Top 10 Hawaiian Food in the 80's

Hawaiian food is said to date back to the plantation-era of Asian immigrants and mixed plates.  But Hawaiian food as its own category, apart from its immigrant roots began to crystallize in the 1980's in various restaurants and types of food.  So here now is Mechalawyer's Top Ten Hawaiian Foods of the 80's: 

10. King's Bakery and Coffee Shop, 1936 S. King Street, Honolulu, HI 96826

In the 1980's, before King's Hawaiian sweet rolls became commonplace at American grocery stores, King’s Bakery began to establish itself as a cornerstone of Hawaiian food through its bakery on King Street.  Now long gone, the King's Bakery and Coffee Shop was a regular bakery where one could pick up its fresh baked sweet bread or rolls straight from the oven.

9. Hawaiian Sun drinks

Dating back to 1952, Hawaiian Sun drinks really started to become commonplace in local Hawaiian grocery stores in the 1980's.  Although their selection has expanded greatly since then, the 80's mainstays of Guava, Passion Orange, and Luau Punch still remain on sale today.

8. Pioneer Chicken

In the 1980s, Kentucky Fried Chicken had yet to establish its dominance over fast food fried chicken.  Long before the chicken sandwich wars of the 2020's, fast food fried chicken restaurants grew at a rapid pace throughout the US.  One of these fried chicken chains was Pioneer Chicken based out of Southern California and it was one of the first chains to have a location in Honolulu with its crispy fried chicken influencing many later Hawaiian takes on fried chicken.  Sadly, Pioneer Chicken closed most of its locations, including in Hawaii, and today only has 2 locations left in Southern California.

7. Huli Huli chicken from Iolani School

Another take on chicken was the Huli Huli chicken or Hawaiian rotisserie barbecue chicken.  Huli Huli chicken was one of the main influences on the Hawaiian barbecue and teriyaki chicken which is so prevalent today.  The Iolani School used Huli Huli chicken as a fundraiser and in 1983, it even made an entry into the record books: “World Record Set - The great Huli Huli chicken sale of 1983 took place on Smokey January 29.  The yearly sale is used to raise funds for athletic team travel.  This year over 35,000 chickens were cooked and sold.  The sale has received national attention of late from it’s listing in The Guiness Book of World Records for the most chickens cook[ed] at one time.”

6. Holiday Mart food court and Chinese take-out

Long before Panda Express brought ready-made Chinese food to shopping malls everywhere, Holiday Mart was one of the first to have that concept in the 1980's.  With standards such as beef with broccoli and chow mein, Holiday Mart’s food court was one of the first places to offer Chinese-to-go in seconds.  Holiday Mart’s food court has evolved over time but still lives on as part of the Don Quijote shopping center.

5. McDonald's saimin and portuguese sausage, eggs and rice breakfast

In the 80's, McDonald's went through a period of diversifying its menu nationwide from developing chicken McNuggets as an alternative to hamburgers to launching a breakfast menu.  Hawaii was no exception as McDonald's also added two offerings for locals to both lunch and breakfast in the form of saimin and the the portuguese sausage, eggs and rice breakfast.  These local offerings have had staying power as they are still on the menu to this day 40 years later.

4. Foodland groceries, bento, and musubi

Hawaii's largest local grocery store chain is Foodland.  In the 1980's, Foodland offered ready-made foods like many grocery stores which included the expansion into Hawaiian offerings such as bentos and musubis ready to take to the local beach picnic.

3. Shirokiya grocery and Yataimura Quality Food Court

Before it re-invented itself as the Shirokiya Village Walk, Shirokiya was a Japanese-based department store with a grocery and food court on its top floor.  Shirokiya's Yataimura Quality Food Court was so popular that even after the department store’s closure, the food court went on as the Shirokiya Village Walk.

2. Like Like Drive Inn 744 Ke'eaumoke Street #100, Honolulul, HI 96814

Established in 1953, what started out as a diner became one of the most iconic restaurants for local Hawaiian fare.  The Like Like Drive Inn was well-known for its breakfast and sandwiches but also its take on Loco Moco and Saimin.  Sadly, after 67 years, the Like Like Drive Inn closed in April of 2020 but will be remembered for its influence on Hawaiian food.

1. Zippy's Restaurants

In the 1980's, fast food restaurants exploded accross the US.  In Hawaii, locals helped Zippy’s restaurants become Hawaii’s largest restaurant chain.  From it’s famous Zip Pacs to its Hawaiian-style chili, Zippy’s is still going strong.