Ohana Grill is a cozy Hawaiian-inspired spot right on the main drag. We started with the ceviche, which was delicious, fresh and plentiful. It was a great way to kick off the meal. The only miss of the night was the house-made chips: while tasty, they were surprisingly hefty and filled us up a bit too much before the main course, which cut into our appetites. For my entree, I had the pecan-encrusted Atlantic salmon. The coating was flavorful without overpowering the fish, and the salmon itself was tender and perfectly cooked. Others in our family ordered poke bowls and loved them. They had super fresh ingredients and generous portions. We skipped dessert at the restaurant since there are so many excellent ice cream options just a short walk away, but we left very satisfied. The staff was friendly, the service was prompt, and everything ran smoothly from start to finish. Even without a water view, Ohana Grill ended up being our top-rated restaurant of the week-long vacation, and we're already planning to come back on our next trip to Lavallette. read more

We had heard great things about Ohana Grill, so we were really looking forward to spending our last vacation dinner somewhere special. To make a long story short, the food was very good--creative, flavorful, and well worth the praise. Unfortunately, the experience was overshadowed by the excessive smoke and heat coming from the open kitchen. I'm not sure who designed the ventilation system, but it clearly isn't working properly. There was a visible haze of smoke throughout the dining room, our eyes were watering, and everyone at our table was uncomfortably warm. I felt especially bad for the kitchen and wait staff, who have to work in those conditions every day. By the time we got home, all of our clothes smelled like smoke and had to be washed. It's a shame because the food was so good, but the ventilation issues really detracted from what should have been a memorable meal. Come on, guys--please fix it! read more

Overall, the food was really good and everything we ordered was flavorful. I also appreciated that they had several gluten-free options, which made it easy to find something to eat. The few downsides were the outdoor seating, being right next to the main road, so the traffic is constant, with cars driving by quickly, making it pretty loud. The portion sizes were much smaller than expected for the price. Also, the service was very rushed - in and out in less than 25 minutes for dinner ($76 total - only 2 dinners, no app, no drink, no dessert). Overall, not sure if i'd come back. read more

Ohana Grill - Pan-seared Ahi Tuna - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

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We have probably dined at Ohana about 10 times, with the last time being this past September so don't exactly remember what we ate. However, each and every time the food is consistently good as well as the service. We always start with whatever the specialty spring roll is and the firecracker shrimp. Usually get a cut of beef but lately we are trying to eat more fish. I had some kind of white fish this time around that didn't seem to look/taste as good as the scallop risotto which I will order next time. What I think Ohana does best is their bread pudding-always amazing and their house made chips. I often order these to go (you have to email them in advance) for a half tray. They're just that good. The bread pudding is out of this world read more

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I'm giving 2 stars, not for food or servers, but our reservation was put on the calendar for the wrong day! Friends who joined us drove 2 hours and 1 1/2 hour were told there was no table available. We were angry and rude. The server saved the day by seating us on the deck outside. The manager never came out, but Michael and the young man who also served were wonderful, as was our food. read more

Food was good. Service was ok at best. Went off season so not crowded just no attention to customers.

Aurite. Please, for your own safety, haul on a harness for this one. I will recall my abstract yet accurate and authentic adventure in Ohana as best as I can. You may not believe what you read today but this is my tropical truth. The end of June comes once a year. It's the best time of the year. We can debate that all we want but it will end poorly for you. - 3 jabs, a right hook with a left bow over the top followed by unlimited uppercuts. Shirt over the head, pull the collar so you can never wear that shirt again, mamas mad because that's a new shirt from Kohl's, you are dazed and confused, I show no mercy. Happy now? Hope so. - So, June. The end of it. I'm down at the subtle and shining shore gathering with family looking to Pau hana after a long week. We are in the mood for some Ono Grindz. Hawaii. Been there, done that. Check the reviews. Side note - I'll be burning the rubber on the island of Oahu soon. For you haole, that's home to Honolulu. So if you want more of this you're getting it you lucky simpletons. Aurite. Back to June. Sauce in the form of sand on my slippahs and I shuffle my way out to Ohana Grill for some Loco Moco. Yes, I browsed the menu prior to arrival, you think I'm a layman? So, my entourage of 7 enters the oasis. Our experience? More than anyone expected. We sit down at our table. And immediately, the story begins - LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION. My hindquarters hit the chair and a volt of electricity phases out venomously. A SHUTDOWN hisses through the dining room, overwhelming the 7 of us and the staff. Coinciding this apparent supersonic sound was the new absence of artificial light. Stolen from us by Kanaloa himself, the power evaporated from the restaurant. The sun flickered into its original pre-Edison occupation as our only source or energy and she wereeee strong this day. The heat immediately filled the room. Perspiry piled on the faces of my syndicate. I was dry, but I'm a calm man trained for scintillating situations such as so. What do we do? Do we leave? Is the entire town out of power? We stay, trusting it'll kick back on. Spoiler, our trust was unwarranted. Nonetheless, we order some apps and begin on our bottles of vino. The apps were quite nice. Spam Fried Rice, Calamari and Firecracker Shrimp. A trio with a wholllle lot of game. Not even really sure who the star of the show was they all put up some crazy stats. Recommend them all to everyone. Once we pillaged the table of any food remnant, we began to notice some things. The heat had begun to transform from warm to hot. The sun had gone from sturdy to strong. Smoke had begun to choke the room. It hand a stranglehold on us. We had already ordered our entrees we could no longer retreat. I don't know if it was the smoke that led to delusion but this all made sense at the time. We had gathered, in the midst of panic and morphine-like ecstasy, that this was a move by Ohana Grill to make the most authentic Hawaiian experience of a lifetime. And that they did. The smoke capturing an experience of eating on the top of an active volcano. The heat of the Hawaiian sun. And I don't know when or how or if this truly happened but at some point during the dinner I swear I saw three Hawaiian wahine (women) dancing the hula on the table. Very authentic experience. 10/10, don't know how they pulled it off but what a surprise. In fact, the hula gals were quite exceptional dancers, my uncle had to my strap me to my seat as I began barking and attempting to jump up to dance with them. Man of culture, what can I say. Many elder diners were upping and leaving. Others were playing musical chairs to find an unidentifiable soft spot in the warm front. At some point I think there was a car pumping in A/C to the restaurant as a power supply. It may have been a rumor but it was swirling in the Hawaiian Winds of the Jersey Shore. I turned around and shook Amelia Earhart's hand sometime after the entrees were finished and knew it was my time to exit the retreat. You'd think they'd have given us free dessert for staying, or maybe clapped for us as we exited covered in sweat and blood... nope. Jot that down, disappointing. Was it sweat, or did I go surfing? Is that where the blood came from? So much to still figure out... The entrees brought Oli to the table. Most pleasurable, although the added heat exhausted by the energy required in digestion was doing numbers on us. The Loco Moco was good not great, not enough gravy. There were many different fish, steaks, crab cakes, ravioli if I recall and psssh might have even been scallops. My relatives were very content with their meals as well. All in all, the food was a big hit. The length Ohana Grill went to make the experience authentic was appreciated, but they may have went overboard. When the waiter took his top off and started surfing on the table, I felt like maybe they crossed the line. But that is subjective, up to your interpretation. Word Limit reached. Check photos plz. read more

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Food was good service too rushed . Overall it was ok . I like to relax for for dinner ,... read more

A bit cramped space-wise but a wonderful experience. The nightly specials offer a little bit for everyone. It's bring your own so grab a bottle at Lavallette liquors across the street. Crab cakes and short ribs were SO good. read more

Ohana Grill - Nightly special: chicken bacon ranch spring rolls - highly recommend! The dipping sauce is phenomenal. - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

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Ohana has always been a go to restaurant for us and friends. Living 2 blocks away it's very convenient and food has always been on point. The one star one would ask. As a business owner for 25 years we've always dealt with every issue that has faced us good or bad. No matter what the situation was we never used any form of social media to resolve any issues that came about. Recently Ohana Grill did what we and other business probably wouldn't have done regardless of the situation. Ohana used social media to either make a point or in a negative way promote the business. The damming comments by social media trolls and the fact James left the post public for days disclosing personal was in very bad taste. We will no longer patronize Ohana Grill. With every decision there's a consequence. read more

We've never had a bad meal at this place. The atmosphere is fantastic, and the food is just amazing. I get the scallops whenever I can. My wife loves steak and they do a great steak at ohana. Highly recommend this for locals in the off season and for the tourists during the summer. read more

Food was great. Hostess could use a bit of a personality adjustment. Our server was fantastic

Made reservations here for a 50th birthday dinner with 7 people. The restaurant was very accommodating; we all had a wonderful time! Sonya was our waitress & was superb as well as other attentive wait staff. The food was excellent; I didn't have appetizers but other family members had the ceviche special (mango, jalapeño, & tuna) & lobster Mac & cheese which they loved both. I had the crab cakes from regular menu which were very good; light and crispy & not too much. My husband had the filet special with mushroom sauce. Filet was delicious& cooked perfectly. We shared (what we could bc we were full) a serving of a (don't remember the name) Hawaiian style cake which was dense and had coconut with fresh whipped cream. This is a BYOB place, cute, small, but highly recommend; will definitely be back. read more

Ohana Grill - Crab Cakes - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

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Everything from start to finish was excellent! Best calamari ever was the sentiment. Pork chop Excellent! Tuna with mango rice, Excellent!! Lobster ravioli, Excellent!!! House made chips, EXCELLENT!!!! Mike was Excellent too!!!!! read more

We live 5 minutes from Ohana and eat here several times a year, but not during the summer month due to the influx of tourists. We've known Jim through a mutual friend and customer. Jim and his staff never disappoint. We've always had excellent meals here. We had Nicky as our server this past week. She was amazing, attentive and knew the menu like the back of her hand. read more

Steak special was a little tough, my wife said the Mahi-Mahi was excellent. Atmosphere and ambiance were exceptional.

Great service and delicious food. Pan seared mahi mahi special was super flavorful and tender. Calamari, mussels and shrimp appetizers were outstanding. read more

Always a good personal experience & nice variation to the usual menu's. Quality of taste & dishes are ok... varying as we've been there a few times read more

A delightful island treat in New Jersey, Ohana Grill is a wonderful place for comfort food. My friend and I went out to celebrate the end of the school year and decided to try this hidden gem. Even though they were busy, the hostess was kind enough to find a space for us. We started our night with water and bread. The bread was delicious; however, it was not warm. We split a starter of Spam Fried Rice which was a decent size and could definitely be a meal for someone looking for something on the smaller side. The fried rice was delicious and the spam was cooked to perfection. For our entrees I enjoyed the Chicken Bowl, which was delightfully spicy, with the sweetness of pineapple to cool the palate. My friend enjoyed Moco Loco, the hamburger patty was cooked to perfection and the coconut rice added a sweetness to elevate flavor. Overall, a wonderful meal and a great place with a kind staff. read more

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Loved this byob in Lavalette. Quaint little Hawaiian style eatery with an open kitchen concept. Reservations recommended. Both dishes we ordered were very fresh and prepared nicely. We shared the pecan crusted salmon over mashed sweet potatoes and the seared ahi over mango fried rice. Both dishes were very flavorful and well presented. My only complaint was the temperature of the food. I prefer my meals to be hot they were served warm. It's my personal preference. The service was very good. Our waitress was pleasant and attentive as was the entire staff. Glad I experienced Ohana now before the mad rush next week. lol. read more

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Great atmosphere and service. Entrees are delicious, service friendly. BYOB. The Fried Avocados and Thai Calamari are a must. Blackened Mahi-mahi was perfectly prepared. read more

Ohana Grill - Blackened Mahi-mahi - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

Incredible Hawaiian-inspired restaurant with a menu that offers much needed differentiation when it comes to food options on the Jersey Shore. We got the Asian Chicken spring rolls, which were a great starter. I got the spicy Thai seafood curry - amazing overall, spice level was decent (5 or 6 on a scale to 10) - I'm sure they keep it on the milder side to appease the typical crowd. I tried some of the Day Boat scallops risotto, and it was divine. Usually not a big fan of scallops, but Ohana Grill prepares them to perfection. We even got dessert to-go - the lemon bar could have been a bit more lemony, but the thin mint chocolate mousse pie was delicious. 100% recommend for a casual sitdown, just make a reservation in advance on busy days! read more

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It felt cramped and we didn't feel very welcome. We didn't really understand the vision of the restaurant or what they were going for. The food was okay but not worth the price. read more

Stopped here on recent vacation and loved it!!! The pork chop over mango risotto was the best pork chop I've ever had in my life. The salmon poke bowl was the best poke bowl my wife ever had - the salmon was blackened and moist and flavorful. The short rib taco appetizer was fantastic. And the potato chorizo soup, which was a special, was amazing. Can't wait to go back! read more

Best dinner at the shore. Service on point. BYOB! Every meal was perfect!! Had the calamari and spring rolls for our starters along with the hawaiian salad. The Maple glazed Atlantic salmon melts in your mouth. The filet mignon was perfectly done. Highly recommend read more

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Good service. However don't make late appts. The calamari was good itself however it must have been fried in low temp oil. It all was limp and underwhelming. Veggies were night in color but cold. Steak not up To par. Very chewy. I needed up eating only half. Will rethink about going again. read more

So nice, we visited twice! I was lucky enough to spend 10 glorious days at the Jersey Shore, and this restaurant was recommended to me by both family and acquaintances. I'm so happy that there is a Hawaiian restaurant at the Jersey Shore! What a great find. I enjoyed it so much that I went there twice during my 10 day trip. The restaurant is definitely a bistro, as it is on the smaller side, even with outdoor seating. In fact, the kitchen is open, so you can peek in and seek the chefs making the magic happen. We called ahead for reservations both times, which I highly recommend, as this place gets packed pretty quickly. Also, there is a TINY parking lot, and it is unreliable. I definitely suggest either ubering or giving enough time for parking, as it took us nearly a half hour to find parking for this place! It is, however, worth it. For a bistro, the menu is pretty sizeable, offering an array of appetizers, salads, soups, and meat and fish entrees. (There is also a kids menu, which they don't advertise on the regular menu.) Each night, Ohana also provides specials, including a daily rotating spring roll selection. For our first visit, we opted for the short rib spring rolls (on the special) and the pork tacos. Bother were tasty, albeit the spring rolls were a bit heavy between the richness of the short rib and the fry grease. Heavy, but tasty! We also opted for fish - I ordered the pecan maple salmon, and the came out so hot and fresh that I couldn't eat it! The salmon was cooked perfectly and the pecan and maple topping was *chef's kiss.* My mother ordered the ceab cakes and I have to say, after trying a bite, they were the BEST crab cakes I have eaten in a long time. In fact, I enjoyed them so much that I ordered them my second time around, along with the Hawaiian salad, which was a fresh and tasty starter salad. It's worth mentioning that the portions at Ohana are 'just right.' I think many restaurants offer larger-than-life portions just because they can - not so with Ohana. The portions would be considered average, but you know you're getting made-to-order, quality food. (For example, the crab cakes come with just bean salsa and chipotle aioli - seems like it wouldn't be enough, but it is, especially with an app.) Also, they offer a daily selection of fresh veggies as a side. They just steam the veggies, which is fine, but it seems a bit underwhelming compared to the rest of the menu selection. For our second time around, we arrived a bit early for our reservation. While they couldn't take us, they did offer to open our bottle of wine as we sat outside for our reservation, which was perfect. The hostess even brought out a bucket for our wine, too. Finally, the staff at Ohana are friendly, knowledgeable, and really seem to care about the place. We will be adding this into our rotation of restaurants down the shore! It is worth the trip from Seaside. read more

We came here for Restaurant week and we were very happy with the food. The prefix menu had great options. The short ribs were so flavorful. The waitstaff was super friendly. You can see right into the kitchen and it was super clean and working like an engine. read more

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What a spot. Easily one of the most memorable meals I've had in years. Every bite of every dish was delicious. I would do almost anything for the coconut rice recipe... Stars of the dinner IMO were the Spam Fried Rice, the sticky ribs, and the salmon bowl. However, as I stated earlier, there was not a bad dish served. The service was good - nothing above and beyond, but the waiter steered us to some of our choices and he was spot on with every suggestion. Exactly what I hope for from a restaurant. We sat outside, so didn't get a feel for the ambiance. But frankly, it could be a run down shack and I wouldn't care - the food is THAT good. Just go. Thank me later. Tip your waiter. read more

The portions seemed a little small for the price & did not come with a dinner salad/soup. We had the lobster pot pie (7/10) & the Huli Huli Chicken which was beyond amazing (10/10). Make sure to make reservations, as this they do not have walk ins (at least didn't when we visited). This is also BYOB, no bar. read more

Ohana Grill - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

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BYOB... limited parking, street parking available. Great staff, friendly, offered specials for the day. Mike, our server was amazing. We ordered appetizers to split to get a little taste of everything we could. Food is fresh, delicious, and prepared to perfection. Crab Rangoon's... so soft, creamy and little bit of a crunch. I highly recommend this little gem of a place! read more

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Came tonight after many of our neighbors raved about this place. We had the avocado bites, chowder and wedge to start both were delicious! For entrees we had the poke bowl, the chicken bowl and the mahi special. The coconut rice was very undercooked, it was crunchy, but the rest of the bowls were very good. The mahi special was inedible. The lemon sauce was clearly over reduced and was bitter. I mentioned to the server and the kitchen said nobody else was complained which I find hard to believe. Our server was wonderful and everything else was great. Disappointed with the quality from the kitchen for a place that has such rave reviews. read more

Food was good. Service was very friendly and helpful. Although we had an outside table reservation, we were quickly offered an inside table to get out of the wind. read more

We went here for Restaurant week to try a new place. Started with spring rolls which were good, everyone else enjoyed their firecracker shrimp. I ordered the grilled pork chop which arrived under cooked. Service was disappointing Waitress never came back to see how our food came out. I had to give my chop to the hostess walking by to return it to the kitchen. It was better once cooked. Chocolate chip skillet was delish for dessert. Meal was a great value but not sure if we would go back. read more

We enjoyed everything about this place and the staff was very attentive and friendly. The only issue is that the olive oil bread dip was spicy as well as the vegetable lo mein dish that my teenage daughter had. In fact, she couldn't really eat much of it because it was very spicy for her taste. We just wished it would've said that it was spicy on the menu or the server would've let us know. If you don't like spicy food, please ask the wait staff to tone it down for you when you order. Otherwise, everything was very tasty. The scallops and risotto were delicious as was the NY Strip & the Stuffed Organic Chicken Breast. We were seated immediately and we had made reservations a couple hours earlier. read more

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Absolutely amazing , exceeded my expectations. I'm an extremely picky person and I couldn't complain about one thing . Definitely try the spare ribs and crispy rice cake . The coconut chicken special was superb. Can't wait to come back ! read more

Ohana Grill - Coconut chicken special & Surf n turf - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

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The best restaurant in Lavallette. Hard to get a table at as it's super small. It's BYOB. We love to sit outside but it does get loud on Rt 35. The Thai calamari is our favorite; as is the ahi tuna with mango fried rice. Lots of yummy specials nightly. read more

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Great Hawaii Vibes. Make reservations well in advance. Always great food. We wish they were open more in winter read more

Absolutely the best New England clam chowder...... Very accommodating staff, without hovering read more

Delicious food in a clean atmosphere. It's not strictly "Hawaiian" food per se, but rather Hawaiian themed with touches of Asian and American cuisine in the mix. For instance, they have New England Clam Chowder, Thai Curry seafood medley, Beer Battered Onion Rings, to name a few. It's an eclectic mix that works quite well. Our server had an exceptional knowledge of the menu and was able to offer suggestions/recommendations. She warned us that certain dishes would be spicy, and she was on the money. I love spice, but appreciated the heads-up. The only thing I tried that I didn't care for was the Pork Bao Buns. I found them to be quite doughy and heavy. The meal was properly paced, the service was attentive and the seating/atmosphere comfortable. They take reservations and have some outdoor seating as well. The menu also lists gluten free options for those in need. It's a place I could go to multiple times and have an entirely different meal. The menu is diverse without being overwhelming. read more