On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Loading...
So the second stop on the shrimp truck taste test and as always I prefer Giovanni's. Although this time it was a little harder to taste the garliciness because I still has the overwhelming taste of Fumi's in my mouth. What I like about Giovanni's garlic shrimp is the crunchy garlic bits that are served on top the rice that give it a nice flavor.
It is also not drowning in butter like Fumi's and although $1 more per plate, I feel its not a big deal. However, this time that I went the shrimp was overcooked, which wasn't great tasting, but it's still my favorite shrimp to eat, until I find a better one.
I was contemplating between this and Fumi, I saw Fumi charged $12 and lots of tourists were brought there, so I went with my gut and curiousity to try Giovanni Shrimp Truck. Since I usually can hold spicyness well, I ordered the Hot and Spicy Shrimp for $13 (a dollar more expensive than Fumi's)
Boy, was it spicy as hell, I almost wanted to wash the shrimp with water, but I didn't!!! I endured it and unfortunately I hardly tasted the garlic, I wished the garlic would be stronger. I have to agree tho the shrimp was really huge, each one of them. and yes, the best way to eat it, peel them off with your hands, you'll enjoy the meal even more =)
Also like to point out that the bathroom there was very clean too, that's really good since you have to wash your hand after the meal. Also they share the shaded seat with a Shaved ice truck, which I didn't try tho, so this rating simply just for Giovanni's. Will I return? Hmm.. probably to try other Kahuku's truck, but definitely not Giovanni's. Oh, one last thing, this place is CASH ONLY!!!
People thought this was:
Up on the north shore, near Turtle Bay, you'll find Giovanni's Shrimp truck. It's a landmark and heck of a drive from Waikiki, but it's one of those places that I recommend - as a former local girl.
Hubby got the spicy shrimp and couldn't finish it because of the hole it was burning in his belly. So unless you can handle crazy hot food, like Habanero peppers, seeds and all, stick with the milder fare, like the garlic shrimp scampi. Fortunately the portions are large so I ended up sharing my garlic shrimp with him. This is one dish that is seriously, finger lickin good. We ordered two coconut waters from the vendor next to Giovanni's and had a feast. Sure, it's pricey, but seriously, what isn't expensive in paradise?
People thought this was:
Butter + Garlic + Shrimp = GOOD. That's a 1st grade hawaiian math problem for you. It's not a hard formula - so you can't really give Giovanni's a whole lot of culinary credit. But it's still damn good!
I still thought $13 was a bit high for a plate. I'd say $7-8 would be a more realistic price point. But hey, Gio's gotta make a living so I'm happy to contribute to that. I didn't try the 'spicy' shrimp, as it said "no refunds". That, to me, implies that it's stupid hot. I wasn't in the mood to be in pain, I wanted to enjoy the garlic butter in peace.
They have plenty of outdoor seating with shade. That was key on a 90 degree day, especially with our son in a stroller.
I wouldn't say it's worth driving to the North Shore just for this (I've known people to do this). But if you're in the area, it's def worth the stop. Plus, it's just a North Shore icon (like Matsumoto's).
People thought this was:
Kahuku Shrimp.... so good had to come back twice!
again........ BIG. JUICY. SUCCULENT. GARLICKY.
gotta eat it all with ur hands.... provincial style! and lick the sauce off ur fingers.... IT'S OVER!!!!!!!
so good........................
People thought this was:
Giovanni's was my only shrimp truck experience on Hawaii and I wasn't disappointed one bit. I tackled a dozen pieces of the garlic shrimp scampi as an afternoon snack, and they were probably a bit overpriced , but well worth it considering the mild spiciness and garlic aftertaste flavors. I don't know how fresh the shrimp are, but shrimp is shrimp to me and they were definitely above par (and no, I'm not talking about golf).
The special lady and I hit up this place after a few hours over at Chinaman's Hat. Any place that can pump out a cloud of garlic aroma for over a mile is going to be great in my opinion.
I went for the garlic shrimp, and as the GF doesn't like shrimp, she got the hot dog. She claims it was the best hot dog she's ever had. My shrimp were pretty good, but at roughly $1 each, I've had better. This place is literally feet from the shrimp farms, and they should be selling the shrimp at like 1/4 the price, but no dice. It is a bit of a hot spot so good for them being able to take advantage of market conditions.
This place is worth a stop if you are passing by, just so that you can form your own opinions. I'll probably be back, only because I probably won't be back in hawaii for a while.
Oh yeah, there is a chicken running around. He's pretty cool.
People thought this was:
Paradise, Fresh Shrimp, and tons of garlic are a match made in vacation heaven!
A huge scoop of white rice topped with fresh shrimp that is harvested locally tons of garlic and lemon and some spice. You know how much I love my spice!
This is a real truck you guys, but the truck is extremely clean and food is served on paper plates, but you sit under a tent on picnic tables.
OMG...So flippin' good. Prices are pretty descent for seafood, and its cash only. Once you've gorged yourself go swim in the ocean and it's a day made in paradise.
If you stay in Waikiki this can be out of the way, its pretty close to Turtle Bay resort and where they film Lost.
Mahalo!
People thought this was:
Giovanni's is the extremely popular shrimp truck located along the North Shore. A must have stop for most tourists, we decided to try Giovanni's over the nearby Sweet Macky's.
The shrimp scampi ($15) included two scoops of rice, hot sauce, and approximately 15 shrimp fried with shell on.
I found the shrimp to be very fresh, flavorful, and full of both butter and garlic. So why only 3 stars? While I thought Giovanni's was very good, I kinda expected more for $15. No macaroni salad? No other entrees except shrimp?
Overall, Giovanni's is quite good at what they do, but they're a one trick wonder. I like variety but the wait, crowds, and price left me wanting more.
Cash only.
People thought this was:
A lil beat up, tagged all over food truck right across the street from the McDonald's. We battled heat, rain, flies to eat here, and it was worth every drop of sweat.
I ordered the shrimp scampi and immediately find myself licking every drop of garlic flavoring and butter off of the shrimp shells and my fingers. Now, that's what is meant by "finger licking good"!
Oh oh AND you get to put graffiti all over the truck, sweet. I wrote my stripper name on there and called it a day.
People thought this was:
Driving....and driving some more passing up all the other shrimp trucks tricking us that they might be Giovanni's...then finally there it is!
Talk about yummy, yummy garlic shrimps!!
It was really worth the drive to North Shore to get these shrimps. I can't say much more then everyone else has just that if you are in the area...you need to check them out!!!
As everyone says it's a little pricey but I think it's worth it.
People thought this was:
I just wish SHRIMP wasn't SO bad for you. That goes for BUTTER as well. Especially LOTS of it.
My girls got the SUPER SPICY HOT SHRIMP PLATES and they were sweating!!! I opted for the Shrimp Scampi and it was delish.
The plates are a little pricier than I expected, but that's Hawaii for you. There's a smoothie truck next door that serves li hing mui pineapple chunks that's well worth the four bucks for dessert.
The garlic shrimp is just AMAZING!! It's finger-licking good! Something about the garlic and butter is just so delicious. I also liked how the rice was cooked perfectly (by my Chinese standards). I just recommend eating in your car, if possible. When I went to Oahu in August 2008, we ate outdoors and it was just very difficult to eat because of flies flying around you constantly and also because the tables were kind of filthy. When I went back this past May, we rented a van and ate inside with the A/C on.
I highly recommend Giovanni's if you're visiting the North Shore. Just be warned that the places closes kind of early. I think 6 or 7pm? Also, the place is cash only.
People thought this was:
...just adding a link...
North Shore Adventures Away From The Water
http://www.sfgate.com/...
People thought this was:
Very excellent shrimp...1st time, so I went to get it, however I wouldn't go out of my way for it… Read more »
We drove all the way from Kailua to try this place out! I had the spicy shrimp plate and whooooo....it was hot!! For $13, you get a dozen deveined shrimp, 2 scoops of rice, and 1 lemon wedge! Goodness gracious, halfway through my meal, I didn't know whether it was the weather or the food, but I was sweating! By the end of it, the roof of my mouth was on fire, but I had to force myself to finish the last two shrimp to make our trip up there worth it! Ahhh...
Chris had the garlic shrimp plate and he said it tasted like a whole lotta butter!! It was good but very buttery!!
People thought this was:
We were driving along the coast of the North Shore and we needed a snack. Everyone raves about shrimp trucks that line Kame Hwy. We stopped at the first one we saw and yup, it was NOT Giovanni's. We kept driving and low and behold, we found it!
You must...you MUST order the original scampi sauced shrimp plate! It's $13 for a dozen shrimp plus two scoops of rice. I think it's a rip but it was sooo delish! The rice is coated with fried garlic so it gives it a good crunch and flavor as well.
We also ordered the LEMON BUTTER shrimp plate and this was OK. The shrimp were just cooked normally with no flavor. There was a wedge of lemon and a cup of delicious fatty melted butter. You pretty much shell your shrimp, coat it with a bit of lemon and dunk it in the cup of butter. Then yup, there's your lemon buttered shrimp.
Go for the scampi. The end!
People thought this was:
We only stopped here because we were in the area. Its way overpriced, $13 for a dozen shrimp and rice. It's crappy farmed shrimp, not even wild. There is no price justification!! The lemon butter had no flavor. People must be out of their freakin minds for loving this place....
WOW, just WOW. I can't say enough about their shrimp scampi. That's all you need to get here. I don't think I've had better shrimp anywhere else. This is definitely a great dinner after a tiring day at North Shore.
This place is awesome! Keep you eye out there are plenty of knock offs.
This place gives you large shrimp with lots of flavor. Awesome if you like garlic. Great for a quick bite on your way to Sunset beach or Matsumotos. They offer quick service and cost affordable.
We had the Shrimp Scampi and the Wifey and I shared. It is a lot of food!
They lose one star for the bathrooms. Out side of that this place would rank 5 base on Taste, cost and quick service.
So great! I suggest you get the garlic, and ask for a side of the spicy sauce for dipping. If you want to be totally prepared, bring a slew of those moist towelettes, because it's pretty messy finger-food.
MY FAV
garlic shrimp
WARNING
It can get messy - if you order the garlic shrimp, you will have garlic under the nails! Oh, and bring gum for after the meal!
OVERALL REVIEW
For $13, you get a dozen shrimp (pretty big in size) and 2 scoops of rice. The spicy sauce is great for the rice - I only used a little bit (i'm a mild kinda girl). I also tried the garlic hot dog, which was very good. My friend and I split these two plates and were full for the rest of the day. We did NOT encounter long lines or poor service.
People thought this was:
I got the scampi plate. #1. That and a coke was 14 bucks. It was just alright. It wasnt amazing. It was just shrimp. The rice was bleh. Some of the shrimp were not deviened well enough. I dont want to see a little black line of shrimp shit while Im about to dig in. I had to clean off about 4 out of the 12 to remove excess crap. It was tasty enough but I should have got the half plate for 6.50. I was glad I went and ate here once but I doubt I would ever crave it or seek it again.
People thought this was:
Had to try this famous truck.
We didn't go to this location...we went to the other location in Haleiwa, which is a little south of Waimea Bay.
I ordered the shrimp scampi which comes with rice and a dozen shrimp. The first thing I noticed was the INTENSE garlic smell. I love garlic so I knew I would love this plate.
You MUST get your hands dirty to eat this plate! Don't even think about using a knife and fork! Get in there and peel those suckers!
They have benches surrounded the truck where you can eat. They even had a sink for you to wash your hands!
Definitely try this place. And don't forget to write your name or a message on the famous truck.
Cash only.
mmm.... Giovanni's. Thinking about the dripping butter and chunks of garlic is making my mouth water. The shrimp here is damn good! When you first take a bite into the shrimp, you'll think.. "yum. this shit is good!" That's where you might give this place 4 stars. The 5 stars kick in when you continue to taste the garlic in your mouth and all you want is another plate of Giovanni's! We ordered the Shrimp Scampi and the Spicy Hot Shrimp. They were both good, but I definitely preferred the Shrimp Scampi. Of all the 5 star restaurants we ate in Oahu, I think we enjoyed Giovanni's the most.
I even stopped by Blue Water Shrimp Truck in Waikiki before our flight back because I was hoping it would be as good as Giovanni's. Not as good, but it was worth a try! lol.
For those that rated Giovanni's Shrimp Truck anything less than a 4 or a 5... are you crazy? What are you expecting? Your eating out of a TRUCK for gods sake! The Shrimp Scampi is delicious!! A perfect combination of butter and garlic smothered shrimp. It doesn't get better than leaving the beach and hitting up a shrimp truck for some savory shrimp.
I wouldn't recommend the Spicy Shrimp. I LOVE spicy foods, but the spicy shrimp is average. I havn't tried any other flavors, but Giovanni's should only offer 1 item on their menu... Shrimp Scampi because there is nothing more delicious than it!
Let's get something straight: your eating food prepared out of a truck. Yet, like so many regional road-side stands, its as good as it gets. After what seems like an interminable wait with cooking garlic wafting along on the North Shore breeze, the garlicky, crunchy, buttery display on your paper plate is the ONLY thing you can think about.
Good luck trying to replicate the recipe, its the mission of more than a few foodies to recreate the same experience in their own kitchen, and as one of those, I can tell you that I believe the key ingredient fresh shrimp. Notice the shrimp ponds on the North Shore and you'll understand why your shrimp tastes better than any of the frozen stuff you are forced to buy because you do NOT have a shrimp pond. Alas..I also do not have a shrimp pond.
Eating at a shrimp truck is a true North Shore experience...and Giovanni's is my favorite (having sampled most of them). Note, however that there is much debate on which is the best and try them all for yourself!
The reason I went to Giovanni's over all the other shrimp places near by was because I heard it was the 'original shrimp shack'. I regret basing my decision to eat here off that alone.
The workers here were extremely rude. You could tell that they hated working here. The lady who took my order gave me an attitude because she couldn't hear me. I figured I wouldn't let this one woman ruin my visit so I kept an open mind. After getting my shrimp, my fork and extra plate flew off the table so I went up to a different person working here and they seemed pissed off to have to hand me another fork and plate.
While eating, we were swarmed with flies which was really annoying. The trash bins were near by and that kept the flies even closer to us.
The two stars given for this place was for the food itself. I thought the shrimp tasted delicious but I'm sure I could of got good tasting shrimp and better service from one of the other shrimp shacks up the road.
People thought this was:
Thanks again to Yelp, I'd have never found this lunch wagon without you!! I mean really people-there's more than 300 reviews for a lunch wagon-they got to be doing something right. And that something is the garlic shrimp. The shrimp were delicious! Worth it if you're in the neighborhood but it's a bit off the beaten path and I'm not sure I'd make a special long drive for it but it was dang good!
Words of warning, the bathrooms in the buildings off to the side are a bit scary.
By far the best shrimp I have ever had! Giovanni's offer 3 types of shrimp plates each having 12 shrimps with two scoops of rice. The flavors I like in order are the garlic, spicy and then lemon butter. Giovanni's also has fresh fruit smoothies and fresh sliced pineapple. If your staying on the opposite side of the island I highly recommend taking the scenic route as the one-hour drive is well worth the wait.
Garlic Scampi = A+++
Hot/Spicy = A++
Lemon/Butter = A
Fresh Fruit Smoothie = A
Fresh Pineapple slices = A++
My friends were raving about Giovanni's Shrimp truck all week as i missed out the first time they ate there. They said you get these dozen huge shrimps, slathered in garlic-butter scampi sauce and it was pure ORGASMIC! I was absolutely dying to try some!!!
The whole time i was in Hawaii, i thought about Giovanni's obsessively everyday! I almost bought a plate of fake Giovanni's but stopped myself! Finally on my last day here, after trekking out to North Shore and hiking Waimea Falls, I was excited to go find the white shrimp truck. Unfortunately, our GPS took us up a hill on a lil' detour as we GPS in Giovanni's Shrimp truck. Why would a shrimp truck be on top of a freaking hill??? Anyhow, after calling for direction- i was told it was somewhere off the kama-something highway, we finally found it!
You can smell the garlic scampi sauce once you open the car door. Once i got my plate, (sorry BF- i'm not sharing!) it was everything i envisioned and more! The shrimps were huge!!! You can see chunks of garlic in the mix. I added some hot sauce to my rice but beware- it's really spicy! I ate until there wasn't anything but shrimp peels and tails left. It was hands down the best $13 my BF ever spent on me!
People thought this was:
SHRIMP SCAMPI -- dozen shrimp for $13, pricey, yes but...
DO IT.
People thought this was:
Every time I go to Hawaii I go eat here. I've eaten here about 9 times. The spicy shrimp is really spicy but good. I think my favorite is the original garlic shrimp plate. I even had the hot dog haha, was good too!
This is a must stop on the North Shore.
We wanted to taste what the hype was about, so we ventured from waikiki to come here on our last day in hawaii. Ok, so the address you get does not lead you directly to this truck. If you are coming from Sunset beach, you have to drive a bit further down, passing all the other trucks, second guessing yourself if you had passed it or not. Finally, we found it and decided to order what everyone else had, the famous Garlic Shrimp Scampi!
From all the hype, I expected a burst of flavor or something from this $13 plate of a dozen shrimp with 2 scoops of rice. Since I couldn't give it a 3 1/2 star, I wanted to be nice and give it a 4 star rating--they did have shaded tarps and benches for you to enjoy your meal!
We didnt bother with the restrooms since theres a lot of bad reviews. We drove back to sunset beach to rinse and wash there.
I live in the bay, so we have a handful of Louisiana crawfish style restaurants. Maybe I'm just spoiled from these delectable restaurants I didn't savor the garlic shrimp scampi. But I must say, the shrimps are fairly sized and not little runts. Nonetheless, it was good. But honestly, not $13 good.
Just look for the white truck with a crap load of writing on it. It's sitting off to the side of that long ol' Kamehameha Highway up in Kahuku. Pull into the dirt road "parking lot" and you're on your way to deliciousness.
$13 for a plate of a dozen shrimp and 2 scoops of rice. I chose their original shrimp scampi, which was REALLYYY flavorful...I had to suck off all of the buttery, oily, garlicky goodness before I peeled into the shrimp. I really appreciate that they de-vein and cut the shell of the shrimp so it makes it easier to peel. The little chunks of garlic over the rice was also really delicious. I also tried the lemon butter plate...the shrimp was more bland but you get a little cup of lemon butter to dip it in. Still good, fresh, and crunchy!
Kind of expensive for this hole-in-the-side-of-the-highway but it's worth it. I wish they had a sink I could've washed my hands in afterwards...oh well...I love to smell like shrimp and garlic. Cheap $1 sodas too...
BTW...after going to Romy's (blah), I appreciate Giovanni's even more! And look for the little black cat who is scavenging around for scraps!
Giovanni's has two shrimp trucks on the island, both on the way to the North Shore. We liked the shrimp here so much we have had it twice in one trip! They have four items on the menu (1) shrimp scampi; (2) butter shrimp; (3) hot and spicy shrimp; and (4) garlic hot dog.
Kevin & I have tried all but the hot & spicy. They are each good in their own respect but my absolute favorite is the shrimp scampi. Each plate comes with about a dozen jumbo shrimp and two scoops of rice. The garlic that is smothered on the shrimp makes the rice super tasty. Be careful, the shrimp comes shell on so get ready to get your hands dirty and bring the wet naps!
People thought this was:
it's not nearly as good as Macky's.
I had only been to Macky's shrimp truck (and never disappointed) and have sworn by it, but decided to try Giovanni's since a lot of locals say it's just as good or better than Macky's. The fam and I tried a plate from each truck in the same day to put it to the test! Myself and all my family members agreed that Macky's owned!
Here's why: Giovanni's charges $1 more for "shrimpier" shrimp; that is, smaller and fishier tasting shrimp. A plate at Giovanni's comes with shrimp and rice and...that's it. At Macky's you get a crisp green salad on your plate in addition to shrimp and rice. Lastly, the garlic sauce is much better at Macky's...more buttery, mild, and aromatic. It just tastes more fresh and has a higher quality overall. Kahuku shrimp...mmmm!
I will probably not be coming back to Giovanni's, unless Macky's was closed for the day or goes out of business (doubtful!).
People thought this was:
Best tasting shrimp ever! Tasted more like lobster than shrimp. Now I had went to the second location before and had the hot and spicy and was sprung, here I had the scampi and equally sprung!
$12 gets you a dozen scrumptious shrimp and two scoops of rice. Can't beat that with a bat. I agree a must when your visiting the North Shore of Oahu.
People thought this was:
I'm not a big shell fish fan, but the garlic sauce was very tempting and delicious. This shrimp truck is a place where all tourist must go for the experience.
I like writing my name on the white truck, but I think they paint over the writing. last month I had check to see if my signature was still there from a year ago. So every year I make my mark and try to look for it every time I visit.
People thought this was:
Let's just say I wish I lived in North Shore and could eat shrimp without having to worry about cholesterol. I LOVE the food here.
It's a shrimp truck, so obviously the seating isn't the cleanest, but heck, the shrimp here is AMAZING. You definitely have to get the shrimp scampi (dozen or half dozen plate depending on how hungry you are) and my husband loves the garlic hot dog. Be prepared for a messy eat because those shrimps drenched in olive oil and spices will get on your hands and even clothes if you're not too careful.
People thought this was:
In the past I was a BIG fan of their garlicy shrimp scampi but in the last two times (I went in September and October), the taste was just okay but nothing special... something was missing and it was not as good as before. Did they change the recipe? The taste is just not worth the drive to North Shore anymore!
Haleiwa, HI
Category: Restaurants
Kahuku, HI
Category: Hawaiian
Kahuku, HI
Category: Seafood
Kahuku, HI
Category: Food Stands
Punaluu, HI
Category: Seafood
These are the places we scoped out on our…
My wife is from Hawaii, so when we're in town…
Here's the spots I checked out on Oahu, as well as…
Doing a drive around the island? Stop by these…
My dad's entire family is from Hawaii, and he's…
Craving poke from Foodland and garlic ahi at…
Some of my favorites the Islands have to offer....…
...we were kinda lazy....but we still did some…
