Whenever I am back on the island, I try to visit the Kaka'ako or Waipahu location. Came here on a…read moreFriday night and got a table for four relatively quickly. The service was quick and it wasn't too busy for a Friday night. Got the highway inn combo plate with squid luau (not as much squid as usual), plantation mixed plates, chicken long rice, and kalua pig. 10/10 food. They also have the QR code to validate parking.

Easy eats Hawaiian food diner…read more Went for Sunday lunch and sat at the bar. Service was very quick and your typical diner style. Ordered the lau lau with pork. They have some butterfish cooked in it as well, which hit the spot. The veg tastes like kamote tops (a Filipino veg) which I enjoyed. The mac salad was great also. Would come back!

Son wanted to go here. He saw it on TikTok. I got the. BBq pork meal. The pork was great. A…read moregazillion pounds of rice. I only at about 1/4 of it. The macaroni salad was macaroni with what seemed like just mayo. (Not my jam). He had the loco moco. He loved it. Again a billion pounds of rice. Kid had a hot dog. Didn't finish it. Quality was really low. Maybe we are used to dodger dog snap style flavorful ones. Anyway was a nice little meal and took a walk at the park a couple blocks away to walk off the massive amounts of rice.

My family, across multiple generations, has been going here for decades, close to back when they…read morefirst opened. We have homes in the neighborhood. And we just can't go here anymore unless changes are made! We used to prefer them over Zippy's, but now they are less than 7-Eleven quality, while charging higher-end prices for the neighborhood. We have given them many chances, hoping it was just a fluke, but we have repeatedly been disappointed. Their chicken has become chewy and fatty, their rice is mediocre, and condiments such as mayonnaise are stripped down to the bare minimum quantity. Chile is poured so lightly that it is practically a minuscule amount. And their prices have continued to rise. I don't know if greedy people took over the restaurant who just don't care anymore, or what is going on. I remember when I used to take people here, and they would be impressed with the quality and quantity--plates just heaping with good cuts of meat, noodles, and rice. Those days are no more. As they say in Japan, the price performance is poor. Furthermore, their staff is rude. I can only imagine it was an owner working this day because it was a face I haven't seen that often. An older gentleman who appeared to be of Okinawan descent, working the cashier register, accosted us because I was privately discussing with my family about splitting different items with them. We were all ordering something, so he wasn't losing any money, but he told us about how prices are double in Waikīkī. First of all, it is rude to interrupt your customers that way. Secondly, we don't go to Waikīkī or care about Waikīkī. What happened to serving the locals? Third, Waikīkī has an assortment of restaurants, prices, and qualities, and they shouldn't be how you base your services. Lastly, I guarantee I could find a better deal in Waikīkī if I wanted to. Next time you're in the area, just go get a $6 bento or a $5 burrito from 7-Eleven next door. I assure you, the price performance and experience will be better. If Rainbow Drive-In is in the business of comparing themselves to other things, let's compare them to 7-Eleven and at least try to be better than them, right? I can get mochiko chicken from 7-Eleven for $6.99 that is similar in portion size and better quality. Meanwhile, they are serving their fatty, dry chicken for $16.75. Highway robbery! And they are not fancy, with their dirty picnic tables and plastic cutlery. They are just a step above a food truck, if that. Save yourself from the hype. They have gone downhill like a landslide. Go elsewhere.

OMG! This was a dining experience! So, the restaurant was closing so my friend said we should eat…read morethere! I didn't know that the servings were group sized!! I found so many things that looked great on the menu, to include fried gizzards, boneless Kal Bi ribs, fully loaded fried rice, Mac salad and other stuff I can't recall! So the TWO of us ordered way too much! We tried to eat as much as we could and ended up taking the rest home! Everything we ordered was delicious, so we knew we were going to eat good leftovers! The restaurant was a great place to go with a group to eat and watch sports! Our Waitress (I have to remember to get names) was a track star, she was running to and from several tables of groups to deliver food! I will go again if they reopen!

If you're visiting Hawaii with a big group, 100% recommend taking them here…read more We initially were a party of 16, and showed up without a reservation at 6pm on a Saturday. The staff was super nice about it and was able to accommodate us, with only a small request that we be out by 8pm since there was another big party with a reservation coming in. Absolutely reasonable. They sat us right away at three large tables, which gave us plenty of space for food and didn't force us to sit super close together. Menus, waters, plates, napkins, and forks were all brought out immediately, and our waiter was quick to take our order. We started with the prix fixe menu for 8-10 guests and were going to add other items à la carte, but a handful of our group accidentally went to the other Side Street location (make sure your group is all on the same page), so what we ordered ended up being more than enough. We left stuffed and with 5 boxes of food still. Edamame was nice and steamy, and large enough to easily pop the beans out with your mouth. Wish there was a bit more salt though. The farmer's salad had everything going on from citrusy to salty to crispy. Avocado had a little bit of oxidation but the capers, dressing and potato curls provided plenty of reasons to overlook it. The fried rice came in a hefty portion, with sizable pieces of bacon and sausage. The chicken I didn't realize was boneless based on the shape of the deep fry, but it was nice to freely bite into it without worrying about hitting anything with my teeth. Probably a bit too much on fried bits but still good. Pork chops had a better meat to crisp ratio in my opinion, as well as juiciness. They even came with ketchup on the side, which I love as a pairing but don't see much of at restaurants. My favorite meat item was definitely the sizzling boneless kalbi. The presentation on the sizzling plate with a side of kimchi was spectacular, and the meat was full of flavor. We also ordered yakisoba, which wasn't part of the prix fixe. Tasted good but nothing past standard expectations. We let the waiter know we had a 30th birthday at the table, and they brought a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream with a candle, and did a decent job getting the whole room to participate in the singing. It could also be the type of crowd this place attracts, since it seemed that everyone was so friendly and approachable. Thanks to the quick and consistent service, we were out in a little over an hour with no complaints.

This place is an Oahu staple for a reason. There's usually a line and cars parked along the road,…read morebut the food is worth it.Just be there early to beat the crowd. The combo plate with kalua pig and laulau is my go-to, and the hand-pounded poi tastes fresh and real, nothing like the store-bought kind. The mountain backdrop makes the whole meal even better. Do not leave without trying the Sweet Lady of Waiahole. Warm kulolo with cold haupia ice cream is unreal.Simple setup, great food, and still feels like old Hawaii. ps. I didn't get the other Pic cause it was eaten.

Their ice cream was one of the highlights of our trip. We had the Haupia ice cream since sweet lady…read morewas sold out. It was unbelievably creamy, rich without being heavy, and packed with flavor in every bite. It's the kind of ice cream that makes you slow down and savor every spoonful, while already thinking about ordering a second scoop. FYI, there is a small parking lot behind and it was pretty easy to find a spot in the afternoon.

AMAZING poke nachos. like seriously so good and the woman that took our order was so sweet! i would…read morecome back everyday!! the mac salad are fire too!

You gotta try Kehau's Kitchen…read more We ordered the pua'a to da poke nachos with kamikaze poke and WOW, they did not disappoint. The wonton chips were not greasy and had the perfect crisp, the kalua pork was so juicy, and the ahi poke was so fresh! Auntie Gloria makes a mean haupia -- do NOT skip out on this! She told us that all the recipes are her own and that she puts love and aloha in all the food, and you can for real taste it and feel it from her in the restaurant. Pro tip: add chili pepper water to the kalua pork! Perfect balance of garlic, vinegar, and hint of spice. We even saw another customer come in to just buy 32 oz of chili peppa water Can't wait to try more!

I was never a huge fan of Spam and always thought musubi tasted pretty much the same- turns out I…read morejust hadn't had local Hawaiian musubi before. These were incredibly flavorful and so delicious! We ordered four different musubi, which came out to about $13. There are plenty of options on the menu, so it was hard to choose. The Spam had a sweet-savory teriyaki marinade that was unlike any Spam I'd had before. Don't let the simple appearance fool you- each musubi is packed with flavor, and I think the house marinade is what really sets them apart. Orders are made fresh and come out hot. They also sell bottles of their signature marinade inside the shop if you want to recreate the flavor at home. While you're there, it's worth browsing the store too- they have lots of cute Hawaiian souvenirs and gifts. A great spot to grab a quick, affordable snack on the go!

Good for a quick cheap bite. What I didn't prefer was the differences depending on location. I was…read moredisappointed at the one near Royal Hawaiian. The salmon, tuna, or chicken and mayo ones had barely any stuffing. Disappointed and felt cheated. I specifically asked the member at the register if the item was stuffed with the contents. Their answer, "yes." Nope - barely anything inside. If all you want is rice, seaweed wrap, and a dab of the meat on top. You're good to go. The issue was I had the same thing at other cafe's and was filled nicely.

My #1 spot on Oahu. I can't believe I've never written a review for this place but it's finally…read moretime. Everytime I visit, I always try to stop by 2-3 times, even on a short trip! The Spicy Shoyu Ahi is to die for but all their other selection is amazing. You really can't go wrong with any choice!

***4.5 stars***…read more Fresh delicious poke. Pay by weight. We ordered 2 bowls with spicy ahi, wasabi ahi, spicy salmon, and salmon poke. Our favorites were the spicy salmon and salmon poke. Very flavorful, saucy, and tender. Service is extremely friendly. More of a grab-and-go shop. Would come back!

The smoked salmon belly is fire as hell, service was great and the wait was very short.read more

The butterfish was a revelation. A buddy recommend I try the food here, and I was blown away by how…read moregood cooked fish could be. I personally prefer raw fish to cooked fish, but it might just be the quality of the fish I grew up eating. I saw that the butterfish was recommended, and I was consequently blown away. Fish is famously fatty/oily, but butterfish lives up to its name. Sweet, savory, fatty -- all good things. The guava slushy was tasty, but I drank through mine way too quickly. I would have gotten a refill, but I am balling on a budget. There's plenty of seating inside and outside. The food was filling, and perhaps extra satisfying knowing that the restaurant uses invasive strawberry guava wood for their smoking their meat (hence the name of the restaurant). The guys working here were extra kind, and gave me free fried rice for to-go.