This place is amazing! The fish was definitely fresh catch of the day. If you are in the area of Wailea/ Kehei don't sleep on this spot! Resturaunt is very clean and the staff was very friendly and personable. Too many rolls were ordered to remember all the names. Make sure you take lots of cash if you love sushi or don't forget the credit card. Would highly recommend read more

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Absolutely phenomenal sushi!! So delicious and fresh. The cocktails were delightful as well. Service was amazing! Can't recommend highly enough! read more

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The Sushi here is top tier and the service is great. Drinks are good. The Uber custard was so good too. I absolutely loved everything about my anniversary dinner here! read more

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better than the sushi you can find at the hotels (nobu, morimoto)! had a great time eating here and is an awesome location if you're staying in wailea / Kihei region big menu to choose from, lots of fresh fish, and a great vibe if you're with friends. The service is great! It does get pretty busy so remember to make a reservation read more

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Not the worst sushi, well, it was close. I had high hopes for sushi in Hawaii and came out very disappointed. The cuts weren't proper, and one of my rolls came with spicy tuna instead of crab mix. The waiter just kept walking past us and said he'd be back, and I'd have to flag him down to order anything. Not sure how this place was so highly reviewed. read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - Serrano roll. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Read reviews and thought we'd give it a try first happy hour, 12-5, cant go wrong. We arrived closer to 4, we had made reservations cuz someone recommended on Yelp too. The hostess outside greeted us and sat us immediately. We originally wanted to sit at the sushi bar but since the place only had 2 other ppl, opted to sit at the bar. Ordered up Brussels sprouts which were rather salty and burnt for my liking. Spicy edamame's which were good. Dragon roll, salmon roll, spicy homochi roll which were pretty good. Ordered up another beer and we were tapping out. Service was good- bartender was nice, ambience was relaxing, food and fish was fresh. Will try Oao next time. Until then. read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - Edamame were spicy and good - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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For our last night in Maui we decided to go with a casual sushi restaurant because figured we would want a break from the big fancy meals before heading to the big island. We chose Oao based on the stellar reviews. While casual Oao still has the Maui price tags and these were some of the more expensive rolls I've seen. We ordered a bunch for the table to share and everyone was relatively pleased. While everyone who works here is super nice, the service was very slow and a few of rolls, as well as my husbands sashimi, took forever to come out. The tuna rice cakes were my personal favorite. It was a good sushi experience, although not among the best we've had (granted we eat a lot of sushi). If you're looking for sushi in Wailea this is a good pick though. read more

Worth it for lunch/happy hour We shared Two hamachi spicy Hamachi Two spicy tuna One salmon avocado One shrimp tempura Veggie tempura Brussel sprouts Crispy rice cakes with spicy Tuna Everything tasty especially hamachi and tuna read more

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Epic! Best sushi I ever had. They created a personal experience for us with the chef's omakase. It was mind blowing. Our server was thorough, personable and well informed. It's expensive but worth every penny. read more

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This is a true 4.5 star restaurant. The decor and vibe is very casual with many families (including young children) dining. I would would not recommend this if you are looking for a romantic location however the food itself is absolutely phenomenal. They get quite busy so I highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time. We really enjoyed all the sushi we had- fish was FRESH! Two standout favorites were the spicy scallop roll and the tuna emperor special roll. The tuna emperor was $49 which is quite pricey but it includes the generous portion of mouth watering toro so the price is more than justified. The only negative was the miso black cod. Although the flavor was great, we bit into several bones which really turned us off to this dish. I would skip it and stick to the sushi if we return. Servers were also friendly and helpful with providing recommendations and frequently checking in. This is truly a no frills restaurant and perfect for someone looking for a casual setting and outstanding sushi. read more

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BEST SUSHI ON THE ISLAND, we went here 4 times in one week due to the quality and amazing menu. Also the staff is amazing and the restaurant is clean and pretty! read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

We heard good things about Oao (pronounced "wow"), a sushi place in a shopping center in Maui. Reservations recommended even for a weeknight. Even though we were tourists, right away I could tell this is a spot beloved by locals. That's a good sign! Still, I rank this good, not great. Service: They seemed a little shortstaffed, so we waited a bit for refills and food. The staff was friendly enough, so all good. Food: Our sushi was fine - nothing mind blowing, but good. We shared a shrimp tempura roll and a house vegetable roll (super robust packed with a ton of veggies, including broccoli). The only thing notable was the miso soup - theirs is the saltiest I've ever encountered. It was so salty I had a hard time finishing it...that was a first-ever for me. Vibe: The ambiance is standard strip mall fare. Think ceramic tile floors with basic tables and chairs atop. It seemed clean on the surface. Parking is readily available if you come at night when other businesses have closed. read more

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I am a huge foodie. I am also incredibly picky. In terms of food - Oao is probably in my top 3 spots of best food I've ever eaten. The quality was exceptional. The veggie tempura was so light, perfectly battered - and interesting veggies. The sushi itself was just incredible - don't sleep on the tai nigiri. The matcha panna cotta was just perfection. The texture and taste were just spot-on. An absolutely fantastic meal. Our server was really friendly and while he didn't make us feel rushed - you definitely got a the sense they were trying to turn those tables. Highly recommend. I was enjoying the meal so much I didn't take pictures. read more

Food and service was excellent! So much that we went back the next evening! Would definitely recommend. Don't leave island without trying them! read more

the food was amazing. really good sushi and food options for everyone. i recommend if in the area. the service was amazing - food came out fast and charming waiters. the vibes were vibing. the music was good and decor fit the theme. parking was great same shopping center as the monkey pod so check out my review on that. on the pricer side so keep that in mind if going with a large group. the drinks were buss. price was lowkey outrageous so really keep that in mind. it's gonna take a little to get the money back that i lost. but it's chill really think about it- make sure to check out my other reviews for more affordable options read more

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The best sushi I've ever had, everyone is so sweet ! Service is top notch, will be coming here every chance I get

Super cute sushi restaurant in a small Wailea shopping mall. If you are familiar with Wailea at all you know everything is quite expensive here. So it came as a pleasant surprise that a pretty good quality sushi restaurant has reasonable prices. We ordered Hamachi (yellow tail) carpaccio (sashimi in a soy ponsu sauce), kanpachi and tai madai nigiri. We also got a few cooked dishes : rock shrimp, brussel sprouts and wings. All the cooked food was very good. Fish was fresh, comparable to what I'm used to have on the west coast but not better. Worth mentioning staff was very nice, full of Aloha spirit. Highly recommend for Wailea folks since it can be quite a drive to other eating destinations outside Wailea. read more

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Quality , service, and aesthetic are all 5 stars!!! SO IMPRESSED with this place. Happy hour deals are unbeatable also! The chefs working in front of us at the sushi bar were so kind and friendly. We had such a great experience!!!! read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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Ok lets get right into the nitty gritty lol. We landed in Maui and this was the first stop. My babe and I started with the Rock shrimp tempura, the pork belly bruschetta and the Brussels sprouts. The rock shrimp was glazed with this sweet and spicy sauce...delectable. The pork belly bruschetta were 3 bites of tender well seasoned pork belly that melted in your mouth, with the contrast of the crisp baguette and cool avocado...sensational. Now when it was time to order an entree, we had to run the shrimp and pork belly back again. It was just that damn good. My girl also ordered the Chili salmon roll which was filled with hamachi and topped with salmon...also amazing. The service was amazing as our waiter was kind and offered valuable tips about the menu. The restaurant was dimly lit which was inviting and romantic. This was a great first start to the trip. read more

Great fresh sushi, service was on point & staff was very kind. Small place to dine in so try & make reservations.

Iggy was fantastic! This was my first time at the physical restaurant I have only ever been to the food truck, they had a way bigger menu (obviously it had a lot more space) I was so impressed by all of the appetizers we were recommended and got. We started off with the calamari (it came with a truffle sauce and wow it was some of the best calamari I have ever had! The Shishido peppers were also fantastic. The rock shrimp was also really really good- it wasn't overly saucy and I could still taste the flavor from the shrimp. The favorite of the entire table was the crispy rice you had a choice or tuna,hamachi, or salmon! The salmon was my personal favorite. I love that they had different options for the crispy rice most sushi places do not! the toro nigiri was out of this world- it melted in my mouth and I could of kept ordering it it was that amazing!! We got a couple of the cocktails and the matcha cocktail was my personal favorite- not too big of a matcha flavor but was very citris forward which I really enjoyed. Thank you to Iggy and his team for making our experience so wonderful! read more

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Great ambiance. Good happy hour menu from 3pm - 5pm. Tasted spicy hamachi roll, shrimp tempura roll, vegetable tempura, chicken wings and hamachi sashimi. Everything was delicious and there was literally no wait. read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - Ono sushi . Hamachi was butter - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

this place was sooooo good - a friend reco'd it and it did not disappoint. the food was amazing and so fun to watch them make the sushi right in front of you! service was good too! read more

Dinner at Oao Sushi and Grill was a delicious and delectable experience ~ well worth the drive to Wailea. Nicely located in Wailea Gateway with plenty of parking, we were warmly greeted by a very attentive staff. Upon entering, the interior is nicely laid out, relaxing, comfortable, well lit, and we knew a wonderful evening was ahead. There are comfortable tables, an attractive and inviting sushi bar with a Full bar and a very creative selection including Japanese scotches and craft cocktails. The Lilikoi martini was excellent as was the Shiso Spicy cocktail. It was so refreshing to see these options rather than just beer and sake. Brianna was our knowledgeable and friendly server. The Oao menu features not only tasty appetizers and nice variations on traditional sushi, rolls and cooked dishes, but offers several fusion dishes to create a tantalizing number of choices that warrant return visits to try. The Hamachi carpaccio was excellent, and the spicy tuna rice cakes were some of the best we've had with high quality rice. Black mussels with dynamite sauce was so tasty and the Black miso cod with pickled red onions had a generous portion. The duck breast with mushrooms, bordelaise sauce on a bed of buttery Molokai sweet mashed potatoes was a nice fusion dish. We ended with their Oao baked California roll which melted in your mouth. We cannot wait to return to try Oao's version of seafood dynamite, lamb with red miso, Wagyu beef, stuffed shrimp and Ube pudding as well as taste the fine Japanese whiskeys. Delicious food, great ambience Oao is Wow! read more

wow! Reading all the reviews-saying great! AND to be fair had a great review from our son-in-law about this sushi place...so not sure what happened when we were there?? we came in early [ 30minutes after opening ] so maybe that was the issue? Only one couple was there. we waited for a few minutes before one of the MANY milling about employees acknowledged us ...before seating us. Waited another appro...15 minutes+ before finally asking the busser if he could get our server. We had to find our own second set of chop sticks and a second small dish for soy and wasabi... sushi arrived quickly and was good... thought about ordering more but decided against it after we had to wait and yet again - working to get the attention of our server to order. i have mixed feelings about writing this review- because the food was good... but we will not be back. The environment - for us- was not welcoming, at all. We are locals but do not look like locals...so was that it?? The entire experience was too weird for me. There is more to a place of business than just the product... how you treat your customer matters. read more

Excellent service and delicious sushi, would recommend a reservation for busier season

Our original choice of restaurants in this mall had a 45-minute wait list, so we used Yelp to find other options. Oao is definitely a good option, and we hit it near the end of happy hour, so we got to try a few dishes. The setting is very nice, and they have tables, sushi bar, and cocktail bar. We decided to sit at the cocktail bar, and there were two bartenders who served us drinks and took our food order. A lot of dishes are standard fare that you can get at other Japanese restaurants, but I have not had salmon karaage that often, it's usually chicken. The salmon karaage was very tasty as well as the other dishes we got. To top off a wonderful meal, we had a nice rainbow to look at. Lucky you live (or visit) Hawaii (or more specifically, Maui). read more

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We've been going here since it opened and always impressed with the quality of the food (the sushi & omakase is killer!) and friendly service. read more

Fresh sushi, tender steak bites, and the aloha spirit = perfect date night on Maui! This was our second time here, and as residence we really enjoy coming here for fresh, but light fare. The customer service is amazing, we scheduled a reservation in advanced, and they really exhibited the Aloha spirit over the phone when they were taking our order all the way to when we pay the bill. read more

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This is a very Wailea sushi bar. This is where good sushi meets Wailea vibes - and prices. I said "oh Wow!" When I saw my Oao bill. That's the Wailea pricesI think because as a sushi lover I couldn't identify anything that explained the price difference from other sushi spots on island. Drinks were delicious and also very high end Wailea. Cold a/c good service. This is probably a one and done for me but if you are craving sushi in Wailea worth checking out just be forewarned price wise. read more

Had a great last dinner in Maui at Oao, thanks to the recommendation of a local. The restaurant was in a plaza, and the place was very small but trusted the referral. We ordered drinks and were told of the specials of the day, one being a wagyu and crab roll if I recall for $60ish bucks but when on vacay, yolo! It was tasty but honestly I've had better for far cheaper but the experience was great. We also shared an app and the duck entree which was very yummy. We ended up spending a pretty penny which I feel like didn't hit the mark, but the experience on this beautiful island was a 10/10! read more

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So glad we ventured off our resort to try this sushi restaurant. The fish was fresh and delicious. We were able to enjoy both the HH menu and dinner menu. Mai Tai was delicious. Sizzling beef was part of HH and I would recommend it. I will go back next time we are in Maui. read more

Tried 5 different rolls, all were amazing. Service was quick and friendly as always when I come here. Me and my ladies favorite food items are the rock shrimp and the Hamachi Kama. She loves the petals in the wind drink (I do too it's dangerously good). If you have time I'd definitely recommend this place 100% of the time. read more

I came here for my birthday dinner on a whim after our driver recommended this as the best sushi on the island. Boy was he right! Traveling from LA I would like to think we have some delicious sushi spots it couldn't beat but I was completely wrong. We sat at the sushi bar right in front of Chef Johnny and Tak which by the way made our experience unforgettable alongside our waiter Ranson. The attention to detail as well as the hospitality these three provided I will continue to make this a spot everytime I am in Maui. Thank you for making my birthday dinner on the island unforgettable! I will definitely be back in December. Great service, amazing food and a throwback playlist! 20/10 read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Loved this place! Sushi chefs and servers were very friendly and gave great recommendations. We had several rolls but my favorite was the Tuna Emperor, the miso soup was very flavorful. Sake menu had a lot to choose from. A little on the pricy side but what isn't?! Smaller restaurant so reservations are highly recommended. We were able to sit at the bar after a 10min wait. read more

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This place was so good. We experimented with many happy hour appetizers and sushi rolls and they were delicious. Try rice cakes they are not what you think, amazing. read more

Best sushi I've ever had. No question about it. I've been eating sushi for 30 years. The taste, the pairing, the detail, the fresh hand made wasabi and sauces...absolutely amazing. read more

Last minute dinner plans with visiting friends brought us here. I thought the name "Oao" was a play on the expression "Oh, wow" but it's actually the last name of the chef & owner. He started off with a food truck and added this brick & mortar in late 2022. ATMOSPHERE: Located in the Wailea Gateway mall, I didn't step foot inside as we had a quiet & peaceful outdoor table. No breathtaking views here. RESERVATIONS: Recommend as they're pumping! PARKING: Free but can be at a premium as the mall also houses popular eatery, Monkeypod Kitchen. MENU: Izakaya-style apps, sushi & Japanese-influenced entrées. Currently BYOB. FOOD: Fried Brussels Sprouts - $15.00 Simply seasoned with salt, there is no additional drizzle like many places do, so you get a pure & natural-tasting veggie dish. Rock Shrimp Tempura - $24.00 Similar to popcorn shrimp, the shell-less pieces of breaded shrimp were crispy, sweet & savory. Pricey for the minuscule portion. Shishito Peppers - $11.00 Don't let the three listed seasonings woo you as they simply tasted like grilled peppers with no wow-factor. Spicy Tuna Rice Cakes - $18.00 (3 pcs.) We were a party of four so we asked for an additional piece. Our friend ordered this and I was thinking "WTF?" Insert foot in mouth as I loved it! The chewy & crunchy rice cake was an ingenious play on plain ol' boring rice! Excellent textures & flavor. Surf & Turf - $60.00 (entree) I despise when "surf and turf" includes shrimp. Here, you get a lobster tail. My only grievance was that it came smothered in béarnaise sauce which overpowered the natural sweet flavor of the crustacean. I'll take clarified butter any day. The prime ribeye was tasteful but also came lathered in a sauce of bordelaise. So, I had no use for the side of chimichurri which probably would've been a better accompaniment. Purists will balk. I did love the chunky mushrooms and simple mashed potatoes. Surf & Turf (Specialty Roll) The spouse's dish. "Good and creative" was the feedback I received. SERVICE: Brianna took excellent care of us. Friendly, knowledgeable and professional! TIP: There was a free dessert with Yelp check-in but I spaced. OVERALL: I love it when food trucks spawn sit down restaurants. read more

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We called Oao to make reservations for a party of eleven for Sunday evening. We were greeted at the door and seated upon arrival. Our server Iggy was awesome. He was quick to take our drink and food orders. Our appetizers, sushi and entrees came out in a timely fashion and we happily ate it all. Appetizers: Hamachi Carpaccio - must have Shishito peppers Grilled Corn Cob (requested togarashi butter sauce on the side) Sushi: Shrimp Tempura Soft Shell Crab Spicy Hamachi Rainbow Roll Spicy Tuna Entrees: Black Cod Stuffed Shrimp Grilled Lamb The food was served hot and everything was delicious. No leftovers! We celebrated birthdays and got ube pot de creme and mochi ice cream with candles. Ande(front of the house), Iggy and staff were so friendly. Dinner service was seamless. If you're visiting South Kihei or even staying in another part of Maui, you need to check out Oao. Reservations can be made on Opentable. For larger groups,  call the restaurant. Check Oao out on Facebook and Instagram for specials. read more

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I was, again, craving authenticity in poke and revisited this popular food truck on Piikea Ave. The Hawaiian poke bowl ($24.50) was a very good portion. It's not overloaded with extras and the rice has the chef's signature taste. Fresh tuna. Quick service. Gotta go!! read more

Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea - Hawaiian poke bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii