The ambiance was beautiful. I for one loved the fish celling lights. The customer service was great. Out of all the sushi I've had this is some of the best. Me and my boyfriend had a great valentines night. read more

Ocean - Sushi - Seafood Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Disappointed as a frequent guest of Ocean. This was my first visit since the new management took over, and unfortunately, it will be my LAST!! We waited nearly 15 minutes just to receive water, and no bread was ever offered to the table. Multiple menu items were unavailable.. which ok, unfortunately it's something I've experienced here before. But this time the remaining options simply weren't appealing enough to justify settling. What was most disappointing was the menu change itself. Some of Ocean's best signature dishes are gone. No Thai green curry bouillabaisse? That alone was shocking. It honestly makes me wonder whether the new management ever experienced what made the original menu so special. Even the gumbo arrived lukewarm and mediocre. The experience was so underwhelming that we left after the appetizers and ended up finishing the night at Ruth's Chris ... a chain restaurant that, sadly, delivered a far higher standard than what was once one of Birmingham's hidden gems. read more

Food first, thoughts later... This restaurant has been around for a long time! I could not believe it took my husband and I so long to try it. I loved the confidence of the servers as they boast about how good the restaurant and its food is. We tried the oysters and they were really fresh and yummy. The complimentary bread with a light summer salad was amazing as well. The seafood here is pretty fresh. The dishes are all really light and our server was very knowledgable. Would consider coming back! read more

Ocean - Pan seared Sole and Tumeric ginger tea crusted halibut - Seafood Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Just think it could better, especially for the price. Got an appetizer and a salad to go. The salad is sad, not much to it. The Fritto Misto supposedly has fish in it per the menu......it doesn't. More veggies such as onions, peppers, etc. It's good, dont get me wrong. They do a good job with their breading, very light and crispy. Just don't expect much seafood in it. read more

Ocean - Seafood Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Came here for a work dinner and was so pleased. The service was amazing and they took such good care of our group. Started with lots of shared apps, then the greek style salad, then I had the cobia. Very good and flavorful! The pumpkin creme brûlée was so delicious! read more

Amazing birthday dinner for my bride. David took care of us and he was outstanding. Knowledgeable and very attentive. Very comfortable setting perfect for a great date night. We started off with "fresh start" Ocean Salad followed up with the crab "Sammy" for the appetizer. Salad was super fresh and the fried feta cheese on it was a great complement. Crab Sammy I enjoyed, but the better half did not like the aioli. No problem, I finished it off. Entrees, my wife had the Thai green curry bouillabaisse, lobster tail, clams, shrimp and mussels with pineapple jasmine rice. Absolute perfection. I had the St. George's bank scallops. Outstanding but there was only 3 scallops so it felt more like an appetizer. Super enjoyable though. Dessert was an amazing baklava ice cream, wow!! Great job all around Ocean! read more

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Good things come to those who book reservations. Couldn't have asked for a better pre birthday celebration. Impeccable service, beautiful presentations of delicious food, and the clientele is ever so amusing and entertaining. We also got to witness owner and chef George Reis host his wedding rehearsal dinner on the patio. Started the celebration off with a glass of prosecco and a dozen oysters ranging from the Olde Points, Blue Points, and Blackberry varieties. Then moved to the scallops and yellowtail snapper. The entire fish comes out on the platter so have an appetite ready! The starlight of the evening was definitely the chocolate panna cotta, the brownie brittle is to die for, though if you want something richer order the oatmeal cheesecake. Parking can get limited since it's near the hustle and bustle of Five Points. They offer valet parking for your ease. Nothing beats that unforgettable feeling of good company and summer nights with a glass of wine and dessert sitting before you. Thank you for ushering in my birthday wishes Ocean! read more

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Have a heavy snack before you go! (unless you're ordering sushi) I went in 1/2024 with a party of 8 on a Wednesday. Heads up - 20% gratuity is automatically added on for a party this size. I ordered sushi and enjoyed it. I ordered the crab cakes, which came with 2. They were the size of scallops. The smallest I've ever seen but delicious. But tiny. Speaking of scallops... One of the ladies in the party came in pretty hungry. She ordered the scallops ($35 - no sides just garnish). It came with three (3) average size scallops. I felt so bad for her... She looked devastated. Another friend said the ceviche was not seasoned well. Another said her fish was not seasoned well. The swordfish was reportedly very good, as was the chocolate Panna cotta. The gumbo was reportedly under seasoned. The pear salad and risotto didn't get rave reviews either. The portions are smaller compared to other fine dining restaurants in B'ham. I'd recommend the sushi (which is actually fairly priced for this dining experience). During my first visit, a few years ago, I got a whole fish with the head - I can't recall what kind of the fish was. Anyhow, it had so many bones in it that I could not enjoy the fish so I knew this time I would try something else.. That's how I ended up with sushi. read more

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This is a hidden gem in Five Points S that I believe is overlooked by many of us in the YP/student community. I came for dinner on a Wednesday and was promptly seated with my reservation. The scene was loud but had a comfortable seating situation where I didn't feel too close to the table next to me. I enjoyed the grenache with my red snapper. The bread was quickly served to the table and fresh enough. I recommend the blackberry cobbler to top off the meal. It had a great lemon zest undertone that was bursting with flavor. read more

Ocean - Red Snapper, Destin, Florida Wood Grilled Troll King Salmon - Seafood Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

This place is always fantastic. Great service and amazing food. Well worth a little extra money, because everything is so delicious. My wife and I went for our anniversary and both got the fried flounder. We have had this many times and it never ceases to amaze me. The crust is delicate and so flavorful and the fish is tender and mild. The dessert chef made our anniversary extra special by decorating the Godiva cheesecake so beautifully and creatively! It was not only beautiful, but the taste was out of this world good. The consistency of the cheesecake was just right. Thank you so much for an amazing night. read more

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As always, 10/10! We go at least once a year for my husbands birthday. He always gets sushi and changes it up each time. Sorry can't remember which rolls he got but they were amazing and so fresh. Can't go wrong! We started with the fish collar and oysters Rockefeller. Both great! One of the few places I get scallops, fresh and huge portion. The service was attentive and made our night special. Surprised my husband with a little bday dessert. The restaurant is cozy and perfect for a special occasion. read more

The menu changed so much. I flew in from Houston for a conference and made sure I got to Ocean. Please go back to the menu that you had going on pre-Covid. I was disappointed in the food. read more

Our group had a great experience at Ocean about a year and a half ago but we didn't get so lucky this time. I can't recommend it, especially for the price point. I ordered scallops which were $35 and got three, drenched in hot sauce which I don't care for. Others in our group of 8 were also disappointed with their entrees. Generally the sushi got good reviews and everything else was lackluster. Our server showed no warmth whatsoever and did nothing to make the meal a pleasant experience. Suffice it to say we'll be taking this one off our list. read more

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Derrick our server was phenomenal. I had the whole fried flounder it was cooked to perfection. The Brussels sprouts were ok. I always have great meals here. We definitely took advantage of bringing our wine and paying the corkage fee. read more

My table got a dozen raw oysters. Our waitress was helpful in helping us decide which to get. This is a wonderful spot for a date night or celebration. The dining area is small so there's not a lot of noise. There is valet available as well. read more

Ok so my take on Ocean. It is a very nice atmosphere! The vibe is white table cloth and I really enjoyed the service. Now on to my favorite discussions which is the food. I'd go back here to sit at the bar, have drinks and oysters. I did that as a prelude to my dinner and it was better than dinner itself. I had the whole fried snapper which was just ok. It had no flavor so I asked for some chimmichurri on the side to punch it up a notch. It helped. The Brussels were ok. I must say the dessert was delicious! So for me going back means a nice seat at the bar with a cocktail and some oysters. read more

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Everything is always great Love Robbie! service , food, ambiance...one of my favorites in Birmingham! , read more

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I went here for my aunts graduation celebration, and let me tell you, it was wonderful! The food was magical, the service was impeccable, and when I walked in, it felt like Mamma Mia! I ordered the filet mignon and it was wonderful! It came with a potato and green beans. For dessert I had the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. We sat outside and it was nice weather so we had a good experience. 10/10, would recommend. read more

Ocean - Outside!! - Seafood Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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We reserved our own room so that was nice since we were a rowdy bunch. Wait staff was friendly and attentive. I got the crispy skin salmon which was good. I have never had raw oysters but I will say after my visit here, I'm a fan of them. Overall the food, service, and atmosphere was excellent. read more

I had dinner here recently with a large group. I will say Oceans did a good job of handling our group, and we were in a separate room. This was good as the restaurant is incredibly noisy. We had to place our orders earlier, and I ordered the filet mignon medium. I was quite surprised when I received a tough, unseasoned and overcooked filet. During dinner I ordered two glasses of a mediocre white wine. No prices on the wine menu. Imagine my surprise to be charged $45 for two glasses of wine! And I'm from Chicago and used to city prices! Tourist trap!!!!!! I suggest giving this place a pass for sure! read more

Wonderful! Lobster tails are a must. Beautiful atmosphere and amazing service. Oysters Rockefeller were a great start to our meal.

We came in for a work dinner. Great atmosphere, they had multiple servers waiting on us and we did not have to wait long for anything. The sushi is wonderful and the desserts were so delicious. We will definitely be back read more

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Ocean is one of my favorite fine dining restaurants. The experience and food is always on point. On this night, they were understaffed, so it took a while for the entrees to come out. But the drinks and appetizers came fairly quickly. The oysters and sushi were delicious. My snapper entree was delightful. The banana foster dessert wasn't my favorite but was okay. Overall great experience. read more

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The experience was good, both appetizers were good. We had a blueberry punch cocktail that was tasty. I had the swordfish and the ladies had red snapper. Both were good. Atmosphere was nice and our waitress Tina was very nice and good at her job. read more

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My wife and I ate here to celebrate her passing the exam for her CHT certification. The beef satay was one of the best appetizers we'd had in years. It would have been a tasty, albeit small, dinner all on its own. Fortunately, I opted for the hereford filet mignon, which to the dismay of many, I usually have cooked well-done and butterflied. The restaurants that are able to pull this off without drying out the steak always remain at the top of my list, and Ocean certainly pulled it off! Our server was also very friendly and helpful, making for a perfect evening to celebrate my wife's accomplishment! read more

Ocean - Hereford Filet Mignon - Seafood Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Ocean is a go to restaurant for me whenever there is something to celebrate. Perfect for anniversaries, birthdays, and holidays, ocean never fails to bring you the best of the best seafood in Birmingham. 1. Bruschetta-- good appetizer, but would've been better with more vinegar & oil. I could make a better one at home. 2. Baby Lobster Tails-- secret menu item! Honestly worth ordering two of. Smaller tails are easier to eat,more tender, and SO good with lemon & butter. 3. Scallops-- the best I've ever had. Pair nicely with the sauce, but were slightly overpowered by the beans. Scallops are not super filling, so an appetizer is needed to make it a meal. 4. Baklava Ice Cream-- A must try. The warm, flaky and mildly sweet crust melts the ice cream just enough that it's easy to eat. The slight drizzle of honey really brings out the flavors. read more

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Painfully below average for a restaurant that advertises so many awards and presents those type prices. My old fashioned was bitter and filled to the rim with ice that melted and only made the drink worse. The maker used so much orange peel that I could taste the bitterness of the rind. Pre-meal toast was offered with a cucumber and tomato salad that was overpowered by the onions. My wife ordered a well below average sushi roll. My gulf coast shrimp was described by the waiter as being fire grilled. The menu said it was pink-salt crusted over fora with goat cheese. What was brought was, in essence, scampi in which the five large shrimp sat atop a grain swimming in a half inch of butter. No detectable goat cheese or other flavors. The baklava ice cream was allegedly the star of the show on an otherwise bland dessert menu. It was well presented, a ball of ice cream wrapped in filo, twisted at the top and dusted with sugar. The ice cream had nearly all melted by the time it arrived, leaving us with syrup and about a tablespoon of actual ice cream. The decor and ambiance in the restaurant were nice, and the service was fair, aside from the I'll-described shrimp dish. Wouldn't recommend at those prices. read more

Ocean definitely earned these 5 stars I'm giving them. In addition, they've been added to my list of new faves! Stick with me as I recap my wonderful dining experience from last night! My husband and I, along with another couple, decided to go to Ocean on a whim last night. We had been at the City Club for an event and we wanted to extend our time together over a nice meal. Our friend (the female counterpart of the other couple) suggested Ocean. Out of the four of us, she was the only one that had been before so we decided to check it out. Of course last night was Friday so Ocean was practically full. However, the hostess made sure we could get a table and we got it in under 20 minutes so kudos to her! As we walked to our table, waiters and servers gracefully stepped aside to let us pass. Before I ate or drank a thing, I was already impressed with the service and decorum. We were sat and our waiter was amazing! He thoroughly went over the menu and gave us recommendations since most of us were first timers. We ordered a few orders of the Rockefeller and Bienville oysters to share. They were delicious, especially the Rockefeller oysters. Then, we had the whole flounder. When I say whole, I mean whole--head and tail included. The fish was delectable! Overall, it was an excellent dining experience for our double date. I will most certainly be going back! You get what you pay for and this place was worth every dime! read more

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We were visiting Birmingham and this was recommended to us by the lovely owner of the amazing Hassinger Daniels Mansion nearby. Had a quick cocktail at Dave's Pub on the opposite corner (not fancy but a damn good bar!) and then went for dinner. Food was outstanding; service very professional. But sometimes you happen to order about 5 minutes after a tour bus of 25 Road Scholars (not misspelled!) had just ordered. Our 1st glass of wine was finished after 35 minutes and still no appetizers. That said, the Oysters Bienville were exquisite, and the special lobster tail dish, even at $39, was a treat: two large tails split so you get four (they gave us a fifth to make up for the wait) over a bed of fresh spring vegetables and mashed potatoes....way good. My wife was also very pleased with her crab cakes and entree. Go before they get busy and you will be totally happy. And we are from NYC so we can be fussy but OCEAN rocked in the end. read more

Ocean - grilled lobster tails over fresh Spring veggies and mashed potatoes...fabulous! - Seafood Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

I surprised my wife for her birthday by coming here. Neither of us had ever been, and we were very happy to have that situation rectified! We started with the Oysters Rockefeller, which were delicious. We decided to split a few rolls of Sushi for the main course, and then decided we weren't quite done with the oysters yet! We ordered some Oysters Bienville, which were also good as well. Our waiter was great - courteous and friendly the entire meal. Word of warning - this place is on the expensive side, but it is worth it. We'll be back! read more

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I went to Ocean to celebrate a friend's birthday. I was excited to try the restaurant as I had never been before. Unfortunately the visit was disappointing enough to not be enticed to return. From the beginning, the waiter was pretty curt. We were a party of 10 so maybe he didn't want to serve a large party. Not sure. I asked about the gulf shrimp al ajillo. He said it came with 3 shrimp so I opted not to get that. I ordered the bubblegum roll and parmesan truffle fries (weird combo I know lol). The fries were good and the sushi was okay but they used one little sliver of a single shrimp for 8 pieces of the roll. So if they used a sufficient amount of shrimp the roll would have definitely been better. The waiter took my fries before I was done, but based on how rude he had been I decided not to even bother saying anything. My friend ordered the Maine lobster. One person ordered the filet mignon. A few members of my party ordered off of the Birmingham Restaurant Week. The restaurant week dish that a few people ordered was the chargrilled shrimp and scallop pasta. I tried the shrimp from the pasta - it was undercooked and barely seasoned. The guest that ordered filet mignon ordered it well done. The kitchen sent the steak out medium the first time. So the guest requested it to be cooked more, and they sent it out medium again. Which is crazy to me because literally all they needed to cook the steak longer which they refused to do. Fortunately, my friend enjoyed her lobster and that's what mattered most since she was the guest of honor and we were celebrating her birthday. But I won't be back! read more

Do not eat here. I got food poisoning from eating the mahi on Friday night. Happy Birthday to me. . Thought I was going to die. Service was awful. The waitress took fish back to the kitchen and said the kitchen staff agreed it was not cooked to their standards. Ocean was one of our favorite restaurants, but I will never go back again. If you need a good colonoscopy prep, might be a good place to eat. read more

Fantastic lobster tail appetizer. Ok whiskey selection. Great wine selection. Filet was a solid 8/10, maybe too much salt. Cool atmosphere and good service read more

Food was okay... portions were small. Service took forever. Our waitress was precious but she barley checked on us. Also, she poured wine on top of my already half full glass and charged for an entire glass of wine? Not ideal. Sushi was way better than my grouper. Would go back and only order sushi. Also would only ask for more wine once my glass was completely empty! read more

I've been here twice now and was disappointed both times. Here's why I was disappointed. The first time I ordered the boullibaise. It was good, just not great. I definitely would not get it again. This last time I ordered the grouper. It sounded fantastic on the menu. I expected it to be full of flavor. It was so bland. No flavor at all. So disappointing. My husband got the lobster on the menu. It came with oxtail risotto. That was actually really very good. I kept stealing some of his. This I would order again. That being said, hubby wasn't thrilled with it. Both times we were here we sat at the bar first while waiting for our table. I really enjoy the bar there. Both times we sat there we had nice conversations with the people sitting there. The bartender was nice and I enjoyed watching them shuck oysters at the raw bar. We sat inside the first time and outside the second. Inside was very loud. Surprisingly,I actually enjoyed the outside better. Very few tables and it was quiet and more intimate out there. The service is good and I like the atmosphere at Ocean. My issue here is if I am going to spend 30 to 40 dollars on an entree, I want to be wowed and I just was not wowed, sadly. read more

Ocean - Grouper - Seafood Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

It was our 23rd wedding anniversary and we wanted to go somewhere tried and true, thus Ocean immediately came to mind. We have been eating here since our early married days and have never been disappointed. We arrived 10 minutes early for our reservation. I had expected to wait, but was surprised to be immediately seated, even though they appeared to be full. Our waiter promptly greeted us and the service was on spot all night. The bread was presented immediately with a nice oil and fresh chopped cucumber,onion, tomato topping. We shared a Caesar Goat cheese crouton salad which was perfect in every way.The salad was crisp and fresh, seasoned perfectly and the croutons were warm and tasty. My husband had the Hereford filet. My was it tasty! Crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside, cooked exactly as ordered. I had the Oregon salmon- Oh my- what a wonderful meld of flavors! The fish was moist and flaky. The potatoes had a nice curry contrast that was perfect with the fish. Our taste buds were definitely tantalized! We had the bananas foster for desert and man was it amazing! The flavors were perfect- warm, cinnamon, bananas and a delicious cookie base. Wow! We could not have been more pleased. For a group or a romantic evening out, Ocean is still a fabulous place to go. I highly recommend it! read more

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I swear I have reviewed Ocean before but Yelp is telling me not so here I go. First off...for fresh fish and seafood in Birmingham this is the BEST! Bar none. You can get you fish mad with sauces and accompaniments the chef has developed or just get it straight up grilled or waited with no extras. The service we have always had has always bee top notch and always there with water or whatever other need you may have. The drinks are always good. Last night was no exception. Our server was spot on. Helpful and thoughtful without being pushy. The meal always starts with great bread and a thin garlic type toast the they bring a cucumber based topping to put on top. I had the tuna which was cooked perfectly rare with an incredible jasmine rice cooked in green tea. Could have eaten a bowl of that by itself. Wife had the red grouper cooked on the grill with some delicious polenta. We started with some peel and eat shrimp which were large and served with two sauces. A re cocktail sauce and a mustard based sauce. Both great to dip. Bottom line this is not only one of the best fine dining meals in B'ham but the place to go for seafood that is fresh and done right. read more

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Beware! The Bar is 'supposed' to be 'first come, first serve'. We came 10 min early before opening only to find a block of seats were already 'taken'. The host, general manager informed us people were sitting there.. We were seated at a table and after an hour we noticed no one sitting at these "taken" bar stools. ok, fine. we talked to the host/gen manager....blah blah blah...apparently if you are someone they will hold a bar seat for you....even an hour or more. Thats nice...but i wont be back. Thats not good for the regular customers. really really disappointed in this George Reiss read more

This used to be my absolute favorite restaurant in town. It's still pretty good, but definitely not the five-star quality I became accustomed to having there years ago. We started with the calamari. It's was the most bland calamari I've ever had and it was served with an equally bland aioli dipping sauce. They used to serve the calamari with a spicier sauce, which they should definitely go back to as they have cut back dramatically on the seasoning of the calamari itself. So weird, I've never had tasteless, fried calamari! My friend had sushi which was good and the quality seems consistent with what we've had there before. I ordered from the pure fish menu and had the fried shrimp. The seasoning was good (I would have liked to see similar seasoning on the calamari). Unfortunately, the shrimp was overcooked. It tasted like the shrimp had been cooked first, then battered and fried. That's the only way I can describe it. Anyway, because of the seasoning, I still enjoyed the dish. The shrimp was served with a small portion of veggies and a red pepper mash, which were fine. For dessert, I had the caramel lava cake. It was cooked nicely with a molten, caramel center. Although it was tiny, it was very rich! So if you order it, don't let the size fool you. It's more than enough! One thing that is still five-star is the service. Everyone was polite and attentive, and our server, Charity, was excellent. I still enjoy the ambience of the place so I will continue to recommend it to others. I just hope they work on bringing the food quality back up to their old standards. read more

Ocean - Head-on fried shrimp. A little over-cooked, but still delicious. - Seafood Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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My only serious complaint is that they had run out of Chablis. That's a seafood restaurant after all! Luckily, we have found another good wine (Sancerre Blanc "Les Monts Damnés" from Neveu family - it is quite different from Chablis, but also works great with seafood), so this issue was solved. We have started with Seafood Tower and Thai Curry Mussels to share. While I can't say anything bad about the seafood platter, there is nothing extraordinary in it: just good, properly cooked seafood, but that's not a dish. On the contrary, curry mussels have shown the signs of real cuisine. But the best thing was the loch duart salmon with cauliflower. Truly a masterpiece. Too bad I was almost full with all the goods from seafood tower, so I had to share it with a friend. If I knew upfront, I would've eat only mussels before this salmon. Desserts were great as well. We've tried everything that had no ice cream in it - no complaints. Even the coffee was good, which is (for unknown reason) a rare thing in posh restaurants. Prices aren't skyrocketing for this type of food, I would've said they were actually lower than I've been expecting. Ambiance is calm and dark, but not like in a crypt: brightness and loudness are actually well balanced. Waiter has done his job on a decent level, but that is expected in a place like this one. I'll definitely go there again, this restaurant is too good to make it a one-off experience. read more