Overview
HI Thai Food Truck is a casual Thai food truck in Wailuku, on Maui’s central side. The baseline Google record says it is still operational at 91 N Market St, with weekday lunch-to-afternoon hours, a phone number, and a modest price level; Tripadvisor and other review sites generally place it in the same location and describe it as a small, walk-up setup with nearby outdoor seating. (tripadvisor.com)
For travelers, the appeal is straightforward: this is a convenient, low-friction stop for Thai food that many reviewers say is flavorful, generous in portion, and good value. It looks more like a practical lunch or early dinner stop than a destination restaurant, which is part of its draw in Wailuku. (tripadvisor.com)
Cuisine & Specialties
HI Thai Food Truck’s menu sits in the Thai comfort-food lane, but with a Hawaii food-truck context: noodles, curries, stir-fries, salads, spring rolls, and a few drinks and desserts. The strongest pattern across sources is that the food is made to order, portioned generously, and aimed at a broad traveler/local audience rather than a narrow specialty niche. (tripadvisor.com)
- Overall menu style: Thai staples with some Hawaiian/local-market framing; review sources and menu listings point to pad Thai, curries, basil stir-fries, fried rice, salads, and spring rolls. (tripadvisor.com)
- Notable dishes/specialties with support: pad Thai; panang curry / panang coconut curry; Thai beef salad; pork belly basil; pad kra pao / Thai basil stir-fry; eggplant basil; spring rolls; Thai iced tea; mango sticky rice. (ubereats.com)
- What stands out most: several reviewers single out the pad Thai, curries, basil dishes, and spring rolls; the menu pages also suggest a strong tofu/vegetable option set. (restaurantji.com)
- Price range / spend expectations: Google’s price level is moderate, but traveler reviews repeatedly describe the food as affordable or reasonable for Maui, with large portions that often feel like good value. A practical expectation is a casual lunch or dinner spend rather than fine-dining pricing. (tripadvisor.com)
- Dietary usefulness / limitations: vegetarian and vegan friendliness appears reasonably supported, especially for tofu and vegetable substitutions, and one review explicitly notes that entrees can be done with tofu; however, this is still a Thai menu with fish sauce, egg, and meat common in many dishes, so vegan diners should verify each order. (tripadvisor.com)
Notable Features & Ambiance
This is a simple food-truck setup rather than a full-service restaurant: order at the window, wait for food, and eat at nearby outdoor tables or benches. The setting is part of the experience; multiple sources describe it as being under or near a banyan tree in Wailuku, which gives it a shaded, relaxed, very local feel. (tripadvisor.com)
- Service model and seating style: window-service food truck; takeout is clearly supported; seating is informal outdoor picnic-table or bench seating nearby. (tripadvisor.com)
- Atmosphere and decor: unassuming, casual, park-like, shaded by a large banyan tree; not a polished dining room, but a practical lunch spot with a laid-back Wailuku-town feel. (tripadvisor.com)
- Amenities / practical features: nearby parking is mentioned in review sources; credit cards appear to have been accepted at least historically; takeout and online ordering through the website/Uber Eats ecosystem are indicated by the listed website and delivery menu pages. (tripadvisor.com)
- Best fit: an easygoing lunch, casual dinner, or food stop while exploring Wailuku / Central Maui. It also suits travelers who want a quick, relatively affordable meal with outdoor seating. (tripadvisor.com)
- Weaker fit: anyone expecting indoor seating, table service, or a fast in-and-out meal during a peak lunch rush may be less comfortable here; wait times and sold-out items are recurring themes. (tripadvisor.com)
History & Background
There is not much deeply documented ownership history in the sources I found. What is clearer is that the business has established a recognizable local following in Wailuku over several years, with reviews spanning back at least to 2017 and later sources continuing to describe the same truck at 91 N Market St. Some review snippets mention the owners by name and describe them as friendly, but I did not find a reliable standalone founder story or expansion narrative to add beyond that. (tripadvisor.com)
Review Sentiment Snapshot
What People Love
Review patterns are strongly positive. The repeated praise is for fresh, flavorful Thai food, especially pad Thai, panang curry, basil stir-fries, spring rolls, and beef salad. Travelers also repeatedly mention generous portions, fair prices, and friendly service. Several reviewers frame it as one of the better Thai options on Maui, which is a meaningful endorsement in a visitor market with many choices. (tripadvisor.com)
Common Gripes
The main downside signal is wait time and occasional sell-outs, especially around lunch. That complaint appears more than once and seems moderately supported rather than isolated. A second, softer caution is that a few dishes may land unevenly by taste preference; for example, one older review disliked the fried chicken, but the broader pattern is still overwhelmingly positive for the core Thai dishes. (tripadvisor.com)
Practical Visitor Tips
- Google’s posted hours are Monday–Friday, 11:30 AM–6:00 PM, with Saturday and Sunday closed. That pattern is echoed by other listing sources, so weekday visits are the safe bet. (tripadvisor.com)
- Go earlier rather than later if you want the best chance at the full menu; sold-out items and lunch rushes are mentioned in reviews. (tripadvisor.com)
- This looks like a walk-up, takeout-friendly stop rather than a reservation restaurant. (tripadvisor.com)
- If you want to eat on site, expect outdoor shaded seating rather than an indoor dining room. (tripadvisor.com)
- Good choices for first-timers, based on repeated praise, are pad Thai, panang curry, Thai basil dishes, spring rolls, Thai beef salad, and mango sticky rice. (restaurantji.com)
- Vegetarian diners have some flexibility, but it is still wise to confirm sauces and protein substitutions, since the menu includes fish sauce, egg, chicken, beef, pork, and shrimp in many dishes. (ubereats.com)
Verification Notes
- Official identity anchor remains consistent with the Google record: HI Thai Food Truck, 91 N Market St, Wailuku, HI 96793, (808) 280-8936, website listed as
http://orderhithai.com/. (tripadvisor.com) - Business status appears active/operational across the Google record and third-party listings. (tripadvisor.com)
- No major verification issues found, though some secondary sources are not recent enough to fully rule out minor menu or ordering changes. (tripadvisor.com)
Sources
- Google Places record for HI Thai Food Truck —
https://maps.google.com/?cid=16601159409596228320— Retrieved 2026-03-31. Most useful for the baseline identity, operational status, address, hours, phone, price level, and editorial summary. - Tripadvisor listing for HI Thai Food Truck —
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60639-d13125802-Reviews-HI_Thai_Food_Truck-Wailuku_Maui_Hawaii.html— Retrieved 2026-04-01. Most useful for traveler-facing descriptions of the setting, menu items, price/value comments, and long-running review themes. - Uber Eats menu page for HI Thai Food Truck (91 North Market Street) —
https://www.ubereats.com/store/hi-thai-food-truck-91-north-market-street/9Faq15vLUQ2AOVrghh5gSQ— Retrieved 2026-04-01. Most useful for specific menu confirmation and dish descriptions such as pad Thai, panang coconut curry, Thai beef salad, pork belly basil, and spring rolls. - Restaurantji listing for HI Thai Food Truck —
https://www.restaurantji.com/hi/wailuku/hi-thai-food-truck-/— Retrieved 2026-04-01. Most useful for recurring review themes, popular dishes, and support for vegetarian flexibility and wait-time concerns. - Chamber of Commerce listing for HI Thai Food Truck —
https://www.chamberofcommerce.com/business-directory/hawaii/wailuku/miscellaneous/2027009186-hi-thai-food-truck— Retrieved 2026-04-01. Most useful for additional review snippets, ownership-name mentions, hours corroboration, and dish mentions such as mango sticky rice, Thai iced tea, pad kra pow, and eggplant basil.
