Sometimes I'm not even looking for shave ice, but then it finds me lol. Rainbow House Shave Ice in Kahuku is one of them and is a keeper on my go to list. I've noticed that the local vendors a bit off the beaten path in Oahu often turn out to be the best spots to try local favorites, so I figured this one had to be a gem. SHAVED ICE: 10/10 SERVICE: 9/10 AMBIANCE: 9/10 SHAVED ICE: 10/10 I don't usually care much for shave ice, but this one felt different. The ice is super soft and fluffy, not like the crunchy, gritty stuff you sometimes get. The flavor was really clean and vibrant and did not taste artificial. I tried the Waiola special, and it was EVERYTHING. Those portions were perfect. I love how they put a scoop of ice cream in the center of the mountain of shaved ice. Each bite was paired nicely with either mochi bites or vanilla ice cream. The menu was massive, ranging from acai bowls, smoothies, shakes, sundaes, etc., with so many yummy selections, and I was so indecisive on what to pick. They do both the classic flavors and some more creative combos. But the Waiola special was perfect. SERVICE: 9/10 The place has a laid-back, aloha feel. We did not experience a wait and were actually the only ones there, which is great as I heard this place can get packed. AMBIANCE: 9/10 The vibe is super relaxed with open-air, shaded seating, and very casual. It's the kind of place you stop at during a North Shore trip just to cool off, soak in the sun, and treat yourself. Parking: Pretty easy, which is a big plus when you're driving around Kahuku. I came in thinking shave ice was "just okay," but Rainbow House changed my mind. Their shave ice is genuinely memorable... light, flavorful, and fun. If you're anywhere near Kahuku or just driving the North Shore, this is absolutely a stop worth making. read more

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Cute spot with a nice vibe, but the customer service really missed the mark. It took away from what could have been a much better experience. read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Restaurant pic. - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

Totally worth your money! So refreshing, and made fresh to your order. The mango chunks were from fresh mango. Went back in line for the acai bowl too Simple but so gooood! read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

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Been here so many times now. We love it! Brought our family who was visiting. It's my father in laws spot now. We've tried many different flavors and my daughter loves the acai bowls. One day, we didn't realize the time and got there after closing. One of the owners told us to come in. It was super nice of her as we knew they were cleaning up. We will continue supporting this establishment because they're the best and our new favorite! read more

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We randomly stopped by here on a Tuesday afternoon right before they closed, and there was no line, and plenty of parking and open seating at the time. They had a huge variety of shaved ice to choose from, and the prices are great (compared to some other places on the island). The shaved ice I had with vanilla ice cream was very refreshing and not overly sweet, and the acai bowl was a huge portion with lots of good sized blueberries. It was a little bit of a wait to get our orders (even with no line), but I would definitely come back here next time on vacation! read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

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Excellent shaved ice. Love the flavor. Wait is worth it. Try it for yourself. Nice people. read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Rainbow - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

Wasn't a fan of the syrups. Ice was nice and ice cream non distinctive, small portion of ice cream to ice. I had Pineapple and Lilikoi but all I could taste was cold and sweet read more

Stopped by while on a circle island tour. It was definitely worth it! High quality icecream and pineapple. Soooo so so good. Great and fast customer service! We sat down at the tables which are under the shade to enjoy our little sundaes. I can't remember the name of the treat that we got, but it's listed as one of their most popular options. There is also a picture of it on the window. Did not disappoint! My mom and I really enjoyed it. read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Ice cream and pineapple treat - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

It's a nice spot to grab a post lunch dessert/cool treat after eating at Tanakas! The fruit was fresh and they constantly had a line. The only thing I would keep in mind is that it is right next door to the restroom/outhouse. But seating is available in other areas around the shop. The line was never ending around the busy times of the day, and it is a very popular area for a rest stop. It is a grab and go establishment, not a sit in. read more

Lots of flavors of shaved ice to choose from at this business. For me, The Lychee shaved ice was refreshing for a noon time treat on a balmy, July day. The ice was delicate and syrup light . Window service was efficient and the wait was about 15 minutes for our group to receive their individual orders of açaí bowl, mango smoothie and other flavors of shaved ice. There were tables and benches in the shade for group seating. As visitors to the North Oahu area we were happy to find Rainbow House. read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Lychee shaved ice - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

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Wonderful. Exactly what I wanted. A traditional shaved ice with tigers blood and a snow cap.

Number 25 is amazing, super fresh, but even more tasty. Great service took about three minutes to get our food. Typical roadside shave ice store. read more

The ube ice cream and açaí bowl were delicious! The place was clean and the staff were very friendly

I don't even like shave ice, but Rainbow House is the best I've had so far in my limited lifetime experience. My friends and I came at 1pm on a Friday. It was not busy, but I could see there being a long wait if there were more than 10 people in line. After taking in our 5 orders, they closed the order window to focus on making 2 shave ice bowls at a time. As we ordered, an adorable shop cat strolled out of the window. She sat down on the service bell and accepted our love and attention while we waited for the dessert. - #3 Pineapple with fruit and ice cream ($7). It was the tastiest flavor out of the items I tried. The ice crystals were fine and soft. I didn't mind how it quickly melted into a slushy because the texture was great, like Taiwanese shaved snow. The condensed milk was also nostalgic for me. I thought the diced pineapple was just okay, as it was ripe but more tart than sweet. The pineapple syrup was like a core inside the shave ice dome. Syrup was evenly distributed in the ice. It was sweet, but not unbearably, and the fruit flavor was okay. The vanilla ice cream was buried under the ice in the middle. It tasted good with everything else in one bite. Blue Hawaii coconut was my next favorite flavor. It was was not too sweet and the coconut syrup didn't taste too fake. Peach was alright. I don't think the syrup tasted as true to the fruit. The mango was meh for me; the ice itself had faint flavor, but the mango was ripe. There was plenty of parking out front, and they accepted credit card. read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Top left: blue coconut, bottom left: peach, top middle: mango, bottom right: pineapple - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

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Great lil stop if you're in North shore but don't want want to head into Haleiwa. The ice was nice and soft and the mango tasted sweet and fresh. Great service too! Parking is easy in a huge lot. read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Mango shaved ice - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

We have had a lot of Halo halo that was too sweet. This place was just perfect, not too sweet and had great flavor. I would definitely make this my go-to Halo Halo spot. read more

took my parents to get shave ice for the first time here and they were so pleased! they loved that it was loaded with toppings and had so many varieties to choose from. the ice came out perfect with good amount of syrup flavoring and toppings. they have covered seating shared with the coconut juice stand next door. highly recommend getting anything on their menu with a snow cap! (condensed milk) read more

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This is my new fav shave ice place in terms of total package- yummy shave ice, not crowded (at least when we went there!), seating, and bowls that aren't spilling over with shave ice (clean and easy to eat!) And the mochi toppings were great. Best of all, they have a kamaaina rate! We will definitely stop here every time we go to the north shore! read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Shave ice with mochi topping - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

They were almost closing and the lady was so nice to take my order. She helped me pick from so many delicious options. read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - I picked the mango with some ice cream and mochi. So delicious. - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

Drove past this on the 2 way highway ... great cold treats. We ate some good tasting young coconuts. So refreshing. Service was amazing because we got to get our coconuts cut in half so we can eat the meat inside. Thank you read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Young coconut yummy - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

Delicious! Whenever I fly in for vacation this place is a must have! I stumbled across this gem a few years ago while passing through to Hale'iwa & it's been my go to shave ice since. They have a large selection of different flavors for everyone! read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

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Laura has the best shave ice in Oahu. I have had many and hers is not only the best texture, but all of her flavors are home made. Nothing artificial here. The flavors still pack a punch. Come check it out. Worth the trip every single time. read more

Shaved Ice: tasted great. Though, the syrup did taste a bit artificial but too noticeable. The mochi and ice cream in the middle complimented the shaved ice. You do need to eat a bit quickly though because it melts fast. I would come back again! Service: Store was not busy at all. A bit of a wait for the shaved ice, but not too long. Ambiance: only two tables available for seating. You go to a window to order and pick up. The shack gives off nice vibes. read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Rainbow - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

This place is a must if you are visiting the north shore. We had a wonderful visit and enjoyed shaved ice that was worth the trip! They were pretty fast with our order and the aesthetic is what you would expect. Highly recommend this place! read more

This was recommended by local friends and so I scheduled a special stop to find it. It's in a little lot with a couple other outpost stores which also makes it nice for staying and browsing a little as well. The pineapple ice with pineapple chunks and ice cream was de.lic.ious. Light but FULL flavors. The ice cream seemed mostly hidden as a scoop at the bottom in the middle, so it was like a little dessert at the end after a very flavorful smoothie that can scoop with a spoon. The pineapple chunks didn't add too much to the flavor- more of a textual addition to break up the ice. So good- I'd even get just the pineapple ice. read more

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Wow. Omg! The biggest portions of shave ice I've ever had!!! The prices are SO CHEAP!!! I was shook and still am 6 hours later writing this review lol. $4.00 for shave ice the size of a large as an example and only .50 cents more to add vanilla ice cream. I wish this was closer to town!!! I would always be here. I'm glad I came across the place while I was in the area!!! 10/10. Sooo yummy for a hot day like today! read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Cuuuute - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

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Cheap; coarsely-ground ice; plenty of room and not too busy. This was the second of four shave ices I had on my recent visit, and probably my least favorite. I'd had plenty of similar shave ice on the mainland, and this was pretty much like that, with big, almost crunchy, crystals of ice. If you like that, you probably know it. I was not delighted. On the other hand, it was only $4. Ordering is a bit more complicated than it needs to be -- you're supposed to select a particular combination of flavors from a big board full of small writing (and pictures which don't tell you much) and order with the number of your selection. So you can't just randomly combine flavors, although when I was there the place was mostly empty, the dude at the counter was pretty friendly, and perhaps you can just go nuts if you ask politely. I didn't ask for a special order, I just got some random cherry and something combo (number 18). You really had to squint to read the menu on the wall, though -- the writing was far too small. The flavors were fine, but I thought that about all four shave ice joints. There's plenty of parking, and plenty of places to sit. read more

A gem on the side of the road. Stopped here craving some shave ice and boy did this place hit the mark! Fair prices, lots of add-ons. And oh so flavorful. Will come back for sure!! read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Shave ice - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

Ice coffee was so gross! Horrible quality tasting flavor. The acai bowl was the worst I have ever had in my life. The service is slow and not very friendly. I was hoping to at least get fruit from the fruit stand near by, but it was closed. Maybe that is good as a young coconut was $12 (but sold out and closed anyways). Maybe other things are worth a try, but I would not be back. read more

Super yummy! I recommend getting your shaved ice with the snow cap and ice cream! Definitely would come back again. read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Super yummy! I recommend this if you love shaved ice. - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

The best!!! Rainbow House is a must when you visit Hawaii. Great flavors and great pricing!!! Can't wait for our next visit. We came here almost on the daily. #tylerapproved read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Peach Shave Ice, Açaí bowl and House Iced Coffee. - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

The best açaí bowl I have ever had! I would give this a ten star rating if I could. The honey over the bowl was just the right sweetness. The banana is so good, the strawberries and blueberries taste so fresh. The açaí is like ice cream. So rich in flavor and not too tart. It's so good! The iced coffee tasted delicious. I absolutely loved it all! read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

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Had the Açaí bowl and iced coffee - both were nice! Really low priced compared to over priced waikkikki tourist prices :) read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Left: Açaí Bowl Right: Ice coffee - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

A very fun place to stop going to or coming from the north shore of Oahu. The staff were awesome and exhibited enormous patience with us as we tried to decide on which of 39 different flavors and 14 add-on options to order! Whew! In the end, we opted for lemon-lime/pineapple and POG/mango, with the vanilla ice cream option on one of the "pua" (flower) cones. The temperature that afternoon was pushing 90 deg F, so my visitors were very appreciative of the break and the chance to cool off. This stop was so enjoyable (psst.... free, clean bathrooms too...) I would definitely recommend it to others and would also return again with my next set of visiting guests. Mahalo nui loa for reading my review. And additional alohas and Mahalos to all the staff! read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Caution--Brain freeze.... (as in mine was NOT working too well that day!)... my apologies for the dorky-ness! - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

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Really wanted a good shaved ice. This was not it despite the high reviews I saw here. We got their best sellers, and it was just artificial sugary syrup that was too sweet. The ice itself was not powdery as I hoped. And the vanilla ice-cream tasted like hard grocery bought ice-cream. And the mini mochis tasted rubbery. Ew. Bummer because we bought 3 and spent over $20 and barely even ate any of it . read more

We absolutely love the shave ice at Rainbow. We go out of our way to stop here because of the variety of flavors (mochi & the milk shave ice is the best). Unfortunately, they have been closed all last week & half way into this week now, with no hope for reopening anytime soon. The hours online match the ones listed at the establishment itself, but every time we go they are closed. We finally got to talk to the lady at the fruit stand next door, she said they'd be back this week. No luck still. We wish they would've left more information on when they'd be available so that we could show up at the right time! read more

This place stayed open during COVID and gave us a bit of sunshine in the midst of all the sadness and uncertainty. They are responsible for some pandemic pounds but I wouldn't change a thing. The selections taste so fresh and good at such a great price. I alternate between the pineapple with fruit and the one without: I love their lime ginger drink. You probably could share, but we never do. It is our favorite island road trip destination from Ewa Beach. We go to the Famous Kahuku Shrimp Truck for garlic shrimp then here for dessert. read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

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This place has the best tasting açai bowls I've ever tried, and the prices are fair and the service is fast. This is the number one spot in Hawaii for açai in my opinion. read more

Last minute decided to stop here because it was the closest dessert that was open today. Parking here is super convenient and it's easy to find the shop! Staff was very friendly and their a cute place with a ceiling fan to sit and eat so it wasn't so hot. The amount of shave ice was great for the price and they don't skip on the toppings or syrup. 10/10, Would definitely go here again read more

Rainbow House Shave Ice - Passion fruit Mango Shave Ice with Snow Cap and Ice Cream - Desserts Near Me - Kahuku, Hawaii

Best shave ice that we've had on our trip. Great price, and huge servings. Also, the lady selling the fruit right next door, was awesome! Fruit was delicious, freshly cut in the morning from the farms right behind the stands. Told us all about her brothers farms. Also told us some great spots to visit. 100% recommended. read more