Waiola Shave Ice

Waiola Shave Ice (Honolulu, HI) has two locations: one just off Kapahulu Avenue near Waikiki, and another (more well-known) location in McCully.

My father and I went to the newer Kapahulu location. As a little pre-lunch snack, we shared a large strawberry shave ice with li hing mui seeds ($3).

One thing...follow the directions when you order. Tell the person how many shave ice orders, what size it is, and if you want anything in it (i.e., ice cream, azuki beans, etc.). They will ask what flavors you want afterward.

This is a large? Really?

Li hing mui seed near the bottom of the spoon

Closeup of a li hing mui seed after I ate all the "meat" off it

This is by far the best shave ice I've had. My father and I have similar tastes in shave ice; we both like the smooth, velvety shave ice, as opposed to the more granular varieties found at other joints. I had never heard of li hing mui seeds being put in a shave ice order before this visit...only vanilla ice cream, azuki beans, condensed milk, and mochi balls. I thought the salty, tangy li hing mui went very well with the sweet strawberry syrup. I thought there was an ideal amount of syrup here, too.

There was really no line here at 10:30 in the morning on a Monday, so at least you can get your order pretty quickly.

The one thing here that I'd complain about: Waiola's version of a large is probably another place's "small" version. But hey, I'll take quality over quantity any day. This is a must-stop for people who want an awesome shave ice experience. 8.5/10