




Zippy's - Honolulu (S King St)
About
A Culinary Institution in Makiki
Walking into the iconic Zippy's location on South King Street feels like stepping into the living room of Honolulu. For locals, this isn't just a place to grab a meal; it is the definitive gathering spot for after-school snacks, late-night cravings, and everything in between. The air inside hums with the energetic clatter of trays and the low murmur of neighbors catching up, creating an unmistakably authentic island atmosphere that feels worlds away from the polished resort dining scene.
Signature Island Flavors
The kitchen is synonymous with the legendary Zippy's Chili—a secret recipe that has anchored the menu for decades. Whether you take it over rice, with beans, or as a Frito Chili Pie, it remains the gold standard for comfort food in Hawaii. Beyond the chili, their Zip Pac is a cultural staple, perfectly balancing fried chicken, a slice of Spam, and breaded fish over a bed of furikake-dusted rice. The staff navigates the high-traffic dining room with impressive efficiency, keeping the flow steady even when the post-work rush fills every booth.
Local Nuance
While the food is consistently reliable, visitors should be prepared for the quirks of this busy urban hub. Parking can be an exercise in patience during peak lunch hours, and the space often gets quite loud, reflecting its status as a community landmark. It is the perfect spot for those wanting to experience Hawaii like a resident—no frills, just honest, hearty portions that satisfy every time. If you find yourself navigating the streets of Makiki, follow the locals and pull up a chair for a taste of true Honolulu soul.
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Amenities & Features
Location
1222 S King St, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96814-1918
More to Explore
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Reviews
Showing 10 of 34 community reviewsTimothy BrownGoogle Maps
Recently
Zippy’s on King Street and Piʻikoi is a great late-night comfort food stop. The space is bright, well-lit, nicely air-conditioned, and comfortable in the evening. I ordered the Korean Fried Chicken plate with a mini Portuguese bean soup, and both were excellent. The soup was hearty with celery, carrots, macaroni noodles, kidney beans, potatoes, and sausage, but the Korean Fried Chicken was the highlight: crispy, flavorful, and coated in a delicious slightly sweet and salty sauce. Great service too.
DennisGoogle Maps
Recently
Great Portuguese bean soup and grilled corned bread!
Lisa BrydenGoogle Maps
Recently
Great stop for a late night dinner. Food definitely isn't super fast, but everything we had was great. Love that they have smaller portions of food and it still comes with sides! Picture is of Katsu chicken with rice and Mac salad.
Dario VielmaGoogle Maps
Recently
If you Really love custer pie, this is it. No other words needed. Just go buy and enjoy. by far the best.
Melinda WGoogle Maps
Recently
The food is OK, very typical for a fast food place. If brand new to ordering here make sure to ask about what you're getting for toppings as different items have different things standard. The mushroom burger had no condiments but did have lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. The bacon cheese burger had only catsup and no cheese. The fried chicken looked delicious, but we didn't receive it. We didn't receive everything in our order nor was it correct... but, that's my fault for not checking before we left. I'm kind of wondering if we didn't get someone else's order now that I'm thinking about it 🤔 We just went with this location because we were driving through the area and it was relatively close to the hotel we were staying.
Winston CubedGoogle Maps
Recently
I’ve eaten my way through white tablecloths and tasting menus more times than I can count. But when I need a break from the precious, plated, four-bite masterpieces, I come here—Zippy’s. No reservations. No dress code. Just the kind of food that fills your stomach and your soul. I crave the oxtail soup. The fried chicken is crispy, salty, perfect. I love it. I love it all. The chili, the spaghetti with garlic bread, and the chili loco moco, which is outrageously good. I’m talking about a full-on, pig-out session. The food’s always hot, always fast, and always hits the spot. Next time, I might ask for a side of loco moco gravy just to make it extra messy. 10/10.
Ami Chen (Rockie)Google Maps
Recently
Best place to go for a quick dinner. Love the new way of picking up your food via locker when ordering online. Great service. Nice comfy place to dine in as well. Hubby always get an entree and an order of chili’s on the side. Great selection for dessert.
Dennis PeeryGoogle Maps
Recently
It’s Zippy’s, how can you go wrong. Hard to beat Hawaiian comfort food. We ate brunch here on a Sunday morning, this location has both a sit down restaurant and the fast food takeout side. The menu options are nearly endless, so everyone can find something to enjoy. Our server was outstanding, was gracious enough to take the time to walk us through many of his favorites.
Keith HwangGoogle Maps
Recently
Food here was pretty good! The Pork Eggplant was a little light in flavor, but we're okay with that. Sweet Sour Spareribs were good and homely. Mac Salad was saltier than expected. The Teri Beef, however, stole the show. It was the best in flavor. We also got Corn Chowder, which was pretty good. Service was not the best. Our server brought our food, saw our glasses were low, said she'll come back and fill them up, but went missing for the rest of the meal. We asked for the check, and were presented with two checks. Turns out the waiter had entered the wrong items initially, opened another order with the right items. We had to double check to make sure we weren't charged twice. That aside, this is good, homely food. Would recommend for the Teri Beef alone.
Ben ParkGoogle Maps
Recently
Note that there is a sit-down restaurant side and a fast food/bakery side. We ate at the sit-down side. We really enjoyed the food. We had many other recommended dishes at restaurants that were supposed to be great but many of them were frankly worse than Zippy’s. The fried chicken and the chili cheese fries are great. The baked goods were a bit too sweet for us. The zip pac was good.
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