Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea

I admit I was skeptical after finding very little quality at the right price on Maui. I am picky when it comes to my food. In Hawaii we have a lot of high price for the sake of tourism and location rather than quality. On top of that Maui is impacted by this more than other islands. Oao is not one of these places. The food and service were spectacular. We love sushi and Japanese food and eat it more than any other culture of food. The Service: server Ronson C 5 stars! I don’t usual comment on the service specifically but our server Ronson C was a true delight and elevated the dinning experience. He was talking story and made great recommendations. Not pushy like some can be. He was very attentive and efficient. He had great energy not only with our table but everyone he interacted with. I am very pleased I followed all of his recommendations. The Food: We usually go for appetizers and nigiri this time was no different. The chefs special menu featuring special imports for Japan were amazing. The Akamai, Chutoro, and Otoro were all exceptional . Hamachi and unagi were delicious. The Hotake, Ika, and Uni were amazing . The crispy rice which they labeled rice cake was like the best poke bomb. Elevated with the texture of the crispy rice instead of inari. Everything beat expectations. The tempura vegetables were light and perfectly fried. Everything we had was familiar and comfortable yet elevated to something special. The Carpaccio was so simple but so delicious. Everything was full of flavor. I love natto and upon Ronsons recommendation I added shiso leaf (common) and spring onion (first time for me) and it was the best natto roll I have had. I ordered a second for dessert. I was truly taken away at how such simple items so familiar were executed so exquisitely. I was not missing Japan, this place brought me back. A must visit if you are craving sushi on Maui! 5 Not to mention they have quite the drink menu.

Excellent quality sushi in the Wailea area, close by several hotels. Everything we ordered was great but surprisingly the salmon sashimi was a total standout. The servers and our bartender were very friendly and attentive - would recommend this place to anyone staying in the area.

Great addition for sushi on the island, cute and a bit more upscale. The price is high, but the dishes are not bad. Don't sleep on the salmon karage, or the hamachi carpaccio, very good! Rolls are filling, and there is a lot of variety.

A sushi restaurant that was recommended by a local person; however, after ordering several dishes, my taste buds were disappointed, especially given the price of the plate. Had better sushi from a street vendor and supermarket. The drinks are ok.

We went here for lunch, and although we had reservations they were not necessary. The service was great and the sushi was excellent. They have happy hour pricing from noon-5p, which we appreciated. Our glasses were never empty. They even accommodated my extra ginger request. The broke Da Mouth roll was excellent with honey and tuna on the outside and lobster tempura on the inside. We enjoyed a few rolls and some sashimi. This was a nice break from resort food and although still pricey, was worth it.

We sat at the sushi bar for dinner. Great spot to watch the action. Fantastic menu, so many choices and variety. The sushi was so beautifully presented and delicious. Service was great too!

If I could, I'd give this place 4.5 stars and the only reason I'd do that is because of the price - it's a touch overpriced (~$2-$5 more than the market price for most menu items). We got the Lava Rock Roll because we love soft shelled crab and it was delicious. We also got a bunch of nigiris that were all excellent, especially the tuna specials of the day. We also got the special braised pork nigiris of the day (even though we wanted seafood for dinner) that was amazing.

Delicious! This little sushi bar located in Wailea offers exceptional fresh sushi, especially for the price point. If your not into sushi, there were several meal options including steak, cod and salmon. I was alone and seated at the bar and watched the bartender mix the most amazing drinks! I went with a green tea cocktail and it was presented with all the same love as a “loaded” cocktail. You’ll need a reservation because this place was full, you could definitely tell it is a local favorite.

This establishment is off the charts . Fresh, exciting presentations, great wait staff , easy parking. Great drink menu. The most delicious sushi and sashimi hands down in this part of Maui

My friend surprised me with a trip to Maui, so I wanted to return the gesture and treated her to dinner here! I already knew I'd be spending a bit since it's in Wailea, but honestly, the prices weren't as steep as I expected--and everything was really solid. They serve more than just sushi, which is a plus. I started with an uni shooter (a must for me--since not every sushi spot offers it), and it was actually pretty good! We followed up with some carpaccio, which was decent. We also tried a couple rolls and an entrée--don't remember exactly what it was, but it was delectable. And dessert? An absolute killer. Overall, this place has a laid-back, family-style vibe. It's not a super high-end sushi spot, but it's cozy, welcoming, and definitely worth checking out.

We went there for a late dinner. Sat at the bar and had a great time. Our bartender (and server) was very nice and welcoming. Small-ish place, but it doesn't feel overcrowded; relaxed atmosphere. You'll even get the staff singing you Happy Birthday We tried an assortment of sushi and loved it. The biggest surprise was the calamari steak. Never had in that form/shape before and absolutely loved it. Must try for everyone!

I can definitely see why they have such high ratings and recommendations. We were starving and came here on a whim. Although, next time, I would make a reservation in advance so you won't have to wait long for a table. Our waiter was on point, attentive and kind. The food was delicious but my wallet is sore haha. I would come here again for a treat or a nice celebration dinner though. I highly recommend the Shiso spicy drink. I got 2 of them and then inquired if I could just get Hawaiian chili pepper water on the side to go with the rest of our meals. Sizzling steak is a must! Sashimi was good as well.

Ooo "wow" is a great sushi restaurant close to the Wailea area. It is located in a busy parking lot and seems to get quite busy. We arrived at opening for lunch and were seated immediately. Happy is from 12-5pm dine in only and we ordered the Japanese Wings, Hamachi Carpaccio, and the Big Eye Tuna. The wings were sticky and sweet and the hamachi carpaccio was so good that we ordered another dish. I also really enjoyed the big eye tuna with the tangy ponzu sauce. We also got the Tsurai Serrano Roll that was packed with fish and flavor without being overstuffed/falling apart and too overwhelming. We also got the King Salmon, Big Eye Tuna, and Masago Nigiri. The pieces had an excellent fish to rice ratio and each piece of fish was fatty and melt in your mouth. My husband even said that this was the best sushi he has ever had! We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch here. The fish is fresh and the staff is attentive and friendly. It is a no frills, tasty sushi restaurant. We will come back during our next trip to Maui!

Fantastic Sushi & an Unforgettable Server - A Must-Visit in Wailea! We had an amazing dinner at Oao Sushi Wailea, and while the food was delicious, our server, Ronson, truly stole the show. He was straight out of a Hawaiian novel or movie--larger than life, with a contagious laugh and the kind of warm, welcoming energy that makes you feel like an old friend. For sushi, we ordered two California rolls, two spicy shrimp rolls, and the Hamachi Carpaccio ($23 for six pieces). The hamachi was fresh and beautifully presented, topped with garlic, micro cilantro, thinly sliced serrano pepper, and a citrus soy sauce that added the perfect balance of brightness and heat. We brought our own wine and happily paid the $35 corkage fee, which was well worth it to enjoy our own bottle with such a great meal. A word of advice--make a reservation! The restaurant is small, and they kindly ask you to wait outside until your reservation time to avoid disturbing guests inside, which I really appreciated. All in all, Oao Sushi Wailea is a gem--great sushi, an intimate setting, and the kind of service that turns a meal into an experience. Ask for Ronson, and thank me later!

Something happened to American sushi scene in the last decade. Not only has it transformed into a myriad of Nobu imitation dishes at nearly every establishment, but more noticeably, every city is now filled with omakase experiences. Smart sushi restaurant owners realized that you can score a beautiful margin by making an expensive meal that is elegantly exclusive, using the same exact fish as a more casual restaurant. The result: people went crazy for it. Many of these omakase experiences are not radically different in quality, but certainly have the level of attention that goes along with the price point. Oao is in the most beautiful way, the opposite of these trends and shows that there is still a place for modestly priced, quality fish. It is fairly casual, but still nice enough for a date night. The prices are reasonable and most importantly, this is some of the best tasting fish that one can find. As a matter of fact, few omakase experiences on the mainland will be able to rival the fish quality of Oao. It is simply phenomenal. Where the restaurant exceeds expectations further is with very kind people, who really went above and beyond. Cheerful, pleasant and knowledgeable. While the restaurant has only been in business for a few years, Chef Oao has done a remarkable job sourcing, crafting and hiring. This is absolutely worth a detour to stop by.

I decided to dine in and had such a lovely time. We sat at the sushi bar and enjoyed every minute of it. The chefs working were kind and our server was very good at his job. The sushi was out of this world good!! I did get 2 splinters in my hand between my thumb and index finger that I had to dig out before resuming dinner. I promise I know how to use chopsticks and this has never happened to me before but of 2 OAO experiences, my chopsticks splintered both times. Super weird! They don't look particularly different from other sets I have used but maybe they're really cheap? Worth noting! But SUCH a delicious place. I highly recommend eating in. And pack a sweater because I was absolutely freezing indoors.

Overall, the food was excellent. We like sitting at the sushi bar because it allows us to interact with the sushi chefs who normally have a fun, outgoing personality, and give us recommendations about the menu and answer questions. What was really odd here is none of the sushi chefs greeted us when we sat at the bar or even made eye contact with us. And, the waitress said that we needed to order directly with her and not with the chefs, which was something we have never experienced at all. And, we go to lots of sushi, restaurants. Maybe that explains why we were the only ones actually sitting at the sushi bar. However, the waitress was extremely friendly and attentive. The big eye tuna Nigiri was so fantastic that towards the end of the meal, we ordered a second round. We also ordered a roll called Broke Da Mouth which was excellent. It had lobster tempura which we have never had before and it was very tasty. We also had snapper Nigiri which was really really good. The amberjack which is something we normally get every time was OK but not one of the better ones we've had. They do have a 4% kitchen staff surcharge, which I don't like or agree with, but at least they mention it at the bottom of the menu. This is definitely a place we would visit again next time we are in Wailea.

Every time we've visited the Hawaiian islands we always have to try the sushi and we try our best for it to be the highest rated because well high ratings should equate to GOOD food. We had a reservation but ended up showing up a little early and were sat down pretty quickly. It is fairly small so I do recommend making a reservation to eat here. The service was really good from host all the way to the servers. The ambiance is that of a sushi bar because they do have counter bar service too. Oao Sushi Bar is good but nothing crazy and nothing I've never had before. We had two rolls and a hand roll which I forgot to take a picture of. The rolls are good but not the best on the island. This place is a little more on the pricey side (contrary to their take out only spot). If I could I would give this spot a 4.5 but I am feeling nice and just going to go with the five. Do check them out if you have the time and near Wailea.

Located in a strip mall ... the same one where Monkeypod is. Lots of parking available if you happen to drive. Inside Seating... they optimize their space well. (You are pretty close together... hence I could overhear multiple conversations or people were just talking loud?) Vibe... upbeat, family, casual. Not what I would consider a quiet, quaint dinner out type of place. Definitely a lively place when it's full like it was on the Tuesday evening we were there. Seemed like a place that caters to locals and tourists which I think was refreshing that it wasn't just all tourists. (Even tho I was one of them.) I assume some locals as they were talking about local type things like work, parties, injuries, businesses, etc... it just seemed like they lived there. It's nice to see local folks support restaurants in what is essentially a touristy part of the island. Fish is fresh... melts in your mouth. Service ... depends on how busy they are. The night we went they were very busy, so the fellow taking care of us (the bartender) was also responsible for making ALL the drinks. Seemed odd that they gave him a table to serve when he had to take care of the bar and make all the drinks for everyone in the restaurant. So, service was slow, but it wasn't because our server was slow... he was just doing too much. Pricing... it's pricey. I know Hawaii... and Maui particularly are expensive... it costs more for everything here. Cost of Living, getting supplies, food, etc to the islands costs more than on the mainland. So... go knowing this is going to be a tad more than what you might be used to... For examples, the Chirashi Bowl was $65 and the Hamachi Serrano roll was $35.

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.

Been reading and hearing about how great and delicious their menu items were. Finally tried it today with some friends. Did not disappoint. Came for happy hour... still pretty pricey.... but the taste was fabulous! We enjoyed everything we ordered... mostly recommended by our server Keanu. I found the place a bit noisy... Not sure if it's the loud music or acoustic issues. Will come again if I'm having sushi cravings.

When you are in the land of fresh fish ,you eat as much sushi as you can. We came in around 40 minutes before close and they had started to wrap up for the night. They were more than welcoming and seated us at the bar ,where the bartender kept us engaged for the entirety of our visit. He was super fun to talk to and gave us a lot of insights about island life. We got the ....Krispy tuna -5/5 ....Spicy hamachi-4/5 ....Rainbow Wailea-10/5 The Rainbow Wailea was hands down one of the best sushi we had in Maui. So fresh and so many varieties .It was slightly pricey at $44 but It was 100% worth the price. The Krispy Tuna is also a must try .We also got a beer and a Cab which were both alright . Yelp also had a check in offer and they got us a Matcha panna cotta on the house . I wasn't a very big fan of the texture but appreciated the kind gesture. Plenty of seating inside and some outside and the decor is fun with some really cool art adorning the walls .

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.

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.

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

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!

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!

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.

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.

Went here on our last visit a year ago and it was amazing. Went again tonight and it did not disappoint. Iggy our waiter greeted us warmly and asked if we had been there before. He explained a few menu changes since we'd last been in. We ordered two martinis and a Mai Tai. All were perfectly made and delicious. We ordered edamame, vegetable tempura, chefs choice sashimi platter, tuna, salmon and avocado, spicy tuna and takuan cut rolls. Everything was amazing g. The sashimi in particular was incredibly fresh and we're kind of sushi snobs having grown up eating fresh caught sashimi when visiting my cousins on Oahu. If you want really good fresh fish, go to Oao and skip the hotel restaurants. It has a friendly local vibe and amazingly fresh fish. The service is also top notch.

This is my 4th time dining at Oao. If you haven't been they have an amazing one Happy Hour from 12 pm - 5 pm. Wait what?!! The fish was incredibly fresh, and each piece of sushi was crafted with precision and care. The ambiance was quaint, cozy and relaxed, making it a perfect spot for both casual lunches and special dinners. The staff were always attentive and knowledgeable, adding to the overall exceptional dining experience. Whether you're a sushi aficionado or just love great food, this place is a must-visit. Highly recommended!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!!!!

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!

I really enjoyed the Duck Breast with purple sweet potatoes. The wagyu is also amazing. My first time trying it and it melted like butter in my mouth.

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.

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.

We came back for a second visit because it was so great the first time. We started with a miso soup and spicy edamame. Both were great. I ordered a spicy yellowtail roll and yellowtail sushi, excellent again. My wife ordered the Japanese wings - again, they were terrific. She also ordered the spicy tuna on crispy rice. There were three of us so we also shared mackerel sushi yellowtail sushi and toro tuna sushi. Everything was excellent!

Food was an unforgettable experience for me. Getting to watch the elegance and precision that went along with the preparation of all my various nigiri was jaw dropping. I got the Uni, Tako, Anago, and Hamachi and I recommend all of them! Our server Dwayne was extremely quick, kind, and overall a dope ass person! Environment is great for friends and dates. I would say dressing nice is recommended as well. (i went in jorts and they still treated me as a quality customer lol) I will be going again tomorrow and I wish I could go every day until I die

We had such a great experience here! Our kids were still on California time so we came for "dinner" at 3:30PM. Lucky for us, that meant happy hour prices! One of my favorites was the salmon fried rice cake, which has onigiri vibes going in the crunchy pan fried rice. However unlike onigiri, the fish tops the rice patty instead of being enveloped by the rice as a filling. This is a must try! We also got the Wailea Rainbow roll, which was a whopping $40 but had incredibly tender and fresh fish. And for the kids, we got a bunch of California rolls, salmon avocado rolls, and spicy tuna rolls. The vegetable tempura was very good too and I liked how they included vegetables like purple yam which were more unusual. Service was so, so friendly. Even when my kids were making a ruckus, the waiter was so patient and helpful. We'll be back! .

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

Headed here for a generously timed happy hour- 12-5! - which has expanded from a previous 3-5 and replaced a locals discount. I'm vegetarian and there were good options: spicy edamame (savory, chili spiced and a good serving), fried Brussels (on the oily and charred side but very tasty), vegetable tempura (7-8 pieces, thinly sliced carrots, green bean, sweet potato, eggplant etc) served with a slightly sweet dip to name a few. The regular menu is also available which has avocado rolls, veggie rolls, cucumber roll, etc. My husband enjoyed the plentiful nigiri- fresh fish - and my daughter enjoyed a tamago roll. There's a kids keiki menu also with tempura chicken fingers. And the mai tai with coconut foam and fresh pineapple juice was great on a warm day after the beach. What was most impressive besides the good food and happy hour deals was the lightning fast service! Friendly and attentive and surprisingly fast despite an afternoon rush. Definitely worth a trip if you'd like good sushi!

Great atmosphere, excellent sushi options, and service from Ian was TOP NOTCH! He was friendly and even gave us some wonderful local recommendations to check out while visiting! Highly recommend!

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!

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!

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.

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.

Went for happy hour which is everyday from 12-5. The sushi is awesome and the HH deals rock. Came back multiple times for their crispy rice cakes. Buddha at the sushi bar was super friendly and recommended all the freshest fish. Definitely will be back! Make a reservation if you plan on eating here for dinner!

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.

Absolutely incredible experience!!! Everything was DELICIOUS, the staff were SO friendly, and the ambiance was so comforting & relaxing. Every moment was wonderful.We will be coming back next time we are in Maui! Thank you so much OaO team!!

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!

Was planning to make a spot at the Monkeypod that's in the same strip mall as this place but b/c of the reviews (and cheaper prices) I decided to give this place a shot - and I'm glad I did! The sushi is about as fresh as it can be - so much so, I ended up coming back a second time later in the week!

I do love this place and their staff too. I'm a little overwhelmed by their use of lobster tempura in so many rolls but maybe they'll get over this. It's not like Maui has lobsters, why is it such a dominant ingredient?. Highly recommend the carpaccios and sashimi. The fish tastes very fresh. Loved the rolls and hand rolls. The Fried calamari steak strips were decent. Note to self: their Japanese highball is too sweet so skip that unless you can ask them to tone down the sugar. And if this is any indicator, maybe ask them to reduce sugar and whatever cocktail order.