This place is truly a gem. Such a variety of options to order from that there's something for everyone! The woman at the cash register was so patient and understanding of any question we had. She helped us choose options, and recommended certain entrees based on what we were each craving and enjoy eating. There were many things I wanted to try, but I went ahead and went with the salmon with miso based on her recommendation. It did not disappointment! It was so light, yet extremely flavorful. The salad as well comes with a light and tangy calamansi dressing. There is also ample of seating inside. We went about an hour or so before closing, and the place was packed. I don't know if it's always like this, but people were also showing up 10-15 mins before closing and continue to stagger in. We were able to snag a table while waiting for our food to be ready. I'd definitely come back here again. Mahalo for the kind welcome and I look forward to visiting again. read more

Wailua Drive In - Salmon with miso - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

On our first trip to Kauai, we couldn't resist visiting The Wailua Drive-In after seeing it featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Luckily, it was just a short walk from our hotel, so we decided to give it a try. One thing I quickly learned about Kauai is that many places close early, so I'm glad we made it in time. I ordered the chili pepper chicken and poke plate with mac salad and rice. Let me tell you, the mac salad was the best I had on the island--absolutely delicious! The poke and chili pepper chicken were also fantastic. I always forget how generous the portions are with a plate lunch; my husband and I could have easily shared one. We opted to take our food to go because there was a family inside with two teenage daughters having a bit of a meltdown, making quite a scene. I think one of the owners noticed and felt bad about the noise, so they kindly gave us two free Ube pies for dessert, which were a delightful treat. We enjoyed our meal back at the hotel, sitting by the beach near the pool, and it was perfect. I loved everything about this place and wish I had more time to explore their menu. I'll definitely be back on my next visit to Kauai! read more

Wailua Drive In - Guy! - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

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When you think of Hawaiian food, like a Loco Moco, kalua pork, Mac salad.... This is the place. The vibe was exactly what you want... authentic Hawaiian. Locals in the establishment, friendly customer service, and great great food. Being from Utah we get a lot of the Hawaiian and Polynesian culture and food and this restaurant was up there as one of the best. We got the Kalua Pork with Rice and Mac Salad. read more

I visited Wailua Drive-In in Kapaʻa, Kauaʻi, Hawaii [4-733 Kuhio Hwy] on Monday, 01/19/26, in the evening. I decided to order the Chili Pepper Chicken, which came with rice and macaroni salad. Surprisingly, the chicken wasn't spicy at all. It had a mild flavor and was packed with a delicious taste in every bite. The rice and macaroni salad were nice complements to the chicken. I picked up my food from the drive-thru window. One of the staff members mentioned that the order would take about 15 minutes to prepare, but it was ready in just 5 minutes; very quick and efficient. Overall, Wailua Drive-In offers tasty food and fast, friendly service. I highly recommend stopping by. read more

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Fantastic food really loved Ahi salad and Ahi roll!! Love the potato Mac - very good!

How'z it foodie gang Got they ahi katsu today. FN gas station braddah. That panko crust and that raw, seared ahi. Oooowee. Pair that w some rice and mac salad and it's certified onolicious. No pic bc my fat butt ate em all before the camera could get out. read more

Stopped by here back in 2022 when visiting Hawaii and was we absolutely loved the food! This is a good spot, down to earth, delicious during Hawaii gateway and tasty. Good customer service as well, overall nothing to complain about read more

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We had driven by so many times and it may not look like much from the outside, but if you are looking for some good plate lunches/take away meals to eat at the beach, definitely stop in here. Service was quick and friendly. Super casual inside with seating if you did want to eat in. Chicken katsu curry had nice crisp texture. Teri steak with bell peppers was nice as well. Butter garlic shrimp (messy with the shells, but worth it) was so flavorful and moist. Sides of mac salad or green salad. My personal fave were the fried noodles! Super happy we ordered dessert as well! Haupia pie and lilikoi bar *chef's kiss*. read more

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Came here through a friend's recommendation. I got the butter garlic shrimp and let me tell you, it was phenomenal! Flavor was excellent and the price was even better! Best price for garlic shrimp I've seen on the island! Their dessert was also delicious! Highly recommend! I can't wait to come back to try other items! read more

Wailua Drive-In absolutely lived up to the hype. We ordered the Combo Plate with ahi poke and ginger chicken, plus a Chili Pepper Chicken plate, and everything was on point. The ahi poke was super fresh with a clean, buttery flavor, and the portion was generous. The ginger chicken was tender and flavorful without being overly sweet -- just a great balance all around. And the Chili Pepper Chicken? Perfectly crispy, a little bit spicy in all the best ways, and seriously addictive. You can tell they care about seasoning and quality. Service was quick, the prices felt fair for how much food you get, and the overall vibe is exactly what you want from a local-style drive-in spot. Definitely recommend stopping by -- your taste buds will thank you! read more

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We needed one last garlic shrimp plate before we left the island so Wailua Drive In was a perfect spot before we headed to the airport. Came highly recommended by our tubing tour guide, Jason. Surprised to see that it was empty inside. A few cars pulled in as we ordered. Very large, open space. Menu is simple. Honestly, didn't review the entire menu because I had my heart set on garlic shrimp. Food came out rather quickly. My husband ordered the katsu plate. Both our plates has generous serving of rice and mac. Can't go wrong with that combination. -Small parking lot -Drive through window -One large single bathroom -Cute staff drawings on the hallway wall read more

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This spot was recommended to us by one of our tour guides and happened to be right down the street from where we were staying. So cool to see it was featured on Diners, Drive-In's and Dives. I decided to share with the group the fried noodles and chili pepper chicken (featured on the show), and the dynamite nachos. The staff took our orders at the counter and helped me choose a dessert. The food came out pretty quick and we took it back to where we were staying to eat. The food was phenomenal. I see why the chicken is so popular and the noodles were no less impressive. The dynamite poke nachos were also delicious! The lilikoi dessert was so good! I love passion fruit but as a tart it was so tasty. I wished we had time to come back before the trip had ended, but next time I'm in Kauai, this will be my first stop! read more

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So first time trying out Wailua drive inn Joe provided great customer service and recommendations we got the following items Fried chicken & chili poke combo Grilled kalua pig & cabbage Patty melt Will definitely be back when in town read more

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This place managed to dodge the "Triple D" curse - once a place is featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" it goes downhill. Not this one! We had dinner here one night and the service was great, the food came out pretty fast and it was delicious! The Chili Pepper Chicken is super legit! There were 6 of us eating there and everyone enjoyed what they ordered. Cool little place! read more

Friendly, welcoming atmosphere! Cute little place! Lot of yummy options. I went with the plate lunch. (Chili pepper chicken with Mac and rice) husband got the katsu. Got a lilikoi and haupia pie. Food 1000/10 read more

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We returned from our Wailua River kayaking adventure way later than expected and were starving! Most places close around 8pm and we had very little time to find something to eat. I'd actually wanted to try this place while we are here, and it was on our way back to our resort. We walked in around 10 minutes prior to closing. They were all so kind and welcoming. I asked if we still had time to order and they said it was not a problem! We ordered to go. There's seating inside, ample parking, and some cool surf items and random decor inside. My daughters both ordered cheeseburgers with fries. I opted for the butter garlic shrimp with greens (salad) instead of Mac salad. My kids loved their burgers and fries and the shrimp was amazing! The sauce was perfect and I also used it while eating my rice. The salad dressing was amazing--I want to say I tasted a hint of lilikoi in it...? Definitely give this place a try! read more

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Amazing food, doesn't get better than a shrimp mukbang on the beautiful island of Kauai! read more

Wailua Drive In - Garlic Shrimp Plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

Yes yes yes. This place was on Diners, Drives and Dives. You must get the chili garlic chicken! Also more importantly the ahi tuna katsu. Probably top 3 meals I had on the island. Service was fast, it is a drive through lol. The cashier girl inside was super nice and helpful. The inside was cool, Bruce Lee poster and a ufc thing signed by Royce Gracie. Such a vibe. read more

Wailua Drive In - Super cool poster - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

Ahi katsu and garlic chicken with mac salad. That's all you gotta get. Best local food!

We just arrived on the island and were looking for a good spot to eat next to our hotel. Luckily we found this amazing drive in just across the street from the Waipouli Resort and they had AMAZING food. I got the Ahi Katsu plate and everything was delicious! Even the mac was different than what we've had before in the best way. My husband got the Loco Moco and it was plenty of food. The pricing was really great too for the quality of food. We loved this spot so much we kept coming back. The staff were friendly and helpful when it came to deciding what we wanted to try. Definitely a must try in Kauai. read more

Wailua Drive In - Loco Moco & Ahi Katsu - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

I decided that on this trip I'm going to try all the places that were on top of the lists of most recommended on the island. This one doesn't disappoint! It's a drive in but there's a small dining inside as well. The staffs are very attentive and clean the tables and chairs right away for the diners that are waiting. All the staffs are friendly, courteous and very respectful. And let's talk about the foods! They are delicious! The price is worth the taste and the amount. This can be one of my favorite go to place, no hassle and I'm satisfied with everything about this place! Highly recommended! read more

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Parking wasn't too bad. We came during dinner time. A diner with a drive thru located in the corner. There were tables available to sit at and what's nice is they wipe the tables down right away when guests leave. We ordered up front, and it was quick to order. They give you a buzzer so that you don't have to wait at the front for your food. My daughter and I shared the mini locomoco, and it was just right for the both of us. Meat was huge. Wasn't tender soft though, my daughter said it was tough for her to chew considering there's gravy. It was good to me, like a hamburger for a burger. The Mac salad was good. Liked the flavor of it. We also got dessert. My daughter loved the ube tarts. As for the likikoi, it was more on the tangy side rather than sweet. Would most likely get the ube instead. Other than that, the service was good, prices not bad, and cleanliness of place was good. read more

Wailua Drive In - Lilikoi cheesecake and ube tarts - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

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Came for Meat Jun and was not disappointed! Flavorful, well seasoned, and fluffy not overcooked egg. Delicious chili dip. Calamansi dressing for the toss salad is fantastic. Potato Mac salad is great too with spices and large pieces of potato mixed in. Finishing with the ube cheesecake now which is so good and the sweet shortbread crust is delicious. Excited to come back! read more

So impressed with this place! It looks unassuming but great Hawaiian classics and one of the more reasonably priced places in Kauai for a quick dinner. I got the kalaua pork and it was delicious!! I subbed for salad but also got the Brussels side which was very tasty. My isband got the chicken was was good but not the freshest. Probably our fault bc we ordered shortly before closing. Overall great option in the area. read more

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Every time we visit we stop here, sometimes make than once. The mac salad is phenomenal. The chili pepper chicken is AMAZING and their loco moco is one of my favorites (add more gravy though!!) I feel like this spot is so underrated! One of the better plate lunch spots on the island :) read more

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One of the best meals I had during our trip to Kauai! Was craving garlic shrimp and this place was near our hotel. I ordered the garlic shrimp and my husband ordered the lau lau. Both were delicious! The shrimp was soo garlicky and buttery. I normally don't eat a lot of rice but it was hard not to soak all the rice in the sauce to eat. The lau lau was also really tender. I loved the little soup noodle side that it came with. Overall, great place for a filling delicious meal. They do charge a surcharge (like most other places here) for using a credit card though so just keep that in mind. They have a parking lot but if you're staying at one of the resorts nearby it's also within walking distance. read more

Wailua Drive In - Butter garlic shrimp and lau lau plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

Although the name of the establishment says "Drive-in", they have a seating area inside. The person at the counter was very helpful and asked if we needed any recommendations or had any questions. Normally, I don't tip the same for counter service as I would sit down service, this cashier was so nice, I didn't think twice about leaving her a tip. If you are looking at experiencing local food, this is the place to go. There is a variety of different plates with good sized portions. I had the Lau Lau while my partner had the Ahi and an Ube dessert. All of it was very good! The place isn't elegant, but it felt clean and relatively new. read more

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YUMMMMMM!!!! We just picked up some food and ate back at our hotel because I'm pregnant and lazy. So can't give you much on the restaurant itself. But service was fast and easy. We got the loco moco which was devoured. Also the fried noodles which hit the spot!!!! Both were extremely delicious and flavourful can't wait to go back and try more! read more

Wailua Drive In - Loco Nico - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

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Stop! Don't drive past this place. I promise. It's great! We stopped in for our first time, and we've been to Kauai a lot. We feel so dumb for never stopping here. The food is good, like really really good. We stopped in twice. We ordered what seemed like everything on the menu but we barely scratched the surface. Everyone there is kind, happy to explain menu items, and serves up the food fresh. We even stopped in for sides to accompany our dinner back at the condo. Order whatever, it'll be good. read more

TLDR : Great food, amazing desserts! Tried the Wailua Drive in during our trip. It was a nice place to grab a nice dinner. They have a nice drive through option and you can call in and they'd have the food ready for pick up. Not that the drive in is not for ordering on the spot! read more

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The tuna was good, big portion with green salad and nicely prepared rice. The dessert was ok. read more

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Round 2...this time opted for the chicken katsu curry and the Kalua pork loco moco! OMG! Amazing. And let's not forget dessert! We went with the lilikoi bar (as suggested by one of the staff)! Yummy!!!! Plus this was our first time going through the drive-thru, of course we had no clue what to do! But it was quick and easy! CheeHoo! Mahalo! read more

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Tried again. The steak is amazing. Juicy and tender. Was so good we had to come back. read more

Wailua Drive In - Shrimp and steak combo. Not all the portion as this was taken after we dug in. - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

Super friendly and quick service, typical dive atmosphere, awful food. My boyfriend ordered the Hawaiian Plate. The pork and the salmon were outrageously salty. I went with the pork roast loco moco. The pork looked and tasted as though it had been boiled, and the gravy was blah. I think it came from a can. What a disappointing meal! read more

Stopped by twice while we were in Kauai. We dined in once and stopped by the drive thru another night. The service was amazing as well as the food! We were only bummed out because they were out of spam musubi both times. But everything else was amazing. Oh and the Mac Salad is on point!! read more

Wailua Drive In - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

This place is GOOD‍ Hubby didn't know what he wanted to eat on his birthday so I brought him and his parents begrudgingly. Boy were they impressed with the flavor and quality of their food and desserts. Core memory for our trip read more

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Ordered beef stew and meat jun. The stew was fine, not bad. The meat jun was inedible. Egg batter was completely overcooked and burned. Fed it to the roosters. Come on guys you weren't even busy in there, turn the heat down and cook it lower and slower. read more

We liked this place so much we returned in the same trip which we rarely do when on vacation. The service was good, the food was excellent, and the portions were huge. Also go early otherwise they sell out of musubi! read more

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Convenient location, prompt, polite service, freshly made food. Ahi Katsu: light crust outside, melt-in-your- mouth inside. Mini Ginger Fried Chicken: generous breast meat nuggets, not greasy. Tasty sides. Fried Brussel Sprouts nicely seasoned with Vietnamese peanut glaze. Eat in or take out. read more

Classics reimagined. Love me some ono grindz! We ordered the Ahi Katsu, Poke Nachos and the Lau Lau plate. All supa ono but I personally like less sauce so I will ask for it on da side next time! Oh and get the lilikoi mini cheesecake! You can't leave without a dessert! Service was fast and efficient. FYI the drive thru line is for already placed pickup orders, not ordering and picking up on the fly. read more

Wailua Drive In - Lau Lau plate (top), poke nachos (middle) and ahi katsu (bottom) - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii