Waikiki Shave Ice at Waiola Bakery & Shave Ice

Have you ever noticed that sometimes the best food comes from some of the most unattractive buildings? That’s certainly the case with Waiola Bakery & Shave Ice at 525 Kapahulu Avenue in the Waikiki area of Honolulu. Just take a look at this unassuming building where you can taste some of the best shave ice that Hawaii has to offer.

Inside that unassuming building, you’ll see many awards for serving the best shave ice. Waiola Shave Ice is the kind of place that attracts both locals and tourists. In other words, it’s a real winner!

If you aren’t familiar with shave ice, I’ll attempt to give you a description. Shave ice is similar to a snow cone with an array of sweet and fruity flavors and toppings. The biggest difference between shave ice and a snow cone is that with shave ice, the ice is shaved very finely to make it soft and fluffy. Snow cones are crunch, but a shave ice is soft and delightful. Snow cones are more al dente, but a great shave ice will melt in your mouth.

Having a shave ice is a great way to cool off after spending time on the beach. It’s also a treat that’s easy on the wallet, as shave ice will cost you between $2 and $4 depending on the size and toppings.

I definitely recommend you give Waiola Shave Ice a try when you vacation in Waikiki. They really do shave ice well.

Waiola Shave Ice opens daily at 10am. It’s located at 525 Kapahulu Avenue. (Click the link for a map and directions.) If you are staying towards the eastern end of Waikiki (around Aston Waikiki on the Beach or Waikiki Marriott) , Waiola is walkable, however, most folks will find that they’ll need to take TheBus or drive. If you drive there, you’ll need to find off-street parking, which might be a little bit of a challenge, but we’ve never had an issue.

Have you tried Waiola’s shave ice? Did you like it? What flavors are your favorites?