Off the Grid – Cupertino

This is a great local event for the South Bay (where there usually isn’t much going on)! You can grab some beers from Whole Foods, chug them, then check out the food trucks!
Oops, did I say that out loud?
I meant you can take your time drinking one beer, then get some delicious food from the food trucks!

Went last night to the one in Cupertino. Tried two different trucks and was not impressed with either. The first was a steamed or baked pork belly sandwich for $ 3.75 had a nasty tasting daikon inside. Two pieces of pork and a bao like wrapper for $ 3.75. Forgot the name of the truck.
Sam’s Chowder Mobile had the longest line so I figured it had to be pretty good. I ordered the famous lobster roll for $ 17.50 and was not impressed. Take a roll, toast it on the grill with some butter and add in some steamed lobster with celery and a side of cole slaw. I expected more for $ 17.50 For the money I spent I could have gotten more food and higher quality food but I figure I’ll find a good food truck my next time out.

I love the variety of trucks that come here and have been chasing food trucks for a long time.
The music can be iffy but you can always leave and head over to the Whole Foods Market patio for a nice table seat to people watch.

I’ve come multiple times and each time I had a different experience. They change trucks every other week so there’s a different variety of food. Sometimes I love the food, sometimes I hate it. You can receive horrible food from trucks that are known to serve great food, and you can get delicious food from some trucks that aren’t so popular. Hit or miss, unfortunately most of the time it’s a miss. They’re food trucks so you can’t expect the best quality food. The only truck I consistently go to is the frozen custard truck!
This isn’t a good place to go if you’re looking for quality food but it’s definitely an fun experience. There’s usually live music playing and cute lights hanging around. You and your friends can also all walk around and decide what you guys want. Then sit down to eat and chit chat. 3.5÷5

Whole Foods Truck was so yummy tonight loved all of Tapas!!! Grilled Figs were a sweet treat and the Tri Tip with Chimichurri was out of this world!!! Everyone needs to check out this truck!!! #norcaleats

Pretty great. This was my first Off the Grid South Bay event, and I definitely dig it a lot more than any OTG events in SF. Same good food trucks but no lines! that’s how I like it. OTG Cupertino is basically a super small area of the Whole Foods parking lot sectioned off. They have a few chairs and a small seating area next to the live band for dining. I’d actually recommend you just eat in Whole Foods if you’re out there and it’s a hot summer day. The selections seem to rotate about every 2 – 3 weeks. I’ve been during the week with The Chairman, Hongry Kong, and Frozen Kuhstard (my favorite trucks). Good food, no lines, seating situation could be a bit better since if you’re sitting outside, you basically can’t hear the people you’re talking to unless you’re a loud talker, but seems like an easily remediable solution.
tldr; same OTG goodness but better since no lines!

I don’t know how to feel about off the grid…
I like it for the most part, I guess the food and music make a nice scene. I’m actually not that great a fan of how the management will hunt you down to say thank you for coming, not because I don’t enjoy their manners, but only because they say it so much it convinces you that they forgot who you were right after they take your eyes off you. It’s like Pokemon where if you meet eyes with a trainer you’re automatically challenged. In this case, we get an automated «thank you for coming guys.» Sometimes they will get you to take a survey. I dunno –_​_​_​–
Out of the food trucks I’ve tried from off the grid I think that the porky ssj is consistently good, as well the place where they sell the steamed bun sandwiches (forgot the name…)
I hated the oaxacan food truck. Owner is pretentious and you can get cheaper and equally great tasting Mexican food elsewhere. I know this sounds rough but whenever I asked him about the menu, he used cooking jargon to make his food sound better than it is. Transparency in detail is key, don’t fluff it up to be something better than it is. I told him I didn’t want any beans in my nachos and he was too involved with himself and his beans that he still put them in. I went through the meticulous work of taking them out and it accounted for more than half of the dish… Nice…
Anyways, food tastes good but I just don’t know about how I feel about their prices though.

I love coming to Off The Grid on a nice day. Vibe here is pretty chill. There’s usually a live performer to set the mood, and there’s a variety of food trucks here. You don’t really have to worry about seating, because there’s plenty to go around! Food truck prices are a bit higher than most places, but I think it’s fair since they’re independent and all.

3.5 stars. When I think food trucks, I think of cheap, good food, but that’s not really the case here… Expect to spend ~$ 10 – 15 on mediocre food.
This Off the Grid is located at the Whole Foods parking lot in Cupertino. It is pretty small (especially compared to the Fort Mason one) so you don’t have that many trucks to choose from. But because it’s small, it isn’t hectic and there aren’t long lines which is nice. The crowd is unique… high school students, college students, parents with their kids, and people working in tech (I see a lot of Apple and Google badges). Some times when there are no more seats left (I wish there were tables and more chairs), I go inside Whole Foods to eat my food (heh).

I’ve been hitting up this Food truck event pretty much every Tuesday. It’s located in the Whole Foods parking lot in Cupertino. I actually had a much better experience at this location than the one I went to in San Jose. Parking is a bit difficult since the Whole Foods lot is always packed to begin with, so try to come early.
These are my favorite trucks:
* KoJa Kitchen: This was my first stop! Their Kamikaze fries and Kalbi Burger are must tries! For $ 15, they give you tons of delicious food.
* Chairman Bao: Their steamed pork belly buns are amazing and I’m not even a fan of porky meat. So tender and flavorful, plus the pickles they put on top are just superb.
* Lexie’s Ice Cream: Had the mango sorbet — a delight on the tongue.
* Sam’s Chowder: Deep. Fried. Calamari… Fan-​friggin-​tastic.
* Grilled Cheese Bandits: Their grilled cheeses are oh-​so-​yummy!
I can safely say I’ve never left Off the Grid — Cupertino disappointed.

Cool but difficult to park in Whole Foods parking lot during prime time, 5pm, when Off The Grid begins.
See individual reviews for the following trucks:
El Sur (Argentinian empanadas)
Sam’s Chowder Mobile (seafood)

I’ve been to a few OTG events since they started coming to Cupertino, and honestly I’m not too impressed. The food portions were small and they are EXPENSIVE. There’s nothing really special with the food they cater, and you can get these goodies around the area. But there’s something about seeing a food truck that makes you want to just go there and try it. Yes, it is expensive but I think having to eat outdoors while enjoying the live music makes it slightly better.
Parking is a little bit of an issue here. The lot is packed most of the time even without the food truck event. Granted that they are just in one corner of the lot still makes it harder to find parking. Park in the next plaza, or walk if you live close by. Also, they close at 8PM not 9 which is contrary to what the Unilocal page says.
They have different trucks weekly, so there are some variety. Its a must try, but you have to bring extra cash for the cost of food, and also extra patience for your search for good seats and parking!

Love the atmosphere of the various Off the Grid locations that I’ve been to before (Serramonte, Cupertino)! Off The Grid Cupertino, located right in the heart and soul of Whole Foods’ parking lot, serves as a very inviting and welcoming place to eat casually with family or friends. I’m not too sure of the rules in terms of bringing pets here, but my friend and I also brought her tiny dog with us and it seemed to be fine. There was a live singer and band playing in the background, which definitely set the tranquil and cheerful tone of dinnertime as my friend and I dug into our food.
There were a few food trucks here with different ethnic entrees to choose from, such as Vietnamese, Mexican, Chinese, etc. I ended up getting a Bayrito from one Mexican food truck, which features tator tots, sour cream, pico de gallo, your choice of meat, and more in a huge burrito that tastes heavenly with their sweet chili sauce. My friend ordered a Dry Phở Noodle entrée from another truck and it was delicious as well. The sauce that went with her noodles was delicious, and the meat in her entrée was very moist and not at all dry.
However, I was a little heartbroken that the Koja Kitchen truck was not here tonight. That is my absolute favorite food truck and I would recommend getting the Bulgogi Burger if you ever get a chance to try it :)
All in all, Off The Grid never seems to disappoint at any location :)

Friends rave about this food truck weekly event.
Well; I found the people watching very interesting. The food is expensive for portion sizes. We had a peanut cilantro slaw with no nuts, cilantro or dressing in a half cup for $ 4. We had a very under sized polish for $ 6. Not the gourmet experience one has in places like Portland and Seattle.
The parking is a nightmare and most of the seating was taken up by students who eat and park themselves. There is no seating for seniors. For the most part people eat standing.
The music was way too loud.
Other than that; how did you like the play Mrs. Lincoln?

It’s nice that off the grid is now near by instead of having to drive all the way up to SF. I went here because I was dying for my favorite food truck: Chairman Bao. They did not disappoint. It’s nice that they put out chairs for people to sit around and chat with friends. There was a good selection of food trucks. The day I went, there was bacon bacon, sam’s chowder, a grilled cheese one, a waffle one, a frozen pudding one, and koja. There was also a guy playing music there. He was not bad.
Parking at the whole foods was difficult to find. I will go back every once in a while to get my food truck fix.

This is a cool and fun place to head to on a Tuesday night. There are various food trucks that bring an assortment of cuisines. The parking lot area had enough room for people to stroll through and had a nice seating area and although there aren’t tables the food is made for being able to eat it conveniently. The atmosphere was nice and there was even live music! Definitely a place worth checking out!

I was delighted to hear that Off the Grid found its way to the South Bay! The idea of having a congregation of food trucks within a 3-​mile radius of me is overwhelming.
The location is the parking lot of Whole Foods which is kind of cramped, but the set-​up is still pretty nice considering the restricted space. The vibe is festival-​y/​casual with live music, chairs, lights, and lots of people. It’s a good environment for sitting down and talking with friends as well as just grabbing the food to-​go.
If you don’t like buying soda or drinks, bring a bottle of water! First time here, I took free cups of water in Cupertino for granted and forgot that you have to buy drinks from trucks.
The trucks comes every Tuesday 5pm-​9pm, with an alternating set of food trucks every week.
EVEN TUESDAYS: Cupkates, Little Green Cyclo, Hiyaaa, We Sushi, Hill County BBQ, Gold Rush Eatery, The Oaxacan Kitchen, Lobsta Truck, Maxwell St.
ODD TUESDAYS: KoJa Kitchen, Twister Truck, We Sushi, Sam’s Chowder Mobile, Lexie’s Frozen Cusard, Grilled Cheese Bandits, Waffle Amore, The Chairman
Personal favorites: KoJa’s kamikaze fries, The Chairman’s pork belly bun, & Lexie’s blood orange frozen custard

*~*Food Truck Festival in the South Bay*~*
Off the Grid has finally made it south and we are grateful indeed.
They have two different truck selections that alternate every other week with ONE (amazing) dessert truck.
Choose from Vietnamese, Tacos, Sushi, BBQ Burgers, Cup cakes or frozen custard.
Bring your cash!

While I was so excited to hear Off The Grid was coming to Cupertino, I was unfortunately underwhelmed by the selection of trucks and ambiance. Don’t get me wrong– it is certainly a huge accomplishment to finally have food trucks in the Cupertino area. But I found most of the food to be pretty mediocre and very pricy for what it was. I understand the venue is much smaller than a place like Fort Mason, but I wish they would bring some of the quality vendors from SF to Cupertino like The Chairman! Hopefully this will change soon.
Parking is definitely awful (like other Unilocalers mentioned). Plan to spend at least ten minutes trying to find a spot (especially if you come between 5 – 6:30). The Whole Foods parking lot is already crazy during the day and always seems to test my patience, and with a huge section closed for Off The Grid, it is a total clown show. Why they didn’t choose a venue like Memorial Park (much more space) is beyond me.

I’m so happy to see Off the Grid come to Cupertino! I’ve been to a small one in SF and I’ve been to a couple food trucks near my office, but I’m loving that OTG is bring food trucks to my city for dinner :)
Minus a star for the parking issue. Don’t even bother fighting for parking at Whole Foods. Just park at Target, the church next door, or De Anza.
They had 9 food trucks tonight, a live band, and they had some chairs out to sit down and eat.
+Grilled Cheese Bandits – loved The Sundance Kid, an open-​face grilled cheese on Texas toast and a sunny side-​up egg
+Lexie’s Frozen Custard – I got the green tea mochi sundae, which was vanilla frozen custard + green tea sauce + house made mochi
Your dinner might come out to about $ 10−15/person, depending on the trucks and what you order, but I love mixing things up and having great choices for food :) OTG is supposed to be at Whole Foods every Tuesday night. Check their FB page for the events. I found the FB page more helpful than the website. I can’t wait to see what trucks will be at the next one!