Best Shave Ice on the Big Island: Hawaii’s “Coolest” Dessert
Wondering where to find the best shave ice on the Big Island, Hawaii?
I lived on the Big Island for a year and tried A LOT of shave ice!
Forget everything you thought you knew about snow cones; shave ice is a whole different level. From fresh fruit syrups, to multiple topping choices, to ice cream inside your ice, there are many ways to take your frozen dessert.
I’m very picky when it comes to shave ice because I don’t want a ball of ice that is too crunchy with syrup that’s overly sweet and dyes my tongue purple for the afternoon. This list reflects locations on the Big Island that I find worth while.
If you didn’t eat shave ice on your Hawaiian vacation, did you even really go to Hawaii??
It’s shave ice NOT shaved ice
Best Shave Ice on the Big Island
OBISIC
Original Big Island Shave Ice Co. (OBISIC) claims to be the original Big Island shave ice. Lorraine Kaono, the Shave Ice Lady, started selling shave ice out of her food truck back in 1957. After she retired in 1996, no one took over the business until her son picked it back up to continue the legacy in 2013. Using Lorraine’s same recipes and techniques, OBISIC continues the tradition more than 70 years later.
Located in King’s Shops in Waikoloa, you will most likely run into a line outside of OBISIC. But trust me, it’s worth the wait.
What makes OBISIC stand out from all the rest is the ice texture. Never have I spooned shave ice that feels just as creamy as ice cream in my mouth; you almost can’t tell the difference.
Choose which 3 syrup flavors you would like: artificial, cream, or real fruit. The “real fruit flavors” are housemade syrups made with…real fruit. I did find that their real fruit syrup flavors were a hit and miss. Some, like the guava, have a strong delicious fruity flavor but then others like the lilikoi, was too faint to taste.
For extravagant, Instagram-worthy shave ice creations, order off their Specialties menu and you’ll receive a frozen treat piled high with the works. For example, the Halohalo has fruit jellies, sweet potato, cream syrup, cantaloupe, boba, ube ice cream, azuki beans, whipped cream, and condensed cream.
A small build-your-own, however, is big enough to share for two.
Order from the cashier then wait for your frozen treat to be brought to the pick up counter on the opposite side of the room.
After you get your shave ice, take your Insta-pic in front of the neon sign, then find a bench outside. People watch the mall shoppers strolling by, listen to live music or, if it’s vacant, snag the seats around the corner by Honolua Surf Co. overlooking the lake/pond.
The other thing I appreciated about OBISIC was that the ice didn’t melt immediately, even in the hot Waikoloa sun.
Kula Shave Ice
After wandering through the Hilo Farmers Market buying tropical fruit, jewelry made with real plants, or hand stamped t-shirts, a good respite is enjoying the best shave ice in Hilo: Kula Shave Ice.
As far as flavor goes, Kula Shave Ice wins. They make all their own syrups with local fresh fruit and organic cane sugar creating flavors that are strong and delicious. And might I add that their haupia cream has a whipped pudding texture that is oh so ono!
They have a decent ice texture, pretty soft and not too crunchy.
Here you only get up to 2 complimentary syrup flavors. Add a topping or an ice cream (or poi) filling.
Order from the walk-up window and pick up from the left side window. Have a seat at the picnic tables under the “food court” awning, or around the corner and in the back of the building for some overflow picnic tables.
Scandinavian Shave Ice
At the “Y” corner on Ali’i Drive and Likana Ln in Kona you’ll see a row of shave ice cutout boards in front of Scandinavian Shave Ice. Walk into the bright yellow room and try not to get overwhelmed with all the options.
Choose your ice size, which gets shaped into the smoothest shave ice dome you’ll see. If you’re feeling ambitious, order the jumbo! Then decide from 60+ colorful syrups hanging from the ceiling to pour over your ice.
Scandinavian Shave Ice gets on the best shave ice on the Big Island list for two things: Dole Whip and ambience.
While Dole Whip is getting easier to come by these days, I still believe it’s a special treat. This pineapple ice cream-esque dessert can hide beneath your shave ice mound, adding an extra zing to your treat.
Of course if you don’t want Dole Whip they also have different ice cream flavors or soft serve frozen yogurt.
I also love that you can take your shave ice across the street and sit on the seawall with the water on one side and people watching on the other. It’s the quintessential Hawaiian shave ice setting.
If it wasn’t for the Dole Whip and location I think I would be underwhelmed otherwise.
Gecko Girls
Although probably one of the most expensive shave ices on the Big Island, Gecko Girls can’t compete for the location. Hiding just off Ali’i Drive, they have a view overlooking a sandy volleyball court to watch games with a sunset ocean view on the other side.
Served in a signature square bowl, the super soft ice is topped with their cane sugar sweetened syrups that are poured a little lighter than other places, but the flavoring is still strong. Topping options include a lilikoi or strawberry puree.
What is Shave Ice?
Shave ice is a Hawaiian treat made with ice shavings from a block of ice. The shavings help the syrup to absorb completely into the ice as opposed to snow cones which use crushed ice and the syrup will just sink to the bottom.
The ice shavings are compacted into a dome shape, usually in a bowl or bowl/cone dish. Some places use compostable bowls, others use a colorful plastic bowl with a “petal” rim.
Fresh fruit syrups or sugar flavored syrups are then poured over the ice. Flavors vary from local fruit flavors like guava, lilikoi (Hawaiian passionfruit), and pineapple. They can also come in non-natural flavors like coca-cola, root beer, and bubble-gum. Don’t be surprised if you are overwhelmed with endless flavors on the board to choose from.
The standard is to allow up to 3 flavored syrups onto one cone. This is a great value as it saves you from having to decide on just flavor out of the many. Surprisingly the bowls are always big enough to enjoy all three flavors.
After the syrups are poured, you can usually choose a topping to add. Hawaiians traditionally like the “snow cap”, sweetened condensed milk, drizzled on top. My favorite is haupia cream, a coconut pudding cream. Other fancy toppings could be li hing mui gummy bears, boba pearls, or whipped cream.
How big of a sweet tooth are you? Another way to up the shave ice game is to add a scoop of ice cream UNDER the ice dome. The ice cream helps soak up the melted ice with all the syrupy goodness.
Once your shave ice is completed, it will be served with both a spoon and straw. The spoon is obviously for scooping the icy treat to your mouth. The straw comes in handy later when the ice is melting and creating a colorful pool at the bottom of your bowl, needing to be suck it up before it starts spilling out.
Shave ice is a treat that needs to be eaten immediately after ordering as it begins to melt quickly. So no hopping in your car to get to a beach first. If you are in a walkable area you can stroll and eat or just have a seat on the nearest chair.
What I Look for in Shave Ice
There are two things I look for when judging the best shave ice on the Big Island: texture and taste.
To me, the difference between a snow cone and shave ice is the texture of the ice. Snow cone ice is brittle and crunchy. When done right, shave ice is smooth and creamy. If the shave ice ice is similar to just a large snow cone, it’s not up to my par.
The other important thing I look for in my shave ice is good taste. If the flavor is lacking or just a food colored sugar syrup it won’t stand out or set itself apart.
When I think of enjoying shave ice, I envision being hot and sweaty from an excursion or day on the beach and looking for an ice cold refreshment. Because it has to be eaten immediately, where you eat shave ice can play a part in how good it is due to ambience.
Also, I have concluded that while a snow cap is more traditional, a haupia cream topping far exceeds in flavor and adding an extra taste of Hawaii to the treat.
History of Shave Ice
Shave ice can be traced back in Japan as early as the 700s A.D. When the Japanese immigrated to Hawaii in the 1800s to work on the sugar and pineapple plantations, they brought kakigori, shave ice, with them.
Hawaiian Pidgin vernacular calls it shave ice NOT shaved ice, so be sure not to add that “d”!
In the 1940s, a lot of these workers would end up opening general stores and in turn serve shave ice to customers.
From there, it’s all history and still a Hawaiian visitor’s bucket list food item.
For other popular Big Island treats try
Mouthwatering Malasadas
Kona Coffee
Epilogue: Best Shave Ice on the Big Island
The best shave ice on the Big Island is totally going to be a subjective answer based on each person’s own tastes and preferences. However, I think you will be well-pleased with the ones listed here.
And if you find a different favorite shave ice location on the Big Island, tell me all about it!!
🌺 Big Island Travel Planning Guide 🌺
🚨 Should I buy Hawaii travel insurance?
YES — I recommend Travel Insurance Master because you can compare multiple options with one click. With plans starting at $5/day per person, why not give yourself piece of mind? Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!
🚗 Is it safe to rent a car on the Big Island?
YES — It’s totally safe to drive on the Big Island. And unless you plan to chill by the resort pool the entire time, renting a car is pretty much a necessity on the Big Island! Jeep rentals are popular. I recommend Discount Hawaii Car Rental, as they have some of the best prices around.
📞 Will my phone work on the Big Island?
PROBABLY — Most, if not all, cell providers work on the Big Island. However, be prepared for some dead spots in the more remote parts of the island. For example, I always lose service driving through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
🛏️ What’s the best way to book my Big Island accommodations?
For Big Island hotels, Booking.com is amazing because you can often reserve your room with no money down. If you are looking for an Airbnb condo with a kitchen and more space, don’t forget to check VRBO for potentially better prices and options.
✈️ What’s the best site to buy Big Island flights?
I recommend looking at Skyscanner for finding cheap flights. Pro Tip: check if flying into Hilo is cheaper than flying into Kona.
🛂 Do I need a passport to visit Hawaii?
NO — If you are a US citizen, you do not need a passport as Hawaii is part of the United States. If you are from out of the country, the same passport and visa requirements are the same as entering anywhere in the United States from your country.
🧳What should I pack to the Big Island?
Pack for tropical weather but also prepare for colder than expected nights and early mornings, so a light sweatshirt is recommended. Check out this list of 5 Things Not to Forget to Pack.
