Blane’s Drive Inn: Loco Moco & Onion Rings
What better way to start this food log off with one of Hawaii’s most famous comfort foods? The loco moco! Origins of the loco moco are still debated, but most agree that it began right here in Hilo.
What is a loco moco? It’s white rice, a hamburger patty, an egg, and gravy “all ova”. It’s delicious. It’s beautiful. It’s versatile. You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. It’s usually cheap too.
Almost every drive inn and local restaurant in Hawaii serves their own version of the loco moco (I even added a Loco Moco category to this flog), but one of the best are at Blane’s Drive Inn (often mispelled Blaine’s). Also, their onion rings are sooo good. But put them both together and everything gets exponentially ono!
There are two locations for Blane’s and both are in Hilo. (Update: A new Blane’s has opened in Honoka`a) The one I went to today is in the industrial area across wal*mart. It gets crowded during the lunch hour since it’s near a lot of businesses. Lucky I went early today.
Blane’s has several different types of loco mocos (spam, korean chicken, teri beef, and pretty much any other meat that they have) and two sizes (bowl or plate).
Real loco moco lovers know the only way to go is the original hamburger loco moco. The hamburger loco bowl has rice, one burger, one egg and gravy ($3.00). The plate has lots more rice, two burgers, two eggs, gravy, mac salad, and miso soup ($6.25). I had the bowl today.
So how was it brah???
- Gravy: Thick, brown, tasty and rich… great consistency.
- Burger: Very tender. Tastes like they add other ingredients like onions and other things that make it taste yummy. Sort of like a good meatloaf flavor.
- Egg: Over-easy, soft, yolky, cooked just right. Perfect.
- Rice: Average local rice. Maybe a bit under-cooked, but not really noticable when eaten with everything else.
And the side dish:
The onion rings were crispy on the outside with a light batter, toasty brown, and very good. Nice big slices of onion inside. Perfect with the loco moco, especially when dipped in the gravy.
What a match! Blane’s loco moco and onion rings have been so good to me today.
Any other loco moco recommendations?
Industrial Location:
150 Wiwoole St Hilo 96720, Menu Hotline: (808) 969-6677, Phone: (808)935-2259
Downtown Location:
217 Waianuenue Ave Hilo 96720, Menu Hotline: (808) 969-6677, Phone: 969-9494
July 1st, 2005 at 1:07 pm
testing 1 2 3…
July 1st, 2005 at 1:38 pm
A classic Hiloan dish. Good choice of side dish as well.
July 1st, 2005 at 2:04 pm
Blanes has recently opened another location in Honokaa.
July 1st, 2005 at 2:18 pm
i like freddy’s loco moco. GREAT PRICE!
July 1st, 2005 at 11:12 pm
I love your new flog!!! So many happy memories with you and Blane’s loco moco and onion rings… ‘-) I can’t wait to make more happy memories there with you! :O)
July 3rd, 2005 at 3:16 am
lol, wow!! I miss those!! I would get the plate so I could have the miso soup w/it! And then I would give someone the macaroni salad, so I don’t look like a greedy monster.
July 3rd, 2005 at 5:49 am
Onolicious….mmmmm, and they wonder why we are so happy at times! Love the “Flog” James, take care!
July 5th, 2005 at 11:40 pm
Good job on the flog, James. Keep up the good work. Peace.
July 7th, 2005 at 3:57 pm
one word James…..RAPSA!!!!! and yes I got hungry when I saw the pics. Keep up the FLOG!!!!…..and I will say its flog-alicious!!!!!
July 14th, 2005 at 2:03 pm
Brah…I moved to da mainland from Hilo in ’95……and back in da day Cafe 100 had da best Locco around, and da buggah was cheep! I tink da loco-moco went originate from deah! I remembah Blaine’s( da original one) had da best Katsu and cutlet around.
July 25th, 2005 at 3:11 pm
Thanks James……….. Now I want to eat a loco Moco
August 1st, 2005 at 12:47 pm
yo james,
i goin order about 4 cups and tellem puttem in one big paper plate! hehehe looking good!! keep posting and i be drooling!!
dang loco moco look too small da cup! LOL
laterz,
reggie
August 2nd, 2005 at 8:58 am
Nic, Gary, Natasha (you gotta come back to hilo!), choi choi (i know u?), Kaua, Julius, Ulysses, Kely, Denise, Reggie (yea brah was kind of small.. plate next time!) – thanks for visiting. I really appreciate it! =)
August 3rd, 2005 at 1:22 am
Hi James,
I thought I posted a comment when I first found your blog, but I guess not. You’re so lucky to be able to get the loco moco from Blaines. I haven’t had it in a while. I have to agree with Reggie though. I would have to order more than one small cup…maybe two, but definitely not 4! He must be one big bruddah! heh!
August 6th, 2005 at 2:37 pm
Brah.. we gotta see one katsu blog brah!
August 6th, 2005 at 7:36 pm
yup, blane’s does make good katsu.. i will review a mix plate with katsu from there soon, i hope!
reid.. thanks again for visiting =)
August 27th, 2005 at 12:25 pm
[...] I’m very sorry guys, I just had to do this again. I woke up this morning craving for a loco moco, not just any loco moco… it had to be a Blane’s loco moco. I’ve featured their loco bowl in the past at the industrial location, but this time I got the loco plate at the downtown location. [...]
March 27th, 2006 at 6:53 am
Blane’s also has the best teriyaki beef in town!
Also good:
-slush float
-fried saimin
-gravy burger
April 14th, 2006 at 12:10 pm
Oh man…every single time i go back i always go to Cafe 100 for one locomoco…. Next time i going blanes… Thanks for the postings, I live on the mainland and no mo good local food…I mean get L&L but the pake’s who run it just not local pakes…
June 27th, 2007 at 7:51 am
Thanks for this site!
guiop.info
June 28th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
I gotta try Blaine’s next time I’m in Hilo. Heard so much about it.
July 16th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
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September 24th, 2007 at 2:36 am
Everything that can be invented has been invented. Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.
awesome business card
September 24th, 2007 at 3:40 am
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ati card video
September 26th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
could you please send me a copy of your menu we are a large dance group in Vegas that will be in Hilo next april and hear alot about your place and we would like to get a menu as we plan our meals for our students..
my address is:
7010 Rusty Nail way
LasVegas,NV 89119
Thank you.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
great place!
September 29th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
I had the Roast Pork plate yesterday. It was ok. I also tried the Loco Moco. Brah the gravy was good and the burger was soft. I wouldn’t order the Roast Pork plate, but I definitely would order a Loco Moco.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:33 am
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October 21st, 2007 at 7:46 pm
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November 6th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
I finally got to try Blaine’s on this trip to Hilo. Food very tasty and moderately priced. I forgot to try the loco moco. I had the special bento. I had late lunch and the special bento was “just enough”.
December 25th, 2007 at 9:20 am
I just happened to have a menu from Blaine’s. I mailed it to Brenda Kakaioenu last month, but I have not heard from her since. I hope she got it.
January 10th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I got reply from Benda today. I hope the menu and info I sent to her, will make her upcoming Hilo trip enjoyable.
February 20th, 2008 at 9:06 am
TO ME I THINK THAT BLAINES HAS DA BEST ISLAND GRINDS EVER , I LOVED IT EVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE BOY KEEP UP THE GOOD JOB BLAINES
August 29th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Do you have a listing somewhere with all the loco mocos you’ve reviewed/scored, sorted by rank? Curious to see what you consider the top 3 locos in Hilo.
August 8th, 2010 at 9:32 am
Cafe 100 on Kilauea – great locos too
)
November 22nd, 2010 at 10:51 pm
Im sorry but blane’s food sucks! there is too much oil, too much grease, not enough real food! There mac salad is plain and junk. The portions are too small for the price you have to pay. Their cashier girls are always very nice, but its not worth it when what im paying for is the service and not the food. Sorry, i used to love Blane’s Drive-Inn but im switching to Cafe 100. they have better prices and better food!
April 8th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
Blane’s suck
October 8th, 2012 at 1:55 pm
Sorry, but really disappointed in the food I picked up today. Ordered a small tray on Fri., 10/5 to be picked up today, Mon., 10/8. between 10:30 and 10:45a.m. Arrived about 10:35a.m., tray not yet started on. Within 5 minutes I received my tray and took it back to work. There were about 5 pieces BBQ meat which lacked flavor neatly cut and stacked on each other. Looked like it was just dipped in sauce and then cooked. The mahi mahi had a lot of batter and hardly any fish (sliced very thin). The boneless chicken and portuguese sausage was good and your cashier did apologized for the wait. Sorry, but I will be ordering from KTA.
December 31st, 2012 at 7:03 pm
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