So sad to hear that this location will be no more from 3/12, but that didn't stop me from making the effort to stop by! Located across Market City along Kapiolani blvd, Ocean Taste is a small space that offers a variety of flavors for the seafood lover. From their famous aburi dishes to the classic poke bowls, they really deliver with the freshest fish and amazing flavors. I tried their torched garlic salmon bowl, and I have to say, it was probably one of the best torched seafood bowls I've ever had. The flames brought out the smokey flavor of the fresh salmon, and the garlic mayo drizzled on top definitely took this bowl to the next level. I love that they had sushi rice; I feel that this alone often elevates poke dishes. Anyways, the punch of garlicky flavor paired with a refreshing honey calamansi drink was the epitome of deliciousness. Their menu is easy to read and ordering was a breeze with the friendly staff! They make everything to order so you know it's fresh. I'd definitely come again when they open at their next location! - I heard from an employee who said it'll be on the outskirts of Waikiki near 7-eleven and they're aiming for sometime in April. So if you can't make it before 3/12, don't lose hope! They'll definitely be around for a long time to come :) Parking: there's a small lot accessible along Kapiolani blvd but I parked at market city and walked over. Super convenient!
Katelyn Irene
So yummy! We enjoyed every bite and ended up leaving with 6 iced teas for the two of us because it was THAT good. Definitely a must go.
Robinson Nguyen
I wish this place was here when I was growing up in Kapahulu. Went back home this past week and saw this little gem nearby . Got the seared butter ahi and it did not disappoint! I will definitely keep coming back just for that.
Dathan C.
What do you do when the service station says they're backed up and your car's servicing may take longer than three hours? You go exploring Kapahulu and Kaimuki because well, what else are you going to do? After two hours of getting my steps in exploring City Mill (who doesn't love home improvement stores? I am in my thirties aren't I?), Market City and the Kapahulu Safeway complex (and everything else nearby), I heeded my rumbling tummy by getting a taste of the Ocean.I got the shoyu onion salmon over sushi rice. Unfortunately, Ocean Taste doesn't let you do half ahi half salmon, but hey, salmon is good for you right? I got there at opening, so they may have been still setting up for the day, so the wait for the poke bowl was a bit long, but I had the time. Anyways, the fish was amazing melt in your mouth fresh. Definitely sashimi grade and absolutely delightful, but portions are a bit on the smaller size which makes sense given how much this cost and how high the quality is. You're not going to get full here, but you're also going to enjoy every delicious bite. The sauce didn't overpower the fish and the onions were mild and complemented the fish. The rice could have been a bit more sushi/vinegar flavored, but it's a minor thing.Ocean Taste shares a building with an aquarium store, a smash burger, and a sorbet place that all look like refugees from Ohana Market Place. A bit eclectic, but they have a decent amount of bar style seating along with a wall and pens to write a message or just sign your name that you ate here. There's plenty of parking in the shared lot. So stop by for a high grade poke bowls that make other place's fish just look sad.
Yi-Chu Sabrina Li
I recently picked up takeout from Ocean Taste and was impressed by the quality of the food. I ordered the spicy ahi bowl and the salmon trio don and both dishes were simply amazing. The ahi bowl was packed with fresh ahi, mixed greens and a perfect balance of spices that made it taste heavenly. The salmon trio don was also delicious, fresh and expertly prepared. Highly recommend Ocean Taste, it's a great way to enjoy a taste of the ocean from the comfort of your own home and also a great choice for picnic. Five stars all around!
Bethanie C.
I had this place bookmarked and we finally decided to try it. The location is kinda difficult to get to since it's off of a pretty big street. The dumpster outside wasn't the best smell coming out of the car, but the inside of area was pretty cool! They had roughly ten bar style seats, a smash burger food joint and a water plants w/anime located in the building. The prices I felt like were super reasonable, snow crab and spicy ahi with masago was 15.95 and their regular poke bowls were 12.95 ( with sushi rice which I prefer way more than regular rice). The spicy ahi was more the shredded kine rather than cubed. Still good and had a good amount of kick. Surprisingly it tasted good with the sweet snow crab. My boyfriend had the mentaiko bowl and like the flavors from the torched sauce with the unagi & fish. His was more traditional cubed ahi. I definitely want to try other items on the menu when I have a chance. Despite the less appealing outside, and the warm inside, the food was good and reasonable.
Carol L.
My go-to meal whenever I come back to Hawaii! I love the Torched Garlic Salmon bowl. Ocean taste sources fresh, local fish from the auction each morning. Everything is delicious, and especially the torched bowls. There's also an ahi version. They also have some poke options. Unfortunately, inflation has hit. I remember this bowl used to be around $12. Now it's about $15. :( Ocean Taste shares a building and private parking lot with Yoas. There is some counter seating available, and two friendly Shiba Inus to pet on the Yoas side. They are closed on Mondays.
Yoshi Masaki
Seriously so good! We ordered the salmon crème brûlée bowl with uni and the scallop and spicy tuna bowl. Both are sooooo good! Highly recommended!
Wilson Chan
I ordered two poke bowls and used a credit card to purchase the food. As with so many computer registers they ask for a minimum of 15% tip. The issue here is you pre-tip before service.This allows the server to judge you as a customer before they make your food. I prefer to judge the business and tip according.Thats why I leave a cash tip. Well the server served people after me their order first and when I was given my order I received the wrong order and the food was inadequately made. So obviously a cash tip was not given. So the results were I was made to wait longer and my order was messed up. Does this sounds like a great place to go to? They get the power to mess you up because your pre-tip is a requirement to get normal service? Why would I go back just to get punished by a server with an attitude? Be prepare to tip big and then hope you get your money's worth!
Aizhan
It’s really very tasty, I’ve tried poke in many places, but this one is in the first place now. I ordered spicy salmon, the size is not big, but it’s enough for my stomach, just when you eat such yummy you want more and more ? The fish was the freshest! I recommend!
Best poke bowl in town.Must try their uni with egg poke bowl with truffle oil.
Sheena J.
RIP Ohana Marketplace. I used to see Ocean Taste's booth in there and while this place was always on my "To try" list, I never got the chance too because there was always long line or as of late, the marketplace that housed them originally closed down. It wasn't until I started seeing people post up about them again in their new location that I finally said, OKAY HERES MY CHANCE TO TRY!If you're heading East on the H1, take the exit after University. Heading to Market City area can be quite tricky, but a skillful driver and an even more determined foodie eater will figure out a way to get to Ocean Taste's new spot. If you take this exit and start approaching the gas station to your right, take that right turn and then you will quickly have to turn right again into their new location. Look for the big, happy Buddha mural and you'll know you're there. Because I like to challenge myself, I ended up going to Market city, driving around the back towards Ace and with Kaimuki High School on my left side, I drove towards the stoplight and just drove straight into their location when it turned green. There's parking out in front so whichever way you come, you're good.From their pictures, it seems the popular dish is the Torched Garlic Salmon bowl. For it being my first time, I just had to try it. My friend Cody got the Snow Crab bowl and we waited a few minutes before they were ready. There seems to be another cool shop inside that sells plants garnished with cute Anime/Kawaii figurines. If we weren't nearing their closing time at 6p, I would have been down to eat inside.The Torched Spicy Garlic salmon was amaze balls. You can tell the fish is just fresh and the rice to fish ratio was chef kiss. I will be back to try more.P.s. driving out of this area is also very challenging. But we welcome daredevil, foodie eaters here.
Drizza N.
"Torched Garlic Salmon" is the first dish ever tried here.Perfect sizing of the meal and tasty for sure. Not overwhelming. The tobiko topping is good. I would desire a little more sprinkled atop. The sushi rice was good as well. Good fast and texture (not hard not sticky- perfect). I like the lined foil under the rice- helps to keep good temp of the bowl.I would certainly come again. The short hours makes for freshly made items.
Suri S.
Congrats Ocean Taste for their new location! Located off of Kapiolani Blvd and has plenty of parking outside. Nice artwork on the walls outside. The Torched Garlic Salmon bowl ($14.95) was BROKE THE MOUTH good. This is for you garlic lovers!! Fresh Salmon on a bed of warm white rice...and then topped with garlic sauce goodness. I finished this meal so fast..within minutes. Recommend ordering ahead of time -15 minutes for phone order!
Dan V
The food is good but there is no hospitality. As a paying customer you should have access to the restroom, however, I was denied and I was told they are not allowed to let customers use the restroom. I was baffled by this, as a tourist I might be unaware of the local rules, but as someone who has gone into many restaurants and have had to use the restroom on occasion, this felt strange. Not only did they not have a restroom to use, but no suggestions on where to go. Please be prepared, you will be out of luck.
So sad to hear that this location will be no more from 3/12, but that didn't stop me from making the effort to stop by! Located across Market City along Kapiolani blvd, Ocean Taste is a small space that offers a variety of flavors for the seafood lover. From their famous aburi dishes to the classic poke bowls, they really deliver with the freshest fish and amazing flavors. I tried their torched garlic salmon bowl, and I have to say, it was probably one of the best torched seafood bowls I've ever had. The flames brought out the smokey flavor of the fresh salmon, and the garlic mayo drizzled on top definitely took this bowl to the next level. I love that they had sushi rice; I feel that this alone often elevates poke dishes. Anyways, the punch of garlicky flavor paired with a refreshing honey calamansi drink was the epitome of deliciousness. Their menu is easy to read and ordering was a breeze with the friendly staff! They make everything to order so you know it's fresh. I'd definitely come again when they open at their next location! - I heard from an employee who said it'll be on the outskirts of Waikiki near 7-eleven and they're aiming for sometime in April. So if you can't make it before 3/12, don't lose hope! They'll definitely be around for a long time to come :) Parking: there's a small lot accessible along Kapiolani blvd but I parked at market city and walked over. Super convenient!
So yummy! We enjoyed every bite and ended up leaving with 6 iced teas for the two of us because it was THAT good. Definitely a must go.
I wish this place was here when I was growing up in Kapahulu. Went back home this past week and saw this little gem nearby . Got the seared butter ahi and it did not disappoint! I will definitely keep coming back just for that.
What do you do when the service station says they're backed up and your car's servicing may take longer than three hours? You go exploring Kapahulu and Kaimuki because well, what else are you going to do? After two hours of getting my steps in exploring City Mill (who doesn't love home improvement stores? I am in my thirties aren't I?), Market City and the Kapahulu Safeway complex (and everything else nearby), I heeded my rumbling tummy by getting a taste of the Ocean.I got the shoyu onion salmon over sushi rice. Unfortunately, Ocean Taste doesn't let you do half ahi half salmon, but hey, salmon is good for you right? I got there at opening, so they may have been still setting up for the day, so the wait for the poke bowl was a bit long, but I had the time. Anyways, the fish was amazing melt in your mouth fresh. Definitely sashimi grade and absolutely delightful, but portions are a bit on the smaller size which makes sense given how much this cost and how high the quality is. You're not going to get full here, but you're also going to enjoy every delicious bite. The sauce didn't overpower the fish and the onions were mild and complemented the fish. The rice could have been a bit more sushi/vinegar flavored, but it's a minor thing.Ocean Taste shares a building with an aquarium store, a smash burger, and a sorbet place that all look like refugees from Ohana Market Place. A bit eclectic, but they have a decent amount of bar style seating along with a wall and pens to write a message or just sign your name that you ate here. There's plenty of parking in the shared lot. So stop by for a high grade poke bowls that make other place's fish just look sad.
I recently picked up takeout from Ocean Taste and was impressed by the quality of the food. I ordered the spicy ahi bowl and the salmon trio don and both dishes were simply amazing. The ahi bowl was packed with fresh ahi, mixed greens and a perfect balance of spices that made it taste heavenly. The salmon trio don was also delicious, fresh and expertly prepared. Highly recommend Ocean Taste, it's a great way to enjoy a taste of the ocean from the comfort of your own home and also a great choice for picnic. Five stars all around!
I had this place bookmarked and we finally decided to try it. The location is kinda difficult to get to since it's off of a pretty big street. The dumpster outside wasn't the best smell coming out of the car, but the inside of area was pretty cool! They had roughly ten bar style seats, a smash burger food joint and a water plants w/anime located in the building. The prices I felt like were super reasonable, snow crab and spicy ahi with masago was 15.95 and their regular poke bowls were 12.95 ( with sushi rice which I prefer way more than regular rice). The spicy ahi was more the shredded kine rather than cubed. Still good and had a good amount of kick. Surprisingly it tasted good with the sweet snow crab. My boyfriend had the mentaiko bowl and like the flavors from the torched sauce with the unagi & fish. His was more traditional cubed ahi. I definitely want to try other items on the menu when I have a chance. Despite the less appealing outside, and the warm inside, the food was good and reasonable.
My go-to meal whenever I come back to Hawaii! I love the Torched Garlic Salmon bowl. Ocean taste sources fresh, local fish from the auction each morning. Everything is delicious, and especially the torched bowls. There's also an ahi version. They also have some poke options. Unfortunately, inflation has hit. I remember this bowl used to be around $12. Now it's about $15. :( Ocean Taste shares a building and private parking lot with Yoas. There is some counter seating available, and two friendly Shiba Inus to pet on the Yoas side. They are closed on Mondays.
Seriously so good! We ordered the salmon crème brûlée bowl with uni and the scallop and spicy tuna bowl. Both are sooooo good! Highly recommended!
I ordered two poke bowls and used a credit card to purchase the food. As with so many computer registers they ask for a minimum of 15% tip. The issue here is you pre-tip before service.This allows the server to judge you as a customer before they make your food. I prefer to judge the business and tip according.Thats why I leave a cash tip. Well the server served people after me their order first and when I was given my order I received the wrong order and the food was inadequately made. So obviously a cash tip was not given. So the results were I was made to wait longer and my order was messed up. Does this sounds like a great place to go to? They get the power to mess you up because your pre-tip is a requirement to get normal service? Why would I go back just to get punished by a server with an attitude? Be prepare to tip big and then hope you get your money's worth!
It’s really very tasty, I’ve tried poke in many places, but this one is in the first place now. I ordered spicy salmon, the size is not big, but it’s enough for my stomach, just when you eat such yummy you want more and more ? The fish was the freshest! I recommend!
Restaurantji Recommends
Best poke bowl in town.Must try their uni with egg poke bowl with truffle oil.
RIP Ohana Marketplace. I used to see Ocean Taste's booth in there and while this place was always on my "To try" list, I never got the chance too because there was always long line or as of late, the marketplace that housed them originally closed down. It wasn't until I started seeing people post up about them again in their new location that I finally said, OKAY HERES MY CHANCE TO TRY!If you're heading East on the H1, take the exit after University. Heading to Market City area can be quite tricky, but a skillful driver and an even more determined foodie eater will figure out a way to get to Ocean Taste's new spot. If you take this exit and start approaching the gas station to your right, take that right turn and then you will quickly have to turn right again into their new location. Look for the big, happy Buddha mural and you'll know you're there. Because I like to challenge myself, I ended up going to Market city, driving around the back towards Ace and with Kaimuki High School on my left side, I drove towards the stoplight and just drove straight into their location when it turned green. There's parking out in front so whichever way you come, you're good.From their pictures, it seems the popular dish is the Torched Garlic Salmon bowl. For it being my first time, I just had to try it. My friend Cody got the Snow Crab bowl and we waited a few minutes before they were ready. There seems to be another cool shop inside that sells plants garnished with cute Anime/Kawaii figurines. If we weren't nearing their closing time at 6p, I would have been down to eat inside.The Torched Spicy Garlic salmon was amaze balls. You can tell the fish is just fresh and the rice to fish ratio was chef kiss. I will be back to try more.P.s. driving out of this area is also very challenging. But we welcome daredevil, foodie eaters here.
"Torched Garlic Salmon" is the first dish ever tried here.Perfect sizing of the meal and tasty for sure. Not overwhelming. The tobiko topping is good. I would desire a little more sprinkled atop. The sushi rice was good as well. Good fast and texture (not hard not sticky- perfect). I like the lined foil under the rice- helps to keep good temp of the bowl.I would certainly come again. The short hours makes for freshly made items.
Congrats Ocean Taste for their new location! Located off of Kapiolani Blvd and has plenty of parking outside. Nice artwork on the walls outside. The Torched Garlic Salmon bowl ($14.95) was BROKE THE MOUTH good. This is for you garlic lovers!! Fresh Salmon on a bed of warm white rice...and then topped with garlic sauce goodness. I finished this meal so fast..within minutes. Recommend ordering ahead of time -15 minutes for phone order!
The food is good but there is no hospitality. As a paying customer you should have access to the restroom, however, I was denied and I was told they are not allowed to let customers use the restroom. I was baffled by this, as a tourist I might be unaware of the local rules, but as someone who has gone into many restaurants and have had to use the restroom on occasion, this felt strange. Not only did they not have a restroom to use, but no suggestions on where to go. Please be prepared, you will be out of luck.