I purchased from Matt two different times. First a new Pono tenor. Later a vintage Panama pineapple soprano. Both were shipped quickly and packed with great care. I love the great selection he has and the way the kids are pictured, often with a video so you can hear how they sound. Also, very personalized descriptions of the ukes. Made it easy for me to decide. I hope to buy from his site again in the future. The vintage uke was a Kamaka. read more

Second Uke I bought from AlohaCity had mold and spider webs on it, along with a lot of dings on the tuners and rust on the two metal strings. I reached out a week ago and there was no reply. Worst product I've ever received from any store. I was hoping for at least an apology. Will not buy from them again. read more

My partner and I got into ukulele recently, and after borrowing a beginner makala from a friend, we decided to upgrade and get something high quality. You are spoiled for choice when you come to Aloha City. Matt has been very helpful, patient, and professional. He's ready to answer questions and find exactly what you are looking for. We've been back a few times, and always leave knowing a little bit more than when we came in. If you're interested in ukulele, you definitely need to stop by Aloha City. read more

It's a great place to find a ukulele and the owner is helpful. They carry a great selection of ukes and accessories. I am trying several before I purchase one. read more

I hate to order Ukes online,I am a senior citizen and an ailing 911 first responder and survivor.I love Kiwaya made in Japan Ukes and when my local uke store had trouble getting me a Ktt2 I crossed my fingers and called Aloha City. Matt was super nice and the uke came professionally wrapped and set up.i have never had a more stress free experience and want to thank all those involved. Will order another from them soon read more

I'm getting over bronchitis, sinusitis, and laryngitis so I'm just now writing. I will say my Flight comet is outstanding...it's bright, clear, warm all wrapped up together. Being the cost, I was almost afraid to play it....haha I know I don't give it justice with the few months I have been playing. You can hear every note. I'm going to get myself decent looking today, take a photo of me and my girl. Yup, I think she's a girl. Again, I apologize for taking so long to write and tell you how thrilled I'm am and everything YOU did to get her ready and pick out the beautiful Comet. This the 2nd time I have purchased from you and these two ukuleles have pleased me so much. I think they are both outstanding and so is your customer service without a doubt. I continue to spread the word to fellow players or newbies who are thinking about purchasing. read more

Aloha City Ukes - Blue to match our ocean at Cocoa Beach, Florida - Guitar Stores Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

Can't say enough good things about Aloha City Ukes and the Flight Pathfinder Baritone Ukulele! First, the service from Aloha City was excellent. The instrument arrived early and in perfect condition. The action seems just right and it plays and sounds great! Friendly, professional communication as well. Now for the ukulele itself: So much fun! The Flight Pathfinder Baritone is just the right size and weight for me and the neck is butter smooth! Easy to play. I run it through my little Yamaha table top amp and they seem to go well together. I'm a very happy customer! Mahalo nui loa. E kahe ka mele! read more

It was great to get advice from someone who knows the instrument well. Thanks for all you assistance! Aloha read more

Matt at Aloha City Ukes made some recommendations based upon my wants and the ukulele I eventually chose, a tenor Flight Fireball, more than fulfilled my expectations. Delivery was prompt and the ukulele was well packaged to protect it from the rough handling from a handful of delivery persons. I highly recommend Aloha City Ukes. They have ukuleles for every budget. read more

WOW! Ordered a Lanikai ACST-CEB on Monday afternoon, got it on Thursday. I am blown away with this beautiful instrument. Great build and quality. Great job by Mr Matt setting it up and sending it ready to play. Extremely happy with service, price and look of this splendid Ukulele. Mahalo, John S Viera Florida read more

I made a reddit post asking for recommendations for a brick-and-mortar store in the Midwest to buy a uke. Aloha City was the clear favorite. So I made the pilgrimage. The owner guy is pretty phlegmatic. So if you are expecting a happyface cheerleader flattering you - this isn't the guy. His attitude was more like, "If you leave without buying anything, the world will still turn." So I didn't expect that - but I liked it. I didn't feel hurried or pressured. I told him at the outset that I was planning on spending between $100 and $200, and I could go a little higher but would not be happy about it. Even though he knew that, he let me wander around the store, trying all sorts of ukes. I cannot describe how cool this place is. More instruments than most guitar stores have, and all ukes. And uke songbooks - like two racks of them. There was another couple buying for their nephew, and they also were having a great time. He gave opinions when asked. So if I couldn't hear the difference between two ukes, I'd ask him if he could hear a difference, and he was (I believe) honest with me when he could and couldn't. Because my playing is mediocre, when I started narrowing things down, I asked him to play one uke after the other. Again - I'm hardly a big spender, but felt treated like I was as important as everyone else. He let me play the $6000 + ukes, and played a couple for me. Again, no problem. I have never felt less pressure in a sales situation. And he didn't make me feel like a jerk for asking him to play a bunch. He gave me good advice on soprano vs. concert. Anyway, it was a fun day, and I wound up spending less than my budget ($175 for the Ohana CK-180M). As I was checking out, he said, in a completely matter-of-fact voice, "The ukulele is the world's happiest instrument." I am inclined to agree. If I ever do get really good and somehow get discretionary income, and want to buy a better uke, I will drive to Park Ridge again. This store was amazing, worth the trip for sure, and I had a really fun time in addition to picking up my new ukulele. read more

This store is amazing. We drove in from St. Louis to visit this ukulele store and with the help of Matt, I was able to find the perfect one! He was so kind and helpful. The whole experience was great. They have a huge selection, but by telling him specifically what I wanted my ukulele to have, we narrowed it down to a few and then I made my choice. Per my request, he even played my two favorite ukes so I could stand back and just listen to the difference. I can't say enough of how great this visit was and how happy I am with my new ukulele. read more

Aloha City Ukes - Koaloha - Guitar Stores Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

I know next to nothing about playing a musical instrument (will someone please show me which part of a shoehorn you blow into?) but I do know there's a difference between cukes and ukes. Anyway, a Yelp Elite Social in mid-2019 introduced the Missus and me to this place. We recently returned to the cute little store ... no, no, no, not to buy a ukulele or partake in the free lessons they offer, but (are you ready for this?) because my Missus needed gifts for friends and she recalled that the store offered some clever gift items. It's fun to browse here and the owner is very friendly. They're thriving in these difficult times because people are actively seeking hobbies and activities to fill their spare time, and ukes are among the most affordable and approachable string instruments out there. This is the type of small business that deserves our support! read more

See all

I have a background in the performing arts and am married to a musician. Sadly the arts have really taken a hit, and music lessons cannot be afforded by just anyone. The fact that Aloha City Ukes offers free ukulele lessons on Tuesdays from 6:30-7:30, makes this one of my favorite music stores. Lessons are taught by local legend Louie Zagoras. This is a brand new shop in my community. I heard there was a Hawaiian ukulele shop that came to town, and I had to see it to believe it! I had the opportunity to chat with the owner, and this really is a labor of love. They have an incredible collection of ukes, and though I'm not an expert, some of their top brands include: KoAloha, Kanile'a, Ohana, Lanikai, Kala, and Romero Creations. They also have a small selection of sheet music, Hawaiian shirts, and bobble heads. Great community business, and right next to the violin shop. read more

See all

Have gone to this Ukulele store on several occasions and they are really good at what they do. Recently went to them with a setup and John did a great job dealing with my requests. Matt has spent a good deal of time providing great service as well. A great group of people work there and it's just a really exceptional experience. read more

Great place! Owner is nice and knowledgeable and plays ukulele at local eateries! Great selection of ukuleles

Excellent transaction. Both ukuleles I received were flawless, and well set up. Packing was superb and shipping really fast. I was apprehensive about purchasing high end ukuleles online, but Matt was very easy to work with and a nice inventory of quality ukes. Thanks Aloha city...Shout out to Anuenue and Koaloha. Both my ukes are incredible. read more

Park Ridge is very lucky to have a dedicated ukulele store, let alone one with this many quality ukuleles, from professional-grade Hawaiian "K" makers and high end local luthier, to well-made beginner and mid-range models. Everything on the wall I played was in tune and properly set up, and the owner Matt was very cool and knowledgeable, and his bench work was spot-on. Definitely looking forward to my next visit. https://www.jonrogersmusic.com read more

Mat the owner takes a special interest in his customer and products. He sets up all ukes before shipping. His shipping times are about 3 days after order confirmation. I've bought two ukes from him at separate times. A baritone for around $400 and a RomeroCreations GrandTenor for $800. Pleased with both and find him very competitive. The best thing is he doesnt have a multitude of personal and outside interests that get in the way of shipping or responsiveness. He's easy to reach via FB and his website is easy to navigate. The uke pictured is the one you get and he does a video review to hear how it sounds. Definitely my go to place for ukes. read more

Just bought the Kala KA-SA B. It arrived 3 days after I placed the order, fully set-up and with a nice set of strings on it, too. It's just beautiful! Thank you Aloha City for your great customer mindfulness! read more

Aloha City Ukes is a wonderful store with beautiful ukuleles. There is something in every price range. Matt is very knowledgable and does not push his products onto customers. The acoustics and ambiance are beautiful and make you sound good when you play and sing. Aloha City Ukes also sponsors free lessons and educational events. People really enjoy free lessons and sing-a-longs. There are also a lot of cute clothes and other ukulele bling. There is something for everyone! read more

I bought a different ukulele for each of my granddaughters who live on the west coast. The ukuleles were shipped and arrived in a timely manner, tuned, and ready to enjoy. I was at their house when they opened them and was pleased with the packing. They both sound great and I look forward to them learning. I received kindness and professionalism during the purchase. No pressure, just good information and patience. read more

Also have a website where they sell their stuff. Excellent prices very fast shipping. Great customer service. Found last out as minor mistake on order & wrong size strings. Sent correct size out immediately. Would definitely buy from them again! read more

Aloha City Ukes - Ohana DIY Concert bought from them, saw they had tenor I wanted so just ordered & going build my 3rd. - Guitar Stores Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

A wonderful place to find either the perfect beginner Uke or the ukulele of your dreams. Matt, who owns the shop, is a great listener and will help you find just what you need. If you are lucky enough to be in the area, please, check it out. You can thank me later. Wes read more

This is an excellent shop and we're lucky to have it here. The owner is a great guy and cares to do things thoroughly and honestly. Not only do they have a diverse selection of ukuleles, they also have some pretty cool accessories. Would easily recommend to anyone, you can expect helpful advice and no sales pressure. read more

For the 2nd time, I'm disappointed. 1st trip, my uke was strung wrong. 2nd trip, I was given a low G made for a tenor to put on my soprano. Employees are not knowledgeable. read more

Aloha City Ukes - 1st trip they installed a low g string incorrectly. 2nd trip they gave me a low g made for a tenor to install on my soprano. Ugh. - Guitar Stores Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

I was selling the ukulele I did a lot of research in Hawaii and here around Chicago suburbs. I finally found Aloha ukulele in Highland Park and the owner was polite give me some good information and a fair price for my instrument. I would recommend him to anyone who's selling a uke read more

Buy your 'ukuleles and accessories at Aloha City Ukes. I got interested in the 'ukulele during the Covid pandemic. I was extremely happy to discover this uke shop in the Chicagoland area and paid Matt a visit. Matt has worked with me on many occasions as I have added to and upgraded my ukulele collection. You will find beginner to custom Hawaiian make instruments here. read more

Aloha City Ukes is incredible. Matt gets involved with the Highland Park community by bringing incredible musicians to the area, and by hosting free group ukulele lessons! He is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, and is dedicated to helping his customers find the *right* instrument for them. I am a huge fan of this shop and of Matt. read more

Even during our stay-at-home mandate, I was able to purchase a beautiful ukelele with the amazing help from Matt. He was very patient with my questions over text and helped me select a rich sounding tenor uke. And shipping was quick, I received it the next day after ordering it. Now that my oldest son has commandeered it, I'm thinking about purchasing another one. Can't wait until everything is back to normal and I can visit the store personally. read more

When COVID struck and gigs were put on hold, we found ourselves craving some music stimulation. What better time for new instruments? While we shopped around online and found what we wanted on some "big name" music sites, given the times, we thought it was important to support a small business. We are so glad we found Aloha City Ukes! Our Kala Ubass and Lanikai tenor uke have already provided hours of enjoyment and the service has been impeccable. When we lost a screw from a tuning peg, Matt reached out to Kala and had a replacement sent out to us. At this point, all of our transactions and correspondence have been online but when travel is an option, we would love to get out to the Chicago area to visit in person! read more

Loved this shop! I want to start taking Ukulele lessons as an adult and popped in to look for my first ukulele. Even though I had done some research online, I was still unsure of what exactly I wanted. I'm so glad I stopped here first! They have a great selection of ukuleles in different sizes, styles and price ranges. Matt was super helpful, knowledgeable & freindly. I also got to meet his sweet wife & daughter (and new feline family member!). He helped me pick the right uke for me as a beginner and did not try to push me into spending more than I needed to. So, I'm all set with a ukulele, cute bag, & recommendation for a local private instructor. As a super bonus they also offer free group lessons on Tuesday nights! Definitely recommend checking out this local family owned business! read more

Had a great time looking around and trying all the ukuleles. Thanks for your recommendation!

Fantastic service and the entire decor has a very authentic Hawaiian feel to it. Matt the owner is super friendly as well. The merch in the store is very authentic and nice with a wide variety of selections to choose from. Overall great read more

I found Aloha City, while shopping around on the net for ukuleles. I spoke with Matt the owner and liked that there wasn't a push to make a sale but answered my questions. Since the first purchase, I've bought five ukuleles, I exchanged three ukuleles and I am pleased with how easy it was to do so. I've dealt with local shops and builders with some unpleasant experiences, it is gratifying to deal with an honest and helpful individual. As a long time (55 years) amateur musician and instruments collector I am well satisfied with Aloha City's courtesy, patience and straight dealings. Highly recommend Aloha City Mario A Perez read more

Aloha City Ukes is amazing. The owner (Matt) is literally the nicest guy ever....and a virtuoso ukulele musician. I now have three Ukes (one for me and two for my kids) so the whole family can play together. Come check out this highland park gem! read more

The best selection of ukuleles in all price ranges! Matt has selected several brands of ukuleles and each one sounds magnificent! You can relax and try out many sizes and brands in a relaxed atmosphere and you will get expert help in choosing the perfect uke for you. read more

This store is awesome! You can see an excellent selection of beginner ukuleles for less than $50, or for the high end ones that even Jimmy Buffet would have in his selection. Matt is an incredibly nice informative expert and even offers free lessons on Tuesday nights! It's impossible to play the ukulele and be unhappy. Even if you aren't a musician, he has other great merchandise like tiki man mugs, Hawaiian shirts, and is just an overall fun place to check out! read more

Aloha City Ukes - Store Entrace - Guitar Stores Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

Matt is an awesome guy, answered all my questions via text and delivered my uke the next day due to the pandemic. Never had a store owner personally deliver a product to me, he also threw in a tuner when I didn't even ask for one. Would highly recommend this place if you're looking to buy quality ukuleles! Will definitely be back for my next uke. read more

Ordered the Romero mahogany Tiny Tenor from their website. Super experience. The uke arrived here in Texas a few days later in perfect condition. The setup was great. If there are to be any more ukuleles in my future, I'll be ordering them from Aloha City. read more