Top Five Diners on Oahu

Oahu is known for many things: beautiful scenery, incredible beaches and a wonderful climate. It is also known for its great food. There are a number of wonderful places to eat on the island, but most people think only of the five-star restaurants.

Those of us without the budget (or the tastes) of the well-heeled have a number of fine diners and drive-ins to eat at. The best of these are the Rainbow Drive-In, The Alley Restaurant and Bar, Jackie’s Diner, the Times Coffee Shop and the Kalapawai Café and Diner.

The Rainbow Drive-In

Not far from the sandy shores of Waikiki is the oldest drive-in in Hawaii. Seiju Ifuku founded the Rainbow Drive-In in 1961. The diner is open every day of the week from seven in the morning until nine at night. They close only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.

If you like diners, you will love this one. The food is cheap and comes in large portions. The fried chicken and the ham steak are particularly good. Other favorites are the roast pork and the Shoyu chicken. They also have chili dogs, hamburger steaks, spaghetti and beef curry. The chili has been famous since the diner first opened.

You can also have a quick and delicious breakfast of French toast, corned beef hash or pancakes. A number of sandwiches are also available, including hamburgers, ahi katsu, tuna salad and deviled egg. The most expensive items on the menu cost $7.25, and most are considerably less. Service is fast.

The Alley Restaurant and Bar

The Alley Restaurant in Aiea is not just a restaurant, but an eatery, a bar and a bowling alley all one same building. Aiea Bowl has long been popular on the island, and when the owners expanded the bowling alley to create a restaurant and bar, the new establishment was an instant hit. The restaurant serves fairly upscale food for a diner, but the prices are reasonable and the food is impressive.

One of the best dishes on offer is the Tasty Chicken. It brings the concept of chicken tenders to a new level. The Tasty Chicken has won awards. One bite and you’ll know why; these may be the best chicken tenders in the country. The seafood dishes are also good, in particular the mahi-mahi and the shrimp. The Alley also makes several delicious pizzas. As for dessert, nothing can beat Mama Miya’s Chocolate Cake.

The Alley is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Jackie’s Diner

If you are in Aiea, you have to stop by Jackie’s Diner. It’s a cheap little local diner that doesn’t even have a website, but the food and the service are great. The average dish costs less than $10. If you want good, cheap food in Aiea, this is the place to go. It may also be the best place to get authentic Hawaiian food on all of Oahu.

There is so much good food on the menu here that it is difficult to make a choice. The lomi salmon is particularly good, but so are the pasteles and the chicken long rice. The Hawaiian plate lets you choose three different entrees to sample.

Jackie’s is always busy, so there is often a wait for a table. The wait staff is quick and efficient. They serve all three meals and are open every day.

The Times Coffee Shop

The Times is a great and inexpensive diner in Kailua. There are actually two locations, Times Kailua and Times Kaneohe and both are equally good. The décor is nothing to be impressed with; it looks like a hole-in-the-wall diner you might find on the side of the road, but the food is fabulous.

Breakfast is the best time to visit the Times, though they also serve lunch. The Banana Belgian Waffle is wonderful, and the pancakes and home fries are also worth the trip. The fries are actually made by hand. They also offer the traditional eggs, bacon and potatoes meal. As for the coffee, it is hot, good and the refills are free.

The Times is often busy, but the service is quick and the waitstaff is always friendly. Most of the entrees cost less than $10.

The Kalapawai Café and Deli

Kailua is home to the Kalapawai Café and Deli, an enterprising restaurant that combines a café, a bakery, a coffee shop and a deli all under one roof. It is a part of the Kalapawai Market, which has been open since 1932. The décor is contemporary but still retains the simplicity that marks an inexpensive café.

Eating at the Kalapawai can be a very different experience, depending on when you go. They are primarily known for their bakery treats in the morning, which are delicious. Then there is the coffee –it can only be described as exquisite. They have a line of their own blended and roasted coffees.

At lunch the deli is full of diners eager to snatch up the sandwiches and sides, such as a great homemade mac and cheese. The potato leek soup is also worth a try. At night the restaurant morphs again, and is now the home of slightly more expensive entrees made by a locally known chef. Lunch is normally under $10 per plate, but you can expect to pay anywhere from $14-$20 a plate at dinner. If you have the extra money, now is the time to spend it. The service is also top notch.

I haven’t ever been bored with finding a quick diner meal on Oahu and I usually have to pick between a couple favourites. Now that you know them, I might just see you there one day!

Tony is a real estate agent on Oahu with a passion for food. Check out his website at Aloha Tony.