Hula Hut

I first tried this coffee shop on the 4th of July. Even though it was very busy, I received…read moreexcellent service and my coffee was so good I had been thinking about it and wanting to go back, ever since. Fast forward to yesterday, I finally had the chance to return. I did Bob Jones trail and all I could think about was how good my coffee was going to be once I reached the shop! This visit was not as busy and I received very lousy service from the young man at the register with the long straight hair and makeup who took my order. I was a little confused about my order and I think it irritated him. Only because, I ordered the exact same drink as last time and he asked me several questions about what I wanted added to it, that I wasn't asked before. So, I was a little confused. But shouldn't have been enough to irritate him as much as it did and he rolled his eyes at me twice as I tried to quickly decide on the options he gave. He ended up ringing me up for an iced vanilla americano which is absolutely not what I ordered. And he and I had discussed them adding milk to my drink which also didn't happen. He just pointed at the half and half on the counter when I brought it up after I received my drink. Guess my first experience was a fluke. Because this time they lost me as a customer.

I stopped by Kraken Coffee about 12 minutes before closing, and while I understand it was near the…read moreend of the day, I still expected friendly customer service. When I walked in, I wasn't greeted. I asked what kinds of lattes they offered, and the employee simply pointed at the syrup flavors listed on the menu and said, "These are the flavors," in a tone that came across as annoyed. I then asked how much honey was in the honey latte, and she responded that they measure by grams instead of pumps, then said it was "probably about two pumps." After I ordered and paid, she walked away without saying thank you or letting me know they would call my name or announce when my order was ready. When I picked up my drink, no one acknowledged me or thanked me. The latte itself was just okay, not bad, but nothing memorable or worth making a trip back for. Unfortunately, the customer service left a much bigger impression than the coffee. Even though I arrived shortly before closing, the shop was still open, and I don't think customers should feel like they're inconveniencing the staff for ordering during posted business hours. Because of the service, I don't see myself returning

Inside

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Avila Market

3.3(272 reviews)

The best BLTA sandwich I've ever had. Can't wait to go back for another! Not sure how something so…read moresimple could be so good. Bacon was perfection, sauce came from heaven. We visited for the first time with new ownership and renovations. It looks beautiful inside and cozy downstairs. The service was great. They have non alcoholic beverages, snacks and toiletries you may need. The menu is small but has everything you would want from lattes, açaí bowls, breakfast and lunch. This would be a great spot for working remotely, or meeting friends.

This is one of my favorite stores on the coast when I'm visiting my hometown. They always have…read moreeverything I need and more. The employees are the kindness people ever and the view outside doesn't get any better! 10/10!

Under new ownership... no poke bowls :(. Here's the newest menu over at Avila Beach Market.

B.L.A.T- Toasted sourdough, bacon, shredded lettuce, avocado, tomato, basil, mayo.

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Woodstone Marketplace

3.3(283 reviews)

1.0 mi

Everything was excellent at Woodstone Marketplace. Pancakes fluffy, french toast toasty, beautiful…read morefruit bowls, large portions for mexican scramble, tasty bagel & breakfast sandwiches. Aesthetic ambiance for the gram, friendly and happy locals Say hi to Sandy & Marylou for travel & fine art stories. Enough space for a stroller and relaxing stop on the bob jones trail on the way to avila golf/beach from avila village inn or sycamore springs. Avila fog tea sweet & beautiful with rose petals. Today I got the vanilla rose tea and it was perfect amount of foam. One of the chefs, Jose, personally came up to us to make sure everything was to our liking. I couldn't believe it was his first day!

I just paid $28 for a burger and ice tea at Woodstone. I returned to the counter because the gal…read morewho took my order didn't ask me what kind of dressing on my side salad. When I asked for balsamic and blue cheese (it's a crazy good mix) I was charged another $1. And I had left a $4 tip when I first ordered. Thirty three dollar burger. This should be epic!! And one of the cooks or owners came and stared at me before going back to the grill? This must be a very customized burger!! My burger came dry. I was afraid to ask for mayo or 1000 but I did and got it free of charge! Wow. Tastes like a basic burger. Hum. I like what they've done with the setting, but even though I live close by I come less and less and maybe not at all, now. So saddening.

Fantastic wine and champagne selections

The special scramble of the day

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Outside

Avila Beach Farmers Market

4.5(40 reviews)

I use to love the Lobster tacos from fat cats cafe at the farmers market here at Avila. It was the…read morehighlight of my visit. But this year the lobster tacos are not made of real lobster. For $11 and it's imitation crab. Horrible. Don't waste your $$. But the farmers market is great ambiance with the live music. And the shaved ice on the pier is phenomenal. So many flavors and you get to add it yourself. Yay!!

This farmers market is always a vibe! Lots of people dancing and grooving to the live music and…read moreplenty of food options. There are a few craft vendors and you can enjoy the shops, wine tasting, and walking the pier and the beach while you're there too.

Great spot to hang out

The aftermath of a mango cup with chile, chamoy and lemon juice! One of my favorite parts of the market!

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Beautiful people at the beach.

Avila Valley Barn

4.5(1k reviews)

1.5 mi

A MUST STOP on the route north!…read more A local farm turned into a FARMER's market with fresh locally grown produce and U PICK options! You can roam around or sit and enjoy the fresh produce food or candy. Also iconic for fresh PIES which ran out by the time I got there in the afternoon. Great place to take kids to feed a variety of barn ANIMALS from goats to cows and even a bull!

This place was so fun to visit! The little marketplace was fun to stroll through and had lots of…read moreyummy things to buy. Bought one of the triple berry pies and apple crisps to try and they were delicious! The filling for the berry pie was really good slightly tart and sweet. If you like pie crust, the crust was well done too- flaky and crisp. The apple crisp was soooo good- the topping was really tasty and the filling was delicious. I'd go back to try their other pies and hand pies. Feeding the sheep, cow, goats and llamas $3 a head lettuce was so fun! The animals loooove eating the lettuce and it's an enjoyable experience for kids and adults alike. The fields with bales of hay to climb and pose on and also the flower fields to walk around in was also nice too! There was a hay ride, but we were not able to make it-- maybe next time. The food was just mediocre. The pulled pork sandwich had too much sauce on it and it was hard to eat because the bread just fell apart. I wish there were a little more coleslaw on top because it cut the sweetness of the sauce. Would not order again. The tritip sandwich was just okay- lots of thinly sliced meat, but flavor was just alright. Would not order again. The plain hotdog was actually pretty good- it was a big hotdog. Would probably order again for my kid haha. The highlight of the meal was the Brussels sprouts (no pecans and subbed Parmesan for the bleu cheese)! Nicely roasted and seasoned. Definitely would order again! The strawberry lemonade and the oallaberry lemonade were really good- not too sweet and very fruity. Definitely would order again Would definitely come back to spend a couple of hours here!

Say cheese!!

Golden Caramel Corn Nuggets

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The goats never stop being cute

Reimer's Candies, Gifts and Ice Cream

4.1(137 reviews)

Wanted some snazzy ice cream this last weekend, so we splurged on double scoops for the whole…read morefamily here - took about .75 bites for everyones eyebrows to lift in a "damn this is good!" look. I can probably end the review there but I should let you know that California Turtle is def the best flavor on the menu, followed closely by the dark chocolate salted caramel - though the rasberry cheesecake was also pretty dang good. Our server, Nico, was attentive and polite, as well as efficient (my favorite trait, personally :) If you need a beach treat and want it frozen, this is your place. Oh, and try one of their samples while your there, the chocolate is mighty fine.

Absolutely some of the best customer service I have ever experienced : the ice cream is great too!…read more Anyone saying otherwise is being an absolute Karen. (We witnessed one: great job handling them Gabriela) The staff are enthusiastic, loud, and proud of the product. When you walk past the bubbles to get in, you are greeted loudly from behind the counter! Walk over to the case and ask to try! They love giving out samples. Everything was great but my favorite is the birthday cake gelato! Must try!

Sweets

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Yes! I've always wanted a giant flamingo.

Peloton Cellars

4.6(64 reviews)

0.1 mi

Amazing winery located near Blue moon Restaurant. Tasting room is bright and comfortable and the…read morewines are exquisite. The owner Trisha took us a captivating tour of her variety of wines. We loved the albarino, all of grenaches and complex Cabs.

I stumbled upon this charming little wine shop quite by accident! I was actually on the hunt for a…read moreplace to eat, and I noticed that the French restaurant had a sign that said "more shops here." I thought, "That's perfect!" So, I walked over and found this adorable winery that blends their own wines. Trish, one of the owners, was so easy to work with. The products she carries in her store are absolutely adorable. They don't make their own food, but they do collaborate with the Blue Moon Café, and food is delivered directly to their winery, so you can have dinner and enjoy their wine at the same time. I thought that was pretty convenient. If you need to do any birthday or Christmas shopping, or any type of shopping, check her out. Trish does a great job of finding fresh, new items to keep in her store. So, when you're in Avila Beach and want to try something new, I highly suggest you stop in and say hi to Trish. And tell her you read Carina's review and wanted to see her fun items.

The red brick road to Peloton Cellars

Knick knacks

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Amazing candles.

Alapay Cellars

4.4(150 reviews)

Cozy tasting room with fun gift items. The owners took the time to chat with us and make…read morerecommendations based on our specific preferences. The wines were fresh and crisp. I was so impressed with the Rebekah, which was named after the wine makers wife, that I had a bottle shipped home. Overall great experience and will return!

I was a club member here for many years. The staff has always been somewhat rude, but we enjoyed…read morepopping in from time to time to enjoy tasting and to pick up our shipment. We are San Luis Obispo locals,. I cancelled our membership after we went in once and the tasting room manager said she couldn't open any new bottles unless We were planning to buy one. It was 1 hour to closing. As locals and members, the owner came out to visit us one day (still had the membership) and gave us a coupon for 2 free tastings. I tried to use said coupon 2 weeks ago only to be told the ABC won't allow for free tastings anymore. Upon further research, I have discovered this is not true. I did like their wines very much in the day, but the lack of service and friendliness will make me avoid all future recommendations. There are plenty of other wineries in the area.

Alapay Grand Cuvée

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Seating area

Fat Cats Cafe

3.5(746 reviews)

1.4 mi

Friday morning about 10ish, my partner isn't going to show for breakfast. I was seated outside, a…read morecool morning fog burning off. I was asked if I wanted coffee, yes please. It took awhile to hear back whether they would be joining me. Okay who's my server...ah here she is "Caress" like the soap, it took me a minute...okay. Seafood Omelet, upgrade to fresh fruit and an English muffin. The fog was burning off and the four top I was sitting at was starting to get pretty warm for me. I was getting anxious, ah my breakfast arrived. Just as I had asked for with a 8z bowl of fresh fruit, watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe all ripe and tasty. The Omelet was perfect a good portion of mixed seafood with a kinda creamy sauce. I liked it. I had to ask for a top up on my coffee, she did check on me later. I had left my visa card on the table so that could get taken care of now, she had just been sat three larger tables. The breakfast was quite good, to the point, no parsley, served hot. That was it for me, forty bucks for breakfast these days. I was cheep on the tip, I didn't feel the love, fruit was charged as a side at $6, which I gave up my starch. Too pricy for a local, I hope the tourists keep coming back. Martin-foodguy

This was the first time eating here for all of us. We had a great patio table. We started off with…read morecalamari. I had a cup of clam chowder; hubby had a shrimp po' boy; my parents had the halibut. Everyone was happy with their meals would definitely return in the future. Server kept our drinks refilled. 7/29/26

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Specials today

Bacon avocado omelette

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Nice view from my table

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21 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Angela C.

3 years ago

Happy Fourth Of July...not so Happy at this establishment. I have always loved the Hula Hut until today. I have been a loyal customer for years, routinely bringing visitors to get a sweet treat and shop. Unfortunately, after having an unpleasant interaction with the owner, this will not be the case in the future. He and one of his female staff were disgustingly rude! Our order was incorrect...which he actually completed. Instead of just remedying the situation, he and his employee aggressively informed us that we were wrong. They stated that they had filled the order correctly. I guess having the receipt and several people verify it was wrong wasn't enough for them. The highly unprofessional owner had the gall to blatantly call us rude.... How dare we request that he fix his mistake and provide us with what we ordered. Hopefully he was just having a bad day and doesn't treat any other patrons with such distain in the future! Sincerely disappointed...former customer, Angela read more

Ryan B.

9 years ago

First off if you're looking for good food this is not the place, everything is bought from Costco and thrown in chef mike for a minute. Horrible service, I've seen both owners be extremely rude to customers and have no self control in some situations involving customers. On top of that a creepy 50 year old man decided to come up and talk to one of the employees while she was helping me. I thought nothing of it until he walked out without purchasing or even looking at anything. I later come to find out from that same employee that he is the owners son who comes in almost every day just to talk to her. Disgusting and completely unprofessional. read more

Kim H.

Elite 23

270

719

14 years ago

I love ice cream shops with a more mom-and-pop feel and this has that. Plus, they had some really interesting flavors. I got the merlot raspberry truffle which tasted exactly as it sounds -- wine + raspberry + chocolate. I saw the waffle cone machine so I assume they make their own cones. Great. It's not cheap, but that's to be expected at a boardwalk ice cream shop. read more

Anne M.

13 years ago

The best staff ever. While sometimes, as a local, we get frustrated with the demands of tourist, the staff here maintain a positive attitude and treat each person with kindness and respect. I go here almost daily because I want to do everything I can to support this great local business. Plus, they have the best selection of gifts around. read more

C Y.

11 years ago

Great specialty coffees, served quickly and delicious! Clean restrooms, very nice staff. Used to go to Joe Momma's until they said I could no longer use the bathroom because they had to conserve water, ha ha , I win because Hula Hut is nicer, better and very pleasant and I found their coffee even better than the competition. read more

Izaac R.

1 year ago

The gentleman or the manager is a rude racist chump. My wife ordered a drink and asked a question then he rudely commented. He treats his workers like crap. I never do reviews but this guy pushed me to this one. I'm not going back read more

Ellaina L.

7 years ago

Everytime I eat here I get sick. Also I watched the owner of the restaurant drop ICE CREAM, and give it to a customer. Did not replace it. Completely disgusting, unsanitary, and unprofessional. Never again will they get my business... read more

N. R.

12 years ago

This store has many interesting items to buy from coffee mugs to wall decorations. My favorite is the ice cream though! It is so delicious and makes a nice treat when you're walking along the beach. Definitely a 5 star place! read more

Alex R.

8 years ago

The old man who works there is very rude and also racist because he is only pleasant to his white customers. I won't ever come here again and wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. read more

Larry J.

15 years ago

Great Food, excellent service, very nice staff, best clam chowder in the world. I have tasted them all on the central coast and Hula Hut has the best clam chowder. read more

Dawn S.

8 years ago

Worst pastrami sandwich ever. If it had any less pastrami it would have been a mustard sandwich. $11.95 for about .50 worth of pastrami.

Randy G.

7 years ago

They tax candy here which if they would lookup state laws on taxing candy they will discover that it is against California's law.

Brianna R.

4 years ago

I didn't know that me placing an order would put the woman who took my order so out. She was rude and unresponsive.

Sam P.

758

131

101

12 years ago

Seriously the owner is very rude and has a major bad attitude. The never expected that from owner.

Jeff S.

8 years ago

This place is awesome.. Liz is so friendly and happy....she makes you want to do her work!! read more

t m.

14 years ago

Awesome "Elvis special" ice cream! Banana ice cream with peanut butter chunks!

Joel J.

Elite 23

2504

327

278

12 years ago

Only had Ice Cream but it was good, and service was spot on.

Nicole E.

137

14 years ago

yummy fudge and lots of other goodies and food.

Ryan C.

386

14 years ago

Sea Salt & Caramel Ice Cream. Enough said.

August K.

14 years ago

Best breakfast in town! Staff is so nice!

Hula Hut - icecream - Updated September 2026

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First time having a fresa con crema! My friends brought me here after I brought up craving…read morestrawberries and yum! It was relatively fast during the order process and you could choose between fresh or frozen strawberries! I opted for the fresh strawberries and they were perfectly sweet and paired very well with the crema.

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5/5 stars for the ice-cream itself! I'll get back to this part of the review…read more 5/5 stars for service. She was friendly, let us try different flavors, and there's a jr size option for the kiddos. Setting expectations is always the key to a better outcome. This place honestly looks a bit janky like a run down cold stones. In a small town like SLO and a few other ice-cream options within walking distance, the name of this place lead me to expect locally made ice-cream. It's not. For presentation, I'd give it 3 stars at most. The ice-cream itself is superb, especially considering its large distribution across the country. It's made in Madison, Wisconsin and they sure do bring that creaminess and flavor to the small towns! I just wish that they would present this location better.

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