Highway Inn Restaurant and Catering — Restaurant in Oʻahu

A Delightful Start to the Day at Highway Inn

This morning, I visited Highway Inn for breakfast, eager to try their local specialties. I arrived right as they opened, and the experience from start to finish was notably pleasant.

The restaurant itself was spotless, bright, and inviting, free of any unpleasant odors often associated with morning diners. Since I was their first customer, I was seated promptly, and the service was exceptional. My waitress was attentive, quick, and ensured everything was just right throughout my visit.

The Food

I ordered the buttermilk pancakes with haupia sauce and macadamia nuts, the Monte Cristo sandwich, and a coffee.

• Pancakes: The pancakes were wonderfully fluffy and generously portioned, even the small stack was more than I could finish. The haupia sauce added a rich, creamy coconut flavor that paired perfectly with the slight crunch of macadamia nuts and a subtle hint of fruit. It struck a great balance between indulgent and fresh.

• Monte Cristo Sandwich: This was the true standout. The sandwich featured layers of tender pork and melted cheese, encased in French toast. While I would have preferred the French toast slightly crispier, the flavors melded beautifully. Each bite felt indulgent yet comforting—a perfect savory contrast to the sweetness of the pancakes.

My Final Thoughts

Highway Inn delivered a memorable breakfast experience. The clean ambiance, excellent service, and standout dishes like the Monte Cristo make it well worth a visit. I’ll definitely be returning to explore more of their menu and would recommend it to anyone craving a mix of local flair and comfort...

We don't live in Hawaii, and during our brief visit we wanted to escape the tourist traps and experience some of the real local stuff. Some googling led us to this place. I am so glad we went here instead of the glitzy place on the beach. When we got there, there was a line and we were the only tourists - both great signs! After a brief wait, we were seated and helped by an incredibly friendly staff. Thanks to some other reviews we knew to order the chicken long rice for our picky eater, but we went more adventurous for the other family members and got a poke bowl and a Hawaiian sampler. Oh my gosh - so delicious. The atmosphere was very much "you are eating at a local restaurant," right down to the formica countertops and corrugated plastic cups for the drinks. A family next to us had their dog at the table and were feeding him from their own plates. This is REAL Hawaii, folks!!! Was reminded of my favorite comfort food spots back home in Boston.

The focus here is clearly on great service, delicious food, and you leaving with a smile on your face. It's a 20-30 minute drive from the city (or it's literally across the street from a train stop if you want to take public transportation), but it's absolutely worth it to come and experience some of the authentic local flavor. Definitely will come back if we visit Honolulu again!!!

Shown in pictures: Hawaiian sampler plate; salmon salad; mini loco moco; poke bowl. All...

First I’d like to point out the food and our server Kassidy! She was very attentive and handled our large party like a champ! We’ve been coming to Highway Inn for years and the food is always delicious and consistent! However, when we first arrived we told the manager we had a party of 23. We were out celebrating multiple occasions as a family. She continued to ask us how many of us were splitting checks and how many families we had in our party. She then sat us all SEPARATELY in different sections spread across the empty dining room. It made all of us a little upset because it defeated the purpose of us showing up as a group. We asked numerous times why we were separated and we were told it’s because servers have different sections. I finally asked the manager one more time if we could sit together. She asked “you would rather sit all on one long table than be spread out?” Seriously? Thankfully they were able to accommodate us after asking numerous times. It just didn’t make sense to separate the party. If we wanted to sit separately, we would’ve showed up separately. We didn’t mean to be difficult but we really wanted to sit together. The dining room was empty and there were a lot of seating space for us. Of course we will be returning because one bad situation won’t ruin it for us. We’ll just be more cautious when coming in with a...