One of my favorite things about our 10 days in Oahu was the number of incredible North Shore food trucks at the tip of the island. It’s a great alternative to expensive restaurant evenings out.
Plus, you didn’t come to the North Shore for the restaurant scene, right?
Shrimp trucks abound here. It’s the #1 food truck you should try! This area has been synonymous with shrimp ever since the 1970’s when the state of Hawaii began a research and promotion of fresh water aquaculture here.
Every shrimp truck has its own take on this North Shore classic but garlic butter and hot and spicy are the two classic styles. To keep this list of food trucks manageable, I’ve just included what I consider to be the top two/most famous shrimp trucks but definitely branch out on your own.
In addition to plenty of shrimp trucks, you’ll find pizza, Thai food, acai bowls, shave ice and so much more here.
A few caveats: While I’ve seen all these food trucks in person, I could only sample so many in our week up north…mostly near Kahuku, Sharks Cove, and Haleiwa.
You’ll also find additional food trucks in Waialua near Haleiwa and Laie to the east (past Kahuku) but we didn’t have time to investigate those.
I’ve combed through Yelp reviews for top picks to point you in the right direction. If you don’t see a food truck here, it’s either that we didn’t make it there or we did but had a poor experience or Yelp reviewers panned it so I left it off.
Be aware that food truck hours vary widely. I found the options are slimmer at dinner over lunch but there are still plenty of food trucks open then, too. Just double check hours before you head over.
Map of North Shore Food Trucks
How to use this map: This map is an image. Click the map to open an interactive version of the map. From there, if you click “open in my maps”, you can add this to your Google maps. Just click the tiny transparent star to the right of the map description to save it in “your places.” Go to “your places” next and there it is!
North Shore Food Trucks
Shark’s Cove Food Trucks
1. The Sunrise Shack
Hours: 7 am to 6 pm daily
What to order: It’s all about the smoothies and acai bowls at this food truck owned by local surfers. The Sunrise Shack is a great place to get your organic coffee fix…or even Bulletproof coffee for Keto lovers.
You’ll feel the aloha vibe with the friendly customer service. Try the monkey smoothie or the tropical smoothie.
All of the acai bowls are Insta-worthy (and tasty) here as they come piled high with fresh fruit, granola, coconut, and other toppings.
It’s the perfect pick-me-up after surfing or snorkeling at nearby Sunset Beach, Banzai Pipeline or Shark’s Cove.
They also have locations at Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort in Honolulu and Sunset Beach.
2. Aji Limo Truck
Hours: 11:30 am to 8:15 pm daily
What to order: This cute food truck has the most inviting little outdoor picnic seating area. It feels like a beachy restaurant. After sunset, it’s even softly lit up.
It’s all about fresh food, and seafood here—ceviche and poke—with the freshest ingredients. This is a solid option if you’re in search of fresh veg with your meal versus the standard Hawaiian sides of rice and macaroni salad.
The most popular things to get at Aji Limo are the poke, the chirashi bowl and sunset shrimp (comes with salad). Also try the marlin plate!
Read more on Oahu travel:
• How to spend 1 week on Oahu
• 11 great hikes on Oahu
Haleiwa Food Trucks
3. Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck
Hours: 10:30 am to 5 pm daily
What to order: Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck is the most famous of the North Shore shrimp trucks but debate is fierce on whether it’s the best. Plenty of people think the place is overhyped so you’ll have to do your own research.
There are two North Shore locations: in Haleiwa and Kahuku. By far, the most popular thing to order here is the shrimp scampi. Followed by the garlic shrimp, and the spicy shrimp.
The shrimp scampi come with two scoops of rice drizzled in a garlic lemon butter with carmelized chunks of tasty garlic.
Steve pronounced the garlic shrimp delicious but deducted points for so much rice without a veggie. (It’s the Hawaiian way though!)
You’ll find that most entrees come with a side of rice and macaroni salad. I recommend hitting up the Foodland grocery story on Sunset Beach and offsetting all those carbs with delicious premade salads from the cold case.
4. North Shore Crepes Cafe
Hours: 10 to 5 pm daily
What to order: Head directly to this remodeled VW bus for both savory or sweet dessert-style French crepes. North Shore Crepes Cafe also offers a gluten-free option with buckwheat crepes.
Try the garlic shrimp galette or the Hawaiian (kalua pig, mozzarella, coleslaw, sauteed onion and bbq sauce). For dessert, don’t miss the Waikiki…which comes with nutella, ice cream, banana, and strawberries!
5. Haleiwa Seafood
Hours: 11 am to 8 pm daily
What to order: Haleiwa Seafood specializes in, as you might expect, seafood! Fan favorites include the blackened Mahi Mahi, coconut fish, and coconut shrimp. Fish is moist and flaky.
Fish and shrimp tacos come with crisp vegetables and toppings although think of them as street tacos…on the small side. Order several if you’re hungry!
6. Surf N Salsa
Hours: 11:30 am to 7:30 pm daily
What to order: We loved our dinner at Surf N Salsa! I thought the fish tacos were top notch…they came with a fresh salsa, refries and rice. I live in San Diego so I have strong opinions on fish tacos. These were good.
Steve had the chile verde burrito and raved. He actually makes his own chile verde at home so this was high praise. I think he’d have come back every night if I’d have let him.
The most popular item on the menu, at least according to Yelp reviewers, is the carne asada plate followed closely by the surf and turf burrito (steak and shrimp).
7. North Shore Pizzas
Hours: 1 pm to 9 pm daily
What to order: The super thin crust pizzas—like a cracker—at North Shore Pizzas are well-loved here on the North Shore…even from New York pizza snobs! However, the service gets mixed reviews from Yelpers.
From classic margarita and pepperoni to specialties like The Pipeline and The Slab, every pizza comes packed with high quality toppings and fresh ingredients.
Try the spicy pizza. Or add carmelized onions to your pizza choice. The Hawaiian is perfect in Hawaii.
8. Crispy Grindz
Hours: 9 am to 8 pm daily
What to eat: Crispy Grindz is a popular Brazllian food truck! You’ll find everything from acai bowls and fresh fruit smoothies to Brazillian fast food like pastels, which are rectangle shaped thin crust pies with assorted fillings.
If you want to try a a pastel, go for one of the savory, cheesy versions (pizza or ham and cheese) versus the sweeter ones that reviewers were less impressed by.
Several hard core acai fans claims this place has the best bowls on Oahu. And anyone who’s been to Brazil is excited to be able to order a “Guarana”, a well-loved fizzy Brazilian soft drink, here.
Pupukea Food Trucks (near Sharks Cove)
9. The Elephant Shack
Hours: 5 to 8 pm Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday
What to order: The Elephant Shack serves seriously delicious Thai food…tucked away in a food truck by a gas station near Sunset Beach.
We can personally vouch for the Thai Basil Bowl, which includes broccoli, mushrooms, onion, and long beans stir fried in a special sauce with Jasmine rice.
Honestly, all the food here gets great reviews. Try the yellow curry or the Ganesha Pad Thai, a cilantro-y take on vegan pad thai. You’ll need to order online though or prepare for a wait.
10. Pupukea Grill
Hours: Thurs to Sun 11 am to 5 pm, closed M, T, W
What to order: Pupukea Grill is another very popular North Shore food truck. One Yelper calls it “hands down” the best food truck on the North Shore. Call ahead to avoid long lines.
It’s all about the fresh fish—and Mexican—here: from sushi rolls and poke bowls to specialty quesadillas. The most popular dish is the spicy tuna bowl, followed by the spicy ahi bowl and Shoyu chicken plate.
Kahuku Food Trucks
11. Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp Truck
Hours: 10 am to 7:30 pm daily
What to order: Shrimp, of course! Next to Giovanni’s, Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp is one of the best loved shrimp trucks on the North Shore. In fact, there’s a fierce debate among which is best.
One Yelper described Giovanni’s as bolder and spicier while Fumi’s was more garlic forward.
Spicy garlic, butter garlic, and hot and spicy are the faves to try here. Shrimp taste testers give points to Fumi’s for having the largest shrimp of the several food trucks they tried.
Shrimp comes with rice, corn, and a wedge of pineapple. I give Fumi’s a nod for including corn over macaroni salad. As mentioned earlier, it’s hard to find veggies at North Shore food trucks!
And for dessert, be sure to get a Dole whip, a non-dairy soft serve pineapple ice cream, which used to be only available at Disneyland but is now a North Shore staple.
There’s a nice shady outdoor picnic area here, too!
12. Seven Brothers “At the Mill”
Hours: Open evenings but varies depending on locations in Kahuku, Laie, and Sharks Cove.
What to order: Seven Brothers is an extremely popular gourmet burger place here on the North Shore.
One Yelper came two days in a row for the Paniolo (cowboy) burger (grass fed beef, topped with two onion rings). Visitors love the potato chip sliced fries.
As for me, I devoured the coconut macadamia nut shrimp.
After I read a review by someone who said they were far better than the garlicy Giovanni’s shrimp, I decided to see for myself.
Delicious! I loved that the shrimp came with salad.
13. Da Bald Guy
Hours: 7 am to 2 pm daily
What to order: Da Bald Guy was closed when we happened by too late in the day. I was so disappointed because this place gets rave reviews.
The top order here is pan-fried poke, followed by the chopped steak, and braised boneless Kalbi beef. Furikaki salmon and garlic shrimp get good reviews too.
The combo plate allows you to choose any two mains with two scoops of white rice and 1 scoop of macaroni salad.
Since Da Bald Guy is open early, you can also make a breakfast here of chop steak and eggs!
14. Hawaiian Island X-Treme Smooth & Shave Ice
Hours: 10:30 am 6:30 pm
What to order: This food truck is super convenient for adding a smoothie or shave ice to your order at another nearby Kahuku truck (ie., Giovanni’s).
I will say though that your better bet for shave ice is to head to Matsumoto Shave Ice in Haleiwa. Yes, it’s true there is nearly always an astonishing line out the front door there. But the line goes quickly and it’s worth the wait!
Still, you can’t beat the convenience factor here at Hawaiian Island X-Treme.
The best bets here? Try the half pineapple with li-hing (pickled plum powder). Or get a coconut!
15. Papi’s Tacos
Hours: Tues 12 to 8, W to Sat 11 to 8, closed Sun and Mon
What to order: Looking for your North Shore Mexican fix? Go to Papi’s Tacos (or try my favorite food truck: Surf N Salsa in Haleiwa).
Top picks here are the fried avocado tacos and chipotle lime chicken chicken tacos. You’ll find lots of street tacos, burritos, and quesadilla here, too.
Everyone raves about the fish tacos at Papi’s as well.
16. Sugah Daddeh’s Kane Juice
Hours: 11 am to 5 pm
What to order: This was one food truck I was dying to try but I never made it here during operating hours since it’s open mid-day only.
Sugah Daddeh’s Kane Juice doesn’t sound like a “healthy” drink, does it? But it actually is! It turns out sugar cane juice is high in potassium, magnesium, iron and more.
After this local family started selling its drinks at the local farmer’s market to wide acclaim, they opened this food truck. Now locals even drive here from the south shore to buy it in a reusable mason jar (for discounted refills).
This cane juice is squeezed right in front of you. While sugar cane juice is delicious on its own, you can also choose from an extensive list of fruits to mix in.
Ask for suggestions based on how sweet you’d like your drink.Try the Lilikoi (passionfruit)! It’s a popular flavor.
17. Ry’s Poke Shack
Hours: 11:30 to 4 pm daily
What to order: If you’ve never had poke, you’ve got to try it in Hawaii! For those new to this deliciousness, poke is diced and marinated raw fish, often served in a bowl of rice with other ingredients.
Ry’s Poke Shack is a favorite of locals. You’ll want to arrive here early for best fish selection. You’ll order either a poke bowl or poke salad, choose your fish and then choose from 14 sauces that range from mild to spicy.
Try the hurricaine nachos (nachos with poke and crab drizzled in sauce with guacamole, spicy mayo and sesame seeds).
Or how about the kabayaki style poke—the chef’s favorite—with sweet and savory kabayaki soy sauce, sweet onions, green onions and unami flavor?
Food trucks on the North Shore are amazing! There’s no better way to cool off after snorkeling or surfing than with a smoothie or shave ice.
It’s easy to enjoy dinner at the beach with takeout. And after all, if you’re on the North Shore, shouldn’t you be planning your day around sunset at Sunset Beach? Enjoy.
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