Restaurant review · North Shore
Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck, Reviewed
The white, signature-covered truck parked in Kahuku since 1996 serves a dozen jumbo shrimp over two scoops of rice three ways, daily from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
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The truck under the pavilion in Kahuku. Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The 30-second verdict
Giovanni’s is the original Kahuku shrimp truck and a one-dish stop done three ways: order the garlic scampi, eat it under the pavilion, and bring cash and napkins. It stays open until 6:30, later than its Haleiwa truck, so it works at the end of a circle island day.
Giovanni’s at a Glance
- Address
- 56-505 Kamehameha Hwy, Kahuku, HI 96731
- Where
- Kamehameha Highway in Kahuku town, near the old sugar mill
- What
- Garlic shrimp plates from a food truck
- Hours
- Daily 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Haleiwa truck to 5 p.m.)
- Plate
- A dozen jumbo shrimp and two scoops of rice; half plates too
- Ordering
- Walk up; call (808) 293-1839 ahead only for party platters
- Payment
- Bring cash; no payment policy is published for Kahuku
- Seating
- Covered pavilion beside the truck
- Drive
- About 1 hr 12 min from Waikiki; 25 min from Haleiwa
Hours from the business’s own Instagram (June 2026) and Google; menu and history from its website. Checked Sep 27, 2026. Storms can close the truck for a day, and it posts closures on Instagram.
Best for
- CouplesGoodA casual stop on a North Shore drive day, not a sit-down dinner.
- FamiliesGreatHalf plates and a garlic hot dog for small eaters, and covered seating.
- FriendsGreatThree styles to split and compare, and a truck to sign.
- SoloGoodWalk up, and one plate is a full meal.
- GroupsGoodParty platters by advance order, but no reservations for a crowd.
Pros
- The original: on this Kahuku lot since 1996.
- A short menu: a dozen jumbo shrimp and two scoops of rice, three ways.
- Open daily until 6:30 p.m., later than the Haleiwa truck.
- A covered pavilion, built in 2010, to eat under.
Cons
- No published payment policy for Kahuku, so bring cash.
- The hot and spicy and lemon butter shrimp come shell-on: messy eating.
- Far from town, and storms closed it three days in August and September 2026.
Known for
The shrimp scampi plate
A dozen shrimp marinated in olive oil, chopped garlic and lemon butter, over two scoops of rice and drizzled with garlic lemon butter and caramelized garlic. The menu says this garlicky plate made Giovanni’s famous.
What to Order
Three plates, each a dozen jumbo shrimp with two scoops of rice: the shrimp scampi; the “No Refunds” hot and spicy, cooked shell-on in a red sauce the menu calls mouth-blistering; and lemon butter, also shell-on. A half plate is 6 shrimp and one scoop of rice. The jumbo garlic hot dog comes smothered in scampi sauce. Sides are rice and homemade mac salad, and hot sauce comes on the side on request. Prices vary by location, so check the board.
The Truck and the Pavilion
Giovanni’s began as a roving converted 1953 bread truck, parked on this Kahuku lot in 1996 and bought the land in 2006. In 2010 it built the pavilion where you eat now. Guests have signed the truck since it parked here, a habit the business still describes on its history page. The original truck has since been replaced. There is a second truck in Haleiwa and a counter in Kakaʻako, but Kahuku is the original. Compare it with the other North Shore food trucks.
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Hours
The Kahuku truck is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Haleiwa truck closes at 5. In 2026 the business closed for Hurricane Lala on August 16 (Kahuku stayed shut on the 17th for cleanup) and for Hurricane Lowell on September 8, and posted each closure on its Instagram, so check it on a stormy day.
Getting There
Giovanni’s is at 56-505 Kamehameha Highway in Kahuku, 14.5 miles and about 25 minutes east of Haleiwa. From Waikiki it is about 1 hour 12 minutes, 38.3 miles; from the airport about 56 minutes via H-2. Staying at Turtle Bay? The resort puts the shrimp trucks 3 to 5 miles away (see our Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay review). It is a stop on our Oahu Scenic Drive Map.
Rental car
Drive to Kahuku
Kahuku is 40 miles from the airport and over an hour from Waikiki, and a circle island day with shrimp at the end works best with a car. DiscoverCars searches the island’s rental agencies in one go. Compare Oahu rental cars on DiscoverCars.
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Could be better
There is no published payment policy for the Kahuku truck. Neither the website nor the Instagram says what the window takes, and the only card channel the business lists is online ordering for its Kakaʻako counter. Bring cash so the answer at the window does not matter.
Consider Instead
- Romy’s Kahuku Prawns is the pick for head-on shrimp or steamed prawns, which the Kahuku trucks rarely sell, and it takes phone orders. Plates cost more, $17.75 to $29.75, and it closes by 4:30 p.m. (3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday).
- Ted’s Bakery is the pick when the group wants more than shrimp: its special plate lunches, garlic shrimp included, come with a free slice of pie or cake, and it is open daily until 6:30 p.m. near Sunset Beach.
Tips Before You Go to Giovanni’s
- Bring cash. No payment policy is published for Kahuku.
- Come late if you need to. Kahuku stays open until 6:30 p.m., Haleiwa only until 5.
- Get a half plate. Six shrimp and one scoop of rice, for kids or to try two styles.
- Expect shells. The hot and spicy and lemon butter shrimp are cooked shell-on.
- Ask for hot sauce on the side. It comes with any plate on request.
- Check Instagram on storm days. The truck posts closures there.
- Plan the drive. See renting a car on Oahu and what to do on the North Shore.
Giovanni’s: Questions
Do I need a reservation at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck?
No. It is a walk-up truck window. Party platters are the exception: call (808) 293-1839 to order ahead.
Is Giovanni’s cash only?
The business does not publish a payment policy for the Kahuku truck. Bring cash to be safe.
What are the hours of the Kahuku truck?
Daily from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Haleiwa truck closes at 5 p.m. Storms can close it for a day.
Is the Kahuku truck the original Giovanni’s?
Yes. It parked at 56-505 Kamehameha Highway in 1996 and opened the Haleiwa truck in 1997. It also runs a counter at 458 Keawe St in Kakaʻako.
Is it good for kids?
Yes, for a quick lunch: there are half plates and a garlic hot dog, and a covered pavilion. Steer kids to the scampi or lemon butter; the hot and spicy is very hot.
Sources, checked Sep 27, 2026
Researched from the sources above, checked Sep 27, 2026. We never claim a visit we did not make; first-hand notes are marked as Stew’s. How we research and review.
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