Super refreshing on a hot sunny day! I'd recommend choosing some unique fruit flavours. I chose guava and lilikoi (passion fruit) topped with condensed milk. The wait can be long -- when we went, there was only one person operating the store.
i’ve been going to waiola shave ice for almost 60 years. this time, when my grandson came to visit, we got up the store 4 times in a week.positives: TONS of flavors and combos to choose from. line moves smoothly. employees are courteousnegatives: nowhere near enough syrup. consistently receive shaved ice with half the syrup needed. this wasn’t a one off. we tried it again and again, very inconsistent amount of syrup. kid size ok. large only ok 1 out of 20 shave icesprices just okonly ONE sugar free flavor. come on!after all this time, gonna go search for a new place. i’m bummed.
Perfect treat for after hiking Diamond Head now that the much sought after pineapple slushy truck is no longer available in the visitor center's parking lot. There is usually only one worker on weekdays but they are quite efficient and friendly. The ice is shaved wonderfully smooth and syrups are of the right level of sweetness. We visit this location every time we are in Honolulu.
SOFT & melt in your mouth shave ice!Locals call it "shave ice" !Yes it is syrup on shaved ice. Waiola does it right~ it's finely shaved , soft and with a perfect amount of syrup+ ice ratio. Consistent and classic.A large order is $5.00 and perfect for 1 person.You can select 2 syrup flavors. And they really have every flavor you can imagine.I really like the matcha cream and haupia (coconut) mixed together! The flan bowl is a must try if you like custard.Seating: ample outdoor seating available. Some shaded, some notParking: there are 5 stalls along the shop available. People usually don't stay too long. I would suggest walking or riding your bike if you have trouble finding a stall available.Cute little souvenir shop where you can buy merchandise to remember your visit.
Disappointing. Lived in Kaimuki years ago and always came here for shave ice…it was amazing back then. Brought my friend who was visiting Hawaii for the first time and never had shave ice. He wanted to go to Matsumoto’s…heard about it and I told him that was for tourists, this place is way better…drove 39 min to get here and …it was sub par. Not even close to before. Out of the first 5 flavors I asked for as well as out of mochi…which was not the end of the world by any means but…the girl behind the counter never smiled once and looked annoyed that she had customers. Worst is the syrup only penetrated like half an inch so almost all of the inside was just white ice which just means she poured it super quick and barely at all…good shave ice soaks through way more. Barely any condensed milk on top compared to before as well. Just a few lines…Paid $15 for two large and after 3 bites threw mine away. All in all disappointing mostly because it was my friends first shave ice and I know the island has waaaaaay better. Should have just taken him to Matsumoto’s like he wanted. In this case the tourist trap is much better than the local spot. ?
Price has gone up substantially and not to mention the small portions...lol....and first time at this location. I used to live right across from the original Waiola Shave Ice on Waiola Street. Those were the days. I'd go to Shimazu Shave Ice on N. School for the size and pretty much same shaved ice. Shimazu is huge compared to Waiola. Shave ice places losing its touch.
Waiola has the softest, fluffiest ice!! They even know the texture is different and they ask you to wait a few minutes so the syrup can soak (but if you can't wait, you can come back and ask for my syrup)! They also have a fun topping called lilikoi cream! Plenty of outdoor seating and a small parking lot! This is a great spot for shave ice!
Best shave ice on island (better that Matsumoto’s). This little shack almost always has a line, but cooling off with this sweet treat is well worth the wait. I recommend the traditional rainbow, since all the flavor options can be overwhelming. A fun place to bring the family when they visit the island ?
Needed something refreshing after a hike at Diamond Head and this spot was pretty close. So glad I stopped by it as the shaved iced I got was amazing. I got the passion fruit strawberry and the colors were so pretty. The flavors didn't taste artificial at all. There was ice cream in the middle which took it to a whole new level. They have a little merch shop and I purchased a tote bag from them as their logo is so cute. Would recommend this place especially after a long hike.There was outdoor seating and a decent amount of parking in the area.
We had an Obama Rainbow (Passion, Lime, Cherry), Thai Tea, and Pineapple with Cherry and Passion. Everyone loved theirs. The wooden spoons were a nice touch.