OG Limu
₱400The classic poke flavor in Hawaii with ogo limu (seaweed) native to the Hawaiian islands.
Our Story
Don Poke began with a simple longing — for the flavors of home. Our founder is a Filipino-American born on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, shaped by time spent in Japan, Las Vegas, and Manila. Don Poke is where those worlds meet: Hawaiian food culture, Japanese simplicity, and Filipino creativity, all in one bowl.
What started as a passion for bringing people together has become a little taste of the islands, right here in Manila — served with aloha, one bowl at a time.
Our founder, TNES, is a Filipino-American born on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.
His creative journey began with his first visit to Tokyo, Japan in 2001, where the city’s art, street culture, and energy left a lasting impression.
In 2004, he moved to Kumamoto, Japan, where he spent his days teaching breakdancing and immersing himself even deeper into Japan’s creative culture — later expanding his travels from Aomori to Osaka, connecting with artists and communities across the region.
The plan was simple — bring that inspiration back home.
But before returning to Hawaiʻi, he decided to visit two friends in Las Vegas… and that short stop changed everything.
What was meant to be a brief visit turned into an 18-year journey of building, creating, and connecting.
Over nearly two decades, TNES founded and operated:
- HippoEsthetics, DOPPLEBANGER, and OURYN Brand — clothing labels rooted in art and culture
- Kaba Curry — a full-service Japanese curry restaurant
- Da Big Kabahuna — a Hawaiian food stall celebrating island flavors
- The Waterhole — a bar and lounge for the creative community
- Junxion Complex, CMXX, and WORLDWIDE KNXN — creative and event spaces that became home for artists, dreamers, and doers
- Tuesday Blend — the longest-running monthly creative event in Las Vegas history
- And Pulling Strings — an intimate live music series showcasing raw, up-close performances by local and international artists.
Each project reflects the same mission:
to build community through creativity, culture, and connection.
In February 2023, TNES touched down in the Philippines for the first time — and immediately began immersing himself in the creative energy of Metro Manila.
Through DJing, his media company MANILA KNXN, the Manila Moves and Fashion Fit Log web apps, and now Don Poke — Hawaiian Style Poke Bowls + More, he continues to connect everything he’s passionate about: food, art, music, and people.
With out-of-the-box thinking and a relentless drive to keep raising the bar, TNES aims to build real bridges — showing the world just how exceptional Metro Manila and the Philippines truly are.