Just down the street from my grandmother’s home in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a little store known as Waiola.
Although they sell an assortment of local snacks like spam musubi and Hawaiian Sun, they are most famous for shave ice. In my opinion, they make the BEST shave ice in Hawaii.
I used to go to Waiola Shave Ice nearly everyday as a kid, and it’s still as awesome as it was 20 years ago.
There are so many different combinations and sizes of shave ice to order at Waiola (or any other shave ice shop).
You can get a range of different fruity flavors, many different sizes, in a cone or a bowl or a cup, topped with condensed milk or sweet azuki beans – the list goes on.
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But since I’ve already written about Waiola Shave Ice a few years ago, I thought I’d just show a few recent photos and share my all-time favorite order with you.
Alright enough chatter, here it is:
Order the Shave Ice Bowl:
- vanilla ice cream on the bottom (only if you want, the bowl pictured is without)
- 1/2 lilikoi (pasion fruit)
- 1/2 haupia (like coconut cream)
- condensed milk on top
- lilikoi (passion fruit) syrup on top
There it is, an award winning shave ice order from Waiola that won’t let you down.
I believe this combo cost me around $3, but it was purely worth every cent.
I’ve tried lots and lots of Asian icy desserts and Hawaiian shave ice combinations, but this is something special, something I could eat over and over and over.
Waiola Shave Ice
Address: 2135 Waiola St, Honolulu, HI 96826
Phone: (808) 949-2269
Hours: Monday to Saturday 7:30 am – 6:30 pm and Sunday 10 am – 6:30 pm
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Kalani
11 years ago
I go there if I’m too lazy to drive to Kailua for Island Snow.
Mark Wiens
11 years ago
Hey Kalani, I’ve actually never been to Island Snow, though I’ve heard of it. Is the ice as fine as at Waiola?
Kalani
11 years ago
The ice is like the authentic Hawaiian shave ice ( similar to Matsumoto’s), not the super fine, almost gelato type. Plus it’s the cleanest, and coolest (they have all the coolest surf and street gear) shave ice shop on the island.
Mark Wiens
11 years ago
Great to hear that Kalani, I’m going to check it out next time I’m on Oahu!
Scott – Quirky Travel Guy
11 years ago
Ok, this is on my Hawaii checklist.
Mark Wiens
11 years ago
Great Scott, you’ll enjoy this spot!
Pomai
11 years ago
Mark, you gotta’ try the Pineapple Shave Ice at Alan Wong’s. It’s Shave Ice taken to the next level, where they take a frozen chunk of pineapple and shave it, versus shave ice where it’s sugar-based syrups flavoring plain ice that’s been shaved. Under that there’s Panna Cotta and Haupia Sorbet that really but the BAM! in it. It ain’t cheap (as aren’t most dishes at Alan Wong’s), but totally worth the experience!
Mark Wiens
11 years ago
Wow! That’s a genius idea, sounds wonderful. I guess the only thing that could really be improved about shave ice is how artificial candy it can taste sometimes, so using real fruit is perfect! Next time I’m in Hawaii, I will be sure to try out Alan Wong’s!
sully86
11 years ago
mark: I wanna do an Argentinean tango with this shave ice inside my mouth. Looks so inviting.
Mark Wiens
11 years ago
Haha, that’s a good way to put it!
Caanan @ No Vacation Required
11 years ago
That looks amazing! We will certainly try it on our next trip to Honolulu.
Mark Wiens
11 years ago
I’ve had shave ice at quite a few places, and this is my all time favorite!