This family-run Meridian restaurant is ‘amazing,’ diners say. After 8 years, it’s closing

A family-owned Meridian restaurant beloved by customers plans to close soon.

Poke Bowl, a counter-service concept in a strip mall at 2970 N. Eagle Road, will say goodbye to customers in March. The closure will happen within the next two weeks, owner Yuen Tung Lau said in a message. No date has been set.

“My wife and I are retiring,” he explained.

The couple ran Wok King Chinese Restaurant in Boise for 28 years until it burned down in 2014 on Broadway Avenue. Focusing on customizable bowls of Hawaiian-style raw fish, they introduced their new Poke Bowl concept in 2017, also offering favorites from the previous restaurant.

In addition to poke, the menu includes teriyaki bowls, Chinese beef stew, ramen noodles, hot and sour soup, won ton soup, pot stickers and more.

Poke Bowl is rated 4.2 out of 5.0 stars on Yelp and 4.4 out of 5.0 stars on Google, where customers use words like “legit” and “amazing” to describe the experience.

“Service was fun, and food was fresh and well-portioned,” said the most recent Google review. “Fair value for (the price).”

This story was originally published March 4, 2025 at 4:58 PM.

Michael Deeds

Idaho Statesman

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Michael Deeds is a long-serving entertainment reporter and opinion columnist at the Idaho Statesman, where he chronicles the Boise good life: restaurants, concerts, culture, cool stuff. He started as a summer intern after graduating from the University of Nebraska with a news-editorial journalism degree. Deeds’ prior Statesman roles have included sportswriter, music critic and features editor. His other writing has ranged from freelancing album reviews for The Washington Post to bragging about Boise in that inflight magazine you left on the plane.