Food is hot and tasty, Not like some fast food, that cannot even give you hot rice. Everyone is friendly and treats as a paying customer. read more

Having done errands in town in the morning, there is always t question where can we dine-in for takeout for lunch as we head home in HI Kai. Many times, we have no idea to go or not in the mood for certain restaurants. Then as we are at the end of the freeway on Kalani Hwy, there is one takeout restaurant that we will end up at Aina Haina Shopping Center - BBQ Town Drive Inn. Opened in the early 2000's, BBQ Town Drive Inn is a popular casual restaurant known for its delicious and flavorful hearty plate lunches of local comfort food at reasonable prices. Its menu is extensive and includes the following: * Plate lunches: bbq/fried/lemon chicken, katsu, hamburger steak, beef curry/stew, sweet sour spareribs, teriyaki pork/steak, grilled/breaded pork chops, shrimp curry, kalbi, fried fish/shrimp, veal, loco moco. * Combo (mixed) plates: bbq, seafood, bentos. * Sandwiches: burgers (hamburger, fish, bbq, teri beef, bbq chicken, shrimp).sai * Sides: saimin, mac salad, French fries. * Party packs: meat/seafood (no rice). * Special of the Day: daily combo of 2 entrees. * Specialty: steamed fish filet, spring rolls, cold ginger chicken, garlic shrimp, breakfast plate. Popular items include its BBQ mixed plate (beef, chicken, katsu); chicken katsu, lemon chicken; loco moco; garlic shrimp; teri beef burgers; double cheeseburgers; and specials of the day. The plate lunches come with mac salad and rice. Some of my favorites include: * Chicken katsu & teri beef. This is a nice contrasting special of the day that is very delicious! * BBQ chicken sandwich. Served with lettuce and mayo, this is my favorite sandwich which doubles as a snack or light lunch. Nicely marinated with a subtle ginger taste, the plump chicken makes a delicious sandwich! * Lemon chicken & bbq chicken. A special of the day combo, this is my favorite with two contrasting chicken prep, and both are very flavorful! The sauce for the lemon chicken is tasty and slightly thick. * BBQ burger/cheeseburger. The flavorful burgers are handmade, and portions are generous! The double burgers are popular. As BBQ Town Inn Drive In is owned by a Chinese family, a few of the menu items reflects its Chinese heritage, e.g., spring rolls, cold ginger chicken, and ginger in the BBQ chicken marinade. All menu items are made to order, so it's best to call in your order to minimize any wait time. There is minimal staff of two people: a friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating lady who takes your order and payment, and then gets your order from the kitchen; and the cook who is making your order in the kitchen. Service is efficient and fast. While the small restaurant interior is clean, there is no ambiance, as there are just a few tables for dining-in, with most orders for take-out. There is an old-school feel, as wall menus are all handwritten. Hours of operation are from Mon to Sat 10:30a to 8:30p, Sun closed. Free parking is available and shared with other businesses in the shopping center As the restaurant is located in the Aina Haina residential neighborhood, it has garnered a loyal customer base in the community. The restaurant has supported and participated in local community events. The restaurant is also popular with local construction workers seeking a fast lunch. While we were doing some renovations to our home, I would call in for takeout plate lunches for our workers, and they enjoyed the lunch plates from here. With its generous portions of delicious local comfort foods at reasonable prices and efficient customer service, BBQ Town Drive Inn is always a convenient excuse for me to stop by on my way home for takeout! Support local! read more

02/20/25 Had the teribeef sandwich... adequate about if meat, nice taste but again, gristle . If they cut out the gristle the sandwiches would be quite good. A bit messy as the meat kept sliding in the mayo but the bun was nice and soft read more

We've. Coming here for a number of years since it is in our neighborhood. The food is always solid, nothing fancy but good typical plate lunches. We like the garlic bbq chicken, bbq mixed and the fried chicken wings; the steamed fish Chinese style with a delicious ginger and green onions sauce is our all time favorite. They also have a daily special with two items for like $13, a very good deal. There are lots of free parking in the shopping center, but it gets very busy in the weekends. The service is typical Chinese run establishments, no frill, no pleasantries, quick and to the point, but not rude. They close on Sundays. It is better to call in your orders first, because they get a lot of phone orders and everything is cooked to order. read more

BBQ Town is certainly our work crew's top 5 lunch places in the Aina Haina Shopping Center. Reasonably priced and delicious local faves is the name of the game. You know the lunch game is strong when the construction workers and contractors are the main clientele! Loco mocos, beef stew, and cheeseburger deluxe with fries are our go-tos. I order the large fries and it's enough to share with my front off team and medical director. Fountain drinks are available, but limited and not self-serve. You can call in the order or walk in. Cash, credit cards, and Apple Pay accepted. Restaurant is fronting the parking lot- beware of bad drivers... this shopping center is known for folks backing up and not realizing they hit something, then driving away! read more

You cannot beat their cheeseburger and fries. For just under ten dollars, it's a steal, really. The small fries are still way larger than most fast food joints, and they are SO yummy! Crispy and always hot! The cheeseburger is also honestly exactly what you want in a cheeseburger--good patty, good flavor, and honestly just a good burger. I'm sure their plate lunches and other specials are probably solid too, but I just cannot deviate from their cheeseburger and fries. They make it to order, so if you're in a hurry, call your order in. Its saves a lot of time during their busy hours at lunch. The parking lot here gets crazy at times, so be patient with that. BBQ town has been around in Aina Haina shopping center since I can remember, so you know this place is good. A great quick lunch stop and quality local plate lunches. read more

Another great experience at BBQ Town! Service was friendly and fast. I enjoyed watching some regulars come in after me and the woman working the counter already having their order put in the register for payment and chit chat about their day. We got a couple Teri beef burgers, a mini plate of sweet and sour spare ribs, and an extra Mac salad. All very good but again the Teri beef burgers are just top notch. The prices are unbeatable and look forward to my next visit. The place itself is clean, has a few booths/tables to eat in, parking lot is huge as it's in a strip mall which is great. Unfortunately ate the food and forgot pictures this time but trust me it was delicious. The Mahalo trash lid is also my favorite! read more

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The lady working at the counter was very friendly. I ordered the Teri beef burger and the cheeseburger and fries and a drink. My total was about $25 but it was a nice break from fast food burgers and fries. The restaurant itself is pretty small and typical hole-in-the-wall vibes, but in Aina Haina Shopping Center. read more

Today I'm doing an updated review on this place for the service they provide. The Chinese lady was very rude when I asked her for the receive and told me next time you can do it yourself. What happen to customer service. Am I suppose to do your job lady? Sadly I might not go here again. I'd rather go somewhere else to get food. I notice she caters more and be more nicer to people that she thinks lives in this area aina haina. Well the thing she doesn't know I do live in aina haina. Too many times people judge people on their nationality but fail to realize that people marry other races. Very disappointed at the quality of service here. I don't recommend. read more

Believe it or not we have lived near Aina Haina for almost 30 years and have never tried BBQ Town until today. We were in the Aina Haina shopping ctr for other errands and felt like a plate lunch. I had recently heard good things so we tried it. And were pleasantly surprised! We ordered the teri beef & chicken katsu special and a mini hamburger steak. Hamburger steak is my go-to when trying out a plate lunch place (you can tell a lot by the hamburger steak). I liked it! It's all about the gravy and the gravy was yummy. The mac salad was tasty too! The hamburger could've been a little more tender but all-in-all I liked it. Thumbs up for the mixed plate too! And the prices were not bad. We will definitely add this place.to our plate lunch rotation. Check them out! read more

BBQ Town Drive Inn - Teriyaki beef and chicken katsu special - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I give it 5 stars for what it is - local plate lunch place that is tasty and still fairly reasonable. Chicken Katsu is the best. Extra sauce Garlic BBQ Chicken is my next favorite - this is different from the normal BBQ Chicken plate. Also tried regular BBQ Chicken, Cheeseburger, Fish and much more but these are my 2 go-to items. There's mini plates and regular plates. Normal comes with Rice and Mac Salad. You can do all rice. You can also request "green salad" which is really probably just the lettuce and tomato from their burger condiments - so don't expect a true salad with dressing or anything. But if you're watching carbs then it works. Call ahead because they can be a little slow sometimes or if they get too many orders at once. If you call ahead it's usually ready. They're not always the friendliest, but they're always respectful, responsive, and so you can't ask for much more than that for what you get. There's a few tables inside if you want to eat your food there, or you can go in the middle of the shopping strip and eat in the middle too. It's nothing fancy but works if you want to eat in air conditioning. No bathrooms inside the restaurant. I think there's some in the center area but not sure. read more

A local favorite. We called in our order on our way there. Food was ready on time. It's a small space with places to eat inside. They always give a good amount of food and is always delicious. Prices are better than most plate lunch places. Worth stopping by for some local BBQ. read more

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I been going to BBQ town for over 20 years now. I use to live in the Aina Haina area. But I still drop bye once a while. The quality of the food is good for the price. My favorite food is the chicken katsu plate. I like the loco moco two hamburger patties with two eggs, rice and mac salad. Every day they have a special of day combo. The breakfast plate is all day for about $8.00. The restaurant is in the Aina Haina shopping center. So lots of parking but lunch time is busy. read more

This place is definitely a hole-in-the-wall type spot. If you didn't look closely you would miss it, and it would be your loss. Very unassuming interior and there is a lot of choices that can make ordering challenging. However, this isn't a bad thing at all. Everything on the menu are typical local foods that could be seen at other similar restaurants. Today we chose the following: (1) BBQ Beef Burger (1) BBQ Chicken Burger (1) Large French Fries (1) MINI Lemon Chicken (1) Saimin without garnish/toppings (1) small fountain drink (1) Bottled Water total: $29.84 WHERE CAN YOU GET ALL THIS AND STILL BE UNDER $30?! My son has a lot of food aversions and this year he has to try new things to challenge himself. I am so happy we stumbled on this gem. Everything was so delicious, fresh and flavorful! BBQ Beef Burger was served with a squirt of mayo and fresh crispy lettuce. BBQ Chicken Sandwich was served with fresh crispy lettuce and a squirt of mayo. Saimin was ordered plain, so not sure what it was suppose to come with. Mini Lemon Chicken had (1) heaping scoop of rice and (1) scoop mac salad If you want a place that is delicious and won't break the bank this is the go-to spot!! Don't forget to leave a tip so great business like these stick around as long as they can to continue to support our community! read more

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Yummy bbq chicken plate lunch! Will definitely return. Lots of parking and reasonable prices.

Ordered the Party Pack #2 food tasted onolicious. 1st time eating food from here. I know some would like their meat or chicken burned with grill marks, not me. This place cooks their meat not burn it with the inside thoroughly cooked and juicy. My favorite place for barbecue. Will return and try the Chicken Katsu. read more

What feels like one of the very few drive inns on the east side, so extra points for that Chicken katsu - good, a little thin Cheese burger - not sure if this was cooked on a grill, but had no char. Also felt like it was steamed Fast, good portions, their Friday special is such a good deal (chicken katsu and bbq chicken), easy parking read more

It's so refreshing to have a local place like BBQ Town that is reasonably priced and does not try to extract every single penny from locals. What is more amazing is that the food is way better than other local places that get more attention. Pro tip: try their delux cheeseburger ... wow! read more

great place. good plate lunches with a good variety. not to long of a wait. garlic chicken is my favorite.

Where should we start? Came hungry, left annoyed. Asked the cashier for a recommendation--got a dirty look and a hand wave at the menu. Watched others get 5-star service while we were treated like an inconvenience. Food? Meh. Drinks? Tiny, with a $5 card minimum just to get a refill. Trash service + mediocre food = never again. Save your money--this place serves attitude, not hospitality. read more

They're going to start me on a chicken cutlet habit. Yummy, cost friendly, with HUGE portions.

Inflation has prices rising every where. Bbq chicken is still good! Here's an updated menu as of August 2025. read more

BBQ Town Drive Inn - *Updated prices as of August 2025 - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I noticed Barbecue Town Drive Inn in Aina Haina while hanging out on some weekends when I am not traveling. Sometimes I would just pass by but this time, sure why not. I've been here twice within the last 2 months, so I should file a review. With that said, my experience here at this establishment was a good typical one. Both times I was here to grab a late lunch or early dinner and was here after 2pm. Both times, the restaurant was empty with the lady at the counter watching passersby. Barbecue Town Drive Inn Aina Haina is basically your plate lunch specialty place for all your local Hawaii comfort food in East Oahu. It's a good spot between Hawaii Kai and Kahala Mall if you live in the area and don't want to drive too far for something fattening. But then again, comfort food is always there when you need it. For the most part though, my experiences here at the Barbecue Town Drive Inn in Aina Haina was quite calm and quiet. The wait time is usually within 10 minutes after your order, so it was good to have that instead of being here during the lunch or dinner rush. The lady at the counter was nice and friendly. Soft spoken for sure, but friendly nonetheless. The restaurant was small but can hold maybe up to 8 people dining at the same time. It is clean and definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. This place has your local favorites, so you might as well dig in. It's quite lovely that it's within driving distance from home. Or a bus ride from downtown Honolulu. However you get here, consider coming for the scenery of Aina Haina but stay for the food. Barbecue Town Drive Inn Aina Haina restaurant could be the hidden gem you are looking for in East Oahu. The overall experience here at the Barbecue Town Aina Haina Drive Inn was decent and really good. It was very quiet because there wasn't anybody in there when I arrived. It was basically order what I wanted. Wait 5 to 10 minutes and leave with my order. It was one of those uneventful times where it's just getting in, put in your order, and get out type of situations. Both times I manage to either sit inside the restaurant while the order is being processed or just walked around outside the shopping center for a few minutes before returning to see if the food order has been finished. You don't need to wait around inside the restaurant like Subway and watch it being made. This space is basically like your local plate lunch place in the heart of Aina Haina. The lady at the counter didn't really talk much, but that's okay really. Just get in and out. The menu is basically typical with most of what you want. Beef, chicken, and seafood to really whet your appetite on any given day. For the most part though, it was an average experience. The prices are pretty tamed and probably would go again if I'm in the area. For myself though, I usually head to Starbucks to grab a drink to to have with my meal. The ambiance at Starbucks is more pleasurable there than here at the Barbecue Town Aina Haina restaurant. Just seems like it's standing room only, even though they have a few tables for anyone and everyone to sit and dine in. The food is delicious but decidedly okay. Might be the hidden gem in the area that you may love. For me, I would go if I'm in the area. Most of the times, I'm not. Barbecue Town Drive Inn Aina Haina restaurant is located physically at the Aina Haina Shopping center. It's located at 820-850 W Hind Drive, hugging Kalanianaole Highway. Can't miss really. They accept major credit cards as well as cash. The shopping center itself has a generous amount of parking available To anyone who wishes to park here. As for myself though, bus routes 1, 1L, and 23 comes thru the area and stops off at either W Hind Drive or along Kalanianaole Hwy. However you get here is a good way to get here. While there's not much of hidden gems here since you can get Hawaii's local cuisine just about anywhere on the island, you can be sure that you can get quality and deliciousness with a friendly smile here. While my experiences here were brief, you can rest assured that it was a pleasant and easy experience. The prices are generally on par with the rest of the similar businesses on the island. Best bet would be to come here early enough to grab the prime parking spot before the lunch or dinner rush. Deliciousness at your finger tips. Come on by, they'll be glad to see you. 4.0 stars for the overall experience. 3.5 stars for the prices and 4.0 stars for the service. Support local! B read more

Still affordable. Still yummy. I appreciate BBQ Town for not jacking up its prices and keeping the food the same. My go to is the Teri Beef. Menu is big, so there are a lot of choices. Go here if you want to eat good tasting food. Don't come if you are a health nut lol. Food takes longer to come out because they only make it after you order it, which is a good thing. It's not a fancy atmosphere, but awesome for a meal. I've simple local meal. I've been coming here less because I'm trying to eat healthier, but a good burger every now and then hits the spot. read more

Food is tasty and made to order. Steamed Fresh fish fillets is my favorite. Combos are a good value.

Tasty food at a good price. Convenient location and usually able to find parking. Daily specials also available.

Cheeseburger and fries was delicious after a long day of snorkeling at nearby Hanauma Bay. Chicken katsu was also fantastic and big enough for 2. read more

After seeing my Yelp buddy - Lori I's great review about "BBQ Town Drive Inn", I'll be totally honest with you to say that I was a bit skeptical about her statement of - "best chicken katsu plate lunch"! I should have known better to second guess Lori I., as she is one of the foremost connoisseur of Frrrrrrried Chicken, as well as Chicken Katsu!!! Lol! The verdict???? BING! BING! BING! Da chicken katsu plate lunch @ BBQ Town Drive Inn was bomb @ss good!!!!! Good enough for an easy 5 stars on Yelp!!!!! Located at the Aina Haina Shopping center, you can find BBQ Town Drive Inn just next door from Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha, or next door from the Territorial Savings Bank. A small little diner, serving up great local style comfort food. A few things I LOVED about this business - 1. It was a small locally-owned business. 2. During these tough economic times due to high inflation, it is refreshing to see that this locally-owned business tries to keep their plate lunch prices in check. The plate lunch prices were very reasonable! 3. The food portions at BBQ Town Drive Inn are pretty generous. If you're a BIG EATER, then you've hit paydirt by coming here! 4. Fast & Friendly service. The lady clerk who took my order was nice, and my Chicken Katsu plate came out in a timely fashion. 5. Easy access - since this diner is located in a major mall, there is plenty of parking at the Aina Haina Shopping center. 6. Last of all, if you're a big fan of Chicken Katsu, then you must try BBQ Town Drive Inn's version of their chicken katsu, as their chicken meat was plump & juicy. It was fried to perfection, and the portions were more than enough for a fat guy like me! Lol! Jonsing Chicken Katsu? Give BBQ Town Drive Inn a try! Don't thank Bruddah Fran for da tip, you gotta give all da props to Lori I.! read more

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The teri chicken sandwich is my favorite. Moist and flavorful. The service is great and they are so polite and friendly.

Can't believe I've walked past the only decent lunch in Aina Haina shopping center for almost two years without ONCE stopping in to try it. Its a pretty unassuming, plain interior. Faded photos and handwritten signs, but clean and well-kept. Menu has a pretty broad variety, mostly the standard plate lunch staples plus burgers, fries, and breakfast. We got the BBQ plate (teri beef, bbq chicken, kalbi) and a lemon chicken plate. Both regular size. Prices are really fair, mix plate was like $15 and most of the single choices were just under $12, and despite that the portions were pretty generous. I had almost half a plate for lunch tomorrow. Most importantly, the food was fresh and overall pretty good. Kalbi and teri beef were tasty, satisfying but the teri was a little chewy. BBQ Chicken was the highlight, super good! Lemon chicken: good, borderline over-sauced though. It did start to get soggy, and it could use a little bit of spice like some pepper or chili. Also, despite not being a huge mac salad liker, it was good! I actually finished it. Overall, I will probably be back if we're in the area around lunch/dinnertime again. At least to try those burgers! read more

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Food is made to order so it is fresh and hot. It is also reasonably priced and their portion sizes almost guarantee leftovers. I love this place!! read more

Mom and pop operation, but tasty preparation and quick service Very reasonable prices Normal casual seating, I generally do take out. I like the grilled pork chop and steamed fish read more

Shrimp burger had deep fried shrimp katsu with tasty mayonnaise and clean lettuce. Lady who took my order was very kind and uplifting. I just wish the food was healthier, then I'd come more often. Thank you for a lovely ambience~!! read more

BBQ Town Drive Inn - Shrimp burger - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Cute little place in a tiny mall. Atmosphere is not super special but the little lady who took our order was super sweet. Food was yummy, plentiful, and served with aloha. Will return the next time we are in Hawaii. :) read more

I've walked past this little restaurant for years not knowing what I was missing out on. A friend recently told me that the food is really good so I tried it. And wow, it was excellent! I got the regular barbecue chicken plate which was only $11.55, which is cheaper than the mini meal at L&L. It was loaded with chicken, which was delicious and cooked perfectly. It was 100% better than L&L which often gives you old hard rice. I later tried the fried fish and fried shrimp which were also ono! The max salad is on point too. They also have a fresh steamed fish plate in addition to many other local items. So if you're looking for the best plate lunch in East Oahu, drive over to Aina Haina and check this place out. The other customers told me that they have an excellent hamburger and the best french fries around. Plus the staff is nice! read more

BBQ Town Drive Inn - BBQ chicken regular plate - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place has THE BEST CHICKEN KATSU! They give generous portions and one plate can feed 2 adults and a kid. We always order no Mac salad and sub for tossed green salad but they don't have dressing so FYI on that. Our second go to is the BEEF STEW. PLENTY OF BEEF and carrots and potatoes. Sooooo good! Give them a try and you will like it! read more

BBQ Town Drive Inn - Beef stew plate so good! - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Been coming here for years for the following reasons. 1. Good prices 2. Good portions 3. Good service I usually call ahead 4. Good food I like the hamburger steak, pork chops and fried chicken read more

Best chicken katsu plate lunch. Apple Pay accepted. Closed Sundays. Cheaper than L&L and better quality. read more

This place has been my dads favorite for years, especially he recommended the bbq chicken. It was my first time trying the lemon chicken, and I was surprised on how tasty it was. Big portion, great taste, definitely the best bbq chicken ever!!! Way cheaper than other places including L&L, and it is a MUST come back if you're around Aina Haina. Next time I'll try the bbq short ribs :))) read more

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Been living in town for years now but never did I see this place until recently. A few nights ago, we decided to give it a shot mainly because the prices and the fact that they had chicken katsu which my husband was craving. I was really rooting for this place to surprise me but sadly, it didn't. Overall, meh. Portions are generous but flavor wise it's not really there. Curry was too sweet for my liking and I do eat sweet curry from time to time. Burger was ok... especially for the price. Rice was a little dry. My husband did like their katsu sauce better than l&l in market city but neither are his first pick. Would we come back? Eh, mayyyybe. Definitely not for katsu. Maybe we'd come back for burgers and fries if we want something cheap and fast in the area besides McDonald's. read more

BBQ Town Drive Inn - Chicken katsu - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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