On April 7, 2022, Oha Hawaiian Barbeque (BBQ) opened in downtown Sausalito. The grand opening caught the attention of many Marin County residents, especially those who love Hawaiian cuisine. You are greeted with a friendly “aloha” from the restaurant workers immediately after entering. After picking the items you want to order on the overhead menu screen, your dishes are quickly whipped up and ready to go in approximately 20 minutes. Once ready to dig in, you will be amazed by the aesthetically pleasing display of each dish. All  plates contain a meat or seafood choice, including rice, macaroni salad, veggies and spicy BBQ or teriyaki sauce to pull the whole dish together. The large portion sizes and reasonable prices make Oha Hawaiian BBQ the perfect place to have a family meal.

Dish 1: Chicken Katsu, $10.99, 3/5

One of Oha Hawaiian BBQ’s most popular dishes is the Chicken Katsu which is prepared with bread crumb-coated chicken laid on top of cabbage, rice and macaroni salad. The restaurant recommends dipping all bites of chicken into the spicy barbecue sauce for extra flavor. The fried crust has a satisfying crunch and you are left with the taste of juicy, tender chicken cooked to perfection. While the description of the Chicken Katsu had veggies included, I was disappointed to find pieces of bland and unenjoyable cabbage stacked underneath the crispy chicken. It had an odd and rubbery texture that was fairly unsatisfying. However, the sticky rice and macaroni salad went extremely well with the protein in the dish. After eating the Chicken Katsu, it’s easy to understand why this dish is so popular at the Oha Hawaiian BBQ restaurant.  The meal might, unfortunately, make your mouth dry, leaving you in desperate need of water so make sure you have a glass by your side. Given the portion size of the dish and the well-cooked chicken, it is worth $10.99 and three out of five stars. 

Dish 2: Shrimp and Chicken combo, $12.49, 4/5

The second most popular dish at Oha Hawaiian BBQ is the shrimp and BBQ chicken combo. Both these proteins in the meal compliment each other well,  The sweet BBQ chicken and crispy, perfectly fried shrimp make for a delicious combination. The BBQ chicken is very well done and coated with a layer of teriyaki sauce. The shrimp has an authentic, crispy outside, however, I was unhappy when I passed the fried layer because the shrimp was plain, hard-to-bite and rather tasteless. The BBQ chicken was definitely the star of this dish, bringing the overall meal to a four out of five stars. 

Dish 3: Chicken Breast with Lemon and Pepper, $11.49, 3/5

It was hard to understand why the Chicken Breast with lemon and pepper seasoning is considered popular  at Oha Hawaiian BBQ. The dish consists of a plain chicken breast with a choice of lemon pepper or teriyaki sauce layered on top. The chicken was juicy and grilled nicely, however, it had a very unsatisfying texture that was not enjoyable to chew. Overall, the dish barely had any noticeable flavor, which disappointed me because there was nothing special about this Hawaiian dish; it just tasted like chicken. I highly recommend trying this dish with the teriyaki sauce instead of the lemon pepper. I’m sure it will add more flavor and spice to bring everything together, maybe bringing the rating up from three out of five stars.

If you feel like sharing a Hawaiian meal with your family or friends, Oha Hawaiian BBQ is definitely the place for you. Several of their popular dishes, such as the Chicken Katsu and Shrimp and BBQ Chicken, are the highlights of the menu and will make you feel as if you are enjoying a delicious meal with your family on the beautiful islands of Hawaii.