Loco Moco Drive Inn

I love that Loco Moco Drive Inn offers a variety of plate lunches here. I wanted to try a bunch of different things so I got their garlic chicken, garlic ahi, eggplant stir fry and hamburger steak. Everything was really good. Their garlic chicken came with 8 huge pieces and super garlicky!!I usually like to sub the white rice for brown rice but they don't offer that anymore :(

Great food. We love that BOGO special!! Only choices are garlic chicken and mochiko chicken. Is going to take one star away but honestly, I've always really had great service but this last time, I made a take out order and the person that answered was "blah". Not friendly and i asked for all rice and ended up getting the Mac salad. Then when we picked it up, not friendly. But I get it, it's hard to find good work these days.

A very average plate lunch spot. The food is ok. You can probably find better (L&L). Small crew and I've never seen this place pumping after being here several times. Maybe that's why the 2.5 stars. The selection of plates should be better especially for the prices they charge.

I've only ever eaten a handful of things from here and thought those were okay. BUT, lemme tell you this. We got those chili fries, they come w chili all over it and my kid wouldn't eat it because of the celery in there. Anyway, day two I put the leftover order in the air fryer, omg sooo goood. Next time I will start w that. So crispy and yummy! Let me know if you try. I have no pictures bc didn't even think of it at the time.

Hamburger steak burger ok. Gravy all color no flavor. We'll it taste like flour water. Teriyaki nasty beyond sugar load unhealthy. Chicken katsu hard old. Old oil. French fries burnt oil. Fish dry hard rubber

Decided to stop by here for dinner. The only place that I enjoy the lemon chicken. The service is always nice here, food doesn't take long once you order and it's rarely crowded and I like to eat in. Places are becoming harder to find a good meal at a decent price and here is still affordable, good size plates and nice atmosphere. One of the few enjoyable places I like to make a quick stop to grab lunch or dinner

Haven't gone to this location in about 6-8 years as I was in the area visiting a relative back then. While waiting for my food, I picked up and looked at their take out menu --- wow, it was like looking straight at Waiakamilo Drive Inn's take out menu! Of course, I then had to ask! ... the older woman said yes, they are related to Waiakamilo Drive Inn. The only difference for the plate lunches were these plate lunches were all about $2 more than Waiakamilo at that time.Since Waiakamilo Drive Inn (next to the Original Pancake House) in Kalihi closed for good few months ago I heard due to steep rental increase. The spot was still empty when I went next door to the Original Pancake House a few weeks ago for breakfast. Of course, I had been on the lookout for a place to 'replace' Waiakamilo Drive Inn's version of the Garlic Chicken I have loved since 2003 when my co-workers took me there to try their foods. To me, I loved their Garlic Chicken version over the Kalihi big boys, Sugoi's and Mitsu-Ken then and now so much that I hadn't been to either of them for at least eight years.Though I do get the MidWeek newspaper every week, I usually just glance through quickly and then it goes into the trash can. However, since I am on a few local food FB groups who were mentioning about Loco Moco's BOGO coupon, it made me want to see and use the coupon for the first time. Using Loco Moco's Waipio Gentry/Kapolei BOGO coupon that is in Midweek's 'Voice' news supplement (for West Oahu readers), I called in my order (as their ad said one should to reduce waiting times) and also mentioned that I was going to use their coupon. I told the female taking my order (who by the way must have been in some customer service training class or classes as she was clear, concise and friendly over the phone) that I wanted their fried Garlic Chicken plate for $13.99 (since I remember it tasting just as good as Waiakamilo Drive Inn) and their Beef Stew plate at $14.99 (which I never tried before). Paid a grand total of $15.70 with the coupon.Now when I arrived there about 10:30am (they opened at 10am), there was only one other customer sitting in the spacious well-lit interior and waiting for his order. The cashier (who I spoke with on the phone) was so friendly and provided *outstanding* customer service like I mentioned --- what a fresh breath of air as this seems to be missing to a lot of local businesses. I talked to her about the last time I was here and about the garlic chicken comparison with Waiakamilo Drive Inn and told her that I am hoping it stays true to the recipe what I had in my mind as to its taste. She said this location here in Waipio-Gentry took over ownership just about a little over a year ago and said they also hope the garlic chicken meets my expectations. When I got home and opened up the lid to see the garlic chicken, I saw that there were eight chicken pieces that seemed to be just slightly larger than what Waiakamilo used to provide of seven pieces, but then their pricing was less than Loco Moco's. But I was seriously impressed as the garlic chicken looked to be delicious, BUT I knew something was different as the garlic smell was not as strong when the lid was opened. The garlic taste was not as strong as I loved at Waiakamilo Drive Inn. It kind of went just a 'little sideways' in the recipe and perhaps added some shoyu and slivers of fresh ginger (that ended in my teeth).It still is VERY good so much that I 'will' come back more regularly --- if for nothing else, their garlic chicken plate --- as it reminded me of the now-closed Waiakamilo Drive Inn's version! The plate was well enough for Thursday's lunch *and* dinner.As for the macaroni salad, their version was slightly different from other regular mac salad as I could bite and taste bits of sweet relish. Not overpowering - still local style mac salad!Thus, the 4 star rating was ONLY on the Garlic Chicken experience.-------------However, I just want to add comments about the other plate that I chose with the BOGO coupon which was their Beef Stew Plate. I saved the Beef Stew plate for Friday's lunch. Really disappointed when I ate the Beef Stew plate for Friday's lunch as the spreading of the entree was on top of the two scoops of rice that was spread out covering the entire section-too much rice! Meat not exactly tender...The BOGO coupon --- why would they offer that for so long (being advertised in the MIdweek's Voice *West Oahu readers*? Was it wrong to mention I was going to use the coupon when I called in the order! Should I just have presented the coupon upon paying there and not during the call-in order so they don't compromise and give me less as they'd be losing $$$ ?Or is that how much beef stew entree they NORMALLY give on this $14.99 plate? Five and a third small pieces of cubed meat (one of the meat pieces had practically all gristle), one piece of potato and carrot with sauce covering entire top except the mac salad.

do not! i repeat do not get the garlic shrimp pan from here!!! go elsewhere. $50 medium pan for our superbowl party. ridiculous. go to l&l better quality & quantity.

Okay...gotta do an update and am HAPPY to report that Loco Moco has stepped up! They are offering pans of very 'ono garlic chicken, short ribs, etc., for $30 (small), $50 (medium), and $70 (large). They were open on Christmas so we ordered some pans and it was ready on time, hot, and so delicious! Get the short ribs - it's basically kal bi and the BEST price in town! Girl who took our order was sweet too! Thank you, Loco Moco! Glad I can now give you the best ratings!

I ordered a BBQ cheeseburger Deluxe among other things via Grubhub. I am disappointed in the patty. The patty was thin and the size of a McDonald's patty. Price when you go there is about $8. Not worth it and again disappointed!!