A few weeks ago, I was in Honolulu.
A few weeks before that, I was in Denver. Just prior to that, I was in Vegas. And now, somehow, I was exploring the Honolulu streets just blocks from the beach with my family.
This was our first family trip where everyone could go together since getting my dog, Montego. A story for another post, just know we didn’t travel together on account of her. Fourteen years had passed, and this trip was long overdue. With our collective desire to travel together finally becoming a reality, we landed in Honolulu and did what we do best when we’re somewhere new: we explored.
After spending most of the day going from place to place, eventually there was only one thing left to do: eat. And all I wanted was garlic shrimp. Typical while in Hawaii? Sure. But it was what I wanted, and thankfully, it was exactly what I found at Waikiki Garlic Shack.
Formerly Angry Shrimp, the restaurant opened in spring 2023 before undergoing a rebrand and menu revision at the beginning of the year. Now operating as Waikiki Garlic Shack, the small outdoor stall is tucked into a petite food hall and is nearly impossible to miss.
At least it was for me.
The bright yellow exterior caught my attention as I walked by, and once I saw the menu, stopping proved to be the right decision. With a relatively short menu of eight plates, the shack focuses on garlic shrimp and Hawaiian barbecue kalbi served in a few different combinations.
I went with the Coconut Shrimp Plate ($20.50). Seven to eight pieces of jumbo shrimp were lightly fried in coconut until golden brown and served with rice, macaroni salad and a small side salad. The shrimp had a subtle sweetness from the seasoned coconut that worked beautifully with the lightly crunchy exterior. Then came the sauces.
Dipping each piece into them made an already indulgent plate even better. The rice and macaroni salad rounded everything out, giving me the kind of meal where every bite felt like exactly what I wanted. It was delicious and if I had more room in my stomach for more, I probably would have ordered it again.
My niece went for the OG Garlic Shrimp ($19.95), which looked just as tempting. Nine pieces of shrimp were sautéed in Waikiki Garlic Shack’s original garlic sauce and served with rice, macaroni salad and a small side salad.
The shrimp are served with the shell on, which means the garlic sauce coats soaks and stays in every piece and delivers plenty of flavor. I stole a bite (because that’s what family trips are for) and immediately understood why this is the restaurant’s signature item.
Then there was my mom’s Garlic Shrimp and BBQ Kalbi Combo ($22.50). Her plate paired the same garlic shrimp with tender BBQ short ribs. The meat was flavorful and satisfying, although the bone did slow me down a little. And when you’re staring at a plate of coconut shrimp you already love, slowing down isn’t something you necessarily want to do.
Exploring Honolulu through food came with its advantages. Getting to spend time with my family in this way after so many years was certainly one of them. Finding exactly the dinner I had been craving in Waikiki Garlic Shack was another.
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Address: 208 Kapuni St, Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 501-3606
Hours: Daily – 11:30 am to 9:00 pm
Social: Website and Instagram
