Al Pastor

4.5 (373 reviews)

ModerateMexican, Food Trucks

Closed • 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

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Al Pastor - shrimp - Mexican Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Al Pastor - Food truck - Mexican Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Al Pastor - Top: al pastor bottom: fish tacos (ahi) - Mexican Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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Al Pastor - Fish & shrimp taco combo plate (not on the menu, but you can ask for it) :) - Mexican Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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Mike P.

Best, freshest fish tacos on Kaua'i or any place I've been. They have their own boat. Name sake Al Pastor is great. Too many great choices to get through in 2 weeks. They've been here 12 years and we've eaten here all 12. Ask a "local" they'll tell ya

Caroline J.

Good burrito with lots of yummy filling as well as chips and salsa. Nice service as well. Lots of tables to sit at right outside of where you order at the food truck with covering as well so you are out of the sun!

Katie L.

Great location right off the Ke Ala Hele trail and there's tons of parking and seating. Service was wonderful and the wait time was fast. -lots of food and it ranged from around $14-$16 for two tacos, rice, and beans -the Al pastor tacos were tasty, but there needed to be more pineapple -the fish tacos were good, but needed more acid / onions -they have a 3.7% credit card service charge, so if you have cash, use it!

Mannee G.

Tuna tacos were good, so was shrimp burrito ,a lot of people in line . I'm going back next time I'm in Kauai.

Would not recommend. Shrimp and ahi tuna tacos.

Amanda S.

Got the shrimp tacos and ahi tuna taco. Both were bland. The corn tortilla was not heated or grilled. Lifeless fish and shrimp: no sear, no flavor, no grill marks. Cabbage and sauce were bright and promising but lacked flavor. Overall the tacos didn't deliver any freshness or flavor. Would not recommend.

Cole D.

Love the energy and friendliness here. The worker was so nice and sweet. Very gentle attitude. I got the steak taco (YUM YOU GOTTA GET IT) and a fish burrito. The steak taco has so much juicy flavor and it's so tasty. I paused in awe halfway through my first bite, I kid you not. Super yummy. I like how they space out two tortillas so it's a longer taco. Packed with meat. The fish burrito was just all right I will say. The sauce it comes with is just fine. I wish I had gotten fish tacos, but the burrito is a good size, good decent burrito. It didn't have the same majesty as the taco. Great outdoor seating. Super windy though. Nice shade.

Powerhouse C.

Great tacos! That's my go to whenever I come here. The last couple of times, I've done a shrimp & fish combo. The great thing is that it's fresh, local caught, so one day you might get ahi, another day you might get mahi mahi. The lady who runs it is so sweet & easy to talk to. This is right up the street from where I live in Kapaa, so it's my go-to if I'm wanting tacos in particular.

N B.

Faun was super friendly and attentive with our order. The tacos are delicious. Great place to get a quick bite after the beach (or before/during).

Tacos al pastor and one fish taco on the side

E M.

Coming from a true hispanic, I did not expect this taco spot to be as delicious as authentic Mexican tacos but I was surprised. I would say they are better than many mexican taco trucks in California and I am not exaggerating!! Pricey for sure but the entire state of Hawaii is expensive. Not sure why people complain if they fly out to Hawaii knowing it's expensive. All in all, I will go back to this place for my next trip

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Chelsea R.

0

168

85

12 years ago

These were good tacos/burritos, the fish tacos were the best. The chicken tacos lacked toppings (and very little cream sauce) and the fish burrito was just fish, rice and beans in a tortilla. They were all tasty but I would just go for the fish tacos if I ever return to Kauai. read more

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Daniel B.

4

11

3

11 years ago

Ok, so I grew up on Kauai, I spent the last 20 years living on the mainland, Kauai has a lot of new eateries that is trying to survive, when I was young there was only a couple of Mexican places and now you got trucks and brick and motors popping up every where, lots to try and unfortunately lots of failures. So on with this review I had the lengua (cow tongue) burrito, for the price there was lots of food, burrito was nicely wrapped and the stuffing was not overly sloppy like some other trucks. The filling was very tasty and juicy, the issue I had was the condiments, there was a small scoop of avocado and like two pieces of small romain lettuce pieces, the hot sauce was ok, nothing awesome but not bad. The bean filling that was mixed in the burrito was very tasty. One thing I really like in a burrito is that there is a balance of meat, beans and lettuce, so there it is, I will return and try other dishes as I feel all in all they are going in the right direction. read more

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Elisa P.

104

32

0

11 years ago

Tasty food truck lunch. Great cheap eats. Recommend it if you are look for something quick and easy.

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Lalu B.

29

905

42

11 years ago

They were very nice here but the tacos were just not at all tasty. Not sure if we got a bum batch but there was no flavor to the ahi tacos or the shrimp tacos. The creamy sauce did not help at all. It was just tasteless and a waste of money. The beans and rice were good. read more

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Ashley S.

180

10

0

9 years ago

I happened to come by this truck by accident but being a huge taco fan I couldn't resist ordering. The gal suggested the fish tacos and the al pastor tacos. I ended up with al pastor and my daughter got chicken. Both were outstanding. We will definitely stop back there on our next trip to kauai. read more

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Wally S.

3

22

10

10 years ago

Best fresh fish taco I had since coming to Hawaii islands. Better than the MonkeyPod I had at Ko Olina resorts and the Grand Hyatt Poipu. Well worth the price $4.50. read more

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Pikake T.

0

2

0

8 years ago

check them out! Service was great, very friendly and fast service. They have awesome tacos. We tried every taco on the menu. Good prices. Great food! Check them out asap! read more

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Kimberly N.

2

20

3

8 years ago

Awesome tacos, super friendly staff and a nice little picnic table area. Great lunch with the family after the beach!

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Lenny S.

2

14

5

13 years ago

Some of the best taco's ever. Shame they are all the way out in Hawaii. If you are out there on vacation, I would highly recommend finding their trailer. I got three different taco's and each one was amazing. read more

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T L.

818

555

135

12 years ago

Excellent, large fresh fish, non-fried, tacos! $4 each, which seemed pricey to this LA gal, but the tacos are large and 1 is enough for a meal! Luscious delights, like their native land. read more

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Rick j.

11

26

1

12 years ago

We were just delivered to Kauai via Alaska Air and shopped for an hour at Costco. On the way to Princeville we stopped for lunch at Al Pastor. The fish tacos are great and my wife Cheryl had the shrimp tacos. We shared but I think I got the extra shrimp when she wasn't lookin.... it's all good!!! Great food at a fair price. read more

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Zoey B.

0

149

53

11 years ago

Delicious! Had the fresh fish (ahi) tacos and they were fresh and hot with friendly service that was welcoming and just an all around good experience. $11 for this yummy lunch and came with rice and beans. Rice had a little spice to it, loved it! Drink not included in that $11. It was fun to try something new, will be returning before heading home to Seattle. read more

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Brooke W.

59

7

1

11 years ago

Best food on the island!! Love this place!! The Tacos Al Pastor are the real deal!! Cooked on a vertical rack not in a pot. Amazing food, prices and the owners are so nice!! Don't miss this place! read more

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Russ D.

1

9

4

11 years ago

I consider myself an Al Pastor-aholic and holy cow! This is hands down the best Al Pastor taco I've had in the US! This in fact rivals the street vendors of Puerto Vallarta. A must go. read more

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Megan V.

0

26

0

10 years ago

We have been on the island one week and have eaten here 3 TIMES! Seriously so good. The fresh ahi tacos, beans and rice are yummy. My kids loved the quesadillas. Make sure to ask for some guacamole -- the best I've EVER HAD!! read more

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Tanis C.

2

1

0

10 years ago

Best fish tacos EVER!!! They had fresh Mahi Mahi and they were amazing!!! I would recommend you try them!!

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Shelley G.

0

6

0

9 years ago

Go here!!!! Taco truck heaven!!! Amazing steak tacos and shrimp and garlic tacos and their rice and beans are so delish!! We've already been twice and are planning to go again!! Worth a stop! read more

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C H.

77

50

25

8 years ago

Great fish tacos. Especially when the Ahi is in fresh. Gotta love the price and the vibe.

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Amy W.

0

16

0

7 years ago

Only thing similar to Mexican al pastor is that it was pork. No noticeable marinade-no onions, cilantro, pineapple. Only go if you want a corn tortilla filled with bland pork and some avocado sauce. I have made a point of searching out al pastor in many different places around the country and this is not pastor-not even pastor adjacent. read more

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Steven G.

0

10

2

10 years ago

Saw the great reviews so had to try the tacos! My dad had the fish taco plate and i had al pastor taco plate. Food was delicious and fresh. Thank you! read more

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R K.

1

124

1

8 years ago

Great fish and shrimp tacos. Friendly staff. This was my favorite food truck. Located right on the kappa bike path.

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Bri L.

0

11

0

8 years ago

Everything here is AWESOME. My personal favorite is the chicken burrito with cheese and habanero (and I like to add a side of crema sauce). But honestly anything you order, you won't be disappointed. Large portions, great price and friendly service. Give it a try :) read more

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Elizabeth B.

1

4

0

12 years ago

We stopped by for a late lunch since we were staying nearby, and it was probably the best culinary decision we had made thus far. The fish that day was mahi mahi, and I ordered a fish taco and a shrimp taco. Both were perfectly cooked, with generous toppings, including guac. Even the rice was good, cooked well and seasoned deliciously, and I'm not much for rice. My boyfriend had one of the pastor tacos and said he preferred their marinade to the kalua pork that's so prevalent on the island. Prices were reasonable and the service was pleasant. I almost wish we had found this place earlier so we could have fit in multiple trips! read more

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Dan W.

11

40

1

11 years ago

Been here twice. We tried the pork, steak, and fish tacos. The fish were the best! All were great, but they had the most fresh fish (freshest?). You must have one or three read more

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Maricel M.

60

1

72

11 years ago

Definitely the best fresh tacos and burrito on the island, I give it a , husband and wife who owns the wagon which they Are very humble, friendly and great. Great pick up location near the beach read more

Al Pastor - Steak/shrimp/alpastor tacos - Mexican Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Al Pastor - Lengua burrito - Mexican Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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Jill S.

0

24

1

11 years ago

Wow! Fantastic tacos!! We pulled in to this area with 4 food trailers with the intention of trying something else. Our first choice was closed so we decided to give El Pastor a try. Serendipity! We ordered 4 different taco fillings to get a good taste. Everything was good, but the crispy carnitas were outstanding. read more

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Jaclyn K.

0

32

14

11 years ago

Fantastic tacos. We are from CA and can get authentic street tacos, but it's rare on travel. Just like home! These are exactly what they needed to be. We had the al pastor and the shrimp. Such great flavor! Mmmmmm... So good! read more

Al Pastor - Mexican Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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Chris V.

0

57

15

11 years ago

Best al pastor tacos in all of Hawaii! I know my tacos and these had the flavor you get from a Backstreet taco truck in TJ. Went twice in one day it was so good. read more

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Suda P.

0

19

0

10 years ago

Good food, great value. 3 stars for taste/flavor, but bumped up to 4 stars because ingredients are clearly fresh and high quality, and portions are generous for how inexpensive they are (relative to expensive Hawaii, of course). read more

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Robert P.

7

16

0

10 years ago

Had the Al Pastor tacos and they were pretty good. Nothing spectacular, but a good lunch.

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Annie S.

0

4

0

8 years ago

We tried the fresh ahi tacos and the pastor tacos. Both were excellent! The chips and salsa were a letdown.

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John T.

87

3

2

10 years ago

Great service. Fresh fish, no prepackaged food. Also recommend the shrimp and steak tacos. Wish had more drink selection.

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Kim M.

43

12

3

10 years ago

Our favorite meal of our trip to Kauai! My husband said "these fish tacos are just what I expected in Hawaii". Super friendly fast service and great grilled fresh food. We are from California and have a high standard of Mexican food. This was very good. The location also has several other trucks if you are with a large group who wants variety. read more

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Just T.

2

8

0

10 years ago

This place had really friendly service. Especially the local lady taking my order, she even came out and talked to us after. I gave it three stars cuz my cheese and shrimp fell to the bottom of my quesadilla and it was Sooooo messy! It was still good though but not good quality. I probably though cuz it was one of the better Mexican trucks I've tried:) read more

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Xeekster d.

0

31

0

14 years ago

Really hungry after diving. Good fish and steak taco. I wanted al pastor but she was ran out earlier :(. Cheap and good.

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Jonathan T.

54

14

1

12 years ago

Small taco truck by the beach. Wife and I shared all 4 tacos. Fish (ahi, caught that morning), shrimp, steak, and pastor (pork). All were great. Fish and shrimp come with a cream based sauce. The meats come with a guacamole based sauce. Spicy. Love the place. read more

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Tammy F.

79

20

0

12 years ago

We were in Kauai for 9 days. Our goal was to taste the local favorites. This was one of favorites, we ate there 2 times! The fish tacos were amazing! I am not really a fish person, but this is so different. The fish was fresh, tasty and the portions were big! It was very busy both days and we saw lots of locals there. Many were greeted by name. The girl taking our order was friendly and brought us our order. We also witnessed very few customers at the other trucks on the same lot, there was one truck that we never saw even one customer approach. We will come back when we visit the island again! read more

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Evan S.

3

5

1

12 years ago

This is hands down my favorite lunch spot, food truck or otherwise, on Kauai. Amazing fresh homemade food. Great people who really care about what the are serving. The al pastor is my favorite. The lengua is amazing as well. The fish is always fresh and delicious also. read more

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Bridget Z.

0

11

0

12 years ago

I tried four different taco trucks in kauai and this was definitely the best. It was actually the best taco I've ever had said as a native Californian. The fish, shrimp, and al pastor were amazing. read more

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Conrad H.

86

15

0

12 years ago

Excellent food! Authentic Hawaiian style! Waitress was very friendly. FOOD for FOODIES! read more

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Page 8 of 10

4-1602 Kuhio Hwy
Kapaa, HI 96746
Directions
(808) 652-6953
Call Now
Visit Website
http://restaurantwebexperts.com/TacosAlPastor/

Hours

What time does Al Pastor open?

Al Pastor opens at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

What time does Al Pastor close?

Al Pastor is closed on Monday.Al Pastor closes at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Mon ClosedTue-Sun 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Payment methods

Does Al Pastor take credit cards?

Yes, Al Pastor takes credit cards.

Food & Alcohol

Does Al Pastor have catering options?

No, Al Pastor does not have catering options.

Does Al Pastor serve alcohol?

No, Al Pastor does not serve alcohol.

Indoor Amenities

Does Al Pastor have TVs?

Yes, Al Pastor has TVs.

Outdoor Amenities

Does Al Pastor have bike parking?

Yes, Al Pastor has bike parking.

Does Al Pastor have outdoor seating?

Yes, Al Pastor has outdoor seating options.

Does Al Pastor have parking?

Yes, Al Pastor has parking options. Private Lot Parking, Street Parking

Other Amenities

Does Al Pastor have free WiFi?

No, Al Pastor does not have free WiFi.

From the Business

Specialties

Get lost in the Oasis of Kauai, come relax and enjoy some delicious Oaxacan style Mexican Food, we got Fresh Fish Tacos, Al Pastor Tacos and plenty more!

History

Established in 2012.

My other half, chef Garcia had a vision to make Al Pastor, we are the first food establishment to make Al pastor on the whole island of Kauai. We cook the Al Pastor on the gyro machine, just like how they do in Mexico. We also prepare Lengua, which is Beef Tongue Tacos. Which they are super delicious. We are the only food establishment on Kauai that serves it daily. We put all our Love and Aloha into our food, we hope you can enjoy Kauai and some delicious Tacos!

Meet the Business Owner: Faun L.

When you step up to the window at Al Pastor Tacos, you receive service with a smile, Faun is one of the owners, and she greets everyone, whether your a regular or a visitor, she treats everyone with such a loving way. Faun makes sure you order the best and most popular plates. Then she runs your food out to your table. Even though she's super busy, she always has time for a smile. She has such an appreciated attitude. That's a one of kind service at a Food Truck, usually they yell your name out to pick up your food but not here, she's just running around all day. She's hardworking, loving and she's very passionate about her business. She gives only a 5 star service. She's a wonderful friend and Boss.

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Avocado Bacon Bagel $16 "an everything bagel topped with pesto, avocado, bacon and microgreens"

Passion Bakery Cafe

Best malasadas on Kauai. Fresh, warm, crispy outside, airy inside, and overall a great sweet treat…read more Their most popular one is the POG malasada which did not disappoint. The filling is thicker than Leonard's Bakery (Oahu), similar to butter cream texture rather than ooey-gooey. You need to wait a bit after placing your order, but it's worth it.

Ok, lets start with the positive and the thing that matters most... food!…read more The food was great overall! i got the pulled pork loco moco because I was hungry and it was decent with good portion size. The malassadas were amazing. I got the ube, POG and mango. And they were all great in their own way and would love to try other flavors. The "meh" aspect of my visit - it took a long time to order/get my food. I know they make things fresh but I just couldn't believe how long it took for each party to move through. Now, once I got to the front, the servers were really friendly and kind, and the food was great. But time your visit so you don't spend 45 minutes waiting around.

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Counter area

The Paniolo

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Oh yes!...oh no.... They close at noon!

The Musubi Truck

The Musubi Truck is such a fun and delicious spot. We absolutely loved it! I ordered the chicken…read morekatsu musubi and it was SOOOOO GOOD, perfectly crispy, flavorful, and super satisfying. My husband got the tofu musubi, which came with a really tasty peanut sauce that paired so well with it. The setup is also really cute and aesthetic, with a good amount of seating and umbrellas for shade, making it a great place to hang out and enjoy your food. It's definitely picture-worthy. Another plus is the location; there's plenty of street parking, and it's surrounded by other great foodie spots, so it's perfect for a little food crawl. They also sell cute merch, which I couldn't resist; I picked up a sticker for my journal! The staff were friendly and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better. If you love musubi or just want a cute, casual food spot, this place is a must-try. We'll definitely be back!

We wanted to try the truck on our trip, so we stopped here before the airport…read more It was a bit rainy outside but still sat at the tables. Staff was very patient and helpful. Ordered the spicy mayo and there was SO much fish. I couldn't finish it. Tasted great and not much of a wait!

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Deep Fried OG

Local Style poke - a bit salty but still got 4.5 stars. Dragonfruit slushee - I thought the flavor syrup they used was way too sweet.

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Chicken katsu musubi deliciousness

Sleeping Giant Grill

For better or worse, when I travel, I pick a lot of restaurants based on YouTuber recs and yelp…read morereviews. This spot didn't make the YouTube videos, but we picked it because it's close to our VRBO and the reviews looked good. Wife and I shared the Ono tacos, one grilled and one fried. Both were EXCELLENT. Nice big pieces of fish, soft flour tortillas, fresh topping and flavorful sauces. I'm not especially a fan of fish tacos, but I will go back and get more. Both were delicious but we preferred the grilled over the fried. I highly recommend for a nice casual lunch or dinner.

Food 9/10 I had the grilled mahi mahi and it was one of the…read morebest meals I had on the island Service 9/10 They were nice and the service was fast Ambiance 8/10 The place was small but we sat outside so it didn't feel dark and cramped.

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Inside

Ono grilled over salad 4/5

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Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

21 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Kristen K.

61

13

0

12 years ago

My husband and I spent a week on Kauai for our honeymoon, we drove by Al Pastor several times but didn't stop because we live in the LA area and there are tacos everywhere here. But one day we decided to stop for lunch before we did shopping in the area. While we were waiting for our food we asked another couple who was eating if the food was good. They said it was their 3rd visit in as many days. We thought that was strange, because Kapa'a has so many fun places to eat. But then our food came and we understood why. It was amazing. The al pastor tacos were our favorite. We even went back the next day for more. If you have trouble adjusting to Kauai time and don't want to sit and enjoy your surroundings while they make your lunch, then call ahead and they will have it waiting for you. They are only open for lunch. read more

Robin D.

Elite 21

117

376

138

12 years ago

Y'all, I live in Austin, where we have amazing tacos, so I'm always hesitant to venture out for tacos when I'm on vacation. I'm a recent convert to al pastor, thanks to the al pastor burrito at Verde (my favorite restaurant on Kauai!). Given my new found interest in al pastor, and all of the great Yelp reviews for this truck, I decided to give it a try. Oh man, the al pastor tacos were delicious. The rice was really good and the beans were good. I was impressed! The food was on par with our excellent Austin restaurants. The girl who took my order was very sweet and she brought my food out to me in only a few minutes. I'll definitely be back! Once again, thanks to Yelp for helping me find this place! read more

Seth K.

517

5

0

10 years ago

Best chicken tacos on the island in my opinion. Never had anything bad there but I find myself craving the chicken tacos. I don't know how they get it that juicy, but I love it. I get mine with the spicy green sauce and it's icing on the cake. The sauce is really spicy but adds awesome flavor to the mix. I don't care for the milder red sauce but I hear a lot of people like it. To each their own... :) Thumbs up on this little truck and double thumbs up on the chicken tacos! read more

A F.

0

14

1

5 years ago

amazing tacos the habanero salsa is amazing super hot. the carne was soooo fresh and so were the tortillas. toppings were amazing. rice was exceptional... the beans were whole noy refried as an option which was ok... i mashed them myself with a fork which i have no problem with but they were not salty at all. definitely lacked salt on the beans.... which you can add yourself. overall amazing spot! read more

Cody H.

0

7

0

11 years ago

so we stop here to day, on a beautiful kauai day and had lunch. It was my first time here it was amazing. everything delicious. I had the el pastor taco and they where the best i have here on the island . They hit the spot after a long day at the beach. It was a must try on the eatside! read more

Lorri S.

130

9

22

10 years ago

I wish I had taken a picture to post but before I ate too quick!! The fish taco was so fresh and delicious. By far the best I have had. Thank you so much! I will be back. read more

Kae W.

0

3

0

3 years ago

Best Fish Tacos on the island! They are affordable and loaded. One taco comes with 2 shells and enough to make into 2 tacos. Don't pass this one up! read more

Cody C.

0

7

3

5 years ago

Amazing tacos! The people are very nice and the menu is great. They have plenty of great options and all the food is amazing.

Christopher B.

0

5

0

14 years ago

Im in Cali now CRAVING there tacos... So good and the lady working was awesome. AWWWWW I want a taco al pastor sooo bad!!!