Back on the island, so we had to hit up our go-to spot in Kihei. Not much has changed, except JR being in the Philippines this time around (we'll catch you on our next trip). If you want the highest quality sushi, incredible hospitality, and just be around good people, then this is the spot for you. If there's one thing I would ask, is bring back the old school omakase experience! Emily still talks about it to this day. Besides that, Buddha always takes care of us and we have much love and appreciation for him and his skill. Much love, brotha. We'll see you on our next trip. read more

came here for dinner & it was great! we ordered so many diff types of nigiri we ordered salmon, aka fuji masu, hotate, hamachi, kinmedai, otoro, tuna, snapper, ume shiso roll, and amaebi everything was so freaking delicious and buttery and rich and decadent the sushi rice was perfectly cooked and seasoned each bite was so good we were in heaven docking 1 star because i ordered like 6 orders of amaebi & they didn't give me the amaebi head. when i asked for it to be deep fried they said they didn't have a kitchen in the back so they couldn't deep fry it but our server didn't offer to put it in my miso soup.... half the reason i order amaebi at any sushi place is to eat the head so i was devastated. when i ordered a miso soup (8$ btw) it came without any amaebi heads so im just wondering what they did with all my amaebi heads.. sadge service was good. there was only 1 lady working the FOH alone; granted the space isn't that big but she was WERKING it was a good date night spot, i wish we were able to sit at the bar because we had such a great meal, wish we were able to greet and thank the chefs read more

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Sat at the counter for omakase experience and everything was served at once. By the time we got to eating toro salmon and uni, toros fat was all melted and lost texture and seaweed was all soggy. Not a true omakase experience as they had before. read more

Hachi by Oao - Ordered omakase at the sushi counter. Got everything at once... seaweed got soggy and fish got too warm. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

An absolutely hidden gem! I will be sad when reservations become crazy hard to get, because that's where this place is headed! We went to the Bucherer/Rolex store jewelry event where the sushi chef was catering choice nigiri samples. We tried a few and knew we had to make reservations for one of their three locations. Chef recommended we go to Hachi. 20 courses was too much food for us, so they recommended the 10 courses omakase, which was perfect! They explained what each fish was and where the fish came from per plate. Each piece was fresh, perfectly paired with fresh ground wasabi and toppings. The conversation at the sushi bar was also super friendly, like talking to old friends. We will be back. read more

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Don't let the "hole in the wall" look of Hachi fool you. The sushi here is seriously next-level. They've got some incredible Japanese fish varieties you just won't find anywhere else, and it's all super fresh and original. And it is sushi first and foremost, nothing fried. It's definitely not a cheap date, but trust me, every bite is worth it. Very welcoming chefs that really care about their craft and building up their reputation. One strong proof: home-made unagi sauce, using unagi and anago bones. Very few places do their own, and you can really taste the difference. I will definitely go back and try the omakase. read more

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We love Hachi. The fish is so fresh and the miso soup is delicious. "I think the food is SO good and the people who work there are so kind. I want to go back tomorrow" Ella, 7 "It is really good. So delicious. The people who make the sushi do a really good job." Hannah, 7 read more

Can't wait to go back again! The Sushi Omakase was amazing. Chef Misao explained the dish very well and was knowledgeable about it. I literally said Oao (wow) at every bite! He is very creative. The space is great and it looks bigger now than when Sushi Paradise was there. read more

Hachi by Oao - 18 Course! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

We are staying in Kaanapali but we're looking for something extra special for my daughter's birthday. We did a deep dive on Reddit and found this gem! This was by far the best Sushi I've had (and my husband agreed it was better than Nobu). Great ambiance hidden in a strip mall. The chef told us they have a much bigger location nearby as well. This location was quaint and well-appointed and the service was top notch. Totally worth the drive for high end Sushi in an unassuming location away from mediocre resort food. Highly recommend. read more

Hachi by Oao - Oyster - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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The best of the best! Come to Hachi by Oao for the best sushi on Maui. The fish is super fresh and are carefully selected and prepared by Chef J.R. Aside from the delicious and fresh fish Chef J.R. has exceptional presentation skills. From the selection of traditional sushi and sashimi to American style makis, everything is beautifully presented. The maki rolls are inventive and make use of unique ingredients, sauces and of course delicious fish. Honestly, I have eaten sushi all over Maui and this is my new goto Sushi bar. The decor is sleek and immaculately clean. From the outside it looks like a normal "hole in the wall" sushi bar... but inside it is high gloss and stylish. The staff are warm and welcoming. They are all knowledgeable about the menu and make excellent suggestions. You can sit at the tables, but the real show happens at the sushi bar. If there are seats, sit there and watch Chef J.R. work. Like his staff he is hyper friendly and cheerful and loves to talk about his journey as a chef, his love of sushi and the Maui community he helps support. This is truly a "not to be missed" opportunity for the true sushi connoisseur. No kidding. Now that you read through this review. Why are you still reading? You know what to do. Close Yelp, open Navigation and set your course for Hachi by Oao and drive over now. Happy hour starts at 3:00pm so don't miss out. Double highly recommend. read more

I hate to give them a bad review, but it's all based on the circumstances. We were so excited to be able to get a reservation over 2 months ago. We were just about to leave our resort when I put it in Google Maps, but AI said they may be closed! Checked my confirmation...no, date is correct. Called the restaurant, left a message. Googled it: which took me to their instagram page: they're closed for renovations from 2/15 through 3/4! Maybe the storms the previous week caused this? I hope it's nothing serious, but we were just so disappointed, and no one has ever reached out to us. And yelp still shows they're operating normal hours! read more

this was our favorite sushi by far on the island! everything was fresh, fish was delicious and the atmosphere was cozy and the service was quick and fantastic ! would recommend to anyone who loves sushi read more

Mahalo Hachi by Oao! We adored our appetizer which melted in our mouths. The two sushi rolls were lovely and tasty. The songs by Bon Jovi brought us back to good times. We loved the island hospitality and fun ambiance. We will be back for happy hour this trip. read more

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The sushi here is DELICIOUS!!!!!! Super fresh and great variety. Located in a shopping strip in Kihei, there was lots of parking so no issues there. We called ahead for a reservation and they were super helpful and nice. Definitely would recommend making reservations as it's a smaller sushi restaurant. We ordered ala carte style since we had the kids and they had a great table to accommodate us. The sushi is what totally earned the 5 stars tho! Some of our favorites were the ahi sampler, mushroom salad, salmon, scallops, chutoro and their toro beef sushi (which was a special that night). Everything was so tasty and melt in your mouth! Would definitely want to come back to try the omakase!! read more

Hands down one of the best sushi experiences I've ever had! We had omakase chef's special -- so worth it. Every piece of sashimi was insanely fresh, way better than anything I've had on the mainland. The miso soup was rich and flavorful, but the real standout was the miso butterfish. I have no clue what they did to it, but it was melt-in-your-mouth incredible. Our waitress was fantastic -- super knowledgeable, explained everything, and made the whole experience even better. The staff overall was so friendly and welcoming, you could really feel the aloha spirit. Can't recommend this place enough. Definitely give it a try if you're in Maui!! read more

Hachi by Oao - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Had the best experience having omakase here! The fish is super fresh and they are trying to do some fun innovative stuff. The hamachi, otoro, chutoro were some of my favourites! The chefs here are also so much fun and will banter with you! The head chef JR has some good stories about opening up his restaurants Bring your own liquor as they don't yet have a license. From how they explain it's super slow in Maui to obtain one Might I say ... better than Koiso read more

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Amazing experience at Hachi by Oao. Thanks to Chef JR for having us. The 18-course omakase was incredible. Each course was beautifully presented and thoughtfully paced, making the whole experience feel special from start to finish. The service was excellent throughout the night, and the chefs took the time to explain the ingredients and preparation behind each dish. The fish quality was outstanding -- especially the hamachi, which was the best I've ever had. Everything tasted incredibly fresh and carefully crafted. Highly recommend if you're looking for a omakase experience in Maui. read more

Hachi by Oao - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Honestly the best sushi and sashimi I have ever had. Being from California, and having lived in New York, I have had my share of phenomenal sushi. This blew them away- early days of Morimoto in Philly included. If you are a sushi lover, do yourself a favor: eat here. Don't be put off by the strip mall exterior. read more

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World class omakase experience. Chef prepared each dish with the highest skill with the finest ingredients found in the world. The Uni and scallops sourced from Hokkaido, Japan along with the finest blue fin tuna from a whole fish sourced just for this very special restaurant. Real raw wasabi from the root was graded as the show progressed. The blue fin collar sushi was a true delight. read more

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We live in Maui. Newer sushi restaurant with another location in Kahului. Very fresh and very friendly staff and owner. We happened to go during their discount period around 3 pm when it opens. Had the sashimi and firecracker roll which were great. No liquor license yet (it's always a long wait for one in Maui), but there's a Longs there for BYOB. We were told the one in Kahului has a full kitchen with amazing rib eye steak bites. One of the sushi chefs used to own a sushi restaurant, back in the day in Wailea, so I feel comfortable with their fish buying and execution. read more

The highlight of all of the amazing food on Maui was the Omakase experience at Hachi by Oao. We were treated to incredibly fresh, delicious fish on the perfect rice -- all while having a laidback and fun conversation led by the chefs. After all of the amazing dishes they put in front of us, they asked us our favorite -- the striped jack -- and gave us another piece. We tried well-known hits and new slices that we know to find more of in the future. Make sure you grab a reservation next time you visit Maui! read more

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Strip mall sushi for fine dining prices? It's BYOB, which would be fine if their website told you that. It doesn't, anywhere. Instead, you show up for your $100/plate omakase (or, God forbid, $185 20-course dinner) and find out you can pair it "with anything from Long's Drugs next door." Or, hey, they have Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite. It might still have been worth it if the sushi were great, but it wasn't. It was pretty good -- better than most places -- but not great. There was nothing particulalry creative about the nigiri, and it wasnt technically outstanding, either - one of us found a scale and another a bone. It simply wasnt worth the price, even on Maui. We drove down from Kapalua to eat here: I would absolutely not do that again. Left feeling disappointed and mildly ripped off. Shout out to the single waitress who handled the entire front-of-house; she was working hard. read more

This place was so so tasty and the service was quick and friendly. We ordered several rolls but the one shown in the photo was definitely the best; it's called the Kraken roll. read more

Hachi by Oao - So so tasty and the service was quick and friendly - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

tl;dr - don't think twice and make a reservation here ASAP for the best omakase. You will not be disappointed! We had one of the most incredible omakase experiences here, and we've had omakase around the world, including in Japan and at Michelin-starred spots. This experience was up there with the best. The restaurant is unassuming, in a strip mall, with plenty of parking available. From the moment we walked in, the service was friendly, down-to-earth, and attentive. The inside is cozy, with a few tables up front and some counter seating at the bar. Since it's BYOB, we brought a bottle of Far Niente Chardonnay, which was promptly placed in an ice bucket. FYI - there's a store next door that sells beer, wine and sake. You can order a la carte, but we opted to do the omakase, and Chef Misao shared that we would be having over twenty courses. We ended up having 24 courses, including dessert and a palate cleanser, and every single one was spectacular. It's hard to pick favorites, but some standouts included the cherry-smoked hamachi, the chawanmushi, uni, chutoro hand roll, otoro (topped with caviar and gold leaf), Japanese beef (cooked via sous-vide for 72 hours), and a sublime black sesame ice cream. We were stuffed at the end of service. It is evident that Chef Misao cares deeply about serving high-quality fish - most, if not all, were flown in from Japan, and the preparation was unique and truly enhanced the flavor of the fish. The soy sauce was made in house, and the wasabi was ground fresh from the root. For the amount and quality of food we got, the price was extremely reasonable - $185/pp. We would come back to Maui just to eat here again. It was truly one of the best meals we've had. Thank you, Chefs Misao and Buddha, for an incredible dining experience! read more

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This was an amazing experience and without a doubt, the best sushi I've ever had. Even living in Los Angeles, where great sushi is everywhere, this place surpassed all of my previous favorites. The entire meal was a work of art, from the stunning presentation to the meticulous detail. Sushi was fresh and delicious. Some flown from Japan that day! A BIG thank you to Chef Masuda and Buddah for an awesome experience. We will definitely be back! read more

Hachi by Oao - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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I've been excited to try Hachi since I've been a fan of the chef's other restaurants--and it did not disappoint! The food was absolutely delicious, and everything tasted fresh and thoughtfully prepared. I especially enjoyed their special of the day, the miso soup (so flavorful!) and the Kani maki roll, which was perfectly balanced and beautifully presented. The restaurant was spotlessly clean, and the service was quick, friendly, and welcoming. Exactly what you hope for when checking out a new spot. You can tell they care about the details here. I'll definitely be back! read more

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We made dinner reservations at Hachi because we saw all the amazing reviews for this place. Like many have mentioned before, don't let the exterior fool you. We were greeted by the host and as we made our way to the bar for Omakase, Buddha, one of our chefs, greeted us and had the chillest vibe ever. Super kind! The omakaze was absolutely amazing and such great quality. I'm not a huge fan of oysters but the chef made it so delicious, I'm heartbroken I won't try an oyster like that until my next trip. By the end of dinner, I was absolutely stuffed. Everything was amazing, not a single piece was a miss. I'm not one to leave reviews, but this was truly an unforgettable experience from watching the chefs at the bar and enjoying every plate they both made for us. read more

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We love this place! The Omakase is so incredible and worth the price for getting this quality, technique and artistry on Maui. We also have enjoyed many times the à la carte menu and we love the rolls and nigiri. Yes it's pricy but for The quality on maui it's worth it. We highly recommend Hachi by Oao and especially then Omakase. read more

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The omakase was especially amazing when our reservation wasn't booked for omakase! Best omakase ever! The chef had to prepare omakase for 5 diners on the spot and it was the best I've ever had. Chefs usually labor couple hours ahead of time in preparation for omakase diners. I loved the beauty of each dish, the different ingredients, and flavors. I've had many experiences from Tokyo, Fukuoka, San Francisco, San Jose, New York and Honolulu. This was over the top! Thank you Chef Masuda! Oishikatta desu (delicious)! read more

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Excellent value for a 20 course omakase experience. Underrated experience on Maui. Located in a low-key strip mall, it punches way above its simple exterior. The ingredients are the highest quality and some are imported from Japan. The sushi rice is the right temperature. Great banter with the chefs. They were very attentive to our needs and the spacing of the dishes were timed perfectly. Shrimp head miso soup was sublime. The three levels of fatty, medium fatty, and lean tuna were quite nuanced. I'll also never complain about too much caviar. So much fancy. Will be back the next time we're in Maui and will recommend our friends and family from LA visit when they're in Kihei. read more

Great sushi. We're from NYC and this was as good or better than most places there in terms of fish quality. -1 star as the service was really mediocre. There were only 3 tables of customers but yet we asked multiple times for wine glasses, eventually having to go to the sushi bar to get them. Soy sauce was out and we asked for more, but didn't get it. Just pretty meh service for a place that is charging this much and only a few customers there. read more

Amazing sushi restaurant in Kihei! The quality of the fish exceeded expectations and everything we tried was delicious. Our waitress was just the cutest and kindest person we've met in Kihei and she made our meal even more enjoyable. Highly recommend! read more

Hachi by Oao - Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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The best sushi I've ever had! My wife and I did the Sunset Omakase and it was amazing! Chef Misao prepared each dish with such precision and care. The fish is sourced straight from Japan and super fresh. Every course was delicious and unique and I was left mind blown by quite a few of them! This was an unforgettable experience and we will definitely be making a stop here anytime we are back in Maui! read more

All I gotta say is it was an absolutely amazing experience! I've tried lots of sushi and this is definitely the best!

Our second visit to Hachi by OAO. We were glad that Chef Hamada came back from the Wailea. He is the definitive one of the most innovative sushi chef. All though a few of the dishes were part of the original Omakase, it's still amazing. He is constantly putting little extra touches to make it more unique. Highly recommend it when you are craving great sushi. read more

Came here for dinner, and it was incredible. Down to their house made soy sauce and fresh grated wasabi. Best quality fish EVER... and my family and I have had more than our share of quality sushi in our lives. Our chef was incredible. The way he dressed the nigiri was the BEST. This place has been open for only 3 months. Enjoy this place before it becomes impossible to get a reservat read more

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I'd heard so much great stuff about the Oao Sushi so had to check it out their new Omakase Restaurant by Oao and it was truly amazing! We did the 18 course tasting and every dish we tasted was so savory and fresh with a beautiful presentation!!! You can't beat the pricing and the quality for the omakase they offer, attention to detail on dishes and a very experience this is definitely your place and I recommend everyone try it for a true Japanese omakase experience in Maui!! I can't wait to go back! read more

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Best sushi, best omakase, best experience by Sensei Masuda. Felt like an honor to be there and will now be a mandatory stop whenever we come to Maui...might even be THE reason to go to Maui. read more

Unfortunately, the Japanese chef has left. His omakase was fantastic. The current omakase is completely different. The price and the quality are not commensurate. It was very annoying when the sushi chef showed off his Rolex while we were eating. read more

Did the mistake of à la carte here. If you want à la carte I wild recommended the wailea location, as they get all kinds of sides and drinks there. But if you want the omakase style this is the place to go. Long experience but very worth it. Make reservations :). This place is currently Bring your own bottle. read more

Having a wide repertoire of sushi restaurants and being told that this is one not to miss, I was disappointed. The fish was good but not memorable, maybe two or three pieces were "what a great inclusion of tastes", but the rest was so so. While in Maui, I went to five restaurants on the must try list including Hachi by Oao, and this was I rated at the bottom of my list. They as of this review do not have their liquor license, so I had to go next door to the Longs Drugs and buy Sake. It is not a fancy establishment, but nicely done. It was kept pretty cold and the need for a second layer was called for. The chiefs was were very nice and amenable. read more