I've romanticized Hawaii for years. Not because of the perpetual sunshine or the beaches or the unbelievably fresh seafood. But because of the humble but magical Dole Whip. I had dreamed about visiting the Dole Plantation on Oahu and getting "Hawaii's complete pineapple experience" (according to their Google SEO result), whatever that might be. But little did I know that I'd be getting another sort of bona fide pineapple experience in Hawaii instead... in the Royal Hawaiian Center, a beautiful outdoor mall in Waikiki. I almost walked past Kokoro Cafe on the second floor. If you've ever gotten dessert in a mall food court, you know the drill. Atmosphere is what it is, but the service was super fast and there was no line by the time we were heading out after dinner. They offer a few different Dole Whip options: you can get it in a cup, a shaka-shaped waffle cone, or float form with POG (pineapple, orange, and guava) juice. Since I had been waiting for so long, I wanted to taste the Dole Whip in its purest form, so I got it in a cup. The pineapple soft serve was creamy and soft, flavorful without being saccharine. read more

Kokoro Cafe - Half-eaten Dole Whip - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Amazing customer service. He was very welcoming and friendly. I tried the pineapple and vanilla soft serve. It wasn't as creamy as I would like it to be but it was still a tasty treat. I don't remember exactly what he said but the orange sprinkles were plum flavored. He said people typically like to sprinkle it on pineapples or fruits to add to the flavors. read more

Kokoro Cafe - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Definitely a great place to go to if in Waikiki Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center's food court... center of the RHSC...we have so far ordered their cakes for birthdays, weddings and when we are special occasions we are always ordering from KuluKulu Cafe Bakery. If only they open another outlet not in Waikiki it'll be great.....they were once in the old SHIROKIYA food court that I always went to...not many visitors in Waikiki knows the delicacy of the true art of Japanese confectionery making cakes and pastries that I love to our sweet palate that I enjoy very much! Hopefully one day KuluKulu will make another outlet outside of Waikiki where we can enjoy their delicious outstanding cakes galore read more

Kokoro Cafe - Outstanding desserts at the same locale for ten years at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center Food Court - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

First time trying this ice cream ,Perfect soft ice cream i loved it !! Amazing customer service ! I really enjoy everything about, its in a Mall so its perfect that you also get to other options food (: read more

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Royal Hawaiian Center 2nd floor food court. I know shaved ice is very popular but hands down give me the Dole whip 10/10 times instead. Order: Dole whip was light fluffy and extremely satisfying. I could eat it by the gallon! Great flavor and texture. Overall: Don't walk here..run as fast as you can. You will not be disappointed! read more

Kokoro Cafe - Dole whip - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Located on the 2nd floor of the Royal Hawaiian Center (in the food court), this spot offers a unique dessert if you want something other than shave ice. It's comparable to "Somi Somi" where they have soft serve, fresh waffle desserts, and other sweet treats. The cashier was extremely helpful and made sure all of our questions about the menu were answered. I highly recommend! read more

Kokoro Cafe - Shaka soft serve - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I ordered the dole-whip Shaka boom and it was 10/10. I recommend to anyone trying to get their dole-whip fix. read more

Kokoro Cafe - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We have stopped here twice on our visit to Waikiki. The owner is very nice and engaging. His ice cream is home made daily. And you can tell, it is great. Even the soft serve ice cream was wonderful. Also tried the old fashion root beer float (fantastic). Nice oasis in the food court full of fast food. read more

Stumbled on this place that is located in a shopping area within a food court. At first we thought no one was there but they came out to take our order. I had to try the Shaka boom with the pineapple dole whip and it comes with two toppings. We also ordered a sweet iced tea. It was all good and came out quick. The waffle cone was a little soft but still good and it does come with an ample amount of ice cream. Since it is in the food court it was very busy, loud and crowded so make sure you grab a table quick if you plan on sitting down to eat your ice cream. read more

Kokoro Cafe - Shaka boom with dole whip - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Royal Hawaiian Center is bustling, on the second floor there is a food court and Kokoro, which has Dole Whip Soft Serve Ice cream. I had to get away from the crowds for a bit and went straight to Kokoro. I ordered the Dole Whip in a small cup and it was creamy and delicious. It was really warm that day that I had to hurry up and take a picture before it melted! I liked Kokoro so much I came back two more times (once for Dole Whip and once for the Shaka Boom) and each time I finished it in 6 minutes flat! The Shaka Boom had vanilla/chocolate soft serve, Oreos, Pocky sticks and shaka waffle was fun to eat. The owner or Kokoro is a really nice guy and we had fun chatting about football (apparently there was a big game that my SO was watching). read more

Kokoro Cafe - Dole Whip Soft Serve - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Gill is the man! Awesome vibes and the Shaka boom is soo good. Love supporting local business whenever we can. Thanks brah

We came for the Shaka... and it did not disappoint. It's a light crispy waffle on a mountain of ice cream and filled with ice cream. We also had the pineapple dole whip. Both were great but what was a pleasant surprise was the service. The owner made our dishes and he had such a passion for what he was doing and was beyond friendly. I'd go again just to see him! read more

Kokoro Cafe - Shaka boom with vanilla chocolate swirl and Oreos - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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this place did not disappoint. absolutely incredible. the float was amazing, unlike anything i've tasted in the mainland. i didn't get the name of our server but that dude was awesome. whoever was working 4/8 afternoon, you are the GOAT read more

Kokoro Cafe - Dole Whip Float - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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One of the BEST frozen yogurts I have had in my life, icy, creamy, and thick. The place is cute and clean , and Gil, the owner, is so nice and has created such an amazing place. My family and I have been here every single night since we discovered this awesome place! read more

Dessert place located in the 2nd floor of the Royal Hawaiian Center. We got their Belgian Waffle and honestly it was really good. They are freshly made and you can choose between several toppings. Plenty of seating in the bustling food court. read more

I got the Dole whip in size small in a waffle cone. It was $5.50, I compared a few other places and thought this was a fair price. A friend got a lychee drink for $3 and they said it tasted just like the can lychee drinks. Knocking off a star for the drink but dole whip was good. read more

Kokoro Cafe - Dole Whip small with cone - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Came for the gram...stayed for the flavors The Shaka cone was lovely and crisp, and the soft serve was extremely smooth and perfect balance of richness . The café is nice and central in Waikiki so makes an easy stop after some time on the beach and ready for an afternoon treat. read more

Kokoro Cafe - Shaka- boom - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Came here for dessert after eating breakfast in Waikiki. It's a small stand in the Royal Hawaiian Center. Menu consists of ice cream, soft serve, mochi pops, or juices. You order on a tablet at the stand. The worker was super nice & answered all my questions. It takes a bit for them to make because they put the decorations on it so perfectly. They're known for the Shaka Boom & you can choose your soft serve that goes with it. I chose the dole whip with fruity pebbles on top of the Shaka waffle. 8/10. The dole whip is tart & also creamy because of the vanilla in it. The waffle is kinda hard near the fingers but everywhere else was softer. Melts pretty fast so has to be eaten quickly. My husband got the Oreo sundae, 6/10. It was a vanilla soft serve with Oreo crumbles, fudge drizzle and an Oreo. A little bit too sweet for my liking but it's a large portion so definitely shareable! read more

Kokoro Cafe - Shaka boom w/ dole whip - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Yummm. You get 2 free toppings. I got the Shaka and pineapple dole whip. So refreshing!!! Service was quick and they were really nice. read more

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This place is in the Royal Hawaiian Center. I like the Dole whip here. There is no one to take your order, you order yourself on the computer. When you place your order someone comes out from the back and gets your order. The only thing that annoys me is that when you order on the computer, they ask you for a tip, I mean you don't have to but just the fact that they ask for a tip and no one even takes your order rubs me the wrong way. Anyways the Dole whip is good......... read more

Maybe their ice cream and soft serve is okay... but what really got me upset was their use of canned pineapple. I'm coming to Hawaii, so I'd want the good fresh stuff. Not sad watery bits of fruit remnants. Certainly not giving them another overpriced 10 bucks for this tragedy of a dessert. Service was kinda slow and it's in a cute mall. Good luck finding a table Saturday night. read more

Kokoro Cafe - Sunrise - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Yummy Dole Whip waffle cones that hit the spot -- and the pricing feels just right. The Shaka Cone is not only tasty but makes for a super cute aesthetic, especially when paired with their fruity mango drinks. Between the smoothies and flavored drinks, I'd recommend going with a smoothie -- much more satisfying. If you're into soft serve, definitely try the swirl cone topped with Oreos. It's a small touch that makes a big difference. The only downside was the service -- staff seemed to spend more time in the back than being present for customers up front, which slowed things down a bit. Still, overall a good experience and worth the visit if you're craving something sweet and tropical. read more

Super basic cheap ice crusty soft serve. Not even as good as a basic frozen yogurt you can get locally. Very disappointing

Quality of the ice cream was ok, I had really wanted the shaka waffle but on the side of my ice cream as I didn't love the waffle and pineapple dole whip pairing. But you can't get it on the side..some "rules" I'll never understand lol. Just wanted the waffle on the side read more

Kokoro Cafe - Pineapple dole whip - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The place was quite busy when we arrived with most customers ordering the Shaka Boom. There was some crowding in the front as people were eager to take pics for social media. We were more interested in the ice cream to enjoy on our nightly walk. My husband loves the Dole Whip so he couldn't resist trying the Pineapple-Vanilla soft serve. I had the Strawberry Sundae. Nice portions, super-creamy and not overly sweet. We came back a couple days later -- no crowd! I tried the Mochi Pop while my husband had the Dole Whip (again!). The warm mochi waffle was yummmmmy! I'll be back to try the other flavors. I'm sure my husband will try to get to an even bigger cup of the Dole Whip. :) Amazingly friendly people - so warm and welcoming! read more

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This place was so gooodddd the pineapple flavor is delicious, sweet but not too sweet!! read more

Kokoro Cafe - Shaka-boom swirl with sprinkles(free) and fruity pebbles (free) mochi in the back ($1) - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The shaka boom is no longer filled with cream, only ice cream. The vanilla soft serve had a watery texture and flavor, did not taste milky at all. The shaka boom was rock solid. Not worth $10 at all. read more

Customer service is always excellent and imo they have the best soft serve on island.

Amazing service. The ice cream and his Shaka-boom bowl is definitely worth it. It's in the food court, and on our way out he gave us water bottles to end the night. Great energy and atmosphere! read more

Cute place to get soft serve. I got the dole whip vanilla swirl which was very cute in a Shaka cone. Located in the pa'ina lanai of royal hawaiian shopping center. read more

Kokoro Cafe - Front of cafe - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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After dinner we took a stroll through the Royal Hawaiian Center. Kokoro Cafe on the second floor offers Dole Whip & soft serve so we stopped for dessert. I had buyer's remorse the second I tasted my pineapple/vanilla swirl. Everyone's pick looked (& I bet tasted) better than mine. Perhaps I should have chosen either pineapple or vanilla because the flavors canceled each other out & made for a bland pairing that was also quick to melt. I had no interest in finishing it; $5.50 for a small cup that mostly ended up in the trash. read more

Kokoro Cafe - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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3.8/5.0 Shaka Boom with chocolate soft serve and coconut cream. It's a fun and tasty treat. Good service located in the Royal Hawaiian Center Food Court. Many food choices makes this a somewhat busy location. Can be a little loud and crowded but overall an enjoyable experience. Gimmicky products usually come with some short comings. The cup that it's served in looks larger than it actually is. I put my finger under the cup and was surprised at how shallow the inside of the cup actually is. Had it now. Won't be back read more

Kokoro Cafe - Fun and tasty - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great dessert stop after dinner! Convenient location in the food court (2nd floor) and amazing/nice owner. The pineapple vanilla soft serve was delicious and came in the cute Shaka boom waffle read more

Kokoro Cafe - Shaka-boom vanilla pineapple soft serve - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I was looking for a dessert in the Paina Lanai food court, and the picture of the Shaka Boom ice cream waffle caught my eye. I thought it looked super cute, so I decided to get an ice cream. The owner was very friendly and nice, and he struck up a good conversation with me, my husband and mother in law. Fantastic service, and the ice cream was also delicious! Very happy I went by Kokoro Cafe! read more

Kokoro Cafe - Shaka Boom ice cream - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

One of my favorite dessert places on O'ahu! Anytime I visit Waikiki I try to visit - their mochi pops and shaka ice creams are the stars, and I recommend this place looking for a place that has food that matches the aesthetic of the shop (and just as tasty) - Miguel Morales Photography read more

Kokoro Cafe - Shaka Ice Cream (@miguelmoralesphotography on Instagram) - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The Dole Whip was so good--refreshing, creamy, and perfectly sweet without being too much. Honestly hit the spot. The shaka was too cute! also my sister is vegan so it was nice to have him tell me which is vegan. On top of that, the guy who helped me was hella nice, super friendly and made the whole experience even better. Definitely recommend grabbing one here! read more

Found this on tiktok. A little overrated. They ran out of dole pineapple soft serve so I got vanilla with oreo and cinnamon toast crunch. The quality of the ice cream wasn't that good. Looks better than it tastes. read more

Kokoro Cafe - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Since we were full from lunch, 3 out of 4 of my family members wanted to skip dinner and just have dessert instead. I wanted dole whip and my daughter wanted chocolate so I suggested to buy dessert from here. When hubby saw that we were having soft serve, he also wanted one so I got him vanilla (per his request). My dole whip was delicious. It had the right amount of tartness versus sweetness. However, the middle was hollow. For a second, I felt scammed. As for my daughter's chocolate soft serve, it was good but nothing memorable. read more

Kokoro Cafe - Chocolate, vanilla & dole whip - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Get the ice cream in the Shaka! Quick service and kind staff! I recommend the pineapple and vanilla swirl! So good!! read more

Kokoro Cafe - Vanilla pineapple! - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Love this place for a little dessert after dinner. Highly recommend the dole whip by itself but if you want extra sweet make it the float