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    Island Loco

    4.7 (44 reviews)

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    Reviews With Photos - Island Loco

    Nick H.

    I can just vision myself sitting on the beaches of Hawaii, enjoying the cool breeze and the sounds of the waves flowing in and out from the shoreline. A clear blue sky as I lean back in my chair on the sand but then I open my eyes... and realize I'm still in Phoenix, enjoying a delicious and fresh Hawaiian infused taco from Island Loco. I've only been to Hawaii once in my life and it has been a long time since I had some really good Hawaiian food. Then, Island Loco came and chef Jeff Chang brought the flavors that reminded me so much of my trip to Hawaii so many years ago. I treated myself to the fusion tacos. Got one of each, the Kalua Pork with Lomi and the Teriyaki Chicken with Black Bean & Corn Salsa. The tacos were a pretty good size and very appealing. The meat just exploded with flavor and the salsa and lomi was very cool and refreshing. Everything was infused really well and was just delicious "Kemika" ("Chemistry") in my mouth. If you ever get the chance, try Jeff's tacos. They are delicious, fresh and full of flavor. And there is a Secret Menu item coming soon for Social Media fans as well so be sure to follow them as well.

    Fusion Teriyaki Chicken Tacos. So good.
    Joe C.

    This truck is amazing, we moved to Phoenix and we're hoping we'd find new favorite food spots. Luckily our apartment had a special event with this truck there giving free fusion tacos and we fell in love. The teriyaki chicken with corn and black bean salsa is delicious, especially topped with sriracha. We've become regulars here, not just for the food but the friendly staff of the truck. I definitely recommend trying this truck, you won't be disappointed.

    a meal in a styrofoam container
    Frank G.

    So had to try this truck so I'm down for Hawaiian food. I ordered the lunch plate combo with kalua pork & teriyaki chicken, scope of rice and Asian cole slaw. I ended up eating the rice 1st 2nd chicken and mixed the pork with the cole slaw. The pork by itself tasted a little dry, the cole slaw added a much needed drench of flavor. The chicken was chewy but good. They give you big portions but i wish the meat had more flavor since the reviews are sided to this? I would try this truck again

    The plate includes 3 meats, 2 scoops of sticky rice and a side
    Sheena M.

    Couldnt decide ending up going with the plate which included 3 meats and 2 sides, a huge portion of food and all of it was excellent. if i had to narrow it down to something smaller next time - would def go with the slaw, pork & chicken although the beef was excellent as well. I'm glad I found that little green truck on Jefferson yesterday

    Fusion Sliders: Kalua pork w/ lomi, Kalua pork w/ slaw, 'n Ckn teriyaki w/ slaw, & mac 'n cheese.
    Aileen B.

    Heard that Island Loco was going to be at Four Peaks' Tasting Room in Tempe on the 3rd and the 5th, so I decided I'd take visiting family and Mom along for our first try of both businesses yesterday. (I've never had IL's products, but the food truck's offerings looked and sounded great, and the reviews have been pretty positive from a few Yelp friends that I know and trust.) For some reason, I was under the impression there would be authentic Hawaiian sweets on board, perhaps shave ice (nope) or malasadas (fryers were being repaired), so it was a disappointment not to find any. However, the food that we had were delicious, if not almost worth the pain I had to suffer soon after consumption! We quickly found theTasting Room via smartphone's Navigation, saw Island Loco's food truck parked in front, and parked at a nearby space (there are many). After ordering our food, we went into the Tasting Room (food would be brought to us), which was just a room with tables and a bar counter that faced a window that looked into the brewery's warehouse. FYI, tours of said warehouse ISN'T available at this location. While FP food isn't available, the manager was able to provide us paper plates and extra napkins to use, since the food truck only supplies the to-go containers in which the foods are placed and sealed plastic utensils, salt and pepper packets, and single napkin. Between three adults and two children, we all were very satisfied with the three entrees ordered: Kalbi short ribs platter, $11-- short ribs marinated in traditional Kalbi sauce, two scoops of hot rice, and choice of side (Hawaiian mac 'n cheese). Fusion Sliders, three for $12 (or two for $9), choice of side and any combo of Kalua pork with lomi, Kalua pork with Asian slaw, and Chicken teriyaki with Asian slaw. I chose one of each, plus more Hawaiian mac 'n cheese. Hawaiian burger with rice, fried egg (any style), and mac 'n cheese, with choice of brown gravy or another topping, which I've forgotten- sorry! Everyone loved the Kalbi ribs! So much so, Mom asked me to order another one to-go. I found the meat to be too fatty, so I just trimmed the non-chewable gristle and put them aside. The flavor is exactly like Filipino pork BBQ (on a stick), so Filipino Yelpers will know exactly how these taste! :) The Hawaiian mac 'n cheese was light, yet flavorful, and the noodles were tender, but not mushy! I enjoyed this side very much, although I did notice too late that the dressing had very skinny and short ribbons of carrots (allergy), so it's one of those "enjoy now, and pay later!" deals for me. :( Mom said the rice was excellent-- she asked me to try it, but then remembered that I had an allergy. She said it was a pity, since the texture was very good! I asked Mom to see if the slider I was looking at was chicken (I try to avoid corn and anything that eats corn as much as possible), and she said it was pork, so after asking her again if it was chicken teriyaki, she said, "no, it's pork," I tried it. Loved the texture, but it was definitely chicken. I knew the slider next to this one was Kalua pork since I could spot it beneath the Asian slaw, but the other one had chunky lomi (Hawaiian-style pico de gallo) and I couldn't see what was underneath it. (Obviously, I couldn't recall which slider came with the lomi topping, or I would not have to ask Mom to identify the meats...) I can't recall if sister enjoyed the pork with lomi, but I think she finished the meat portion. Everyone enjoyed the bites pork and the chicken we all passed around. My only complaint was that the buns felt like pieces of paper on my tongue at times. Y'know, as in when you sometimes take a bite of food wrapped in tissue and you get a chunk of paper stuck to the food? So there I was, picking off what felt like paper on the tip of my tongue, and it's actually a piece of the bun- weird! Otherwise, the buns had a mildly-sweet flavor to them and were tender. They complemented the fillings well. (However, I would wait until they chose another bun variety before ordering "slider" style again, because that paper texture was very annoying.) Niece had the fried egg and brown gravy-topped burger patty over rice and choice side of Hawaiian mac 'n cheese to herself, and while she liked it, she preferred the Kalbi short ribs much more. This entree was basically a Loco Moco, but I think it was named so, because you could also choose Japanese curry topping. Bring cash if you don't want to be charged a card fee. I think I was only charged one time, even though I had two transactions.

    Found them at food truck night at the Peoria Sports Complex.
    Michael C.

    There is a difference between Island Burrito's and almost any other burrito you will find in the Southwest... white rice. I had a pork burrito with Asian slaw. The slaw was great with sweet and tangy dressing with relatively big pieces of shredded cabbage. I really liked the slaw dressing and used it on the second half of the burrito. The burrito itself was all good, but the rice seemed to be the dominate ingredient.

    Julia S.

    Fresh..Delicious & exceptional customer service! This food truck came to our community. First bite, I almost melted..the tacos I ordered were so goooood! The coleslaw was so fresh, crunchy and full of flavor! The meat was very tender and just all around yum! I hope they come by again!

    Everyone loves island loco!

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    2 months ago

    So good I will definitely recommend this place to family and friends. The food was fresh and came out looking great

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    13 years ago

    best tacos i've ever had!!! also the best cole slaw ever sold at this food truck! you have to try it!!

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    14 years ago

    Super yummy food!! A must is the crab Rangoon!! The owners are way cool. You have to eat here!!!

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    The Clever Koi

    The Clever Koi

    4.2
    (2.2k reviews)
    5.8 km
    $$$

    5 star dinner restaurant in Central Phoenix. Asian noodle focus with bao buns. Drinks, service,…read moreand entrees were all top notch. Able to get a reservation for Thursday night at 6.30. Most of the lower set tables were taken so the rez came in handy. Ample bar seating available however. Greeted right away by server and offered drink menus. Both the drinks were phenomenal. I originally wanted the Asahi but they were out of it so they gave me a Japanese Lager from Los Angeles (?), blanking on the name. The Caipirinia was the other drink which was made authentically as well. No complaints on the bartender. Food was 3 Bao Buns and a Chow Mein entree with grilled chicken added on top. This was the perfect amount of food for 2 people. The Bao Buns were extremely soft and light on the breading. If you get them from Din Tai Fung they tend to be dough heavy. These were NOT like that. Chicken and Eggplant buns were tasty and had a light kick to them. Noodles were probably the weakest items, I prefer the rice/flat noodles, but these were normal chow mein noodles. But I had to split the dish with my dining companion who enjoyed the noodles quite a bit. I'd go with Udon or Flat Noodles next time and ask them to add chili flakes. No room for dessert but it sounded delicious, something with bananas. Mhmmm!

    Found this spot while craving some Asian food, which can be surprisingly hard in this city. We…read morewalked in on a weekday about 30 mins before they closed and they happily seated us. There were still about 4 groups still in the restaurant, but was mainly open. I could see this place getting busy during the weekends though, so recommend a res if you're here during peak hours. We started with cold sake and a couple of cocktails. Super cute and yummy drinks, creative and complimented the overall theme. The Asahi beer was huge and came with an ice cold glass, perfect! We got the orange chicken and drunken noodles with added chicken breast. The food was fresh and tasty. I liked that the orange chicken came with rice, and was not overly breaded. The drunken noodles were pretty salty but overall good. These two entrees were enough for two people to take a little bit of leftovers home. Recommend for a nice date night or if looking for some Asian fusion. We'll be back!

    Photos
    Beautiful ambiance
    Beautiful ambiance
    Chilled Sesame Noodles w/ chicken added
    Chilled Sesame Noodles w/ chicken added
    Pork Belly Buns and soft shell crab bun

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    Pork Belly Buns and soft shell crab bun
    Zu Izakaya

    Zu Izakaya

    4.5
    (1.9k reviews)
    14.4 km
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Sports on TV

    I had eaten at this place before when it was Zu y Pocha. I am so glad that the menu has not really…read morechanged! Stand out items to order: the corn appetizer, the yellowtail carpaccio, or the salmon carpaccio, and sashimi on the menu. We have tried almost every appetizer and all of them are good. This place is truly not known well enough for the quality of the food. Finally, the servers are amazing, and there is plenty of parking. For some reason, this place is not often busy, so you don't have to wait forever to eat.

    Awesome late night spot, for decent quality Japanese eats, and in the Tempe-Scottsdale area. Zu…read moreIzakaya was a solid post-study dinner spot when I was a student, and this time it definitely held up! We were nearby for a show, and decided to stop in on a Wednesday evening for a late dinner with some friends. They have a good happy hour menu, and my friends ordered off there, but I was craving sushi so I got the nigiri omakase. It came with miso soup, which I enjoyed, definitely hard to go wrong there. The sushi itself was decent, nothing crazy, but definitely better than grocery store quality. The tuna and salmon pieces were a little fishy, maybe not the freshest, but it was also quite late (~10pm) so I wasn't expecting too much. Beautifully presented, and the cuts were quite large which was nice! The food came out pretty fast, and the service was pleasant. The restaurant vibes are pretty dark, and moody. The bathroom was kind of scary personally, super dark and a little messy, so I decided to wait till I got home. Overall, a solid experience, and definitely a good choice if I am in the area.

    Photos
    Zu Izakaya
    Zu Izakaya
    Izakaya dinner

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    Izakaya dinner
    Sake Haus

    Sake Haus

    4.4
    (308 reviews)
    1.8 km
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Private events

    Our plan was to have dinner at Pedal Haus before an event, but our plan quickly changed. The…read morebrewery was packed with people watching the last game of the NBA finals AND the World Cup. We shifted gears and went next door to Sake Haus, and I'm so glad we did! Everything was spectacular! First of all--BEST edamame I've ever had! That tallow really adds a richness! And the gyoza had just the right amount of kick to them. We had both the hamachi crudo and the halibut crudo. They were both delicious, but the hamachi was the standout. Hamachi is usually a little too fishy for me, but this just melted in my mouth and left me wanting more. We also had one of the specials, the 808 roll. It was topped with poke, and we would not let them take the plate until we'd scooped up every little morsel! Cocktails and service were excellent as well. We definitely ended up with a pricier meal than what we'd planned next door, but it was totally worth it! I wish I'd taken pics of the beautifully plated dishes, but I was too just eating!

    I was dying for sushi and this place looked promising. A few things to preface this review: 1) I…read morelove sushi and I typically steer clear of sushi in the desert for obvious reasons. 2) I lean towards sashimi and high quality fish. The service- pretty poor. I was sat in the bar at the back but I basically sat there for a good 5 minutes and nothing. I went back up front and asked to sit at the bar and it was still pretty inattentive, especially considering no one else was even seated in the front room at the time. Never got my water refilled, had to flag them down to put in more food, that sorta thing. The vibes- thought the bar was pretty lit and is prob pretty fun during HH. The food- overpriced for what you get and portion size while the fish and flavors being a smidge above average. I left still hungry after getting the gold omakase, bad and buri roll, and hamachi crudo. The hamachi was the best part of the meal but I'd still expect at least 5 pieces for the price. Anyways, this spot will hit the spot if you have a sushi craving. I can't vouch for the drinks but I assume it more than checks the box in that regard judging by the menu, selection, and vibe. But know that you're in for some trade offs imo.

    Photos
    Hai Melon Highball
    Hai Melon Highball
    PYT Chef's Special
    PYT Chef's Special
    Atmosphere at Sake Haus

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    Atmosphere at Sake Haus
    Asian Fusion Cafe

    Asian Fusion Cafe

    3.9
    (23 reviews)
    39.7 km

    Asian Fusion Café is located in the Tramonto shopping plaza. I have been wanting to try this place…read moreand today was the day. There are eight small tables and one large table in the middle of the room. The place was clean. The bulk of their business was take out. Staff were not especially welcoming yet were efficient. We decided on sweet sour chicken and chicken lo mein. Service was quick and the amount of food was generous. The sweet sour chicken was made very well. The batter was light, airy and not at all greasy. The lo mein was greasy and still tasty. I would have preferred it to be drier. The chef used cabbage as the vegetable. I would have preferred an assortment of veggies, but that's just personal. 3 for the lo mein and 4 for the sweet sour chicken. I would actually give this place 3.5 stars. All staff needed to do is smile once in awhile. Shared parking outside.

    Lived here two years and drove by this place countless times but never went in. Today after hike…read moreup Piestewa decided we would give it a try. Was mostly empty this Saturday, one amblivant waitress. Later three other came to get seated, service is slow! How's the food? Actually pretty good for Az. Chicken feet of the frozen kink reheated were four stars, house noodles was as well as Mango shaved ice five stars, not Taiwan good but good for phoenix. Wonder when and if the TSMC crowd will give it a go, the Chinese place down on Happy Valley is hopping with them, should this place.

    Photos
    Asian Fusion Cafe
    Pork Trotters lunch special with added veggies.  Milk tea with Boba
    Pork Trotters lunch special with added veggies. Milk tea with Boba
    Asian Fusion Cafe

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    Island Loco - asianfusion - Updated August 2026

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