Makers & Tasters

Enjoyed taking a detour & stopping off to see what was on offer. Wasn’t disappointed with the food. Needed more seating opptions. Was impressed with families that had brought their own chairs & blankets from home to enjoy the evening. Live music was a bonus.

Street Grindz have grown immensely over the past few years. They started with Eat the Street, Honolulu Night Markets, many more installments and collaborations with a lot of groups and now we have Makers & Tasters.
Basically it’s the gathering place for food trucks and where you can enjoy them. It sits at the corner of Kewalo Basin or the Fisherman’s Wharf on the corner of Ward Ave. and Ala Moana Blvd. Great place, you can’t miss it. The location gets half the city and half the harbor with a really nice view.
There you’ll find several food trucks, in rotation, all the time, tables, chairs, umbrellas, it’s your urban backyard with distant relatives running the food trucks. All the food trucks are family owned and that’s how they treat you, like family. Even Street Grindz treats you like family! The Street Grindz team are fantastic human beings and genius for putting this all together! Kudos to the team.
Best part since the evolution? It has a bar. That sells alcohol. I know!
For those of you visiting, Makers & Tasters is also the area that holds the monthly Eat The Street food truck rally every last Friday of the month. These events are also themed. So I hope you’re reading this as you’re planning you vacation so you have a heads up on when to book everything. wink* wink*

I like others have gone there on a Saturday to only find them closed and then come to find out later that there was an Eat The Street event at a different location even though the schedule on their website says they are open that day.
That being said there are some really great vendors and the view of the harbor is awesome.
PARKING: During lunch times & early evenings during the week I have not had a problem finding parking.

Love the idea of having a permanent food truck venue in Honolulu. My family and I stopped here by accident and found a food truck that served Guam food!!! Check out the new ‘Chamorro Grindz’ food truck. If you are from Guam or have lived on Guam, you will find red rice, Barbecue ribs and chicken, chicken kelaguen, shrimp patties and finadene. I have lived on Guam as a military brat and am happy to find Chamorro food! Yay, I got my Chamorro fix!!! You will also find several other food trucks to choose from. I am definitely coming back to Makers & Tasters to try other food trucks! But yay, I’m so happy we can now find Chamorro food in Hawaii. Please don’t go away.

OUTSTANDING! I suggest to Go! Try everything. It is worth it !!
FLYINAHI– Kalbi fries … DELICIOUS
WEINERS GONE WILD … Ramen weiner. Yummy
Shaka Shrimp… Shrimp ramen… A little salty but told the owner and they were very receptive to my opinion. Can’t wait to try again.
Laroux Hawaii … New Orleans style ramen… Delicious

Permanent food truck location? Don’t mind if we do! We love food trucks so this place was definitely a 5 star for us. Local food is the best kind of food.
Location/​parking: old fisherman’s wharf. It’s right across ward warehouse. They have a parking lot just for Makers & Tasters. But if it’s during a big event like Eat The Streets, then definitely park somewhere else since it gets full!
Food Trucks/​Menu: There are a lot of varieties of trucks here and they rotate vendors. All decked out in different styles to draw in an audience. From well known trucks to up and coming quick stops, it’s a great way to try out many local dishes! The menu changes everyday, check out Makers & Tasters on Instagram or Facebook. They update their social media often.
We tried Tea on Fleek for the first time and it’s one of the best teas we’ve had. We can’t wait to go back and try different food from vendors.
Awesome that they’re open daily (except Sunday)

Love the food, hours, and concept. Go to their website to view weekly vendor schedule and hours. This place is perfect when you can’t make up ur mind. I just wish they had a dessert truck every night so I don’t have to drive elsewhere for dessert.

I have yet to go to Makers & Tasters for lunch or dinner on a regular weekday or weeknight, but I recently got to have an entrée from one of their wonderful vendors. I already can’t wait to try more from their menu and return on a non «Eat the Street» evening.
It’s always so hard to decide what to eat, and even though I always come to «Eat the Street» with preferences in mind, I end up going with my gut and choosing what I’m absolutely craving at the moment.
I’m writing about Mega-​Load Burgers here because they don’t have their own Unilocal page (yet) and they’re a Makers & Tasters vendor.
Here’s what I got from them during my latest «Eat the Street» experience:
Mega-​Load Burgers: The entrees here are around $ 12, and it’s not hard to see why. You definitely get what you pay for with these burgers, and fries are often include. During my first visit, I got the «Three Lil Pigs.» I was torn between the «Cajun Burger» and the pig option; the «Cajun Burger» featured a thick and juicy 100 percent beef patty smothered in American cheese and was topped with bacon and Cajun spiced mac and cheese. The only thing that prevented me from indulging in this savory concoction was that the mac and cheese didn’t look as cheesy as I would have liked, and the two workers at the food truck highly recommended the «Three Lil Pigs» instead. I was craving mac and cheese, but pulled pork sounded like a great alternative. The «Three Lil Pigs» included ham, pulled pork and bacon with cheese atop a beef patty and roasted garlic aioli inside of three sliders. The entrée also came with fresh-​cut fries. I savored every single bite of those sliders, and yes, I demolished them all in one sitting. The bacon wasn’t as crispy as I would have liked, but the serving of pulled pork – my favorite component of the dish – was hearty and generous. The fries came with melted cheese on them, and my order was ready surprisingly fast. In fact, I was still getting my receipt when they already called my name, so great job for service at this truck. I think my only complaint was that my sliders and fries were slightly cold – they weren’t super warm – so I had the feeling my plate had been ready for a while and wasn’t super fresh. But everything still tasted delicious – especially the meat – and I loved the garlic aioli. Next time, I really want to try the «Mega Beast» if it’s available. Though this burger is $ 15, it’s rightfully so, as it features three chick and juicy 100 percent beef patties smothered in American cheese, topped with bacon, tomatoes, onion rings and a roasted garlic aioli spread and it also comes with fries. I would probably opt for the single patty, though, since I don’t think I would want three! Yet, this burger is on my must-​try list simply because it includes onion rings in the burger.
Sea + Soul: If I didn’t order from Mega-​Load Burgers during my visit, I would have gotten an entrée from Sea + Soul. All of the seafood options looked and sounded great. The «Southern Fried Crispy Shrimp Sandwich,» in particular, looked phenomenal, as it included a generous amount of fried shrimp inside. But, the «Fresh Blue Crab Cake Sandwich» also sounded good, as I’m a sucker for a moist, fresh crab cake. The «Seafood Dynamite Fries» looked like they were coated generously in some spicy sauce – the entire mixture was red – but I still wanted to try them. But, let’s be honest, if I ordered anything from Sea + Soul, it would probably be their signature «New England Style Maine Lobster Roll.» I hardly see lobster rolls on any menu, and based on what I saw at Sea + Soul from the entrees on display, this one surely won’t disappoint. I hope to actually try it one day; it comes with chips. But, I’m sure anything else I got from here would be equally delicious.
Musukawa’s Musubis: I always intend to try Musukawa’s, but I always end up getting something else. Because this company is joint with Tea on Fleek, though, it’s only a matter of time before I finally order one (or more) of their delicious-​looking musubis and get one of their refreshing teas. Though they don’t feature a ton of musubi flavors at one time, they have just enough that would make the choice to get only one super difficult for me. If I were only getting one musubi, I would probably opt for the «Bacon and Garlic Fried Rice» or the «Tonkatsu.» But, the sampler includes a good mixture of the following: «Tuna Mayo with Shiso Ume Rice,» «Mochiko Chicken,» «Taiwanese Pork Belly» and one of the flavors above (you get four halves). That’s a good way to try everything, and if I’m at Makers & Tasters with a friend, I would probably go for this option so we can try everything.

I’m liking this Makers & Tasters at Fisherman’s Wharf far more than Eat the Streets at Kakaako. I came for their monthly event. The location is larger and has double the vendors. The setup is also better. The vendors are all on the outskirts forming an oval. Inside the oval, there’s a bar and tables, where people can sit at. Right next to the bar is a stage. They had a musician singing, but I didn’t know who he was.
There were too many vendors for me to list them all. We ate at Shaka Shrimp, Olay’s, ‘Nalo Made Lemonade, and No Ka’ Oi Cookie Co. I also saw the Taste Tea truck there and Wild Candy Bacon Company. I was too full this time to try the bacon, but I surely will the next time.
They are open almost daily and the vendors rotate. I’m not too sure about the times and vendors, so check out their Facebook page. There is ample parking in the front or on the side streets. They also have porta potties if you need to use the bathroom.

There’s something for everybody here! There’s live music, a DJ and a bar in the middle of the lot. Great for families and very laid back environment. There are balloon animal makers and is large enough to where you can bring your strollers and not worrying about having enough space.

The food selection is poor. No selection for vegetarians: you either eat a crêpe or you don’t eat at all.
But the place has potential and I like the open air feel. The large deck with picnic tables is fun but I won’t be back until I know there is a good selection of food that I can eat. The beer selection could also be a LOT better.
Keep working at it, Makers & Tasters. You may be good some day.

A great concept turned into one of the best additions to the city of Honolulu in recent memory! I wholeheartedly support this place. It’s a food truck park built along the waterfront. There’s a deck, bar, picnic tables, and bistro chairs covering the sidewalks. Lots of parking. Daily rotating food trucks. A nice venue for events.
Best to go in the evening to experience the string lights. Great view of the fireworks on Friday nights. With the variety of food choices, this is one of my fave places to host out-​of-​town guests.
Very happy that they saved the iconic Fisherman’s Wharf sign.

Makers & Tasters is a fairly new concept that started a couple months ago. It follows the Eat the Street concept, however, they are open everyday (except for Sunday) for lunch and dinner. I’ve gone once for lunch and once for dinner. Although very empty both times, I like the available free parking, no lines (especially during work week lunch when you’re kinda in a rush), and lots of open tables and seats. It’s a very quiet and relaxing atmosphere.
Both times I enjoyed what I ate, however both times there were only 3 – 4 trucks there. I was hoping for more options.
I like that there is a bar area. Happy hour is until 7pm, and there are beer and wine drink specials. Unfortunately I went on a night it decided to pour, but fortunately, the bar area has umbrella seating so we didn’t get too wet.
Like mentioned before, it’s extremely quiet. I wish there was music to break the silence… at least radio kind or something, especially during the night.
I hope Makers & Tasters survives. It could use some tweaks here and there, but good overall concept.

Located at the former site of Fisherman’s Wharf, next to Kewalo Basin in Honolulu, this lot has been transformed. The old building is gone (kinda sad…) and in its place is an open area with many, many vendors and food trucks (yay!)! It’s way better than the Kaka’ako location where Eat the Street was because it’s not as crowded since the area is larger. Just drive straight down Ward Avenue, towards the ocean, and there it is on Ala Moana Boulevard!
Makers & Tasters is open daily for lunch and dinner (most days 8am — 2pm and 4:30pm — 9:30pm. Closes at 8pm on Sunday.). Therefore, the customers are spread out over a wider span of time!
There is free PARKING along the waterfront. Metered stalls line the neighboring street. If you don’t mind walking, you may want to take a stroll over after you shop at Ward Center. .
There are RESTROOMS available. The portable structure is clean, air conditioned, and functional! Step on the pedal near the floor to flush…
Look for the «Men’s» and «Women’s» signs on the doors… There is a difference.. one has more «appliances» along with the stalls…
The vendors change daily, so check their Facebook or Instagram page for the latest information. There are more vendors in the evening. During lunch time, there are less trucks, but the lines may be shorter or even nonexistent. Day time is warmer, but there are umbrellas over the tables and seats for some shade.
My co-​worker was asking about alcohol — yes — there is a bar straight ahead. Go up a couple of steps onto the wooden stage area. There is a vendor that provides drinks that you can customize!
I really like this use of space and think it’s a great idea! Check it out if you’re in town and remember to bring your reusable Mason jars for vendors who provide those discounted refills.. Enjoy the free admission, the beautiful views of the ocean, the cool trade winds, and the fresh fragrance of the sea!

I was invited to come see Makers & Tasters when they first opened along so that we could try some of the goods and learn more. I did learn that there are going to be several (approx 12) vendors that are «permanent» and about 5 that rotate so there will be at least 17 or so. Also, Makers & Tasters are closed on Sundays cause everyone does need a break. they will be opened Monday-​Saturday for lunch and dinner hours. It is so awesome that this space is being used and not going to waste! Also a very cool experience to support our local vendors and get yummy food!
After my invited experience, I got super excited and HAD to bring my sister to check it out. Maybe a Monday for late lunch was a pretty good and bad time. Good because there wasn’t a huge crowd but not great because choices were pretty limited. HOWEVER, despite the limited choices, I was happy to have a Tea On Fleek beverage and tried their POG tea (not too sweet but very tasty) and I do recommend it with a green tea base. My sister had a charsiu musubi which was quite large and good. we thought it needed a little more charsiu. We also bought food from the Kau Kau Grill: Pulehu ribs with spicy fried rice and Pulehu/​Shrimp combo plate. They make it to order so you know the meat is going to be freshly grilled! The ribs were so flavorful too! We were able to get a table under an umbrella and there was quite a bit of seating space around… I can imagine when more vendors are there and when it gets busier it may be harder to get a seat but I’m so grateful there is seating.
I also like the fact that there is a working and fairly clean restroom in the area as well! As many people know, this site is also the new home of the Monthly Eat the Street on the last Friday of each month so I know that they’ve already had some great feedback since August! I’m quite excited to visit Makers & Tasters again, maybe when the bar is open so that I can create my own cocktail!

Great place to come and relax for dinner. Music wasn’t too loud, but yet enough to hear throughout the area. Lots of tables and chairs to sit and eat.
Went here on a Friday night close to dinner, not as many food vendors as I expected, maybe about 12? parking was beginning to fill and so were the tables. No lines at the food stands yet, and variety included; ice teas, ice cream sandwiches, crepes, Puerto Rican food, shrimp, chicken, tacos, among others.
I had the huli huli chicken tacos ($ 9.00 for 3) from Aloha Plate, I was excited to see their food truck as they are well known for had winning the TV Food Network, food truck competition (proud of our local boys!!!). So, got to try! right?! well, there wasn’t anything special about this taco not much flavor, chicken was sorta bland. I’ll return again, but NOT to Aloha Plate.
I did however LOVE the Lemon Ginger Ice Tea from Tea On Fleek, $ 10 to have your ice tea in the mason jar. It was great, I woke up the next day craving for more. Weird thing is the mason jar cover doesn’t have a hole for the straw, so you carry the inside cover if you want to drill your own I guess? unfortunately this means the top is left exposed,
I also had the Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich from Uncles, $ 6.00 for the Minty Mint. Chocolate sandwich with mint ice cream and bits of Andy’s mints. (it didn’t taste like Andy’s mints, it was big solid chucks of mints) It was okay, enough to split with another.
I’d return and try different vendors.

I love the concept of this place! It’s like going to a restaurant with a bunch of different choices of food and drinks!
My friend and I decided to try Makers and Tasters and I’m glad that we gave it a shot!
I went at dinner time and as expected it was packed. There is very limited parking at the event. There are a few stalls on the side and a 2^nd parking lot towards the back. If those are full, you can do what i did and just park at Ward Warehouse.
There were about 6 different food trucks/​booths to choose from but my friend and I decided to try Aloha Plate and Tea On Fleek.
When it comes to seating, there isn’t very much. There are a couple of tables and a bar area but it’s not enough to keep up with the growing popularity.
One thing that i didn’t like was that there was a table set up at the bar area that was teaching how to make flower headbands. My friend was really stoked to try it but was very disappointed when the lady teaching said that it was a private event. Like my friend and I thought, other people were thrown off that they’d have a «private» event at such a public area. I don’t think having these types of private events here are a good idea.
Lastly, it’s nice to eat and look out at the beautiful view of the ocean.

This whole concept is my favorite thing in Hawaii right now. There’s a bunch of delicious rotating food trucks that come mon-​sat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Check out their Instagram daily to get an idea of who will be there that day.
Mega load burgers (get the three little piggies) and La Roux (jambalaya on point) are my faves right now but there are so many others with great looking good — I haven’t had a chance to order at them yet.
Every time I go they’ve added something new — more seating, patio, a bar… Let’s talk about that. They now have a cart they will bring to your table, you hand them a sheet that you fill out for a custom drink, and they’ll whip it up right there. Kinda like those build your own burger places. I love this!
Parking, variety of food, great pricing, beautiful scenery… What more could you want?

Makers & Tasters is the new permanent food truck lot on Kewalo Basin on the site of the old Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant. Similar to the monthly Eat The Street food truck rally held on site here, Makers & Tasters is the continuously changing selection of food trucks and traveling vendors that show and sell their food and drinks on this site.
This location is right on the intersection of Ward Avenue and Ala Moana Blvd., making it easily accessible by walking, bus, or car. Check their website for parking locations; if you come early enough there are free lots available.
Makers & Tasters completely renovated the vacant lot with permanent and comfortable fixtures. Sure, the trucks move locations and drive in and out, but the Makers & Tasters bar area and tables and chairs will always be in the middle. There is a beer garden with big picnic umbrella tables, which are must for the sun and rain. (The area is very hot as it’s right on the water, so be sure to bring a hat and wear comfortable clothing.) My favorite fixture is the cozy lighting that blankets the entire festival with a cover of twinkling stars. It’s so nice to see driving by as well.
The lot is small enough to keep everything central, while still being large enough to have plenty of room for many trucks and booths. Restrooms and port-​a-​potties are plentiful, there shouldn’t be a long wait even on the busiest nights. Surprisingly, they’re also very clean and well attended. There is limited seating outside, so come early if you want a table for the night. Even the standing tables go quickly. Plans are to increase the seating area and number of umbrella tables.

Janice H. & I checked out the new Makers & Tasters tonight. Last night they had their huge grand opening at the site that formerly housed Street Grindz at Kewalo Basin & the old Fisherman’s Wharf. I never made it to this location when it was Street Grindz, but tonight it was clean, had a neat looking landscaping and design to it, with places to sit & eat, a stage where they’ll have music, even the restroom trailer like they have at Eat the Street and other events.
We checked out the food booths, but we were more thirsty than hungry so decided to try out some coconut water drinks (sorry, forgot the name of the vendor – «The Coconut» something.) Good stuff.
We spotted these cool booth structures on the premises and just had to go hang out in them. Super comfy place to sit & chat, enjoy the ocean breeze and full moon!
The food trucks/​vendors will change each day, just like Street Grindz did. And they’re working on posting the the daily schedule. The vendors that we spoke to were all so friendly. I’m sure they were exhausted from last night’s grand opening, but they were perky!
Marco, who just started working there today, was taking care of the grounds. He brought out «candles» to add ambiance to our booth and the other tables. What a great touch. He was also super welcoming and warm. Since it had been a hot day, while he watered the new landscaping, he joked with us to let him know if he was getting us wet. It would have been refreshing, but he absolutely didn’t. As we went to leave, Marco & another wahine (sorry, I didn’t ask her name) there thanked us for coming and encouraged us to come back often. Food trucks are a great draw, but if I ran into people so welcoming as Marco & «Auntie» anywhere, I’d come back just because of them!
Couple tips:
They said they may not be open/​have too many vendors tomorrow (8÷30÷15) because everyone is so burnt out from the last 2 nights of events – the exclusive preview & last night’s grand opening (had 7,000 there last night!!)
When you drive in the driveway from Ala Moana Blvd., you need to drive on the right side between the M&T site and the water. It looks like the arrow on the driveway is pointing out, but Marco & Auntie assured us that it’s wrong & they need to fix it. It’s ok to go against the arrow.