Hawaii’s Favorite Kitchens

Love that some of my favorite old restaurants are now close by in Kapahulu! The Huli huli chicken is the best! I purchased a whole one for dinner one Sunday (go early otherwise they may sell out early!). My brother couldn’t stop eating them and agreed it was the best on the island. Great flavor and perfectly grilled.
Shimazu has the best syrups for shave ice, especially old fashion rainbow flavor of strawberry, vanilla and banana. Every time I take my first bite, I remember the school street location when I would frequent it in the 1970’s. They make them as large as the School Street location.
I grew up on KC waffle dogs. Although I don’t normally eat hot dogs, I’ll make a exception for the sweetness of a waffle dog.
Very pleased HFK opened up next to Rainbow Drive In. Thanks for bringing back the memories of my childhood!

Was headed for Rainbow, ended up next door instead since they were closed. Had a couple Ahi bowls, which were great. Wife had the katzu chicken, which was not.

Best place to get all your favorites! We got a waffle dog with chili, ahi limu shoyu poke, and an ono ono shake. I need to go back and get shave ice! The poke was pretty good from here. Nice cuts of fish that weren’t stringy. Love that this is a one stop restaurant with lots of options

After I wrote my initial review, I was contacted by management and offered a refund for my donburi. Much appreciated.
It sounds like the situation re: baked shrimp may have been temporary, as the Department of Health had instructed them that they couldn’t cook on their burners until they installed vent hoods. I haven’t gone back yet to see whether they have remedied that yet, but I’m willing to give the place another shot when they do. I miss that sauteed shrimp!

Went to Shimazu because I was craving shave ice. I decided to get the bowl with ice cream and bless the guy who was going to make it. He was trying to explain how big it was and that I should downsize my order. Having just gotten back from Vegas, I was craving SHAVE ICE!
He proceeds to make the hugest snowball I’ve ever seen fit in a small bowl… omg it was unreal!
Now Waiola is very fine and I love their shave ice. This snowball covered in my three favorite flavors was the bomb!
Yes I did eat the whole thing and YES I’ll be back!

Great Place to get all your Favorites in ONE PLACE! The Poke was so fresh and delicious! A little odd that it offers some Rainbow favorites and its right next door lol. Still love the fact that there are so many options here. Great stop for the fam who is all indecisive and wants something different. New, Fresh, Clean and Service was excellent.

We were getting shave ice next door, and decided to stop by to grab lunch after noticing this Hawaiian poke shop. This is a small one-​stop, eat-​all fast food restaurant that includes several local eateries: Rainbow’s Drive In, KC Waffle Dog, Poke Stop, and Hoku BBQ Chicken. It is not far from Waikiki, so the location is ideal for those who are staying nearby. The overhead menu is easily noticeable, and there is also a glass case with different pokes available for sampling. There is a small seating area, making it convenient for those who wish to stick around for shave ice.
We ordered the Poke Bowl ($ 12.95) that came with Creamy Salmon Poke, Sweet Onion Poke, dried seaweed, and rice. The rice bowl was sizable, and the quality of the poke was fresh, chunky, and tender. We enjoyed the Salmon Poke that carried just the right amount of creamy dressing on top of buttery salmon. Moreover, the Sweet Onion Poke was our favorite. It came with a right amount of shoyu to serve as the base that complemented well with the sharp cutting onion before reaching the refined sweetness of the sesame oil.
We also ordered a side of Limu Poke ($ 5.42 at $ 16.95 per pound). The mix of algae added a nice texture contrast to the chunky ahi. The hint of sea salt was apparent, but the flavor profile was not as impressive as the others. Overall, it was a positive experience, but the overall quality did not stood out when compared to the ones I had in other places.
Service was fast, efficient, and to the point. At this fast food joint, I enjoyed the opportunity to sample their various poke flavors before purchase. However, I also thought it was awfully cheap of them to give us a plastic cover when we asked for a empty bowl for sharing. Despite these shortcomings, there is still plenty to like about this place. I would be interested in returning to try their Kimchee Tako Poke, Sesame Ahi Poke, Waffle Dog, and Hoku Chicken Plate.

MY FAVORITE PLACE!!! so smart they have different food places in one spot! poke! waffle dog! rainbows drive in! shimazu! omg omg how good does that sound! i got my favorite the waffle dog but with chilli. i rather have the plain waffle dog only because the chilli makes the waffle soggy after awhile. but it still was good!
easy to find! right next to rainbows drive in. and they have someone cooking chicken right outside! so good! i am def going back for more options!

So here is a stop with the best Hawaii restaurants. There’s Rainbow’s Drive In, KC Waffle Dog, Poke Stop, Hoku BBQ Chicken, and Shimazu’s Shave Ice. Not much to say unless you haven’t tried them all before.
What I like about this place is that you can get what you like from restaurants in Hawaii in one small convenient location. Personally I like the waffle dog and shave ice. Good snack and then something cold, especially during the summer.
I would go over the food but there’s just too much to go over :) Really, if you haven’t been to the original restaurant and are in Waikiki, come here! Get some shave ice while you’re at it!

Grand opening today at Hawaiis Favorite Kitchens (6.27.15) — «Shimazu shave ice»
Grinds + shave ice = yummmmm

All your local favorites in one-​stop-​shop. Rainbow’s plate lunch, Hoku’s Chicken, KC’s waffle dogs, and Poke Stop’s poke… all here, but wait for it, Shimazu’s shave ice is joining the group.
It’s located off Kapahulu, but totally walkable distance from Waikiki, so really, this is the one stop shop for locals and tourist.
The cashiers are super friendly, and there’s ample parking.

This restaurant is right next door to Rainbow Drive Inn. Arrived at 1:30pm on a Friday afternoon and there was open parking (about 8 spaces total). Decided to get the Poke Bowl (creamy salmon) with brown rice. I’ve only eaten poke from Nico’s Pier 38 and this selection was delicious by sight, but overall taste was good. It wasn’t as chilled as I thought it would be though. But maybe it’s because the rice warmed it up a bit. I only ate half and packed up the rest for my husband. My son ordered the Half Chicken with rice and Mac. He gave it 2 stars. I sneaked a piece and thought it was a good rotisserie, but he just thought it was going to be more like boneless teriyaki. Overall, just 3 stars today. I’ll have to go back to try the Shave Ice and Waffle Dog.

I was dreaming of Rainbow’s boneless chicken all of last week,
I had to stop by, so I can stop dreaming!
Stopped by here FHK, since Rainbow’s was way too busy during lunch rush hour.
I only had 10 mins to spare.
Parked illegally on the street, fast kind.
Place my order & in less than 10 mins. I got my food.
Fast!
I ate half my food & saved the rest for tomorrow.
Love Love the boneless chicken with gravy.
So good!
The only difference, from Rainbow’s Drive in.
comes with mac salad & its smaller portion than the plate lunch.
$ 6.25, I think I would opt for the plate lunch instead, for about 2.00 more.
I didn’t like the veggies it came with, I wish that they use fresh veggies instead.
It didn’t taste great, reminds me of eating frozen microwave dinner.
ATTN: HFK management, if you are reading this. Please please change your veggies!
Mahalo!
Other– wise, I will be back!

This was my first time eating here and I’m officially a fan. There’s like 10 different kinds of poke to choose from. Had to get the poke bowl with sushi rice. Also got to try the waffle dog and it was really yummy too.
I will definitely eat there again, given the chance.
The staff was very friendly also which makes the food even better.

Oh KC waffle dogs with cheese… how I miss you! Every time I get a waffle dog else where (craft fair, this new spot) I am never able to get the one with cheese… were you just a figment of my childhood imagination?
All cravings aside, this offshoot of rainbows is pretty interesting… part blast from the past nostalgia (with the old school fair, shirts, and photos) part sleek new counter part to beloved Rainbows. They offer food from five different local eateries (Kc waffle dog, rainbows, Hoku chicken, poke stop, and bubbies) li hi mui mix, and retro shirts of all the old timers spots.
I sampled the creamy spicy ahi poke and wow, that stuff is good! No wonder it sells at 16.95/lb (fresh not frozen fish). Tip: fill out their mailing list card and get a free ¼ lb poke on your return trip! My true reason for coming was the waffle dog. I got one original and one smothered in chili (from Rainbows), side Mac salad (pricy for a small scoop– 1.25) and a root beer freeze. The waffle dogs were good (would have been better with cheese) crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.
You’ve gotta order the rootbeer freeze! Soda mixed with vanilla ice cream yielded a sweet, semi frozen slurpable treat that was everything good about a rootbeer float but without the mess. I think they over blended mine cause it was less frosty and more soupy, but delicious just the same. I know I’ll keep coming back for these… probably as an alternative to shave ice after a long day at the beach.

When my friend mentioned waffle hotdog and Ono shakes I immediately thought of KC Drive Inn and started craving them. I’m sure many of you think the same thing too. We’ll let’s get into the DeLorean and let’s go back to the future and head on down to Hawaii’s Favorite Kitchens and get some. Don’t worry Biff isn’t anywhere around so walk on in to the smiling faces waiting to greet you.
Not in the mood for a waffle hot dog or shake, they also have food from the Poke Stop, Rainbows, Hoku BBQ Chicken and for dessert they have mochi ice cream from Bubbles.
Looking for a cool gift to get your friends and family that moved away or for even those who still live here, come in and get some shirts that will be sure to bring back some found memories for sure.
Not sure where this place is??? It’s right next door to Rainbow Drive Inn.

Oh it’s decent enough food and a good price but for a dollar more I can get like traditional plate lunch at rainbow next-​door. I’ll probably never go back there again but the bowl of pork and steamed vegetables and brown rice was good and is an attempt to offer healthier lunch of $ 6.50 was Goodnuf price but I’ll just stick with two scoops of rice combo plate $ 8.50 and more than I can eat Rainbow… that’s why there’s a line at rainbow drive-​in and no line here

This place is ONO!
So don’t get me wrong, I do love me some Rainbow… but now when I am in that area I don’t automatically go there. In fact, if I am in the area, I go straight to Hawaii’s Favorite Kitchens… why? Three words…
Deconstructed sushi bowl.
Anyway…first you should know that there is almost no parking here. Maybe 8 stalls, but that is only if there wasn’t gift tents in the parking lot. So street parking is pretty much the only option, unless you are lucky.
Service is usually pretty good here. Sometimes the staff gets frazzled when the line is out the door, but normally the food comes out quick and they employees are helpful.
There is seating inside, but not a lot…
TIP** If you are not sure which poke to get, ask for a sample… they let you try before you buy.
Ok…onto the food.
Yes, the deconstructed poke bowl is my jam. Not only is it a good value at $ 12.95, but it is a layered bowl of magical dreams come true.
If it was a banana, I would be a monkey. (so I could eat that all the time)
If it was a cronut, I would be Dominique Ansel (so I could eat that all the time)
If it was an ear, I would be Mike Tyson (so…, well you get it)
Let me break down the ingredients down for you…
From bottom to top:
Sushi rice
Vinegared and sweet this pulls the dish together.
Furukake
Must have… it’s a nice touch in the bowl… extra layer of flavor.
Ginger (pink kine)
To change the taste in between proteins.
Blackened Ahi slices
Great peppered crust on the outside, perfectly raw on the inside.
Creamy spicy ahi poke
Super deceptive… starts off sweet and creamy… and then starts to get spicy!
Sesame taco poke
Great sesame taste and fantastic tender octopus.
Whole shrimp
Head and shell on, peel and eat, or just skip that step and stuff the whole thing in your mouth for a flavor bomb!
Fish eggs (tobiko)
Added richness!
The waffle dog is good here too… got it with chili on it… needs cheese though.
The shrimp plate had an amazing amount of shrimp inside and was also a good value… still peel and eat for those of you who don’t like getting down and dirty.
The huli chicken is good too, but definitely my third choice for ordering.
My drink of choice here is a sprite with the pump of green river syrup in it
…I know… I am a kid… but it’s good.
Yummy grinds!

I like the concept of this restaurant serving favorite dishes from local restaurants around Hawaii. But I thought out of sooo many classic restaurants how did they choose these ones? Hmm. Hope to see other restaurant dishes in the future, but for now it’s good I guess.
LOCATION
Next door to the hustling bustling Rainbows. It’s kind of nice having a separate parking lot and indoor, air conditioned seating lol. When my bf and I went, we were the only ones there on a Sunday afternoon… Inside was spacious with a dining in area, but the first thought in my head was that the tables and chairs reminded me of Yogurt land or Menchies lol. I didn’t like the super pungent smell of floor cleaner though, not sure if it’s always like that or we just went right after they cleaned the floor. Perhaps better ventilation would help when they clean.
SERVICE
From my experience the staff has been real friendly, especially the cashier, who was an older woman.
FOOD
They list the dishes from each restaurant separately so you know which came from where. There’s also a glass case with various types of poke.
So apparently I’ve lived down the road from KC’s Drive In almost all my life and have never tried their famous waffle dogs. I’ve never even dined there, when it used to be where now a medical building is. My only memory is when I was very small, looking out the car window and seeing KC’s on the way to school. So I had to try it.
–WAFFLE DOG with CHILI: …and why not go all the way and try it with some chili! I thought the waffle dog was pretty good! I was worried it would be very thick battered, but it was crisp and lightly battered. Because it was smothered in chili, only the untouched edges were crisp while the covered parts were all soft and moist. I think it would be better if the waffle dog was on the side instead of smothered in the chili so it can keep its crispness. (That’s just my preference though, kinda like tempura udon. Keep the crunchies seperate! Lol)
–CHILI BOWL: Bf ordered this, was a good size bowl with rice, chili and mac. Same chili even though it was listed on the menu from different restaurants.
–POKE: the poke is from Poke Stop (in Waipahu I think?). I tried this place before and I didn’t think it was that good lol. Looking into the glass at all the poke, I did not think it looked very fresh. but who knows, maybe the poke here isn’t the same as the one in Waipahu. I do like the idea of buying poke conveniently next to Rainbows though.

While visiting on vacation, I didn’t expect to come across a brand spankin’ new restaurant here in Honolulu.
Yes, that’s right kids…
GRAND OPENING!
I was appointed here by Honolulu Unilocaler resident, Brian M., and was glad I took him up on the recommendation.
They offer a great variety of Hawaiian local faves such as slow roasted chicken over an open fire (served in a bag), fresh poke bowls, and even inventive snacks such as the waffle dog!
They encourage sampling before you settle on your meal purchase. Woohoo! Love a place that offers taste test driving.
The food came out perfect! The chicken was tender and moist, and my edamame garlic ahi tuna poke was very enjoyable! Soooo good! Extremely flavorful and incredibly satisfying. Great place to pick up either a quick bite to eat or a meal for the whole family. Service was quick and friendly!
Mahalo for the great food and much success to Hawaii’s Favorite Kitchens!