The garlic chicken was juicy and tender and the sweet to salty combination was spot on. The garlic shrimp was also good but it doesn't beat the shrimp trucks in Maui. It was lacking that strong garlicky, buttery flavor. It still satisfied my cravings though! The ribs were also good and were fall off the bone tender. I would pass on the Huli Huli Chicken next time because it was a bit dry. I also didn't care for the potato Mac salad. I would come back in a heartbeat. For a food truck, I'm thoroughly impressed. This is some of the best Hawaiian food I've had in Portland/Vancouver. I've tried GrindwTryz, Kiawe Island Bistro, Ohana Hawaiian Cafe, Ate oh Ate, Hula Boy Charbroil, Hawaiian Style Grill and Hawaiian Soul and the two places I would go back to are GrindwTryz and Kanaka Island Grill. If I had to pick between those two choices I'd pick Kanaka if distance wasn't a concern. Be prepared to wait a little. Service was friendly and we went with about an hour left and they were still pretty well stocked. You can also eat outdoors or inside at the nearby bar. read more

Have you ever ordered food without realizing the price, only to feel shocked and embarrassed as you hand your card over? Yeah. I was thinking, 'For that price, it better be like, steakhouse quality.' ... and it was. Oh my gosh. The guava ribs were to die for, and the portion she gave me was huge. I've never had guava glazed ribs before, so I've got nothing to compare it to, but it was amazing. The flavor was more sweet and less salty as opposed to a tomato based barbecue glaze. The guava really came through. The meat fell off the bone easily, because it was cooked perfectly. I wished I could eat it all before it got cold, but I could not. The Huli Huli chicken was great, too. The rice was perfect. The Mac was a little better than average. I just wished there was more of it, since I got exactly one scoop. The lady who helped me was cool, and obviously gave me a huge portion. Based on the price, I can't really afford to eat here more than once right now, but if I could, I'd make this a weekly thing. Probably in the top three to five of some of the best Hawaiian I've ever had. read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Guava ribs and Huli huli chicken - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

Every single thing I've had has been amazing so far The guava BBQ ribs I just had tonight were falling off the bone tender and the BBQ was a flavorful mix of sweet and savory. The pork chop and huli chicken are always well seasoned and huge portions. I also love the unique mix of the potato Mac! Best of both worlds between mac and potato salad. If you ever happen to see Jonny's mom's clam chowder on the menu RUN don't walk to go grab you a bowl and one to go- it's absolutely mind blowing!!!! Had it a few weeks ago and I cannot stop thinking about it ‍ Jonny and Kimberly are super chill and friendly and you can tell they put their heart into everything they make and do. 11/10 highly recommend! read more

Portions are huge! Love it when I have leftovers! The fried chicken was phenomenal! Crunchy on the outside, soft flavorful chicken inside. Sauce added a sweet, salty balance. Super friendly owners. Perfect stop on your way home for take out or hunker down on one of the benches nearby and grab a beer at the growelry in the lot! read more

Solid experience. I would have taken off some points for the wait, but no big deal, we're adults and can find something to occupy time by talking to each other or catching up on phone tingz. All good cause it was worth the wait. The portion was big and made it worth it. The fried chicken was tasty, good and crunchy. It had a light and crispy batter. The sauce was good too. The guava ribs was also good. Float in point and the meat was fall of the bone. The potato mac salad was ok too. Will add to the food rotation. A win for us. Mahalo for sharing the Aloha. read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Combo fried chicken and guava ribs - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

Placed in a random parking lot off of a very busy road, Kanaka was a great find while on an empty stomach. I spend a lot of time trying to find new places to try and Kanaka caught my eye very quickly! I came in around 2pm on a Tuesday and they were already out of a couple of their meats so get there early if you want them! I ended up with the pork chops and the fried chicken, while the pork chops were pretty good, the fried chicken was definitely where it's at! I would highly recommend getting that and enjoying it along side their potato salad! The worst part was really just the location, wish it was a little more open around there. read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Combo Plate - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

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Brah food was broke the mouth kine grindz Kalbi fry chx so broke make u wanta smack ur grandma my chick love the ribs I think mine mo bettea just need that lilkoi bbq sauce always gotta sample the poke and faaa I like take em home every time but nah grind em there chee read more

This one my go-to Hawaiian spot in Portland, no doubt. I wen live on da island for over one decade, so my Hawaiian food standards stay high. I tried pretty much every Hawaiian place and truck up here, and most of 'em... meh. But Kanaka Island Grill? Dey do 'um RIGHT. Straight up ono grindz -- broke da mout kine. I always grab da combo plate. Gotta get da Huli Huli chicken -- legit da best Huli Huli I've had on da mainland, period. Then I add either da galbi or da garlic shrimp -- tastes like da shrimp trucks back home on da North Shore. Portions solid, ingredients good quality, and you can tell dey cook 'um with aloha. If dey was closer to my side, I would be dea every week easy. No sleep on dis spot -- go check 'um out, you gon' be happy you did! read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Garlic shrimp and Huli Huli chicken--ono! - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

Excellent poke bowl and great service. Would love to come back and try the other options. The Mac salad has potatoes which I've never experienced before but it was also very tasty. Highly recommend! read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Poke bowl - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

Was my third choice for Hawaiian in the area. The other two were closed so here we are. They didn't have several things that are in the menu. According to the lady that took our order "they don't have time to make musubi so they don't have any." Out of Poke, no Kalbi ribs. The only drink choices were Pepsi, Sprite, Pineapple Fanta. Not even 1 Hawaiian Sun in sight! I ordered the Char-Siu chicken. Came with 2 scoops rice, 1 scoop potato mac and the chicken. Only got furrikake on one scoop of the rice. The potato mac seemed dry and gritty with a hint of curry flavor. The chicken was moist and flavor was good. My son got their fried chicken since they didn't have any Kalbi. The chicken was good and a good amount of it as well. Will we be back? Nah. read more

As a connoisseur of local hawaiian food in the Tigard area, this was the third food truck we've tried. The kalbi short ribs were tender and flavorful. The Mac salad was slightly sweet which we enjoyed. While it is entitled potato-mac, there was very little potato in the two servings we had. But it was still tasty. The rice was too dry for our liking but that is the same at every food truck we've tried. We didn't care for the fried chicken. It was had a strong taste of flour and the sauce was just okay. IOW, we've had M much better at other hawaiian food trucks. $42 for the short rib plate and fried chicken plate. About what we expected. Give em a try... read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Kalbi short rib plate and fried chicken plate (I took the Mac salad out to refrigerate) - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

i was craving hawaiian food so my friend and i grabbed dinner here. we came at 6pm and there was a group who had ordered ahead of us. i think the worker was running behind (taking longer than usual) because i heard him tell the customer he gave them a discount and he was very apologetic. they were out of rice and i think beef? but that was fine because i didn't want those things anyways. our orders also took longer than expected but he was the only one working so we understood. there is a very nice and clean dining area. there's only 4 tables, but it was not busy so we had no trouble seating ourselves. the bathroom is also very clean and spacious. it's the best food cart bathroom i've ever been in. the toilet has heated seats with a bidet which was very impressive and unexpected. i wish i had that in my bathroom the food was pretty good. hawaiian fried chicken is usually pretty sweet, so i expected this to be sweet, but it was more of a savory flavor. the sauce on top was not my favorite. i feel like it was not the best flavor to complement the chicken. i still really liked the texture of it though, it's just not my favorite hawaiian chicken i've ever had. the kimchi salad i was also disappointed by. it did not taste anything like kimchi, it only had the red color. the green salad was pretty good to me but i did not expect the chips on top. i enjoyed the dressing on top of in though. read more

Kanaka Island Grill - fried chicken with the salad - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

Got take out on a Sunday. They were out of a few things we wanted, but that means it is good, right??? YES! The poke, pork ribs and char sui chicken were great. Large potions. Good rice. Mac salad was different with potatoes but still good. Will be back. Good service. read more

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We went in a Saturday evening and they were out of the dishes I wanted to try. Next time I'm in Tigard best believe I'm going early. My daughter had the Kauai shrimp and I had the Grandmas fried chicken Char siu chicken combo. The Mac salad reminded of home and the Poke was on point. The staff kept everything clean and organized. I cannot wait to get back the Tigard. Hopefully they'll have the guava ribs read more

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first time here and got the fried chicken and garlic shrimp. garlic shrimp was garlicky and so flavorful! my only complaint was that the rice underneath was in a pool of garlic butter which i did not like and ended up only eating the rice on the side. same complaint with the chicken--there was too much teriyaki sauce in the rice that it made the rice too salty. other than that, the chicken was fried perfectly! the mac salad was different. read more

Kanaka Island Grill - garlic shrimp - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

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Located in a small plaza with other food trucks. The garlic shrimp was tasty, just a bit on the salty side, and the sauce kinda made the rice mushy. The fried chicken was the real winner though, super flavorful and not dry at all like a lot of places. I'd definitely come back to try more. read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Fried chicken - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

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I love food trucks, they always have great food. this one in particular is an upper eschelon of "food truck food". the portions were massive, getting some bang for your buck. very kind & welcoming service from the owners. enough of the glazing, let's dive into the food: my family & I got the guava & lilikoi ribs, garlic shrimp, fried chicken plate, & char siu chicken. do NOT get me started on the ribs. one of the best racks i've ever had in my life. juicy, succulent meat gliding off the bone. sweet and tangy bbq sauce smother atop. not a single scrap on the bone. need I say more? everything was absolutely delicious, but i will reiterate: one of the BEST RIBS i've EVER. HAD. not a big shrimp guy, but my family demolished them. same with the fried & char siu chicken. we left with another day's worth of leftovers, they tasted just the same (if you don't know how to reheat food outside of a microwave, learn you something). my first trip to oregon & i've found my new spot. check it out people, it's incredible. read more

Stood outside in the rain on Sunday for 30 minutes for food that ended up tasting mediocre at best. Their Mac/potato salad was the only redeeming quality. They were out of several items and what was left was not good. Pretty disappointing given the other reviews. I'm used to Bamboo Grove quality Hawaiian food. read more

The food just hits right! I'm from Hawaii so, of course, I'm super critical on all these local food spots. And when I tell you this is the spot !!!! I feel like a bunch of these spots (hawaiian food) have the same bland taste. But this spot -- tastes like family made it :') we got Aunties Fried chicken and the Kalbi Ribs. Horrible photo of the food but was too excited to eat!! Made it on my top fav local food spots in Portland ! read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Kalbi and aunties fried chicken - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

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Very disappointed. We saw the reviews and were so excited to eat here, but we were let down. We got two plates. The ribs were so DRY and were more like Texas bbq than lilikoi Hawaiian ribs. I had the Chashu chicken and there was so much fat not much flavor plus there was a HAIR on my chicken. Mac/potato salad was good loved the flavor and peas. read more

You only get grinds this good Hawaii! Don't miss out on the shrimp and beef ribs! I guarantee you this guy stole his shrimp recipe, it tastes exactly like a certain shrimp food truck on the big island (he knows which one ) Eat here ASAP! read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Grilled chicken, juicy with great flavor! - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

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So yummy!! We got the spicy ahi poke bowl, Kalua pork and Huli huli chicken. It was all very flavorful and delicious. Go early if you want the ribs, they were sold out by dinner time when we went. There are 3- 4 food trucks with 6 or 7 picnic tables with shade umbrellas to sit and eat. We will definitely be back again! read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Outside - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

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YUM. Took our picky kids to Kanaka bc mom and dad wanted to try it and to our surprise our kids gobbled it up. We got two Aunty's fried chicken and the Huli chicken plates and shared among the 4 of us. It was a lot of food and so damn tasty. So many flavors on one plate. We will definitely be back. read more

Service was good, they both are very nice. Loved the area around their food truck. The flavors were really good but it was a lil dry. The chicken was good, the pork had a lot of gristle in it, pretty tough. The mac salad had a good flavor too, but too many peas for my liking, I've never had peas in the Hawaiian salad before. I got the 2 item combo, it was $23.00, not huge portions, but enough meat. The salad was a small scoop. I forgot too take a pic. I will try it again, something different & remember to take a pic. read more

I recently got back from Maui and was craving some island food. I saw this new food truck down the street and immediately had to try. It doesn't disappoint- the poke was 10/10, so good. Very fresh, spicy! delicious. Will be returning. read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Spicy Poke - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

First time trying Kanaka, had to wait a bit cause they had to do some moving around, but the wait was worth it, food was excellent will be back for more, the Guava ribs were so good and the sauce they put on the fried chicken was also very good also the mac salad had potatoes in it never had it like that and i love it, dont pass this place up read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Auntys fried chicken/ guava ribs - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

Food and service A+. I recommend the combo plate with fried chicken and shrimp you won't be disappointed. Awesome Mac salad and loved the cucumber kimchi. The kimchi sauce left over, pour it on your rice . read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Combo plate with fried chicken and shrimp. - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

Wow! We were craving good Hawaiian food and drove about 25 miles to come try this place based on the Yelp rating and food photos. Their food was absolutely amazing! We tried the Auntie's Fried Chicken ($18) which was fried boneless chicken thighs in a crispy crust with delicious spicy garlic sauce drizzled over it with black sesame(?) seeds and green onion garnish along with 2 scoops of white rice (also garnished) and 1 scoop of potato Mac salad. We also tried the Kauai Shrimp ($21) - which was a garlic shrimp lovers dream in delicious savory sauce with the same sides. Potato Mac salad contained some veg- Carrots and peas in it and was also tasty. Definitely worth every penny! We ate a lot and still had leftovers. Service was friendly and timely. Food carts can be iffy time-wise so it was a pleasant surprise. The parking lot is shared with a few businesses and other food carts so it can probably get tight but we didn't have any trouble. There were a few tables scattered around next to each cart and a locked public bathroom for customers. Can't wait to go back and try more of their delicious food! read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Kauai Shrimp and Auntie's Fried Chicken which - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

Hands down the best Hawaiian restaurant/food cart I have found in the Tigard/Portland area. Service is amazing and fast. Food is so fresh and tasty. I couldn't decide between the poke and the ribs so I ordered both. Generous portions too. They have great seating, nice and clean. I highly recommend this place, you won't be disappointed. read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Ahi Poke - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

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The food here is really good! The service is good too! ...but the owner Long Jon is even better! Highly recommend! Go check out Long Jon and grind his amazing food! read more

That mac salad I could eat it all day long!!! It is mac plus potato its is the perfect blend of everything. The seasoning is on point best side to go with some Guava ribs that literally the bone just pulls right out of the meat when you try to pick up and try to take a bite. The meat is insanely tender and mouthwatering waiting for the next bite!!! Next time I will try something new this was recommended by the owner. read more

This by far has been the best local grinds around. My husband and I have tried many other food trucks but no food truck came to being as good as Kanaka Island Grill. If you haven't been here yet this is a must! I had the Combo plate with Kaua'i shrimp and their fried chicken. Everything tasted amazing and was so flavorful. We will definitely be back to try their Kalbi. read more

Best Kalua Pork I've had in a long time. The portions are big enough for me to make 2 meals out of it. And the service was excellent. I highly recommend! They are a new business so come out and support them, it's definitely worth your while. read more

Great little food cart Pod! Kanaka Island Grill was delicious. We ordered two musubi to go and they look amazing. We also ordered the poke with side salad at ate it there at the picnic tables. It was delicious and we cannot wait to come back! read more

Went today and got 2 plates, one auntys fried chicken and the other kalbi ribs. Got the food and we were left dissapointed. The mac salad wasn't good, it's clearly store bought and you could make a way better Mac salad at home. For $46 you should at least have a homemade mac salad, especially if you claim to be a Hawaiian bbq plate food truck. Would be more understandable if it was under $15. Also, the kalbi ribs were very burnt and had 2 hairs in it. That's just unacceptable service, would not recommend this place to anyone unless you wanna waste money. read more

It's da best! Best macaroni salad, awesome Huli Huli Chicken. My husband had Char Sui Chicken and loved it too. Ono all the way.

Holy smokes, I had the split plate with Aunties Fried Chicken and the Lilikoi BBQ Ribs. THE RIBS WERE PERFECT. Aunties fried chicken was soft and crunchy. Have not had fried chicken like that before. Highly recommend this spot. read more

So fire! I've been missing real Hawaiian food and this hit the spot. Go check it out! Food comes fast and the service is great! read more

Kanaka Island Grill - Huli-Huli chicken plate - Food Trucks Near Me - Tigard, Oregon

The Kailua Pig and Char Siu chicken was recommended and was excellent. The portions were very large, but too good to stop eating. Highly recommend. read more

I'm glad I finally decided to check this place out - I ended up ordering the spicy ahi poké as my first dish. Very generous portions and I like that they had a healthier "slaw" option instead of the mac salad (which I love but wanted something lighter). It was fresh and exactly what I was craving. The dessert options look yummy and I can't wait to go back and try the shrimp! I was starving so no pic this time... read more