communal table.
By the way, if you want to add a bit of soy sauce or spice to your rice — look no further than their condiment bar — they’ve got Sriracha and Tamari. (Tamari is an organic, artisan soy sauce.)

4.5 stars
*west swell bowl (Loved the ahi tuna! Super fresh, great flavor and texture of the fish was so perfect! The sweet onions were lovely but that herb mix was a bit too «green» for me. I’m the one who doesn’t like cilantro or parsley so that mix had something in it reminscent of those. The sauce was a little on the salty end so I think they should have added less of it. In addition, I think added more of the wasabi cream sauce would have been better and given this dish an extra kick.)
*salmon poke (yum!!! and in combination with the spicy mayo it is on point! watch out with the spicy mayo because it actually is quite spicy)
This place is super cute. It’s kind of like the Chipotle for poke. You stand in line. pick the size of your bowl, the base, fish, add ins, sauce, toppings. They toss it together for you and then proceed to the register to pay. It’s simple and delicious. I think making your bowl is better. you also get more in your bowl since the «house favorites» already have a set ingredient list. Would definitely go back to try more. Also, they have only one long table and a small counter with 3 barstools so take out is a great option.

There is a Poke invasion in NYC! As anyone who has been to Hawaii they know about poke. Marinated raw fish over rice or greens with optional add on ingredients. Wisefish is one of the stores offering it in NYC. A small shop in Chelsea but has a great décor with communal table and a sonos speaker playing great tunes. Friendly service and usual price point for poke in NYC at around $ 10 but can increase with add ons. Not too crowded and line moved quickly.
Went with the West Swell over zucchini noodles: ahi tuna, sweet onions, tobiko, wasabi-​avocado cream, herbs, and Wisefish sauce. I did add on tuna, crab, avocado which made for a super filling plate for lunch. Salmon and Tuna were spot on but i felt the zucchini noodles failed as it became a soggy mess on the bottom of my bowl and made it too liquidy for the other ingredients. The fish could be marinated a bit more with your choice of sauce whether ponzu or wisefish sauce so the fish came off at a great fresh taste but nothing standing out.

Let the poké wars begin! This was our third and last stop on our poké tour!
Wisefish was the last stop on our tour. Unfortunately, when we got there, they have ran out of ahi tuna and the albacore tuna. However, this was not a factor for my review. It was opened for the third day when my party and I visited and it was a busy evening for them. Staff was generous enough to give free drinks to make up for running out of ingredients. This spot is a little more spacious than Pokéworks with a communal table in the middle and seats by the window.
Since only salmon was left, we tried the Heat Wave and West Swell. Heat Wave, as stated in its name, it is absolutely spicy. Its spiciness came from the jalapeño slices but what really got to me was the seeds. I normally really like jalapeño spiciness for it is a bit tangy and sweet for me but this one was just a spoonful of seeds — it was overpowering. My friend got the West Swell but with Salmon. There was a lot of dill herbs in it which I felt ruined the flavor of the fish. In terms of freshness, Wisefish was definitely a lot better than Pokéworks. Fresh fish but the supporting ingredients could be better. I did like that Wisefish has special sauces such as the avocado sauce though.

So the poke craze is hitting New York right now.
Traditional poke (pronounced POH-​keh) is cubed fresh fish (ahi tuna, bluefin tuna, salmon or marlin) and topped with sea salt and seaweed.
Today’s evolved Poke features fish over rice with sauce and toppings.
Which is great since I went to Hawaii years ago and didn’t have any Poke there.
(I know! What was I thinking?!)
For those of you who didn’t experience Poke bowls in Hawaii, now you have plenty of opportunities to try them in New York.
Wisefish offers four different styles of bowls and 3 different proteins: ahi tuna, salmon or tofu.
We ordered the West Swell and Hawaii style.
West Swell had a lime marinade for the ahi tuna, so it was sweet and sour with a mayo based sauce.
For Hawaii style, the tuna was marinated in soy and sesame sauce and topped with roe. This was the table’s favorite. The soy and sesame brought out the sweetness buttery taste of the tuna and the roe added this delightful crunch.
I really enjoyed trying Poke and finding a new form of fast casual dining.
The only caveats that I had was the slow inefficient service (40 – 60 min wait) and the small tuna proportions.
K was smart and ordered extra tuna +($ 3) for each bowl, bringing the cost per bowl to $ 17.
Good meal + good friends = good time.

3.5 stars.
The poké bowl is hitting NYC hard this year. I never had Hawaiian cuisine before so this is pretty exciting! Pronounced POKE-​AY, Poké is a rice bowl with fresh chunks of raw fish (think sashimi), vegetable toppings, seasonings, and sauce.
Unfortunately, my poké bowl here was approximately 65% rice, 10% raw fish, and 25% toppings. I got the regular size with salmon and avocado (+$ 1.50) and was still left hungry. The salmon was fresh and the seasoning/​wisefish sauce was amazing. Completely bursting with flavors! It’s a shame that I would have to order a Large ($ 14) instead of a Regular ($ 11) if I want to get a full meal out of it. (But then would I simply be getting more rice ??)
I do like that they offer more than just white rice for your base. They also have brown rice, zucchini noodles, and mixed greens. For fish, they have ahi tuna (which sold out by dinnertime), albacore tuna, salmon, and for the vegetarians, tofu. There’s a variety of toppings for mix-​ins, most of them free but items like avocado and crab salad cost $ 1.50 extra.
There is more seating here than at Pokéworks (one communal table and 3 stools by the window compared to Pokéworks’ 6 stools) but seats are still hard to come by. This place is packed and they have only been opened for a few days!
They also have free tap water near the utensils/​napkins station. I wish they also had an extra trash bin closer to the door so we wouldn’t have to walk across the communal table twice to toss out our bowls and exit the store.
—
TLDR /​/​flavorful and fresh poké bowls, regular size is too small, more rice than fish/​toppings, difficult to find seating to enjoy your bowl, need second trash bin closer to door.

Another poké spot, this one in Chelsea, is just about the same exact experience you will have at Pokéworks a little further north (
, except that the selection here is more limited.
Instead of offering sushi burritos as well, which would be smart to capitalize on two trending foods in NYC, Wisefish offers just bowls. Having just tried Pokéworks a week or so ago, I think the flavor here was slightly better, probably attributed mostly to the delicious avocado sauce squiggled on top. I do wish they offered the burrito vehicle as well, which is more fun and easier to eat.
This is a great new healthy option for the neighborhood. It will make you feel less guilty when you go a block south afterward for one (or two) of the amazing half pound cookies from City Cakes (which is an obvious must any time you are this close to it) (
.