Okay, I think I may have committed the cardinal sin here and ordered the wrong thing lmao. I went with the chicken teriyaki, and while it wasn't bad, it was definitely more "yeah, I'd eat this again" than "OMG, I need to tell everyone about this." Very middle-of-the-road for me. That being said, I'm not ready to give up on this place because it seems like.. from the other reviews i've read.. the sushi is really the star of the show. I'm thinking a retry is absolutely in order, and next time I'll let the sushi do the talking! The location is honestly hard to beat. We sat outside right on the water around sunset, and it was BEAUTIFUL. You really can't go wrong with dinner and a view like that. The atmosphere definitely gets bonus points from me. Service was probably the other area that could use a little polishing. It felt somewhat disorganized and not quite as professional as I would have hoped, but it wasn't terrible and everyone was pleasant enough. Overall, I'd say this was a perfectly fine first visit, but I definitely think there's more to discover here. The view has already convinced me to come back... now the sushi just needs to make its case. read more

Island Ocean Star - chicken teriyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

Very lovely staff and family owned resturant Great views of Super Boats yachts it was amazing for photos. We had traditional American Asian favorites Simple done well. Clean and I loved the fried rice. Is this appeared to be a Local hang out. Will go back the food was solid and made you feel good and nourished. read more

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Ocean Star has great hibachi (no more hibachi tables unfortunately). A great view and great sushi and seafood dishes. Can go by boat which my family and I love. read more

Island Ocean Star - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

Food was delicious and well presented. We had 13 here for dinner and sat on the covered deck with a beautiful view of the harbor. Hong roll was excellent. Everyone at the table gave an overwhelming thumbs up. Staff were also very nice and great with the kids as well. Wonderful evening. Pictures show Hong roll, tempura, salmon, chicken teriyaki,...! All excellent. read more

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Hidden gem alert! I am almost embarrassed to say that I have lived on the island for four years and had no clue this place existed. We arrived around 5:45, off season, no wait. Staff was willing to give us their recommendations, even some random guy that I waved over to my table. The scallops Katsu was to die for. The two rolls that the waitress recommended top notch. Do not miss out on this place! read more

Island Ocean Star - Recommend rolls - yum! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

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Food and drinks were tasty. We really enjoyed our experience but we did go on a quiet midweek night late October. read more

Great little marina sushi spot if you have a craving that needs filled. Right by the Galati Yacht sales place so there's some cool boats to look at. The restaurant is sizeable enough to where you don't have to wait on a weekday night at primetime dinner hours. Service was friendly & quick. For appetizers we ordered the steamed gyoza. which was very good. The sushi rolls were all made fresh & tasted delicious. Felt like the price was fair for what we got. Not sure if it was good enough to return on our next trip here but that's not a knock on the restaurant. It's definitely worth trying & it's one of the only spots (if not THE only spot) on the island you can get sushi without driving back into Bradenton or down towards Cortez. read more

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Beautiful location and good service. Enjoyable experience. The food was delicious! We will definitely be back!

Bro the food is some ah like actually, don't come here bruh. The waiter didn't explain it to us and we didn't know what was coming on the ah sushi boat. Tasted like something you should never taste... sweet waiter tho read more

This amazing Japanese/Sushi restaurant is essentially at the end of the road--AMI on the north side of the island. But well worth the drive! The servers are attentive, the food is delicious & seating is inside or outside by the marina. Wonderful venue--I don't like to give away favorite local hangouts but it would be a shame not to share IOS bc it is such a gem! read more

Best sushi I've ever... AND IVE BEEN TOKYO! Genuinely so good! Great customer service too 10/10...

I've been going here for 20 years. Love it if you're concerned about wait times go to outback steakhouse.

All in all an above average sushi with ok service. The terrace however is great, overlooking a yacht marina. Our daughter loved the tempura-Oreos! read more

Island Ocean Star - View from the terrace. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

One: it took us 30 mins for them to "find" our reservation? Then we get seated and we have to wait over an hour and a half for our food while the staff is basically running in circles. This is unfortunate because I was very excited to try this place and I think they were very inconsiderate. read more

My family and I originally wanted to go to the waterfront, but it was an hour and a half wait so we decided to come here since the hosts at the waterfront ended up recommended Island ocean star. We were seated immediately at a nice table inside with a window looking right out the water. Our server Toby was fantastic and very helpful all throughout the evening! I ordered the peach tree cocktail. It's peach vodka with lemonade and for $9 it's a good cocktail. Definitely doesn't go light on the liquor which i like. We ordered the edamame and shrimp dumplings as appetizers, both absolutely amazing! For my main dish, I ordered the firecracker roll. It was so delicious! One of the best sushi rolls I've ever had! Island ocean star is in my top 3 best sushi places. Everyone that was working were super friendly! I would definitely recommend this place and cannot wait to come back! read more

Island Ocean Star - They have a lot of good Japanese beers here! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

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Sushi was good but the wait to be seated was over 2 hours. Then the wait to be served was almost 40 minutes. This was about 2 years ago though so maybe they've figured out rush hour. read more

First of all, in all fairness to the restaurant, they just opened after the hurricane because they lost power and lost all the products and sushi :(. Our dinner was good but not great. My pomegranate margarita was not very good and lacked the taste of pomegranate. I ordered Teriyaki shrimp and they were over cooked and tough. Our Sushi was fresh but wasn't presented very well. After our waitress brought our salads, we asked for forks because we didn't want to use chopsticks, she forgot to bring them so we sat there and stared at our food until we could flag down another waiter to bring us some. I've been here before when it was a Japanese steak house. They took out the hot cook table. I'm thinking that new owners have taken over. The menu is different from the last time I visited. I'm not sure if we'll be back, it was lovely eating on the Marina deck tho and the weather was perfect, Starting to feel like normal again after hurricane Ian. read more

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Once again, Ocean Star never disappoints!! They treat you as if you are part of the family as soon as you walk in the door! We usually get our sushi takeout but decided to eat at the restaurant tonight. The service was fantastic despite being fairly busy! It was a beautiful night to look out over the bay and enjoy a wonderful meal. The presentation was awesome! It's a must for anyone in the area to come check out! read more

Island Ocean Star - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

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Ocean Star has always been one of my favorite island restaurants. Moving from their old location in Holmes Beach to the beautiful space at the marina, it's a wonderful place for casual dinner or a celebration. Their fish is extremely high quality and the menu is super diverse, just in case you have non-sushi eaters in your party. Service is always wonderful on top of it all! Recommendations: - Shumai steamed dumplings - Gyoza - ALL rolls (their tuna is spectacular) - Tuna Salad If you're a non-picky party of 2 or 3 I generally always get the Love Boat! It's an actual boat on the table full of sushi and sashimi to share! A little pricey but worth it, especially to share for a birthday or celebration. I always sit outside at their gorgeous marina-side deck, but the bar area is wonderful as well. They're extremely clean and Covid-conscious Parking is never an issue but be ready for busy nights here in the Summer and during school breaks. They're only open for dinner so people flock there when season hits. read more

Island Ocean Star - Volcano Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll, Tuna with Scallion Roll, California Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

We had a bit of a wait for our table of 5, but walked around and looked at the boats. Outdoor seating is lovely right on the water. Sushi was fresh and many great signature rolls...try the Love Roll and Hong Roll. Seaweed salad and gyoza/dumplings were also tasty. read more

Island Ocean Star - Menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

Great sushi and sashimi! We got the boat and loved it! Sake and soju selection were good too. A little pricey, but the quality is good and it's in line with the prices you pay elsewhere on the island read more

Island Ocean Star - Love Boat - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

We enjoyed a delicious dinner of sushi and seafood. Good service. Nice location and view.

If I could give this rank a negative amount of stars I would. I came with a party of 13 people and half of my group got there food 1hour later than the other half. I was so unpleased! And they didn't even once check on us for refills or anything. And at the end there was no discount, because they knew how bad they treated us. So I definitely think there should have been one. One person in my party got their food in 2 and a half hours. One of my nieces order a water and didn't get it for 45 minutes. I was so unhappy and do not recommend going to this place. read more

If I could rate this facility 0 stars I would. Our party was served food in 45 minute increments at the least. We waited 2.5 hours for over cooked, dry rice and steak. They refused to apologize for the insane wait time until it was made notice to them, and did not give a discount for our experience. Our seating was outside, even after requesting to be seated inside, not only was it freezing after waiting 2 hours by the water but they did not pull the blinds down after we had requested multiple times. We waited 45 minutes for a water. The price we paid for this experience was insanity. Customer service was awful, they ignored our comments. read more

This is my favorite sushi restaurant ever!! I come every year on my birthday and have never been disappointed. I've gone to lots of sushi places in Florida this is my #1. The service, owners, and staff are WONDERFUL! The restaurant is right on the water and is very clean. I would definitely recommend and will be back next year! :) read more

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We loved the waiter. Really big. I think this place tasted like they just caught the fish right on the hook! Wooooosh! That's the sound of fishing. The ginger didn't taste like soap which is just purrr. read more

Island Ocean Star - Blessing the food - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

Food is amazing here , beautiful spot on the water . Best sushi hands down !!!! Staff is very friendly and the restaurant is super clean ! read more

The first time trying Island Ocean Star was last year to go and I loved! I've been waiting a year to try Island Ocean Star! We ate in tonight and our sever Toby was amazing!!! Thank you for taking care of us! Dinner was amazing! The presentation, fish and sushi rice were spectacular! read more

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We were hesitant to visit because of some of the poor customer service reviews, but we are visiting for the week and didn't mind relaxing, if the food took a little while, or if service was slow. We are so happy we took a chance, the sushi was phenomenal, the service was a little slow, but the servers we had were so appreciative of our patience and brought the food out in a timely manner. Atmosphere was 10/10, right on the marina. We will definitely be back next summer. *we still live in a difficult time where staffing is hard, give these people a little break if the service is slow, I can guarantee they were trying their best* read more

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Listen, do they take a long time to serve you? Yes. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it the best sushi within 45 minutes of AMI. Also, yes. Start with Ocean Star House salads and Clear soups. Try the Hawaiian roll, the Volcano roll, and whatever basic rolls you like (we like Rainbow, Caterpillar, Spicy Tuna, some sashimi). It's all delicious. All of the hot dishes are a waste of time and way too expensive. If it's taking too long order some sake. Be on island time! read more

Honestly, the only thing I can really complain about is the prices of the menu items... Pretty dang expensive if you ask me-- HOWEVER, the food is really dang good so, my mouth found it to be worth it! I got unagi and escolar sashimi, which was PERFECT... Salmon Teriyaki, without the salmon, which was also utter perfection... AND I got salmon skin handrolls (without rice or sauce or vegetables) and I definitely was in heaven with every bite! Everyone else at the table was pretty pleased as well and my 3 year old went to TOWN on his chicken katsu-- so all around, this place is a WIN... Minus the pricing! read more

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Awesome sushi! Was staying on boat in marina, great service, food etc, even with Masks. read more

Island Ocean Star - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

Really good sushi that can sometimes take a bit of time. Atmosphere/ambience is a delightful juxtaposition of marina/yacht area meets sterile restaurant. One might think this was a bait shop or yacht sale business on the outside and voila you're transported to this sushi restaurant upon entering. They have a small covered patio here which is nice for good weather and pandemic eating. Service is very kind and attentive in person. At pickup they were and are always accurate with everything included. The online app for ordering pickup is easy to use. Many note the delays of food when ordering for pickup or dine-in. If you avoid peak times, you'll be fine, and one shouldn't go here if you're extremely hungry and need food pronto -- unless you want to sit at the sushi bar. The last time we ordered pick up during a weekday we sent in our order at 5:30 and it said it's be ready in 35 minutes but upon order completion online it then said 50 minutes. I arrived at the 35 minute mark anyways and it was ready despite a decent crowd in the restaurant. Standard online ordering stuff, and better than most. They have been masked up each time I've visited in the pandemic. Food here is why they remain in business at the far end of the island with occasional delays. It's very very good sushi. Some of their salmon and tuna is the best I've had outside of major cities and Japan. Seriously. I think they take their time to do a great job, even if it frustrates the consumer with occasional delays. All the fish is great and maki portions are large -- even the less expensive rolls like the negihama. Yes the house said is an iceberg wedge but that's pretty common. The house ginger dressing is uncommon though -- quite delicious. They have large portions of their seaweed salad. The chicken teriyaki is a big portion of chicken but lacks some of the flavor compared to competitors. I think their teriyaki sauce is a bit thin. Chicken katsu is a nice dish and crowd pleaser without being over or underdone. The island boat is a fun order for those with a big party and big appetite. It's only available for dine-in. They have very good saki selections too. Price here is expensive. It's a you get what you pay for and I'm sure the nice cuts of fresh fish aren't cheap to fly in to this small Florida island. Special occasion restaurant for most and always on our mind for the same. read more

The best tuna avocado roll I've ever had. Melts in your mouth. It's not on the menu, you have to ask for it. The sushi chef manager, Ben, is very friendly and funny. Highly recommended! read more

Island Ocean Star - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

I should have checked the reviews before I agreed to come to this place. The sushi was mediocre at best - and poorly constructed. Very amateurish. The wait for my order was unacceptable- that was the worst. We waited an hour and a half to get food. The place was not really busy but they prioritized call in orders over people in the restaurant. People all around us were furious with the service. As for value, an example is worth the time to describe how over priced this place is. My wife asked to add shrimp to the chicken hibachi and they charged us 12 extra dollars for five shrimp. The cost for dinner was outrageous. I almost recommended the waiter look for a different job since no one would be inclined to leave him a tip if their experience was anything like ours. Will we be back? No way. I'd recommend you avoid it too. If I thought about it, I should have realized you don't go to AMI to eat sushi anyway. There are plenty of great restaurants with fresh, high quality food on the island. This place was a huge disappointment. read more

We had The hand picked nigiri and sashimi boat . Amazing!!! We used to think this place was just "ok" but our experience with the sushi last night was outstanding and we plan to go back more frequently! read more

Island Ocean Star - Hand picked nigiri and sashimi boat. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

Excellent sushi, dinners, and service. We visited once during vacation last year and twice during vacation this year. This restaurant has both outside and inside seating. read more

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We always visit Island Ocean Star when visiting AMI. It's where we introduced the kids to sushi, and they loved it! Great views of the boats and marina. The staff is helpful. The owners are.... efficient and very focused. I might suggest they add a smile once in a while. read more

Good sushi BUT ... run horribly and lackluster staff. 3/4 busy and 1.5 hr to receive sushi for 6. No sign of a waiter for 35m once ordered .. so no refills, no nothing. Repeat local customer but it never changes. If only they gave a crap and would staff it better it could be incredible! read more

Visited on a busy evening (Saturday). Made a reservation for 8 pm for outside. When we arrived they did not have any tables outside or inside available. At 8:15 They asked if we would accept a table indoors. Host was very apologetic and nice about it. Service was bit slow, but everyone was friendly and helpful overall. Took about an hour to get our food. Well worth it though. Total experience took about 2 hours. It seemed like the restaurant started to clear out around 8:45, so I would suggest a later reservation if you are looking for a quieter, faster evening. For drinks, we decided on the Sho Chiku Bai milky sake. A great choice if you like unfiltered sake at $15 a bottle. They served the thickest tuna sashimi I've ever seen. Quality was great. Red Dragon also had a very generous amount of tuna. We went a little overboard and ordered 5 rolls and some sashimi for two, but came out about $120 before tip including drinks. Definitely worth a visit if you are on the island! Just be prepared to spend a good amount of time here if you come on the weekend. read more

Island Ocean Star - Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Anna Maria, Florida

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