Rainbow Drive-In has been the gold standard for the Hawaiian plate lunch since Seiju and Ayako Ifuku opened the walk-up window in 1961, and the Kapahulu original still draws a line of locals and visitors from breakfast through dinner. The signature Mixed Plate piles teriyaki beef, boneless chicken, and mahi-mahi over two scoops of rice and a scoop of mac salad. The loco moco, voted #1 in Hawaii by Hawaiʻi Magazine readers, layers a hamburger patty and a fried egg over rice and drowns the whole plate in brown gravy. Order at the window, grab a picnic table in the parking lot, and watch surfers and uniformed school kids cycle through. Cash and card both work despite the old reputation, and prices stay refreshingly low: most plates land between ten and fifteen dollars.
"Voted #1 Best Loco Moco in Hawaiʻi, #1 Best Plate Lunch on Oahu, and #3 Best Burger on Oʻahu by Hawaiʻi Magazine readers."