Upscale dining, good service, and excellent food - we came at an odd hour in the middle of the afternoon, so pretty much had the place to ourselves. We ordered the broccolini, spicy hamachi, spicy crunch dragon roll, and grilled lamb. It's super expensive but everything was delicious. In particular, the grilled lamb was melt-off-the-bone tender and moist. The spicy crunch dragon roll was phenomenal- the crunchy tempura mixed with the (I can taste the ocean) freshness of the spicy tuna and perfectly flavored with the aioli and unagi drizzle. Divine! read more

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A hidden gem in the wailea gateway center. Sushi were excellent while the staff were friendly. It was unfortunate that I didn't get to experience omakase. read more

Oao - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Sushi was amazing, staff are warm and welcoming. Whole experience was 5 stars. Chef J.R. and our server Jerome were awesome. read more

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I wanna start with the Ambience of this place, for me idk about others but this place was too crowded/loud to my liking it felt like I was at a bar? Then an actual sushi restaurant. Service is on point though, They took our drinks order and starters which usually some restaurant forgets they also provide a cup for your drinks bought from the store lol BYOB! Sushi was good and fresh, forgot what we order since this was a while ago , just reviewing what I remember now, they also do serve regular food. Will be coming back again for sure. Good job Oao. read more

4.225 stars. So hard to rate this restaurant as the food was excellent, the service was decent and the pricing was crazy! The sushi and sashimi is excellent, on par with the best places in San Diego where I'm from, but Oao loses a star due to its insane pricing. I'll go into detail. We are used to things being expensive as we live in apparently the most expensive city in the country. We aren't sticker shy when we eat out, but $48 for a roll and $95 for a sashimi platter is pretty much double of anything I've seen anywhere. When you are spending this kind of money ($100-150 a person for sushi) I expect a higher level of ambience and service. The restaurant is set up like a fast casual chain maybe a chipotle or something like that with standard quick service restaurant tables and chairs, no tablecloths, no partitions between patrons, etc. Service was friendly, but after coming from Mama's fish house with similar pricing and perfect service, we found it lacking for a fine dining establishment. They didn't take away menus, refills had to be requested, they gave us disposable chopsticks and napkins, plates were not cleared at the end of the meal, etc. Now, for the good part, the food (which is why we eat out!). The hamachi carpaccio ($25) was fresh and delicious, the sashimi ($95) was fresh and tasty (please work on presentation), and the rice cakes were so good! We also had two rolls, the Alaskan something and the Emperor Tuna ($33-49) rolls which were phenomenal. They should have priced these around $25 and the sashimi around $50-60. The ube pot de creme and the matcha panna cotta ($14 each) were excellent. On top of the insane prices they add a 4% service charge which they do all of the time in SoCal but when prices are already inflated it adds to the eyeballs emoji. I did not tip 20% because I didn't think that the level of service we got added up to that dollar amount but overall very happy we went as the food was excellent. I am unsure if we will return in the future the pricing was so off. read more

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Great sushi spot! Hubby and I dined here with 3 other couples (we're all here vacationing together) and the service and food were fantastic. Hubby had the surf and turf (lobster and steak) and it was amazing. I had the Alaskan king crab roll and the rainbow roll and they were fab. Everyone in our group raved about their food, actually. This place is a winner for sure! Update: we went back again a few days later and I had the surf and turf and it was UHHHMAZING!!! read more

I am truly SO satisfied with the quality of food AND service at this establishment. The atmosphere at Oao is so friendly and fresh. Those that work there make the environment so positive and happy. You have to try hamachi carpaccio and the sashimi trio. The oysters are FREAKING DELICIOUS! WOW level 10/10 read more

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Celebrated our twins birthday dinner here (at their request). We had a fantastic meal, including chatting with the owner (JR). The firecracker roll and hamachi jalapeño rolls were my favorite. They are large portions so plan accordingly. Our server, Ronson, was great and a really positive vibe. A must go to every time we visit Maui. read more

My friend took me here for my bday when they first opened. The vibe and food quality was great, personally, is the price match the food? Little over the top but overall it was great. read more

Parking: easy and free parking lot Location: all the way in Wailea, not hard to find. It is located in Wailea Gateway and it is a corner restaurant. Ambiance: little more dressy casual but then again, it's Maui so wearing casual clothing like beach shorts and slippers are okay. But it's NOT the place to wear just bikini or be topless. Be respectful of others who are there for a nice dinner. Service: I came in during their grand opening so giving them some slack with orders that has been confused and we had to let our waiter know that we did not order certain things or we were still waiting for some dishes for a while. But overall, staff were very nice and attentive. Food: fresh fish, creative specialty rolls, tasty sides like the edamame sauce and the grilled lime over shishito peppers. We ordered the Big Eye Tuna, Hamachi Carpaccio, Oao Baked California Roll, King Dragon, Wailea Rainbow, Uni nigiri, Spicy Hamachi hand roll Overall, food and service was great but minus one star because I personally don't think the price is worth it. But I guess I also gotta understand fish prices fluctuates a lot too. read more

Oao - Sushi bar + tables - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Friendly and awesome service! Great, quality food and varied menu. Something for everyone. Four of us enjoyed sushi and two non seafood diners , truly enjoyed their sides and prime ribs: We will want to visit again. The restaurant was decorated nicely and clean. Make reservations. The restaurant is small and extra busy! read more

Great service and excellent food! Anything i ordered on the menu was so tasty and fresh! Even the match green tea panna cotta was out of this world! Highky recommend it in wailea! Cant wait to try the Kahului restaurant once it opens. Happy hour is long too from 12pm to 5pm. Try it uou qont regret it! read more

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Everything about this place was amazing. The drinks, the sushi & the service were all great. The uni we had was the best uni we have ever had. 10/10 I cant wait to come back! read more

Oao - Shishito peppers & love potion drink - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Let me just start by saying how amazing the Sushi was. I mean... AH MAY ZING! Quite literally the best sushi in terms of quality and taste and I have been to a many Sushi restaurants in California, some of the best being in Orange County and San Diego. The Surf and Turf roll was to die for. I literally thought I had died and went to heaven. However... the pricing here is insanely high. I thought I was at Nobu for a second, but without the high class stuck up atmosphere. Our bill in total was $335 for two people. To be fair, that was an appetizer, two miso soups(yum), three rolls, and two types of sashimi carpaccio. Still though, $82 for one roll.... Sheesh Overall I give this place a 4.5. The price is a big factor, but if you want to splurge on some of the best sushi you will ever have, come here. read more

Oao - Hamachi Carpaccio - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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This place is phenomenal. Some of the best sushi rolls. The edamame was really delicious as well. Great great drinks. Good cocktail menu great service. Everybody was friendly very welcoming. Will be coming back here all the time. If I lived here, I will be back the next time I come to Maui !!! Forget nobu lol and come here. read more

Oao (pronounced wow) is wow!! Cheesy thing to say, I know, but darn this place is good! I accidentally left my phone at home on the charger, so apologies for no pictures, but the presentations were lovely. Oao gets busy, so make a reservation. The service is friendly and rapid. We ordered five small plates and each was excellent. Sashimi of big eye tuna...tender and delicious. Beautiful color. Sashimi of hamachi...not as pretty as the big eye tuna, but fresh and tasty. Tempura veggies...nice variety of local veggies. Light tempura. Not greasy. Spicy tuna rice cakes. Not overly spicy, just a tad in the aoli. Don't be scared off if you are not a spicy food person. Great flavors and textures. Unique dish. Brussel sprouts with Parmesan. Crispy, light, and delicious. Possibly the best brussel sprouts we have ever had. We are late to discovering Oao, but will definitely be back. Yum! read more

I love sushi and eat it pretty often, so I was excited to try Oao. Located in a strip mall, I expected the sushi would really shine, as the ambiance could have been found in any city in the US, and the place was rated super highly on yelp. I sat at the sushi counter, and the fish on display were gorgeous, especially the salmon. The chefs didn't interact with you, though, and I was pretty glad of it, because the one standing right in front of me making my sushi was glassy-eyed and sniffling the entire time. I felt super uncomfortable. I got a couple nigiri, which were fine, and one of the special rolls, also fine, but not spectacular. Neither was memorable or made in a unique way, as one might hope to try on Maui. The matcha hot tea was nice. All of the special roles are tempura-based--not really my style... All in all, even knowing island pricing well, the prices were exorbitant for a sushi experience that was bland and average. It was filling at least, and I was glad I hadn't ordered anything else--I was eager to get out of there as fast as I could because I didn't wanna catch a cold from the chef who was standing across from me. When they brought by the check, the suggested tips ranged (if I remember right) 25-35%. I thought, you've gotta be kidding me--I interacted with the server once and only interacted with the chef to accept the two dishes when they were passed to me. On the positive side, the place was clean and comfortable, and the presentation was nice. But still...was like any sushi restaurant on the mainland, but more expensive and not special. Overall, I was disappointed and won't be back. read more

Oao - Hamachi Serrano Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

We came here for the happy hour menu which is significantly cheaper than the regular menu. The restaurant looks very new and trendy with cool artwork on the walls. The server was very friendly and the ngiri and sushi were ok but not great. The rice seemed a bit off. Overall a solid place for sushi read more

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Wow the food was amazing and I had the best cod in my life!!! Service amazing and food was coming soooo fast. I loved this place n 100% recommend. We had 2 sushi 1cod, 1 miso and one yellow tail for 110$. Superb read more

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This place was amazing. Relaxed island vibe atmosphere with a modern touch. Service was super friendly and attentive. Plenty of smiles and advice from our server. The sushi was off the charts good and fresh!! I had tuna and salmon nigiri, a spicy tuna roll and the white dragon roll, all were exceptionally good. My wife had the shrimp tempura roll and soft shell crab roll and loved them. Dessert was great too! If you want great sushi on Maui, look no further! read more

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We were expecting something special and everything was very mediocre. Spicy tuna roll was mushy and almost inedible. Rock shrimp tempura tasted like it came from a chain restaurant and miso soup out of a box. Wine list is very compact while they have an extensive selection of sake. Would not come back, too many other sushi spots on the island. read more

The best sushi here! Located in a shopping center, this place is where any sushi lover should go! Everything was fresh. Everything was presented beautifully and it was an experience. Our service was amazing. The ambience was great. You must come here and experience this restaurant! 10/10 for everything! read more

Amazing sushi and rolls . Service was amazing as well!! Best sushi we had during our trip to Maui!,

Great food and great service. Special thank you to Server Ian. He was amazing! We highly recommend this place and we will definitely be back. read more

Craving sushi for dinner, we did a quick search of the area, and all agreed on Oao. The host was super friendly and welcoming. There is indoor and outdoor seating, but we requested indoor. I highly recommend reservations. We were able to make a last-minute reservation within the hour, but we witnessed several parties get turned away because they were just so busy! Everyone was very happy with what they ordered. I'm not a sushi fan, so I ordered the Rib Eye. It came out prepared as I like it (med rare) and served on top of some crispy Brussel sprouts. We also ordered their corn on the cob, which reminded us of elote. While the food was good, the 5 stars are for the wait staff. Everyone was attentive and pleasant. After a day filled with serving tourists, I can imagine them being short at the end of the day, but our team did no such thing. I want to say their names were Dwayne and Ronson, but I may be wrong. Finally , this restaurant is BYOB! They don't serve alcohol, but you can bring your own. We were not aware of that. So our sake dreams went down the drain! Lol read more

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Service was friendly and quick. The quality of the nigiri was excellent. My favorite roll was the White Dragon...the Shiso leave gave it a yummy light taste. That night they had a special dessert - matcha crepe cake..the best crepe cake I've had! read more

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Great sushi spot in Wailea. We sat at the sushi bar and had some yummy cocktails with a couple of rolls. High quality fresh fish, awesome service, and chill ambiance. Would definitely eat here again! read more

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I got to stop by and try a few of their sushi and plates! The restaurant itself is super cozy - really good for those looking for a date night. The bar and wait staff were super nice and were great to talk to. I really enkoyed some of their nigiri sushi and the hamachi/oyster shooters - definitely a place to stop by for those in the Wailea area - Miguel Morales Photography read more

Found this wonderful place on Yelp! And it was a hit! Easy to find in the Kehei area, and a clean and nice vibe with very friendly staff, excellent service, and super food! I never had to ask for my water to get refilled, as I'm a big water drinker. Food came out in good time. Beautifully presented and delicious! Highly recommend! read more

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Excellent food even better service 10 minute walk from the beach. This is hands down the best sushi on the island. I would highly recommend to anyone staying in this area. Ask for Justin at the bar. read more

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Really good but the price point is pretty high! The wagyu is by oz and is a $90 minimum! So we skipped it but the tuna and yellowtail was delicious. Fish was fresh, service was pretty good, and the vibe is very casual. The matcha panna cotta was nothing special, though. read more

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Evaluating on two levels - first the cost. For what was explained as Wailea pricing, it's pretty outrageous. NOBU doesn't even charge as much as some of their speciality rolls cost here at $49 for one of these babies. I decided to try one anticipating it would feature the fresh tuna locally caught as explained and unfortunately it was pretty average tasting at best. The regular rolls are high priced as well and certainly don't qualify for that level of charge. Trust me, I know my sushi quite well and I encourage anyone who wants to challenge this to head to LA and the Studio City area to find sushi that would be 100x better and more appropriately priced. The service was good with helpful and welcoming staff. The location is set in a strip mall among other businesses with tables mostly inside and a few placed in front adjacent to the parking spots. Sorry to say, this place was not a win for me and I'm sure you can do much better in Kihei or even at the resorts. The Fairmont has a great sushi place (shockingly with even less expensive prices per roll!) thats worth trying with a gorgeous view. read more

Delicious, beautifully prepared. Black cod, roasted duck and shishito peppers. Yum Arrived for dinner around 7:30, was told 30 min wait, but was offered to sit at the sushi bar about 15 min wait. Server friendly and helpful. read more

Oao - Black cod miso - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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The place wasn't packed but our server KC was awesome! We ordered seasonal drink - long island thai ice tea, and guava lemonade. We also ordered king salmon sashimi & king dragon. The food was delicious. Overall experience is great! read more

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I continue to recommend this local business located in Wailea by Owner and Executive Chef Oao Jr. New and updated hours include Lunch: 11 AM - 3 PM Happy Hour: 3 PM - 5 PM Dinner: 5 PM - 10 PM Kama'aina can enjoy a 15% discount during lunch hours! read more

This restaurant was a nice find, tucked away in a strip mall. The food was just delicious, sushi and nigiri fresh, the hamachi carpaccio probably my favorite, and the ribeye flavorful and tender and delicious. They don't serve alcohol but you can bring your own, and in a place where alot of the restaurants seem to phone it in, this was just terrific! read more

Oao - Hamachi carpaccio - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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My friend and I went there as another friend who is into good food, highly recommended. I set reservations as I know it sell out. We arrived and no issues or problems. When we were seated I was amazed at how many kids were there. All acted well but it's odd that kids would want sushi. Then I noticed the keiki menu and it's what one would eat at say 12 years old. So issue resolved or the world has changed. We got some cocktails and they were made perfect. I probably got old fashion and she go Mai Tai. Again, I'm not a foody so a drink is a drink. My friend knows sushi better so she ordered. I can't recall exactly but it was like 5 different plates. I liked 4 and she said the other was acquired taste. Everything was on-time, the waiter or server, I still don't know the new terms was on it and ever time we needed something he was there. Many people babble price and I avoid. If price is a big issue, stay home. For what we consumed, the price was more than fair. I was actually expecting more and I can eat like a small piglet. So, huge props and glad we tried it out.......very happy with this restaurant. read more

Very disappointing experience this evening; we dined here twice last year on vacation and it was wonderful...we returned hoping for the same. The food was decent, but the service was terrible. We ordered a roll that was supposed to have avocado, when we told our server he gave us pushback, and we had to show him what it said on the menu. He completely ignored us the rest of our meal, while being extra friendly and chatting up the table right behind us. It made for an uncomfortable situation; I left the restaurant in tears and we will never come back. read more

The food was the best sushi I've ever had. From the toro to the wagyu. I am in awe of the sushi rolls! We will be back! read more

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Omg. Best sushi I have ever had in my life (also the most pricey). It's melt-in-your-mouth level good sushi... my fave roll I've ever had (anywhere!!) is the Oao baked California roll. FIRE Super chill vibe there too. I recommend checking out their happy hour if able! read more

Oao - Oao baked Cali roll. I'm literally drooling - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii