White rice topped with a hamburger patty, sunny-side-up eggs and smothered in brown gravy—that’s Hawaiʻi’s iconic loco moco. It’s a humble dish believed to have originated in Hilo on Hawaiʻi Island. Today, restaurants across the Islands serve the hearty dish, and locals and travelers alike have their favorite spots.
Here’s how our readers ranked the best loco moco spots in our 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards.
1. Zippy’s, Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island
Photo: Courtesy of Zippy’s Restaurants
Zippy’s opened on Oʻahu in the 1960s, and it has become a local institution with locations across three Hawaiian Islands and in Las Vegas. The restaurant chain is known for its comforting local food. The restaurant’s award-winning loco moco comes with a juicy hamburger patty, steaming hot rice, succulent gravy, two eggs and a scoop of macaroni salad. If you’re really hungry, order all of that topped with Zippy’s signature chili.
2. Rainbow Drive-In, Oʻahu
Photo: Courtesy of Rainbow Drive-In
Known for its hearty local plate lunches, Rainbow Drive-In has taken top honors as one of the best loco moco spots. The family-run diner serves its loco moco with two hamburger patties over two scoops of rice, topped with its special gravy and two eggs cooked your way. It also comes with a scoop of macaroni salad.
3. Koko Head Café, Oʻahu
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Located in Kaimukī, Koko Head Café on Oʻahu is a popular spot for its inventive twists on local plates, including the loco moco. Served in a skillet, the Koko Moko comes with a hamburger patty made with local beef, served over a bed of crispy garlic rice, topped with a sunny-side-up egg, mushroom gravy and tempura kimchi. The flavors all come together in a loco moco you won’t find elsewhere.
4. Hawaiian Style Café, Hawaiʻi Island
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Hawaiian Style Café is a Hilo landmark. The restaurant on Hawaiʻi Island is known for its local comfort food, dished out in generous portions. Along with the classic loco moco, Hawaiian Style Café also serves a handful of specialty loco mocos, including a chicken cutlet loco moco and one with Spam, chicken cutlet, kālua pork, and a hamburger patty and eggs.
5. Café 100, Hawaiʻi Island
Photo: Grace Maeda
The quiet town of Hilo on Hawaiʻi Island is considered the birthplace of the loco moco, and Café 100 calls itself the “home of the loco moco.” Opened in 1949, the old-school drive-in is a Hilo fixture, offering more than 30 varieties of loco mocos. From Spam and chorizo to ʻahi and garden burgers, the list of loco mocos is extensive.
See all of the winners of our 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards in our latest issue, which you can buy here. Better yet, subscribe and get HAWAIʻI Magazine delivered right to your mailbox.
