Came here for the first time in a while. The old owners had sold their business to this family who fortunately, is also from Hawaii Nei so that means they know how to make legit local food. We ordered: Kalbi Plate: exactly like home, marinated and grilled to perfection. Mac salad and rice are perfect compliments to this delicious short ribs. Korean Fried Chicken Plate: I wish the sauce would be mixed into it, but I know they did um like this to prevent it from being soggy. The delicious sauce on the side is great as a dipping sauce. Garlic Shrimp (Special): I ordered a side order of just the shrimp. I wish it was a bit more garlicky and salty, but otherwise, the shrimp are a decent size and not tiny. It is flavorful with a slight crispy texture. Teriyaki Chicken Plate: I was always an ok fan of teri chicken, but my kids loved it. Spam Musubi: exactly how it's supposed to be. Right spam to rice ratio. Ube Butter Mochi: amazing and so moist Staff here are super friendly and fast. Lots of tables for outdoor dining. There are portable potties and other food trucks in the area. You order at the window and they give you a pager to let you know when it's ready. They also sell Li Hing Mui candy, butter mochi, and Hawaii brand juices. There's ample parking, but the lot is packed with pot holes, I guess just like home too lol. Overall, decently priced for a nice portion of food. We will definitely be back to try their other delicious food items whenever we are in this are again. read more

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Shoyu Sugar, located in North Austin on Anderson Mill Road in a food truck park, is a family-run operation that brings an authentic Big Island flavor to Austin. The truck has had a bit of a management change recently.... the original owners moved back to Hawaii in late 2025 to take of aging parents. The food truck reopened under new management with Hawaiian brothers Kevin and Adams at the helm, maintaining the original recipes and high standards. In Hawaiian culture, a plate lunch includes two scoops of white rice, one scoop of macaroni salad, and a heavy protein. Shoyu Sugar follows this plate lunch protocol. I ordered the Kalua pork baked in banana leaves, which super moist and well-seasoned...flavor explosion in every bite. My macaroni salad was light and enjoyable to eat along with fluffy scoops of rice. In addition, I ordered the butter mochi, a gelatin like dessert with a mild taste. Pretty quiet atmosphere at the food truck park. Look forward to trying other Shoyu Sugar items... read more

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Shoyu Sugar is a Hawaiian food truck I've visited twice, and both visits were great. My first visit stood out the most, the chicken katsu was amazing, juicy and crispy. The katsu sauce was easily the best I've ever had. The portion was generous and came with mac salad and rice. On my second visit, I tried the Korean fried chicken, kalbi, and kalua pork, plus the butter mochi for dessert. Everything was solid, but the katsu was still my favorite by far. There's plenty of parking and seating in the area, and the new owner is very friendly and fun to talk to. Both times I've gone its been pretty quiet and peaceful in the area. Highly recommend if you're craving Hawaiian comfort food. This spot is probably only go to for Hawaiian at the moment! read more

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So good I had to order 3 different plates Everything sold here is scrumptious. Made myself sick it was too good read more

Shoyu Sugar - Trailer food - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Shoyu sugar will always be a go to spot for me and my boyfriend. I was so happy to see that this food truck is fully back up and running with their full menu. I tried the teriyaki chicken for the first time and it was so good! Had a very nice smoky taste. The owners here are fantastic and so kind, service is always great! read more

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I was told that this was the Best Chicken Katsu in Austin, and it definitely was!! Great service and ambience as well!

Rating: 2.5/5 [dine in] We saw on their Instagram that they're selling the food truck and moving back to Hawaii, with their last day of service on July 18th, so we had to give it a try. The truck is located in a spacious food truck park with plenty of tables set up on green turf and a decent-sized dirt parking lot. We came on the last Saturday around 1:30 PM. There was a 45-minute wait, and they had already run out of the weekly special (garlic shrimp). To our surprise, their timing estimate was spot-on. The portions were big and everything looked delicious, but the meat themselves were all lacking flavor so you'll 100% need the sauces. Austin Food Adventure Special ($16.50): Kalbi, chicken katsu, a slice of spam, two scoops of rice, and one scoop of macaroni salad. The chicken katsu was nicely breaded and fried but was tasteless, so we ended up dunking it in the katsu sauce. The kalbi didn't seem marinated and was equally flavorless. Surprisingly, the spam was the best protein on the plate but the standout item, though, was the macaroni salad. Red Rocks Special ($16): Korean fried chicken, teriyaki chicken, kalbi, two scoops of rice, and one scoop of macaroni salad. The Korean fried chicken wasn't crispy and had a bland batter. The teriyaki chicken had a nice char and was the best of the proteins. The kalbi and macaroni salad were the same as the other plate. We left feeling disappointed and weren't sure how this place received such high ratings. We ate everything fresh so we can't imagine how the good would taste like after being taken home. read more

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I've been hearing so many good things about Shoyu Sugar, so when I was able, I leaped at the chance to check them out! First of all, the specials are huge! You can definitely share with another person or have leftovers for another meal. All of the meats are delicious, but my personal fave was probably the Korean fried chicken. You'll especially love this if you like extra crispy bits because they include some pieces of just fried chicken skin. But the galbi and teriyaki chicken were both pretty up there too! The rice is decently cooked and they give you so much of it! The mac salad I was kind of eh about it. I thought it would have a bit more acidity and sweetness to it. But it tasted mostly of mayo. And I love the sauces that come with each plate, the spicy mayo and some type of soy sauce. I wanted to dip everything in it. And I did! And it was delicious. read more

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Wowieee!! This place has the best Hawaiian food in ATX no doubt. The menu is not super large but I have tried 3 of the main dishes and all were so yummy. Sides are also very good, and when the mac salad is good yknow it's gonna hit. Their katsu is absolutely delicious and can hold its own against any and all katsus no matter what type of cuisine we are lookin at. The original owners moved back to Hawaii but they left the truck in extremely good hands. The new owner is so friendly and is really just a chill dude, we love talking to him when we stop by, you can tell he is very passionate about the food here. The butter mochi is also so yummy! It is located in a pretty large food park with plenty of parking and seating! read more

To be honest it's been awhile since I last visited but when I heard their last day of service was nearing I knew I had to have them again. I actually went last week and was able to order the Austin Food Adventure Special, Red Rocks Special, and the special of the week, Garlic Shrimp. With this spread I was pretty much able to try all their protein options and if I had to rank them I'd list them as: -Garlic shrimp-my favorite as I loved how garlicky it was and so buttery and the shrimps were so plump and well cooked! -Kalbi- well marinated and tender and not full of tendon/cartilage. -Spam-I was also surprised by this but their spam is so tasty! I am not sure what they do to it but it almost has an umami flavor to it! -Teriyaki chicken-This was pretty tender, had a nice smoky flavor to it and not salty. -Chicken katsu/Korean fried chicken-It's hard to say if this would have ranked higher if I ate it fresh but the batter wasn't as crispy as I prefer and very lightly seasoned but nothing some sauce can't fix. Oh and can't forget the mac salad, so tasty and each bite made me want more! Speaking of more, I actually went back today as I was craving their Kalbi, but sadly after 2 hours in line they were too popular and already ran out. However, I was able to try their Hawaiian plate with the pork lau lau which was very flavorful especially with the taro leaves. It also came with kalua pork which was very bland so I doused in the sauces and the mac salad oh and the lomi salmon. I also got the prune mui which was a nice palate cleanser with some sweet, sour, and savory notes. Overall, I am sad I won't be able to get my Ono fix and generous portions as easily anymore but was glad I was able to support one last time. I wish this family the best back home! Mahalo! read more

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The first time I tried going here, it was randomly closed on a Friday but second time is the charm! I went during lunch hours and they were one of the only few food trucks that were open. Of course I had to order their katsu. I even paid an extra dollar to get 2 scoops of macaroni instead of one. The last "Hawaiian" place I ordered from had pretty watered down macaroni salad so I was praying this place was more legit and indeed it was! I was also pleasantly surprised to see not one but TWO rows of katsu when I received my order. All in all, I was definitely satisfied and loved the meal. Sadly this is the only good Hawaiian food place that's within 25 miles of me or I would come here more often. read more

Shoyu Sugar - Chicken katsu - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas

I love this food truck, it reminds me of getting my lunch plate on the islands. The flavor is definitely authentic! I always get the combo plate with short ribs and chicken katsu, also ask for the spicy mayo on the side. The music and outdoor seating give me aloha vibes. And all the workers are so nice and kind. This is definitely my go to place for Hawaiian food in Austin, also check their IG in case they run out of food. read more

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I good have sworn I already wrote a review of this place!? Second visit, we went on a Saturday around 11AM, near opening time, had the Korean Fried Chicken, its was great!! The rice was great and we actually ate it with seaweed ( our own ) after arriving home. The macaroni salad was good, but another reviewer pointed out, would benefit from the use of a less sweet, spicy sauce. Have the Mini size previously, this time had the Regular and split between two people for lunch. Last time with also had the Poke Nachos, which were good but not much in the way of poke. Probably would not order that again, but the Korean Chicken has been consistently good and next time will review other offerings. Great, friendly service, loved the food, and will be back again. read more

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I had chicken and galbi combo and it was surprisingly good portion for the price. The chicken is very juicy and crispy and it goes very well with the sauce that it comes with. Galbi is also pretty good. Very well marinated and it has a nice charcoal(숯불) grilled meat kinda flavor to it. read more

Shoyu Sugar - Fried chicken and Galbi combo - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Yummy Hawaiian food!! Food truck is the first one in the parking lot on the right side when you drive in, and there is plenty of parking. There are lots of other food trucks in the lot too. There was no line when I ordered on a weekday evening. They give you a pager which is a nice touch and rare for a food truck. Food came out in 10-15 minutes, not a long wait. The portions are good and the mini portion is perfect for a lighter meal or a kid's meal. The normal portion seems to come with 2 scoops of rice and 1 scoop of macaroni and the mini comes with 1 scoop or rice and 1 scoop of macaroni. I wasn't a fan of the macaroni, it had too much of the mayo which gave it a heavy taste. I got the Red Rocks Special which came with teriyaki chicken, Korean fried chicken, and galbi. The meats were all very tender. The Korean fried chicken is different than typical Korean fried chicken - it came in nugget-sized pieces, the batter was lighter, and it's less crispy. It actually had a soft texture to it. The teriyaki chicken wasn't bad either, but the star was definitely the galbi. Super tasty and flavorful. I also tried my friend's katsu, and I would probably get that next time as it was super crispy. They offer Spicy Shoyu and Spicy Mayo sauces on the side. There are many covered tables to sit and eat at. Be warned of all the flies flying around trying to get in your food. read more

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I ordered to-go ahead of time and they were spot on with their estimated wait time. Service was friendly and gave a heads up that they would be closing for a month. This is a food truck, so everything is outdoors and there's a good amount of seating. The chicken Katsu was crispy and comes with Katsu sauce. I used a little of the spicy mayo with the Katsu sauce and it was delicious. The Kalbi has thick pieces and a very nice char grilled flavor. It didn't need any sauce. The Mac salad was delicious but what made it even better was the spicy soy sauce. I'll definitely be back when they return. These dishes remind me of what I had in Hawaii at their food trucks. read more

Shoyu Sugar - Katsu Plate - super crispy - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I wouldn't have ended up here if it wasn't for Interstellar BBQ, or rather the amazingly long line at Interstellar BBQ. I'm not one for waiting in long lines for lunch so when I saw that this Hawaiian BBQ truck was just down the street I made an audible. It's located at the Anderson Mill International Food Park which offers plenty of parking and seating- especially midday on a Friday. I got a plate featuring their Teriyaki Beef and Chicken Katsu. The beef was really well seasoned and the katsu was super crunchy. This plate came with two scoops of rice- which I appreciated. The mac salad on the side was really creamy and a perfect sidepiece to this meal. Overall Shoyu hit the spot and satisfied my grilled meat craving. read more

Shoyu Sugar - Beef and Katsu - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas

This location is at a food truck park. Good food and wonderful service. There are also many outdoor tables for people to eat and hang out. read more

Shoyu Sugar - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Finally found Hawaiian bbq in Austin but was so bummed to know they'll be closing next week. Honestly some of the best food I've had since moving here. Mac salad was divine and the portions were huge. I'll definitely be back before they close up for good read more

Shoyu Sugar - Lunch plate with katsu, teriyaki beef, rice and Mac salad. - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is a fun food truck and I love the location! Great food in a food truck lot off Anderson Mill- this place can be busy on a nice night! Ambiance is great, festoon lighting with picnic benches but all outdoors (some covered!) I hughly recommend stopping by for a bite! read more

Shoyu Sugar - Menu - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas

We've been to Shoyo Sugar many times and every single thing we've tried has been SO. GOOD. The short ribs are our favorite item. The macaroni salad is unexpectedly delicious. The food is fresh and fast and the service is great! We will always be back! read more

Nicest man told me about his place, Should Sugar. Good location. Give it a try and say hi to the owner.

Wow, I've been wanting to try out this place for a while and it did not disappoint! The tonkatsu was crispy and juicy. The sauce was a little wetter than usual would have liked, but I really enjoyed the combination of everything. There is a side of macaroni salad and my friend enjoyed her side. I really like that they have half portion sizes because I definitely do not eat as much so was excited to be able to order the half portion. I was able to try the galbi from my friends order and that was very good too. The galbi and the tonkatsu are the top meats at this place. read more

Shoyu Sugar - Tonkatsu half portion - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Update: New management but still the best food in town. The new managers are great people and I'm looking forward to their continuous growth! I will be a lifetime customer. read more

Shoyu Sugar - Kalbi and KFC - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas

I came here based on redditors saying this is the best Hawaiian BBQ in town. I was sadly disappointed it wasn't that all the food we had were bad. We ordered the teriyaki, katsu and the li ling gushers. The katsu was good, the sauce was okay. The teriyaki was dry and wished it came with sauce. The li ling gushers were good but would have been satisfied with half the amount and lower price. read more

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This is a definite hidden gem in Austin! Best Hawaiian BBQ in Austin! I Can say that because I moved from Hawaii. They have so many flavorful choices to choose from. I chose the Red Rock Special because I like the variety of it. I wanted to try the kalbi, korean fried chicken, and bbq chicken! Make sure you go early because they do sell out! They have lots of seating for outdoors and you can even order online! They have the island reggae Jams playing while you eat. Giving you all the local vibes. We will definitely be back! Mahalo nui loa! read more

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Shoyu Sugar is located in a food truck park with a good amount of parking spots available. I placed my order online and the estimated pickup time was about 30-35 minutes later. I arrived about 5 minutes before my estimated pickup time and needed to wait a few minutes for them to wrap up my order so I'd say their estimated time is pretty accurate. I ordered the Korean fried chicken. When I picked up my order at the window, he asked if I wanted a side of spicy mayo or spicy soy sauce. I accepted the spicy soy sauce but wish I had gotten both as I didn't realize the fried chicken would be dry (I thought it'd have sauce) but that's no fault of theirs. The fried chicken still has good flavor without any sauce - not too salty and a little sweet. There's a very generous amount of both chicken and rice - I wish the mac salad portion had matched but it's okay. Overall, the food is great and I would recommend. *My plate was heavier than my most recent Chipotle order read more

I thought I had written a review ,this is one of my favorite food trucks off Anderson Mill and Pond Springs corner but turns out I haven't written one and yet this place needs no introduction from me! SHOYU Sugar has amazing grilled short ribs you can smell while you're parking that just remind me of a good old fashioned cook out with that one relative who knows how to really throw it down on the grill . I highly recommend getting the short ribs although everything is amazing so the good thing is you can get a combo and try the other items all on one plate like the super delicious Korean style fried chicken bites or the grilled chicken. If your like me and like variety the RedRock special comes with short ribs grilled chicken and Korean fried chicken with a side of white rice and Hawaiian style macaroni salad ! I personally upgrade and get double Mac salad and one scoop of rice which is a small up charge in my opinion worth it but it's all preference obviously. Just a heads up before I forget the lunch menu is a bit different and doesn't feature short ribs but it does have some amazing Chicken Katsu I'd say really hits the spot and is well worth the visit especially with some of that Hawaiian macaroni salad on the side. It's all mouth watering and I'm so happy to share my thoughts . Shoyu Sugar isn't too hard to find it's currently located off the corner of Anderson mill and Pond Springs behind the light brown brick Building where several other food trucks are located in front of. Shoyu Sugar is in the way back corner if you haven't been there before and you can park on the dirt lot rite in front of the food trucks to access it. All together amazing service cheerful owners and not something to overlook or pass up you'll be happy trying this place I promise! read more

Finding authentic Hawaiian food in Austin isn't easy, so I was excited to hear that Shoyu Sugar is run by locals from the Big Island. I can attest to the fact that this food truck is legit. They know how to marinate ribs to pack them with flavor, make crispy Korean fried chicken, put out a bangin' mac salad, and cook rice the right way. This is way better than your standard plate lunch chain (I'm talking to you, L&L) and makes me wistful for my years spent in Hawaii. read more

The food was delicious I had the Red Rock Special consisting of 3 different meats rice and macaroni salad the staff is very friendly and the prices are reasonable you won't be disappointed. read more

Shoyu Sugar - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Nice food truck in the Anderson Mill Food Truck Court. I had the short ribs and chicken katsu meals. Both were good. Not the greatest short ribs I had but they got the job done. The max salad was delicious and I selfishly wish they provided larger proportions of it. The customer service was great and I appreciate they are active on their website and social media to keep potential guests updated on their hours and status (because you just never know with food trucks). Plenty of options for outdoor dining. We tried to enjoy our meal outdoors but the flies were ruthless on this Friday night so we were only able to finish half of it before we decided to go home and eat the rest. Happy to give this place my business. read more

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They're always busy, but they're worth the wait! Ask for extra sauce and savor every piece of meat they put on the plate. All around good service! read more

Eating this food reminds me of family picnics at the park growing up with macaroni salad, rice, and bbq meats on the grill. You'll get generous portions here with two scoops of rice and mac salad. I've been here twice so far in two weeks. Last week I got the special, the loco moco. I really like this version as the beef patties were cooked to perfection without being too dry or undercooked. The gravy was just right and they didn't go overboard with the soy sauce. I also liked the seasoning of the patties - a little garlic-heavy without scaring a vampire. This week I got the red rocks special. It was bomb! Three meats: short ribs, chicken, and Korean fried chicken. The Korean fried chicken was more plump breaded juicy chunks of chicken without the crazy sauce. It was a nice contrast to the short ribs and chicken which had a nice teriyaki glaze. The short ribs had some bits charred around the bone which was just fine and added to the authenticity of a picnic. I'd rather have the short ribs well-cooked than under anyways since you can't beat that chewiness that you expect from a well bbq'd short rib. The mac salad was nice and a little sweet just the way I like it. There was also a bed of cabbage that the meats lay on top of that was a good break from the meat and rice. As for the rice - just perfect. You want a little stickiness but you don't want it too glumpy to soak up all that goodness you are eating and it mixes well with the mac salad too. There are several picnic tables on site so grab a plate and enjoy the Austin sunshine. read more

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This place is toooo good my fav place and im obsessed . The food is great and i feel i can eat thisnall day everyday.. i came when they were getting ready to close and they even hooked up some food they were going to throw away anyways free of charge. The people are friendly too read more

Soooooo good!! The reviews for this hidden gem was on point. This place is legit and their food is fireeee. The bbq mixed plate was cooked perfectly - so flavorful and charred/smokey. We also shared the loco moco - this is a must try dish if you like gravy..it was so flavorful and yummy. Definitely check this place out if you're craving for some legit Hawaiian bbq. The vibe and music they were also on point. My tummy says mahalo!! read more

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Getting reeeeal sick & tired of the faux Hawaiian restaurants passing off teriyaki as local kine food. Shoyu Sugar is the real deal. Real locals from Hawaii making real local food. From the big portions of rice, to the lau lau, to the li hing mui. No way you're gonna find anywhere more authentic. You can tell this family has so much passion for sharing our culture with the mainland. It shows through their service, the quality of the recipes they use, the work it actually takes to make those recipes, and by the aloha they spread. They truly mālama their ohana. They've donated to Maui, they communicate through their social media, and they give those of us who are homesick a little piece of home. If you want to spend your money at a unique family owned business, head over and see what a real plate lunch is like. read more

10/10 recommend. The kabli ribs were solid and they gave a big portion, unlike other places. The grilled and Korean fried chicken was amazing. The bite you want is warm rice, cool Mac salad with the savory grilled chicken! Can't wait to come back. Ono grindz Mahalo uce. read more

Shoyu Sugar - Kabli & Korean fried chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I WOULD EAT THIS EVERYDAY IF I COULD I love this neighborhood spot for me. I pick up fois after the gym or whenever I'm out running errands. It's always consistently amazing! Piping hot, everything taste fresh. The best Hawaiian macaroni salad I've had. You can order online or at the truck, but it takes about 12-15 minutes for your food. Totally worth stopping by if you're near. They have half portions too for lunch. read more

This food truck needs to be available everywhere. I would totally seek it out. The people were super nice and helpful. We did not wait long. We absolutely loved their katsu chicken mini with side shrimp and a Hawaiian Sun Guava Nectar drink (can). We also tried the teriyaki beef special with fried chicken as well. The sauce was so great with everything. I am not a rice eater but their rice was amazing. We are so glad we tried this place out. read more

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Two words: haupia cheesecake This was actually better than the haupia shortbread dessert I had at Highway Inn in Oahu. The nearly 1/2 inch layer of haupia nestled on top of the cheesecake wasn't too sweet and neither overpowered the other. I am planning on going back to try the actual food, but this will be a definite multiple purchase item for me from now on! read more

Shoyu Sugar - Waiting for my Haupia cheesecake!!!! So excited!! - Hawaiian Near Me - Austin, Texas