Rainbow Drive-In
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I really love Rainbow Drive-In, such an Iconic Spot since 1961, I remember during my daughter's college 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!
I ended up getting the mix plate with gravy. Bbq beef had good flavors however, I had to ask if the chicken was supposed to be pink and I was told it was. So I went back and tried to eat it but I just couldn't eat it. The chicken had the smell of raw chicken and when I tasted it, definitely undercooked. So I just decided not to finish and try to eat the rest but when I got to eating the rest of the Mac salad and lettuce, I found a piece of plastic. So I just tossed the rest of my food. Been here before and had good foods, I should have just stuck with my usual loco moco and bbq beef. The team members were nice tho and the place wasn't busy so I sat right away.
Have you ever tried authentic Hawaiian food? Do you know what they eat in their houses very confused? Check out this place homestyle Hawaiian plates with multiple different options and combinations don't judge the food you have to have it. It has subtle flavors deeply, rooted, cultural identity. Simple yet talk talks about history. When you use display, you can see old school Hawaiian folks explaining you what this food means to them and serve you a plate full of their food of different portions. It's plenty of food for one person to eat. They are very welcoming and they will feel proud of serving this to the guest. It's a very old-school vibe since it's Hawaii. It's mostly outdoor seating but this place is always. It's been there around for a while now and I don't think they're ever going downhill one of the best places to try even though they're plenty of other options for you.
Great cheap fast Hawain food. Come For takeout and quick fast eats. They have lots of outdoor seating which is great. The gravy is so tasty
There was something very right about this drive in!! I stopped by for a quick dinner with the fam and ended up enjoying this place a lot more than I thought I would. I didn't expect much from this small corner diner, but everything turned out real solid! The exterior is especially entrancing, with its bright, rainbow neon sign that glows out the darkness of the night! The hooded interior was clean and followed well with the rainbow theme, especially with its rainbow pastel, title wallpaper. I would also like to compliment the workers, who were very nice and approachable! We ordered the loco moco plate, mixed plate, and saimin. Both plates were very filling and came in huge portions! The plates are for sure a top choice if you want a nice, hearty dinner! I especially enjoyed my loco moco! The saimin was less filling and came in an instant noodle cup. Still yet, it wasn't half bad--and it actually seems like a fairly good piece if you are on a diet or budget; it wasn't as expensive as the other dishes and only came out as 220 calories! I also want to note that they have a variety of tasty dessert pastries and icee treats if you are looking for a treat after your dinner. Overall, I would say this is a great diner to try if you've got a big appetite and are looking for something to share with a friend or family! Great vibes and great Hawaiian plate meals!
Heard so much about this classic Hawaiian spot and was so disappointed. I love a Hawaiian mix plate lunch normally, but this one was lackluster and just not done well. The combo plate consisted of below average versions of fishy fish, a thin cutlet and gray tough meat. The Mac salad was super mayo-y. Also got the garlic chicken, which had a good flavor on the sauce, but felt like the chicken was slightly undercooked and should have been fried up more. Ambiance is basic (and all outdoor seating). Maybe people like this because it's nostalgic for them... but I truly don't get it.
Stopped here for breakfast at 7:30 am after hiking Diamond head. Great parking. Friendly staff. We ordered loco moco, French toast, breakfast with spam. Super affordable prices, huge portion. The gravy for loco loco is tasty. The patties tastes a little weird and processed. Still worth it. Yes!
A local Hawaiian recommended Rainbow Drive-In to us, and I'm glad we stopped by. The loco moco was so good! Savory, satisfying, and an easy 5/5 for me. You order outside at the window, and there's plenty of outdoor seating. Our food came out pretty quickly, too. There's a restroom available; you just need to ask for the key. Definitely a delicious stop if you're craving a classic loco moco!
What an iconic gem! So sorry I missed it last time I was here. It has been profiled on Food Network as one of the best and it was so true! Made sure to come here the first night I landed so I did not miss out and could see if it lived up to the hype. It did. It is such a fun place to feel like you are having a picnic. You know this place is good since there is a steady line of people ordering bags and bags of food. Just to say, this is another must-do must-try place for food. We was super excited to have the mixed plate with gravy. It was beef, chicken and fish with rice and mac salad. It was huge and perfect. It tasted amazing and I would order this again and again. We had two of those. We also tried the loco moco and classic dish, and the saimin, which I had always wanted to try. One child also ordered the BBQ pork sandwich which she enjoyed and since it was a small menu item could help with the mix plate, which is impossible to finish in one sitting. I was stuffed and in woman versus food, food won overwhelmingly. I wish I had room to try the slush and ice cream or other items, but I could not eat another bite. So many items on the menu were very tempting and I am sad I only got to visit here one time. I do hope to return and have so many things on my dish wish list, but that mixed plate was so good, I bet I would go with that again.
Yum!! They do not skimp out on the mac salad. They gave us a lot more than other places. There is so much mayo on the mac which is good but i do wish it had more ingredients like some carrots and more salt and pepper. Bbq pork plate was also very good the meat had great flavor but at the end i had to end up eating around the fat because there was no more good pieces. Rice was a tiny bit bland but when muni g the yolk into it and having it at the same time as the mac made it a lot better. Overall good place we had a delicious filling meal and i would come here again. Lots of tables available for seating and all is outdoors as well.
For my first time, it's was OK. Limited seating. They also have 2 small stores to purchase merchandise. The service was decent. The food was OK. Honestly I don't see myself coming back. I prefer going to Zippy's. Also the vibe was off because there was an incident with the customers after us. Something about someone trying the purchase food with a stolen credit card.
Son wanted to go here. He saw it on TikTok. I got the. BBq pork meal. The pork was great. A gazillion pounds of rice. I only at about 1/4 of it. The macaroni salad was macaroni with what seemed like just mayo. (Not my jam). He had the loco moco. He loved it. Again a billion pounds of rice. Kid had a hot dog. Didn't finish it. Quality was really low. Maybe we are used to dodger dog snap style flavorful ones. Anyway was a nice little meal and took a walk at the park a couple blocks away to walk off the massive amounts of rice.
The line was a little long and the parking lot was pretty packed, but luckily we were able to find a spot. We ate at the outdoor tables, which was nice and made for a fun time chatting it up with friends. Overall, the food was SO good! Definitely worth the wait and would highly recommend if you're in the area.
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
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
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
From out of town and walked by this place and decided to come back and try their loco moco and Mac salad. The patties are pretty dry and tough and the Mac salad was contained a lot of mayonnaise that didn't taste quite right to me. The best thing was the coke out of their soda fountain. It was sweet and carbonated nicely. read more
Business owner information
Alissa S.
We are so sorry your meal didnt meet your expectations, we value your…
9 months ago
Business owner information
Alissa S.
Mahalo for the great review! We're so glad you enjoyed your mix plate!
9 months ago
Business owner information
Alissa S.
Mahalo for all the support! We look forward to serving you again soon!
3 years ago
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
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
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
2 years ago
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
Best place for a quick island meal. We picked up some food on the way home. Have to go back to checkout the cute merch! The shirts are super cute. The chicken plate was nice and crunchy. You can always get your gravy on the side if you prefer. I saw a post with chili on the chicken plate, so had to try the chili bowl with the chicken. 10/10 recommend. Service is always good. Super nice and friendly. read more
2 years ago
Came around dinner time it was busy and I waited about 10 mins in line before being able to order. There is parking available and plenty of tables and seats outside too. The menu is huge. The staff is nice when I asked for recommendations and quick with my order. I got a slush float (strawberry flavored), pog, chili tots, a loco moco bowl, and beef plate. The chili tots and loco moco bowl were piping hot I almost burned my hands. The loco moco bowl was boring and lacked flavor the gravy didn't help it. I accidentally dropped all of the chili tots on the loco moco and it helped the bowl be more flavorful. The chili is good chunky and rich in flavor. The tots were too oily, over cooked, and hard I wish there was cheese on it. The bbq beef plate was good I enjoyed the flavor of the beef. The Mac salad and rice were basic and plain. The slush float and pog were just okay too. read more
3 years ago
If you're looking for comfort food... this is the place to go. We make it a point to stop here whenever we're in Oahu. Portions are pretty big and affordable. All outdoor seating. read more
3 years ago
I think RDI would have hit exponentially more if I was hungover, and maybe if we hadn't been eating plate lunches for the past 4 days. It probably didn't help that we came one hour prior to closing. My partner and I shared the mix plate and got a slush float. The mix plate was kind of disappointing--everything tasted like it had been sitting around for a while. The breaded stuff was neither crispy nor warm. The mac salad is definitely on the mayo-heavy side--like...more mayo than noodles--which I was also not crazy about. The slush float, however, was surprisingly good (it's a strawberry slushie with vanilla ice cream) and not too sweet. It tasted very nostalgic. The pros were that the service was fast and friendly and they have a very cute gift store with merch. I loved the Gudetama loco moco shirt, but didn't feel like the mediocre meal justified me getting it. read more
3 years ago
Got the Mix Plate (w/ gravy on the side) Customer service was amazing, the cashier was helpful and made sure we got enough utensils and napkins. The location has outdoor seating and I luckily came before the late night dinner rush. Anything the gravy touches made it taste even better. I honestly love this combo plate because it gives you a taste of all the 3 types of meats. (Beef/chicken/fish). The mac salad was one of the best Mac salad I tasted and I wouldn't mind buying a tub of that for myself. All in all, this place is totally worth the price but just make sure to beat the foot traffic and go before the rush. read more
11 months ago
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
Business owner information
Alissa S.
Mahalo for the review! We appreciate all the support!
1 year ago
Home style Hawaiian local food. Always hits. Fair prices. Miss it already. Quick and reliable always. read more
Business owner information
Alissa S.
We appreciate the great review! Mahalo!
11 months ago
Business owner information
Alissa S.
We are so sorry your meal didnt meet your expectations. We value your…
Finally was able to try Rainbow Drive In. The staff were friendly. I ordered the pull pork plate. The pork was tender, savory and smokey. The plate came with pork, cabbage, rice and macaroni salad. I also tried some of the loco moco. The gravy was the star, it was delicious. I forgot to take a photo. I want to come back and try more of their specials. read more
2 years ago
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
Business owner information
Alissa S.
Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry your meal didn't meet your…
11 months ago
Business owner information
Alissa S.
We're glad you enjoyed the BBQ Pork. Mahalo for the review.
5 months ago
Business owner information
Alissa S.
We're sorry your meal didnt meet your expectations. We value your…
10 months ago
Business owner information
Alissa S.
We're so sorry your meal didnt meet you expectations. We value your…
3 years ago
The food came out relatively fast. Seating was scarce, so we shared with strangers :) The food was delicious. I tried to come back again during my trip, but the lunch line was too long. read more
2 years ago
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
5 months ago
Business owner information
Alissa S.
Mahalo for the awesome review!
We stopped by Rainbow Drive-in on our way to Hanauma Bay. It's all outdoor seating and plenty of it at breakfast time. We ordered the mix plate with boneless chicken, kalbi, and mahi mahi. It was a massive portion with rice and mac salad. The other dish was boneless chicken with gravy. The food is plentiful, hearty, and simple for classic mix plate grub. read more
5 months ago
Business owner information
Alissa S.
Mahalo for the support over the years!
Fries - came with two packets of ketchup, the fries were medium, warm in temperature, not hot and crispy or fresh tasting Chili cracker bowl - overly salty a tad spicy, a bit watery or just not enough contents in the chili. Or perhaps it's better with rice? Overall, not satisfied, a bit disappointed. This is my second time at rainbows, first time at this location. I came by around 8 PM. One of the workers was shouting orders through a fabric facemask, no one to really understand her. I am all for protection, but perhaps a different facemask would have been easier on her and the customers. read more
3 years ago
It was pretty standard for fast-ish food, but I will say that the portions are enormous. One plate is enough to feed two people if they aren't extremely hungry, and the prices are hard to beat. They do have a little patio for people who want to eat at the drive-in. Their takeout boxes are literally boxes that fit the plate, so be careful if you have to travel far back to your place. Saimin was okay. The beef was a little rough, and the noodles were overcooked. However, the flavor was good. The mix plate is the way to go. There's an abundance of each type of protein. Overall, the meat is on the drier side, so it might be a good idea to add a side of gravy. If you want a big portion of food for a low price, this is your place. However, if you want something tastier and don't mind paying a bit more, there are probably other places to visit. read more
Even with a big crowd, everyone was able to order quickly and the wait for food was not long. When they asked how I liked my eggs cooked, I didn't really think it would matter given how busy they were but my friend and I, who ordered differently, got our eggs the way we liked which was a pleasant surprise. There are also enough tables around for seating to not be a problem. The loco moco plate I got tasted quite bland. The patty and gravy didn't have enough flavor, so it gets lost in all the rice and eggs. The portions are huge though, especially for the price. read more
Next on the Oahu foodie journey was this longtime institution that has been regularly patronized by a former POTUS. When I think of a "drive-in", I expect to see a setup in which a vehicle can pull into a spot and be served car side from the waitstaff. Maybe that is being too nostalgic and old-fashioned because Rainbow Drive-In was far from that. This OG location was a large food stand with limited parking and tables set up in shaded areas for on-site dining. We arrived after finishing a strenuous hike earlier in the afternoon. I was more thirsty than hungry so that biased my opinion of the food here. I occupied a few seats at an empty table while my friends got in line to place our orders. Plate lunches were the featured items, however sandwiches, daily specials, and side orders were also offered. I didn't like how the menu boards were posted inside and behind the service windows. The glare from the plexiglass made the menus difficult to read in some spots. Two plates were split between us. The first was a Boneless Chicken Plate with gravy smothered all over. The last part incurred a $0.90 surcharge. The second was a BBQ Pork Plate. White rice and macaroni salad were the sides that accompanied each plate. The pork was fairly lean while the brown gravy made a huge difference by adding moisture to the chicken cutlets. I definitely preferred the chicken plate. Lots of birds hovered near the tables as they have plenty of experience to feast on the crumbs and scraps that fall onto the pavement. The line for each window wasn't terribly long and moved efficiently. The food prices were decent given the portion sizes. One annoying aspect was the additional charge for a cup of water (S - $0.35, M - $0.50, L - $0.75). I haven't seen this nickel-and-diming anywhere else in Hawaii or on the mainland. The drink prices were expensive with an example being $2.75 for a small soft drink. It's cheaper to go to a nearby 7-Eleven or similar convenience store and buy a beverage from there. read more
Had to come to this local favorite while we were visiting Oahu. Parking a little challenging but they've got a parking lot with high turnover. You order from the window and they've got some tables and chairs to dine at. Went with the boneless chicken with gravy which came with a VERY generous serving. The gravy is very rich and tbh it lasted me two servings and the leftovers tasted even better for dinner! Love the macaroni salad that it came with to balance out how heavy the chicken and gravy was. Highly recommend this place come hungry! 5/5 read more
More info about Rainbow Drive-In
3308 Kanaina Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
Kaimuki
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(808) 737-0177
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https://rainbowdrivein.com
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Ask the Community - Rainbow Drive-In
What's in your special gravy? Any meat product? Thanks in advance
Definitely meat of some sort, if I had to guess it is beef gravy
Hi, do you guys take phone orders?
I've heard they do, but I have never been able to get through. You can also order online and still pick up through the "Phone Orders" line
Do they still sell their chili seasoning packets?
Yes, we do! Available at Rainbow Tiki in Kapahulu or online! https://www.rainbowtiki.com/
Do they have traditional Hawaiian dishes with vegetarian options?
More like local comfort food, nothing's vegetarian at Rainbow. Go to Highway Inn or Helana's they have traditional Hawaiian food.
Can you order plate lunches in the morning ? Or is only offered after a certain time?
I have come at different times and have ordered "breakfast" at lunch and sandwiches for breakfast so I think you can order anything on the menu regardless of time.
Can i order lunch at 800 am? like teriyaki steak or beef curry
Yes for the Teriyaki steak. The Curry might be a special of the day so it's if it's on the specials menu you can order it. Try the teriyaki pork. It's really good.
What's the best thing to order?
Depends on your palate: Meat and potatoes - loco moco…
Do they do half portions?
I am not aware of 1/2 portion or mini-plate. That being said, order a sandwich, loco moco, or chili bowl. The Mahi, BBQ Beef or BBQ Pork sandwiches are da bomb.
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
350 reviews that are not currently recommended
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