Rainbow Drive-In

Rainbow Drive-In has been serving Hawaiian plate lunches from a walk-up counter on Kapahulu Avenue since 1961. It is a no-frills, order-at-the-window operation with covered outdoor picnic tables, styrofoam plates, and some of the most satisfying comfort food in Honolulu at prices that feel like a time warp. For families, it provides an authentic introduction to Hawaiian plate lunch culture at a fraction of what Waikiki restaurants charge.

The plate lunch is Hawaii's defining meal format: a protein (teriyaki beef, kalua pork, fried chicken, mahimahi, or one of several other options), a scoop of sticky white rice, and a scoop of creamy macaroni salad, all served on a partitioned styrofoam plate. The concept originated with plantation workers who needed portable, hearty meals, and it evolved into Hawaii's most democratic dining tradition -- everyone from construction workers to attorneys eats plate lunch.

Rainbow's signature dish is the loco moco: a hamburger patty on a bed of white rice, topped with rich brown gravy and a fried egg. It is gloriously unhealthy, supremely satisfying, and a dish that kids either love at first bite or come around to by the second. The gravy-soaked rice alone is addictive.

Other popular items include the teriyaki beef plate (thin-sliced beef in a sweet-savory sauce), the boneless chicken plate, and the Mix plate ($11-12) that lets you choose two proteins.

Portions are enormous by mainland standards. A single plate lunch easily feeds an adult, and most families find that ordering one fewer plate than the number of people at the table is the right approach. For families with a preschooler, one plate lunch can feed both the parent and the child with food left over. This makes the already low prices ($8-12 per plate) even more economical.

The atmosphere is pure local Honolulu. The clientele is a cross-section of the neighborhood -- surfers in boardshorts, construction crews on lunch break, multigenerational local families, and tourists who found their way off the Waikiki strip. The covered outdoor seating area has communal picnic tables.

There is no table service, no tips expected, and no pretense. Kids can be as messy and noisy as they want. It is the most relaxed restaurant experience in the Waikiki area.

Rainbow Drive-In is located on the Kapahulu Avenue corridor, which connects Waikiki to the residential neighborhoods inland. This puts it within a 5-minute drive of Diamond Head, the Honolulu Zoo, Leonard's Bakery, and Ono Seafood (one of Honolulu's best poke shops). A common family itinerary: Diamond Head hike in the morning, Rainbow Drive-In for lunch, Leonard's for dessert, then the zoo or beach in the afternoon.