K’s Drive In

If I could have left less than 1 star, I would have. Horrible. Waited 20 minutes for 4 burgers. After we left, started eating and the burgers were all mushy and spoiled. Took them all back…

They make the best Chicken Papaya plate lunch/​dinner. It’s a soup with pieces of Chicken and Papaya in a broth spiced with Ginger root. Very Tasty and easy to eat. Window service is great, friendly staff. The menu is rather extensive and they do have «specials» for the day.

Ate here a couple of times while on vacation. It was always busy but the line moves quickly and they get your food out pretty fast.
We did the typical plate lunch thing, Korean chicken, Shoyu chicken, teriyaki beef, white rice, Mac salad. Lilikoi juice drinks.
The food was really tasty and cooked perfectly.
Overall we really liked K’s. The only reason I knocked a star off was the area where the tables are was pretty grungy and really needed a good scrubbing.

Still have not moved beyond the incredible twist cone and gravy burger! These two items are perfection!!! Nice enough service, fast, convenient! About the only thing that could be better is to have the restrooms available all the time. Otherwise everything you want in a drive-​in.

This place is awesome for me! The menu is extensive, the serving sizes are appropriate and the price is reasonable. There is never to long of a line and there is a package store next door so you get ice and booze before you head out!

I love Hawaii drive ins so was excited to try this one. Ordered 2 combination plates (fried chicken, hekka chicken, beef teriyaki, kalua pig). Out of the 4 meats, didn’t really like any of them. Teri beef was ok but definitely not the best. Overall was really disappointed with the taste. Sad to say but the best part of the plate was the rice. Service very good tho. Went there on December 28^th at 7;30pm; no line up (perhaps a bad sign…).

Local lunch spot with an extensive menu! You walk up to the window, put in your order, then eat at one of the outside benches. We ordered the Kalua pork burger with gravy, and the two-​item combo (Korean chicken and chicken hekka). The Kalua Pork burger was a bit too salty and soggy for my taste. However, I enjoyed the chicken hekka (a version of chicken long rice with more shoyu?), and really loved the Korean chicken! Make sure you order it!
We finished the meal with a yummy coconut twist cone!

K’s Drive In: a staple venue for Hilo residents. Although it wasn’t always the most inviting of places, having an adjoining liquor store, and located in downtown Hilo, where, let’s just say, there are some sketchy characters, K’s has become a much nicer looking restaurant in recent years. With an updated look in its dining area, you don’t feel uncomfortable sitting down out there to wait for your food or to dine in (which was kind of an issue for me before).
Regardless of the setting though, K’s has ALWAYS made good food. From their pork cutlets to their ice cream twist cones, you’d be hard-​pressed to not find something on their menu that you’d enjoy. I know for a fact that every time I go, I have to get myself one of those amazing twist cones; the coconut one in particular. I also really enjoy getting their cheese gravy burgers. They really step up the already tasty gravy burgers by adding in the melty, oozy cheese.
Point is, no matter what kind of local food you’re craving, I’m sure that K’s Drive in will have something you’d enjoy. So, if you haven’t been there in a while, and were kind of hesitant to try it again, or haven’t stopped by in the first place, give K’s a chance and DEFINITELY get a twist cone at the very least!

Cannot go wrong with the cup cone ice cream. Plate lunch portions are super small, almost shameful for the $ 10 you pay for the plate. Almost walked down to Cheng’s to get one No. 3 plate to show them what a $ 10 plate look like in Hilo! Come on K’s, give what we paying for!

You just have to love the basic food and the great way they have been doing it for decades!
Keep on doing it and I look forward to seeing you again soon.
Aloha

Located next to the closed down bowling ally, this place offers some pretty good flavored ice cream.
I got the lilikoi soft serve and this was a very good surprise.
If you are in need of a cold treat, this place is the one to go for a quick escape!

Best place for twist cones! I love how they came up with more flavors. Strawberry, Lilikoi, Blueberry, Coconut, Melona and Pineapple! They usually have two flavors of the day! Flavors always changing and best paired with hot french fries :)

What can I say? This is a popular local spot and I had to experience it. I tried the mixed combo plate and it was OK. I didn’t particularly like the mac salad. It was kind of dry and bland. The kalua cabbage and shoyu chicken was tasteless and tasted kind of old. Nothing on the plate stood out and I just ended up offering it to what appeared to be a homeless or druggy local hauli. Then I noticed the gravy cheeseburger and pineapple vanilla twist soft serve ice cream. JACKPOT! The gravy cheeseburger was a hit with their hand-​formed patty with american cheese topped in a wonderful gravy. Each bite was heaven. Then i ordered another one. BINGO! I ordered the pineapple-​vanilla twist to end the experience on a sweet note. The icy desert was full of pineapple flavor with vanilla tones