Old Towne Orange’s sustainable seafood restaurant O Sea, announced this week that April 30 would be its last day of service.
As the restaurant nears its five year anniversary, O Sea founder and general manager Mike Flynn shared via the O Sea Instagram account that the O Sea brand was purchased by King’s Fish Company, in an asset purchase and strategic integration deal.
“Following the completion of the transaction, both parties have agreed that O Sea will close,” Flynn said in his post.
“King’s Seafood Company has acquired the O SEA brand and related intellectual property and will integrate O SEA Founder Mike Flynn and key members of his leadership team into King’s Seafood Company in newly-created senior roles,” officials with the company, which operates King’s Fish House in Orange and Water Grill in Costa Mesa, announced in a news release. “The move signals a significant investment by King’s Seafood Company in continued culinary innovation and brand development across its portfolio.”
Mexican white shrimp and Norwegian Salmon on the grill at O Sea restaurant in Old Town Orange.
(Don Leach/Daily PIlot)
O Sea opened in Orange in 2021, advocating for the ocean with the motto, “seafood for thought” and serving dishes like salmon ceviche, wild Alaskan cod fish and chips and grilled fish tacos. As an “Ocean Friendly Restaurant” with the Surfrider Foundation, O Sea was recognized as a restaurant committed to making sustainable choices for the ocean, like refraining from using single-use plastics.
Following an oil spill from an underwater pipeline off Orange County’s coastline in 2021, O Sea donated 10% of the proceeds from seafood specials to Surfrider Foundation’s efforts to mitigate the spill’s impact on birds, fish and other wildlife.
This isn’t Flynn’s first experience working with King’s; he served as assistant general manager of Water Grill, South Coast Plaza and general manager of Water Grill, Los Angeles before opening O Sea.
Owner Mike Flynn at O Sea restaurant in Old Town Orange. The last day of service will be April 30.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)
“King’s has been a home of sorts for me for nearly two decades — some of you will remember that I took my first restaurant job with King’s when I was still in college,” Flynn wrote in his statement. “Selling the O Sea brand to King’s is a very full circle moment for me and going back to work with the King family feels like going home.”
King’s Seafood Company founder, Sam King, expressed a similar sentiment in a news release.
“This is a proud and full-circle moment,” King said. “Mike began his career with us early on, and it’s incredibly meaningful to welcome him back in a leadership role. His creativity, perspective, and commitment to quality are in complete alignment with our company’s values and will be invaluable as we continue to evolve our brands and invest in the future of our organization.”
King’s Seafood Company was founded in 1984 by Sam King and the late Jeff King. In addition to King’s Fish House and Water Grill, the restaurant group’s portfolio includes 555 East Steakhouse, Lou & Mickey’s, Meat on Ocean and Pier Burger. The company also operates King’s Seafood Distribution, which supplies seafood to all its restaurants.
Flynn invited diners to come out for a final meal at O Sea before the restaurant closes at the end of the month, extending gratitude to the Orange County community for its continued support.
“Come join us for lunch, happy hour or dinner through April 30th! We would love to serve you one last time (or two) and toast to the last five years,” Flynn said. “We are not quite done yet!”
O Sea is located at 109 S Glassell St. in Orange and will be open for regular service until April 30.