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    Tex Drive In

    3.8 (1.3k reviews)
    ModerateFast Food, Donuts
    Open 6:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Tex Drive In Photos

    TEX DRIVE IN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Tex Drive In

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    Malasadas - multiple flavors
    Alina K.

    The malasadas are delicious - super fluffy and not overly sweet. The service is fast, and you can choose between multiple fillings. I've tried mango and banana cream fillings. They were good, but I found them to be a little too sweet. If I visit again, I will just get the plain malasadas! Each malasada is pretty big, so you can split one between two people if you don't want a large dessert. I would recommend checking out the inside of the store. They have a window that lets you see the bakery area. You can also visit the gift shop, but most things there are expensive. Visit on a weekday to avoid lines!

    Malasadas
    Sam P.

    We have been here before and yes their Malasadas are delicious but today was just an exercise in frustration! The place is clearly understaffed and we arrived to long lines and several grumpy customers asking where their food was! They are known for their Malasadas so why not have them ready to go for customers - but instead what should be a simple process is held up but every other order for burgers, breakfast and beyond! The girls at the front counter were taking orders, dealing with the drive through, packing orders and kept disappearing off the register where you placed orders! When after over 15 minutes waiting we got to the front - one girl wandered off and the other opened up another register - and started serving some customers that has JUST walked in - leaving our line 4 deep ! Finally we gave up and left! This is a popular place but very understaffed and not worth the wait!

    guava, banana cream, mango, plain
    Kiyomi W.

    Super easy parking and ordering. Service is great and you get your food pretty fast. We got our malasadas right when we checked out and they were so yummy! My faves were the banana cream and guava! The saimin was full of noodles and filling for the price.

    Mango, Guava, Bavarian Cream Malasadas
    Catalina L.

    Such delicious malasada donuts and they're filled to the brim! Really soft texture and loved every flavor We got the Mango, Guava, and Bavarian Cream Malasadas and favorite was probably Mango. A sweet treat but not overly sweet. Highly recommend a stop on the scenic drive on this side of the island! For the donuts there really is just a drive through. Parking lot and restaurant seating inside if you order hot food.

    Delicious banana Malasada
    Anna H.

    Our MUST HAVE MALASADAS place once a month. The drive up is gorgeous and the food is delicious. The staff is always lovely and welcoming and I love the various flavors offered. Even just plain without filling is mouth watering. On occasion we eat our breakfast or lunch here too and it is hands down my favorite for hamburgers, hot dogs and fried.

    Outside
    Darren O.

    We came here after getting breakfast in Waimea just to get Malasadas. Yes we we're already full, but we probably wouldn't be getting back here on this trip. You have to be intentional to get here, as they're not really close to Hilo or Koma- but if you decide to make the drive you won't be disappointed. OMG! We got 6- the box was so heavy for donuts. Which is weird as they are very light to eat. The guava and chocolate filled were among the early favorites. They all looked great though. 5 stars for a hole in the wall away from everyone who does things the right way!

    Kalua Loco Moco
    Mark T.

    7/25/2025 Tex Drive In 45-690 Pakalana St Hwy 19 Honokaa, HI 96727 We stopped by on a Friday morning on the way to Kohala. It's on the roadside on the north edge of Honokaa about an hour drive north of Hilo. It's a local fast food place known for its malasadas, with an outdoor eating area. The order line is on the RHS and order pick up when your number is called is in the center of the counter. There is a menu board behind the counter. There was long fast moving line when we were there. We had the Kalua Loco Moco, Spam Musubi and a guava Malasada. My Loco had a good quantity of smoky shredded pork smothered with gravy over rice topped with an egg. The Loco was ono and filling. The malasada had a sweet guava tasting filling. Everything was good. Tex's deserves its reputation and is definitely repeatable.

    Roshni G.

    Ok worth the hype and was delicious but it was a lot, wish we were hungrier. Yes nice staff.

    Inside the restaurant
    Nolan V.

    Our first local place to try while on vacation in Hawaii is Tex Drive in. Located next to an Ace Hardware and a bank. We tried the Malasadas with guava. Delicious and filing. It was only $1.95. Our meals were kalua pork and cabbage. It was $19 but the flavor was $$$$$$$ amazing. Rice was done well and the macaroni wasn't my favorite but still pretty well made. My daughter had beef and shrimp meal. Beef was so gooooood. The shrimp was cooked perfectly. I added an island smoothie and was so happy that I did. The staff was friendly and welcoming. Our food wasn't long behind placing our order so the wait time is short. The atmosphere was local and clean. I totally dug the island vibe and how they handled the decor.

    Malasadas (guava, chocolate, mango, and original)
    Liana N.

    Stopped by on the way for a quick bite and it had a constant flow of people ordering food. Many people seemed to stop by for malasadas. We ordered the hamburger, loco moco and malasadas. The standout was the bread in my opinion. Loco moco and hamburger was mediocre and the malasadas tasted best when it was fresh. The texture of the bread is more dough-y than Leonard's malasadas. There is indoor and outdoor seating available with plenty of chickens roaming around.

    Front Counter
    Ryan H.

    Delicious Loco Moco. My family and i had the Kalua Pig and traditional Loco Moco. Also ordered a 6pack of Malasadas. Nice to see a variety of loco moco on a menu. The malasadas were nice, pretty big in size. Parking was easy as we went in the morning. Service was quick and friendly. Very nice place to pull off on the drive over to Hilo.

    Mike H.

    I heard that Tex Drive-in is the place for malasada's on the Big Island. So while visiting Kona and having to head up to Waiea we added Tex Drive-in to our agenda and started the long drive. As you pull into the drive way you'll see Ace Hardware and to the right the Tex Drive-in sign, you'll need to drive around to the back of the building as that's where the front entrance is. You'll see a packed parking lot with plenty of customers, outdoor seating and another sign. First impressions as we walked in was the old school Drive-in vibe. We ordered 4 plain malasada's that are made square not oval or round and their big along with a cheese burger that's also big. The malasada's were freshly made not overly sugar coated but a little on the heavier side, still fluffy, great tasting and would definitely eat them again. The cheeseburger however was a different story, at first glance, it was impressive being that it was bigger that any other restaurant bought burger but sadly it had absolutely no taste. What a let down at the cost of $11. Lesson learned don't go hungry, but go for dessert, for the malasada's.

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    Tex Drive In Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Tex Drive In

    Is this place better than Lenards?

    In my humble opinion no. Leonard's is better. Lighter. Smaller but less of a heavy greasy plunker. Don't get me wrong it was tasty, but I didn't like the heartburn afterward and burping the taste of oil.

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    Cafe il Mondo - Pastrami sandwich is the best sandwich I've ever ate!

    Cafe il Mondo

    4.3(214 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    What an absolute Gem of a restaurant! In the heart of Honokaa…read more Glad we found this wonderful Italian restaurant! We were walking and decided to try it out. We got a 12" pepperoni pizza and a special pastrami sandwich. The pepperoni pizza was so delicious. It has so much flavor in every bite! The crust tastes garlic, the cheese tasted so good! Definitely try it! Oh my goodness! The pastrami sandwich is one of the best sandwich I've ever eaten! The pastrami was crunchy on the sides and so much flavor. You can tell the sandwiches bread is fresh! The lettuce and tomatoes are so fresh too.

    First time back since new owners. What a great surprise to see the same staff! Chef Jeff and Isa…read morewere what made Cafe il Mondo so good before, and no surprise, it is still a delicious experience. Today was a crispy cold Maui Big Swell, can't beat it if you like a good local IPA. We shared a house salad which was generous, fresh, and flavorful. Next up we split an Italian sausage calzone. This is one of my very favorites that Jeff cooks up in the brick oven. Fresh out, it is glistening and wonderful. Such a delicious blend of flavors. Because leftover pizza is always a treat, we ordered up the large Mondo, 1/2 pesto, 1/2 tomato sauce. Fresh and tasty, not much made the to go box. Cudos to the new owners as the food remains fabulous and the service friendly. Will we go back? Of course, and bring friends when we can.

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    Cafe il Mondo - Dining Area

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    Pepperoni pizza SO DELICIOUS

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    The Fish and The Hog - Brussel sprouts and Caesar Salad

    The Fish and The Hog

    4.5(1.6k reviews)
    12.7 mi
    $$

    We had the pleasure of being served by Ben. Very sweet and attentive greeting when we walked in…read more We felted so welcomed The fish and chips was delicious - as well as the gumbo- i didn't order either or, but i had to try what my company was ordering. I enjoyed the pull pork sandwich w onion rings. Everything on the plate was fresh and delicious. Their Lava Flow and Blue Hawaii were also super tasty and refreshing. Thank you for the wonderful experience

    my Son raved about this restaurant because he had eaten there on previous trips to the Big island…read more. I was so looking forward to dining on delicious BBQ . we had to order our meals as take out online because of young children , so we looked to order at 4:30 pm . so i went online and believe it or not I was incredulous that they were sold out of Every single BBQed Dish pork, chicken, ribs etc I was so disappointed and in disbelief That I called the restaurant and sure enough it was true! shocking for a BBQ RESTAURANT to run out of BBQ! because our hearts were set on having their food , so burgers were ordered by the family and i ordered the ONO grilled with a side of cole slaw and grilled pineapple, and O NO the fish was so tough it was difficult to cut with a knife... it was tastless and chewy ... threw away half of it ! It was not the fresh Ono I expected and love! hopefully this does not happen often !!! I understand that Restaurants have an off night sometimes ... but this was SO SAD !!! in addition there was something (maybe a spice or something on the grill ) on either the fish and/or the pineapple , that I had an allergic reaction to ! my tongue swelled and was extremely uncomfortable!!! I have never had that happen before... it is sad that the cornbread and the coleslaw were the best part if the meal! The burgers were enjoyed so that boosted my score !

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    The Fish and The Hog
    The Fish and The Hog - The Sampler

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    Island Gourmet Market - Dynamite Mahi Mahi

    Island Gourmet Market

    4.1(921 reviews)
    29.2 mi
    $$

    If you are staying in the Waikoloa area, this will be your go-to market. We came here everyday, and…read moresometimes multiple times a day. They have everything here, including hot foods, deli sandwiches, musubis, baked goods, malasadas, fresh sashimi and poke bowls. They also have supermarket items like fresh fruit and vegetables, drinks, dairy, chips, bagels, etc. There's also a wine and beer section, t-shirts, Hawaiian shirts, and other knick knacks. And everything is good to very good quality. The food is really good, and there's some outdoor seating right outside the market. We came here for breakfast and dinner, and it's nice because everyone can choose what they like since there's such a variety of items. Some of the items we've tried: + Kalua pork breakfast burrito (5/5) - meat was smokey and juicy. Burrito grilled nicely. + Spam Musubi (4/5) - very good; rice could have used a little more flavor but I'm being picky. + Poke bowl (4/5) - the poke itself was very good and fresh. Toppings were limited. + Cut fruits (4/5) - watermelon was especially good; the melons were ok. + BLT Breakfast sandwich (5/5) - was very good and came with fried potatoes. + Banana bread (3/5) - good but overall taste was sweet and not enough banana flavor. This was our go-to market during our trip. We loved coming here and the staff is so friendly.

    Great gas station Spam and rice breakfast of champions…read more Weird that they don't sell gas tho ...

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    Island Gourmet Market - Hot food menu

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    Island Gourmet Market - Sushi Kaiyo menu (1 of 4) as of 1/13/2025

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    Sushi Kaiyo menu (1 of 4) as of 1/13/2025

    Tex Drive In - hotdogs - Updated May 2026

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