This spot is a great spot after a long day at the beach and you're looking for a hearty meal. A local staple, this spot has been open for over 60 years and for a good reason. They have a wide selection of Hawaiian favorites and change out specific items depending on the day of the week. Service here is really quick and you'll get your food within 5 minutes. I came here one evening and got the loco moco and mix plate, and it was exactly what I craved after a long day at the beach. The portions were huge and they were generous with their gravy and sauces. The only thing I would note though is that (and maybe it's because I went towards their closing time but,) the meat was on the drier side and seemed to have been left out for a while. I feel like the meal would have been a lot better had the meat been more tender, juicy, and fresh but for what it was (and the price), I can see why it's a must go for tourists! read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Mix Plate & Loco Moco - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

They have gone downhill. The burgers in the loco moco seem to be the cheapest they could get, and the gravy seems from a can or a bag. It seems like they get their food from Sysco food distributers. No where close to what they used to be. Been frequenting here from '99 but not for a few years. If they go back to what they used to be I'd be thrilled. read more

My boyfriend and I were in the area and the restaurant we wanted to try out was fully booked, so we figured we could stop by Rainbow Drive In for dinner. The menu looked appetizing and I wanted some comfort food, so we ordered at around 4:30. There was plenty of seating, but there were a decent amount of people as well. Our food came out fairly quick. He ordered the mix plate with a side of gravy, and I ordered their Thursday special, chopped steak with veggies. I wasn't really happy with my dish. I was hoping to try something else, but it wasn't available on Thursdays so I opted for this instead. The beef had a weird texture and the taste wasn't anything special. My boyfriend's plate also wasn't anything great. The meat was tasteless and the gravy had an odd flavor as well. Maybe we ordered the wrong things or the kind of food just wasn't our taste. It seems like a popular local spot though, so I wouldn't stop anyone from trying it. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Mix Plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Strolling around town and ended up here at our classic place for some ONOLICIOUS plate lunch. Loco Moco with over easy eggs and Boneless Chicken with gravy, served with white rice and Mac Salad and Raspberry Ice Tea. Always so busy but always so friendly. Aloha and Mahalo Rainbow Drive-In. read more

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Home style Hawaiian local food. Always hits. Fair prices. Miss it already. Quick and reliable always. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Loco moco and MIX PLATE - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We were waited in quickly and got our food quickly too. Plenty of seating to sit outside. The food was delicious and hot! It's our first time being there so we got the mixed plate with gravy, tater tots and a cheeseburger. read more

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We came on a Wednesday morning for brunch after hiking Diamond Head. Parking is limited but it wasn't too bad when we want. There were two seating areas to pick from, so we decided to eat there. Mix Plate (4/5): The flavor of the BBQ Beef was good, the Boneless Chicken was juicy, but I found the Mahi Mahi a bit tough to eat. We got the side of gravy - there's not much flavor to it but it does make a world of a difference with moistening the drier pieces. Shoyu Chicken (5/5): I loved that the meat just falls right off the bones. The meat drenched in the shoyu juices was delicious. Shrimp Tempura Plate (3/5): The shrimps were juicy and were lightly breaded, but we didn't find this super impressive. Slush Float (5/5): I believe this was a fruit punch slushie with a scoop of ice cream on top. I loooove Mac Salad so I was definitely munching on that to my heart's content. Overall, the food is solid, great value for the price, and I hope to come back to try other dishes on the menu. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I was mixed on this one because the reviews are all over the place, so we we tried it. Unfortunately this was the worst loco moco in the world. The mac salad almost made me blow chunks. I can't speak on the other menu items but can hole heartedly send caution on the logo moco. read more

Tourist trap. Only went just to say I did. I knew what I was getting myself into They smothered all their food in the gravy to where you're eating gravy with food. The gravy itself is nothing special The pros are that the food came out in less than 10min and probably the cheapest lunch plates on the island Bunch of seating outside if you planned to eat there and the whole vibe of the place was the best thing about it read more

Rainbow Drive-In - LOCO MOCO PLATE - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The loco moco wasn't great. But the bbq pork plate was really good. The mac salad not great. The prices are low which is a added bonus.

It was quick and delicious. The servers the window works real hard. Watch out for the screaming of names while you're ordering tho. Our fav was the shoyu chicken. Perfect runny eggs The gravy was everything! Way too generous with the rice. Next time I'd love to try the mix and combo. read more

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I stopped by Rainbow Drive-In for a late dinner and picked up a loco moco plate and a boneless chicken plate. After ordering at the window, our food was ready in about 3-minutes. So fast! We drove about 10 minutes to our hotel and the food was still piping hot when we took the paper plate out of the white take-out box. Of the two entrees, the BBQ chicken plate was the clear winner. Though the breading on the chicken was soggy, it did a great job soaking up the gravy smothered over the plate. The chicken was juicy and tender. The loco moco on the other hand, had a terrible hamburger patty. It was honestly worst than a stale patty from McDonalds: thin and incredibly overcooked. Not something I would order again -- not by a long shot. I can see the appeal of Rainbow Drive-In, but if you're looking for the absolute best of the best for Hawaiian classics, this is not the place to go. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Loco Moco Plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Even tho the food is hit or miss this is a staple and must go to when you go to Honolulu. Great cheap eats and super fun place to visit Your trip to Hawaii has to include this iconic place read more

Quality here has definitely gone down over the years all while the prices have gone up. Ordered the mixed plate and it seemed like I got a lot more just a few years ago . There are a couple lines to order and you sit there and wait for your food. It comes out in roughly about 5 to 10 minutes. Pack up everything to go because you're not going to eat everything but in my case I was super hungry so I scarfed the entire plate down in about 10 minutes ! The parking lot is super small so you are better off maybe parking on the street or nearby especially if it gets super busy . There are plenty of seats to eat, but most people just take everything to go . It is outdoor eating on benches. Also word to people who like their food a little on the salty side, bring your own salt and seasonings read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Mixed plate - Chicken, beef, fish filet - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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One of the best breakfast spot in the island. The ambiance was so relaxing . The place and location is easy to find. Food and drinks were top of the line . Will come back again for sure read more

Huge shoutout to Rainbow for having vegan plate of some of the best plant based chicken I've tasted. I love fast casual spots more than anything and was so excited to try this place with my non veggie friends. Everything we tried, including the cheeseburger and chicken sandwich were fantastic. I came back twice on my recent trip Tip: Order online. The line is long and gets hectic at rush times read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Plant based chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Fun place Very quick service Food was great Outside seating very comfortable and under cover Cheap food for Hawaii read more

Initially I didn't want to try this place on my Hawaii bucket list just because I heard the food wasn't that good and it was also hella over hyped. I'm very glad I changed my mind about this place! I went with 2 of my buddies and we all agreed to split the mix plate since we had reservations for Ramen Ono-Ya in 2 hours. For the price, quantity, quality and quick service I would definitely come back. Is it the best kind of food? No, but it definitely hit the spot after a long night of clubbing. Make sure y'all get the gravy and pour that sh*t all over your plate or use it as a dipping sauce for your meats! read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Big fan of Rainbow drive-in and have been for years. The Rainbow slush is my weakness so refreshing, especially after a hot day at the beach. For the price, the food is a great deal. Boneless chicken and gravy is my favorite item on the menu and comes with rice and mac salad and big enough to share if you wish. Service is always really good and food usually comes pretty quick. I usually get my orders to go but last night, I just ate at one of the tables. Sufficient parking but weekends and Friday you might have to wait a bit. Historic eatery and a must visit if in the Waikiki area. Forever a fan! read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Dinner - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Before leaving Hawaii, we stopped by Rainbow Drive-In to try their loco moco plates and it was soo good! The service was fast, and we were able to eat it quick before getting to the airport. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - LOCO MOCO PLATE* - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Please bring back the old Mac. I've been eating there back when aunty Pam was there and it's lost its taste. When you would eat and all the good memories hit. Ate there today and the Mac was sour. Shoyu chicken was aight. But the Mac is what pulled everything together. In Hawaii the mac is what brings people back. read more

Just as good as I had it 15+ years ago. I was first introduced to this by a coworker that grew up in Oahu. He said it is every local's favorite spot. Your no frills, really affordable, Hawaiian comfort food. Outdoor bench / picnic table seating. For those with bird phobia... there are TONS of birds just grazing & waiting for you to drop some rice. There were a few literally perched on the edge of the table waiting for you to look away so they can quickly snatch some off your plate! Aggressive & definitely not scared of people! Lol. Anyways, about the food... ordered a Mix Plate (2 scoops of white rice, mac salad, bbq beef, boneless chicken, & breaded mahi mahi for $13.50) add a side of gravy ($1.50) - huge portions. Shared this with the hubs and we were both stuffed. Mahi Mahi plate was good. The Loco Moco is the winner here ($11.75) for a generous serving. Their vanilla soft serve also hits the spot after a long day at the beach. Best bang for your buck! Highly suggest getting a drink, purchase a water bottle or bring your own... the iced water they serve just tastes a little bit different. Haha. Otherwise, great food. read more

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Rainbow Drive-In was my first meal during a visit to Oahu and it was the quintessential plate lunch to start my Hawaiian vacation. I went for the Mix Plate to try a bit of everything. It comes with Chicken, BBQ Beef, and Mahi Mahi. The Mahi Mahi was my favorite. Definitely get the side of gravy as well! Ordering is a quick process. You order and pick-up from the same window. The food came out fairly quickly and it was fresh. We went during the lunch rush. I waited in line maybe 10 mins, another 5-10 mins for the food. There's not many tables outside but a lot of people were taking their food to go so we found a table pretty easily. All in all: Good experience and would come back. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Mix Plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I've been coming to Rainbows my entire life and pretty much always order the beef cutlet. This was such a major let down. Besides the portion being manini, I don't even think the cutlet was fried after it was breaded! It was literally just crumbling off with the fork. Needless to say, I ended up just eating a $15 plate of rice and gravy. read more

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Cute iconic restaurant of Oahu. My wife and I came here after a lovely day hiking Diamond Head trail. We got lucky with parking and ordered the Mix plate with $1.75 extra Gravy, Rice and Mac Salad. The gravy is TOTALLY worth getting. Imo it taste a little better than Jollibee's gravy and you dunk everything in it. Macaroni salad was really good. The Mahi was dry, bbq beef was tender and thin, and the chicken was crusted well and juicy. Overall, it's a good greasy spoon style of restaurant you'll want to visit for a bite. Service is really quick and there's additional seating in the back. Watch out for here little birds. They might bother you for some rice read more

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The food here is really good. The service is so slow here. We waited over 10 to 15 mins just to order. It used to be so fast and so efficient. I don't like the ambiance because there's too many birds all over the place. read more

Came back again second time. STILL DELICIOUS. NO FRILLS. The portions are huge. You leave with a FULL STOMACH. You order and you eat. A classic Oahu eatery that leaves you just satisfied. If you want great cheap eats, comfort Hawaiian food. This is your place. The loco mocos are always a delight and the pork cutlet is AMAZING. Love love this place! read more

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Today we experienced Rainbow Drive-In for the first time. This is a walk up window with outdoor seating only. This feels like a local vintage drive in type restaurant that retains that vintage charm. We ordered a double cheeseburger and a chili Dog with cheese and we each ordered small macaroni salad as our sides and two large cokes. Our total bill was just over $31. The Double Cheeseburger was just ok, not something I would order again nor would I recommend. It just tastes like low quality beef. The Hot Dog with chili and cheese was pretty tasty. The Macaroni Salad is quite creamy and tastes like it's made with real mayonnaise only. This wasn't our favorite as we enjoyed it more at Zippys. This is a charming local place that we are glad we experienced and will likely return to as they have a large menu that we would like to taste some other offerings. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Double Cheeseburger, Chili Dod with cheese and small cup of macaroni salad - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Sorry, Rainbow Drive-In, the most I can push this review to is a full 2 stars, and that was simply because the prices are damn sure hard to beat and the service we received at the take-out window was lovely, especially being that it was prime dinner time on a Sunday night. The cashier was very patient with each customer who approached her window, and that's always worthy of extra points in my book. Idk if it's cuz I grew up on the westside, or if the food is actually THAT FLAT, but I have been trying so hard to give this place chance after chance, only to be hit with the same level of disappointment. In my opinion, the food always lacks SALT/seasonings/flavor!! The pictures don't do it justice because in most cases, the picture looks tasty, but the food just is bland and kinda boring. I've been back many times, even if my son keeps reminding me that we get better food elsewhere. Idk.. it's just an itch that needs to be scratched here n there... but ugh! I just can't win with this place. Big boo. :( Tonight, we ordered the BBQ cheeseburger, BBQ beef burger (teri beef style), loco moco, fried saimin special with BBQ beef, fries, a slush and a slush float. You have no idea how much I was hoping things had gotten better since my last few experiences. But... all I can say is the slush float was delicious, perfect dessert for any time of the day, the BBQ beef burger was the only thing that actually tasted seasoned, the fried saimin plate - HARD PASS - that tasted like 711 microwaved noodles, not to be mean, but just being honest. Loco Moco gravy was tasteless and probably not made from scratch and the rice in both plates was kinda hard like they didn't cook it with enough water. All in all, if you like Rainbows or live in the Kapahulu area, you'll think my review is whack lol and that's fine!! But if you like plate lunches that are full of interesting flavors and seasonings, this place might not be for you. Definitely go try it for yourself though! Good luck :) read more

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I was overhyped by this place from all the reviews. It's a must visit if you are in the area but I would not saying the food was "great", so a 4 star "good" would have to do. The portions was large but not overstuffed like the Hawaiian boxed meals I'm used to in SoCal. Each plate are more than enough to fill up an adult and prices were very affordable in a touristy area. The grilled meats was what really stood out, though not as charred as I like the beef was full of flavor that is often lacking. I really liked the fried fish fillet. The Loco Moco wasn't anything too special, I did thing the gravy was a little on the bland side. read more

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Had to stop by rainbow drive in to eat some authentic Hawaiian plates. We ordered the loco moco and mix plate, both were so good and hearty. I added hot sauce to the loco moco and it helped enhance the flavor of the dish read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Mixed plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The gravy for the pork tastes like fish. There's no flavoring any of the food including the mix plate. Macaroni salad was creamy with mayonnaise, no flavor and too runny. Even the Coke tastes like more syrup with little carbonation. We through it away. read more

My bf and I must have rainbow whenever we're in town. The pork sandwiches are my favorite. The Teri burger is good too. Must stop after a day at the beach or just a quick bite. read more

I think this is one of the best fast food restaurants I've tried during my visit. I ordered the loco mofo plate. The food was delicious, and the best loco moco in the area. Plates are nice and big as well. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - LOCO MOCO PLATE* - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We went because this drive-in was on Diners Drive-ins and Dives. Guy had the Loco Moco. My daughter said she can get better backhome in Long Beach. I had the kulua pork with cabbage. It was good but nothing to write home about. There were outside tables like any drive-in. We were all underwhelmed with the food. read more

Stopped by for snacks and it became our dinner. Got the fish plate which mom enjoyed. And most of us had chilli dishes. I got tator tots with chilli yums. Sis got the chilli bowl. Bil got the hotdog? I really that rice and mac after fluttering around in the water :) read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Rj was here haha - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is the first place I went to after arriving in Oahu Hawaii. It is the coolest, 1950's looking, car drive in eatery. From the sign down to the seating area will take you back in time. You order your food at the walk up window and then go find a table. They do have restrooms which is nice. There are chickens and birds all around that they say don't feed. They also have a little area with some pretty cool merchandise like shirts and hats. They even have a flat penny souvenir machine which I love to do wherever I go visit new places. I got the big plate with rice, macaroni, salad and three different types of meat and they suggested with gravy on top which made it extra tasty. This is one of the hole in the wall places that have original Hawaiian food that you can't go wrong with. It was a really nice experience and I would definitely come back. read more

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I ordered a loco moco online for takeout There wasn't very much gravy and the hamburger patty didn't really taste like it was very good quality. It had a really weird texture. The noodles in the mac and cheese were overcooked and the mayo almost had a whipped consistency. Of course, this was my first time eating here so I can't say that the food was bad. I can only say that the dish that I chose wasn't very good. read more

Plentiful down home hawaiian cooking. Delicious breakfast. tons of food. quick eats friendly service. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - LOCO MOCO PLATE* - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Haven't had Rainbow's in year's, probably almost a decade since I've been vegetarian that long, but the father-in-law wanted to stop by for lunch. It was his birthday, so shoots. I'm going to skip the usual logistics. If you know, you know, and if you don't, other reviews have it covered. Instead, the reason for this review is the karaage "chicken." I expected to eat at home today but was glad to see this special on the menu, and let me tell you, it bangs. Reminds me of the vegan karaage I had in Tokyo. Perfectly crisp and the right amount. Personally, I subbed the sauce (kind of mayo-ketchup), for the teri barbecue. Would get it every time. In fact, told my wife and we'll be back soon. Hopefully they start to offer more veggie and vegan fare. Thanks, Rainbow's! read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Vegetarian karaage "chicken" - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii