At the former Chuckwagon restaurant, prime rib buffet and Old West decor. Restaurants were opened in Pearl City and Kaneohe in the 1980s, and in Waipahu in 1990, but all have since been shuttered.ĭouble- crusted banana pie and other pie flavors complete meals at a low price. The Chuckwagon closed in 1998, and the original Flamingo in 2008. Nagamine also acquired the former Elliott’s Chuck Wagon down the street in 1966, renaming it Flamingo Chuckwagon. The Flamingo Restaurant chain was founded in 1950 by Steven Nagamine, who bought the old Olympic Grill on Ala Moana Boulevard in 1950, changing the name to Flamingo. Very popular are the baked beef short ribs, oxtail soup and chicken cutlet. Lee has kept the “famous banana pie” and other 1960s favorites from the original Kapiolani Boulevard location (not the Chuckwagon), he said. He still employs the same cook, Tom Urbano, and baker Maximo Tagaban, who both worked for the franchise for 40 years. Lee said the cost of rent in Honolulu is too high these days for him to try to compete with other dine-in restaurants, so he’s sticking to fast-food takeout. A full plate was almost too heavy for a kid to carry, but there was always room for an endless amount of the Jell-O you could get with dinner! > Flamingo Express Waimalu: 98-820 Moanalua Road, 376-8388Ī prime rib buffet was the big draw, and diners were given big plates they could fill with sides like fried chicken and scalloped potatoes. > Flamingo Express at Moanalua 99: (former 99 Ranch Market), 1151 Mapunapuna St. > Flamingo Waianae: 85-910 Farrington Highway, 260-1298 It may seem hokey, but it offered a homeyness and made going out to dinner more like an adventure. Walking into the dimly lit interior was like stepping onto the set of an old western TV drama, walls lined with cattle ranch paintings, vintage wagon wheels and cowboy memorabilia. One of two Flamingo restaurants on Kapiolani Boulevard, the Chuckwagon was outfitted in Old West decor, a life-sized bronco at the door. In addition to a Flamingo Express at Moanalua 99 - the former 99 Ranch Market in Mapunapuna - two new outlets opened late last year in Waimalu and Waianae.īut they’re nothing like the Flamingo Chuckwagon that nostalgia buffs most fondly associate with the brand. The franchise is undergoing a revival headed by Kaygi Lee, who bought the company from the Nagamine family 10 years ago. “It’s really important for us to continue giving back to the community that gave us so much support in our early years.Flamingo Restaurants, a family-owned franchise begun in 1950, was known for its comforting diner food and fruit pies, but the restaurants dwindled to just one fast-food counter by 2015, then faded away. “We want people to come in and enjoy and feel totally safe,” said Franco. Then chase your food down with the new Pride Paloma cocktail made with tequila, grapefruit juice and sparkling water. Catch a performance while enjoying the restaurant’s most popular dishes: carnitas and enchiladas. “When we opened in the ‘60s, we were very queer-friendly, and that hasn’t wavered through the years,” Franco said.Ĭasita Del Campo is also home to the Cavern Club Theater, known for its unique drag shows and holiday spectaculars. Ornaments and stained-glass lights hang from the ceilings, and every wall is covered with art and memorabilia. Situated in a bright pink bungalow, the Mexican restaurant is proud to be a queer landmark. There is no lack of vibrant color in Casita Del Campo. “It’s not like you just come to the restaurant to eat and drink,” said director of operations Sara Victoria Franco. It’s almost impossible to have a bad time at Casita Del Campo.
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