Named for the World War II 100th Infantry Battalion its founder served in, Café 100 has run its Kīlauea Avenue drive-in since 1962. It serves 29 kinds of loco moco, and it's upfront that it didn't invent the dish. It just took it further.
Why we love it
Eating a loco moco in Hilo is a rite of passage. Start with the classic.
What to expect
Café 100 is a classic Hilo drive-in. When it opened on Kīlauea Avenue in 1962, it was the town’s first drive-in restaurant. The food is home-style local plate lunch, and loco moco is the reason to come. Choose from 29 versions, including stew and pork-and-peas takes, but cook Elrico Torres says the classic regular, egg over easy, is still the best seller. Portions are generous and prices modest. Founder Richard Miyashiro rebuilt here after the 1960 tsunami wiped out his Manono Street restaurant. His granddaughter, Mari Kobayashi Leung, runs it today.
Know before you go
- Hours
- The restaurant lists weekday hours of 11am to 6pm, plus Sunday lunch from 10am. It doesn’t post Saturday hours, so call (808) 935-8683 before a weekend visit.
- What to order
- Start with the classic loco moco: rice, a hamburger patty, an egg, and gravy. The menu also covers plate lunches, breakfast burritos, egg steaks, and pastries.
- Skip the line
- The lunch rush gets busy, so order online through the restaurant’s Clover link or call (808) 935-8683 for pickup.
- History
- The name honors the 100th Infantry Battalion, the Japanese American World War II unit Miyashiro served in. The café is upfront that it didn’t invent the loco moco, only made it famous.
Illustrative photo — not taken at Cafe 100.
Photo: christian razukas from Honolulu, Hawaii via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
