I really love Rainbow Drive-In, such an Iconic Spot since 1961, I remember during my daughter's…read morecollege day, when she is back for visit and before she leaves, this spot was one of her special request. Of course when she is back to visit every year, she still request to stop at Rainbow! Her favorites is the breakfast plates, mixed plate especially BBQ beef and boneless chicken with gravy & for me I LOVE the boneless chicken, gravy all over but I need mines on the side along with the mac salad and a slushie float. I used to work at the district office and we were housed at Hawaii School for Deaf & Blind, so close to Rainbow, when I would visit once a month, a treat to myself, such comfort food! I sure miss those Rainbow Drive-In days with my daughter and for my lunch break! Lets talk about the breakfast fried rice special, lately I've been stopping here every weekend to pick up a plate of fried rice ( available til sold out) & from experience-they do sell out, the fried rice plate is only $9.95. This is the best fried rice ever, my opinion and always enough for me and hubby! The fried rice comes Portuguese sausage, chopped veggies ( celery & onions) and flavored nicely with choice of 2 eggs that covers the rice completely. I always get soft scrambled. I love the finishing touches of the green onions. yums! The rice is perfect hits every time & rice is not watery. Chef's kiss to the staff who made this fried rice. The line and parking lot can get crazy but the staff works hard to get the line moving fast, * there's a separate window for phone and on-line orders. I am so glad I live close by to this Gem. My go to for breakfast and plate lunches!! I think it is time for a boneless chicken plate lunch fix. I also like the lunch box that your plates comes in, paper plate and in a box, nostalgic & better than the flimsy paper take out boxes!

Oh Rainbows, what happened to your food? I know it's been a while, so I understand the increase in…read moreprices. I like that some of the old specials are now permanently on the menu (even though they still sell out). But the quality needs to remain. I always order a mix plate and egg salad sandwich. Even if I order 10 plates, those 2 items will always be in my order. So I can confidently say that I'm sad that they are not the same as before. My recent mix plate (with gravy for nearly $17) had just one tiny fish and the chicken was pink inside! Also needs little more gravy. The egg salad sandwich (for nearly $7) had dry and thick bread. I admit, most times the bread is dry and I always question why I keep ordering it. I always wonder if I'm the only one to order since it seems like the bread dries out before being used. But now it seems like the bread is homemade and handcut (different thickness). On the plus side, the egg salad was tastier than I remember! We also ordered tater tots and chili, which were both great! Did the parking stalls get more narrow? Just kidding, I know they were always rather small.

Great unique Hawaiian Food, worth high quality = high price, some rules about staying outside for…read moreTogo orders. "Large" pipikaula $28- but worth it because of the juicy, tough, perfect salt without too salty, comes in small container (in photo) in the kitchen you can see the cured meat dangling above the stovetop. Lomi lomi salmon- very refreshing, not fishy, good balance of onion with fresh tomato, and salmon. Chicken long rice- simple, thick noodles long "short" rice, with very mild chicken broth flavor and green onions small pieces of chicken.

Wanted to enjoy this place but was unfortunately disappointed. Service was good though and the food…read morecame out fast. Parking is pretty tight but not impossible. Ambiance could be better as well. We ordered menu C as well as laulau. My favorite out of the menu was the short ribs. Very tender and flavorful. I thought the kalua pig was a bit too salty though and I didn't really enjoy the lomi salmon. I didn't really like the laulau either. It was sort of bitter. I wouldn't come back.

My local friend suggested that we meet here for lunch claiming "da bes" Hawaiian food. They don't…read moretake reservations so there's often a wait. We put our names on the list and there were a handful of parties before us. Fortunately, we only waited about 20 minutes to get seated on a Saturday. The place is like a spacious diner with a bar counter, booths and lots of tables. Look for the beautiful, long bench table that's carved from a tree. Our server, Jason, greeted us with a warm smile and took our drink and food orders. We got a few items that we don't usually see at Hawaiian restaurants back home. Hawaiian Moco: opted for the lau lau as suggested with lomi salmon and macaroni salad. For $24.99, it was huge, succulent, flavorful and worth the price point! Smoked Moco: the Kiawe-smoked meat was tender, sautéed with bell peppers and onions and topped with a yummy smoked aioli and local egg. The mini for $16.99 was the perfect portion for me. Fish Tacos: the fish was fresh, cooked perfectly on taro tortillas with chili aioli, avocado mousse, shredded lettuce and lomi salmon. The fries were thick and crispy too. Squid Lū'au Combo: with lomi salmon and poi, sweet potato and haupia (a coconut dessert) the squid was cooked in a starchy broth. It was like nothing I've had before. Not too salty but not strong in flavor either. This was my friend's choice and she loves it. We enjoyed everything we had and were so stuffed! They validate parking for the structure.

We came in a party of 9 and they accommodated us. Service was awesome- Jun-jun took care of us…read more We even brought an outside cake for my mom's birthday and they served it to us. Thank you. The food however, was disappointing. I had the lau lau combo. The lau lau was very dry. The leaves were dry, the pork was dry. There was not even a little fat in it. There were two of us that ordered it and same for both of us. My mom ordered the ribs, sherated it was tough and chewy. The ones that ordered the squid Lia were quite satisfied. I should've ordered the squid Lia combo instead. Not sure if I'd be back here though. But in all fairness, service was great!

My Bf and I visited Oahu 3 years ago and Olili was one of our favorite meals of the trip…read more Fast-forward to this past week, and that sentiment remains true. Another fantastic meal for the books. I really can't understand why this spot isn't busier. We went on a Saturday evening around 7pm and never saw it get full. We made a reservation to be safe, but I doubt it would've been necessary. The quality of this place is top notch. The plating, the freshness of ingredients, the service - all of it. This time around we got the Kūhiō Cabbage Caesar, Triple-Cooked Steak Fries, and Lemongrass Chicken Satay to start. For entrees we got the Crispy Skin Kona Kanpachi and the Szechuan Steak & Fries "Au Poivre". The food? Phenomenal. Not a single bad dish. My steak was amazing. As a self-proclaimed fry snob - the triple-cooked steak fries check every box for me. So glad they come as an appetizer as well, having them only as a side just isn't enough. Since this restaurant is attached to a grocery store, you can even grab whatever you need once you're done eating - super convenient! Highly recommend this spot for a great meal!

First, never trust yelp reviews. Second, especially never trust Hawai'i yelp reviews -- I've had…read morehorrible food at some of these "4.5 star restaurants" and I really have no idea who is reviewing these places. For what it's worth -- from one foodie to another, Olili is worth your time and well earned money. Most of the other franchised restaurants along the street all feature dishes you've probably had hundreds of times in different variations and other places. For our very special vacation and limited time on the island, the last thing we wanted was another over sauced teriyaki entree. Olili's dishes were all quite unique using locally coursed ingredients. Aside from some of the authentic food trucks, this was the only place we enjoyed eating at. Even the Kanpachi Crudo, a very simple and straight forward dish -- left me picking at the plate because the pickled tomatoes had such a beautiful vibrant flavor. I don't even like tomatoes. Crab noodles were more hearty yet every single bite kept you lingering for more until the end. There was a great balance to its complexity, with slight acidity to keep your palate refreshed. Smoked Ono spread was a Winner as well. Least favorite was the Ikura with smoked salmon over taro. It was unique but felt like it was missing something, but not sure what. Highly recommended if you have a more refined palate. If you are looking for basic just go to Dukes or Cheesecake Factory or Rainforest Cafe.

Besides the setting and the food - which are outstanding, to say the least - Duke's has some of…read morenicest, friendliest waitstaff we have seen. Our waitress, Jess, was particularly friendly, and her suggestions yielded the best fish tacos I have ever had. And I have had LOTS! She was checking in often but not too often. Hang on to that young lady, she is a true asset for the business. As for the fish tacos, perfectly grilled, large pieces of mahi-mahi with a crisp slaw, a perfect crema, pico, and the right amount of cilantro. YUM.

Last night in town and decided to return to Dukes for their dinner. Our waiter Travis MADE the…read moreexperience. Food was great, wait time was less than 5 minutes, but Travis was the highlight of the night! So kind, personable, helpful, friendly ... REAL hospitality. The staff is always nice but he truly stood out. Just wanted to give him a shoutout of appreciation for making our last night in town, our anniversary, special! Now the prime rib? Chef's kiss!! And we were surprised to enjoy a beautiful firework show on a Tuesday night. We thought they only occurred on fridays at the Hilton, but this was a nice treat, right on the beach in front of Dukes! Mahalo!

We were surprised to see Side Street Inn closed on Kapahulu, and then immediately excited that they…read morere-opened in Waikiki! Local kine grindz in tourist town! I called to make reservations after work at 5:30 PM and the host was great, she let me know that parking is free for 2-hours at the Bank of Hawaii building with validation, and that they are still working on their liquor license so its BYOB with a $10 corkage fee per person drinking in the party. From the street front, its kind of hard to tell where the restaurant is. I didn't notice the sign until standing literally right in front of it. (on Beachwalk, makai of Hard Rock) When you enter, theres a sign to meet the host upstairs. We asked to sit on the patio because it was such a nice evening. At the time, there were lots of available table. But once the sun went down it became pretty lively in the main dining room. Pila was our sever, he was fantastic! Give him a raise! Between the 4 of us, we ordered 2 mains, the OG fried rice that you can never go without, and a salad because we are so well balanced. OMG SO MUCH FOOD! We did end up needing take out boxes for the rice and chicken. Honestly, I probably could have finished it off if i wasn't drinking, because it was DELCIOUS AF *drool*. Pro tip: ask for extra garlic sauce to go with the chicken. Ugh, I'm craving more kalbi as I write this review. 10/10 recommend our exact order, server and seating.

house fried rice - so good with great texture Kim chee -…read moregood pork chops - ok huge portions here - 2 dishes will feed about 3-4 people

This is my go-to whenever I'm in Hawaii! There's multiple different locations throughout but this…read morespecific one is usually close to our hotel. No seats at this establishment. It's a grab and go type place. There's normally always a line but it moves quickly. We usually would go at least twice during our trip. One time to grab breakfast or snacks for the beach and we would always grab a bunch before flying home. It would last us a few days even after coming home to Cali. There are many different type of selections but my fave is the classic teriyaki spam musubi. You cannot go wrong! I also really enjoy the spicy cod roe rice ball. They also sell some cute bags and other spam related items. Definitely worth checking out when on the island!

Wow wow wow! We visited this little hole in the wall place twice while on vacation. Strictly take…read moreout... The selection is massive and they're a well oiled machine. Fast service...but not rushed. Everything is handmade...you can sort of sneak a peek in the back from the register. After trying this place, we're all obsessed with musubi! Try it out. You won't be disappointed!

Everything about Kehau's Kitchen is AMAZING! The service, the food, and the family atmosphere. It…read moreis always so welcoming when I come here! The Lau Lau Combo is my absolute FAVORITE!!!! Gloria at the front definitely makes you feel like your with family!

My husband and I went here based on a friends recommendation and it didn't disappoint. He said he…read morehad the best barbecue ribs and chicken he's ever had!

I like supporting local and visiting Oahu Grill when I get a chance, been here many times for take…read moreout, with family, a friend visiting from Cali who misses local food and after vacation when I am missing the local foods too! During a visit here with my friends who was visiting from out of town, they both enjoyed their entree with a beer, love the atmosphere- we got to chat and ended up staying until restaurant's closing time. The waitress that day was super friendly, full of Aloha! I love the local foods, everything I tried was very tasty, When dining in I usually go with the 2 item plates, picking all different items ( Lau, Kalua Pork, pork belly, chicekn long rice and sharing family style with extra rice. The food was broke da mouth! During one of my dining visits, I was on my no carb lifesytle and got the Island cobb salad with Kalua Pork ( available in 2 sizes $9./$17.) Lettuce, cucumber, corn, tomato, avocado with Kalua Pig, and sweet onion dressing. Wow, I am glad they have this option for salads. I hope they don't discontinue the Cobb salad as it was so good! During this recent stop I picked up the Pork Belly and Pipikaula plate in short ribs style. This was such a great choice as my family enoyed it . Beer and Pork Belly for pupus and pipikaua ribs for dinner. They have daily specials (beef stew, beef tomato, chicken hekka, sweet sour spare ribs, beef stew, grilled fish, shoyu chicken, garlic shrimp) which sounds good too. You can pick plates in mini or regular, two or three item combo, but few dollars more for crispy pork, smoked meat Pipikaula. Please check out Oahu Grill in the Kaimuki area, opens daily from 11-9 pm.

This place use to be unreal 5 stars in my books they fell off my radar from 5 stars to 2 stars. The…read moreother day I had lunch there and i ordered their Lau Lau and squid luau combo. It was very tasty and the squid luau had a mouth full of squid. The downside is look at the rice . The rice was very hard I guaranteed it was left overs sitting in the rice warmer and they served us the hard rice . Also the service was very slow only 1 worker but we were the only customer in there . I recommend this Hawaiian food place over others but maybe ill stop from know on . It. could be new owners I'm not sure .

Mochiko Chicken Loco moco over easy…read moreCheeseburger and fries w/thousand island dressing please!

Whenever I'm in Liliha I pass this building with intentions of going there one day. I love "hole in…read moreda wall" local own diners. Today was the day! I was hungry and my wife asked me to drive to Liliha to pick up lunch. There is parking but today it was packed. After I drove in someone was pulling out. Thank you Jesus! The lady at the counter was really nice! I gave her my order and was talking with her about their Lego figurines. I did a takeout order of their hamburger steak gravy all over and Sweet Sour Spareribs. Remember I said I was hungry? That's why there's no pictures of my lunch... sorry... was sooo Ono I scuffed it all down!! The hamburger was homemade like I like it. Gravy was good and that's what makes a good hamburger steak. The rice was cooked perfect and the Mac Salad was done right! My wife had the spareribs she liked it. She said it was done like Chinese style. As always this is my review, you need to check them out for yourself. Support local!!