Island Vintage Shave Ice

Amazing! It was my first time trying shaved ice in Hawaii and I absolutely loved it! We ordered a popular item called Pink Island which contained strawberry and lychee flavours. The ice was very light and fluffy like snow, and the syrup they used over the ice wasn’t too sweet but perfect. The ice cream on the inside was very soft and delicious, and there were fresh strawberries on top with mochi and lychee boba on the side. This was probably the best ice cream/​shaved ice dessert I’ve ever had!

Loved this place for coffee, pastries and acai bowl! It’s located in a busy shopping plaza but there’s free validated parking in the structure next to it.
I got their mocha macadamia nut blend and it was amazing! Their famous acai bowl is refreshing and comes out in a cute mug. They taro bagels don’t really taste like taro but they’re lightly toasted and delicious. I also grabbed their lychee pastry and chocolate chip cookie. Their cookie was sooo good! Get it!
Definitely stop by if you get a chance!

. Super quick!
. Delicious fluffy shaved ice surrounding a vanilla ice cream core
. Fun toppings like mochi and Boba on the side
. Order, and eat while you walk around Waikiki or sit down and people watch at the outdoor shopping area just a few yards away

Craving shave ice on a hot day in Waikiki? Look no further because this place serves up some of the BEST shave ice in O’ahu.
My friend and I both ordered their Heavenly Lilikoi and we were both blown away by the quality of this shave ice. The shave ice here was very fine, almost like snow. The lilikoi (passion fruit) flavoring did not taste artificial at all, super fresh and natural tasting. There are also pieces of the crunchy lilikoi seeds on the top! The organic froyo in the middle was so creamy and just the right amount of sweet and tangy, a pretty nice contrast to the shave ice. The mochi pieces were also very soft and the poppin boba added a nice touch!
Even though the price is a little higher than other shave ice places on the island. For ~$ 8 I thought the quality and taste were well worth the price! Also, located right in Waikiki, so don’t complain about the price! We liked it so much we went back for seconds during the week. :)

So much yum!!!
I’m not a huge fan of shave ice, but this place has totally changed my mind. There is a bit of a wait for the orders, but it’s worth it!
We went with Pink Island which combined shave ice and soft serve. The shave ice flavorings were strawberry, lychee, and mint and the soft serve was vanilla. It also came with fresh strawberries, lychee, mochi and popping boba. Perfect combination. The soft serve really makes this dessert exceptional.
There are benches nearby the booth to enjoy your shave ice. Stop by! You won’t be disappointed! :)

Natural flavors, organic ice cream and homemade ingredients – what a novel way to reinvent shave ice!
Shave ice has long been a «guilty pleasure trap» in my mind. The «guilt» and «pleasure» come from eating, essentially, artificially-​flavored, colored, sugar water. I say «trap» because, as a local, it’s impossible to stop eating shave ice after any kind of outdoor activity. Like those annoying Geico commercials say, «it’s something you do.» But the rational side of me has always whispered about how I’m just as well-​off drinking straight from the jug of luau punch syrup.
No more! Island Vintage Shave Ice seeks to upgrade the classic Hawaiian dessert by using syrup made from (gasp) real fruit, organic ice cream and yogurt and homemade toppings like mochi. You can choose from cool creations with names like «Pink Island» or «Green Island,» which come with multiple flavors and toppings, or you can go rogue and «create your own.» «Tropical Island» hit all the right spots for me because I love mango, popping bubbles and mochi. Unlike at other popular Hawaii shave ice stands (ahem, Waiola), IVSI doesn’t scrimp on ice and syrup or up-​charge you for every add-​on. Bonus: it comes on a cool wooden blate (bowl-​plate). Considering the portion size and quality of ingredients, along with the prime Waikiki location, $ 8 is a great deal.
A note on the location: It’s a kiosk on street level in front of Kate Spade. There isn’t a seating area in the immediate area, but you may find a bench if you venture towards the courtyard or up the escalator to the food court. Re: parking. If you’re planning lunch and shave ice in Waikiki, I like the $ 2 for 2 hours (with validation) deal at the Ross public parking down the street.
All and all, this may be my new favorite shave ice stand. If you’re a visitor, or you’re taking someone from out-​of-​state to get shave ice, I strongly recommend IVSI. Matsumoto’s may be the classic, Waiola may be the new classic, but IVSI is the future. I will be back!

Ummmm WOW!
If you come here for shaved ice, fit it in where you won’t be eating hours before or after, not unless you share but why? Be stingy!
I live in LV where Pan Poly-​Asian desserts run wild and all the kids go crazy for them. They are raised foodies here, just happens. So when my kid said we needed to try Vintage, there was no questions asked.
Vintage is a kiosk/​fancy stand so don’t get confused with the coffee shop up the escalator. There will be a wait but don’t let that turn you off. It’s all created on the spot, don’t expect it in a minute because you don’t want anything made in a minute. What we did was I ordered and waited while my daughter walked around. By the time she came back our order was ready. All good things come to those who wait. Plus you are on Hawaiian time now, take it down a notch ;).
The shaved ice here is extordinary. They don’t skimp on freshness either. Plus they use the largest mochi I’ve ever seen at a dessert place. The mochi wasn’t the pebble size stuff you find at fro yo or ice fluff places, these were mochi rocks. It could probably choke a small animal, so please chew them. :)
We were definitely pleased and enjoyed our shaved ice experience. Mahalo!

Don’t visit Waikiki without stopping here for all your Shave Ice cravings! Perfect place to go on a hot night in Waikiki. Their signature items are huge and perfect for sharing. You can also make your own. I love the frozen yogurt they put at the bottom and the popping boba is a nice touch that you don’t find at many places. The flavors are pretty sweet and very strong as shave ice goes.
My favorite is the tropical island.
This is a kiosk so be careful not to pass this place while walking. Usually there is a decent line of people waiting for their order so just look for that. The wait can at times be long but it’s worth it. This place is comparable or better than any Shave Ice in Hawaii outside of Waikiki I definitely recommend this place.

First of all, the Unilocal locator for this place is WRONG. From Unilocal,it looks like the place is located right outside of the mall, but it’s actually ACROSS THE STREET. It’s a kiosk like place right next to the mini river.
Their shaved ice is phenomenal! Sooooo delicious. It’s quite sweet, but oh so good. They are served in really cute wooden plates: D and comes with a lot of toppings. It costs about~$ 8 – 9 for a portion that’s enough for 2 in my opinion.
I would definitely recommend this place!

Island Vintage Shave Ice has a sweet spot of a location on the ever so busy sidewalk of Kalakaua Avenue in the middle of Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Same owners of the popular coffee shop which is also a hop, skip and a jump up the escalator about a 100 yards away.
My favorite flavor so far is the yuzu. Some pointers:
–The keiki size is an adult normal size.
–If you go for the signature items they are huge and good for sharing.
–They have both froyo and soft serve, so if you like one or not the other ask if you can swap if you decide to order off the signature menu. I found out I do not care for froyo in my shave ice. I love froyo, but not in shave ice. I find you don’t get that same milky delight that ice cream gives to the shave ice. Just my personal preference.
–The mochi tastes homemade. It is unsweetened & firms up pretty quickly once it hits the ice.
The second time I went they over poured on the syrup so it became way too sweet for me to finish.
It’s expensive but for Waikiki that’s par for the course typical.

This place is across the street from where Unilocal’s map says it is. We spent a good half hour plus trying to track this stand down. It’s also not on the second floor like Unilocal says. It’s a little stand across from Armani Exchange. To make it more helpful, the shop’s sign is not facing the main road. Only blind luck will get you here. Google maps was also not helpful. We even called them to ask where they were and all they said was that it faced the beach. Oh thanks.
Anyways hope that helps you guys find this place. Onto the shaved ice itself. We ordered the Green Island, which is green tea with red bean, mochi, and condensed milk. It was not bad. The mochi came in huge chunks though. Would’ve been better more bite sized. I would come back now that I know where it is.

Frozen Yogurt just got better!
After long hot day on the beach, my sweet tooth, as usual, lead me to Island Vintage Shave Ice kiosk. It was conveniently located at the Royal Hawaiian Center sidewalk.
I opted for the Heavenly Lilikoi signature shave ice! It was a combo of traditional Strawberry flavor and delicious local Lilikoi flavor, Boba and Mochi over a scoop of refreshing organic Fro-​Yo.
3 Things to keep in mind:
— Serving is gigantic.
— Syrups are natural. Some flavors are strong and sweet, others are slightly bitter.
— It is just a tasty twist on a standard Ice Cream, and too close to water ice.
Four Unilocal

Unbelievable. Great take on shave ice in the heart of Waikiki.
The flavors are rich and full and you never feel like a bite is without flavor. They also use an Organic Vanilla Yogurt which just adds to the fresh fruit on top.
You can make your own or choose from one of the many concoctions they have on the board. I recommend the Coconut Island or Heavenly Lilikoi.
This is somewhere you need to go if you are visiting or in Waikiki.

This was my first time in Hawaii and trying Hawaiian shaved ice! I got the flavor pink paradise which was strawberry and lychee flavor. It was SO GOOD! It came with strawberry popping boba and large mochi on the side! :p
You even get to pick an ice cream flavor that is placed in the center of the shaved ice! That was probably my favorite part. I picked macadamia ice cream. :) The size of the shaved ice was quite big too! It’s enough to share with 3 – 4 people. I shared with one other person and we couldn’t finish it.
As for the service, it wasn’t too great. In Oahu, you get used to great customer service and super friendly people. When I was next in line to give my order the cashier just stared at me and I wasn’t sure if she was ready for me to order or not. It was kinda awkward so I just gave her my order. Maybe she was having a bad day or tired. It WAS really humid that day. But other than that! I loved the shaved ice! It was real refreshing! :)

The service: very efficient! very friendly! give good recommendation!
The dessert: $ 8 for the signature shaved ice. Big portion, perfect to share! All ingredient are all natural. Love the fresh fruit and mochi! in the middle of the shaved ice, there are Icecream!
Great dessert choice in the hot day!

While in Honolulu, you have of course to try the famous Shave Ice. This corner is located outside the Royal Hawaiian Center, on the main street.
You can either build your own shave ice or pick from a selection. I chose the second option and went with the Coconut special. I have to admit it doesn’t look that good but I really liked the taste.
Really enjoyed the taste of the coconut milk syrum, the freshness of this very particular type of ice cream and overall the very cool experience to be trying something that’s well known in Hawaii. Basically a happy tourist experience.
The lilikoi bubbles were fun and interesting, the mix with the vanilla ice cream and the strawberry pieces made it even nicer.
Paid something like 7 or 9 $ but every piece was worth it! Would recommend to take one to share :) definitely big enough.
#foreveraloha

Best shave ice… Matsumoto who? Lol jk but not really.
Small cart located in front of Kate Spade on kalakaua. I came here just wanting a shave ice to hold me over til I could get to matsumotos, but this place blows it out of the water. Syrups are made from real fruit. after eating this, anything else tastes fake (for lack of a better word) to me.
I customize my own: lilikoi (passion fruit) and strawberry shave ice w/​passion fruit popping boba. Yum!

Small stand in front of the Royal Hawaiian Center, and this place is very popular so there’s usually a line to order and wait for you order. I tried the Green Island, which was about $ 8. It had shaved ice with matcha, green tea flavoring, red bean, yogurt (I had the Macadamia flavor, and it was really delish and really completed the shaved ice), and boba (the popping kind which I’m not too much of a fan of-it’s supposed to come with mochi but they ran out and gave me two different kinds of popping boba (I believe it was lychee and passionfruit). There was also sliced strawberries on top. It was a very refreshing dessert to enjoy on a warm, summer night in Waikiki.
No complaints about this place, the shaved ice was good and it’s conveniently located smack in the middle of Waikiki. Just be prepared to wait around 15 mins or so for your order if they are busy, but I know the staff in the stand are working as fast as they can.

Loved everything about thier shaved ice. It’s not your classic looking shaved ice, they add different or should I say yummy ingredients like boba, mango ice cream! nom nom!
It is located close to the Royal shopping mall. A small kiosk or booth. A local guy recommended this place and we were glad he did!

This was my absolute favorite shaved ice spot when I visited Hawaii & I actually liked it a lot better than Matsumoto’s Shaved Ice!
First night in Hawaii and I needed something to cool me down thanks to the hot weather. Came upon this booth near the mall and knew I had to try the Tropical Island Shaved Ice. It did not disappoint!
The Tropical Island included Mango & Pineapple Shaved Ice with Condensed Milk, Popping Boba, & lots of Homemade Mochi! HEAVEN IN MY MOUTH! The shaved ice was so soft and fluffy and wasn’t overwhelmingly drenched in artificial syrup like at Matsumoto’s. The homemade mochi was also divine and had a really nice soft and chewy texture. I just couldn’t get enough!
My boyfriend, who isn’t a huge fan of sweets, actually really enjoyed this place & agreed that it tastes better than Matsumoto’s! This place is also located in a really nice part of Downtown Waikiki. This is a great place to visit any time of day while enjoying the beautiful scenes of Hawaii. :)