Cafe Boba

The Kula Rainbow (12) was great because it is topped like a Neopolitan. But with blueberry,…read morestrawberry, and mango over a small amount of vanilla ice cream. The blueberry was my favorite. I usually like mango flavors, but this was not for me. The strawberry was a close second favorite. I wiuld be tempted to her Th Lava Flow next time which is topped with haupia cream.

It was just alright. Line was extremely long on Saturday afternoon. The line at the window may look…read moreshort. It's the line to pick up food that had a crazy wait time. Ice particle size was a bit bigger and not as fine as OBISIC on the other side of the island.

Half orange and half blueberry

The Hapa (choc, coconut flakes, haupia ice cream) & The Local (love the local - lilikoi, soursop w ice cream

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Their many accolades!

Da Hawaiian Brain Freeze Shave Ice & Ice Cream

4.5(295 reviews)

1.3 mi

•$

Best bang for your buck. The shaved ice here is HUGE!! We couldn't even finish it…read more Lots of shaved ice flavors and ice cream flavors. HAPPY ICEING!!

After snorkeling with turtles, a sweet treat before driving back to Waikoloa was necessary. Da…read moreHawaiian Brain Freeze was worth the wait. It took about 15 or so minutes to get three halo halos, but the flavor, and love thats put in them was delicious! Thankfully, after being in the hot sun there was AC in there as well as seating.

Mini shave ice is huge!!

Halo halo

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Root beer float and mini shave ice (the cup for size)

Wilson's By the Bay

4.6(81 reviews)

•$

TIKI DAVE from TIKI DAVE TRAVEL loves this place!…read more We had an amazing lunch at Pineapple's across the street and received a discount at Wilson's. We had several options in Hilo but we chose Wilson's because of its proximity to the restaurant, the discount and the fact that it was the more affordable option in town. The service and the homemade syrups atop amazing fluffy icy goodness were amazing. TIKI DAVE TIKI DAVE from TIKI DAVE'S TERRIFIC TRIPS absolutely loves this place! TIKI DAVE of TIKI DAVE TRAVEL / TIKI DAVE'S TERRIFIC TRIPS highly highly highly recommends Wilson's By the Bay! I will be making a video of my experience so...and here it is! https://youtu.be/yVi4ZEcMw3g?is=0GTf-vESLcn0BX0_ Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/@TIKIDAVETRAVEL And follow! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565274777775&mibextid=ZbWKwL https://www.instagram.com/tikidavetravel/?__d=1%2F%3Fhidemenu%3Dtrue

I ordered a keiki with lilikoi and coconut and was underwhelmed by the shave ice. The shave ice…read moregrain was similar to mainland snow cones and the flavors were overly saccharine. The proportions are large and served in a small paper cones and there is no spots to sit in and enjoy.

The regular size

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Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine

4.3(2.6k reviews)

Food is great and service was awesome. Love the location, in the heart of Hilo. Ambiance was homie…read moreand inviting.

Pineapple Pow(17) is impressive…read more The Gray Whale(13), was so delicious. I would order this again. Teriyaki Flank Steak pupus(19) was cooked to the requested temperature and tasty. If you like a lot of sauce, this might be for you!

Bar with loads of fresh pineapples

Hilo Local Plate

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Dr. Pepper

Big Island Ice Shave

4.4(10 reviews)

9.3 mi

This is a heavenly shaved ice with all the island flavors. This is from a food truck that is open…read moreonly certain days at different locations. Their web site posts the hours and locations. I like the shaved ice because the syrup is not too sweet and the ice is extra fine. And they had the haupia ice cream. Their shaved ice was better than Ululani shave ice.

One of their trailers happened to be parked at one of the out of the way beaches, and that was a…read morewonderful unexpected treat. Reasonable prices, lots of flavor options, and fun toppings like sour spray was a hit with my boys.

Root beer

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Chillville

4.9(61 reviews)

0.2 mi

Definitely an interesting and fun experience to try. The rolled ice cream is entertaining to watch…read morebeing made and makes for a unique treat. I tried the mango sticky rice ice cream, which was good, although rolled ice cream in general just isn't personally my favorite texture or style of ice cream. I'm glad we tried it and it's a fun stop if you've never had rolled ice cream before, but it probably wouldn't be one of my must-return dessert spots.

I came on Saturday around 6PM, wasn't too busy and tables were available…read more I got the regular with ube flavor, only waffle cone and mochi as toppings. I love the flavor of the ube. Only wish I got little bit more toppings. I love the atmosphere, very family friendly. Has games for you to enjoy too.

Coffe ice cream with Oreos. Topped with pistachios and chocolate drizzle.

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Ube Rolled Ice cream with Fruity pebbles topped with Brownie & condensed Milk.

Hilo Ice Shave

4.7(32 reviews)

1.4 mi

Locally owned & operated

Kid friendly

Hilo Ice Shave has become one of our regular stops, and for good reason! There's something about a…read morebig, colorful mountain of perfectly fluffy shave ice that just makes a day a little better, especially here in Hawaiʻi. The ice is incredibly fine, soft, and fluffy. None of those crunchy, chunky ice crystals you sometimes get elsewhere. This is the kind of shave ice that practically melts on your tongue, and the portions are wonderfully generous! Two of our favorite flavors are Dragon's Blood and lilikoi. The combination of sweet, fruity flavors with that delicate, snow-like ice is absolutely delicious. Add a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk over the top, and it's even better. And if you haven't tried getting ice cream tucked into the center, you're missing out! It's such a delicious little surprise as you work your way through all that shave ice. They're usually very generous with the syrup, too. Occasionally, we wish there were a little more, but the vast majority of the time, the balance of ice and flavor is just right. The service is straightforward and casual. It's not necessarily a place you visit for an extraordinary customer service experience, but that's perfectly fine. We come for the shave ice, and it keeps us coming back! We visit all the time, and it's become one of our favorite little treats. The portions are generous, the flavors are delicious, and there's something especially satisfying about enjoying a beautiful bowl of shave ice on a warm Hawaiian afternoon. Sometimes the simplest pleasures really are the best, and Hilo Ice Shave delivers exactly that. Five stars from us!

By far the best price in Hilo for shave ice…read more Staff was really friendly and patient with my 3 little kids. A great place for a break right before merrie monarch~!

Li hing mui shave ice w/ vanilla ice cream in the middle.

Empty plate from chili dog

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Yas

Makani's Magic Pineapple Shack

4.3(547 reviews)

0.2 mi

Amazingly nice staff, and the unicorn swirl tastes like a sweet tart. Best treat I've had in a long…read moretime.

Food: 5/5 Portions: 5/5…read moreCleanliness: 5/5 Customer service: 5/5 Speed: 5/5 Price: $$ Takeout: yes Outdoor seating: yes ADA access: yes Dogs: yes- outside Kid Friendly: yes Vegetarian options: yes Vegan options: yes Ambiance: casual Pros: delicious fruit, friendly staff, super large portions

Soft Serve Ice Cream: Unicorn (Ube and Dragonfruit) on a Pineapple from 8.23.2024

Unicorn ice cream in pineapple bowl

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Cookie monster

Hilo Farmer's Market

4.3(570 reviews)

Locally owned & operated

Eco-friendly

The fruits and veggies in Hilo are huge and vibrant that may be from all of the rain. I love that…read morethis farmers market is here and open daily. The farmers market has good variety, multiple booths with a little something different--from mangosteen, multiple varieties of mangoes, egg fruit, soursop, and jackfruit to seasonal local favorites. I always make it a point to visit during Sharwil avocado season. They're rich, buttery and string-free, definitely my favorite avocado. And don't miss lychee season. It's an open market that is shaded that creates a cool environment while you shop. parking available across the street and directly in front. The vendors are very helpful and will allow you to try a fruit on the spot. Most are cash only.

Drove here from the other side of the island and ended in disappointment. I think we were hoping…read morefor more in terms of the farmer market over here. There's vendors of people selling souvenirs, art pieces and stickets, and a couple of ladies selling jewelry. Beware the prices of the jewelry pieces. I think $47 for a ring is expensive personally. I can't justify spending $80+ on two rings, which are made of stainless steel and look to be worth $10-15 on Amazon. The ladies here don't even say if they're handmade or anything, but anything for a memento I guess. Across the street is the fruits and produce. Lots of flies and bugs around. Parking lot is on rough rubble and it's a one way and small. Be careful and take care driving in, don't want any popped tires or anything. Overall a quick visit for us after walking through. I think we saw someone setting up to play some live music for the atmosphere.

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Kula Shave Ice

4.8(29 reviews)

10.2 mi

Our family stopped at this cute shaved ice shop after walking to the epic Akaka Falls in a…read moredownpour. We have littles and the staff were so kind and patient with our wet family. They were kind enough to let my 6yr old try some of the ice cream to help make his dramatic decision. And there were cute little books for my 2yr old to look at while we waited. We really did enjoy the more natural flavoring of shaved ice juices. They weren't overly sweet and were more authentic to the real fruits. All of the ice cream flavors we chose were great too and very big scoops! Loved the macadamia nut flavors! This shop was such a lovely stop. We were so happy it was close to our adventure!

Let me set the scene: it was raining, around 3 PM, and I was craving shaved ice. I'd been on the…read moreisland for three days and hadn't had the chance yet, so when our tour guide recommended Kula Shave Ice, we decided to give it a try. I was a little disappointed that there weren't many flavor options, but I did appreciate the portion sizes--and they do have condensed milk, which is always a plus. I ordered coconut and strawberry, and my sister went with strawberry. The presentation was beautiful, but I noticed the syrup was very light. I think I'm used to the thicker, sweeter syrups some places use, which makes the flavors more vibrant. This felt more like a lighter, juice-style shaved ice. That's not a bad thing at all--it just wasn't what I was craving, and it didn't quite hit the spot for either of us. That said, this review isn't meant to knock the business at all. I definitely recommend trying it for yourself and ordering what you like. I may have ordered the wrong flavors and probably should've gone with one of their specials (the lava flow sounds like the move). The staff was fantastic, the location was extremely clean, and they even have a small shop, which was a nice touch. Overall, it was a good experience--just not quite my personal preference flavor-wise. I wish this business nothing but continued success

Sign

Very clean inside

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Items on sale

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Aaries J.

8 years ago

I Am Beyond Happy That The Big Island Finally Has A Boba Shop. Been Waiting Years & i Must Say It Was Well Worth The Wait. CAFE BOBA Is Amazing & Delicious. i Went Twice On The First Day & Kept Going For 1 Week Straight. Im Addicted To This Place. i Go At Least 4 Times A Week. So Worth The Money. Drinks Are Always On Point. The Food Is Outstanding. The Workers Are Always Welcoming. If Something Is Wrong They're Right There To Fix It. No Questions Asked. They Love The Feed Back, They Wanna Get Better. i Know This Place Is Gonna Last For A Very Long Time. They Just Keep Adding More & More Delicious Things To The Menu. i 1000% RECOMMENED This Place To Anyone Who Loves Boba Drinks & Fantastic Food. HUGE 5 RATING read more

Laura C.

4 years ago

Love all of the items they offer and the staff is always friendly. My favorite "go-to" place!

Y D.

7 years ago

I'm impressed! Tried it a few times and every drink I tried was delicious. Best in Hilo!

Cafe Boba - bubbletea - Updated October 2026

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