Iris Ramirez

Ohana Hawaiian BBQ • Mission Marketplace • Oceanside, CA

Iris Ramirez’s dad always dreamed of having his own restaurant. In 2005, when he first opened the doors at Ohana Hawaiian BBQ in Mission Marketplace, he never imagined that dream would span a generation and continue beyond his years. After he passed, Ramirez’s own “Ohana”(family in Hawaiian) took the reins, continuing his tradition of bringing authentic Hawaiian flavor to the Oceanside, CA community.

The Oceanside trade area is home to a substantial population of Islanders, and Ohana Hawaiian BBQ has genuinely become a key part of the community fabric there. The food is authentic, but it’s more than that. From offering employment and training opportunities, to supporting local organizations, to maintaining original family recipes and flavors, they have established a strong and frequent set of regular clientele who experience a “taste of home” when they come for a bite.

Over the years, NewMark Merrill’s unwavering support has helped Ohana thrive and grow. According to Iris, the NMC team consistently supports each and every tenant in truly meaningful ways. And for this, Iris and her family are truly grateful. During the pandemic, particularly, every opportunity imaginable was provided to keep tenants operating. Most impressive to Iris, NMC organized and provided donations to overwhelmed teachers and healthcare workers, and hosted socially-distanced events to normalize life for children. In Iris’ opinion, NMC is a company that has an undisputed stake in the game.

Iris and her family consider their clients extended Ohana. They’ve watched babies go from first steps to high school graduation and said sad goodbyes to those who moved away, then happily reunited when they return for a meal during visits home. Customers they’ve known for years still come from farther than you’d think for the food, fun and family. Iris says her dad made owning a business seem easy. It hasn’t always been, but he left her with his recipe for success — to be consistent in delivering greatness to the customer.

We try our best to keep the Hawaiian flavor in our food.