Written by Garrett Leahy

In a city like San Francisco, where eating out is often expensive, you might find yourself craving something cheap and satisfying.

For those with bigger appetites than wallets who want a real burger—not something out of McDonald’s or Burger King—Hawaiian Drive Inn in the Excelsior is here to serve and has been for nearly 30 years.

The Mission Street joint, which funnily enough isn’t a drive-in despite the name, serves up Hawaiian classics like loco moco and spam musubi as well as regular favorites like chicken katsu. But one menu item stands apart from the pack: a $3.75 cheeseburger. Or, get it without cheese for $3.50!

There are no frills—no lettuce, onions or tomatoes on this burger. But what you get is surprisingly thick, crispy, yet juicy and well-seasoned, topped with American cheese and ketchup.

Waxy cheese adds chew to each bite, and the sweet, tangy ketchup balances out the salty, fatty beef.

Thinking of going the combo route? The fries are inoffensive but not extraordinary; they get the job done. Order a drink too, and you’re out the door for $8.25.

That’s all there is to it. But sometimes that’s all you need.

Grillmaster Wayne Cheng, who is not from Hawaii, said he’s seen generations of customers grow up during his 20 years at the restaurant.

“Kids come here, then they keep coming back, even when they’ve grown up,” Cheng said, chuckling.

The key to a good burger is time, Cheng said. When he fries a burger, he doesn’t baby it—he lets it sit there and take in the heat from the griddle.

“You need to wait until you can see the crust,” Cheng said. “And everything’s gotta be fresh.”

Customers said one of the reasons they like Hawaiian Drive Inn is the price and the variety of food the restaurant serves.

Joseph Oliveira, a Parkmerced resident who plays football for the Rams at City College, said his favorite thing to get at Hawaiian Drive Inn is chicken katsu—a breaded, fried cutlet served with rice.

Oliveira heard about Hawaiian Drive Inn from a friend at the community college last year, and he’s been a regular since, ordering three katsu plates for himself and some friends on Monday afternoon.

“It’s good food, good quality, cheap,” Oliveira said.

Cheng said he keeps the prices down so the community can afford to eat at his restaurant.

“Here you can’t raise the prices too much,” Cheng said.

Construction worker Jonathan Mejia said he’s a fan of the loco moco, a burger patty served with rice, eggs and gravy on top. Mejia’s favorite way of eating it is to break the egg yolk and mix it into the rice.

“It’s like breakfast but with a burger,” he said.

For Mejia, it’s the affordability and the quality that keeps him coming back.

“I want a decent meal at a good price, but I also want something that I love,” he said.

“I’m a regular.”