While Waikiki has plenty of high-end steakhouses, some of the most delicious, authentic local dishes are served out of food trucks and pop-up carts tucked into side streets.

Key Takeaways

  • Waikiki’s truck lot: Ohana Hale Food Truck Park at 1944 Kalākaua Ave lists 25+ trucks and is open daily 7 AM–10 PM; most plates cost roughly $7–$20.
  • Closed spots: Ken’s Kitchen and the Pau Hana Market lot on Beach Walk have both closed, so skip older guides that still list them.
  • Malasadamobiles are card-only: Leonard’s trucks stopped taking cash in early 2025 and park at malls in Waipahu, ʻAiea, Hawaii Kai, Kāneʻohe and near the airport.
  • Garlic shrimp: The original shrimp trucks are on the North Shore in Kahuku and Haleʻiwa; plan them as part of a full-day loop around the island.

Top 3 Food Truck Experiences

1. Ohana Hale Food Truck Park (1944 Kalākaua Ave): Waikiki’s food truck lot, with 25+ trucks serving garlic shrimp, poke, tacos and fresh cane juice; open daily 7 AM–10 PM.
2. Leonard’s Bakery Malasadamobile: Portuguese hot donuts dusted with sugar, cinnamon, or filled with haupia (coconut pudding) and guava.
3. North Shore shrimp trucks (Kahuku & Haleʻiwa): Giovanni’s and its neighbors serve the original garlic-butter shrimp plates, best built into a North Shore day trip.

Food Truck / Stand Location Signature Dish Price (2026)
Ohana Hale Food Truck Park 1944 Kalākaua Ave (ʻEwa end of Waikiki) Garlic shrimp, poke bowls, tacos ~$7 – $20 (varies by truck)
Leonard’s Malasadamobile Waikele, Pearlridge, Hawaii Kai, Kāneʻohe & Lagoon Dr (airport) Hot Haupia Coconut Malasadas $2.00 – $2.45 / piece
Musubi Cafe Iyasume Seaside Ave & Beach Walk Spam Musubi with Avocado & Bacon $3.50 – $5.00

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Food Trucks in Waikiki: Ohana Hale Food Truck Park

The easiest way to try food trucks in Waikiki is the Ohana Hale Food Truck Park at 1944 Kalākaua Avenue, at the ʻEwa (west) entrance to Waikiki near the Ala Wai Canal. The park’s own site lists more than 25 trucks and daily hours of 7 AM to 10 PM, though individual trucks keep their own schedules and some close by mid-afternoon.

  • What’s there: recent line-ups have included Amy’s Shrimp Poke, Haleʻiwa Cane Juice, Saigon Grill, Tacos Don Chema, Byblos, Hawaii Street Corn and Ride and Grind Cafe, plus garlic shrimp, poke bowls, BBQ and smoothies.
  • Prices: a December 2024 visit found dishes from about $7 to $20.
  • Seating and parking: picnic tables only, and no dedicated parking — walk or take a bus along Kalākaua Avenue.

Breakfast trucks open earliest, while the widest choice is from lunch to early evening. It is a good casual alternative to the sit-down restaurants on Waikiki Beach Walk.

Beyond Waikiki: Kakaʻako, Malasadamobiles and Mall Truck Stops

In Kakaʻako, trucks gather near Kewalo Basin on the waterfront; the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority highlights Miguel’s Cocina there for fish tacos, ceviche and elote. Pair a lunch stop with the murals in our Kakaʻako street art guide. Giovanni’s, the most famous North Shore shrimp name, also lists a counter on the second floor of H Mart at 458 Keawe St in Kakaʻako.

Leonard’s Bakery runs five Malasadamobiles (see our best malasadas in Honolulu guide for prices):

  • Waikele Shopping Center — daily 7 AM–7 PM
  • Pearlridge Shopping Center and Windward Mall — 7 AM–7 PM, Sundays until 6 PM
  • Koko Marina Shopping Center, Hawaii Kai — daily 7:30 AM–6 PM
  • 540 Lagoon Drive near the airport — daily 7 AM–6 PM

Shopping at Waikele Premium Outlets? The HTA also points to Korean-style trucks Rainbow Stream and Yellow Kitchen there.

North Shore Shrimp Trucks Worth the Drive

Hawaii’s garlic shrimp plate culture grew up around Kahuku and its aquaculture farms. Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck (56-505 Kamehameha Hwy, Kahuku, plus a Haleʻiwa location at 66-472 Kamehameha Hwy) serves shell-on shrimp swimming in garlic butter with two scoops of rice. Nearby, Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp and Famous Kahuku Shrimp offer butterflied, coconut and spicy versions, and Haleʻiwa has a cluster of trucks next to the shops of historic Haleʻiwa town.

From Waikiki, Kahuku is about an hour’s drive without traffic. Go before noon to beat tour-bus lines, bring wet wipes and plan the stop into a North Shore day trip rather than making a special trip.

Food Truck Tips: Payment, Hours and Etiquette

  • Check hours on social media: trucks change schedules, sell out and close for rain or private events.
  • Bring a card and some cash: most trucks take cards, Leonard’s is card-only, and a few small vendors still prefer cash.
  • Order the plate lunch: two scoops of rice and mac salad are standard, and portions are big enough to share.
  • Clean up: use the bins at the lot and pack out your trash at beach parks.

For a cheap snack between truck meals, a Spam musubi from a Waikiki musubi shop is hard to beat.

Where to Stay Nearby

The Kalākaua food truck park sits at the ʻEwa end of Waikiki, so hotels around Hilton Hawaiian Village and the Ala Wai side of the neighborhood are the closest. Our Hilton Hawaiian Village review explains the towers and fees, and our list of cheap hotels in Waikiki includes good-value options within walking distance. Staying on this end also makes it easy to reach Kakaʻako and Ala Moana by bus or bike.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the food trucks in Waikiki?

The main cluster is Ohana Hale Food Truck Park at 1944 Kalākaua Avenue, at the ʻEwa entrance to Waikiki. It lists more than 25 trucks and is open 7 AM to 10 PM daily, although each truck keeps its own hours. The former Pau Hana Market lot on Beach Walk has closed.

Is Ken’s Kitchen in Waikiki still open?

No. Ken’s Kitchen, the garlic shrimp truck that parked between Royal Hawaiian and Seaside avenues, is listed as closed. For garlic shrimp in Waikiki today, check the trucks at Ohana Hale Food Truck Park, or plan a North Shore trip to Giovanni’s, Fumi’s or Famous Kahuku Shrimp.

Where is the Leonard’s Malasadamobile today?

Leonard’s lists Malasadamobiles at Waikele Shopping Center, Pearlridge Shopping Center, Koko Marina Shopping Center in Hawaii Kai, Windward Mall in Kāneʻohe and 540 Lagoon Drive near the airport. All are card-only. The original bakery at 933 Kapahulu Avenue is the closest to Waikiki.

How much does a food truck meal cost in Honolulu?

Expect about $7 to $20 per dish at the Waikiki truck park, based on a late-2024 visit, with garlic shrimp plates at the top of that range or higher. Malasadas from Leonard’s trucks cost about $2 to $2.45 each. Prices change often, so check menu boards.

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