Honolulu: Oahu Island Full-Day Guided Tour by Bus with Lunch
Experience the top sightseeing bus tour on Oahu with this island day trip. Explore Oahu's natural wonders, cultural sites, surfing spots, and shopping meccas on this f...
Two scoops of rice, one scoop of macaroni salad and a protein (kalbi, chicken katsu, kalua pig, mahi mahi). The canonical Hawaiian lunch born in the plantation cane fields and now sold from every drive-in window.
The plate lunch came out of the 1880s sugar plantation lunch bento; workers shared rice and protein at the field-edge break. The post-war 1950s and 1960s saw stationary drive-ins formalize it: Rainbow Drive-In in Kapahulu opened 1961 with the still-canonical mix plate. The Higa brothers built Zippy's as a 24-hour version starting 1966. L&L Hawaiian Barbecue exported the format to the mainland from 1976. The basic grammar (two scoops rice, mac salad, protein) hasn't changed in 80 years.
4 editor picks for Plate lunch in Honolulu, ranked by editorial score. All Honolulu signature dishes · Plate lunch across every city.
Helena's Hawaiian Food ★ 4.7
kalihi · 1240 North School Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
Helena's Hawaiian Food on North School Street has served traditional Hawaiian plates in Kalihi Honolulu since 1946, now run by the founder's grandson Craig.
Rainbow Drive-In ★ 4.5
kapahulu · 3308 Kanaina Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
Rainbow Drive-In on Kanaina Avenue in Kapahulu Honolulu has slung plate lunches since 1961, founded by Seiju and Ayako Ifuku and now voted top loco moco.
Highway Inn Kakaako ★ 4.3
kakaako · 680 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96813
Highway Inn Kakaako is the 2013 Honolulu outpost of the Toguchi family's 1947 Waipahu original, serving the same kalua pork, laulau and combo plates inside.
Zippy's Kapahulu ★ 3.8
kapahulu · 601 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
Zippy's Kapahulu in Honolulu is the 24-hour diner of the local Higa-family chain that sells over 110 tons of chili per month, founded by Francis and Charles.
Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide
Plate lunch makes more sense with someone from Honolulu explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Book food experiences in Honolulu
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