Top Ten Taco Trucks on Maui
It was just a couple weeks ago that “Latinos for Trump” organizer Marco Gutierrez went on MSNBC and warned that unless America elects Donald Trump to be president, “you’re going to have taco trucks on every corner.” Oh wow–could we? Please? Because right now, Maui doesn’t have nearly that many taco trucks. It’s a great selection, sure, but we’re a long way from finding one on every corner. Some serve up traditional tacos while others offer their own twist, but all the trucks here sell delicious, wonderful, Mexican street food. To make it easier for you to find them, we offer this humble guide to all things Maui taco trucks.
SOUTH MAUI
Jawz Fish Taco
Jawz has been in its spot at Makena beach for nearly two decades. It’s like an oasis in the Southside desert. They have two trucks out there: the yellow one on the main road, and the black one that parks inside the first entrance of Makena Beach Park. Jawz tacos come on soft white corn tortillas with their incredible cilantro rice, cheese, cabbage and creamy salsa. Taco proteins include fish, shrimp, chicken breast, steak and shredded pork. Their menu is extensive, including burritos, salads, quesadilla, hot dogs, smoothies, shave ice and ice cream. Daily 10:30am-5pm., Makena; 808-874-8226; Jawzfishtacos.com
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Horhitos
Horhitos was voted Maui’s Best Food Truck in the MauiTime Best of Maui for the last two years. You will find it tucked into the front corner of Kihei Marketplace facing South Kihei Road and across from Kalama Park. Horhitos specializes in owner Jorge Galaviz’s Mexican cuisine. The shrimp ($3) and fish (ono or mahi, $4) tacos come on flour tortillas with shredded lettuce, cheese, chipotle mayo and pico de gallo. The steak, al pastor and smoked roast pork tacos ($2) are served on corn tortillas and topped with onions and cilantro. The menu also includes breakfast burritos and wraps, Hawaiian plates, quesadilla, burritos and hot dogs. Daily 10am-9pm. 1941 S. Kihei Rd.; 808-298-5670; Horhitosmobiletaqueriaonmaui.blogspot.com
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WEST MAUI
Ono Tacos
Ono Tacos is posted along Honoapi‘ilani Highway under a big banyan tree next to the old Sugar Cane Train station. Their walk-up taco stand has a menu printed in Spanish and English and includes asada, pollo, al pastor, birria and veggie tacos for $3.50 each. Pescado and camaron tacos are $4. The truck has a self-serve condiment bar with chopped onions, cilantro, pickled peppers and several different kinds of hot sauce. The menu also includes tortas, burritos, quesadilla, hot dogs and taco combo plates with rice and beans. Ono Tacos also has a sign pointing to Kohola Brewery–it’s a gentle suggestion, but a good one: you can take your lunch or dinner there and pair it with one of their 10 beers. Mon-Sat 11am to 9pm, closed Sun. 910 Honoapi‘ilani Hwy., Lahaina; 808-357-3779.
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TaquerEATa
Driving down Wainee Street in Lahaina, I discovered a burgeoning food truck/parking lot across from the Maria Lanakila Catholic Cemetery. That’s precisely where I found TaquerEATa serving its new-school tacos. Owner Gina Clements’ cute little grey and white trailer makes tacos to order and specializes in breakfast tacos. The Migas has scrambled eggs with bits of corn tortilla, jalapenos and onion with cheese in a flour tortilla, while the Three Alarm is a similar taco with eggs, pickled jalapeno, potato and chipotle. Both are $3.95. Clements also has a build-your-own taco section where you can choose from a slew of toppings like egg, beans, sausage and bacon, with tortilla options like whole wheat and gluten-free corn ($2.50 to $4). Sun to Fri, 8am to 2pm, closed Sat. 741 Wainee St., Lahaina; 808-866-7078.
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808 Ch Antojitos
808 Ch Antojitos comes alive at night in the food truck parking on Wainee Street in Lahaina. Antojitos has two red trucks with their signature “CH” in a heart painted on them. They park them a few stalls away from each other, stringing lights between them over tables and chairs. It makes for a festive environment to enjoy their tacos and all their other specialties. Antojitos is a nod to Mexico’s street food culture–it means Mexican snack foods. They make tacos with pollo, al pastor and chorizo for $2.50, and pescado, asada and suadero for $3 (plates with rice and beans are $7.50/$8). It’s all delicious and served on corn tortillas, just like the food stands in Mexico City. They offer quesadillas, which are made on their housemade tortilla in squash blossom or mushroom. They’re a culinary treat for $3.75. They also do gorditas, zopez, tortas, chicharrones and huaraches. Wed.-Thu. 5:30-9:30pm, Fri.-Sun. 5:30-10pm, Mon-Tue closed. 741 Wainee St., Lahaina; 808-205-2036.
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El Taco Borracho
If there’s one taco truck on Maui with a sense of humor, this is it. El Taco Borracho has to, because it’s the late night food truck in Lahaina Town that’s open until 1:30am, when things usually start to get silly. You will also find El Taco Borracho, which means “the drunken taco,” at the Kihei Fourth Friday town parties. Their taco drunken taco mascot is bleary eyed in a sombrero, and the truck’s twitter feed (@ElTacoBorracho1) includes jokes about the mota smells at the reggae concert. Hilarity aside, their soft shell tacos of fish, shrimp, carne asada, chorizo, chicharron and chicken ($3.75) are delicious and hit the spot whether you’ve had a few drinks or not. El Borracho Taco also serves quesadillas, burritos, huaraches, garlic shrimp, tortas, tacos dorados and hot dogs. Thu, Fri, Sat, 9pm to 1:30am. 156 Lahainaluna Rd., Lahaina; 808-276-4607.
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CENTRAL MAUI
Maui 8 Wonder
This little taco trailer at the ever-expanding food truck park located across the street from Costco has been there since the beginning. In fact, Maui 8 Wonder has also parked at the Maui Swap Meet on Saturdays for many years. Their specialty, three tacos for $5, makes them a popular choice with options in carne asada, bbq pork, chicken, salmon and vegan, topped with spinach as the green. Want sour cream and cheese? They’re just a buck more. Maui 8 Wonder also offers Diabla Shrimp and garlic shrimp plates for $10, the Wonder Burrito for $8, fajitas and ceviche for $7. They also take credit cards.
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UPCOUNTRY
Island Tacos
Island Tacos is a pop-up taco stand in the corner of the parking lot at the Haiku Cannery. They offer flour or corn tortillas for all of their fillings: fish (ono), pork, chicken (all $7) or vegetarian ($6). You get black beans, avocado, cabbage, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, salsa and jalapeno for topping. Served on a flour tortilla, this is a pretty big taco. There are also a million bottled hot sauces to try. This tropical taco outpost is also known for Thai Iced Tea ($3) and they have tapioca pudding for dessert. They stock lots of canned and bottled sodas and drinks, too. Daily 11am-8pm. Haiku Marketplace, 810 Haiku Rd.
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Milagros
The Milagros Food truck is a mobile extension of the scrumptious menu they offer in their Paia restaurant. While it doesn’t keep a permanent location or schedule anywhere, you can see it making appearances at events like the Made on Maui Festival and music concerts and the like. Or you can hire it for your own party. Keep an eye out for it at the Maui Brewing Company Kihei Tasting Room, where it appears on the food truck rotation schedule. The menu serves their tacos, of course, but all your Milagro’s other favorites are there, too. We wish they could serve their phenomenal Milagro’s Margarita’s, but we’re on Maui, which means the county Liquor Commission couldn’t possibly allow that. Tue. and Wed. 11am-5pm at the Maui Brewing Co Kihei Tasting Room.
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NOTE: The Jawz Taco truck in Kahana as described on Yelp is no longer there. And the Hawaiian Fiesta truck that used to park at Kahului Harbor is closed for now.
Special Thanks to Alex Mitchell and Sara Riley for tasting missions.
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