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Waiola Shave Ice

4.3 (3.3k reviews)
Open 11:00 am - 6:30 pm
Updated 1 month ago

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Recommended Reviews - Waiola Shave Ice

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Lee M.

The ice is smooooth and they had good selections of flavor. Service was standard and the establishment had its own parking lot and small seating areas for patrons. .

Samantha C.

This is a spot I go to whenever I am in Honolulu. It's a great price with so much flavors! I love their tigers Blood with lychee, ice cream and condensed milk! I would give more but the people serving you are not very friendly. But hey, you're just there for some shaved ice so it's ok! Haha! They also have a little store in the back to get some li hing candies or other goodies! Super small location in a neighborhood. Parking is ok too it all depends how busy they are during the day but they do have street parking and parking to the right of their store if you're facing it. But definitely one of my go to spots! Must try!

Exterior signage
Ashley Z.

I've been going to Waiola's the past 20 yrs and have tried other shaved ice places but...This is best shaved ice in town! The consistency and finely shaved ice makes it my the best. My go to is the rainbow shaved ice with vanilla ice cream. It can get packed at times but parking is super easy, and rarely is it hard to find a spot. Lastly, they have super cute merch. I would put this on top of the list of shaved ice spots to visit when in town in Oahu!

Donna L.

We always come here because it remains untouched by all the tourists visiting. It's really inexpensive but how much can shaved ice cost? It's very simple and clean.

mango strawberry
Keilab A.

I've had my fair share of shave ice on the Hawaiian islands, and this one was just so disappointing. Yes the ice is soft, but the syrup flavors all tasted the same and was just meh. Also, if you ask for mochi they put it on the bottom so you have to dig it up and save it for your last bites which makes no sense. The service was super strange too. The workers don't greet you they just stare at you and you just have to talk and say your order to them. Not a fan, go to Ululani's (the goat).

Ariana V.

I can see why this shave ice is so well loved and rated very high. Waiola is in a residential area but has a parking lot and some street parking. Theres also a cute store inside with tote bags, stickers, and tee shirts, and some other snacks too. As for the shave ice, the ice is really fine and soaks up all of the syrup. I got a small POG and lychee with condensed milk. My boyfriend and I ordered really quick and got our order within 5 minutes. Even though the ice is really good, I felt like their syrups were a bit lackluster and it tasted more artificial to me. My boyfriend really liked his, since he tried their melon and Thai tea flavors, which I thought were decent, but I couldn't help but notice the artificial taste for all of the syrups. I like how affordable this place is, and maybe I should've tried something else, but POG and lychee were one of their popular flavors.

Kevin V.

This is my favorite place to get shave ice in Hawaii! I usually get lililkoi and guava syrup which is always really fresh tasting! I always get ice cream on the bottom and li hing mui powder on top. If you're not local, you should give that a try. Its s popular crack seed in Hawaii from plum seed so it hint of bitterness with the sweetness of the fruit syrup. Delicious!!! Or ONO we say in the islands ! There are a couple benches out front so you can hang out and eat without making a mess in the car. Also check out the store which has lots of other snacks. The lady and keiki's that work there are always so nice, so be kind back to them!

menu
P Y.

Waiola is my bar for comparison of good shave ice. Finest ice and best flavors. Comes out fast and has parking right next door. POG with mochi is the best!

Obama rainbow
Erika B.

Unbelievably good shaved ice. Window service was quick and fairly priced. They have a large menu of flavors, add ons, and premade bowls. I really enjoyed the "Obama rainbow".

Obama rainbow shaved ice large - pickup order - IG @bougiefoodieboi
Kyle W.

A fairly popular shaved ice place recommended to many. You can get an affordable shaved ice for $4-8 depending on the size and topping. As we wanted to get to another place quickly, we opted to pay a little more for DoorDash pickup which came by pretty fast, but you lose a lot on the presentation as it is like an ice plate instead of shaved ice pile on top. This won't be my first and last time trying shaved ice, but it is something worthwhile to consider if you want the presentation. As for the shaved ice, I wish the texture was more smooth. I bit several chunks of fairly large ice and the liquid syrup tasted a bit artificial. We got the Obama rainbow which had cherry, lemon-lime, and passionfruit, and the passionfruit was my favorite while the lemon-lime tasted like cleaning liquid.

Highly suggest going to Waiola shave ice! This was a local rec and it did not disappoint. Staff were so friendly and welcoming. The options were endless!

Rainbow with Flan
Annie C.

This is where the locals go to get their shaved ice! I love the flavor combinations variety and the branding of this place. They're also one of few places that carry good ahhh flan (they called it custard). Service was very quick, they have a small window to take your order, and a shop to buy merch/candy/toy.

Azuki bowl w Uber mochi
Brian H.

Waiola Shave Ice is an old-school spot that feels authentic and classic. Shave ice is very cold and refreshing, perfect for the weather, with a good variety of flavors and great taste. Prices are decent, and there's plenty of parking, which is a plus. The place definitely shows its age -- the restroom is old, and there were quite a few flies around, which can be distracting. Still, if you're looking for traditional, old-style shave ice, this place delivers.

Li hing and lychee with li hing powder and condense milk

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21 days ago

Excellent shaved ice. Super friendly staff! Worth the wait! Kinda hidden in a basement but seek them out. You won't be disappointed!

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11 days ago

Such a wonderful little gem, had been wanting shaved ice and this family owned place is definitely the spot.

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Ask the Community - Waiola Shave Ice

Do they have any sugar free things?

They have sugar free syrup for their shave ice.

Do they sell the syrups?

I don't believe they do.

Are the syrups made of actual fruit?

I don't believe so. The syrups don't taste like the fruits they are supposed to resemble.

What are the prices for sizes?

Keiki $6 (Kid's size) and Small $6.75. They currently aren't serving other sizes due to low supply of ice.

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MOSA! was a complete sleeper. I walked in skeptical. The menu looked a little rough, the area…read moreoutside isn't exactly charming and when the bill came out to around $34 for three minis, I had that immediate tourist price reaction of, "Come on." Then we ate it. And honestly, it was worth every penny. The ice cream was excellent. Kona coffee, ube, vanilla, chocolate chip cookie dough, strawberry, everything we tried worked. But the thing that made it special was the texture. The shaved/crushed peanuts, the macadamia, the way it all came together with the ice cream and crepe. Simple idea, but done right. Rich, crunchy, cold, soft, sweet and somehow not heavy. The service was the other surprise. The girls working that night were incredible. Warm, patient and genuinely sweet with my kids. They walked us through flavors, helped us figure out what to order and made the whole thing feel fun instead of transactional. My son loved watching the peanuts get shaved and the Super Smash Bros. setup was such a random, perfect touch. It gave the place personality. I came in thinking this was going to be overpriced dessert. I left thinking it was one of the best things we ate on the trip. Five stars. No notes. I'll absolutely be back.

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Mosa wrap with 3 flavors and strawberries on top
Mosa wrap with 3 flavors and strawberries on top
Mosa Wrap $12.95
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Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery

Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery

4.4
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I love Pipeline Bakeshops Malasadas! I have been to several Malasada places in Hawaii but | love…read morethere's the best for the following reasons: 1. the size of the malasadas: some restaurants tend to make their Malasadas smaller and when places do this it ruins the overall texture and quality of it. The bigger the malasadas size the more airy and fluffy and more bread layers that will be inside. 2. their malasadas always taste fresh and the same quality each time. 3. their malasadas don't feel oily or heavy at all Overall I would highly recommend this place for their Malasadas! I'm so happy to have found them. I can back multiple times on my trip. They also have other desserts too that I have yet to try. They have ice cream, cakes, and other desserts Also tip: if you are ordering a malasada also order a coffee or a matcha drink to go with it. The cinnamon sugar from the malasada just matches so perfectly with a drink this restaurant is also a nice place for walking! There's lot of stores and restaurants to walk around! I'm trying to remember but I think there was a book off that was not too far from here! If you either drive or maybe walk. Service: staff was super helpful and friendly while I was there. I was having an issue with my online order because my phone was being glitchy and they were so nice in helping :) Also wanted to note their branding is so cute!! They even sell merch items too

Everyone knows to go to Leonard's for freshly made malasadas, and the constant crowds there attest…read moreto their quality and variety (review: https://yelp.to/jaduiZfQRq). However, there are many alternative malasada purveyors throughout Honolulu, so I depended on local vloggers to find the best ones. This one popped up often on YouTube, and as luck would have it, we were dining at The Pig & The Lady on the next block. How calorifically convenient. We took the opportunity to stop by for a pre-dinner snack since they closed at 6PM. It's a cute shop with multiple sweets including quite a selection of housemade ice cream and delectable mouthfuls called Cake Bombs (Photo 10). We decided we would be good and ordered one unfilled Malasada each. Dusted with various sugar flavors, they were just $2.65 a piece. I went for the Coffee, while Jamie chose the daily special, Cinnamon (Photo 6). They were soft and tasty, quite comparable to Leonard's albeit a tad smaller. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing since we had dinner ahead of us. However, we let temptation get the best of us and shared a $5.50 slice of the Ube Haupia Mac Nut Bar, a yummy combination of sweet potato and ube topped with haupia (coconut milk pudding) on a macadamia nut crust (Photo 9). Truth be told, it stole the show from the malasadas. FOOD - 4 stars... the malasadas were good, but that ube dessert was next level AMBIANCE - 4 stars...really a takeout operation with a lot of temptations SERVICE - 4 stars...very calm and orderly TOTAL - 4 stars...yet another spot for sweet Hawaiian decadence RELATED - Exploring Hawaii? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/U7YPblfoMP

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Interior during Malasada Day / Fat Tuesday, 2/17/2026
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Inside seating
Inside seating
Tea leaves with some shoyu topping
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Waiola Shave Ice - icecream - Updated July 2026

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