Ocean View Pizzaria gets its name not because the storefront itself has an ocean view, but rather because it is located within the South Hawaii town of Ocean View. In other words, the name itself is not very inventive, and neither is the location at first glance, but this is one of those places that should not be judged by its cover.
From most map perspectives, Ocean View Pizzaria lies right on Mamalahoa Highway, but when driving to the location you will find that you can’t enter it from that large road. Rather, you will need to take the connecting road of Lotus Blossom Lane to turn into a large gray shopping center where you will find this restaurant at the furthest end.
The place looks, feels, and is a hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pop restaurant. Orders are taken at the counter, with a large sign behind the counter detailing all of their pizza options, and attached to the counter itself are menu add-ons each printed on a separate piece of paper. You can also grab a printed menu to peruse over if you need a bit more time to decide.
You might feel that this is rather low-grade, and that feeling is apt to continue. The indoor tables feature white plastic lawn chairs and most of the food gets served on or with paper plates paired with plastic cutlery. The prices are, in contrast, more on tier with what you’d expect from a more formal pizzeria.
Ocean View Pizzaria has several things going for it. Most notably, they make all of the dough for their menu items. This translates to a thick, delicious hand-made crust for their pizzas and always fresh bread for their sandwich items. They even have hot, homemade breadsticks always at the ready! So if you love thick pizzas made with homemade dough and hand-tossed, then Ocean View Pizzaria is going to be just your place. On the other hand, you aren’t going to appreciate the pizzas here if you prefer thin-crust pizzas.
The name of Ocean View Pizzaria emphasizes pizza, but that’s not the only menu item they are known for. Plenty of people had to this Ocean View spot instead for the sandwiches due to their hefty portions and that delicious homemade bread they come served upon.
Popular non-pizza menu items at Ocean View Pizzaria include:
Grinder Sub Sandwich
This sandwich features roast beef paired with salami and all the normal fixings like lettuce and tomato. For a nice spicy take, ask for it served with extra hot peppers on the side.
Eggplant Parmesan Sub
This is a fantastic choice for the vegetarians in your group. Comes fully loaded on their freshly baked bread, but best of all is how the parmesan melts across the sub once put for a few minutes in the pizza oven.
All of the subs at Ocean View Pizzaria also come with the option of adding the restaurant’s homemade French dip.
As a quick summary, Ocean View Pizzaria is not the place to go if you are looking for some nice ambiance and outstanding table service. You also won’t want to skip on their pizza if you prefer thin crust pizza. That aside, their pizza dough is fantastic for those who prefer thicker crust and this just might become your favorite place to go for a submarine sandwich. The prices here can also feel a bit wonky. The sandwich prices are on par with other small delis on the island, but you might find the pizza listed a bit higher than expected.
Insider Tip:
There are a lot of less crowded beaches and other activities around this area. For example, Papakolea Green Sand Beach is just a short drive from this restaurant and is one of only four such green sand beaches in the world. Grab one of the outstanding subs at Ocean View Pizzaria to go and enjoy it with a beautiful nature ambiance out at this or another area beach!