Oao - Sushi Bar & Grill at Wailea

Came here for some sushi while staying at a nearby resort on a vacation/work trip. Food is great, servers are very nice & courteous. May not look so fancy for some mainland people, but don't let the first impression fool you, I've been to many fancy restaurants in LA & Vegas area, but this place is actually pretty good, and the price is somewhat decent.

Best sushi on Maui! Their menu is phenomenal and comes with all that you would expect from a nice sushi place, I particularly love their carpaccio items and diverse small plate and appetizers. I've had most of their specialty rolls and they are unique and flavorful and each served with beautiful presentation. The service is fast but our most favorite part of eating at Oao is being served by Kevin! Kevin is the "happy" in "happy hour", I ate here with my son for the first time and had the most pleasant experience, it was three moths until we visited again and Kevin recognized us and greeted us like old friends. He goes above and beyond and makes everyone feel welcome. The ambiance is chill, the staff is amazing, and the food is top notch! Feel like we made a friend and this is our go to sushi spot on island

Great staff, sushi, sashimi, cooked menu items, cocktails and libations and truly local friendly.
One of my best kept secrets for dinner is deservedly being found more and more. They are open for lunch too.
Oao (pronounced WOW) is one of my favorite local spots in South Maui for a quick bite alone and dinner with friends.
The fish is super fresh, prepared and presented well. I love the deep fried Brussels sprouts and Rock shrimp tempura!
Last night I had monkfish liver, a delicacy!
I recommend Oao regularly and use OpenTable to make sure I have a seat!
Parking can be difficult as Oao is located at the opposite end of Monkeypod Kitchen and Pita Paradise and all 3 restaurants are popular. It is totally worth it.

They do not play games at Oao; this is a legitimate sushi restaurant with the finest cuts. The chefs and staff are professional and personable. The sashimi selection was delectable and the chefs choice sashimi even came with fatty tuna. What a gem!

Was craving some sushi and picked this restaurant as it was close to our resort. Servers were so friendly throughout the evening and even helped us with arranging a ride back. Price is on the higher end but the fish was fresh and worth it. The cooked dishes were equally delicious - highlight was the tuna crispy rice cakes

Best sushi I've ever had and it's not even close. Granted I'm from the mainland, but still. Great vibes. You can tell everyone who works there is having a good time. Family business which is cool to support. Highly, highly recommend.

This was some of the best sushi we had while in Maui. There were plenty of options to choose from as well as specialty rolls. Everything tasted so fresh. The service was equally as excellent. I have celiac disease and they were able to accommodate a gluten free experience for me with gf soy sauce and sushi prepared in a separate area. I felt completely fine after having sushi here.

But let’s get to main dish- the ube custard. My husband told me he would leave me for it, but I don’t blame him because I would as well. I wish we could have gallons of this, this is a must try if you go here.

Wow!!! It was an Italian restaurant before and It was not good. In this area Oao and monkey pod are the best restaurants. The salmon avocado rolls were so delicious. The salmon sashimi was great too.

I am not a big fan of the oysters but the rest was absolutely fantastic. The dessert, cream is a must!

The service was great. They are all very kind and friendly.

Best place around to get sushi and sashimi. They had some of the best oysters I have had in a while. It gets busy so make sure to make reservations in advance. The outdoor seating is nice if it is not too windy.

Oh, what a delightful experience we had at Oao Sushi in Kihei, HI! From the moment we stepped in, we were greeted warmly, and the happy hour set the perfect tone for an evening filled with culinary delights and genuine Aloha spirit.

The service at Oao Sushi was impeccable. The staff was not only attentive but also genuinely friendly, making us feel like cherished guests. It was evident that they took pride in their work, and their passion for providing top-notch service shone through.

Now, let’s talk about the food. We indulged in a variety of dishes, each one more delectable than the last. The tempura rock shrimp was a delightful start to our culinary adventure, with its crispy texture and tantalizing flavors. The shrimp tempura rolls were a hit, beautifully presented and bursting with freshness.

The spicy garlic edamame was a unique twist on a classic, adding an extra kick to the already addictive snack. The shisito peppers were a revelation, perfectly blistered and seasoned to perfection.

The surf and turf was an absolute delight, featuring a harmonious blend of flavors from land and sea. The tender cuts of meat and succulent seafood left us wanting more.

As for the sushi rolls, they were simply outstanding. The spicy tuna rolls packed a punch, while the California rolls offered a delightful balance of flavors. Each bite was a taste sensation, leaving us longing for more.

We must commend the sushi chef for their artistry and skill in crafting such delectable dishes. The attention to detail and commitment to using the freshest ingredients truly elevated our dining experience.

In summary, Oao Sushi provided us with the best sushi experience we’ve had in a long time. The combination of excellent service, delicious food, and the genuine Aloha spirit made for an unforgettable evening. If you find yourself in Kihei, HI, do not miss the opportunity to dine at Oao Sushi. We wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking a truly exceptional sushi experience.

Mahalo, Oao Sushi, for an evening filled with culinary delights and warm hospitality. We will definitely be back!

Completely enjoyed dinner last night at Oao with some friends and family. This past visit, we decided to forgo the main dishes in favor of trying more of their smaller dishes. That turned out to be a great move, as we were able to plow through many more dishes. We enjoyed EVERYTHING! Among our faves were the shishito peppers, the house special roll, the big eye tuna, and the spinach dry miso salad. I personally really liked the seafood dynamite and scallop sashimi - yum! However, the biggest crowd pleaser for us was the Hamachi kama. It was tender, flaky, and very tasty. I dont usually order Hamachi kama, as I've found that while it's pretty commonly found on menu's nowadays, it's often poorly executed. Thankfully, someone on our table wanted it, and I'll probably order it again in the future. We almost didn't get it though, as we had initially been told it had just sold out. Our server came back to let us know the chef had 1 more order left, so we lucked out. Lesson learned - if you want the Hamachi kama, order it early! We ordered quite a few other items as well, but barely dented their menu. I'm looking forward to coming back to try more!

Service was good, and the interior is nicely decorated. They're obviously outfitted to have a full bar, but as of this writing, it was still BYOB. We brought a and enjoyed a couple bottles of sake and some beer. The mocktails they have on the menu look interesting, so I'm looking forward to them getting their liquor license, which they anticipate getting fairly soon.

For Dessert, we had the Ube Pot de Creme and the Matcha Panna Cotta. I enjoyed both, despite already being stuffed. If I had to choose between the two, I'd have to go with the Ube Pot de Creme, but having both was better 😀!

Everyone in our party left with smiles and full bellies. See you again soon Oao!

Oao, ( WOW ) this is one of my new favorite sushi spots on Maui. Delicious cuisine, excellent service.

Shout out to the Master Chef and Jahffery delivering one of the best sushi experiences for me.

Thanks for navigating us through the menu and recommending some awesome dishes such as the Hamachi Kama, Fresh Oysters served on the shell and the specialty surf & Turf* roll, the wagyu on top was superb!

Fantastic atmosphere! Authentic experience with very hospitable staff.

Highly recommend!!

Visited with some friends from work, very accommodating and friendly staff when we needed to change our reservation. The staff was so friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The sushi was amazing!!!! The Oao Baked California Roll was our favorite but the other rolls we ordered were fantastic as well. Must visit for sushi!!!!

Went to Oao today for Happy Hour to try it out. We have been to many other sushi restaurants on Maui (and around the world) and some are very good and some, much less so. From the minute we entered to the minute we left Oao, it was a wonderful experience. Unbeknownst to us, we had met the owner sushi chef JR in the past when he was at the old Maui Isana. Since then, he has started his own sushi truck and then this restaurant and it was terrific on all levels when we ate there today. The sushi and sashimi were both fantastic. Everything was fresh and the quantity and quality of the fish was superb. JR has put together a great team with special mention to Iggy and Kevin which only enhanced the experience. We had maguro, hamachi, ika, uni, tai, unagi, tamago, the soft shell crab roll, brussel sprouts, edamame and the prawn tempura. Each one was delicate, unique and fantastic. Oao has only been open for 6 months but its success and positive reviews have been well earned and well deserved. If you are looking for sushi in South Maui, it is hard to find better.

I live up the street and usually get take out. Came in for the first time today and the cocktails were so much nicer than most things around.
Forgive me terrible photos —- the shiromi carpaccio was incredible! Could eat five 🥰🥰😂😂😂

Spicy Tuna cakes are super rich and filling

Very busy, we recommend reservations. We didn't have them but were seated at the drinks bar (high bar seats). Had fun talking and watching the young bartenders. Had Japanese style chicken wings, very good. Sushi was outstanding!! Relatively expensive, but the the service, freshness and taste made it worthwhile. Highly recommended.

Awesome sushi place in Wailea! Great ambience, I had an insane cocktail called “Black Potion” that was delicious and all the food we ordered was incredible. It’s definitely a must try on the island

Probably the best sushi I've had, ever. The sushi rice was nicely seasoned, soft, delicate and not grainy at all. Only critique, if any, would be a couple of the rolls were visually presented as if someone was in a rush to push the order out, messy. Expect to pay $30-50 for specialty rolls. But you won't be disappointed.

I visited here with my friends 2times. This place is amazing! I've visited a lot of sushi places here maui. But here is the BEST! Food tastes are so Bomb! this restaurant is brand new so still not popular for local ppl. I want this place become more popular! Every single food tastes are delicate and worthy.

Hands down the best sushi in Maui. No matter where you are staying on the island, you must make this one of your meals while in Maui - preferably early on because you will want to come back.

All of the fish is incredibly fresh and most caught locally. Some of the fish I had here were the freshest versions I’ve ever had - particularly the tuna cuts and eel.

The cooked items were also absolutely delicious and again used local ingredients. For dessert we had the ube cream and it was 10/10. Honestly every item was top notch, and I doubt you will go wrong with anything you order.

What really made our meal special though was JR and his staff. Everyone from the host to the wait staff and other chefs are thoughtful, hospitable, and friendly. Despite the fact that the quality of food and technical cooking is world class, they somehow manage to give this restaurant the feel of a mom and pop restaurant where the staff treat you as a local, a regular, and someone they are interested in getting to know. My wife and I had come in during our honeymoon after just having got married and they treated us like royalty. Really a special experience and I will definitely be back.