Nico's Pier 38 - Honolulu, HI

I don't know what Guy was doing here. Nico's was not a diner, a drive-in or a dive. It was still a cool place. Nico's also has a fresh market. They are located in the industrial end of Honolulu across the street from the water on Pier 38.  This is Hawaii, so the view is still a 10 compared to almost everywhere else in the country.

They had a live band playing Hawaiian music and a swanky bar in the middle of the place. Even though you ordered at the counter then took a buzzer back to your table, this was no dive.

I got the mahi-mahi sandwich with the salad. The salad was a nice mix of fresh garden greens with an aioli sauce. Wow, we'll done! It's usually hard to get me that excited about a salad. The fish sandwich was equally good. I added a bit of soy sauce to spice it up a bit.

I would give Nico's an 8.5 because the food was great but it didn't fit the DDD model.


Nicos's Pier 38
1133 N. Nimitz Hwy
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 540-1377
www.nicospier38.com

Sharks Cove Grill - Haleiwa, HI

Sharks Cove Grill was not technicaly a triple-D restaurant but, it should have been in my book. I was actually trying to photograph the sunset at Oahu's Sunset Beach on the west side of the island. This place happened to be across the street.

Whoa!  What a find!  It was nothing more than an old panel van, maybe an old ice cream truck converted into a kitchen. There were also some outdoor furniture set up under a tent where you can eat.  That's it!

What made this special was first off the incredible view of one of the most beautiful coasts in the world. Second, whoever was cooking in the van knew what they were doing and was taking it seriously.

I got the mahi-mahi sandwich and some fries. The bread was really good quality and whatever he did with the fish really brought out the flavor. It was absolutely fresh.

I would rate Shark Cove a 9.6. This is an awesome place.

Sharks Cove Grill
59-712 Kamehameha Hwy
Haleiwa, HI 96712
(808) 638-8300
http://www.sharkscovegrill.com

Rainbow Drive-In - Honolulu, HI

The rainbow diner is supposedly President Obama's favorite place to eat in Honolulu.  There was a picture of him chowing down here on one of his visits here.  

I don't know what the President ate, but I had the mahi mahi sandwich with tarter sauce and some fries. The Rainbow Drive-In is most definitely a dive and most definitely a drive-in.  Although oddly enough, there is no drive up window.  You have to park and get out of your car.  Most people seemed to be doing take-out when we were there. I like it.  I was not blown away with the food but, it was pretty good.  It is an old time fast food place.  Your food comes wrapped in paper and in a paper bag.    

It was very popular with the local population.  The line to order was probably a good 15-20 minutes. It was also raining on the day that we visited here which doesn't seem to happen much.  They seemed to do a pretty good business selling t-shirts with their logo on it.  I'm guessing that they have a mini cult following here.

The atmosphere was even more laid back than the rest of Hawaii, which is saying something.  

I would rate the Rainbow Drive-In a 7.0.  The food was okay and the atmosphere was okay.  

Rainbow Drive-In
3308 Kanaina Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 737-0177
http://www.rainbowdrivein.com/