Roll With It: Amazing Fish Tacos at Miguel’s Cocina Food Truck

Miguel Gutierrez buys marlin daily from nearby fishing boats at Kewalo Harbor for the best fish tacos this writer’s had in 15 years.

September 8, 2025

Gregg Hoshida,

Roll With It is a Frolic series about food trucks we’ve seen out and about. We’re tracking them down and trying dishes to bring you the 4-1-1.

Photo: Gregg Hoshida

Hawai‘i has always struggled with its taco scene—so much so that whenever I’m in California, the first thing I want is not an In-N-Out Double-Double, but al pastor, tripa or lengua folded into freshly made tortillas. Even on the West Coast, however, a great fish taco is highly elusive. So I was amazed to find one at Miguel’s Cocina, a truck at the ‘Ewa end of Kewalo Harbor. Miguel’s serves up the best and freshest fish tacos I have had in 15 years—and those were in Mexico.

The Menu

Photo: Gregg Hoshida

At a glance:

Owner and chef Miguel Gutierrez has rebranded his former truck, El Gallo, to reflect his Peruvian and Mexican heritage. The small menu still includes El Gallo’s popular anticuchos, the ribeye skewers now served as tacos ($7), a là carte ($10) or a plate with two skewers ($22).

The breakout star on the menu is, undoubtedly, the fish taco ($7). Gutierrez purchases fresh marlin daily from nearby fishing boats and instead of deep-frying it, sears it lightly on a griddle. Every component of the taco dances: the fish, chipotle mayo, cilantro, pickled red onion, tomatillo salsa and the freshly made, slightly crispy flour tortilla that carries it into my mouth.

miguel’s cocina elote corn on the cob topped with seasonings

Photo: Gregg Hoshida

Offerings are rounded out by Purple Haze, a vegan taco made with Okinawan sweet potato ($7); a sweet and savory elote ($9) and for the taco-averse, a macadamia nut pesto pasta ($17).

We recommend:

two fish tacos topped by bright pink pickled onions

Photo: Gregg Hoshida

Come for the fish taco, stay for the fish taco. It not only outshines the other tacos on the menu, it is on par with, if not better than, the incredible fish tacos I had in Cabo San Lucas all those years ago. And it is consistently mouthwatering on every visit. You may hesitate to pay $7 for a single taco, as I did at first, but after the first bite, your cravings will be real and worth an occasional splurge.

How It Rolls

Photo: Gregg Hoshida

Where: 1011 Ala Moana Blvd. (in the old Fisherman’s Wharf/Harbor Night Market lot)
When: 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily (may close 2 to 5 p.m for dinner prep)
Payment: Cash or credit card
Follow: @miguels.cocina