Da best workers in the game!!! Local vibes and best shaved ice on island- need to check them out for sure!! read more

Best shaved ice on our trip to Hawaii! This place was recommended by a friend and it definitely did not disappoint. This small storefront is located near Koko Head Trail, so we stopped by after a pretty intense hike. There is a variety of sizes and lots of flavors to choose from. I personally got the cotton candy and lychee, and it was a perfect balance. The shaved ice was soft and flavorful without being overly sweet or sticky, and a small was the perfect size. The worker was also very nice and patient with our large group. To our surprise, we also learned that Obama had visited this place and that his favorite flavors were lime and cherry. I can confirm those flavors are also very good. read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Some places become part of your family tradition whether they're perfect or not. I've been coming back to Hawaii for over thirty years and Kokonuts has somehow found its way into almost every trip. It isn't the best shave ice on the islands, that still belongs to Matsumoto's for me, but it's good enough that I keep coming back. I'd put it right up there with Waiola. The shave ice is soft, the flavors are great and sitting by the marina afterward has become part of the ritual. The celebrity wall with photos of President Obama, Ben Affleck and countless others tells you this place has been around for a reason. Unfortunately, so has the service. Every trip seems to remind me why I've hesitated to write this review. This time we visited four separate times and every visit felt strangely uncomfortable. We waited patiently with our kids for close to twenty five minutes before anyone even took our order. The employee was busy making shave ice which is understandable but there's no system explaining what comes next. Do you wait inside? Outside? Will they call your name? Is there a speaker? A screen? You're left awkwardly standing around hoping you don't lose your place. Nobody was rude to us outright. It just felt like everyone working there would rather be somewhere else. While waiting, I started noticing things I wish I hadn't. The refrigerators, vents and equipment all looked like they could use a deep cleaning. Maybe everything is perfectly sanitary behind the scenes, but perception matters when someone is preparing food right in front of you. Instead of looking forward to dessert, I found myself wondering how often everything gets cleaned. The frustrating part is that once you finally get your shave ice, it's really good. That's what makes this review difficult. I genuinely like this place. I have decades of memories here. I'll probably end up back here again on another trip to Hawaii. But great food only carries a place so far. Hospitality matters just as much, especially somewhere that's become a tradition for so many families. I really want to give Kokonuts four or even five stars. Instead, I'm leaving three because after thirty years, I'm still hoping someone behind the counter will make the experience feel as welcoming as the dessert. read more

I really hate to write negative reviews for local small businesses, but this was unfortunately one of my least favorite shave ice experiences on the island. Whenever we head out to Makapuʻu, we used to always stop by Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha. Since they closed down, we decided to try Kokonuts for the first time. I had high hopes because of the photos on the wall of President Obama and Isaac Sopoaga's #NinerNation, but the quality just wasn't there. The shave ice itself wasn't shaved well. It was chunky, which is disappointing since smooth ice is the standard here in Hawaiʻi. The flavors tasted like generic, high-sugar syrups, and the mochi was tiny and buried at the very bottom. To top it off, there was nowhere to sit and no trash can available for customers. It is hard to compete when there are so many other amazing shave ice spots on Oahu. To make matters worse, my wife ordered an acai bowl that ended up having a hair in it. We ultimately had to throw both the shave ice and the acai bowl away. For $24, you would at least expect better quality and better food safety. Sadly, we won't be back. read more

This was just an hour ago. Just came from hiking Makapu'u and was craving an acai bowl. Hubby wanted shave ice so when we came across this place, I was excited. Long story short, half way into my acai bowl, I ended up with a short strand of blonde hair (I have black hair), mid-bite (one of the two girls that were working there had blonde hair). Was walking back to the store to show them but the wind blew the hair out of my hand. I feel sick and my stomach is also sore. NEVER AGAIN. read more

This was the fourth different shave Ice spot this time around - they all start tasting similar after awhile but it all depends on the syrup flavor you prefer, the ice cream and our fruit/beans/tapioca you want. This spot didn't have guava so I went with coconut, pina colada, and (can't remember!!) - mediums are usually bigger than you think so prepare for brain freeze. Only $6 so that was a bargain. read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We needed a refreshing nutritious açaí bowl after the hard Koko Head hike. It was really cool stepping inside the shop and being amazed at the amount of celebrities visited this spot and even the former president!! They're more known for the shaved ice obvi from the name but the açaí bowl was really good and had all the amazing toppings! We were happy eating the açaí and wandered out to some spectacular views in the back. Great spot! Ordered: - Açaí Supreme - giant size could share - Double Açaí read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - açaí supreme bowl - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Craving a sweet treat after a day at the beach and this hit the spot. Three fluffy shaved ice with ice cream and snow caps. Also had a nice conversation with the ladies working. Would definitely recommend taking a pit stop. read more

Kokonuts is still my favorite place to get shave ice. The service is friendly and the shave ice is consistent. I know I'll get what I'm craving! Over the years the menu gets updated, so it's always my go-to with changing times and tastes. read more

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Convenient spot for refreshments and snacks! I was passing by the shopping center and pulled in for a quick snack. Kokonuts was a good choice. The staff was friendly and the ambiance was what can be expected. Most notably, I'm so happy I took a leap and tried the homemade butter mochi. While I have nothing to compare it to, it was totally satisfying and delicious. I highly recommend you try it for yourself! read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - Homemade Butter Mochi - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This shaved ice spot is located in Koko Marina Center, which makes it super convenient (easy parking!) and a fun stop if you're already on that side of the island. I'm not a huge shaved ice person, but I've been here twice and actually enjoyed it -- tried the mango and the rainbow. A small ($4) is more than enough if you just want the experience or if you're sharing with a toddler (it melts fast). Customer service was fine, nothing special, and the inside feels a bit run down/ dirty. There's no indoor seating, just a couple of benches outside. Pro tip: skip sitting by the shop (you'll mostly see the parking lot) and instead walk through the center toward the marina -- there's seating near the water, and the view is way better. (Though parents, heads up: the fence there is just wire, so keep an eye on little ones.) It's a bit of a "celebrity spot" -- they've got photos of Obama and Ben Affleck, which is fun to point out to visitors. Overall, it's not the cleanest or most amazing shaved ice in Hawaii, but it's a solid stop if you're nearby and want something refreshing. read more

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We were craving some açaí after a hike we did and stumbled across this place! This place is very well known and many celebrities come here! The staff were very nice and friendly. We all got the açaí and all agreed that this was one of the best açaí we've had in our trip. The consistency was good and my favorite was an amazing honey to granola ratio. We did not get their shave ice which is what they're known for but want to try that next time we come! read more

Such a cute little shop!!! The girls are so sweet in here! The menu has so much to choose from! read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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A friend and I shared the medium shave ice (lilikoi, li hing mui, and coconut flavor syrup) with vanilla ice cream, mochi balls, and condensed milk. The ice texture is soft and fine, and the syrup soaks all the way through - which is critical to a good shave ice. The mochi balls were amazing - the perfect chewy texture, and I loved that they were not sweetened (or at least just sweetened a little), since the shave ice is already sweet. I'm a sucker for a good textural element, and this was perfect. The li hing mui and coconut syrups are good - nice flavor and not too sweet - but the lilikoi is a bit too sugary and artificial tasting. Still pretty good though! I really appreciate the old school ambiance of kokonuts - the photos with celebrities who have stopped by over the years, the crack seed and snack curation, the cozy, laid back space. Employees are friendly and nice! read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - Menu as of 7/17/25 - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Line was long but it moved fast. The shave ice was nice and soft. The mochi wasn't really good though. The flavors were good with many choices. This is not my favorite shave ice place but it was convenient after snorkeling at Hanauma Bay or hiking Koko Head. There's no place to sit inside because the store is very small. There were just a bunch of people eating outside. My favorite shave ice is still Waiola read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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One of my fave shave ice spots. Located in koko marina. Portions are huge! Delicious shave ice, acai bowls, and smoothies. Mochi balls from here are v good. Great service. A few benches outside to eat. read more

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We stopped at Kokonuts to enjoy a shave ice while we were in the mall. They do have a $10 minimum for credit card, so we ended up ordering a coconut drink with mochi as well, which was delicious. They have many flavors for the shave ice, so it was hard to choose, but we ended up getting the coconut, coffee, and pineapple. The flavors were very good. The coconut was my favorite! read more

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I've been coming here for years! I have never lived anywhere near Hawaii Kai but any time I get the pleasure of being down there I gotta stop by Kokonuts, one because I love toasted coconut shreds on an Açaí bowl (keep in mind their açaí bowl is a little loose regarding consistency but I'm sure you could ask for less liquid added I just never have) and two because the people behind the counter are lovely, welcoming, and make it well worth a visit. This is a small location with lots of snacks and different things offered. I'll be honest I haven't tried many things here because I have been on their Açaí bowl but I see people mixing flavors for shave ice and they have a bunch of other cool things on their menu not to mention their homemade treats like brownies, butter mochi, or banana bread etc that you can find at their counter (I've seen many different things throughout the years) Give this place a try, they've never disappointed me. read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My fav spot for Nutella crepes. I cannot drive past without stopping here for a crepe. I love this local gem.

I tried the peanut butter banana creamy bubble drink and it was amazing! Great service too! It's a small shop but there are a couple of benches outside. read more

I hate to say it but what used to be my FAVORITE shave ice spot, one that I'd crave every trip back home...has gone downhill with my last 2 visits. I think at first I thought the touch of sass you get from staff here, i.e. the older Korean woman (owner?) in my very first experience here I chalked up to endearing given it's a very 'Mom and Pop,' tiny spot. But these days, when it's an older teenager giving a snippy reply and/or snappy attitude, it just rubs me the wrong way. I get it, it must be exhausting to keep telling people which line is which (order or pickup), or repeating where the trash cans are (in this case, if they're not adjacent to your store, either put up a sign or expect people to ask...constantly)...but you can still do it with a smile or nice tone. Or here's an idea: take names to announce, instead of barking orders of flavor combos for pickup? Speaking of signs, they also rub me the wrong way these days- so many here between all the menus and requirements: You want an extra spoon? Ask for it. (As specifically stated on one sign). No credit cards for charges under $10 (Another sign.) There are quite a few others, take your time reading them as you wait for your ice. Tip: for shave ice go for the "Supreme" option as the toppings add up $$ fast so it'll likely be the more economical choice. Also, this last time we went, there was sooo much syrup put into the bowls that that was all we could taste, and it spilled right out of the flimsy bowl as soon as we walked out. A sticky, drippy mess, where it felt more slushy/soup than shave ice. Oh and the mochi balls were tough, not chewy so we guessed it was just because they were just not fresh. Bummed and hoping it was a one-off experience but shows that quality/consistency of product AND customer service really is the combo to success and customer retention. There is a "President Obama" special and that's probably the last time it was truly good here- when he was president. P.S. Major RIP to Uncle Clay's HOPA (House of Pure Aloha) which served up everything that's right for a small shave ice spot. read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - Damn. Good. - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place is aloha all the way! They are super friendly and very helpful. They have lots of flavors to choose from, also don't forget to get some sides like ice cream on the bottom or condense milk and also have mochi balls. The flavors are amazing and you will have a hard time deciding... I have not tried all the Flavors yet but I have had many and I can tell you be adventurous mix it up!!! Check this place out and happy eating!!!! read more

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We stopped here for shave ice. We got the large with mango,lilikoi and watermelon flavors with vanilla ice cream and snow cap (condense milk). $6 plus $1 for each topping. It was refreshing and hit the spot. Apparently Obama was here before and some other celebs as we see photos of them displayed at the store. They also sell candy, Japanese style crackers amongst other snacks and souvenir tshirts. read more

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Great shaved ice in a chill cafe. We were warmly greeted and served for our shaved ice. We were in and out quickly and got to enjoy each of our creations. Highly recommend! read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - Lime and cherry with vanilla ice cream - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Ugh nothing beats a good smoothie after a beach day. First coming at kokonuts and they did not disappoint. For $6.50 this was a steal. I ordered the strawberry banana smoothie. Staff was friendly and the service was quick. The menu is huge with lots of options. Definitely coming back to try another smoothie. read more

Love the flavors here and the mochi was soooo good! Get it with condensed milk! Next time we will try it with ice cream. The shaved ice melts so quickly! Ugh. You'll see photos that Obama and Justin Bieber have visited this place! Plenty of people outside enjoying their shaved ice. Line goes by quick. Plenty of parking as it's a shared space within the shopping plaza. Beautiful views! read more

Great smoothies! Very nice service, the store is a small store, a few benches/slabs to sit on an enjoy a refreshing shaved ice or smoothie

This Honeydew Melon bubble drink was absolutely terrible. It tasted like blended milk, it barely had the honeydew flavor. The boba was not sweet and it had a hard texture in the center. This was terrible and I wish I had tasted it before I left the parking lot so that I could have gone back to the store and asked for a refund. read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - Honeydew bubble tea - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

First time being here since my girl wanted some açaí bowl. The lady seemed kind of rude at first but she was alright. Felt like a mom and pops environment. And seeing famous celebrities pictured on the wall made it feel welcoming. read more

This my beloved shave ice place has gone down the hill. What happened to the quality assurance?? The mochi balls served were hard inside, and red beans undercooked!! With poor toppings like that, your loyal customers like me will stay away. I didn't even bother taking photo during my super disappointed last visit that I didn't even bothered to take photos. read more

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Convenient place to visit after hiking in the area. In March 2025: $4.19 for a size small shave ice Cash/debit only for purchases under $10 Per the signs, after ordering, GTFO of the store and wait until your order is ready. Eat outside because they don't have room in their tiny little shop. FYI, there's no trash can available in this establishment! read more

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shave ice was so onolicious!!! workers were super friendly and honestly made the experience!!

Wonderful to have a small local shave ice store on the East side. The shop can't be bigger than a large closet but there are fun homemade goodies such as energy bars. The biggest draw though is the shave ice and yes you need to get ice cream. The two girls helping out at the front are nice but I get the feeling they have dealt with a lot of annoying customers. They were helpful with suggesting favorites and toppings. Of course we got our standard rainbow, ice cream and snow cap. Icy treat a definite relief on a hot summer day. The price is a little higher than we would normally pay but it's the east side. We did also pick up energy bars and they were super yummy..love the peanut butter flavor. We took the shave ice outside to sit on the tables near the Italian eatery. It was nice and relaxing. The ice was not as fine as I was used to but otherwise good. The flavors were sweet and with ice cream and snowcap there's not much to complain about. Really enjoyed the dessert and hit the spot on a warm summer day. read more

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Its good. Staff is so warm and full of aloha. Price is totally worth it. Enjoy your snack with the local community outside. So so so awesome. Stop by after a hike or a day on the water. read more

Possibly the best shave ice I've had, was really good! Pretty fast service, was quick and easy. Got coconut pina colada and strawberry with condensed milk. Definitely recommend adding the condensed milk it makes the texture really nice. If you're in the area great place, great post hike spot down the street from koko head read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - Shave ice cream - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Shave ice was solid but the customer service is honestly mediocre. I'm sure sassy students are cheap to hire, but it brings down the value of what you have to offer as a business. Inside seemed like it hasn't been cleaned in a while with a sticky floor. Not many options for shave ice on this side so I guess you get what you can get. read more

A small shop in the heart of Hawaii Kai, known from visits of the former President Obama and other celebrities like Justin Bieber and others. Wanted to try it since it is quite popular and I was on the area. It's a small shop kinda reminds me of a mom and pop shop. The smoothie I took was okay nothing special that would stand out just regular. It's okay but I dont see myself going back again. read more

Solid shave ice spot! I got a small with an ice cream and sat outside near the harbor and it was a great experience. Once I ordered, it was promptly made. It was just a walk-in order and take outside type of restaurant. Apparently Obama ordered here which was cool. read more

Fell in on this place purely by accident after hiking koko head. If there's anything I love it's a non touristy legit spot and this place delivered. It appears that Justin Bieber has been here and that almost made me take off a star lol. I'm kidding of course but this place is the real deal. If you're in the area definitely give it a try read more

Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks - Shave ice - Candy Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Came here after hiking Koko Head for a refreshing treat. I got the açaí bowl, which only comes in a double size or larger, which was way too big for me to finish. The shaved ice was very cheap and pretty good though. read more