Wailua Drive In

I stopped by this casual, old-school local spot for a quick bite during my travels around Kauai, and it was a fantastic choice for a classic plate lunch. The atmosphere is very laid-back and retro, featuring a simple walk-up window that brings a lot of nostalgic charm. The teriyaki beef plate and the loco moco were both incredibly flavorful, served in massive portions alongside perfect scoops of white rice and macaroni salad. It is a wonderful, no-frills destination for a filling meal that doesn't break the bank. My only minor critique is that outdoor seating is limited and can fill up quickly during the peak lunch hour, so you might need to plan on taking your food to go.

We tried the ahi katsu here and instantly knew we’d be thinking about it long after our vacation ended. It was that good. We also had the loco moco and ube cheesecake, and everything was incredible.

So delicious!!! Probably the best chicken long rice I've ever had and the flavor of the beef patties in the loco moco was out of this world!

We went here our first night and it was a wonderful way to try a bunch of things. Honestly it set a high bar that nowhere else was able to meet.

On our first trip to Kauai, we couldn't resist visiting The Wailua Drive-In after seeing it featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Luckily, it was just a short walk from our hotel, so we decided to give it a try. One thing I quickly learned about Kauai is that many places close early, so I'm glad we made it in time. I ordered the chili pepper chicken and poke plate with mac salad and rice. Let me tell you, the mac salad was the best I had on the island—absolutely delicious! The poke and chili pepper chicken were also fantastic. I always forget how generous the portions are with a plate lunch; my husband and I could have easily shared one. We opted to take our food to go because there was a family inside with two teenage daughters having a bit of a meltdown, making quite a scene. I think one of the owners noticed and felt bad about the noise, so they kindly gave us two free Ube pies for dessert, which were a delightful treat. We enjoyed our meal back at the hotel, sitting by the beach near the pool, and it was perfect. I loved everything about this place and wish I had more time to explore their menu. I’ll definitely be back on my next visit to Kauai!

This place in unassuming from the outside but do yourself a favor and go in. The chili chicken was so crispy and flavorful. We also got the fried noodles and I haven’t stopped thinking about them. This is a great spot for a quick and satisfying meal. We also got the ube cheesecake which was so light and delicious.

Food was amazing. The chili loco moco was great, and the ahi katsu plate was delicious! Had some fried chicken as a side, which was also really great! The portions are big!

Mainlander here. After taking a bite of the Misoyaki Salmon and Dynamite Pole Nachos I knew a review was needed. High praise for the authenticity in menu and taste. Great meal at a good price!

First time here. We ordered the Ahí Katsu, Pork Loco moco, fried chicken and French fries. A lot of food and relatively good prices for the island. I had the Loco moco which I inhaled! My husband noticed and told me I could “slow down” 😁. You can tell them just how you like your eggs cooked. I like mine medium well. The gravy was savory and the pork just melted in your mouth along with sticky white rice. Yum! There’s seating for about 20 people inside. Seems like a local fave for take-out too. We’d definitely come back!

I feel this place is a little overrated. Everything we got was pretty mid, we ordered the Hawaiian plate, katsu curry chicken, and some burgers. The Hawaiian plate was okay, the salmon side had interesting noodles and not much flavor. The katsu curry was okay, the chicken wasn't overcooked or anything just needed more sauce and generally more flavor. Mac salad was a big mushy and mostly tasted of mayonnaise. The burgers weren't very fresh and the sign didn't specify that it came with fries, which were tasteless. I will say that everything was somewhat good value for the amount of food. We also got the brussel sprouts (which was the only vegetable side other than a salad). The brussel sprouts were better than the rest of the things we got. Overall I think this place is popular because everything's edible but definitely not the best food. Its not great but not terrible either.