Local Business Spotlight: Maymar Poke & Grill
When it comes to Filipino food in Hampton Roads, everybody knows the “Maymar” family. They have been serving up amazing Filipino dishes since the 90s and they have four locations throughout Hampton Roads. Though every location has delicious food, each one is run by a different family member, and slightly differs from the others. With that being said, in 2017 when I saw that there was a new location that served poke (raw seafood served over rice), an up-and-coming food craze, I had to go check it out for myself.
Chile, the food here is delicious; The picadillo, the mechado, the pancit, the longaniza, the tocino, the lumpia, and of course the poke bowls. I’ve never had a bad meal here, and my mouth is watering as I type out this sentence. Moreover, I really have to say that the Ocean View location of Maymar has easily become one of my favorite places to eat over the past few years. Not only do they serve up delicious food, but their customer service is also some of the best you will ever experience. You can see the owner, Jan-Michael Mayor, always helping out on the front lines, which I truly appreciate.
During my first visit, Jan-Michael made it a point to introduce himself to me and ask me questions about myself. He would always remember what we talked about and continued conversation with me on each and every subsequent visit. I also noticed that he did this with every single regular customer that he had; furthermore, I love the sense of community that Jan-Michael has instilled in the Ocean View area, so I had to reach out to him for an interview to learn more about him and his business. We recently had a sit-down where I learned more about him, the Ocean View location of Maymar, and the Maymar family as a whole.
SonicJeb Eats: Tell me about yourself: What are some fun facts about yourself that you’d like to share?
Jan-Michael: Oh gosh, I’m not used to talking about myself. Well…I used to live in the Bay Area of California, that's where I got the idea of serving poke in a restaurant because when I was there I saw it all around at different restaurants, and there weren’t a lot of options for poke in the Hampton Roads Area. The other Maymar locations don’t serve poke, so that’s what makes the Ocean View location unique. When I’m not at the restaurant, you can usually find me spending time with my wife and my two-year-old son. I also really like comic books, Wolverine is my favorite superhero.
SonicJeb Eats: Why did you decide to become a business owner?
Jan-Michael: Being in the restaurant business ran in the family. The first Maymar restaurant opened up in Hampton Roads in 1990 and has been a staple in the area ever since when it comes to Filipino food. The name Maymar is actually a combination of my parents’ last names, Mayor & Marasigan. The idea of opening up the first Maymar came from my family making their own noodles and wanting to share what we created within our family with the community. After some time, the Marasigans broke off and opened up a second Maymar location, as of now there are four different locations, each ran by a different member of the family.
Admittedly I didn’t believe that I would end up going into the family business until I fell in love with the food scene in the Bay Area of California, and it inspired me to bring poke to a Maymar location, when I first bought the idea up, my family was skeptical; however, they have since grown to love it.
SonicJeb Eats: When did you start your business & What made you choose the location for Maymar Poke & Grill?
Jan-Michael: Maymar Poke and Grill opened up in October of 2017. The location was originally Billy’s Pizza inside of a building that was owned by my father, so when they shut down, it was the perfect opportunity to open up another Maymar location. I originally envisioned myself opening up in Virginia Beach; however, the location we ended up at in Ocean View turned out to be perfect. Not only is it right by the beach, but it’s also not far from the base, and we proudly serve a lot of patrons who are in the military.
SonicJeb Eats: What was your mission when you started up Maymar Poke & Grill?
Jan-Michael: My mission was to keep the family business running, to keep the Maymar name famous, and to bring an amazing poke experience to the 757.
SonicJeb Eats: What do you believe makes Maymar Poke & Grill Special?
Jan-Michael: I have a saying I like to use, that “the secret ingredient is care.” Caring about the product and the customers is very important to me, that is why I always work on the front line alongside my crew. I also believe that you can't show that you have bad days when working on the front line. Any negativity has to be left at the door when working with the public.
SonicJeb Eats: What are the top 3 items Maymar Poke & Grill offers that you believe everyone has to try at least once?
Jan-Michael: The first is one of our poke bowls, second I believe everybody should try the chicken adobo, which was voted the best in Hampton Roads in 2018, third, we make really good Lumpia.
SonicJeb Eats: What are some goals for Maymar Poke & Grill you’d like to achieve and/or things you’d like to see happen with Maymar Poke & Grill in the future?
Jan-Michael: I'm happy with the way everything is going at Maymar Poke & Grill. There may be some expansion in the future, and I’ve always liked the idea of potentially incorporating a bar into the restaurant.
SonicJeb Eats: Is there anybody you would like to give a shoutout to who helped make your vision for Maymar Poke & Grill come to life (Crew members, investors, etc.)?
Jan-Michael: There are so many. My mom, Juliet (who everyone lovingly calls “mom”), my lovely wife Faye, my Uncle Tito, my Auntie Joy (Auntie), Elijah, Nevaeh, Rufino, and countless others who have helped make Maymar what it is today.
After seeing how hard-working and nice Jan-Michael is, it is no wonder why he is able to successfully run one of the best places to eat in Hampton Roads. Definitely give Maymar Poke & Grill a try when you get a chance, you won’t be disappointed. You can learn more about Maymar by going to their website, Instagram, or Facebook. You can also read my 5-Star Yelp review of them here.