Outstanding Tempura! Thin sliced vegetables with a light batter that came out crispy and soft read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - The desserts are great too! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Solid spot for sushi and drinks. Food: Fresh, flavorful, and nicely presented. The poke topped roll (wailea firecracker) was the best! Drinks: Tropical cocktail was smooth and well-balanced--not overly sweet. Service: Attentive and quick, especially at the bar. Ambiance: Modern, lively, and a bit upscale--good for both casual nights and dates. Overall: Great sushi, good vibes, and strong drinks. Would come back. It is expensive so recommend going during happy hour (12-5). read more

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Solid happy hour. Everything we got was delicious. Veggie tempura, spicy hamachi, assorted nigiri. Highly recommended for that. Regular prices are a bit hefty, even for the area. Grateful for the happy hour pricing, especially after seeing a $48 rainbow roll. read more

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Pros: outstanding food, great service, excellent (and deadly) cocktails; convenient location to nearby hotels; reasonable price Cons: reservations recommended. What a great find in the area. Our concierge at the Andaz recommended reservations here and I'm so grateful that she did. We really had an outstanding experience that quite frankly surpasses KOMO at the Four Seasons, especially bc the price is so much more reasonable. The sushi was deliciously prepared with very generous portions and the rolls were creative and delicious. Cocktails were also terrific although I highly recommend you stick to Lyft/Uber or have a designated driver! There's not really viable dessert options but hey, you are at a sushi restaurant and you can always grab ice cream back at your hotel. For couples, would recommend reserving the bar as it was really fun to watch the chefs. Reservations are really a must, particularly for groups, as this is clearly a popular spot with the locals as well. Overall, highly recommended! read more

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Best sushi we have ever had hands down. We were visiting Maui and got recommended this place by the workers at our hotel. Everyone was explaining it as the best of the best. We check it out and got the nigiri omakase. Such an amazing experience and we were so happy that is what we got. So fresh and feels so lux. The service was friendly and helpful. 1000% will recommend to everyone going to Maui. We recommended it everyone else on our trip and everyone went and felt the same way we did. A must try read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - Inside - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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Best. Sushi. Ever. My boyfriend and I came here right as they opened and literally drove around the island just for this restaurant! The sushi melts in your mouth, the happy hour pricing is quite fair, and the talent of the sushi chefs really shines through! I will recommend this place to EVERYONE going to Maui. read more

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This restaurant deserves a 10/10! I wish I could rate it higher than 5 stars. I have been to Maui hundreds of times and eaten at tons of restaurants and nothing has ever left me wishing I had room for more or dreaming about the next time I can come back! I am not a wing girl. But I am going to vote this best to least fav. (There is no least fav it was all phenomenal) 1. The Japanese wings! The best wings I've ever had in my entire life and it topped everything we tried. I don't know but the chicken was so tender it just melted in your mouth, and that flavor OMG! 2. Whatever roll we had off the happy hour menu 12-5 that had scallops! Soooo good 3. The dynamite dish on happy hour with scallops, zucchini, mushrooms, that sauce was ughhhhhhhh. Yummy 4. The rice cakes (I got the fish that starts with an H...... sorry lots of info) very good and voted one of their most popular menu items. 5. Edamame very flavorful 6. Softcrab roll....... It was all so unbelievably good read more

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We were taken care of by Dwayne at the bar. He was quick and attentive while making drinks. Our food came out super quickly and delicious. He recommended carpaccio, def my favorite. The Japanese wings were crispy and full of flavor. One of the more memorable sushi spot. read more

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Great place for fresh fish! The unagi was great! We had 5 servings! The Seafood Dynamite was amazing, the Brussels sprouts were yummy and the lobster was tender. My son loved the hamachi carpaccio. The unagi avocado roll (without the rice) was really good! Very small portions. We went for happy hour and dropped over $300! read more

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Ordered the $165 tasting menu. Everything was good except the advertised Japanese A5 Wagu. The plate came with 5 one inch x 1/8 inch slices. Every single one was super greasy and had thick sinew which I could not eat. I suspect false claim on menu, meat was neither Japanese, nor A5. True Japanese A5 must meet strict requirements and certified. Ask for their proof and traceability before you order! read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - False claim? - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

My friend surprised me with a trip to Maui, so I wanted to return the gesture and treated her to dinner here! I already knew I'd be spending a bit since it's in Wailea, but honestly, the prices weren't as steep as I expected--and everything was really solid. They serve more than just sushi, which is a plus. I started with an uni shooter (a must for me--since not every sushi spot offers it), and it was actually pretty good! We followed up with some carpaccio, which was decent. We also tried a couple rolls and an entrée--don't remember exactly what it was, but it was delectable. And dessert? An absolute killer. Overall, this place has a laid-back, family-style vibe. It's not a super high-end sushi spot, but it's cozy, welcoming, and definitely worth checking out. read more

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I don't say this lightly because my husband lived in Japan and we've visited for sushi. This is hands down the best I've had in my life. Brilliant chefs who are knowledgeable and will help with a choice, delicious incredibly fresh fish, and an awesome vibe. A small touch, but we love ama ebi (sweet shrimp) and they clean the heads absolutely perfectly. I wish I could tag the photos better but we order several options from the specials and they don't disappoint. read more

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We made reservations for a Monday night since it is recommended if you want to sit at the sushi counter. The place is an upscale sushi rest with high end sushi, including a few cuts coming all the way from Japan. You can order a la carte but they also offer omakase which has to be reserved 24 hours in advanced. Prices are as expected with high end sushi. We ordered Miso Soup, Creamy Scallop Roll, Soft Shell Crab Roll, Specialty Firecracker Roll and a few nigiri (we were 2 persons). Everything was exceptional and each piece melted in your mouth. Great ambiance, a complete bar service besides sake. Since we were at the sushi counter we were able to interact with the chefs which completes nicely a sushi experience. Everyone from chefs to waiters and hostess made this experience extraordinary. read more

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This is one great sushi bar! Excellent service who guided us to some specials that we would have never ordered. Go out of your comfort zone and trust their recommendations. read more

I literally have nothing but high praise for this restaurant!!! Oh my god. If you're visiting and thinking about going to Nobu, for the love of god do not. Go here instead!!!! This place blew Nobu out of the water and it wasn't even close. The food, service and vibe here was literally so perfect. I can't get over how amazing EVERY DISH was and how fresh the fish here is in Hawaii. Seriously can't wait to visit here again! read more

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Ooo "wow" is a great sushi restaurant close to the Wailea area. It is located in a busy parking lot and seems to get quite busy. We arrived at opening for lunch and were seated immediately. Happy is from 12-5pm dine in only and we ordered the Japanese Wings, Hamachi Carpaccio, and the Big Eye Tuna. The wings were sticky and sweet and the hamachi carpaccio was so good that we ordered another dish. I also really enjoyed the big eye tuna with the tangy ponzu sauce. We also got the Tsurai Serrano Roll that was packed with fish and flavor without being overstuffed/falling apart and too overwhelming. We also got the King Salmon, Big Eye Tuna, and Masago Nigiri. The pieces had an excellent fish to rice ratio and each piece of fish was fatty and melt in your mouth. My husband even said that this was the best sushi he has ever had! We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch here. The fish is fresh and the staff is attentive and friendly. It is a no frills, tasty sushi restaurant. We will come back during our next trip to Maui! read more

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Our family, 2 adults and 2 children, visited this location and had a wonderful meal. The sushi was excellent, albeit a bit expensive (compared to California). We ordered what we wanted and ended up with an over $500 bill. My wife and I drank a large bottle of Sho Chiku unfiltered Sake which was too much, and a Sapporo (good as always). I started with the miso soup - which was good, standard. My kids ordered cucumber rolls (vegan) and California rolls, and they were happy. We also had the big eye tuna with Kizami - which was delicate and delicious; the calamari appetizer - which was kind of boring. We ordered the Hamachi Jalapeno Roll and the Salmon Sashimi, which were both great. The salmon was delicious and tender but a bit thick. We also ordered the Japanese Grade A5 Wagyu - I believe the minimum size was 6 ounces? It was seared, tender, but not something I would order again. I have had Wagyu a few times now, and I am not been that impressed. I wouldn't but again for the money. We shared the Brownie and Ice Cream dessert, which was plenty for us and tasty. Someone ordered the sizzling steak bites next to us, and it smelled amazing! I would go back, and I would order the Steak Bites. My son had a blast watching the sushi chefs preparing food behind the bar. The atmosphere was excellent, staff was really friendly and lots of Aloha! read more

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This is probably one of the best sushi I've ever had. All of the rolls were unique and absolutely delicious. This is a place you definitely need a reservation for and a must on your visit to Maui. The service is amazing, servers are super nice and tentative with a great lively atmosphere. read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Love this place. We go every time we are in Maui. Absolutely delicious food prepared perfectly, and fast. Service is always very friendly. The ambiance is welcoming, open, and clean. Highly recommend for sushi and sashimi on Maui. read more

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This place was wonderful. Maybe the best sushi I've ever had... everything we got tasted great! My group was 8 people and we all loved everything we had! The staff was so lovely as well... they seemed to be having a photo shoot of menu items when we walked in. After the shoot they invited us to try anything on the table. Ultimately we got to try so much of the menu because of this! It was all so good. The owner popped over to our table as well and talked with us. Couldn't be more pleased! read more

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Something happened to American sushi scene in the last decade. Not only has it transformed into a myriad of Nobu imitation dishes at nearly every establishment, but more noticeably, every city is now filled with omakase experiences. Smart sushi restaurant owners realized that you can score a beautiful margin by making an expensive meal that is elegantly exclusive, using the same exact fish as a more casual restaurant. The result: people went crazy for it. Many of these omakase experiences are not radically different in quality, but certainly have the level of attention that goes along with the price point. Oao is in the most beautiful way, the opposite of these trends and shows that there is still a place for modestly priced, quality fish. It is fairly casual, but still nice enough for a date night. The prices are reasonable and most importantly, this is some of the best tasting fish that one can find. As a matter of fact, few omakase experiences on the mainland will be able to rival the fish quality of Oao. It is simply phenomenal. Where the restaurant exceeds expectations further is with very kind people, who really went above and beyond. Cheerful, pleasant and knowledgeable. While the restaurant has only been in business for a few years, Chef Oao has done a remarkable job sourcing, crafting and hiring. This is absolutely worth a detour to stop by. read more

The food here is always amazing! Whether it's sit down or takeout, the quality is always good. The restaurant is nice inside and the service is also great. Parking can be difficult, especially during peak dining hours. They have delicious sushi for vegetarians too! Don't miss out on this place when in Maui! read more

I can definitely see why they have such high ratings and recommendations. We were starving and came here on a whim. Although, next time, I would make a reservation in advance so you won't have to wait long for a table. Our waiter was on point, attentive and kind. The food was delicious but my wallet is sore haha. I would come here again for a treat or a nice celebration dinner though. I highly recommend the Shiso spicy drink. I got 2 of them and then inquired if I could just get Hawaiian chili pepper water on the side to go with the rest of our meals. Sizzling steak is a must! Sashimi was good as well. read more

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Fantastic Sushi & an Unforgettable Server - A Must-Visit in Wailea! We had an amazing dinner at Oao Sushi Wailea, and while the food was delicious, our server, Ronson, truly stole the show. He was straight out of a Hawaiian novel or movie--larger than life, with a contagious laugh and the kind of warm, welcoming energy that makes you feel like an old friend. For sushi, we ordered two California rolls, two spicy shrimp rolls, and the Hamachi Carpaccio ($23 for six pieces). The hamachi was fresh and beautifully presented, topped with garlic, micro cilantro, thinly sliced serrano pepper, and a citrus soy sauce that added the perfect balance of brightness and heat. We brought our own wine and happily paid the $35 corkage fee, which was well worth it to enjoy our own bottle with such a great meal. A word of advice--make a reservation! The restaurant is small, and they kindly ask you to wait outside until your reservation time to avoid disturbing guests inside, which I really appreciated. All in all, Oao Sushi Wailea is a gem--great sushi, an intimate setting, and the kind of service that turns a meal into an experience. Ask for Ronson, and thank me later! read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - 2 spicy Tuna, 2 Cali and 1 avocado roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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My boyfriend and I went to Oao for date night. We've been here in Maui for about a week now and have eaten at several different restaurants and none were good. We decided to try out Oao after reading another review and this cute restaurant blew it outta the water! Hands down best meal we've had here!!! Our server was super helpful and friendly. I ordered the Firecrackers Roll and my boyfriend got the Chili King Salmon Roll, we also got the oysters on half shell, the spicy tuna rice cakes, spicy hamachi rice cakes and the Japanese edamame. It was absolutely delicious! The fish was the freshest we've ever tasted! We also got Sapporo and hot sake for drinks. We spent 300$ with tip, it was a bit on the pricey side but well worth it! We may go back tonight for dinner with the kids read more

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I'm visiting Hawai'i by myself, but all my friends with local knowledge told me to go to Oao, and they were SO right. It can be hard to eat out by yourself, but everyone was really warm and welcoming (special shout out to my server, Iggy!). When I mentioned that I love sushi but that I've never been able to get over my aversion to seaweed, he told me they can do soy paper. Not all places do that and I was so thrilled. He even noticed when I stupidly tried to order something with seaweed and saved me. I ordered too much and loved everything, but the Negi Hama was unbeatable. Highly recommended if you're looking for a nice, chill place to hang out. read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - Spicy Hamchi and Negi Hama, both with soy paper 3 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

went for happy hr lunch. We order three dishes which were mini dishes so left hungry, plus they add a kitchen fee and minimum 20 percent tip. service was great food was good, but unless you are rich don't go our bill for three mini plates was 72.00 that's with just water. I think they tried to give it a ambiance on the cheap read more

First time at Oao and we enjoyed it very much! We had Chef Masuda's Omakase, 21 delicious items. We were stuffed. We highly recommend Oao. His assistant, Buddha, makes the experience very personable and fun. Unfortunately, the app didn't allow me to include all 21 items. read more

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Loved everything, the ambiance, the food, the service. I would highly recommend if you're a seafood lover like my family. read more

Jerome was our server. He was incredible! Super attentive, very friendly. We came in with a party of eight as guests to the island and we thoroughly enjoyed every bit of our experience. Highly recommend this restaurant. The ambience was incredible although it was busy they were very accommodating to us. The service was Amazing and Jerome should definitely get a bonus. He went over and above to make our experience special. Will definitely come back for the amazing food at the special restaurant next time we're in Maui read more

Every time we've visited the Hawaiian islands we always have to try the sushi and we try our best for it to be the highest rated because well high ratings should equate to GOOD food. We had a reservation but ended up showing up a little early and were sat down pretty quickly. It is fairly small so I do recommend making a reservation to eat here. The service was really good from host all the way to the servers. The ambiance is that of a sushi bar because they do have counter bar service too. Oao Sushi Bar is good but nothing crazy and nothing I've never had before. We had two rolls and a hand roll which I forgot to take a picture of. The rolls are good but not the best on the island. This place is a little more on the pricey side (contrary to their take out only spot). If I could I would give this spot a 4.5 but I am feeling nice and just going to go with the five. Do check them out if you have the time and near Wailea. read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Located in a strip mall ... the same one where Monkeypod is. Lots of parking available if you happen to drive. Inside Seating... they optimize their space well. (You are pretty close together... hence I could overhear multiple conversations or people were just talking loud?) Vibe... upbeat, family, casual. Not what I would consider a quiet, quaint dinner out type of place. Definitely a lively place when it's full like it was on the Tuesday evening we were there. Seemed like a place that caters to locals and tourists which I think was refreshing that it wasn't just all tourists. (Even tho I was one of them.) I assume some locals as they were talking about local type things like work, parties, injuries, businesses, etc... it just seemed like they lived there. It's nice to see local folks support restaurants in what is essentially a touristy part of the island. Fish is fresh... melts in your mouth. Service ... depends on how busy they are. The night we went they were very busy, so the fellow taking care of us (the bartender) was also responsible for making ALL the drinks. Seemed odd that they gave him a table to serve when he had to take care of the bar and make all the drinks for everyone in the restaurant. So, service was slow, but it wasn't because our server was slow... he was just doing too much. Pricing... it's pricey. I know Hawaii... and Maui particularly are expensive... it costs more for everything here. Cost of Living, getting supplies, food, etc to the islands costs more than on the mainland. So... go knowing this is going to be a tad more than what you might be used to... For examples, the Chirashi Bowl was $65 and the Hamachi Serrano roll was $35. read more

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I decided to dine in and had such a lovely time. We sat at the sushi bar and enjoyed every minute of it. The chefs working were kind and our server was very good at his job. The sushi was out of this world good!! I did get 2 splinters in my hand between my thumb and index finger that I had to dig out before resuming dinner. I promise I know how to use chopsticks and this has never happened to me before but of 2 OAO experiences, my chopsticks splintered both times. Super weird! They don't look particularly different from other sets I have used but maybe they're really cheap? Worth noting! But SUCH a delicious place. I highly recommend eating in. And pack a sweater because I was absolutely freezing indoors. read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - spicy tuna - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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Been reading and hearing about how great and delicious their menu items were. Finally tried it today with some friends. Did not disappoint. Came for happy hour... still pretty pricey.... but the taste was fabulous! We enjoyed everything we ordered... mostly recommended by our server Keanu. I found the place a bit noisy... Not sure if it's the loud music or acoustic issues. Will come again if I'm having sushi cravings. read more

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When you are in the land of fresh fish ,you eat as much sushi as you can. We came in around 40 minutes before close and they had started to wrap up for the night. They were more than welcoming and seated us at the bar ,where the bartender kept us engaged for the entirety of our visit. He was super fun to talk to and gave us a lot of insights about island life. We got the ....Krispy tuna -5/5 ....Spicy hamachi-4/5 ....Rainbow Wailea-10/5 The Rainbow Wailea was hands down one of the best sushi we had in Maui. So fresh and so many varieties .It was slightly pricey at $44 but It was 100% worth the price. The Krispy Tuna is also a must try .We also got a beer and a Cab which were both alright . Yelp also had a check in offer and they got us a Matcha panna cotta on the house . I wasn't a very big fan of the texture but appreciated the kind gesture. Plenty of seating inside and some outside and the decor is fun with some really cool art adorning the walls . read more

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better than the sushi you can find at the hotels (nobu, morimoto)! had a great time eating here and is an awesome location if you're staying in wailea / Kihei region big menu to choose from, lots of fresh fish, and a great vibe if you're with friends. The service is great! It does get pretty busy so remember to make a reservation read more

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Went here on our last visit a year ago and it was amazing. Went again tonight and it did not disappoint. Iggy our waiter greeted us warmly and asked if we had been there before. He explained a few menu changes since we'd last been in. We ordered two martinis and a Mai Tai. All were perfectly made and delicious. We ordered edamame, vegetable tempura, chefs choice sashimi platter, tuna, salmon and avocado, spicy tuna and takuan cut rolls. Everything was amazing g. The sashimi in particular was incredibly fresh and we're kind of sushi snobs having grown up eating fresh caught sashimi when visiting my cousins on Oahu. If you want really good fresh fish, go to Oao and skip the hotel restaurants. It has a friendly local vibe and amazingly fresh fish. The service is also top notch. read more

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Overall, the food was excellent. We like sitting at the sushi bar because it allows us to interact with the sushi chefs who normally have a fun, outgoing personality, and give us recommendations about the menu and answer questions. What was really odd here is none of the sushi chefs greeted us when we sat at the bar or even made eye contact with us. And, the waitress said that we needed to order directly with her and not with the chefs, which was something we have never experienced at all. And, we go to lots of sushi, restaurants. Maybe that explains why we were the only ones actually sitting at the sushi bar. However, the waitress was extremely friendly and attentive. The big eye tuna Nigiri was so fantastic that towards the end of the meal, we ordered a second round. We also ordered a roll called Broke Da Mouth which was excellent. It had lobster tempura which we have never had before and it was very tasty. We also had snapper Nigiri which was really really good. The amberjack which is something we normally get every time was OK but not one of the better ones we've had. They do have a 4% kitchen staff surcharge, which I don't like or agree with, but at least they mention it at the bottom of the menu. This is definitely a place we would visit again next time we are in Wailea. read more

This establishment is off the charts . Fresh, exciting presentations, great wait staff , easy parking. Great drink menu. The most delicious sushi and sashimi hands down in this part of Maui read more

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Absolutely phenomenal sushi!! So delicious and fresh. The cocktails were delightful as well. Service was amazing! Can't recommend highly enough! read more

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