Eat Your Way Through the Best Shrimp Trucks on Oahu

I’m not one to just laze around on the beach all day. When I’m traveling, even if it’s to an island, I’m going to do some eating. Usually, that’s just not conducive to being in a bikini all day.

When we were visiting Oahu, there were just some things I knew I wanted to try, starting with the island’s shrimp trucks on the North Shore. In fact, tracking down the best shrimp trucks in Oahu quickly became one of the highlights of our trip.

I mean, why visit Hawaii if not for all the food, right? Here are all of my favorites, and a few extras that I’ll just have to come back to one day.

The Best Shrimp Trucks on Oahu (Quick List)

The shrimp truck scene on Oahu continues to evolve, but these North Shore classics remain some of the best shrimp trucks in Oahu:

• Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck is the iconic North Shore truck known for buttery garlic shrimp.
• HONOS Shrimp Truck is known for bold flavors and Korean-inspired dishes.
• Jenny’s Shrimp is well known for its coconut shrimp and spicy garlic dishes.
• Big Wave Shrimp offers a broader menu with generous portion sizes.
• Famous Kahuku Shrimp is known for big plates and a strong local following.
• Tanaka Kahuku Shrimp is the new “Fumi’s,” known for its signature garlic shrimp recipe and North Shore legacy.
• Romy’s Kahuku Prawns & Shrimp Hut serves large prawns and ultra-garlicky plates.
• North Shore Shrimp Truck is a reliable stop in Haleiwa, known for classic garlic shrimp plates and shorter lines.

Why Oahu’s Best Shrimp Trucks Are on the North Shore

Most of the best shrimp trucks on Oahu are located along the island’s North Shore, particularly around Haleiwa and Kahuku along Kamehameha Highway.

The area became famous for garlic shrimp in the 1990s when local shrimp farms began selling freshly harvested shrimp straight from roadside trucks. What started with just a few stands quickly turned into one of Oahu’s best food traditions.

Today, the North Shore shrimp trucks are a must-stop for anyone exploring this part of the island.

Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck

Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck is widely considered the most famous shrimp truck on Oahu. It’s often credited with helping to popularize the North Shore shrimp truck scene, too.

Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck started as a mobile operation in 1993. It’s owned by Troy Nitsche today, but it’s always been a family affair. 

The truck, a converted 1950s bread truck, would drive around the North Shore, stopping here and there to sell its shrimp to interested parties. (It turns out that there were a lot of parties interested in shrimp trucks on Oahu.)

By 1993, they were parked in a permanent spot in Kahuku town, followed by a second location in Haleiwa, the one we tried. 

I have a friend who says if there’s no line at a place, it’s probably not worth your time. Now, I’ve walked right into some delicious places, so don’t necessarily agree, but Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck in their Haleiwa pavilion certainly fits that bill.

There’s a line to both order your shrimp and then pick up your platter, with limited seating around. Several other food trucks there await your patronage, but alas, I’m there for the scampi, baby.

Note: The parking is admittedly terrible. Our group ended up parking in spots on the street. Otherwise, you wait in a line for a spot in the adjoining lot if it’s busy, with only the chickens clucking around to entertain you. 

The shrimp scampi is what they’re known for. It’s messy, loaded up with garlic and butter, and it’s awesome. Plates come with generous scoops of rice, lemon, and more dollops of sauce.

If you’re brave, they have a non-refundable spicy shrimp instead of their delectable garlic shrimp, along with more muted lemon butter shrimp plates. The truck is cash only. Your meal will cost around $20 if you get a shrimp plate, drinks, and a side, plus a tip.

Fun fact: If you need a palate cleanser, we indulged in some shave ice at a truck in the same pavilion. You’d be wise to do the same.

Now that I’ve shared the best one with you, here are a few more for those here for a shrimp truck crawl.

HONOS Shrimp Truck

HONOS is right next to Giovanni’s on the Kamehameha Highway, so it’s often overlooked for the original. Locals know that you shouldn’t count this one out, though, especially if you have a hankering for some Korean short ribs.

Their shrimp comes in a few more unique flavors, like their sweet and sour pineapple sauce.

Jenny’s Shrimp

Jenny’s lunch wagon is just down the street from both Giovanni’s and HONOS. The shrimp here are served butterfly-style, allowing all of those flavors to get into those nooks and crannies.

If you’ve been on the search for coconut shrimp, Jenny’s should top your list of Oahu shrimp trucks to try.

Big Wave Shrimp

Big Wave Shrimp is just south of Giovanni’s, but it’s found its own rabid following after a feature on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The menu here is more diverse than most of the Oahu shrimp trucks on the Kamehameha Highway.

Order up your plate of garlic butter shrimp with chicken wings, spring rolls, or even fish and chips.

Famous Kahuku Shrimp

This one operates near where Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp used to operate on the northern tip of the island in Kahuku. We didn’t try this one as Fumi’s had the better reviews, but we’d give it a shot for its generous portions and take on garlic shrimp.

There’s a second location in Waialua if you find yourself there on your trip to Oahu.

Fun fact: Their chicken fingers get lots of kudos online if you have room.

Tanaka Kahuku Shrimp

Tanaka Kahuku Shrimp took over the former Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp location in Kahuku, carrying on the North Shore tradition. If you were a fan of Fumi’s, this spot will feel familiar.

The focus remains on simple plates of shrimp cooked in buttery garlic sauce. It’s one of the newer stops in the Kahuku shrimp truck lineup, but its location alone makes it an easy addition to any North Shore shrimp truck crawl.

Romy’s Kahuku Prawns & Shrimp Hut

Romy’s shrimp is a great option if you’re seeking head-on shrimp or love cloves upon cloves of garlic on your food. (They’ll serve up your garlic shrimp extra garlicky if you ask nicely!)

You’ll need to travel to the very northern tip of the island for this one. Romy’s is just east of Fumi’s in case you’re planning multiple stops.

READ MORE: There’s more to do on the island than eat, of course. Steal my itinerary for a full five days on Oahu.

North Shore Shrimp Truck

This option in Haleiwa is popular on island tours that come with a food component, as it generally has shorter lines, but don’t let that turn you off.

There are a A LOT of food trucks on the island, and if you’re not going to Giovanni’s, the rest of your eating plan can get a little messy. (I mean that literally.)

Expect the usuals at this one, and leave room for cheesecake on a stick if that does something for you.

How to Do a North Shore Shrimp Truck Crawl

If you’re serious about trying the best shrimp trucks on Oahu, I’m proud of you. The smartest strategy is then to turn that seriousness into a North Shore shrimp truck crawl.

Most of the island’s famous shrimp trucks sit along Kamehameha Highway between Haleiwa and Kahuku, so it’s easy to try several in one afternoon. (Driving the entire stretch from Haleiwa to Kahuku takes about 30-40 minutes without stops.)

Start in Haleiwa, where you’ll find Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck, Jenny’s Shrimp, and Big Wave Shrimp near town. From there, continue east toward Kahuku for Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp, Romy’s Kahuku Prawns & Shrimp Hut, and/or Famous Kahuku Shrimp.

Here are a few tips for your shrimp truck crawl:

• Share plates. Portions are huge, and most plates come with a dozen shrimp and two scoops of rice.
• Go early or mid-afternoon. Lunch lines can get long, especially at Giovanni’s.
• Bring cash. Some trucks still operate cash-only.
• Leave room for dessert. You’ll find plenty of shave ice stands along the route.

How much does shrimp cost at Oahu shrimp trucks?

Most plates cost between $15 and $22 and typically include about a dozen shrimp and two scoops of rice.

More Places to Eat on Oahu (Beyond Shrimp Trucks)

Once you’ve worked your way through the best shrimp trucks on Oahu, these are a few more places worth trying:

• Helena’s Hawaiian Food: We tried a little bit of everything here, including lomi salmon, tender pipikaula short ribs, fried ahi, and a piece of haupia, or a coconut dessert with a firm pudding texture, to finish things off. 
• Highway Inn: Guy Fieri brought Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives here once, but don’t let that turn you off. We had their flame-broiled chicken, a plate of their smoked meat, and some sides, including a macaroni salad. Everything was great.
• Waiahole Poi Factory: This was our first taste of kalua pig on the island, and it was a salty marvel. Brian and I also shared some squid (mostly for him) and beef luau, both simple stews with complex flavors.
• Liliha Bakery: Liliha Bakery is known for its puffs and poi doughnuts. If you need something other than sweet treats, the bakery has a good diner-style breakfast menu, as well. Don’t miss the buttered rolls, I’m tellin’ you.
• Banzai Sushi Bar: Banzai was delicious. We shared some nigiri, a roll, and a poke bowl, all of which were approaching the level of sushi we had on our trip to Tokyo. I love that their website boasts the brain-boosting powers of eating sushi.

READ MORE: Love sushi? San Diego has an excellent sushi scene!

Where to Stay on Oahu

Avoid Waikiki if you’re here for the shrimp trucks, as you won’t find them down there. Stay near the North Shore, instead.

Note: We’re speaking from experience. We stayed in Waikiki on our first trip, and it really left something to be desired from an authenticity standpoint.

For well-reviewed accommodations on Oahu, check out the map below:

Come to Oahu for shrimp, stay for everything else.

Hawaii overall is a great place to visit for foodies, and Oahu’s size and population mean the food on the island is deliciously diverse.

Whether you’re here for the best shrimp trucks Oahu has to offer or want to throw some classic Hawaiian food into the mix while you’re here, you will eat well on Oahu.

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