About 60 minutes by car from Naha Airport. It is a drive-in with a very American appearance located in Onna Village, Kunigami-gun. Once inside, you will find a retro Showa-era and American chanpuru. The menu is just regular Western-style food. It is a recommended spot because you can stop by without hesitation and enjoy the beautiful view of the ocean!
Point 1: The exterior of the restaurant is very American! Seaside Drive-In
While driving along Route 58, an American-style drive-in suddenly appeared around Onna Village! I was drawn by the nostalgic font, which looked like something I had seen in an American movie a long time ago, and couldn’t help but go inside.
Inside the spacious restaurant, there is a tropical fish tank, a jukebox, and retro toys on display, giving it a Showa-era retro atmosphere.
This drive-in was established in 1967 when the founder, who had been in and out of the U.S. military base, liked the style of restaurants on the base and was inspired by American culture to create this restaurant in Onna Village, his hometown.
The first drive-in restaurant in Japan was the Seaside Drive-In, which was established in 1946 in the U.S., where customers can receive service without getting out of their cars.
Point 2: “Seaside Drive-In” has everything from drinks to Chinese!
As a drive-in with an American appearance, one might expect it to focus on Western food such as hamburgers and steaks, but this “Seaside Drive-in” has hamburgers and steaks, but also offers drinks, snacks, morning meals, and a variety of Japanese and Western-style meals.
For example, hamburgers, sandwiches, and drinks start at 250 yen, and you will be happy to know that a can of Orion beer is 300 yen!
Morning and Japanese/Western set menus are priced there, but light meals and drinks are really reasonable!
By the way, the most popular item is the special lunch (1,500 yen), which includes soup, rice and bread.
Also, there are about five morning menus, but the “Steak and Eggs with Toast or Rice” (1,100 yen) is suddenly available in the morning, which is very Okinawan.
Unique menu names such as fried rice (fried rice), chap steak (stir-fried vegetables and beef with ketchup), and beef chow mein (Chinese fried noodles with beef) are also good!
The popular homemade soup (200 yen) with mushrooms and ham has the same taste as it has since the establishment and sells 240 cups a day!
Point 3: “Seaside Drive-in” is also a sunset spot!
This “Seaside Drive-in” is located at the edge of the ocean in Onna Village.
Although the ocean is on the opposite side of the entrance, it is not so famous as a sunset spot and not so crowded, so it can be called a “hidden sunset spot.
If you really want to enjoy a beautiful sunset, it may be the right choice to relax and enjoy the sunset in a less crowded place!
