Every item here at a Merienda Maui food truck was delicious. The only mistake we made was not eating here sooner, since we would have returned to try more of the menu.We selected two types of tacos, the Shrimp and the Thai Beef Tacos. The shrimp tacos are served with a cabbage slaw, a ginger sesame dressing (not a strong flavor), gochujang aioli (dominant flavor that worked well with the shrimp), and some pickled red onions on top. Somewhat simple but all flavors combine well, the shrimp stands out with the aioli, and it has a tropical sense to it. The Thai Beef Tacos use a Thai marinade on the beef (sourced from Maui, though I couldn't tell the difference from regular beef in these chunks in a taco). Beyond that it's a common taco with a tomato salad (pico de gallo), jalapeño, cilantro, and mint (rather than a common diced onion pairing). The marinade infused into each piece of beef and truly carried the dish. I would have eaten it without the garnishes, though they do help fill out the taco. I also thought this was the most basic item we ordered, and would want to try out other items before repeating this.Lastly the Phili-bistek Sando with fries was the true star of the show. It reads as a cheesesteak with bell peppers and onions, and Mayo/chimichurri sauce on top. Yet I think this meat was also marinated, since I can't conceive how much umami was oozing from this burger. It is hands down the best cheesesteak I have every had...and I've been to Philadelphia. I found other recipes online that use a soy marinade to prepare the beef (tapa beef seems to be the Filipino name), and this sounds like it tasted. There was a lot of beef pieces, we shared the burger along 3 people, and I think that the circular shape made it seem larger than if it had been on a longer hoagie bread. Onion jam rather then regular onions would keep the tastebuds working, the Japanese Mayo would introduce both tangy and sweet flavors, and the chimichurri would add parsley, cilantro, and garlic notes. The burger was messy, but worth it. And the fries were extra crispy, similar to In-N-Out double fried fries but thicker. These work perfectly with just ketchup. We considered the Umami fries, which have gochijang and Mayo and Furikake at the same time, and I think all that sauce would reduce the crispiness of the fries. I would still try it, but the fries are top notch and a quick dip in ketchup is all that is needed. The Okonomiyaki Brussel sprouts also sound like an amazing Asian take on the vegetable and something to try next time.
Sarah Otto
Loved this food truck!! We got the beef bulgogi, the umami fries, and pork belly and they were all amazing. Everything had tons of flavor. We are here on vacation and this food truck is the best thing I have tasted since I have been here. Don’t pass up this spot!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Bulgogi
Benjamin Y.
Awesome peeps, bomb food, and and instant favorite. Shrimp tacos are to die for, and the pork asado sandwich was melt-in-your-mouth flavor. This is the place, my friend. You're welcome.
A G.
The Thai tacos were unbelievably good. They had a nice curry flavor. I wish I had eaten here every night instead of other places when I visited the area.
Sarah O.
Loved this food truck!! We got the beef bulgogi, the umami fries, and pork belly and they were all amazing. Everything had tons of flavor. We are here on vacation and this food truck is the best thing I have tasted since I've been here. Don't pass up this spot!!!
Troy N
Small food truck situated in a parking lot near the Lahaina cannery. There's a few picnic tables set up in the center of the trucks with a few more off to the side under a tree for shade.Just remember that you're in Hawaii and things are a bit laid back. Don't rush and have dinner patience. It's worth it. Having said that the truck opened a little late but not too bad.The first and best was the Taiwanese salt and pepper chicken. It was so tasty, crispy and juicy. Definitely worth the wait. The mayo on top with the green onions was the icing on the cake. Definitely in for the win!The lumpia was also a winner. The crispy exterior have it great texture and the filling was very tasty. The dipping sauce added another dimension to the item making this a must try and a great sharing item.The pork tocilog was pretty good but not in the same category as the other two. The pork belly was a bit tough to chew and the flavors seemed a bit tame as compared to the other dishes. The picked vegetables (namasu) definitely added a need punch to the dish and did elevate it.The ube horchata was a nice sweet finish to the meal. It was make with coconut milk and some condensed milk per the owner. I didn't ask if it was rice based like traditional horchata but it didn't matter to me. Delicious!
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 4
Holly H.
Food:- umami fries: 8/10, fries are always good - chow fun: 8/10, good portion size and flavor, good for sharing between two people - ube horchata: 9/10, so so good! The best ube item I had on the island Service: - good and fast service Ambiance: - plenty of parking - minimal outside seating
Andrew B.
Friendly hard working people running this truck. Interesting blend of choices on the menu blending Filipino, Mexican, Japanese and korean flavors.All was tasty.Pork belly and rice, Bulgogi beef and according to our friends pork tacos, all great.Umami fries worth a try as are the thai beef tacos, but I thought the corn tacos kinda ruined it. Would rather it on salad or rice.Good value fresh choice though in Lahaina.
Karen Stump
Spent 3 weeks in Hawaii on 2 islands. THIS IS THE BEST FOOD WE ATE THE ENTIRE TRIP. Chick Sandwich with upgraded umami fries=AMAZING! Brussels = so good! And the Noodles with Beef scrumptious! I would drive from anywhere in Maui to Lahaina to eat here again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Jamie D.
*Chefs kiss* Mereinda Maui is a Asian fusion food truck in the same plaza as Lahaina Cannery. My grandpa, husband, and I came here after a day at the beach. We ordered the phili-bistek sandwich, Chinese 5 spiced pork, tocilog, and sisig tacos. They were all amazing!!! The phili-bistek sandwich was cheesy similar to a philly cheesesteak with a Filipino twist. This is definitely a place to try when in Maui. I would say after trying out different spots throughout the island, there are better food at the food trucks versus an actual brick and mortar.
One of the best food trucks I’ve had! The food was incredible and the service was great!
David Butler
Salt and pepper fried chicken, nice tender and crispy at the same time. Big portion get something vegan next door for a balanced diet.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
VadersRage 64
The food was delicious. We had the crispy chicken sandwiches and the beef bulgogi. I also had the shrimp tacos. The shrimp tacos were delicious but low quantity. They need to put like 4 tacos in one order and give a side with it. So unless you're willing to spend 2 orders on shrimp tacos just for yourself it's kind of a no go unless you have a small appetite. Once again we enjoyed it all very much.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Bulgogi
j zhou
Unassuming in a strip mall parking lot but the best dish I had while in Maui! The Thai beef tacos are a must! Wish I had more time to eat there again!
Every item here at a Merienda Maui food truck was delicious. The only mistake we made was not eating here sooner, since we would have returned to try more of the menu.We selected two types of tacos, the Shrimp and the Thai Beef Tacos. The shrimp tacos are served with a cabbage slaw, a ginger sesame dressing (not a strong flavor), gochujang aioli (dominant flavor that worked well with the shrimp), and some pickled red onions on top. Somewhat simple but all flavors combine well, the shrimp stands out with the aioli, and it has a tropical sense to it. The Thai Beef Tacos use a Thai marinade on the beef (sourced from Maui, though I couldn't tell the difference from regular beef in these chunks in a taco). Beyond that it's a common taco with a tomato salad (pico de gallo), jalapeño, cilantro, and mint (rather than a common diced onion pairing). The marinade infused into each piece of beef and truly carried the dish. I would have eaten it without the garnishes, though they do help fill out the taco. I also thought this was the most basic item we ordered, and would want to try out other items before repeating this.Lastly the Phili-bistek Sando with fries was the true star of the show. It reads as a cheesesteak with bell peppers and onions, and Mayo/chimichurri sauce on top. Yet I think this meat was also marinated, since I can't conceive how much umami was oozing from this burger. It is hands down the best cheesesteak I have every had...and I've been to Philadelphia. I found other recipes online that use a soy marinade to prepare the beef (tapa beef seems to be the Filipino name), and this sounds like it tasted. There was a lot of beef pieces, we shared the burger along 3 people, and I think that the circular shape made it seem larger than if it had been on a longer hoagie bread. Onion jam rather then regular onions would keep the tastebuds working, the Japanese Mayo would introduce both tangy and sweet flavors, and the chimichurri would add parsley, cilantro, and garlic notes. The burger was messy, but worth it. And the fries were extra crispy, similar to In-N-Out double fried fries but thicker. These work perfectly with just ketchup. We considered the Umami fries, which have gochijang and Mayo and Furikake at the same time, and I think all that sauce would reduce the crispiness of the fries. I would still try it, but the fries are top notch and a quick dip in ketchup is all that is needed. The Okonomiyaki Brussel sprouts also sound like an amazing Asian take on the vegetable and something to try next time.
Loved this food truck!! We got the beef bulgogi, the umami fries, and pork belly and they were all amazing. Everything had tons of flavor. We are here on vacation and this food truck is the best thing I have tasted since I have been here. Don’t pass up this spot!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Bulgogi
Awesome peeps, bomb food, and and instant favorite. Shrimp tacos are to die for, and the pork asado sandwich was melt-in-your-mouth flavor. This is the place, my friend. You're welcome.
The Thai tacos were unbelievably good. They had a nice curry flavor. I wish I had eaten here every night instead of other places when I visited the area.
Loved this food truck!! We got the beef bulgogi, the umami fries, and pork belly and they were all amazing. Everything had tons of flavor. We are here on vacation and this food truck is the best thing I have tasted since I've been here. Don't pass up this spot!!!
Small food truck situated in a parking lot near the Lahaina cannery. There's a few picnic tables set up in the center of the trucks with a few more off to the side under a tree for shade.Just remember that you're in Hawaii and things are a bit laid back. Don't rush and have dinner patience. It's worth it. Having said that the truck opened a little late but not too bad.The first and best was the Taiwanese salt and pepper chicken. It was so tasty, crispy and juicy. Definitely worth the wait. The mayo on top with the green onions was the icing on the cake. Definitely in for the win!The lumpia was also a winner. The crispy exterior have it great texture and the filling was very tasty. The dipping sauce added another dimension to the item making this a must try and a great sharing item.The pork tocilog was pretty good but not in the same category as the other two. The pork belly was a bit tough to chew and the flavors seemed a bit tame as compared to the other dishes. The picked vegetables (namasu) definitely added a need punch to the dish and did elevate it.The ube horchata was a nice sweet finish to the meal. It was make with coconut milk and some condensed milk per the owner. I didn't ask if it was rice based like traditional horchata but it didn't matter to me. Delicious!
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 4
Food:- umami fries: 8/10, fries are always good - chow fun: 8/10, good portion size and flavor, good for sharing between two people - ube horchata: 9/10, so so good! The best ube item I had on the island Service: - good and fast service Ambiance: - plenty of parking - minimal outside seating
Friendly hard working people running this truck. Interesting blend of choices on the menu blending Filipino, Mexican, Japanese and korean flavors.All was tasty.Pork belly and rice, Bulgogi beef and according to our friends pork tacos, all great.Umami fries worth a try as are the thai beef tacos, but I thought the corn tacos kinda ruined it. Would rather it on salad or rice.Good value fresh choice though in Lahaina.
Spent 3 weeks in Hawaii on 2 islands. THIS IS THE BEST FOOD WE ATE THE ENTIRE TRIP. Chick Sandwich with upgraded umami fries=AMAZING! Brussels = so good! And the Noodles with Beef scrumptious! I would drive from anywhere in Maui to Lahaina to eat here again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Chicken Sandwich
*Chefs kiss* Mereinda Maui is a Asian fusion food truck in the same plaza as Lahaina Cannery. My grandpa, husband, and I came here after a day at the beach. We ordered the phili-bistek sandwich, Chinese 5 spiced pork, tocilog, and sisig tacos. They were all amazing!!! The phili-bistek sandwich was cheesy similar to a philly cheesesteak with a Filipino twist. This is definitely a place to try when in Maui. I would say after trying out different spots throughout the island, there are better food at the food trucks versus an actual brick and mortar.
Restaurantji Recommends
I had Tocilog! It was really good. :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best food trucks I’ve had! The food was incredible and the service was great!
Salt and pepper fried chicken, nice tender and crispy at the same time. Big portion get something vegan next door for a balanced diet.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was delicious. We had the crispy chicken sandwiches and the beef bulgogi. I also had the shrimp tacos. The shrimp tacos were delicious but low quantity. They need to put like 4 tacos in one order and give a side with it. So unless you're willing to spend 2 orders on shrimp tacos just for yourself it's kind of a no go unless you have a small appetite. Once again we enjoyed it all very much.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Bulgogi
Unassuming in a strip mall parking lot but the best dish I had while in Maui! The Thai beef tacos are a must! Wish I had more time to eat there again!