If there's one dish that captures the soul of Hawaiian comfort food, it's loco moco. A tower of rice, a juicy burger patty, a fried egg, and rich brown gravy — simple on paper, deeply satisfying on the plate. It's the kind of meal that locals grew up eating and visitors fall in love with on the first bite.
At ShoreFyre Fresh Grill & Bar, we didn't just put loco moco on the menu — we reinvented it. Our 50/50 Loco Moco is built around a proprietary 8oz handmade patty that's unlike anything else you'll find in Waikīkī. Here's the story behind the dish, why ours is different, and why it belongs on your must-eat list.
What Is Loco Moco?
For visitors who haven't encountered it yet: loco moco is one of Hawaiʻi's most iconic local dishes. At its most traditional, it's white rice topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and brown gravy. That's it. No pretense, no complicated technique — just layers of flavor and texture that somehow add up to something much bigger than the sum of their parts.
The dish was invented in Hilo, on the Big Island, in 1949 at a small restaurant called Lincoln Grill. The story goes that a group of teenagers wanted something cheap, fast, and filling — something different from the standard sandwich. The owner obliged, stacking a patty and egg over rice with gravy, and the loco moco was born. The name itself is playful — "loco" came from one of the kids' nicknames, and "moco" was tacked on because it rhymed.
From that one small-town restaurant, loco moco spread across every island and became one of the defining dishes of Hawaiian plate lunch culture. Today you'll find it everywhere from roadside diners to high-end restaurants, and every spot has its own take.
ShoreFyre's 50/50 Loco Moco — One of a Kind
Our version starts with the patty, because that's where everything changes. The ShoreFyre 50/50 is an 8oz handmade patty made from a proprietary blend of 50% ground applewood smoked bacon and 50% angus chuck. The bacon isn't a topping — it's ground right into the meat, so every bite has that deep, smoky richness running through it. The outside gets a hard sear while the inside stays juicy.
From there, we build it different too. Instead of plain white rice, we use Hawaiian-style fried rice — wok-tossed with savory seasonings that give it a depth and texture you won't get from a plain scoop. The patty sits on top, then gets smothered with our savory house gravy and topped with two eggs cooked any style. We finish it with pickled local onions that cut through the richness and add a bright, tangy bite that ties everything together.
It's comfort food with intention. Every element is built to complement the next — the smokiness of the bacon patty, the umami of the fried rice, the silky gravy, the runny yolk, and that sharp hit of pickled onion. This isn't a standard loco moco with better plating. It's a fundamentally different dish.
Why Loco Moco Should Be on Your Waikīkī Must-Eat List
If you're visiting Hawaiʻi for the first time, loco moco is one of those dishes that immediately tells you something about the islands. It's generous, unfussy, multicultural, and built for sharing a table. It reflects the plantation-era melting pot that created Hawaiian food culture — Japanese rice, American hamburger, Filipino and Portuguese influences in the seasoning — all merged into something entirely its own.
Eating a good loco moco in Waikīkī is as essential as watching a sunset from the beach. It's a taste you can't get anywhere else, and it's the kind of meal that turns a regular lunch into a story you tell people back home.
At ShoreFyre, the 50/50 is available all day at both locations — Koa Ave and the International Market Place. Whether you're starting your morning, refueling after a beach day, or settling in for a late dinner on the lanai, it's always on.
The Full ShoreFyre Experience
The loco moco is the anchor, but there's a lot more happening at ShoreFyre. Both locations are locally owned and sit in the heart of Waikīkī, serving fresh island-inspired food from breakfast through late night.
At the International Market Place, the open-air lanai overlooks the historic Great Banyan Tree and Kalākaua Avenue — pair the 50/50 with a cold drink from the full bar, catch a set from a local live music artist, and ease into the Waikīkī pace. Happy hour runs daily at both spots, and Fyre by Night keeps the IMP location going well past midnight with DJs, dancing, and weekly themed events.
Come for the loco moco. Stay for everything else.