Poke bowls ($15) loaded with Hawaiian or spicy ahi poke with seaweed salad over sushi rice. A hefty North Shore burger ($12) comprising a half-pound local beef patty with cheddar cheese, housemade sauce, grilled sweet onion, lettuce and tomato on a taro bun.

These are just some of the local eats you’ll find at Banyan’s Island Grill, located at the Waialua Sugar Mill, according to truck co-owner Beau Earnsberger.

“We offer fresh and locally sourced items — those are the two main things we stand by,” he says. “Our burgers are made from grass-feed beef and locally sourced from Kahuku. All of our fish is fresh and our fries are hand-cut daily. All of our sauces are also housemade.”

Earnsberger and his business partner acquired Banyan’s Island Grill about nine months ago, but at that time, they weren’t planning to operate out of it themselves.

“We were looking for a food truck to start making an investment,” Earnsberger explains. “The idea was for us to buy a food truck and rent it out for catering events to other people who use food trucks. When we went up to see this truck in Waialua, we realized it had an organic following. We saw a lot of people enjoying the food and their experience.

“I come from a small town and know what it means to have that local spot,” he adds. “It gave me a good feeling. I looked at my business partner and said, ‘We gotta keep this thing going.’”

The fish taco plate ($16) is one of the most popular entrées at Banyan’s Island Grill.

“It features our fish of the day with spicy sauce and fresh jalapeños,” Earnsberger says. “The tacos come with our fresh-cut fries and locally sourced greens with ginger dressing.”

The poke bowl ($15) is another customer favorite.

“Our Hawaiian-style ahi poke includes limu, sweet onions, inamona, shoyu, sesame oil and Hawaiian sea salt,” Earnsberger says. “Our customers claim we have the best poke bowl on the island.”

Banyan’s Island Grill is open 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.

“We’re working on online ordering,” Earnsberger confirms. “We’re looking to expand; we should be adding a second location in Kailua within the next year.

“A lot of people in the community already know about the truck,” he adds. “We’re just trying to carry on what someone else already started.”

Banyan’s Island Grill

67-106 Kealohanui St., Waialua 808-426-6176
Instagram: @banyansislandgrill
How to pay: Cash, credit cards, Apple Pay
How to order: In person or over the phone