This Hawaiian Food Truck Is Still Thriving A Decade Later After Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives

Guy Fieri has hit up literally thousands of spots for his show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," visiting nearly 500 cities across the country. From a Texas barbecue pit in Houston to a Virginia deli with a rich history to some of his favorite episodes shot in Chicago, Fieri finds something to love everywhere he goes, and in his wake, he typically leaves restaurants with a huge boost in crowds and sales. For some, the golden glow wears off, and they eventually close their doors; for others, though, like the Oahu, Hawaii spot Mike's Huli Chicken, business continues to thrive long after the cameras have left.

Fieri featured this food truck in 2015, as part of its "Best of the Beach" episode. What makes this food truck so special is that, while the lunch plates are assembled in the truck itself, the huli chicken gets cooked, a few dozen at a time, in cages over an open-air grill set up in a utility trailer.

About four years after the episode ran, Mike's was able to actually expand its offerings to customers with a line of bottled sauces that can be shipped anywhere in the USA. This was followed up quickly with a packaged seasoning rub (both items are currently available on the Mike's Huli Chicken website). These, in addition to its numerous positive reviews since 2015 on social media, mean that the Hawaiian food truck is definitely among Fieri's more successful alumni.

Let's be clear about one thing: A positive review from Guy Fieri can only get you so far. You've got to have the actual goods to back it up if you're going to continue to thrive over a decade after he features you on his show, and Mike's Huli Chicken has got all the goods. Let's start with the star of the show, the chicken. Aside from the incredibly unique way it's cooked, there are numerous Google reviews that will attest to the incredible flavor it imparts. "The chicken was perfectly cooked," one reviewer, who speaks for a lot of people, wrote, "juicy, smoky, and coated in that sweet-savory huli sauce that's full of flavor without being overpowering." The garlic shrimp and kahlua pork have also received a bunch of mentions, as well as the popular mac salad side.

Another thing that keeps customers coming in and coming back to Mike's Huli Chicken? The portion sizes. The prices at this food truck are a touch spendy (consider, though, that you are in Hawaii, where everything is more expensive than on the mainland), but multiple Google reviewers brought up how much food you get for your money — one plate is enough to feed two people.