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What We Ordered - Five Seasons Don with added Scallop - Lava Flow Don I didn't read reviews before ordering so we ended up ordering 2 types of chirashi don instead of trying one of the torched series. Fish was very fresh! No frills or heavy sauces. Location has limited indoor seating and there is a bit of a wait since each bowl is assembled when ordered.
Ocean taste can take all my money. We did see a couple of small cockroaches walking around the restaurant and crawling on the walls. Slightly concerning? Sure. Will I still come back? Yeah, probably. Also a little odd that I've actually never seen any cockroaches anywhere else at south shore marketplace... If you're the type that worries about your food prep.. maybe take this into consideration..
Tuna is insanely fresh, literally like butter in your mouth as you take your first bite. They have more simple classic flavors, if you want something a little richer then their seared series is also a delight! They have sashimi bowls and other seafood if you want a more elevated bowl too. Personal faves are the fresh ginger ahi, the torched garlic ahi, and crème brulee salmon!! Drooling just thinking about it... Love their calamansi honey drink along with their other fruit teas.
Good salmon poke! Salmon poke is hit or miss, but the texture and taste from this salmon was good. I got the spicy salmon poke bowl, but I felt like it could have been spicier. I also wish the rice to poke ratio was better, but they get a point for having warm but not extremely hot rice. Service was good and there is seating in the restaurant, but it can get extremely busy!
Been loving this place since their 'Ohana Hale and later Kapahulu days and their newest location is smaller but still inviting and I like being able to find parking more easily in the South Shore Market lot. I always get the same torched garlic bowl and my hubs likes the Lava Flow. Both of these are equally delicious, fish is fresh, and rice is on point. Their service is quick even during lunch on a weekday. Thank you for the awesome tastes and can't wait to try more.
How many times can we eat here before it's considered a problem? This is our go to order: pineapple plantation iced tea, torched spicy mentaiko ahi, and torched garlic salmon. The best poke bowl with such a delicate and rich flavor!
This poke spot always hits the spot! I switched up my usual order and tried the Island Ginger Ahi, and it did not disappoint. There were several people in line when I got there, but the wait wasn't bad at all. The fish is always fresh and perfectly cut...no chewy or vein pieces. The rice is delicious, too. I also got a honey calamansi drink. I don't like overly sweet drinks, and this one is just right and has fresh calamansi inside it.
Fresh quality sushi- we especially liked the lava flow. Ordered to go by phone 5-6 tables available for dining Quick service
This is not your average poke bowl. Ocean Taste is famous for their torched bowls which have a brûlée-torched top. They do also have non-torched options which are just as good. Service is quick, counter service. There are tables to eat within the shop as well as around South Shore Market.
The torched garlic butter ahi bowl was SO good! The fish was extremely soft, fresh, and flavorful, and the garlic butter added the perfect amount of richness without overpowering the ahi. We also tried the lilikoi iced tea, which wasn't too sweet and had the perfect balance to go with the bowl. It's a smaller shop located inside South Shore Market, but there was still a handful of seating available. The music was good, everything was very clean, and the overall atmosphere was really nice. We definitely enjoyed our food and would come back again!
I've been wanting to try Ocean Taste at South Shore Market for a while since it's always busy and I've heard a lot of good things about it. For my first visit, I ordered the Torched Spicy Salmon Crème Brûlée, one of their popular items. Going into it, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but the bowl was much sweeter than I anticipated. Since it's a crème brûlée inspired dish, that's understandable, but I found the sweetness overpowered some of the savory flavors for me. I think I may have enjoyed it more if I had tried one of their other options, such as the Garlic Torched Salmon. The salmon itself was fresh and good quality. The bowl comes lined with foil, which likely helps prevent sticking and gives the dish a clean presentation. However, because everything is kept neatly within the foil-lined bowl rather than being piled high, the portion feels more modest, which made the $17 price tag a little harder for me to justify. With a small side salad, my total came out to around $21. While everything tasted fresh, I left feeling like it was a bit pricey for what was served. Service was quick and efficient. I ordered upon arrival, there was no line, and my food was ready within about 5-10 minutes. There is plenty of seating available. Ocean Taste has tables inside, and South Shore Market also offers outdoor seating and a communal table towards the center of the market , making it easy to find a place to sit and enjoy your meal. Parking can be a little tricky depending on the time of day. The first floor of the parking structure tends to be the busiest, but if you're willing to head up to the higher levels, especially the third floor, you're usually more likely to find a spot within a few minutes. Overall, I'm glad I finally gave Ocean Taste a try. The ingredients were fresh, the service was efficient, and I can see why it has a loyal following. While the Torched Spicy Salmon Crème Brûlée wasn't quite for me due to the sweetness and the value didn't fully match the price in my opinion. That being said, I would definitely come back to try another item on their menu!
My daughter wanted to try this eatery because she heard good things about it. We went a few minutes after they opened at 11:00am on a Wednesday morning and there was already a line. They have a few tables and bar type seating for singles to sit and eat against the wall. Luckily, we snagged a 2 seater table and ordered the Torched Garlic Salmon to share. -Good news was that the salmon was very fresh, absolutely delicious, and melted in our mouths! Thank goodness my daughter doesn't eat too much and was filled with just half of it. I could've eaten more as the rice was fluffy and the sauces were heavenly. -Bad news is that it's a pretty small serving (it's a mini sized portion container). Another downside is the price of $17.95. -Conclusion: It lived up to the hype. I'd buy it again because it was just THAT good. Keep in mind, it's not a ton of food but you're paying for quality. Service was also excellent as the cashier was friendly and fast. Support small businesses
Good service, very tasty spicy salmon bowl, casual atmosphere with a mellow vibe. Located in a cool little mall with parking
Lovely place for yummy sashimi and poke bowls with great service. The only reason for the missing star is because they take a wee bit long to make the food (considering each person orders 1 or 2 items and there's no cooking). Wish they had a make-your-own bowl, where you can pick 3 or 4 fish.... my go to is always the Five Seasons Don $28.95 (excellent cuz not salty and comes with a yummy sauce on the side), but sometimes id be happy with just ahi, salmon, and something else (I dont believe they have hamachi). Plantation ice tea is getting more consistent so that makes me happy. read more
4 months ago
Stopped by Ocean Taste in Honolulu and was seriously impressed. We ordered a couple of their baked seafood dishes (I can't remember the exact names), topped with spicy mayo, eel sauce, green onions, and fish roe, and both were absolutely delicious. The seafood was fresh, the sauces were balanced, and the portions were surprisingly filling. The presentation was great, and every bite had a nice mix of textures and flavors. We also grabbed an iced tea that paired perfectly with the meal. read more
Food: 5/5 Hands down one of the BEST poke places I've ever had. The fish was so fresh and there were decent chunks! The sauce was a perfectly balanced spicy and tangy, the portion size was perfect, and the price was just right. Service: 5/5 No complaints! Clean place although limited seating, the staff was very nice and patient (indecisiveness kills me I know...) Ambiance: 4/5 You can see the prep table/kitchen quite easily from the eating area (spoiler, it's SUPER clean!). Outside of that my only personal comment is that the seating area is limited and there's very little walk way space if there's more than two parties. Overall: 5/5 Great food, great location, great vibes! read more
Ocean Taste has a variety of flavorful poke made using high-quality fish. While it may be a little pricey, I think it's definitely worth it for the freshness of their fish. I love their spicy ahi, but I find their other flavors of poke to be much more unique. We got the Garlic Ahi and Creamy Wasabi Ahi. The Garlic Ahi had a very strong, garlic flavor, topped with garlic crisps and sweet onions that offered a nice crispy change in texture. The Creamy Wasabi Ahi (my personal favorite) has a fresh wasabi flavor that gives enough kick to make you really taste the wasabi, topped with crispy tempura flakes and sweet onions to pull everything together. I wish you could combine two or three of their different types of poke into one combo bowl, but it's cool that they also offer torched poke options, as well. Vibe: There are a handful of tables inside Ocean Taste, and many other seating options located in South Shore Market. The workers are friendly and the service is always fast. Parking: The South Shore Market has a huge parking structure with free parking, although it can get quite crowded and congested on the weekends. read more
1 year ago
So my coworker cancelled lunch on me today... tragic, I know. I mourned for a solid five minutes before realizing: I don't need that kind of negativity in my life--I need poke. Not the frozen poke but fresh poke. Ocean taste it is... I've been supporting this place since their days at Ohana Marketplace. I've tried a bunch of their poke bowls, but I always end up going back to the spicy torched mentaiko ahi bowl. The fish is super fresh, the sauce is packed with flavor, and it just hits the spot every time. It's definitely on the pricier side, but if you're looking for quality fish, it's absolutely worth it. This is hands down my go-to for fresh poke! read more
1 year ago
I ordered the torched ahi with garlic mayo, and my friend had the spicy poke bowl. My fish had no stringy muscle but my friend's had a little. I really enjoyed my bowl and so did my friend. The rice was quite a bit and I couldn't finish it. The place was not too busy and we were served in a rather short time. They also have UNI (my favorite). The space was clean with ample seating. read more
1 year ago
My friends and I went to Ocean Taste to grab some fresh poke. I ordered Lava Flow Don which is spicy ahi, ikura, tamago, and scallops from Hokkaido. Torched Garlic Salmon with unagi sauce, garlic mayo, green onion, and masago. Cheesy Crab is kanikama crab leg, house soy glaze, cheese sauce, green onion, and masago and a plantation iced tea. My favorite was the Lava Flow Don. The spicy ahi with those scallops and tamago mixed with rice. So good. The cheese crab was pretty good but they added abit too much of the masago. It was abit too salty for my taste. The plantation iced tea was a nice drink to have when eating all that poke and its hot outside. The price, abit pricy but worth it. It isn't your normal poke rice bowl. The service was nice, and the wait wasn't long. My friends and I enjoyed Ocean Taste. We plan to go again. read more
1 year ago
I feel like a lot of people come here for their spicy salmon creme brulee bowl but I'm not a fan of salmon so I get their spicy ahi bowl which is soo tasty! One of the best spicy ahi poke. I really like how the ahi is so soft and melts in your mouth. I also enjoy how they add some onions in there for a bit of an added texture/crunch. The food comes out pretty fast and I think the prices are reasonable especially for high-quality fresh tasting fish. This is a must try spot for poke! read more
8 months ago
Got the (i believe) ahi dynamite torched bowl and it was amazing! I loved that the sushi rice is not hot so that it cooked the fish and flavored perfectly. The mayo was a good balance for the freshness of the fish and the sauces were balanced. Definitely a bit heavy with all the cream/mayo on top, but a delicious treat. Service was quick and polite, and there is a decent amount of seating inside. Very cute since inside south shore market! Would like to try a non-torched bowl next time. read more
1 year ago
This was the best poke bowl I have ever had. The pieces of fish were so fresh, and every bite melted in my mouth. I really enjoyed the garlic salmon poke bowl. There was a perfect amount of char and smokiness. The drinks were also delicious! It is a takeout restaurant with plenty of seating in the middle of an outlet mall. I liked that I got my food quickly, and it was great to stop by after shopping. My family and I came to this restaurant three times within the span of a week during our trip to Maui. Cannot recommend enough! read more
1 month ago
We had dinner here last night and the poke bowls are excellent. It's one of the best that I've had in a while. The fish they use are all fresh and never frozen. You can totally tell the difference. They also have sushi rice, which I always get when available. We got the Lava Flow Don $18.95, Spicy Ahi Poke Bowl $15.95 and a Lilikoi Iced Tea $5. Everything was so tasty. Not only was the fish fresh, they have the best sauces. The Lava Flow Don came with Hokkaido scallop, ikura, spicy ahi and tamago. The scallop were so sweet and paired perfectly with the spicy ahi. I would definitely recommend this. This bowl came with a shiso leaf and it made all the difference. It made the bowl fragrant. The spicy ahi had sriracha mayo, masago, green onion and unagi sauce. We washed it down with the refreshing lilikoi iced tea. It wasn't too sweet and just perfect. They put too much ice though. The cup was basically filled with ice. I will be back to try some of their other items. However, I'm a creature of habit and just might order the same thing again. read more
I placed an easy to-go order on a relatively quiet afternoon, and my food was ready in about 15 minutes. The ordering process was seamless, and there was no crowd to dodge. Even though I grabbed takeout, I noticed a handful of simple tables and chairs inside, plus an open kitchen where you can watch them cut the fish and assemble each bowl. Seeing everything made me confident in the freshness and care behind every dish. Ordered the lava flow don, spicy ahi bowl, hawaiian style ahi, & shrimp tempura. The food tasted good and the poke was fresh. With so many poke bowl and sushi spots around, this isn't the most game-changing menu you'll ever try, but it delivers exactly what you want: fresh fish, balanced flavors, and solid portion sizes. Given the fast, easy ordering and thoughtful packaging, I'd happily return next time I'm in the area. Ocean Taste is a reliable stop for a quick, satisfying poke fix. read more
Ocean Taste at South Shore Market Place is one of our go-to spots. My boyfriend and I come here at least once a month, and at one point we were coming almost every week The fish is always so fresh, which is why we keep coming back. I'm definitely a creature of habit and usually stick to my favorite, the torched garlic salmon don, but I'm never afraid to try something new here because I'm never disappointed. This time I tried the garlic ahi poke bowl (yes, I'm a garlic girl), and it was amazing!!! My boyfriend ordered the snowy volcano bowl and loved it just as much. Ocean Taste never disappoints. Chef's kiss. read more
Time and again, I find myself coming back to Ocean Taste when I want a high quality poke bowl. Everything on the menu is delicious, and my favorites are the Torched Garlic Salmon, Torched Garlic Butter Ahi, Lava Flow Don, and Snowy Volcano Don. The fish is always fresh, sauces are full of flavor, and the rice is nicely seasoned sushi rice. At almost $20 for a bowl, this is definitely more of a treat than a budget poke bowl you'd get from one of the grocery stores, but it's worth every penny. There is almost always a brief line during peak dining hours, but you can call ahead if you are placing a bigger order - service is always super friendly! There are a few tables inside and some more places to sit and eat around South Shore Market. South Shore Market shares a parking lot with TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack. The parking garage is big but usually busy; don't be shy about driving up few floors to find a spot. read more
1 year ago
If you're craving torched poke, this spot is the move. The torched spicy ahi the best. The smoky flavor hits you first, then the sauce comes in clutch without drowning the fish. They season the rice with furikake and it just ties everything together. The bowls run a little pricey and they're on the smaller side, but the fish is super fresh so it still feels worth it. Definitely my new go to when I want that smoky poke fix. read more
2 months ago
Came at 10:50am & was 1st in line on a Wednesday. The fish was so fresh. I got the five season don, which is just a variety of nigiri/sashimi. The egg was perfectly jammy and added such a nice touch. I also love that the crab meat is real crab with no mayo! You can eat inside the store with amazing AC or in "hallway" area if you're eating with other people and want to get different items from different stores. read more
This place was. SO. GOOD. We got the torched garlic salmon and it hit SO GOOD. It wasn't too busy when we went and the workers were sweet! If you are down to try new poke spots, please add this place!! I'll be back for sure! read more
5 months ago
Delicious food! The salmon was soft and very tasty. They finished making my order in a timely fashion and were very helpful. The ambiance is great since it is located in a great spot at South Shore Market. Definitely want to try more bowls there! read more
Nice, clean place that serves creative poke bowls. We got the Snowy Volcano Don. It has snow crab on top and ahi tuna poke on the bottom, it tasted sweet and salty, fresh and delicious, made to order. We look forward to try other items in this store. A few hours later...... I am changing my review from 5 stars to 2 stars because a few hours after eating the Snowy Volcano Don, we became very thirty, which is an indication that they put MSG in their food to enhance the flavor. MSG is unhealthy and to add that means they do not pride themselves on serving the best quality food, instead, using other chemicals as means to artificially enhance the favor. Paying almost $18 dollar for a small bowl of poke to have MSG in it is not acceptable. We won't be coming back. Next day... ATTENTION!!! We saw they charged extra 3% for credit card processing, which was not explicitly announced to us by the cashier, and not standard practice. Very tricky here! For that, I am lowering my rating now from 2 start to 1 star. read more
Business owner information
Anna N.
thank you for visiting us! Ocean Taste is known for serving the best…
Creative varieties... Ocean has seen it's places since the Ohana Hale Marketplace as it once called home there has found a lovely spot in the South Shore Market which I think is a great spot as it provides lots of free parking and restroom as well as I remember their previous location didn't have any restroom which I thought was odd but because of that never really gave it a try. Though South Shore Market does provide seating as well they do have a great amount inside their shop as well as I ordered my food first and are given a number to pick up your order when it's ready. What I do love is the menu variety they have besides the usual poke bowl with more than just a few types of sauces to choose from but Chirashi bowl, aburi series which are torched items and what I ordered a Poke Nachos....Spicy Senorita Nachos to be exact though the name didn't quite fit the dish as it felt basic as I don't see why it would be topped with unagi sauce and there was absolutely no spice which made it even more disappointing, the tortilla chips were seasoned so I could barely taste the poke as the whole dish just didn't quite work as it was the same topping just different sauce for the ahi I guess. Cute place and love the vibe here as it's very chill and relaxing and to find seating without worry is always a plus besides the fresh fish found here. Thank you! read more
Bright, open interior. Table and wall counter seating. Service is prompt with order at the counter and quick turnaround for bowl being served. Ahi is fresh. Torched prep adds a unique smoky flavor to the bowl. Nice portion for the price though a little heavy on the rice to fish ratio. Found this place out last day. Would love to try more from the menu. read more
Food & service was great & the atmosphere here great as well. The only thing I thought was not good was the fish to rice portion but all in all it was a good poke bowl and torched bowl place. Everything here seemed fresh and made to order but of all the bowls the best one I thought was their salmon crème brûlée don. Taste was amazing and order til when you get your food was fairly fast. Although parking maybe hard to find here this place is worth it. If in the area give ocean taste a try I'm sure you'll enjoy it. read more
2 years ago
Ya, get their aburi salmon bowl! It's one of the best I've had! To make it even better, I topped it off with some ikura and micro greens from my fridge when I got home :D turning it into a deluxe version haha. Divine. Their sauce was to die for. So creamy, garlicky, smoky, sweet and savory. I just didn't want my meal to end. The salmon was also pretty fatty, and the rice was perfect as well. Hm... I can't wait to have it again. Or shall I try other stuff? The first time I went there I got their poke. Their spicy salmon and garlic octopus were both fresh, free of chewy parts, and had good seasoning. This place serves up some good food and it's close to home. Hurray! read more
I have had this spot on my list for SOOO long, their bowls looked so delicious and after finally visiting, it did NOT disappoint! This spot is within the Southshore Market, plenty of shops around but we eventually found it. The layout of the spot is minimal and clean. Other than your interaction at the counter with the employees, everything else is self service. We knew in our minds that the torched bowls were what we wanted to go for, but after a quick discussion we quickly decided on: - Torched Garlic Salmon - Torched Spicy Mentaiko Ahi Both bowls were delicious and 10/10, the sauces on top were flavorful, the fish was fresh, and the sushi rice on the bottom was the perfect pairing to finish the bowl off. However, despite my enjoyment of the bowls, my complaint arises when the bowl was finished way too quickly. Per the $18 per bowl price tag, the sizing is just simply too small. The fish is also a small layer on top of the rice, likely estimated to be around 4oz (sauce included). Neither of me or my partner was close to being full. I'm my opinion, they definitely need to up their sizing with that price. read more
6 months ago
5 months ago
Torched bowls are so good i stop caring about the price. Perfect flavors and perfect when you want a saucey poke bowl read more
2 months ago
Ordered the torched garlic salmon (Aburi Series). Their signature dish of garlic mayo and salmon combo was very pleasing. The flame-seared flavor made this bowl special, creamy and caramelized. The salmon was a bit firm. Lava flow chirashi don (Hokkaido scallop, ikura, spicy ahi, and tamago). The scallop sashimi was the star of the bowl! The spicy ahi added a nice contrast, tasted like it had some Korean spice. The iced honey calamansi drink was lightly sweet and refreshing. The fish to rice ratio was perfect. Portion size was a snack or light meal. Satisfying flavors! read more
I've been wanting to try Ocean Taste ever since they opened in South Shore Market! I'm always a little skeptical of places that blow up on social media, but this place did not disappoint. I came on a Sunday for lunch and it was busy, but the food came out fast. Parking was also easy because we parked in a 15 minute stall right near the entrance since we were getting takeout. I wanted to go for a torched bowl since that's what they're known for, but there were way too many options that looked good, and I ended up getting the California ahi. My bowl was honestly very impressive. The ahi was super fresh and red (lol) and the flavor of the spicy ahi and unagi sauce + creamy avocado was so good. Idk if it was just because I was hungry but this was probably the best poke bowl I've had in a while. My friend got the mentaiko ahi and loved hers as well. I'll be back to try the torched salmon bowls next time! read more
2 years ago
My new favorite poke spot! They have such a good variety of fish. My favorite is the torched garlic salmon- so flavorful & lots of sauce! The fish is very fresh. We also tried the lava flow don which was also so so so good with the raw scallops. Honestly, with the rise of fish prices- I feel like their prices are pretty good. Theres usually a line, so I like to call ahead which makes getting my bowls a lot quicker. If not expect about a 10 minute (worthwhile) wait. read more
I might be a loyalist to Domo Cafe, but I wanted to try Ocean Taste's similar seared salmon bowl and I must say it was more like a rice bowl with bits of seared salmon priced too high for its quality and quantity/ratio of rice to salmon. read more
One of my favorite spots for poke on the island! My family and I have been fans since they were at Ohana Hale Marketplace, and their unique and high-quality poke bowls have consistently kept us coming back (and anxiously waiting during their past relocations!). As a lover of ahi poke, my favorite bowls are the California Ahi and Island Ginger Ahi. Both the fish and other toppings are always so fresh and delicious! I love that their bowls are made with sushi rice, and they give quite a lot of it! While a little pricey, I'd say it's still reasonable for the quality of each bowl. They're conveniently located in South Shore Marketplace, and I think they fit the vibes there perfectly. Definitely enjoy one of their teas or lemonades with their poke if you're interested-they're nothing particularly special, but still delicious and refreshing! read more
7 months ago
Nearly $20 for this tiny portion of average poke. This bowl is probably 90% rice and 10% everything else. You can get better tasting food with bigger portions by going to foodland or don quiote and you wont pay nearly as much. read more
Just finished eating the best salmon bowl from Ocean Taste! I kind of wished me and my husband didn't share this bowl! It was so dang good! The ikura added a nice surprise. It made us eat every grain of the sushi rice. My daughter can't eat salmon so we bought her the California bowl to go. When we ordered her lunch, the cashier told us that they use the salmon belly for the bowl. Could tell because it was so flavorful and soft! We will guarantee be back and we will order our own bowl for sure! read more
3 months ago
Ocean Taste has finally relocated back into the Ward area since the closing of the Ohana marketplace. I've been waiting for them to come back in the area and was super excited to learn that they're now located in South Shore Market. The building has free parking (the same one for TJ Maxx, Nordstrom rack, and Core Power). Service and Ambiance: Simple, minimalistic designs inside with countertop seating and a few tables. A downside to this location is its limited seating, which may not be suitable for big groups looking for a sit-down. There is, however, a lot of seating within the marketplace/building itself. It's still more of a grab-and-go type place, IMO. Staff are friendly and efficient in getting your order ready. Once ordered, you'll be given an order number, and they'll call you when the order is prepared. I went at an off time (2pm), so there was',t but I have seen the lines out the door when they're busy during lunch, so be prepared for a short wait. Price $$: Prices have increased since their days at the Ohana marketplace but this is likely due to rising costs for ingredients and high rent costs at Ward. Most items are in the $16-$30 range, with their poke and aburi (torched ) bowls ranging from ~$15.95 -$17.95, which is comparable to other poke places. Food: Their torched bowls are my go-to, and I ordered their torched spicy mentaiko ahi during my most recent visit. It had the same great taste, but portions were smaller than I remembered. I'd estimate ~1/3 pounds of mentaiko ahi on top of the rice. Overall, I'd recommend coming to satisfy your poke and torched poke bowls when you're in Ward. read more
More info about Ocean Taste
1170 Auahi St
Honolulu, HI 96814
Ala Moana
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(808) 636-0877
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