Fine dining chain Ocean Prime celebrates 20th anniversary

The seafood and steak concept expects to close the year with $285 million in sales at just 21 locations.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 1:07pm

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Ocean Prime, a fine-dining seafood and steak concept owned by Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The company plans to ramp up growth, aiming to open 10 new locations in the next five years. Ocean Prime currently has 21 locations and expects to close the year with around $285 million in sales, with an average unit volume of $14 million, making it one of the best-performing restaurant brands in the U.S.

Why it matters

Ocean Prime's strong performance and growth plans highlight the continued demand for high-end dining experiences, even as the restaurant industry faces challenges from factors like declining tourism. The company's focus on providing genuine hospitality and continually improving its offerings has been key to its success.

The details

Ocean Prime is part of the Columbus, Ohio-based Cameron Mitchell Restaurants (CMR) portfolio. The company is preparing to open its 21st location in Nashville and hopes to open 10 locations in the next five years, effectively doubling its growth rate. Ocean Prime's $14 million average unit volume would put it among the best of any multiunit concept in America, with only two other chains surpassing that mark. The company has honed its site selection strategy to prioritize 'trophy locations' in cities like Denver, New York, and Fort Lauderdale, with its 11 locations opened in the past decade achieving around $16 million per year in sales on average.

  • Ocean Prime opened its first location in Columbus, Ohio in the Easton development in the early 2000s.
  • The re-concepted restaurant was only open for dinner and cleared $6 million annually.
  • The second Ocean Prime location opened in Detroit a few years later.

The players

Cameron Mitchell

The founder and CEO of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, the parent company of the Ocean Prime brand.

Ocean Prime

A fine-dining seafood and steak concept owned by Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants

The Columbus, Ohio-based parent company of the Ocean Prime brand, which has a portfolio of over 68 restaurants across 20-plus concepts.

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What they’re saying

“We're stepping on the gas a little bit, but don't feel like it is really hitting the pedal. We want to build four or five restaurants a year [across the CMR portfolio], and we think Ocean Prime should be one or two of those for sure.”

— Cameron Mitchell, Founder and CEO (nrn.com)

“We look at it as a triangular relationship. We take care of our people. Our people take care of our guests. And then our guests take care of our company by repeat visits. And that's worked very well for us for the past 33 years.”

— Cameron Mitchell, Founder and CEO (nrn.com)

What’s next

Ocean Prime plans to focus its future growth on markets like Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Southern Florida as it aims to open 10 new locations in the next five years.

The takeaway

Ocean Prime's success highlights the continued demand for high-end dining experiences, even in challenging times. The company's focus on providing genuine hospitality, continually improving its offerings, and strategic growth has been key to its status as one of the best-performing restaurant brands in the U.S.