One sunny day during covid we decided to take a day trip and drive to Avila for the day to see the ocean, put our feet in the sand, do a little shopping, and enjoy some lunch. When in Avila I cannot resist the Hula Hut and all the unique goodies they have to offer. I rarely leave without bringing home something new for my home or gifts to share with family or friends. On this particular day I bought ceramic coasters with gorgeous graphics. The prices are right! We ordered a chicken wrap for lunch and hubby and I shared it. It was delicious and filling. After we ate on the patio we took a browse downstairs before grabbing a coffee and heading to the sand. I can't wait until the next time we can get away! read more

We stopped in today and bought some fudge and a piece of blueberry cake. Got back to hotel and realized that the blueberry cake had mold on it and the fudge tasted really old. That was a waste of almost $40. Disappointing to say the least and too far to drive back. read more

Service: the person I believe is the owner lacks the customer service skills that all paying customers deserve. We were next in line to order a coffee; after he took his time flirting with the woman and her daughter in front of us, he looked at us, me with a mask on, and said "I think I will go ask these other people (who had just walked in) if they need anything." (There were about seven of them.) My daughter politely said, we were next. He turned and said, "patience is a virtue." What he didn't know, and frankly, I shouldn't have to explain, was that I work around children, and some had been sick, so I didn't want to risk getting anyone sick, especially, over the holidays. I have been in before, without a mask, and treated differently. Do not waste your time and or money- walk a few shops up: there you will find great customer service and great tasting teas and coffee. read more

Absolutely terrible. I ordered a simple "berry-licious" smoothie, supposedly containing blackberries, raspberries, mulberries, and a banana. Shouldn't be that difficult, I thought. I even gave them a $3 tip considering the Mexican lady making the smoothie was fast and seemed nice. The smoothie, on the other hand, tasted like the fruits were picked before ripening, still green and young. It was sour and tasteless, and there was MOST DEFINITELY not any banana in that smoothie. Any smoothie that I could have made at home would taste ten thousand times better than whatever that was. On top of all that, there was an old white man in a red and white checkered flannel (I assume he is the owner) who was a complete and total a hole. When I went back in to ask for a refund or a remake, I told him that there were no bananas in the smoothie and that it simply tasted bad. He immediately got defensive, and insisted that there were bananas in the smoothie. Obviously, none of the workers there have ever tasted a smoothie before, because they would know that bananas in a smoothie would have an obvious and distinct taste. He dismissed what I said, and gave me a refund of $8. Being a person of color, I can assume that this attitude had something to do with me being a young minority. Also, after reading all of these other reviews, I can see that many others have had the same issues with the owner. Sad to say that he's been like this for at least 10 years without changing. read more

We stopped here for ice cream. My son had mint chip and moose bark flavor in a cone. He loved it. It was very generous two scoops. I had coffee ice cream. It was so delicious. Perfect balance of coffee flavor. Nice outdoor seating with ocean view. read more

Hula Hut - Outside - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Avila Beach, California

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Below average coffee and food. Even the ice cream had a weird flavor. Really just a boardwalk tchotchke shop that wouldn't be in business if there were more options in Avila beach. The owner (or older man I'm assuming is the owner) is a complete ass and I could tell his employees did not want to be there. read more

From the moment we walked in the service was horrible. The lady behind the registered seemed bothered by our presence and was responding with attitude. It felt like we were unconvincing her by just being there. This place clearly doesn't care about their customer service, just because if this I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. read more

The service was amazing and so was the food. We took a drive from Fresno just for the food and the view. The waffles are soooo good, the croissants and country potatoes are cooked to perfection, the hot chocolate and mochas are really doing! I can't wait to try more food read more

Hula Hut - Croissant country potatoes and the best waffles ever! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Avila Beach, California

This is a prime example of a restaurant in a touristy area that knows people will buy their garbage regardless of price. I ordered the Chilaquiles for $16.95 and I got a helping of mediocre, been sitting under a hear lamp for a couple days potatoes, a stack of microwaved corn tortillas, topped with that green enchilada sauce that comes in a can. I've given this place a shot numerous times; I live in the area. The price you pay is absolutely ridiculous for the tiny portions of zero-effort food. You will feel ripped off. The younger staff is great. The older lady straight up enabled who I assume to be a regular to molest one of the younger waitstaff, touching her on the stomach and saying she was "loose" because she wore a crop-top AT THE BEACH. When the younger girl brought it up, the older lady brushed it off saying, "Haha, that's just Roger!" read more

I made a purchase of holiday decorations from their gift selection. Liana was very helpful in finding the item I had seen there the previous Christmas season and arranging shipment to my home. read more

When I was on vacation at SLO, this little place was just so cute and touristy, I couldn't resist. I love looking at sundries and souvenirs. Especially beach-themed things, even though there are so many of these kind of shops up the coast. I ended up buying some postcards and beach magnets, hehe. Note: I did not eat here. read more

After a little walk on the beach, went to grab some ice cream. I wanted sorbet as I am lactose intolerant. There was only one sorbet option being the margarita flavor for which I was happy to try. I ended up a little disappointed as it ended up tasting like bad lemon sorbet that ended up gooey when it melted. I was happy to have a cold snack none the less and could not vouch for any other flavor besides the margarita. My other two friends got different flavors and loved them so it may just be my own sorbet preferences. Other than that the shop seemed cute and homey with kind and quick service cranking out the orders for the groups I front of us. read more

This review is ONLY for the soft tacos with Al pastor meat: Ordered the Al pastor soft tacos combo worst tacos I've ever had...meat was ground and spicy (I got this for my kids and specifically asked if it was spicy and was told not). The rice wasn't even cooked but the whole thing had a mushy consistency????? Beans were ok. One star for food but may be my fault for ordering Mexican food at an ice cream store. The shop was cute and people working there were super nice so adding another star. Otherwise good experience was read more

Hula Hut - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Avila Beach, California

Love Hula Hut! I feel like it gets outshined by The Avila Market but Hula Hut has better food and service!! Get the Pad Thai Noodle Wrap -- it's my favorite! Coffee there is good too! Absolutely recommend! read more

Rude service. The Hispanic lady serving ice cream seemed like we were bothering her by being there.

Our family stayed a week in Avila this summer and visited every night! Staff was so friendly, flavors rotated which was nice and all we tried were delicious! Shop was clean and we appreciated that it stayed open until 9:00 nightly whereas many others closed long before dessert time. We will return! read more

Walked to Avila beach using Bob Jone trail from our resort. It was a really nice pleasant walk but it sure did get you hungry. There were lots of choices but we picked Hula Hut. Your placed the order at the front counter (menus are located there). Then the sweet nice lady will bring you the food. My husband and I ordered the Ahi, Shrimp and Mango Salad and the Asian chicken wrap with potato salad to share. Surprisingly, the food was really good, better than expected. The salad was really refreshing. The wasabi sauce was just the right amount of flavor. Portion was on the small size though. The wrap was warm when served. Very delicious with the added Mandarin orange so it didn't feel heavy. The potato salad was really good too, it has set pickles in it. Kinda first for me but I really like it. Recommend to give this place a try if you are in the area. They have ice cream too! read more

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I visit Hula Hut each time I am in Avila Beach. I notice that the reviews seem to be mixed. Based on a few visits, I can say that each time I am here, I am always greeted with a smile, and each time someone approaches me asking if I need any help. Unfortunately, we are living in a world where customer service is almost obsolete, filled with employees who's actions show they do not want to be at work and are merely collecting a paycheck. I have never had any problems with customer service here, and I attribute this to upper management/owners who obviously take notice to the significance of what customer service means. Even the cashiers are friendly and actually smile and say, "Thank you" when you make a purchase. I can only hope that other businesses take notice of what customer service looks like and implement it to their own stores. I see many complaints about the ice cream here, and even though it may not necessarily be the best, it certainly isn't the worst. I am pretty sure they do not make their own ice cream and it's from a local vendor in SLO. Avila Beach is a tourist destination, and keep in mind this place does not specialize in ice cream. They also offer drinks, as well as ice blended coffee drinks, and even food. The ice cream is just one of their many offerings. They also have an array of various items for purchase that you can decorate your home with. I have purchased many unique items that you may not find elsewhere. It is also pet-friendly! read more

We enjoyed, the ice cream , coffee cake and cappuccino. I did some shopping too and found good merchandise, ended up buying plenty of gifts for Christmas. Beach front . Outdoor and indoor seating . read more

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Decided not to eat breakfast here because the man working behind the counter was not wearing a mask while making food, drinks, and taking orders. It made us very uncomfortable to know he was okay with not following the law and he didn't care about the customer's health needs during a pandemic. We noticed other people walking away from this coffee / chocolate / dining spot and overheard some expressing the same concern. I hope the owners are more mindful of the local laws and enforce mask wearing for all staff - especially the ones that deal with customers and prepare food items. There's no excuse for this selfish behavior. read more

Not gluten-free friendly. Portions are small to begin for the price & they don't substitute bread for potatoes. Kids were hungry so i bought from here but never again. Omelet was child sized but tasty. read more

They have Edna's Bakery bagels here! Fresh and delicious in Avila Beach! I had my bagel toasted with peanut butter. Yum. It really made my afternoon. Perfect snack. Stop in for a treat or a trinket this Hula Hut has it all! read more

We visited Avila Beach CA, last week, and bought a drink, and I need to send very important business related email, one of the girl told me they do not have Wi-Fi in the store, and studently I saw one the staff using her iPhone, also, how they process payments without internet access? We won't visit their story anymore. read more

We have been to Avila Beach before and decided to make a stop to grab coffee and walk along the beach. We were looking for a quick breakfast spot and decided to try them out. Didn't take a photo of our breakfast pork tamales with green sauce and eggs but it was delicious. Also tried the Pineapple Express smoothie. Friendly staff and cute spot across from the beach/pier. Would definitely eat at again. read more

What a great business! I was in town with my wife & two daughters and they saw a Valentines "candy Kabob" that they both wanted. As usual with two toddlers we don't buy everything they see and want in a candy store. Weeks later, as we are approaching Valentine's Day, both girls remembered those kabobs and reminded me that I said I would get them for them. Back home in Santa Barbara, I tried to find these to no avail. Called Hula Hut to plead my case and was met with the most gracious help from a woman named Linda. She was so kind that she took the time to package up the (cheap!) candies and personally ship them to me. Although not a big ticket sale, Linda still bubble wrapped the kabobs with care to make sure my girls will have a great valentines morning. Much appreciated, so happy to give money to a business that still has some good old fashioned customer service value. By the way, this is a great spot for an ice cream cone and a delicious espresso to keep your beach visit going. Thank you Linda & The Hula Hut! We will return again and again when we visit Avila Beach! read more

The establishment was a cute place across from the beach that looked promising, but we were very disappointed in the food. I got the special beef dip with the potato salad. The meat and very bland and dry. Ended up only eating half, it was that bad. And for $17 I expected more. My husband ordered the carnitas nachos which weren't bad, but not great. We shared a cup of clam chowder which was just ok. We also got a coke and a bottled water and our bill was $52 definitely not worth the price!! And as we were in line buying something from the store, the owner or manager (older gentleman) came from behind the counter and was very rude to the workers telling them to clean some fudge off the floor and as he grabbed the dishes from the table he said he shouldn't have to be babysitting and was tired of this shit! Very rude to the poor workers in front of customers, thought that was very unprofessional. The lady who took our order was very sweet and personable though, unfortunately that was the only positive that came out of this experience. I will go back and get ice cream and to shop, but won't be eating there again. read more

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Not happy ... This was the driest grilled cheese sandwich I have ever had ...i only ate it because i was hungry read more

Hula Hut - Dry grilled cheese sandwich.... - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Avila Beach, California

This place is open for coffee and pastries. The muffins are very good. Beware, though .... staff does not use masks and handle food directly with hands. There is no contactless checkout. Their outdoor seating is far less than 6' apart. So ... if you're aware there is a sometimes fatal pandemic out there ... stay away. read more

Hula Hut is a great shop with a variety of offerings, located along the beach-front street. They sell a lot of touristy stuff: mugs, t-shirts, and knick-knacks. But they also sell some really delicious snacks. They serve Doc Burnstein's ice cream (yummy). They sell some fantastic homemade fudge (many different flavors from the traditional chocolate to birthday cake). You can count on me to buy at least a pound of fudge when I go in here. They also have a variety of candies like jelly belly jelly beans, taffy, and licorice. I bought a box of black licorice since I haven't had any in years and thought it'd be fun to have a black stuff stuck in my teeth all day. I've never had a sandwich here but they do have a few sandwiches on the menu if you hunger for something a little more substantial than fudge. There's only a few tables inside and this place seems to always be busy so if you want to sit down you may have to relax and enjoy your food out on the beach. read more

Hula Hut - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Avila Beach, California

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They are rude especially the older blonde lady who might be one of the owners. She was running late this morning and was putting out her signs at 8:10 and the store opened at 8:00 so as we stood in front she kept yelling at us to leave even though there were quite a few "regulars" with coffee and eating. We have been coming to Avila Beach for years. I give you a f'ing zero. By the way Krakens has better coffee. read more

Great food and service. A must for any traveler looking for a great breakfast experience. read more

Hula Hut - A cup coffee - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Avila Beach, California

The ice cream is Doc Bernstein's, so you know that it is good. It is the service that is lacking here. All of the employees were either having a bad day, or none of them wanted to be bothered with serving customers. Our small group walked in twice - once to check it out and later to actually get some ice cream. Both times the staff that was there didn't give a welcoming, professional vibe. read more

This is a stand at the counter and order place. You get a number and they call it when your order is ready. It was a rather unbusy Wednesday morning but, it still took a while to order and get. I had a great breakfast burrito here. You also have a choice of potatoes or fruit. I am a sucker for cooked potatoes so, I got them. And they were excellent! There was a bit of a wait for the food but, you can sit on the patio and look at the Pacific Ocean which is a very A-OK way to spend fifteen minutes waiting for your order. Parking in Avila pretty much sucks worse than parking in San Luis Obispo, if that is even possible. read more

Stopped in to have a valentine dessert with my babe and the lady Santa at the counter was super sweet friendly she was very helpful and let us design our own dessert it was amazing definitely coming back read more

Hula Hut - Amazing desert - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Avila Beach, California

The shop itself is very cute with lots of overpriced but aesthetically pleasing things for your home or garden. I ordered a couple of boba drinks which were terrible. They were both watered down and flavorless; to the point that we could not drink them. A total waste of money. I also picked up a few snacks and energy drinks, sparkling waters, etc. I expected to pay a lot more which is no biggie when you buy these things at a place where tourists pass through. The biggest problem to me was the customer service or the lack thereof. A young man who was working the front was very chatty and cordial with a guest before me. He greeted her with eye contact and a smile. He mentioned that he was from Bakersfield and attending Cal Poly, etc. He asked if she wanted her receipt, made more small talk, and wished her a great day. He did not use any of these exemplary customer service skills on me whatsoever. He literally was a different person when he took my order and checked me out. I will not be back. read more

Best cinnamon roll of my life. Seriously delicious. Cute spot. Very nice folks working there. And the whole sweets case was looking tasty.

The owner treats his employees and customers rudely. Case in point, arrived at 11:32, looked at kids menu to order breakfast. He hollers breakfast finished at 11:30...the MENU states "served all day" under kids menu. When I queried, he sternly and loudly stated "it's a typo". I spent as little possible in order to feed my kids. Worst experience ever read more

Don't bother to patronize this place. Only one employee was wearing a mask. The coffee barista, who I believe was the owner, was rude. I asked him for my order and he said that it was on the counter, which it wasn't. When he poured me my small cup of coffee, he claimed he didn't have time to babysit the orders. 'The coffee wasn't anything to write home about! read more

I stopped in on a rainy day to buy some salt water taffy since I could see the bin through the window. I'm not much of a touristy shopper since we frequent the coast, but the place is nicely arranged and not crammed with junk (which is nice). The ice cream caught my eye after I'd purchased taffy as requested by a friend who knew i was going to be at Avila. We wandered over and checked out the offerings. The flavors were all interesting but the Motor Oil tag grabbed me the most. Coffee and fudge, the ice cream was truly a deep brown. Streaks of fudge ran through it, which was barely discernible by color. I could see the textural difference though, and enjoyed the contrast. Very nice service from the gal at the counter. We also read up on the ice cream company (Doc Burnstien's) and the packaging company (https://www.restorationpackaging.com/). I was impressed with the thought that went into both of these companies and had that momentary twinge of satisfaction knowing that somewhere, there are people doing good things for other people and the environment (even though I am not an ardent environmentalist etc.). We sat at a table inside to watch the drizzling outside along with several small birds hopping around looking for leftover bits of food at the tables outside. read more

I witnessed the owner and one of his staff being extremely rude to some customers today who were requesting their incorrect drink orders to be remade. Finally after arguing and being rude he said he would remake the drink. Everyone continued eating their breakfast and after 15 20 minutes the one gal went back up asking for the drink. The worker was very rude and said she would have to wait. They obviously were just about done eating and wanted their drink. The owner finally said I will make it now. The whole thing was uncomfortable and made our breakfast experience unpleasant. We will not be going back. There was no need for the rudeness to those paying customers. read more