At the forefront of the poke trend, Mainland remains the first and only poke shop in LA to use sustainable and whole sushi-grade fish (traditionally poke uses off-cuts of fish that are marinated and can mask quality).

At Mainland, owner Ari Kahan is passionate and unwavering about breaking the fish down in-house and cultivating relationships with fishermen and fishmongers to ensure consistency and quality. Because of this, the product speaks for itself – by leaving the fish unsauced, guests are able to customize their bowls with fresh ingredients.

Mainland Poke just opened their second location in Glendale, CA. This location has a new look compared to the first and will serve as the model for future locations. Plans to expand are in the works with the 3rd location in Marina del Rey slated to open early fall. He’s on track to have 4-5 units open over the next 6-8 months.

The look includes wood detailing, glass and notably, a window into the walk-in – kind of a next level open kitchen concept so they can showcase that they are actually breaking down fish, fresh. This is HUGE differentiator from almost all of their competitors, who source product differently.

Quote from Trevor Abramson of Abramson Teiger Architects below: “The interior is a balance of refined wood seen in the paneling and rich variegated wood seen in the abstract fish scales. The wood is set against a backdrop of white tiles symbolic of fish. The white tiles and wood talk to materials found in a traditional fish market and are a perfect palette for the vibrant colors found in the fresh fish poke.”

Design: Abramson Teiger Architects