John’s Groceries

Unfortunately, John’s is CLOSING on DECEMBER 19^th!!! Come join us for a farewell party from 12 – 3 PM on December 19^th!

first time here and I had to try their shave ice. I lovedddd it. the ice is really thinly sliced and that’s what made it really yummy. I had it with condensed milk and I thought I asked for ice cream too but disappointed to find none. the price for it seemed pricey but worth it for that extra fine shave ice. there’s also candy and drinks and other things here to purchase but I came mostly for that shave ice. possibly will come again but it’s hard to compete with shimazu’s just down the road.

Sadly, da store has gone up fo’ sale:

I always refer to this cute little place up on Liliha Street (above Wyllie) as «The Yellow Store». It’s been around for so long! My husband grew up in the neighborhood and has fond memories of coming here all the time. I know he’s not alone as the owners display photos of family, friends, and customers over the years.
These days we stop by as often as we can to pick up the delicious handmade spam musubi, a shave ice, or a bit of candy (haw flakes!). I love taking the musubis when I go hiking. So, so good. The spam is crispy, which I love.
I kinda wish the store was open every day because I’m so sad when I come and they are closed. :’(

Stop and shop at this mom and pop place :)
Maybe I’m a little bit biased since I’ve been coming here for the past 11 years, but I love this place to death. It’s my neighborhood mom and pop store. It gives off a home-​y vibe, like you’ve just entered tutu’s house.
Although it’s officially named John’s Groceries, the neighborhood calls it John’s Store. They sell shave ice, musubis, candy, drinks, ice cream, chips – basically anything you’d want to grab for a quick afternoon snack. The school kids are always rushing here before and after school. The line gets long around 2:30pm.
Can I just talk about the spam musubis a little? I think they put crack in it. They fry the spam so that it’s crispy, just the way I like it. They’re so addicting.
Uncle Archie (the owner) is nice and always greets me by my name. He keeps pictures of the neighborhood kids and families on the counter. How sentimental!
If you’re looking for a modern, stylish restaurant, this is not the place for you. If you’re looking for a quick bite to eat or craving some quick shave ice to cool off, John’s Store is da place to be.

Best Spam Musubi on the island. Possibly the only store that makes their spam crispy for added texture, firm rice grains too. Totally worth its price.

Cute hole-​in-​the-​wall place in the middle of a neighborhood. I grew up in the neighborhood and have had countless shave ices and spam musubi’s here. Now it’s my kids favorite shave ice spot when we visit my parents.

Been coming to john store since I was a kid. Used to hit it up everyday wailing home from school. Spam Musubis have shrunk a little and have got more expensive over the years but it’s still worth the money. The spam has perfect flavor and they make it crispy in a way I have yet to mimic. The also sell Portuguese sausage, chicken, and hotdog Musubis. I’ve seen bentos but haven’t tried them. The back is also stocked with all kinda if can and bottle drinks. Come here to grab a cold diamondhead soda.

Good shaved ice.

I have very fond memories of John’s Groceries, from grades 7 – 12 John’s store was the meeting place for about as diverse of a group of private school kids as you could find. During the school year everyone from the jocks, hippies, nerds and social outcasts would congregate at John’s store.
The appeal was a mutual gathering spot within walking distance from school that was not tied down by strict school policies, it was a place where 13 – 15 year olds could feel independent. Thirty minutes away from adult supervision meant the world to us back then and John’s store offered us not only freedom and good snacks but a common thread of fond memories for hundreds and hundreds of teens, regardless of your popularity status.
John’s store provided everything from video games, shave ice, spam musubi, local candy and trendy knickknacks. During the summers before I got my driver’s license, we would meet at a friend’s house and walk over to John’s store multiple times to feed ourselves and play video games. The walk was not a far distance but looking back it seemed similar to the journey the boys took in the movie Stand by Me.
Every now and again, I make it a point to visit John’s store and have some of their spam musubis, to this day it is the best spam musubi on the island. The spam is cooked perfectly to a crisp and the rice to spam ratio is nicely balanced. Rarely have I ever consumed 3 spam musubis in one sitting before, those times being a few days ago when I went to visit and back when I was 13.
This place is a true gem, one of the last of the mom and pops, I feel time stands still when I come here. In this old neighborhood, many teens have established their own memories of this place, for all these years as we have grown up I know there are many of us who wished those times had not left.

True neighborhood spot (seriously, it’s in the middle of a residential neighborhood!). John’s is the stuff memories are made out of and many fans heart the nostalgia of John’s. The charming-​grubby store sells everything from candy to canned tuna to shaving cream.
I got a small ($ 2.25) with strawberry and lilikoi which was just ok. The shave ice texture is fine but not as fine as Waiola’s. The great thing is that the guy gives you a flower cup for free. I love that the store has a couple of benches outside where you can enjoy your treat in a calm neighborhood setting.

Shave ice in a residential location? Yup! This hole in the wall is located on Liliha Street as if you’re driving into the neighborhood. He has a pretty good gig where he sells snack food — Spam musubi, bentos, candies, drinks and shave ice.
I only come here for the shave ice which falls into the ordinary, not extraordinary local style. You can order small ($ 2.25) or large ($ 2.75) with your choice from a dozen or so flavors. For li hing flavor, it’ll cost you extra. My go-​to flavors are sour apple and lilikoi. Again, nothing special about the texture of the ice or flavors but fulfilled my dessert craving.
There is parking in front with a little bench by the entrance. Bring your cash and get your snack on!

John, don’t really know for sure that’s his name, but he looked like he could be John, really puts care into his craft.
His (‘hole in the wall’ is not even the proper way to describe it, general store?) place looks like it either belongs in Deadwood, Deliverance, or Bugtussle. If Uncle Jed or Elly May Clampett walked out the front door, I would not be surprised. If I heard a eerie rendition of the banjo from ‘Deliverance’ I would be. (‘You shore do got a pretty mouth.’ uhhhh… shivers!)
But I love this place, there is street parking, and once you turn around, you can just park in front of the store, I did. John (let’s just call him John) cuts his ice super thin, and packs it into the cup perfectly. He was both talkative and curious as to what Unilocalers thought about his establishment. We, beautiful wife, and myself had two large shave ice. Mine: coconut/​pineapple w/​ice cream and azuki bean, BW: lemon/​lime. Cost just over $ 6.
We had been to Your Kitchen the day before and if I was matching them up it would go: flavors… Your Kitchen; quality of ice… Johns; ice cream/​azuki bean… push.
But the quirkiness factor clearly goes to Johns.
It is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood, (5 min drive for me but now knowing where it exactly is, I’m betting I could make it in three) on upper Liliha street in Kalihi. It looks like a semi dilapidated feed store, painted bright yellow, so it does stick out.
With a gentle breeze blowing in her dark hair, beautiful wife sat on the branch just outside the store, enjoying her shave ice, «I feel like I’ve stepped back in time.» What a wonderful thing to say and feel, and at the perfect time, with me. John’s is truly one of a kind.
John my man! When you figure how to turn you computer on and find Unilocal,my name is Jeff, and sir, I will be back.

I’m a shave ice fan and this place is one of the best. Great texture on the ice, very flavorful syrup results in a wonderful dessert. If you get the ice cream and azuki beans, you’ll be in for a real treat.
It looks like a family run establishment, small grocery store in the middle of a residential area. When we go to Honolulu, this is one of our first stops after landing at the airport.

I just stopped by twice this week, and grabbed a large plain strawberry shave ice. Wow, only 2 buckaroones. Most places are like $ 3 and up. And no more line! Beat that Shimazu’s! j/​k much love to Shimazu’s, just got no love for the long lines and parking!
Got too excited to dive into my shave ice and being the expert shave ice eater, I never get an amateur cone holder. Maybe was a bad idea today, walking out of the store, a huge chunk falls off on to my white shoe, well more like pink now. Shoulda followed Julie H.‘s tips to eating shave ice without a cone holder.

It’s like a walk down memory lane every time I come here since we used to come during our small kid time.
No fancy «out of the box» flavors, no celebrity pics on the wall, no line out the door and around the block, just a good old fashioned snack shop. Stores like these have slowly been going extinct in Hawai’i and I’m grateful there’s still one down the street from my house. Next time you want good shave ice without the bells and whistles, come here!

Wow. I live in the area and used to frequent this place like everyday when i was a kid!
I remember the place before the current owners (it is still Archie and Edith right?). I am going to have to try to stop by again sometime, last 2 times I tried it was closed!

Pretty ono musubi!
One of my besties kept raving about the little musubis that they serve so we took a drive up here so I could finally try one. The spam had a soft crunch to it. Not at all half cooked like some places. Rice was about 5% dryer than I’m used. Good spam to rice ratio and perfect amount of nori. I usually like it with a teriyaki sauce but this one had shoyu and that worked well. Good size for the price. Go get one!

forget all those places like Matsumoto’s where you’ve HEARD they have the best shave ice. this place IS the best shave ice on the island.
the ice is soft, but still substantial. their smalls are large, their large is giant. their flavors are basic and taste the way you grew up with, no weird syrups, they’re not making it the easy/​cheap/​fast way. they make it the real way.
oh, and do you miss those old candies from the 70s, 80s, and 90s? do you feel a desperate need for haw flakes and candy buttons? look no further!
delicious musubis, childhood candies, and the perfect shave ice are all waiting for you at john’s store.

John’s is a mellow, hometown shave ice institution. Talk about hidden gem tucked away in one of the most quiet and picturesque towns just outside of Honolulu. Nuuanu and Liliha are my old stomping grounds, as I used to go to a private school on School Street from kindergarten to the 8^th grade. I am surprised I have never heard of John’s Grocery until now. Domo Arigats to Brian A. for showing me this place.
At the top of Liliha Street, just where the city bus stops to rest and just below the park is a community store, painted all yellow. Sitting down in front, one of the neighborhood locals is drinking his bottle of soda pop and shakas us as we’re walking in. The inside of this mama n’ pop run biz reminds me of the kind from back in the day. You know the type with that old wood, crack seed and icee machine smell? Talk about a condition stimulus from my childhood.
Now if you’re expecting the commercial appeal of the famous Matsumoto’s, Waiola’s incredibly fine, soft ice or the designer flavors and cremes of Shimazu, you’ve come to the wrong place. John’s has none of these traits. Not to say John’s isn’t good. It’s not. The shave ice here is great! So I tried the large with vanilla ice cream ($ 3) topped with watermelon, honey dew and lemon lime. See what I like about the syrup here is that it’s mildly flavored. Not too strong or sweet. And let me tell ya, I am a huge fan of watering down sweet foods and sodas.
Another winner for me is the ambiance. Brian A. was on the money when he described this place: mellow and what a small community shave ice store should be like. Very true. I remember as I stood outside enjoying my cold treat, how I fancied the quiet of the neighborhood, the subtle breeze and the views of the Tantalus and Pail mountains surrounding us. It was actually quite nice.
As we were leaving, not only did the soda pop patron give us a «K-​Den, have a nice day» but a shiny new BMW pulled up in front. A sophisticated looking urbanite Asian couple came out and walked into the store. Were they here to escape the city for a taste of the simple, sweet things in life? Aside from what I already mentioned, another indicator to show the shave ice here is good: If townies like this place, then you probably will too.
4 stars
John’s Groceries shave ice on Liliha Street

You ever admittedly go to a place where everything separately isn’t as good, but as a whole is exceptionally awesome?! Well this is that place. This is the place to go for old Hawaiian style local shaved ice. It’s hidden around a bend in the long time neighborhood of Nu’uanu. «At the top of Liliha.»
Does it have Matsumoto’s celebrity? Of course not. Does the shave ice have the deep various flavors of Shimazu Store? Nope. Do you get the pure volume of syrup like at Jung’s Shave Ice? Uh no. Does it even have the fine ice of Waiola? No.
What DO you get then? A simple shave ice from an old general store kind of shack. It’s tucked back in a quiet neighborhood with a view of the green Pacific Heights mountainside and the blue cloud dotted sky. You sit on an old moss rock wall with the sun beating down on you knowing that you’re about to fight off the heat with your first wooden spoonful of flavored ice. A nice Hawaiian breeze fronting the store whips around the corner as you excitedly spoon and sip your shave ice. Not being fast enough, some of it melts and overflows out of your cone to coat your sticky fingers. Something like that brings the child out in me.
It even retains that same smell I remember as a kid visiting many times. An older local guy was hanging outside and was nice enough to greet us and any customers with «Howzit bruddah?» and «Have a nice day» upon leaving. The owner is a nice old man of few words and facial expressions. Never heard him say too much or crack a smile besides the one time I went and he had what I assumed was grandchildren running around. A laid back vibe permeates the store and area around it.
It is my favorite Shave Ice store. The sum of it’s parts makes it so. The experience is partly what makes this store unique and as long as they’re open, I’ll be visiting to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and return to a quieter and simpler time.