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Hours
Sun
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Mon
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Tue
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Wed
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Thu
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Fri
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Sat
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, Quick Bites, Hawaiian, Seafood, Fast Food
Is this restaurant good for local cuisine?
Details
About
At Big Wave Shrimp, we are serving Aloha daily. Our food truck is a favorite for locals and visitors alike, with a menu full of tasty, Hawaiian-style meals. With lots of tables, plenty of shade, and calming music, you'll love the laid-back ambience. Chef Kawita is the heart of our Big Wave Shrimp truck, adding love and ono-licious ingredients to every plate she serves. We are known for our shrimp plates, like Garlic Shrimp, Peeled Shrimp, Spicy Shrimp, and Shrimp Fried Rice, but we have plenty of other options as well. The Short Ribs, Spring Rolls, or our famous Mac Salad are sure to hit the spot.
CUISINES
Seafood, Fast Food, Hawaiian
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
FEATURES
Delivery, Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Accepts Credit Cards
Contribute
4.5
369 reviews
Excellent
240
Very good
89
Average
33
Poor
5
Terrible
2
Joe P
Estes Park294 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
The North Shore of Oahu is known for their shrimp trucks, and Big Wave is one of the best. Hey, they have steak, ribs, chicken and even a veggie plate. But go there for the shrimp. Order your shrimp garlic butter, spicy, lemon or crunchy, but get the shrimp. I had the garlic butter while my wife had the coconut shrimp. There is an option for peeled garlic shrimp, but most of the choices involve you digging in and peeling your own. All of the shrimp is tasty and served with rice, salad, and a small slice of pineapple. Remember, this is a shrimp truck. You order at the window then eat on a picnic bench. If you look, around the side is a water tap and paper towels to help you clean off after you are done. This is a fun meal. This is a good meal.
Written March 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark H
3 contributions
Feb 2022 • none
A great food truck stop. We ate from food trucks on Oahu more often than sit-down restaurants, saved money and had as good or better food. And Big Wave was one of the best.
Written March 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LifeIsAnAdventure
250 contributions
Mar 2022 • none
Big Wave Shrimp was our "go to" place during our recent stay at the North Shore. The shrimp are big and perfectly cooked and loaded with garlic. I especially appreciated that I could have them peel the shrimp. We enjoyed that the garlic shrimp plate also came with a salad and a pineapple wedge.
We tried other trucks, but ended up making it to Big Wave three times during our vacation. It was just that good!
Written March 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BMcC004
Madison283 contributions
Oct 2019 • none
On a recent visit to the North Shore we wanted to see what all the hype was about for food trucks. We went to have lunch at Big Wave. It was very good. Shrimp was excellent. Sides were great. We got there when they opened so it was not yet busy.
Written May 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JDSoui
Tampa6747 contributions
Oct 2022 • none
The food, open air ambiance and the people were fabulous. The spicy shrimp and the calamari were well prepared with sizeable portions. The shrimp had a pleasant kick with rice and salad. The calamari was not overly breaded and had a pleasant spicy sauce. FYI - on the shrimp you will need to peel some of the shrimp - so get ready to eat with your hands for a bit. Great experience.
Written October 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stacy421
Thank you so much for the awesome review JDSoui! We hope to see you again soon!
Written November 10, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Yully
Honolulu1111 contributions
Mar 2023 • family
Not long line to wait like other famous truck. Food is always good, I love peeled garlic shrimp bcz I don't need to spend time for peeling and eating without messing my fingers. There is wash sink anyway. But they raise price so frequently and feel overpriced now than before. They sell not only shrimp so everyone can get something or other food trucks around them too.
Written March 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Max Nowicki
Thank you for your review Yully! We’ve tried our best not to raise prices and we try to balance out any cost of food with large portions because we always want our customers to be fully satisfied!
Written March 19, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Soymoosemom
Oakville422 contributions
Apr 2023 • couples
When a friend recently visited the North Shore she documented her garlic shrimp escapades at various food trucks. She loved Big Wave and I trust her. The parking lot was full but managed by a really nice lady who told us where to park - only those who are patrons of those vendors can park , which can be challenging if there are lots of people. When you order you can see the recommendation from Guy Fieri. Garlic shrimp came with rice, a bit of salad and a slice of pineapple, and it was yummy. The skins are fried on so you can eat it all including the tail, but you do see people trying to peel them. My husband had the steak with the same sides and it was ok. Lots of picnic tables and some are covered from the hot sun or rain. We didn’t get a chance to try Jenny’s or Giovanni but maybe next time. But this place would be hard to beat.
Written July 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Max Nowicki
Thank you so much for stopping by! We really appreciate it! :)
Written July 13, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
kpgull13
Birmingham401 contributions
May 2021 • family
After enjoying a morning at the beach, we had an amazing lunch at the Big Wave Shrimp truck. The rib plate and coconut shrimp plate were amazing. The sauce that comes with the coconut shrimp is sweet yet spicy I could eat it on everything.
Written May 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MindStorm
Honolulu860 contributions
Jul 2021 • none
The fish part of the fish & chips was very tasty. Firm, sweet fish. The fries were just frozen crinkle fries, but done about as well as such fries can be.
The coconut shrimp has no taste though. Disappointing.
Written July 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jajsl500
Parkersburg61 contributions
Oct 2021 • couples
We had a driver take us on a tour of Waikiki to the North Shore. We had a couple of food trucks we wanted to eat before heading back. Of course we wanted Garlic Shrimp since that’s what so many of the food trucks are famous for. We did a lot of research but never heard of it. So our driver suggests Big Wave. Wow so glad he did. All I can say, It’s the best Garlic shrimp my wife and I have ever eaten. I had 2 orders and we both took an order home. I honestly would travel back just to eat here again. It was that good.
Written October 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kiko367
Wellington114 contributions
Jan 2024 • family
The last time we were in Honolulu, we went to Giovanni's and Romy's so we decided to try other other places based on online reviews. At the top of most lists was Big Wave Shrimp, so off we went. We were not disappointed. The "premises" were clean and tidy, and the staff were very friendly. Our orders came out after a few minutes, faster than we'd expected based on previous experience at other shrimp trucks. The garlic buttered shrimps were delicious - there were 12 pieces per plate, along with salad, 2 cups of rice, and a slice of pineapple. The shrimps Butter and garlic were plentiful, and the taste was excellent. We also got a plate of calamari to share, and it was equally flavorful. We were very satisfied, an immensely delightful dining experience. We were so pleased that we returned the next day and ordered the same items! The place is highly recommended - we will definitely return the next time we visit Hawaii!
Written January 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Max Nowicki
Thank you so much kiko367 for stopping by and giving us a try! It's so fulfilling to know that you enjoyed your food and time with us, we hope to see you again on your next trip! Safe travels!
Written February 2, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
gmksanjose
San Jose70 contributions
Jun 2021 • none
Best shrimp we have ever had.
Best fish in the fish n chips we have ever had.
Never knew it could be this good! We found a couple other places on the Island with almost as good food, so we concluded that Oahu is the Island to eat!
Guy Fieri's DDD choice was spot-on!
(Don't enter the porta-potty nearby...)
Written June 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mikerike
21 contributions
Nov 2022 • none
My 15 year old twins and I had a tough time deciding on which shrimp truck to hit, but the Guy Fieri recommendation for Big Wave swayed my son. He is, after all, the Mayor of Flavortown. We got two orders of lemon pepper and one order of garlic shrimp. All of it was delicious. The marinades are so flavorful and the shrimp themselves are meaty and tasty. You can eat them without peeling, but the technique we landed on, which I recommend, is to eat the legs, but take of the shell. I didn't try Jenny's or Giovanni's so I can't compare, but you can't go wrong here. The punch lemonade was a bit too sweet though.
Written November 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stacy421
Thank you for the kind review Mike - we love eating the legs as well since it’s deliciously crunchy!
Written November 27, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
May_EXL
Winnipeg1028 contributions
Feb 2023 • couples
I tried the Big Wave Shrimp Truck in Haleiwa and ordered the spicy shrimp. Generous amount of shrimp for $16 with salad and pineapple slice. I didn’t like how the hot sauce was just poured over the shrimp instead of marinating before cooking. I like garlic but there was way too much of it. It was chopped into pieces and not cooked golden brown so I was chewing pieces of it and getting the bitter taste of the garlic. Waste not want not…so I ate it but didn’t enjoy it as much as another shrimp truck I tried. I have to disagree with Guy Fieri on this one.
Written April 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Max Nowicki
Hi May - sorry you didn’t enjoy your spicy shrimp, perhaps you should try something else on the menu!
Written April 11, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Robert
3 contributions
Oct 2022 • family
There are shrimp trucks, and then there is the Big Wave Shrimp truck. You’ll never look at coconut shrimp or garlic shrimp the same way.. just be sure to bring a big napkin to clean up your smacking’ lips. Yummmm!
Written November 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stacy421
Thank you so much!
Written November 27, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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