808 Grinds Food Cart – Gigantic Brewery — Restaurant in Portland

I decided Hawaiian food would be a good idea on a rainy evening, so took a quick 12 min drive down to the Gigantic Brewery 808 Grinds location, which is closest to Portland. I ordered the 808 combo (fried chicken and kahlua pork with white rice and mac salad), a spam musubi and haupia pie after reading the reviews gloating about these items. I took a generous helping of the 808 sauce and spicy mayo, but was not terribly impressed with my food. One of the food truck guys recommended the 808 sauce to put on top of the rice...but I'm not really a sauce person, to have to douse everything in a liquid to completely overtake the flavors of the actual dish.

I was actually afraid the pork would be too salty, but it actually tasted like there was no salt added at all. Both the pork and fried chicken lacked any umami flavor and you have no choice but to drown the meat with sauce. I gave up quickly as I didn't feel like having soy sauce drenched rice, pork/chicken.

The spam musubi was a good size, but I prefer the one at Smokin Fire Fish. The nori at SFF does not completely envelope the rice, as did the 808 version. I also prefer the way the spam is fried at Smokin Fire Fish. Overall, okay.

The haupia pie was a huge disappointment. It tasted like it was commerically prepared and was given to me right out of a fridge. It was hard, cold and unappetizing. Haupia pies I've had on the past were soft with the right amount of gooeyness and baked sweet potato crust. This was just a square slab of refrigerated stuff.

The Mac salad was pretty generic, wasn't expecting much there.

While the portions are definitely HUGE (not a one person meal by any means, unless you have just run a marathon), overall I was disappointed with the hype around this place and will probably stick to Smokin Fire Fish. Though more expensive, I have not been disappointed with the flavor of any of...

For 2 years I have embarked on the elusive trip of finding great Hawaiian barbecue. I finally made it back to this neck of the woods and I instantly thought, 808 Grinds. If you have not gotten the chance of trying either of their barbecue dishes, I suggest you go with the trifecta. I think more of like five items that should be called the barbecue works. White rice, their world famous mac, kalua pork, fried chicken and also barbecue chicken. Each item is prepared with love, and you can tell with the way they fall apart in your mouth. With your imagination you can combine each item together and have a barbecue explosion in your mouth. Take a look at the sauces that they offer because there are different ones that go from spicy mayo, sweet wasabi, teriyaki, and others there are of course complementary when you ask for them. I also got a chance to try the chef's beef stew, and while sweet and hearty(firm chunks of potatoes and carrots), it's also got a nice little twist when u take bites of chives in this little bundle of goodness. This gigantic meal for 15 is worth every penny, and don't forget to tip the fams. Whether you're nearby the golf course or in the industrial part of the town you're welcome to come and try it, and have a beer next door while indulging in some sweet...

Great Hawaiian food all around! I eat here often, probably two or three times a week! They deliver through uber eats and postmates. Their poke is on point! In fact, I haven't really had anything bad from this truck! They get their food fresh every morning from their home restaurant location in SW. I have personally had just about everything on their menu to this point and my only complaint would probably have to be their coleslaw. For as much flavor is packed into everything else on their menu their coleslaw comes across as bland. Don't let that stop you from trying their food though, like I said, everything else is on point! They make some sauces in-house that'll blow your mind as well which include a garlic ginger soy(808 soy), sweet wasabi, spicy mayo, and habanero teriyaki. I'm not kidding about these sauces either people, I literally find myself craving these sauces. My usual dish is the 808 fried chicken and I use their 808 soy and the habanero teriyaki on the rice and both the spicy mayo and sweet wasabi separately over the top of the chicken with a favoritism towards the sweet wasabi! Whether it's their home store in SW or the truck location in SE you should eat here if you haven't already! You won't be...