Best US food trucks for 2025 revealed — and NYC has a lot of work to do

These offer a lot of bang for your truck.

In honor of National Food Truck Day on June 27, Yelp has ranked the top 100 mobile kitchens in the US for 2025 — with Tony’s Catch in Hawaii taking the crown and NYC lagging far behind in this culinary drag race.

The restaurant review site compiled this ranking in ode to the US’ “booming” meals on wheels scene, which represented a $1.8 billion market in 2024, according to Toast.

“Mobile kitchens are bringing talented chefs to local neighborhoods, where they’re cooking up gourmet meals and creative new dishes at affordable prices,” Yelp wrote. “The result? Those fresh-made tacos, slow-barbecued brisket, or handcrafted bao buns served on paper plates in parking lots might be as tasty as something you’d find in an upscale restaurant.”

While the idea of the best mobile kitchens is quite subjective, Yelp’s research team tried to narrow things by basing them on reviews of 58,000 restaurants in the platform’s “food truck” category, Food and Wine reported.

They then rated them according to a “number of factors,” per the site, which noted that all the selections “have a passing health score.”

The result was a list of the most “most drool-worthy, finger-licking, lip-smacking, chef-driven food trucks that Yelpers are raving about.”

Overall, Hawaii proved the US’ de facto food truck haven with a staggering 25 spots on the list — not bad for a state whose total population is just a fourth the size of NYC.

Meanwhile, California trailed close behind with 22 of the top 100 spots on this mobile meal Mount Rushmore.

Taking the overall crown was Tony’s Catch in Kapa’a, Kauai, which boasts 4.9 stars across 285 reviews.

This Aloha State mobile kitchen is known for its Zicatela-style fish tacos, which are based on the food at fellow coastal hotspot Playa Zicatela in Oaxaca, Mexico.

To create this epicurean homage, the chefs lightly crisp a generous portion of fried mahi-mahi and “then top it with a cilantro-lime slaw with a mild pineapple flavor and “a drizzle of avocado-jalapeno sauce,” per the site.

Also worth a mention are the ahi tuna tostadas, featuring Cajun-seared fish so fresh that it “melts in your mouth” like butter.

“I’ve been thinking about these tacos for 2 years, since the last time we had them,” gushed enamored Yelper Dennette N. “And they did not disappoint.”

Following close behind was Jim’s Smokehouse in Austin (4.9 stars over 258 reviews), named after the grandfather of owner Brad Yerkes. His grandpa reportedly ran a Texas BBQ joint in the 1970s.

According to Yelp, “Brad arrives at 7:30 am to load choice Angus brisket into his smoker behind the truck for a 12-hour bask — all to achieve the ‘smokiness and tenderness’ Yelpers rave about.

“Jim’s is pushing stellar meats and other eats out of its food truck,” gushed Yelp elite member Dawn H. “With the actual smokehouse just behind, everything is fresh and legit. [I] recommend their bomb mac and cheese, sriracha slaw, and do I need to even suggest ‘bacon jam’?”

Rounding out the top three were Taco Libre in Koloa, Kauai, Jojo’s Hot Chicken in San Jose, California, and La Jalisciense in Santa Nella, California.

Unfortunately, NYC failed to secure a solitary spot in this mobile kitchen Le Mans race. The Garden State fared only slightly better with one entry: mobile sushi bar Wisp Express in Jersey City (4.9 stars across 94 reviews).

While serving raw fish out of a truck might seem dubious, New Jerseyans are lapping it up with one Yelper dubbing their offerings “some of the freshest fish I’ve had.”

“Hands down this is the best sushi in Jersey City and even if I didn’t live here I’d travel for it,” they declared. “It has replaced all of my favorite sushi spots in NJ in terms of ranking.”

Here are the US top 100 food trucks for 2025 , according to Yelp

1. Tony’s Catch, Kapa’a, Hawaii

2. Jim’s Smokehouse, Austin, Texas

3. Taco Libre, Koloa, Hawaii

4. Jojo’s Hot Chicken, San Jose, California

5. La Jalisciense, Santa Nella, California

6. La Piñata Taqueria, Vallejo, California

7. Capitol Burger, Torrey, Utah

8. T-Loc’s Sonora Hot Dogs, Austin, Texas

9. Mike’s BBQ 101, Key Largo, Florida

10. Nico’s Burgers, Los Angeles, California

11. Deckhand Dave’s Fish Tacos, Juneau, Alaska

12. Taqueria Mi Guadalajara, Bishop, California

13. Mariscos Mi Gusto Es, San Diego, California

14. Aloha Shrimp, Hauula, Hawaii

15. Yoshi’s Sushi, Portland, Oregon

16. Pit Stop Hawaii Food Truck, Honolulu, Hawaii

17. Ragga Surf Cafe, St. Augustine, Florida

18. Bake on the Run, Portland, Oregon

19. Paprika ATX, Austin, Texas

20. Iolani’s Plate Lunch, Portland, Oregon