After stopping by the Farmer's Market across the street, my wife and I walked over to Kula Shave Ice for some shaved ice. As a disclaimer, I'm not the biggest fan of shaved ice because of how sweet the dessert tends to be, and because more often than not, there are a bunch of artificial colors used in the fruit juices. When we looked at the menu, I was impressed and excited to see the emphasis on quality of their ingredients: no artificial flavors or colors, no aspartame, no high fructose corn syrup, and no preservatives. I was sold. Although we were tempted to create our own shaved ice, we ultimately went with "The Local", a soursop and liliko'i combo topped with haupia cream. Between the two flavors, I enjoyed the sour sop side a bit more since it was the one that was less sweet. The cream on top was absolutely delicious, and reminded me of the light and airy frothed milk cream you find on many boba drinks these days. There's a generous amount ladled on top, ensuring you can have some in every bite without having to carefully ration out the cream. Overall, I'm a fan of Kula Shave Ice. Definitely a great dessert to enjoy on a hot day. Worth checking out if you're ever in Hilo. read more

Kula Shave Ice - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Wow!!! This place serves awesome shaved ice! You order at the counter. They do not have an indoor space. You can sit outside on the various benches. We went on a Saturday afternoon after visiting the Hilo Saturday Market. We ordered the Kula Rainbow $12. 10/10 It was delicious. There are public restrooms next door and there is free parking nearby about one block south off on Ponahawai St and Punahoa St. You can also look for street parking. I would definitely return. read more

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I'm always on a quest to find the best shave ice in Hawaii which led me here. My husband and I shared: - The Local - The Kula Rainbow with Condensed Milk The flavors of the Kula Rainbow were my favorite, but I loved the Haupia Cream top on the local. That kind of topping is less common from what I've seen. This is the best shave ice I've had on the Hilo side of the island and I'll definitely be back next time I visit Hawaii. read more

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GREAT shaved ice spot. It was crowded on a Friday around noon, but great vibes! Very casual, right next to the farmers market so there's a lot of nearby seating and a restroom as well. Lots of flavors and topping options! Regular size with two flavors was $9. Loved the haupia cream as an additional topping for $2. The POG was a great flavor. The flavors were really strong and saturated, one of the best shaved ice we had on the big island! read more

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Kula Shave Ice has been and still is my favorite shave ice place of all time. Unlike most stores, Kula makes their own flavor syrups from scratch, giving it bold and authentic flavors vastly superior to mass produced artificial ones. I am sad to see their non-fruit based flavors no longer offered (like golden milk/tumeric) but happy that this business was booming with locals and tourists alike. Highly recommend Kula Shave Ice as the best shave ice location in the state. read more

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Hands down my favorite shave ice spot!! Their flavors taste so much better because it's derived from REAL fruit. And they also do a diligent job at making sure the syrup is coated throughout the shave ice so there's no dry spots. Highly recommend!!!! read more

Kula Shave Ice - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Best ever shaved ice I've ever had in life. This is so so good. I would come back to Hilo just for this. read more

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Of all the shave Ice, kula was my favorite. My kids talk about the quality and texture of ice--for me it's all about flavor and great local choices. I shared an Ube and guava--both flavors tasted natural and fresh, plus the mochi AND the haupia topping just made a delectable dessert. And to boot, Hilo farmers market right there! Lots of covered seating around the area too. read more

Kula Shave Ice - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Delicious shaved ice and the price was excellent! I really recommend to people in the area

Kula Shave Ice is one of my favorite shave ice spots and is one of the few places open on a Sunday in Hilo. My favorite parts of Kula Shave Ice are the Haupia cream and Waipio poi. The Haupia cream is the perfect whipped texture. The poi is a thicker texture and the sourness pairs perfectly with their syrups. I got the uala cream and lilikoi honey this time. You can never go wrong with any of their flavors. Don't forget to mention you are kamaaina for a discount! There is some shared seating in the area but it can fill up quickly during certain times of the day. read more

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Brah, real FRUIT flavored shave ice thats melts in the mouth!?!?! THIS is the place to try at least once during your stay on Hilo side of Big Island. Came here during a soccer tournament and during the hot weekend from morning till late afternoon, we wanted to try something new and COOL. Seeing the pictures and good reviews on Yelp knew that this was the place to be. Aside from shave ice they also offer delicious acai bowls and coffee!!! There's also food within the same hut as well for a complete meal. We came on a Sunday late afternoon during the summer and it was popping! However the line moved fairly quickly and their pick up system is with a buzzer so you didnt have to crowd around the small pick up area. Their known for their natural fruit shave ice flavors and the ice itself was shaved down smooth as honey. You can pick from two sizes: Keiki and Regular. You can also add your own toppings from condensed milk, chocolate shell, mochi. Adding a filling with the ice cream is also a MUST! They have preset menu flavors or create your own! My go to is the regular shave ice with strawberry, mango, guava flavors, condensed milk topping and vanilla ice cream. Their wait for our order of 3 shave ice and 1 acai bowl was about 10-15 minutes. They have table benches within the hut and also nearby under a roof behind their establishment. Also nearby was a small outdoor market with small businesses that we also supported. Happy to support local and will definitely come back during our next trip to Hilo, Hawaii. read more

Kula Shave Ice - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Got the Hilo Acai bowl and then made our own shave ice. Service is pretty fast, they have some seating but be ready to share with others. The Acai bowl was super refreshing, filled to the top and produce was excellent. I loved the touch of macademia nuts. I'd recommend the shave ice in local fruit flavors. Both were super refreshing and filling- expect inflated prices though. read more

Kula Shave Ice - The Hilo - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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One of the best desserts I've had in Hawaii. I got one of the specials called The Hapa. It's chocolate ice cream, coconut shaved ice with chocolate shell and coconut on the top. Oh my goshhhhhhh. No notes. I died and went to heaven eating this. Perfectly balanced with lots of fun textures. SO GOOD. I'll be dreaming about this shaved ice treat when I'm back on the mainland. My husband got a pog one and he didn't like his quite as much because the li hing mui topping is homemade and he wasn't a fan in this case. read more

Kula Shave Ice - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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We stumbled upon this place while we were walking around the area and had a really great experience. I had my very first acai bowl here and it was outstanding! I ordered the Kona Bowl and it was filled with fresh fruit, granola, coconut and honey. It was an amazing start to my day and crushed that bowl really quickly. My wife also ordered the Thai Tea and said that was great as well. Highly Recommended. read more

We had the Pineapple, strawberry topped shave ice and it was wonderful! It is all organic and did not disappoint. We also have the Mana Açaí Bowl and it was fantastic! I'd highly recommend! read more

Delicious shaved ice! I got the kids' size keiki ($8 and it was a large portion) with pandan and POG seasonal flavors and haupia cream (coconut whipped cream) for an additional $2. I loved the haupia cream--it was thick, rich, flavorful, and creamy. Expect lines and not enough seating, but it's fine--you can walk around the Hilo Farmer's Market! read more

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Food: We got the Kula Rainbow which is with mango, strawberry and blueberry syrup on top and vanilla ice cream as the filling. The blueberry syrup is on the sweet side and not a big fan but the rest is fantastic! Their vanilla ice cream is made from scratch as you can see vanilla seeds in it and it tastes very creamy! Service: common and friendly Ambiance: outdoor seating only. The whole deco is colorful and vivid. Be careful with sticky tables and benches though. read more

Kula Shave Ice - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Shaved ice place at the little market in Hilo. Pretty good, and good prices. They have some great flavors it was hard to decide! We had the sunrise slushey and added Pineapple and it was soo good and refreshing, and also the Kula Rainbow! The vanilla ice cream was a great addition. When B was done with his I just combined them All and they were all tasty flavors. There is some seating outside along with other food options. Right next to the town like Saturday market with vendors. read more

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Excellent Shave Ice and now ranks up there as one of the best on the Big Island. Great customer service and great flavors. I had the lilikoi dreamsicle-lilikoi topped with condensed milk and an ice cream center. It's a mean in itself and makes the drive to Hilo so worth it. They have a covered patio so it makes it easy to sit and enjoy shave ice. Definitely will stop here again next time I'm in Hilo. read more

Kula Shave Ice - Looks creamsicle - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

OMG!!! The best shave ice ever!!! The ice texture was perfect. We shared "the local" and the flavors were amazing - real fruit syrups - sweet but not too sweet. The coconut cream on top was the perfect topping. The serving was large. We will go back the next time we are in Hilo. This restaurant has walkup order and pickup. There are picnic tables nearby under a canopy. read more

Kula Shave Ice - Picnic tables with the menu sign and order window in the background. Seating area is shared with the other restaurant. - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Delicious and right by the southern most part of the USA below Oceanside on the Big Island of Hawaii. You can jump 40 feet off the cliff into the ocean and climb back out. Then we saw the shave ice truck and were so glad as there was no other place for miles. They served so many flavors too. Da Kine! Loved it. Can get up to three flavors for each one..I believe he also had drinks. read more

Kula Shave Ice - Pineapple Coconut and Blue Hawaiin shave ice. - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Even if you don't like shave ice like me you need to check this place out. I've had shave ice before in Hawaii and also the crappy stuff on the mainland made with syrup but this place takes the ice cake! The ice is just the right consistency and the syrup is juice not high fructose corn syrup. The mango blueberry strawberry one I had just popped with flavour and mine had ice cream in the middle. So good, the place has a NY times article that's I saw on the wall and many people say this is the best on the island - I believe it. It's just a shack with outdoor seating, service is prompt and friendly. Even if you are staying in Kona the drive to Hilo is worth it just to check this place out. read more

Kula Shave Ice - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Refreshing Shave Ice in the Heart of Hilo! This spot came highly recommended to me, so I was eager to try it. A no frills stop, you walk up to the counter, order, they give you a buzzer and you either sit at one of their outdoor tables or roam around Hilo and the farmers market after they call your order on the side. We tried the special of the day, a mix of coconut and dragonfruit guava shave ice, topped with condensed coconut milk. The flavors were bold, fresh, and sweet, with a smooth, finely shaved texture that made every bite refreshing. A perfect treat in the heart of Hilo--definitely worth a stop! read more

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Nice place with some very creative presentations of their Shave Ice dishes. Available in two sizes, with two flavors *or* you can create your own *or* purchase their pre-made creations. The Shave Ice is NOT a snow cone. It has the consistency of a 7-11 Slurpy, but more firm. Like a "Screwball" from an ice cream truck. We had three of them. My daughter's Strawberry was probably the best. Tasted very fruity (like strawberry preserves). My wife had a combo Lime & Soursop (like pineapple) which was good. I experimented with the 'special flavor' -Ube (purple sweet potatoe) and Coconut combo. Mine was OK. Not as 'coconutty' as I hoped. A couple of people who ordered "The Lava Flow" loved that one. Anyway, portions were good size, offered plenty of variety and the staff was very friendly. I would recommend you try out if in Hilo, nearby the Farmer's Market. read more

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My husband really wanted shaved ice from Hawaii. So we stoped by after lunch to this place. The flavor for me wasn't IT. BUT he really liked the coconut shaved ice. This is just a stand up store around shopping stores. read more

Kula Shave Ice - Coconut - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

This place is always on my list when I visit Hilo and the farmers market . Love coming here for coffee and any of the shaved ice they have on the menu I have tried them all ! Service is great and all the workers are helpful if you don't know what you want . It's outdoor seating it can get busy I usually just take my shaved ice with me while I walk around . read more

Kula Shave Ice - Do my usual visit when I'm out here - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I got a vegan shave ice with coconut cream In best few words I want to say the price is worth it for me to get the tastier dessert read more

Kula Shave Ice - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Just came from Oahu. How is this place more expensive than Matsumoto's and not even half as good? It's a good effort and I was very excited to try it, but it fell short. The shaved ice was more icy than smooth. Ordered fresh strawberry and the pineapple with ice cream, condensed milk and double mochi. It really wasn't that great. I'm so surprised this has such a high rating on Yelp. Maybe it's all relative to the other shaved ice places around here. Anyhow, I wouldn't visit this place again, unless I went to try the açai bowl and our drinks. read more

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Kula Shave Ice is located very close to the Hilo Farmer's Market and they have tons of options to choose from. If it's your first time, make sure to ask them for options and they'll recommend their top selling combinations. We tried the pineapple with Pineapple chunks, condensed milk and vanilla ice cream. Boy, summer on a plate. Just a tad bit sweet for my liking and there wasn't too much wait time when I went, as it was pretty early in the morning. They have ample space to sit outside and the place is pretty cute. If you're in Hilo, and craving shave ice, then hit this place! read more

Kula Shave Ice - Pineapple with Pineapple chunks, condensed milk and vanilla ice cream - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Such a delightful treat on a very humid day. My cousin and I needed something sweet and cooling since we were walking around. I decided to get the lava flow. I've never had haupia cream on top of shave ice so this was a treat! Everything paired well together especially with the strawberry shave ice and the Lilikoi butter. I honestly am dreaming about it again. There's plenty of seats but beware of the ants! It is a dessert place so the ants are attracted to the drops of shave ice left from customers. I also love how it's in front of the farmers market! read more

Kula Shave Ice - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Loved it. Great mix of shaved ice and ice cream. I will come back every time I'm in Hilo.

There is a ton of good ice in Hawaii but this was one of the best ones!! Mmm! Located across the street from the Main part of the Hilo Farmers Market. Don't eat lunch cuz there is also a good poke place next door! Pull up a chair and eat poke and ice! read more

Kula Shave Ice - Perfection! - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Very fine shaved ice, not too sweet. Flavors does not taste alike artificial syrup They are very friendly! Outdoor, covered area (it's hot in Hilo on a sunny day) you'll want to enjoy it under a shady area! read more

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Refreshing treat in Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii... It was a warm, humid September day... Shave ice sounded like a great idea, so we walked across the street (from the fruit vendors at Hilo Farmer's Market) and looked at the menu at Kula Shave Ice... I was confused at first because when I hear the word, Kula, I think of the town in Maui. However, it has many meanings. "Kula" can mean a school, a fish trap, a place where people get together, or gold. I'm not sure which meaning applies to this vendor. Service was efficient and pleasant. We ordered at one window, waited for our buzzer to go off, and then picked up our shave ice at another window. I got the keiki-sized bowl with guava and matcha flavors. The tastes were authentic! The ice was fine and smooth! It was a perfect pick-me-up! read more

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Delicious shave ice on the North Shore using real fruit syrup as opposed to any of the artificial ones. It was a warm day so we decided to get two shave ice: "Soul Sweet" ($11) which was coconut matcha and strawberry topped with condensed milk and mochi, as well as a "create your own organic shave ice" ($9 total) with guava and pineapple along with the addition of some condensed milk on top. Service was friendly and our shave ice was ready within minutes. You could definitely taste the freshness of the real fruit syrup and I would say Kula Shave Ice definitely is one of the top shave ice places I've had on the island, up there with Island Vintage Shave ice. Due to the warm weather though, the only downside was the shave ice melted incredibly quick so while our first few bites were dreamy, fluffy bites of fruity goodness, the remainder was all soup. Nonetheless, we really enjoyed our shave ice and love how they had some spacious outdoor seating available. read more

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This place is fantastic. We found them because we were listening to a podcast and someone mentioned this was their favorite shave ice place on the big island. So of course I had to go. I knew immediately I would want the Hapa. It's coconut shave ice with chocolate icecream inside and chocolate shell on top with coconut. It was amazing!! I would get it again. My husband got the Lilikoi creamsicle which was also delicious. They give you a pager to notify you when your order is ready. It's right next to a farmers market which I thought was cool. Street parking is easy to find. Several tables outside in the shade to sit at. read more

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So, it looks like I'm going to be the odd man reviewer :( I got a regular size with Strawberry, coconut and mango, topped with the cream. The flavors were very muted (I know, organic!) but I didn't expect little to no taste. Yet that's what it seemed like. Most importantly, the syrups didn't go further down than 1/2 inch. After that, the rest was pure ice. The ice wasn't soft, it was so packed I broke my plastic spoon trying to dig down further. Too hard. Lastly, the cream on top was literally a sprizzle. Not really enough to make much of a taste. I guess I'm just not that organically health conscience. If I'm gonna be bad then it seems like the traditional super sugary syrups are what I'm after. Update: received a very nice response from the owner and explanation how this was 'one off' and not at all their usual product. I am always very appreciative of managers/owners who really try hard to make it right and believe businesses that do that really care. I've upgraded the rating in appreciation to them reaching out and offering to make it right. Thank you for putting a customer first! read more

Kula Shave Ice - Strawberry, coconut & mango, cream on top. Not for me. Ice packed way too tight and not enough syrup to get past half inch. - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

YES!!!!! this was the best I have ever had!!!!! It was called the local with Vanilla Ice on the bottom. I shared with 2 other people and we loved it to every last bit. It is a small little window you order from, you get your number holder and patiently wait for it to buzz . Every little outside seating and even less in the shade, so be prepared to stand, or seat close to your fellow islanders. This was worth the wait, the money !!! If I lived on the Big Island I would be there all the time!!! read more

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Soooooo good! I love shave ice but it was so nice to find a place that uses real fruit syrup instead of the artificial stuff. We got the lava flow which was topped with haupia cream and lilikoi syrup. It was soooo good. Tasted like real fruit and not too sweet. Lots of tables right by the farmers market to enjoy it at. Service was quick and prompt. read more

Kula Shave Ice - Lava flow - Shaved Ice Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Located in downtown Hilo (next to the daily farmer's market), we found Kula Shave Ice on Yelp. Kula serves offerings include açaí bowls in addition to their namesake shave ice. We enjoyed the shave ice bowls with poi at the bottom. Service was fast, friendly and efficient. read more