Mayita's Grill

If you’re like me and you have always driven by that little taco truck on Atkinson Drive and thought to yourself, “Hmm… I want to try that place one day,” do yourself a favor and pull over to Mayita’s Grill! I promise you won’t regret it.

Ever since going to college in Los Angeles, I’ve been a big fan of taco trucks. While the food truck scene is hot in Hawaiʻi, I had yet to find my favorite go-to taco truck. But I think I just did. 

To be fair – calling Mayita’s Grill a “taco truck” may be a bit generous. It’s more like a taco cart. But the small, compact size of the kitchen only adds to Mayita’s Grill’s charm. In fact, it’s what drew me to try the food in the first place.

On a whim, we decided to finally stop by the little food truck. Mayita’s Grill parks on Atkinson Drive, by the tiny strip mall with Lucky Liquor, Checks Cashed, and Nail One Spa. There were two men finishing up their food as we were walking over. One of them turned to toss his rubbish, saw us walking up, then hollered, “Eh, you guys first-timers?” When we nodded, he grinned. “Oh man, you gonna love it. Oscar is da man.” That seemed like a good omen from the get-go! 

We decided to order the chicken tacos and carne asada tacos and share them to taste both. Each order comes with three tacos. The menu items range from $8-12, or single tacos are $4-5 each.

We were lucky enough to snag seats at their one-and-only seated table. It was fun watching Oscar turn back and forth in the tiny cart as he cooked up our order — meat sizzling here, tortillas warming there, a dash of this, a sprinkle of that… Oscar is a one man show, and he sure utilizes every inch of that kitchen space.

The tacos came out within 20 minutes, and there’s a variety of toppings you can add on (including homemade salsa in a giant mortar & pestle). I liked being able to add on exactly how much fresh cilantro, lime, and chopped onion that I wanted. The salsa was flavorful and fresh, with some pleasant heat to it. If you wanted an extra kick, there was even a bin with at least ten different types of hot sauces in it. 

Quite honestly, these were one of the best tacos I’ve had in Hawai`i in… well, as long as I can remember. In a single bite, the flavors and textures transported me back to the memories of my favorite LA taco truck. We scarfed them down in mere minutes. The chicken was moist and delicious in its simplicity. The carne asada tacos came with perfectly tender morsels of flavorful steak. The authenticity of its food, combined with its unassuming charm, makes Mayita’s Grill a homey, soulful comfort food destination. 

I’m already looking forward to going back to this charismatic little truck soon for another round. What Mayita’s may lack in space, it makes up for with magic! 

Mayita’s Grill
433 -439 Atkinson Drive
Honolulu, HI 96814
Ph: 808-358-9481
www.mayitasgrill.com