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    Sandy's Drive In

    3.7 (71 reviews)
    InexpensiveHawaiian
    Closed 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Sandy's Drive In Photos

    Business Info

    SANDY'S DRIVE IN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Inside
    Toma C.

    We came here in a recommendation that the donuts are better than Leonard's (not so but still yummy for this island). The place is run down like in the country but the donuts were yummy hot and delicious. They were 60 cents each. We order two but we got three that was nice of them or maybe the pricing is 3 I don't know for sure.

    Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs plate lunch special
    Chun M.

    For an inexpensive plate lunch, Sandy's is a pretty good choice off the Mamalahoa highway south. We went with the 2 specials of the day, the beef stew & the sweet & sour pork ribs. Both come with chunks of vegetables and scoops of white rice & potato-mac salad. My son went with the Bento Box lunch with Teriyaki Beef, Chicken Wings & a Fried Ahi Filet over rice. It was a pretty quiet lunch with not a spoken word as we stuffed our faces. And what evil genius created the Bulgogi Fries?! It's an unholy union like a Reese's peanut butter cup or Penn & Teller. Start with nothing-to-write-home-about crinkle-cut french fries, but then jazz it up with pieces of beef bulgogi drizzled with spicy mayonnaise and scallions. It's diabolical, I tell ya!! It could be a meal unto itself or a means to take over the world!

    Sandy's Drive In sign............
    Fran C.

    On the road again........and this time my adventures find me in the Kailua-Kona & Kealakekua area today. I was hoping to drop by at one of my favorite restaurants (Sam Choys) in the Keauhou shopping center for lunch today, but sometimes things don't go the way you wish, so you just gotta go wid' da flow..........sigh. So I ended up just hangin' around in the Kealakekua area. It was 12:30 PM already, and I hadn't had anything to eat since I got up at 4:30 AM. Thank goodness for the free coffee in the Hawaiian Airlines lounge, otherwise I guess I would just be eating air! I was so hungry, yet I was kinda disappointed because I knew I couldn't make it to Sams. So driving around in the Kealakekua area, and I found myself at Sandy's Drive In. Sandy's is a local style plate lunch place. They have a very small menu, and I noticed a lot of the items were of the "fried" nature. Hey man...........if you're looking for something healthy, then don't bother to step into this place, cuz when you throw down a "fried" plate lunch of something........you know you'll be pickin' up some calories! I don't know about you folks, but when you are so hungry..........when you finally get to eat, normally no matter how crappy the food is, it taste GREAT!!!! But in my case............it was kinda bleh! :( For my lunch today, I ordered a two item combo plate ($9.32 with tax), and my two item combo plate consisted of the following item - 1. Fried Chicken 2. Teri Beef 3. Brown Rice 4. Toss Salad. Yes, they serve regular white rice, but I like brown rice. And yes, they do serve mac salad, but you know me..........I just hate mayonnaise, so toss salad is a given for me. About the grub..........well, the fried chicken was little wing & drumettes. The fried chicken was very dry & over cooked, meat was kinda on the hard side, and it was kinda bland tasting. But of course since they are serving little wings & drumettes, I guess it could be easily over cooked. The teri beef was just okay.........but I've tasted way better marinades, and softer meat. This is a small mom & pop local plate lunch kinda place, so you walk in and order, then find a place to sit. They call you when your food is ready, then you pick it up, and sit down. There is no wait service here............ What I did find interesting about this place, was that they served some very unique items on their small menu. A few items I found interesting was the - 1. Bulgogi Fries 2. Luau Fries 3. Orange Whip 4. Lilikoi Soda Well, maybe I just picked the wrong items to eat today.........maybe if there's a next time for this place, I will pick a few items that is more suitable to my taste? Lots of free parking in the private parking lot, but the lot is shared with other businesses.

    Menu
    Sam N.

    Classic drive in style diner for 53 years, friendly and efficient staff. Cheap good food, a few vegetarian options. Plenty local Hawaiian favorites for savory dishes as well. Popular on the menu is the orange whip and fresh donuts. They also offer other sweets, maki sushi, sweet potato tempura. Next to a laundromat for those who want to eat while they do laundry.

    Breakfast plates of Scrambled Eggs, Portuguese Sausage and Rice.
    Dawn S.

    Sandy's Drive-In is my favorite place to eat while visiting the Big Island. The Luau fries are SO ONO! (I always crave them when I'm back on the mainland.) I took my husband there for his first time and we ordered eggs, spam, Portuguese sausage and rice for breakfast and he loved it! We could easily eat breakfast, lunch AND dinner there! The staff is friendly and helpful. The cooks know how to make all of their dishes the right way, the ONO way! The atmosphere is casual, clean and has a very local feel to it. Food is served on styrofoam plates, with plastic ware, drinks in plastic cups. We appreciate the way things are simple at Sandy's and their prices are extremely reasonable.

    Definitely try the specials.

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    1 year ago

    I love their nishime and bulgogi fries! Only I wish that the nishime was on their daily menu. Sadly, it's a special.

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    Bulgogi fries are delicious! Friendly staff. Prices are reasonable. It feels as if you have stepped back into time love the ambiance.

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    You may not get the best service here but the food is good. Nostalgic local comfort food. Their macaroni salad is soooo ono.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Sandy's Drive In Reviews in Other Languages

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    Reel Aloha Poke and Fish Co

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    Sandy's Drive In - hawaiian - Updated June 2026

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