TV Restaurants

Saimin Dojo Is Now Wailua Drive In — What Happened After the Show?

Renamed reported

As of September 2026, Yelp lists this address as Wailua Drive In; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Primary source
Yelp ·
Secondary source
happycow.net

Last verified

What the source shows: A Yelp listing for Wailua Drive In, updated September 2026, shows an active restaurant at the same Kuhio Highway address, while a HappyCow listing marks the Saimin Dojo name as closed.

  • Season / episode Season 30, Episode 9
  • Original air date
  • Address 4-733 Kuhio Hwy Ste 103, Kapa'a, HI 96746
  • Current name Wailua Drive In

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What happened after Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives visited Saimin Dojo in Kapa'a, Hawaii, for the episode "Spinning the Globe" (S30E9), which aired 2019-08-02, featuring the restaurant's Hawaiian saimin noodle soup. Saimin Dojo was a casual noodle-soup restaurant on Kuhio Highway in Kapa'a, named for its signature saimin dish. A HappyCow business listing marks Saimin Dojo as closed at its 4-733 Kuhio Highway address. A Yelp listing for Wailua Drive In, updated September 2026, shows an active restaurant with more than 800 reviews operating at that same Kuhio Highway address, describing it as continuing to serve Saimin Dojo's original menu favorites alongside new items. Google's business listing for the address also identifies the operator as Wailua Drive In rather than Saimin Dojo. Together, these listings indicate the restaurant seen on the episode now operates under the name Wailua Drive In at the same location.

Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Season / episode
Season 30, Episode 9
Original air date
Episode title
Spinning the Globe
What was featured
a Hawaiian saimin noodle soup dish
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
Saimin Dojo

Frequently asked questions

Is Saimin Dojo still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, Yelp lists this address as Wailua Drive In; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What happened to Saimin Dojo after Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives visited Saimin Dojo in Kapa'a, Hawaii, for the episode "Spinning the Globe" (S30E9), which aired 2019-08-02, featuring the restaurant's Hawaiian saimin noodle soup. As of September 2026, Yelp lists this address as Wailua Drive In; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What is Saimin Dojo called now?

Now: Wailua Drive In (formerly Saimin Dojo). As of September 2026, Yelp lists this address as Wailua Drive In; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Where is Saimin Dojo located?

4-733 Kuhio Hwy Ste 103, Kapa'a, HI 96746. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives featured Saimin Dojo?

Season 30, Episode 9 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, first aired August 2, 2019. The episode is titled “Spinning the Globe”.

What do reviews say since Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

A Yelp listing for Wailua Drive In, updated September 2026, shows an active restaurant with more than 800 reviews operating at that same Kuhio Highway address, describing it as continuing to serve Saimin Dojo's original menu favorites alongside new items. We summarise what dated sources report; we do not publish our own rating.

Is Saimin Dojo still using the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives menu or branding?

A Yelp listing for Wailua Drive In, updated September 2026, shows an active restaurant with more than 800 reviews operating at that same Kuhio Highway address, describing it as continuing to serve Saimin Dojo's original menu favorites alongside new items. Anything newer than our last check on September 7, 2026 may not be reflected here.

Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.

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Visit info

Address
4-733 Kuhio Hwy Ste 103, Kapa'a, HI 96746
Venue type
diner
Official website
wailuadrivein.com

Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources

  • Yelp — https://www.yelp.com/biz/wailua-drive-in-kapa%CA%BBa
  • happycow.net — https://www.happycow.net/reviews/saimin-dojo-kapaa-146937

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Record ddd-1143 · last verified .