We called around noon on a Saturday night in hopes of a reservation that night, knowing it's a small and busy place. We ended up getting a very friendly call back around 2:30 and got a reservation for 9:30 that night, a little late but understandable on short notice and we had friends in from Connecticut and we wanted to take them to a nice dinner. We arrived and sat outside and it was a beautiful night despite the fact we had a flash thunderstorm 2 hours earlier. We ordered the spring roll appetizer special, two soups and a salad for the four of us. I didn't have the soup but heard it was great as was the salad. The cheesesteak egg rolls were tasty, but very small for $9. For entrees we ordered 2 risottos, the grouper special and I got the short rib ravioli special. The ravioli were awesome and so was the risotto (I stole some). I didn't taste the grouper but I heard it was average/good. All in all we've been here a few times and it is always a very solid choice and we will be back... we have family that live down the street so it's great to be able to walk to. ***BYOB*** read more

Ohana Grill - Short Rib Ravioli Special ($22) - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

One of my favorites at the Jersey shore. Fresh seafood, innovative menu choices. Nice friendly staff. Like that it is BYOB also.

We ate here for the first time and will definitely be back! Our reservation was on a busy Saturday on Memorial Day weekend so we were expecting it might be bumpy however we're pleasantly surprised with the high quality of the food and excellent service. Sarah was outstanding - checking in regularly and also keeping us informed on the progress on our appetizers and entrees. Although the restaurant was busy the pacing of the courses was normal - not too slow or rushed. Appetizers included fried avocado, ceviche, and calamari (perfectly cooked - so tender). Entrees were a Mahi Mahi special and ahi tuna with mango fried rice. We had an outdoor reservation which is at the front of the restaurant, with a screen for some privacy. Sometimes a bit noisy from traffic on Route 35 but it was a nice night and we would sit outside again. read more

Always excellent food and service. Delicious and fresh dishes. Our favorite date night spot but great to bring the family too!! Definitely recommend read more

Ohana grill has the best food in Lavallette by far! This is my family's second summer coming here and we have yet to be disappointed. The menu has a wide range of delicious choices. Some of my personal favorites are the thai calamari, firecracker shrimp, the seared ahi, and the seafood curry( if you don't mind spice). Beyond the food, the service is always excellent. We have been served by Kathy both times and she is extremely attentive and was sure we had everything we wanted throughout our meal. FYI, the restaurant is BYOB :) ohana grill will be a staple to visit on our yearly shore trip! read more

Horrified at the disgraceful behavior. Wedding catered food truck at Ocean Beach Yacht Club embarassed themselves by refusing to serve more than one lobster roll to a guest in a group of four that refused their "allocated" one. The server went on to warn other guests "stop following me, you only get one." How then were all 98 lobster rolls served? Who took home the extra? Not a good look Ohana.Lavalett read more

The menu is very unique and everything we tried was delicious. The fried avocado was very good I've never seen it on a menu before. Had to give it a try. Lynn the hostess is always personal. The wait staff is professional and accommodating. The ambiance is a little above what is normal for The Jersey Shore. It is BYOB. I am sure we will return many times. read more

Had dinner there tonight and they had a full booking. The owner was very accommodating for my daughter and I and graciously found us a seating. The food was excellent. read more

Such great food, place is clean and well-run. Love open kitchen concept. Everyone is so nice and staff is professional. There are some unique menu items. My only suggestion would be about the atmosphere...lighting is too cafeteria-ish (bright) to create ambiance. Would be nice if lights were dimmed. read more

We love this restaurant and have never been disappointed in a meal. There is so much to choose from and we never leave hungry!

We tried Ohana after looking for a "nicer" restaurant 'down the shore.' While the food was OK, it wasn't worth the $200+ price tag for a family of four (and our child ordered off the children's menu). It makes me sad to write a negative review about a small family-run restaurant, but the prices do not match the quality of food or ambiance. read more

so apparently this is the place when down at the shore and while ohana means family in hawaiian do NOT attempt to stop by and try to get an order of spam fried rice to go - they are way too busy to even help out a fellow chef who checked out the menu and that was all he wanted...oh well hope to call ahead next time and try it. read more

The food was fair but the noise level in this restaurant was unbearable. My husband and I could not even carry on a conversation. It overpowered the food. I ordered a chicken dish that was tightly wrapped in a overly strong tasting bacon that was difficult to remove. It was also stuffed with something that I could not identify but it was tasteless. I could not eat most of it. read more

Amazing food and great service. Exceeded my already high expectations. Ohana delivered!

Food is amazing. Loved the pineapple ahi tuna ceviche with homemade pita chips. The scallops were over a delicious corn and asparagus risotto. Staff friendly, fun Hawaiian themed environment! Highly recommend! read more

Ohana Grill - Ceviche - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

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We just had dinner here and everything was perfect, the service started when we received our call back to make a reservation. I left a message and was called less than 3 hours later, perfect arrangement. We arrived early and were seated immediately. Our servers were polite, smiled and so friendly. The food was delicious. We had the crab Rangoon wonton, and the soup of the day, roasted corn bisque, a delectable taste of sweet roasted corn, celery and onions in a bisque. Each entree was devoured. Lobster ravioli, Pan seared Ahi, Sea scallops pan seared with a corn and asparagus risotto and a filet mignon cooked to perfection. Our waitress and servers were attentive but not bothersome. I highly recommend this place, I will be back before the summer is through. BYOB, but a liquor store right across the street. read more

Ohana Grill - Just completed a perfect day at the Jersey Shore - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

We had only gotten tacos at the food truck once previously, very recently when it was at Laurita Winery. They (the tacos) were so great tasting and we were so impressed that when we saw OHANA on the Jersey Shore Restaurant Week list we really looked forward to trying it! We called a couple of times, it seems to go straight to voicemail and I'm not a big leave a message person, but finally did and they called back within 10 minutes. They generously let us come at 830 on Friday night. We were easily the last seated guests but thank you! It was as good as we imagined, our server Andrea was very nice and helpful! We had apps Soup, calamari and the harvest salad, all delicious. Wanted to try the sticky ribs but they ran out, so get there early!!!! Entrees were the tuna and short rib and we added side of spam fried rice A++ And desserts tortuga cake and pumpkin bar. Tasted made in house, very good. It's a BYO too, how much better come it get. Will definitely be back and wish them good luck in their business, which we were surprised to learn has been around for 9 years. They made it through pandemic shutdown and we're not local so very glad to have seen them on restaurant week. If you can only get to the truck make sure that you do :) read more

Same as the other reviewer, I got horrible food poisoning from O'hana this summer. What made it even worse was that it was on my birthday. My family and I should have left as soon as we sat down and saw over a dozen flies on the ceiling. But our server was so nice and the reviews so good, we decided to stay. I also knew that getting another reservation last minute to celebrate my birthday would be close to impossible. The food was good, not great. No way worth the money we spent. The extra star is for the service. Maybe instead of investing money on a food truck, hiring an exterminator should be higher up on the priority list. Also proper refrigeration and keeping correct temperature of food should be looked into since this might also be the cause of why customers are getting sick. The restaurant itself was very warm. Just a few suggestions. Thank you Ohana for ruining my birthday. read more

Poke bowls are amazing! It's nice that you can pick what you want on it. This is now in our rotation for take out!

I was hesitant to go out to dinner on Valentines Day, but my husband really wanted to go out. I chose Ohana Grill and was truly delighted! The food was outstanding as always, but the service was also on the mark, even on this crazy holiday when many people go out and service can suffer. All of the staff was so friendly and accommodating. My husband and I had the special Valentines dinner and each course was excellent. The mushroom ravioli was particularly delicious. read more

I am still sitting at the restaurant that I have been a fan for so many years! This place helped go through the pandemic. Today, it is my first day back for the Summer. Something changed... the owner? The Chef for sure! The food is not the same, this I can tell you ... I hope whatever happened to old Ohana, please come back! read more

My boyfriend and I stayed at lavallette for the week and heard about Ohana Grill from his mom. I am originally from Hawaii so I was super intrigued by this restaurant. We tried a few times during the week to do take out but unfortunately they were not able to offer take out since they were busy and had to focus on their dine -in customers. We also were not able to get reservations for us (we tried a few times) and for our group of friends who visited . I was disappointed as I really really wanted to try Ohana Grill before leaving . Luckily, we were finally able to make a reservation for two . I would recommend calling in advance for reservation as the place itself is smaller and they seem to fill up quickly ! The wait was totally worth it :) Met all my expectations. My boyfriend and I ordered the spam fried rice , spring roll special with chicken & duck sauce , and the New England clam chowder as our appetizers. As our Entree , we got the Huli huli chicken and the Flounder Special . The Huli Huli chicken's sauce was a little too salty for me but our server (Mariam) was super accommodating and offered me another sweeter chili sauce which was actually really delicious and complimented the dish well. All the food we ordered were super yummy and we are so happy we finally got to eat here. All the staff are super polite and friendly . The hostess in the front are extremely sweet , food runners are great at prebussing your table . Our server Mariam was super attentive , I noticed she ALSO had tables outside but she served us super quickly and was always there when we needed something . She was amazing ! Definitely check this place out if you're in the area :) love that there is a taste of Hawaiian cuisine in the Jersey shore area. read more

The food was amazing. we waited last minute to get a table, unfortunately they were all booked up with reservations and so we decided to get it to go. The food was outrageous and I highly recommend this restaurant read more

Great Food, awesome food truck!!! Had there blackened shrimp tacos and they were delicious!!! Fresh and great.

I wish I could give Ohana Grill 10 stars! I dine out quite often, and, truthfully, this is the most memorable meal that I have had in decades! The restaurant itself is nondescript...and totally belies the meal about to be consumed! Every morsel, from salad to main course to dessert, was to be savored. Totally worth the trip to the shore off-season just for dinner! read more

My dinner companion and I had a really wonderful dining experience at Ohana Grill last night. I started with the rib appetizer and blacked mahi mahi was my main course. My companion had the onion rings to start and huli huli chicken. We both enjoyed our meals very much. The service was excellent. The food was excellent. The ambiance was excellent. The bill was excellent! This is the first meal I have had down here on the Jersey shore in 11 years that was good enough for NYC restaurant fare. I can't wait to return so I may sample other items on the menu. read more

Dinner with friends. Three of us had the coconut shrimp I thought it was delicious. 2 other people had the hanger steak, one person liked it one did not. Friendly staff, nice decor a little noisy read more

Amazing food.freah all the time. Owner James cares about his customers and what he serves

I thought it was a nice place with a cool vibe. Kitchen is pretty open so you can see right into it. We were seated close to the kitchen but it wasn't bad. I kind of prefer to be a little away from the main crowd while dining. My wife an I had the steak egg roll appetizers. Not bad, a little bland for my taste. Dipping sauce was traditional soy sauce. My wife had the coconut rice with chicken. The rice did not taste like it even had a hint of coconut . She was not to impressed with her dish. I had the The beef with mash potatoes and carrots. I was happy with the dish. No real seasoning so I kinda wished I bout some spices from the house. Overall I enjoyed my meal. Waitress was attentive. read more

Best restaurant on the island by far!! The staff are a pleasure to deal with and are well trained on the menu items even during the Covid. The cheddar and onion soup is the best I have ever had. I usually get the filet mignon with extra mash and being Irish of course it has to be well done!! But it can be well done without being burnt and this is one of the very few places that can do it perfectly. It's BYOB so the bill never gets out of control. The buffalo chicken spring rolls (when they have them) are incredible!! We have been frequent diners since Ohana opened and will continue to be going forward. The quality is second to none in our opinion. read more

Ohana is truly wonderful in many ways. Start with the friendly welcome from hostess and staff. Waiter echoed welcome and explained byob policy and conveniently located wine store across the street. Two preparations of Calmari, Ceviche special with house made chips, deliciously seasoned pork belly were our starters. (All that $ saved on wine went to ordering more food.) Fish tacos. Beet salad with pecans and goat cheese. One thing more tasty than the next. We're only in the neighborhood a few days but I think we will be back. Thank you Ohana team. (And they're open on this late Fall date.) read more

Ohana Grill was absolutely fantastic. The service was prompt and professional. James the owner came to our table later to say hello and chatted with us for a bit. Super nice guy. He loves his restaurant and you can tell he loves putting out great food and service. read more

Very nice restaurant with an attentive and friendly staff. Food is fresh and tasty, with many light seafood options. I recommend it.

Before we ordered our dinner I had pointed to an appetizer at the table next to us and said we'd like to order that for the table. Server brought an appetizer to our table that was pretty bad looking and looked nothing like the appetizer at the table next to us. I said this doesn't look anything like the thing they had at the next table. This really isn't what I ordered. She argued that it was the appetizer I ordered, brought over another server who arrived at the table lectured me in a hostile way and told me "I hope you can be happy with that" It was a pretty terrible experience read more

Not many vegan options but the food for fish and non vegans is excellent. Parking is tough so you should walk or ride your bike if you can. It's a byob and there's a liquor store convenient across the street read more

Great take out spot in Seaside area. Food was fresh, and served perfectly for take out.

The worst restaurant experience ever The kitchen fan wasn't working or they were just to cheap to turn it on Probably breaking some fire codes My wife's eyes are still burning have to see the doctor in the morning These owners are idiots read more

I was so excited to try this place given the reviews and I love all fish! Nice setting but if you sit outside the sun is a little brutal after five pm till sunset, it's beating right on you so inside probably best, even with the screen they have up. S had fried calamari, he said it was good but I couldn't share because it was loaded with sugary sauce, would have been nice on the side. He also ordered the asian chicken meal and said it was OK, but not worth the high price tag. The two stars is for the yummy wedge salad with blue cheese, which turned out to be my meal. I ordered fish, but can't eat the sugary sauce it comes with, so I asked for anything the chef could make without sugar I actually said to the waitress 'maybe a little lemon, wine or garlic lemon butter anything else, I'm pretty easy to please as long as its sugar free.' Waitress brings the dish, it looks pretty but it has no sauce which would have been ok if the fish wasn't so dried out, I wait for the waitress to come by and say I'm sorry but this is so dry can you bring some sauce as I requested, remember I said lemon, wine, butter whatever, (because I honestly thought maybe she forgot to ask the kitchen)..she yes, I told the chef what you wanted but he didn't want to make another sauce for this dish so he just put a little of the regular sauce around the edges of the plate (see photo). WOW! A customer has a dietary restriction and you don't want to accommodate it, so you give them what they tell you they can't eat anyway?!?! Why not just say we don't do special requests and let me order something different? On top of that, my asparagus was burnt, so much so it was uneatable. So I left starving and spending over $100 for two meals that were probably the worst meals we ever had in Lavallette. There are plenty of places who do want business and will accommodate such an easy request for a dietary restriction, so we'll go there and skip dried out fish. read more

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Food Outstanding !!!!! Waiter Mike Awesome !!!!!! Don't miss this place folks home run !!!! read more

Wow! This place is not to be overlooked. My family and I have driven past this place so many times during our summer vacations and I wish we would have stopped sooner! First, definitely plan ahead and make reservations. I knew it was a small place and something told me to call and make reservations a few hours before we were planning to go. When we arrived at 8, the place was packed, but we were seated right away. We were seated next to the kitchen, which is an open concept. The chef waved hello to us as soon as we were seated. Personally, I thought that was unique and fun to watch everything going on behind the scenes. The kitchen was well organized and clean! It is also worth noting that it seemed like a pretty well oiled machine in the back. Everyone seemed pleasant, calm, and happy to be there even with the busy atmosphere. I knew it was going to be a great place because before we even ordered, two other customers came to the back to greet and compliment the head chef, who I believe is also the owner. By the end of the evening, we witnessed at least two more patrons making the effort to walk back and compliment him. And boy we sure did find out why! We started with soup for our appetizer. My husband ordered the New England Clam Chowder and I ordered the Chicken Barley and Vegetable. Both soups were very tasty and were not run down by too much broth or cream. Both soups were deliciously chunky! My husband said it was the best Clam Chowder he had ever had! For our entrees, we ordered the Ribeye special and the Blackened Mahi Mahi. We could rave all night about these dishes! I am not really a seafood person, but this dish made me appreciate it so much more! The deliciously prepared sides (seasoned veggies, garlic smashed potatoes, coconut rice, mango chutney) were the cherry on top to a wonderfully prepared dinner. The presentation made it look like it came out of a NYC restaurant right here in little Lavallette! For dessert, we ordered a piece of Poppy's cheesecake. This was seriously the best cheesecake I've EVER had! I wish I could tell Poppy myself! I hope someone reading this review tells him how much we enjoyed that cheesecake! Upon paying our bill and getting up to leave, the chef personally thanked us for coming. We were the 5th group of customers to compliment him that night within the hour we were there. The complements are certainly well deserved! I really can't say enough about this place. The food was without a doubt 100% fresh, made with high quality ingredients. This made the slightly higher price points WELL worth it. It's amazing how things taste when they are properly prepared with fresh wholesome ingredients. We saw many dishes coming out of the kitchen that we can't wait to come back and try! Kudos to the staff of Ohana Grill! We can't wait to visit again next summer. See ya in 2017! read more

Ohana Grill - Ribeye with Bleu cheese crumble, garlic smashed potatoes, and seasoned veggies - Seafood Near Me - Lavallette, New Jersey

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