Blane’s Drive Inn

Blane's Drive Inn – Come Get Plate Lunch Deliciousness in a Laidback Honokaa Eatery
Local Expert's Rating:
3.5 / 5
The Bottom Line:

At Blane’s Drive Inn, classic Hawaiian comfort food is the name of the game. Located in Honokaa, their laidback cafeteria-style eatery is the perfect spot to enjoy your meal. Plus, their friendly service will make you feel at home on every visit.

- The HawaiianIslands.com Local Expert Team

Are you looking for a chill spot to enjoy classic Hawaiian comfort food on the double? If so, you need a visit to Blane’s Drive Inn in your life STAT. A true Big Island favorite, this eatery goes big on the homestyle flavors while serving up every dish in generous portions. On top of that, they’re always down to provide quality service and never fail to warmly welcome you to chow down in their cafeteria-style dining room. Want takeout instead? They can do that, too.  

Just be sure to give yourself more than enough time to pour over their enormous menu of all the fan favorites. You can start your day off right with a brekkie to remember featuring Banana Pancakes, Fried Rice Omelettes, Corn Beef Hash, and so much more. As for lunch and dinner, the sky is the limit to what you can get. All the best plate lunches are up for grabs, like Hamburger Steak, Fried Saimin, and Mahi Mahi. Or you can get a juicy, flavorful burger made any way you like it.

If you find yourself hemming and hawing over the options, just know that every last item is as good as the next. So, you cannot go wrong no matter what you choose. And you’re always welcome to come back through the doors to try something else whenever you’re in the area. Once you put in your order, just have a seat in their cafeteria-style dining room and await pure deliciousness to come your way.

Since it’s a counter service establishment, their crew will call your name when it’s ready. You just have to come up to the counter and grab your items and then settle in for an incredible meal. All their items come in takeout containers, so you can just pack up and hit the road once you’ve filled up your belly. Their items make for excellent leftovers, too, whether you enjoy them cold or heat them up in the microwave.

Their most popular dishes:

Breakfast Special

The Breakfast Special is the way to go when you want to kick your day into high gear and leave you feeling satisfied until dinner. This dish features one egg made how you like it best, plus your brekkie meat of choice. Alongside that, they add rice, mac salad, and gravy. Prefer to make it a combo? Swap out the mac salad for a small drink at no extra charge.

Chicken Katsu

Whenever you want to savor breaded chicken done right, get the Chicken Katsu, for sure. This dish starts with chicken breast breaded in panko crumbs and fried until golden brown. Then, it’s sliced up and put on the plate with rice and mac salad. Miso soup comes alongside for free if you’d like.  

Grilled Onion Burger

With its rich, bold flavors in every bite, the Grilled Onion Burger will definitely have you coming back for more. This dish begins with a burger patty grilled to perfection. Once that’s done, it goes on the bun with sauteed onions over top. If you’d like cheese or all the other fixings, it’ll be an extra charge, but it’s well worth it. Fries or mac salad alongside are extra, too.

If you want takeout, it’s best to call in your order and then come down to pick it up at the given time. Once you arrive, walk up to the front counter, pay for your food, and take your items on the road. If you’d like to find a scenic spot to eat, head north on Hawaii Belt Road to Liliuokalani Gardens. Just remember that you’ll need to bring your own blanket to sit on unless you’re fine sitting right on the grass.

Insider Tips:
– If they have to close early due to staffing issues or any other reason, announcements go out on their Facebook page.

– They open their doors super early every day. So, if you need an early morning breakfast, this is the place to go.