Where to Find the BEST Shave Ice on the Big Island
Wondering where to find the best shave ice on the Big Island?
After living on the island, I’ve eaten a lot of shave ice.
If you’re trying to compare shave ice to snow cones, forget it.
Shave ice is on a completely different level. Between fresh fruit syrups, endless topping combinations, and even ice cream tucked inside the ice, there are plenty of ways to build this frozen treat.
For me, a good shave ice comes down to the creaminess of the ice, flavors that taste like real fruit and not just dyed sugar, and being able to enjoy it in a good ambience (not in a parking lot).
This list is made up of Big Island shave ice spots I think are gonna be worth your time.
1. Kula Shave Ice
After wandering the Hilo Farmers Market shave ice from Kula Shave Ice is a refreshing treat.
When it comes to best flavor, Kula wins.
All of their syrups are housemade using local fruit and organic cane sugar, which means the flavors are bold and actually taste like fruit.
And the haupia cream topping with a whipped, pudding-like texture is to die for!
The ice texture is soft with just a little crunch.
You can choose up to two complimentary syrup flavors
Additional toppings or fillings like ice cream or poi cost extra.
There’s covered seating with picnic tables or head around the back of the building for extra tables if the front is full.
2. OBISIC
Original Big Island Shave Ice Co. (OBISIC) has been serving shave ice since 1957 (with a 17yr sabbatical).
Located at King’s Shops in Waikoloa, there’s almost always a line.
But it’s worth it!
What I love best about OBISIC is the ice texture. It’s unbelievably fine and creamy, to the point where it almost eats like ice cream.
You can choose three syrup types:
- Artificial
- Cream
- Real fruit
The real fruit syrups are housemade and real fruit based, though I found the flavors to be hit or miss. Guava was bold and delicious, while lilikoi was a bit too subtle for my taste.
The one-size, build-your-own cup is easily big enough to share.
But if you want an over-the-top, Instagram-worthy treat, order from the Specialties menu. Their Halohalo is stacked with fruit jellies, sweet potato, cream syrup, cantaloupe, boba, ube ice cream, azuki beans, whipped cream, and condensed cream.
There are benches around the mall outside to eat it and sometimes there’s live music playing.
And one thing that surprised me is that the ice holds up surprisingly well and doesn’t immediately melt, even in the blazing Waikoloa heat.
3. Scandinavian Shave Ice
As you’re walkin’ along Ali’i Drive you’ll spot a row of shave ice cutout boards outside Scandinavian Shave Ice. Step into the bright yellow shop and prepare to be slightly overwhelmed by the options.
Start by choosing your ice size, which gets shaped into an impressively smooth dome.
Feeling extra? Go jumbo.
Then pick from 60+ colorful syrups hanging from the ceiling.
I’ll be honest, I’d probably be underwhelmed the shave ice here if it weren’t for two things that make it worth it: Dole Whip and the location.
While Dole Whip is easier to find these days, it still feels like a special treat. You can order the pineapple soft-serve underneath your shave ice for an extra “surprise” zing.
Then, once you’ve ordered, take your shave ice across the street and sit on the seawall for a quintessential Hawaiian ambience with the ocean on one side and people watching on the other.
4. Gecko Girls
Gecko Girlz is one the most popular shave ice spots on the Big Island. They’re also on Ali’i Drive but on the other end, overlooking a sandy volleyball court where games are often played and the ocean is just across the street.
Their shave ice comes in a signature square bowl with ultra-soft, fluffy ice and syrups made with cane sugar, whole fruit purees, and 100% natural flavors.
The syrup situation is a bit weird. They drown the ice in thick syrup, but it doesn’t always reach the middle, so some bites are oversaturated while others are flavorless. However, if you bring your bowl back to the window they will re-syrup your ice for free.
You can add toppings like lilikoi or strawberry purée to finish it off.
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What is Shave Ice?
Shave ice is a Hawaiian treat made from finely shaved ice, not crushed ice like a snow cone, which means the syrup soaks all the way through instead of pooling at the bottom.
It’s packed into a smooth dome and topped with everything from local fruit flavors like guava, lilikoi, and pineapple to nostalgic picks like root beer or bubblegum.
You can add toppings like snow cap (sweetened condensed milk), haupia cream, or even a scoop of ice cream underneath.
A spoon and straw is served with your bowl because by the time you get to the end there’s a colorful puddle at the bottom of your bowl.
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Where’d Shave Ice Come From?
Shave ice actually traces back to Japan as early as the 700s A.D., where it was known as kakigori.
When Japanese immigrants came to Hawaiʻi in the 1800s to work on sugar and pineapple plantations, they brought the idea with them.
By the 1940s, many of those workers had opened small general stores and started serving shave ice, and that’s when it really became part of everyday life in Hawaii.
Will you be adding shave ice to your Big Island itinerary?!
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