Rainbows is not what it used to be. The next generation took over. Like everywhere else, prices went up, shortages of workers. Food quality not the same. We had the corned beef hash with one egg and gravy ~ this is yummy and the beef cutlet with gravy ~ another one of my favorite. Sometimes the rice is dry, sometimes the Mac salad is not but drained well so it's watery. The service at the window is slow, yet confusing. It's open but no one is manning the window. ‍ yes, best to do online order. The area was a little dirty today. read more

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Shoyu chicken stole the show! Chicken so Tender it fell Right off The bone! Literally. Flavor was good too! Not overpowering. Loved the Mac too! Loco moco was lacking flavor to me. Meat was a little dry even with gravy over it. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - SHOYU CHICKEN PLATE LOCO MOCO PLATE* - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Rainbow Drive-in is a tradition and fits into a specific category - plate lunches with a drive-in overall theme. Think chili, burgers, and a variety of great playe lunches. We had the mix plate with gravy, the shoyu chicken plate (Monday special), and the Loco Moco. The mix plate was huge and really tasty. The shoyu chicken was three tender basted thighs. The loco Moco had great gravy. I appreciate the thin burger patties - I dislike super thick patties that tend to be overcooked. The Loco Moco elements all work together. The key here is that the locals know what they want and many of the orders were to go. Plenty of tables available for eating at though. read more

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In Oahu, one of the best ways to enjoy local comfort food is by stopping at Rainbow Drive-in that offers a great mix of BBQ plates, breakfast sandwiches, and loco mocos. This spot is beloved for their laid-back atmosphere, where you can grab a satisfying meal in the comfort of your car or enjoy the breeze from their outside tables. The BBQ plates are so delicious with macaroni salad, and white rice. The loco moco is an iconic dish of Hawaii, that is must-try for anyone visiting. The classic loco moco--beef patties smothered in rich brown gravy, topped with a perfectly fried egg, and served over a bed of white rice. It's the kind of hearty meal that sticks with you, combining comfort and local flavor in every mouthful. The ladies taking your order are helping and are great at providing recommendations. Definitely a must try when visiting the area, you won't be disappointed! read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Always great to visit this from my hanabata days Food is cheap! Can tell you're out of Waikiki enough. Wife says quantity over quality. The chili tots were not very good. I did like the mix plate - mahi, chicken, Teri beef - I thought all was good Kids had chili fries and said was good. Food came out pretty quick, and the outside seating was enough for our party. If this wasn't a place that was part of my childhood, I am not sure that I would come back read more

Rainbow Drive-In - CHILI TOTS - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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OMG. Soooo disappointing. The flavor is good, but no can believe how little you get for almost 17 bucks. Back to old faithful from now on (boneless GAO) at least you get more for your buck. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Garlic chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Fantastic great loco moco ! Parking lot outside tables it was 4000 miles away just a few days ago now I'm happy yo have gone! read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Goodness - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

After hiking Diamond head summit trail, we went there for a super late lunch. Staff were friendly and helpful. Parking is a little tight. The decor is a little old style but looks just fit the food style. We ordered bbq pork plate and I have the special: fried saimin with bbq beef plate. It came with noodles, Mac salad, a scoop of rice , chat siu, bbq beef. Bbq pork plate came with French fries, Mac salad, slaw and the pork. They are both very tasty and value for the money. Very filling for sure. read more

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I stopped by Rainbow Drive-In while exploring Honolulu and it immediately felt like stepping into one of Hawaii's classic local institutions. This place has been serving plate lunches for decades, and the atmosphere reflects that history. The restaurant operates like a traditional local drive-in with simple counter ordering and outdoor seating. It is casual, fast paced, and very much part of the everyday food culture of Oahu. You will see a mix of locals, visitors, and regular customers picking up their usual plate lunches. The plate lunch itself is the highlight. The portions are generous and follow the traditional format of rice, macaroni salad, and a main protein covered in gravy or sauce. One of the most popular choices is the loco moco, which combines a hamburger patty, fried egg, rice, and rich brown gravy. It is simple comfort food but done in a way that feels authentic to the local style. Another thing that stands out is the consistency. Places like Rainbow Drive-In have built their reputation by serving the same familiar flavors year after year, and that reliability is part of the appeal. The environment is not about upscale dining or presentation. Instead, it captures the spirit of classic Hawaii plate lunch culture where the focus is on hearty portions, quick service, and familiar comfort food. Overall, Rainbow Drive-In is a great place to experience a traditional local plate lunch in Honolulu. If you want to try one of the iconic spots that helped define Hawaii's casual food culture, this is definitely worth a visit. read more

Lots of hype and definitely worth it !! I wanted to have the real deal Hawaiian food, so glad that we came here and experienced this place. The combo place with gravy is simply amazing. Comfort food at its finest. Plenty of parking, staff is super chill and friendly. Next trip to town I'll definitely come back to try other menu items read more

It really takes a lot for me to give an establishment anything less than 4-stars, but unfortunately, I need to give Rainbows 3-stars today. We've been here hundreds of times, but I don't know what's been happening lately. Tonight, my meal was horrible. I got the mix plate with gravy, bbq beef plate and a chili bowl. The bbq beef looked and tasted like it had been sitting in a pan for a while. The chicken also tasted like it was reheated one too many times and it was very chewy and not crunchy like it used to be. The fish was ok. The chili wasn't even hot by the time I got home (literally live 3 minutes away). Just super disappointing. I've heard from people that the quality has gone down, and unfortunately after tonight's meal, I would have to agree. I really hope they can change it up and go back to how it used to be. Honestly, I would only give them 1-2 stars after tonight, but we used to love coming here and always had a good experience, so I'll give an extra star. I'll most likely visit again (but not right away) so I'll update my review once that happens. read more

If you grew up in Hawaii then you know Rainbows is one of the most iconic plate lunch places on Oahu. Mixed plate, extra gravy, Teri sauce and a slushee float will never do you wrong. Their bbq burger with French fries is also a good alternate if you're not in the mood for rice. This location is right by Waikiki aka a tourist hot spot so lines can get long but they do have online ordering now. If not then it's walk up ordering with a good amount of seating. BUT BEWARE OF THE BIRDS. They will snatch your food up if you give them a chance. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - MIX PLATE - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Driving home from lunch in Kaneohe my wife suggested we go to Rainbow Drive Inn for dessert. She wanted a slush float. It sounded good to me. So off we went. Got lucky and found parking in their parking lot. She got out to get her slush float. well when she returned she also bought a couple of slices of Lemon Squares. Service was fast and friendly. Well I had my slice of the lemon Squares after dinner. The crust seemed a little under cooked. The lemon filling was tasty and a had just a bit of tartness. The slush float was refreshing. Both items are worth buying. Enjoy read more

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Haven't been back since pre pandemic. Went to Rainbow DI and the food just wasn't the same any more. While the portion remains large the quality and flavor just weren't there. At least not the way I remembered it. The Mac salad tasted like mayo soup with some mac pasta. They also no longer serve fried chicken, which I recall was really delicious when I last went over 7 years ago. Overall disappointment. Not planning to come back. read more

It was a little tricky getting to it because of some construction on the road (I think that won't be an issue much longer) but totally worth making the effort. The portions are generous; a great value for the money and for a happy belly. Had the Loco Moco (good for a baseline) and the Mix Plate with gravy and sat at the lit outdoor tables to eat. There was a tasty, finely-shredded cole slaw (?) under the meats in the Mix Plate. Could have had that as a larger side, it was a hidden gem. Food came out decently quick given how busy they were. There's a cute shop with branded and some general Hawaii-themed items (bought a shopping bag) but forgot to snap any pics because I was distracted by food. read more

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Overall had a decent experience here - staff are very friendly. I got there just before the lunch rush around 1:30pm. They have three windows - one for online and phone orders and two for in person orders. I had the chicken lunch plate, which was not bad, though I'd have preferred the chicken to be slightly crunchier. There are at least ten tables around the restaurant but sadly all were full at the time I was there so I ended up taking my lunch to enjoy at Waikiki beach (around a 15 min walk). read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Never disappoints! Fresh food on order made with aloha. Staff very warm too. Plenty of seating and no lines if you go around 11am. Love the ambiance. read more

My wife and I came back here on a friends' trip. Food was slightly worse, service was the same, not as bad as previous, but the young man taking our order literally said nothing. Who do they employ here and what kind of experience do you need? Tourist trap, most definitely. Try to stay away. read more

Arrived around 11am and ordered the mix plate with gravy. Luke warm food that tasted like yesterday's leftovers. Took a few bites and in the trash it went. Might be a off day but this a tourist trap. read more

This place is ok. I don't like sitting outside and swarms of pigeons and bird mill around your foot/leg/table. Otherwise, the food was ok. Nothing great. Lot oark read more

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This place is walking distance from the zoo! Great place to come and eat after. They have outdoor seating and the food doesn't take long to come out. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We went during breakfast and it was kinda crowded. We had ARABIKI WITH 2 EGGS PLATE, BREAKFAST SPECIAL- CORNED BEEF HASH WITH GRAVY AND EGG*, and the BREAKFAST SPECIAL*. The arabaki was delicious but very greasy and I liked how they were small sausages lol. The eggs were nicely cooked, not as greasy as before which was good. I like how you can choose between getting toast or rice with your meal. The corned beef hash with gravy and eggs was really good!! Might get that one next time. read more

We've come here a few times since we've visited the island. We ordered our food online - took about 15 minutes and picking up was easy and there is parking and plenty of outdoor seating. Big portions for the price of food ordered, you can share the food with someone read more

WHEN: Sat @12pm Needed a quick lunch so we thought it was easiest to come here for take-out. But since it's lunchtime, there was a wait. I was able to just order through the Toast app, and this is what I got: LOCO MOCO - $11.50 Two hamburger patties served on two scoops of rice, topped with our special gravy and two eggs cooked the way you like, accompanied with a scoop of macaroni salad. Pretty decent, I do not expect less for Loco Moco in Hawaii. There was outdoor seating, and a decent size parking lot. Unfortunately we came at a busy hour, so I was able to park just on the street. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - LOCO MOCO PLATE - $11.50 - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It's always amazing to find a place that stands the test of time! Coming back now, I'm thrilled to say Rainbows is still as fantastic as ever. The team here clearly puts a lot of care into keeping things consistent, staying true to what makes this location special. Mix plate GAO... This is the place to go! read more

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I was really excited to have a traditional plate lunch, the quality of food was not good. Maybe they are using cheaper ingredients, not sure. The three people all felt the same. 20 years ago it was my favorite. I will not be back. read more

Not only was this one of my favorite meals on my recent Oahu trip, but I will start out by saying that I daydream about this meal often, LOL! We didn't get a chance to visit until my last night of vacay, so I ordered two items in order to make the most of it! On to the food! Long story short, this meal was epic! This was the best Loco Moco I've ever had, and the BBQ mix plate was off the chart! The beef patty and gravy were super tasty, and the mac was great as well. And often overlooked, their steamed rice was perfect as well. As far as the bbq mix plate, man, it was outstanding as well! Super tasty breaded Mahi Mahi, and both the chicken and beef were bursting with flavor. Plate lunches back home on the mainland are gonna be depressing from here on out, lol! I have to go here at least twice when I visit Oahu again! As far as ambiance goes, this place has been here since back in the day, and you can definitely sense and old school vibe in the air! read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Back on the mainland, daydreaming about this Loco Moco! Yum! - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I came back to Rainbow Drive Inn and it's still super popular. I had to wait but not too long to get up to the window and order. I had the Mixed BBQ Plate (chicken cutlet, teriyaki beef and mahi mahi) and it was okay, I remember it being better many years ago but maybe I went on an off day? The meat was not hot in temperature so that was a little bit disappointing for me. However, the guy who took our order was nice as can be so it was good to be back to a place that has happy memories for me. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Service was ok today- probably because it was super busy- the guy was mis- taking orders, but he also fixed everything and apologized- more than you can ask for in CA- lol the food comes out pretty quick so don't worry about the line. The place is known for its quaint drive in vibes. The seating is not too bad- most people take it to go. There's a store there for merch so you never forget! The food is solid. Nothing game changing, but everything is cooked perfectly, perfect portions and the price is on point. If you want variety, get the mix plate, but don't skip on the bbq pork! Don't expect a culinary revolution- some people have this place low star reviews because they were expecting more. The food is excellent for what you come to a place like this for. 100% worth the visit. And don't forget the strawberry slush! read more

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Recommend eating here if you have a gravy craving! Take out style with outdoor self seating after you order. All shaded seating. Ordered the Loco Moco and the Pork cutlet with gravy. I recommend both but really you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Parking available in front and on the side. Parking wasn't an issue when I went. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - LOCO MOCO - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Previously went back in May and have been looking forward to coming back. Well on our flight back from Japan, we had a 5 hour layover, and knew we had to make the quick stop for some Rainbow Drive-In. We could've sworn there was a "Bucket" size option for Mac Salads and were trying to get that so we could take some back. But alas, we didn't see it, so we just ordered a large portion of it to take on the plane. In addition we got some tater tots covered in gravy and it was hitting after being on a 7 hour flight from Japan. The first time around I had gotten a loco moco with gravy and it was as beautiful as I remembered it. Service was pretty quick too and we were eating in no time since I believe we had just came from Diamond Head so we worked up a pretty good appetite. read more

Great food with generous portion. I got the mix plate (BBQ beef, mahi mahi and chicken cutlet) with gravy on the side. The plate was easily shareable for two. The service was fast and easy efficient, counter order. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Loco Moco is solid. Good amount of gravy, nicely cooked meat, soft rice! Disappointed with the MacNUT pancakes, something was lacking, delicious nonetheless if you like sweet. Went on different days and it can get packed but they do try to get your order to you quick. Good amount of tables to enjoy your food but come at a busy time better luck eating in your car. If you're dining in expect a few pigeon friends to join your meal :) read more

Rainbow Drive-In - VANILLA MACADAMIA NUT PANCAKES - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Made my way to the beautiful island of O'ahu and visited the Rainbow Drive-in. There are 4 locations that you can visit. I went to the location on Kanaina which is the original location and has been up and running since 1961. They have an outdoor seating area where you can enjoy your meal at a picnic table. Since I'm on the island I had to try their Loco Moco. For those of you that haven't had the pleasure of trying this dish it is rice, hamburger patties, covered with a brown gravy and then topped off with eggs (typically over easy). While this dish seems a very simple recipe the combination of the flavors make you come back for more. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Rainbow made their Loco Moco with the side of Mac Salad. I also had to try their slush float which is a strawberry slush with some vanilla ice cream in it. It was the perfect way to cool down and a great way to satisfy my sweet craving after that savory meal. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - SLUSH FLOAT - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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So nostalgic! I remember eating here as a kid and the food is just as good as I remembered. The slush float is perfect for hot days and the bbq place with two scoops rice and Mac salad. It's always busy and finding a table is a challenge but totally worth it. The little mini store is a fun place to pick up souvenirs as well. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - BBQ BEEF PLATE - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My last visit to Rainbow Drive-in was 40 years ago. Nephew's last day from mainland wanted to try the place so I hesitantly obliged. He order the loco mo and I ordered the mix plate. Loco mo came out first because cook was busy eating in the kitchen and forgot to cook the fish. After 5minutes my mix plate arrived and look very unappetizing. Fish was barely cooked, beef was tough as leather and chicken was super greasy. I threw the whole plate in the trash after a few bites. It's cheap for a reason! read more

Rainbow Drive-In - MIX PLATE - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is a casual place to hangout and get some inexpensive filgrub, but honestly there is WAY better Hawaiian food elsewhere The loco moco left a lot to be desired. You would think that dousing everything in gravy would make things automatically good, but that isn't the case unfortunately. The gravy lacked richness and umami. At least the eggs were cooked well. The side of slaw was swimming in sauce The items on the mix plate were also bland and on the drier side, and I cannot recommend this one either read more

Rainbow Drive-In - Loco moco plate, MIX PLATE - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Don't shoot the messenger but imo rainbows is purely running on nostalgia / convenience for most folks that visit. Old style drive inn, order, and grab your food at the counter. Plenty of run down seating to grab and eat at. Nothing about the service stood out as it was mainly self service. The food to put it simply is just meh. Everything seemed to lack any flavor and was just very bland. I thought the gravy could make up for it but it just tasted very floury and again, lacked in flavor. The first step of improvement is definitely just more seasoning... After this experience, I spoke to some of my friends and they echoed the same sentiment. Their food is mediocre at best but it's easy and cheap food. I would honestly give the place 2/5 but with the history that this place holds I don't have the heart to do so. read more

Rainbow Drive-In - MIX PLATE - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I come here every time I'm on the island. I was here for a few hrs on a layover back to the main land & they have my fav Mac salad. You can get it in a cup. This is a small & it's huge! Expect lines bc this place is that good. They have outdoor seating, but beware the birds. They will swoop your fries! They do have adequate parking as well. Will be back next time! read more

Rainbow Drive-In - TATER TOTS MACARONI SALAD CUP - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

They've been around for a minute and for the price point offered, the food ain't too shabby. Dining is outdoors; picnic table style. Most of the area is shaded, so we can deal with that. But what we couldn't deal with were the birds who were all up on our grill trying to snatch our food. Ew. THE FOOD. - Mix Plate (BBQ Beef, Boneless Chicken, Mahi) | I'd probably just get the BBQ beef next time as the boneless chicken and Mahi were a bit dry. The sides were great; perfectly cooked sticky rice, creamy macaroni salad, and crispy french fries. THE DRINKS DRUNK. - Powerade Blue | Standard fountain drink. THE PARKING. There were enough open spaces that parking wasn't an issue. Parking was free. COMING BACK? I'd come back for more BBQ and to try other dishes. However, I'd probably take the food to go; I wasn't feelin' the whole bird aspect of our dining experience. read more

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