4 Must-Visit Drive-In Restaurants in Hawaii

Close-up of a milkshake, drink & burger served at Waikiki Resort Hotel

America's first drive-in restaurant opened in 1921 in Dallas, Texas. Today, old-fashioned drive-in restaurants are sprinkled all across America—including in the Aloha State! In fact, some of the best Hawaii drive-in restaurants can be found on Oahu, letting you enjoy the finest local cuisine with a touch of old-school nostalgia.

 

1. Leeward Drive Inn

  • Address: 94-209 Pupukahi St., Waipahu, HI 96797 (a short 30-minute drive west from the centrally located Waikiki Resort Hotel)
  • Why it's a must-visit restaurant: The historic Honolulu magazine conducts the annual Hale 'Aina Awards—the state's most coveted restaurant award designation—calls this drive-in restaurant a "plate lunch icon" and recently raved about how "one of the oldest restaurants in leeward O‘ahu" has a new "generation of owners who have added their own Korean influence to the menu."
  • What to get on this Hawaiian drive-in menu: The magazine's critics say Leeward Drive Inn is best known for its fried saimin, but there are many other must-try dishes. Don't miss the Ultimate Mix Plate, piled high with Korean kalbi (spareribs) and other juicy cuts of meat. Or, for a taste of Native Hawaiian cuisine, get a lau lau or kalua pig plate lunch.

 

2. Rainbow Drive-In

  • Address: 3308 Kanaina Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815 (a short 4-minute car drive or 5-minute Biki bike ride away from the Waikiki Resort Hotel)
  • Why it's a must-visit restaurant: You'll see this local favorite featured in popular TV shows like Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum PI, and it was rated as the area's best diner by the food critics at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
  • What to get on this Hawaiian drive-in menu: One of the drive-in's bestsellers is its loco moco, which features two juicy hamburger patties on a bed of rice and smothered in eggs and house-made special gravy. For something a bit lighter, try the fresh-caught mahi mahi sandwich, and don't forget to ask them what their daily special is for the day.

 

3. Mike's Huli Huli Chicken

  • Address: This food truck is typically located on Oahu's famous north shore, but during the lunch hour on the weekends, it sets up as a drive-in style food truck in the parking lot of Radford High School (4361 Salt Lake Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96818)
  • Why it's a must-visit restaurant: On the Food Network's TV show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, celebrity chef Guy Fieri named Mike's Huli Huli Chicken as one of Hawaii's best restaurants
  • What to get on this Hawaiian drive-in menu: You simply can't go wrong with their namesake huli huli chicken prepared Hawaiian-style over a hot mesquite fire for nearly an hour after being well-marinated in housemade seasonings. Fieri raved that this drive-in meal is "the crispiest chicken that anybody will ever try that's not been fried."

 

4. St. Louis Drive-In

  • Address: 3145 Waialae Ave., Honolulu, HI 96816
  • Why it's a must-visit restaurant: The food critics at HI Now declared this drive-in's options as "amazing Hawaii comfort food," while Honolulu magazine named it one of the top five restaurants to "satisfy your craving for an old-school burger on Oahu" 
  • What to get on this Hawaiian drive-in menu: This drive-in's burger specials are unbeatable, but it's its extensive seafood menu—featuring a rotating array of fresh-caught fish, like ahi and mahi mahi—that sets it apart. It's also popular for its breakfast options, such as Hawaiian sweet bread French toast.

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All four of Oahu's best Hawaiian drive-in restaurants are moments away from the conveniently located Waikiki Resort Hotel, nestled right amidst the action of the Waikiki Strip. And while Hawaii drive-in movies aren't readily available in the Aloha State, our hotel is just steps from the seasonal Sunset on the Beach (a summer event where outdoor movies are played on a giant screen erected on Waikiki Beach). Book your stay at the Waikiki Resort Hotel online or call us at 1-800-367-5116 to see why our location, friendly staff, convenience, and amenities give us top ratings among our guests.