CONTRIBUTED BY LARISSA

It’s very rare you come across a place with a New Orleans style jazz atmosphere, good music and food with so much flavor!

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I love the above tag line on this restaurant’s business card – it sums up our experience on a recent Saturday night and I couldn’t have said it any better.  Sauce is a fun place to hang out with friends while enjoying flavors that I can’t easily describe.  I recommend you let your own taste buds do the deciding!

Dinner Plates are served with fried potatoes, coleslaw and a soft drink.  Regular dinners are Y1,900 and the large dinners are Y2,900.  Your dinner choices are BBQ Ribs, BBQ Ribs & Chicken, BBQ Ribs and Shrimp.  The Sauce Special Dinner includes Cajun Crab Legs and Shrimp for Y5,000.

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When you are eating with a group of 5 or more consider sharing the Sauce Deluxe Party Tray.  For Y10,000 you get BBQ Ribs, Chicken, Fish, Shrimp, Fried Potatoes, Bread and Coleslaw.  We had 6 in our party and we had leftovers.  This is a generous “tray” of food with mouth-watering flavors.  I am not usually a fan of coleslaw but Sauce knows how to whip up a great slaw for even the pickiest eater.

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Side dishes are available as well and you can enjoy Hot Wings or Shrimp for Y700 and Greens or Corn for Y500.

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Sauce’s serves up some generously-sized tropical drinks as well.  For Y1,000 you can choose from Sauce’s Long Island Ice Tea, Tequila Sunrise, Amaretto Sour or their Original Margarita.  Beer, wine and soft drinks are also available.

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This is a great place to celebrate your birthday because showing your ID will get you a “free” birthday dinner – specifically one of the regular dinners.

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Sauce Live Soul Food Restaurant

Payment:  This restaurant takes Yen, American Dollars and Credit Cards.

 

Hours:  They are open everyday from 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. The last order is taken 30 minutes before closing.

Website: www.saucelive.com

Phone: 098-936-0204

Email:  info@saucelive.com.

Address: 1206 Yoshihara, Chatan

Google Maps Coordinates: 26.3104727547, 127.763361347

Directions (Edited in 2012 to reflect the new location):

From Foster and points south: Go north on 58. Just past 130, but before 24, Sauce Live will be on the right side. Parking is behind the building near the Family Mart.

From Lester and points north: Go south on 58. Just past 24, but before 130, Sauce Live will be on the left side. Parking is behind the building near the Family Mart.

29 COMMENTS

  1. When I was stationed on Okinawa in the late 90’s, I used to drive home to Foster on 58. Along the side of the road (Chatan area), there was a small white building – you could almost call it a shack. I seem to remember a crudely made sign that I think said “Sauce”. Was this the original “Sauce”? To be honest, I could never tell if it was actually open. So many restaurants would open and quickly close in those days. When I saw the picture of the sign in this review, those memories came back to me and got me wondering.

  2. I wanted to give a shout out to Sauce owner and servers! If you are looking for meaty ribs with mouthwatering flavor or wings that are done to perfection, look no further! The coleslaw is the best I ever had…fresh and delish! We stock up on the sauce that sells at the commissary and put it on lots of dishes at home! I would like to see some Mac n cheese and baked beans for a complete soul food experience- but to r honest…you go for the grilled food! Owner brought us complimentary wings, and I think those were my favorite. He also suggested I get the rev platter for my kids to share but said he would just add an extra rib for my hungry ten year old son! Enjoyed the great R&B music, food, and service. Sauce is my family’s go to!

  3. To Maketa and Victor, im so very sorry of the poor service u receive at sauce. we been open for over 20 years and it was just oe of those days when everything goes wrong. kitchen nightmare!! I’m more than willing to give u guys a full refund. thank u

  4. Great food, but bad bad bad service. The owner treats us with disdain, on more than one occasion. Excuse me, I thought I was a paying customer. The older woman is a great server, and really sweet. The younger one has to be dug out from behind the counter to get something as simple as water. My last visit was horrendous, and if I wanted to get treated poorly I can visit the protesters at Futenma. Last time I go there.

  5. Well, I must say tonight will be my last time eating at Sauce. Although I love the chicken, the service we received was by far the worse since I’ve been on island; a total of six years now. When we arrived at 7:45 pm, there was no seating left, so we decided to wait until seats were available. Not a problem; got it. The waitress gave us menus to order from while we were waiting, so we assumed our food would be ready as soon as we sat down. Mind you, everyone was already eating or nearly done.

    8:30 p.m. passes and we still have no seats. Two males walked in and were seated at the two-seat table. We finally were seated at 8:54 pm and still had no food although we had ordered over well over an hour ago. The two males received their food before us, were done eating, and left before we received all our food.

    Not once did the owner stop by to offer apologies for the excessive delay. Yet, he made a point to go by the other patrons’ tables to see how their food was. We received our food at almost 9:30 p.m. Yes, we were stupid to continue waiting when we could’ve received better and faster service elsewhere. When we paid for our food, the owner mubled thank you and waved us on our way. Really?? This is not how you treat paying cutomers who frequent your restaurant often, never causing any issues whatsoever.

    So instead of patronizing this place when the owner blatantly made it a point to treat us with disdain for no reason. I can live without the awesome chicken wings.

  6. The new location has 20 seats. If coming from Kadena to foster turn left at the light before 130. On the right will be a church sign and park in that parking lot. Sauce is just around the corner off 58. Great food and service. We will definitely go back!

  7. Went here the other week. Very good food & drinks! Had BBQ ribs and shrimp combo. We just parked on the street right after you pass the restaurant (along the river/canal). You can just walk from Lester.
    Just plug “sauce live” in your iPhone maps app for directions.

  8. I went here yesterday for my birthday. I failed to read the latest post at the bottom of the page telling me it moved… But we called the number on here and he told us where to go. I did not know if it is your birthday that you get your meal free. It was the best I have had as far as BBQ goes in Okinawa. When you order, he starts grilling, so it is fresh and juicy when you get it.. well worth the wait!!! The sauce he makes is amazing. I bought a bottle for my self. I got the hot wings, Ribs, and shrimp. It was all finger licking! I would definitely recommend going here!

  9. Leave the main gate of Camp Lester heading south on 58. The first intersection is route 24. Continue south on 58 and Sauce in on the left about 3 doors south of the Route 24 intersection. Proceed to the very next turn left to a small road, park and walk to the restaurant. The New Orleans style BBQ really was exceptional and good value for the money. Check it out! You will be very happy you did.

  10. Just noticed but they either have another one on 58 coming from foster before you get to Lester (on that same side as lester) or they moved? Just figured I’d throw it out there in case they closed the above location.

  11. My husband and I went for the first time w/ some friends and thoroughly enjoyed everything. The service “waitress” was OK but the food definately made up for it in every way. We had the hot wings, greens, fried corn, slaw, ribs/shrimp dinners. Everything had a unique and flavorful taste! I can’t wait to go back when they have their outdoor jazz music set up. The atmosphere of the place also sets the mood. Before we knew it we’d been there over 3hrs! Great food, great friends to enjoy it with ~you can’t beat it!

  12. My wife and I ate there last night for the first time. We’ve been here for five years, and I can’t believe that we haven’t tried Sauce before now. It was fantastic!

    We both had the ribs and chicken dinner (regular size), and we were plenty full. I can’t imagine ordering the large. It was absolutely delicious, and the coleslaw was amazing too. I’m normally not a huge fan of coleslaw but this was really good.

    My wife ordered a “Sweet Baby” cocktail, and it was very big. She said that it was quite good (rum, pineapple, and something else that she was unsure of).

    Overall, I would definitely recommend this restaurant to friends, and we will be back!

  13. Jo – Thanks for your support!! We really appreciate it!!! I love your blog – who knew bacon ice cream could be so mouth-watering!!!! I’m posting your blog on my facebook – I have lots of friends that love to eat out and even more that love to cook and eat in!!!!!

  14. Candice – I didn’t notice anyone smoking inside but we got there right at 6p.m. and we were done by 7:30p.m. or so. We missed the late-night crowd! I would e-mail them at the address I included in the post and ask them. I think if you got there right when they opened, especially during the week, you probably wouldn’t have a problem. Keep me posted and let me know what they said!!! Also, I’d love to hear what you thought – let me know once you’ve visited them!!!

  15. Glenn: It’s fun to have a fan in Scotland. My husband has roots in Scotland – our last name is Traquair and the House of Traquair is the oldest, inhabited house in Scotland. Or at least that’s what I’ve been told! A lot has changed in Okinawa since our first tour together in 1998 so I’m sure even more has changed since your tours. We are so blessed to have so many great restaurants to choose from now, especially since the hubs and I love to eat out!! We do still have A & W here and we still love their rootbeer floats. Their chicken is great too!! Thanks for your support – we really appreciate it!! And thanks, too, for your service!!!!

  16. Wow!! Where was this;between 1960 and 1977 when I lived on the island.My two daughters were born there and Jo,the youngest sends your site to me in Scotland where I have lived since then. Our Big Day out then was a visit to the A&W!!!!!! Ha!! Keep it up as it is a great read,