Giovanni’s Aloha Shrimp

Take a road trip up to the North Shore of Oahu and go hungry! A stop at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck is a must if you are a garlic and butter lover...and really - who isn’t? Make sure you have plenty of napkins!

The long line up at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck is a sure sign that the shrimp is good and fresh. With locals and tourists practicing their patience with the crowds and the generally unorganized way people decide to align themselves in what should be two lines but ends up being various clusters, everyone knows it is worth it with the smells of butter, garlic and an array of spices flowing from the windows of Giovanni’s small white van. Be sure not to miss it as you fly by on your way to or from North Shore as it looks somewhat like a milk delivery van from the 1950s. After we got our order of butter shrimp and spicy shrimp we sat down at the nearest available picnic table and dug in. Be sure to grab extra napkins at the spicy shrimp is as equally messy as it is hot. At the table next to us I saw ingenious locals whip out a cold bottle of white wine to pair with their perfectly cooked shrimp - a must do that I will never forget!

Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck will not disappoint. Simple menu, simple prices. When you step up to the window, be ready to order. The experience is similar to ordering a cheesesteak in Philadelphia. Where if you don’t know how to order, they will send you to the back of the line. You can order shrimp 3 different ways. Scampi, Hot & Spicy, or Lemon Butter. All dishes come with a heaping scoop of rice, a dozen shrimp, and all for $13 or under. You can also opt for half portions. The Hot & Spicy “no refund” shrimp is some of the best most flavorful shrimp I have ever had. My husband craves their shrimp constantly. Unfortunately for him, we live on the East Coast. Givoanni’s is local, fresh, delicious, and cheap. Pick up your plate and dine on a picnic table in the shade. Just as the locals do.

Along the Kamehameha Highway you’ll see lots of shrimp trucks but stop at Giovanni’s for their shrimp scampi. It’s the best! They serve 2 types of scampi -- garlic & lemon or spicy. The spicy is SPICY but delicious. Truck doesn’t look like much but do stop & order. After you’re done eating, sign the truck.