Some of the freshest shrimp on the island comes from the famous shrimp trucks Oahu offers up on the island’s north shore.
Be sure to give some of these Hawaii foods a try while you’re there! (And psst! Here’s where to find some of these local foods without waiting in a long restaurant queue!)
When you think “Hawaii” it’s probably not likely that you imagine shrimp. Probably less likely that you imagine a smattering of funky food trucks parked randomly along the road between Kualoa and the famous surf town of Haleiwa.
Oahu’s north shore is famous for big wave surfing, but make the drive to “the country” and you’ll find yourself passing brightly colored trucks — some graffitied and somewhat questionable looking — hawking shrimp with hand-lettered signs.
A natural evolution of the shrimp farms that have populated the flat Kahuku coastline for years, these shrimp trucks offer large, locally produced shrimp with a bit of island flare.
It would be a stretch to call them restaurants, but the food these north shore shrimp trucks produce is what the islanders call ono. Delicious!
The shrimp are large, and usually come with tails and skin on and are tossed with copious amounts of butter and seasonings. If you know you’re going, tuck some wet wipes into the car. You’ll be glad to have them.
Three shrimp trucks on Oahu to try
Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp: Shrimp is harvested daily at Fumi’s and in addition to the cooked options, guests can take live shrimp home for dinner.
Giovanni Shrimp Truck: Pull up a plastic chair under the temporary awning and dig in to the most casual shrimp scampi meal you’ve ever ordered.
Romy’s Shrimp Truck: (Note: not actually a truck.) The shrimp is excellent – but not fast, as this sign in the window proclaims: This is not a fast food. This is good food, as fast as we can make it. Guests order from an outside window and dine at picnic tables.
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