Wow. So good. We live in San Jose but will be driving to San Francisco just to go to powder every other weekend!

I've never heard of this spot before until my friend told me about it. I've eaten shaved ice before, but never had I tasted shaved snow this tasty! It has a nice smooth shaved ice cream like texture with an explosive amount of flavor! It's put in these eco-friendly recycled cups with a good portion of toppings and shaved snow. They don't have the most options of flavor but a huge list of toppings! The shop is quite small but expected being an SF shop. That also means that there isnt really a lot of space to sit down and eat your delicious dessert. Parking is street parking and hard to find spots because of many popular mom and pop shops around. I would come back here to get more desserts :] read more

I have mixed feelings about this being a guy. On one hand I like the shaved snow ice as it was so fluffy, but on the other hand fluffy equates to a lot of air in its place - and the cup sizes are fairly small for what you get. Each topping is .50 extra but you do get a free waffle cookie per cup. Cream topping should have been included for the base price. I like the matcha flavor, but prefer the soft serve at Macha Love. The Vietnamese coffee tasted a little light to me, but is fine. Looks like they made it from Cafe Du Monde canned coffee (available in Little Saigon marts in San Jose for $6) The skinny girls can rave about this treat and instagram to their content. I'm a SnoZen / Meet Fresh portion kind of guy so I'm checking this off my list and moving on. read more

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When I first read about "shaved snow" with delicious toppings, I knew I had to try it. The popularity of it concerned us as people like to line up for hours but there were only a half dozen people in line when we got there (but another 10 showed up while we were waiting!) Depending on the people in the line, it could move quickly or not but once you place your order, you should get your ice cream quick. Ideally, choose your ice cream flavour and toppings while waiting to get to the cash to speed things up! (there's a wall listing all the options so you can peruse while you wait). There's a few options of ice cream flavours, along with about 10 to 12 toppings, ranging from fruit to chocolate and sugary sweet candy-types. You get a sundae-like ice cream type of dessert that instead of creamy ice cream is more like ice cream meets snow cone. It has a bit of a milky texture that also melts almost immediately like ice. It's an interesting and tasty treat. We definitely enjoyed this unique dessert, but between the line-up potential and our preference for more creamy ice cream (compared to the ice style), I'm not sure we'll be back for this particular treat. There's definitely a novelty in the toppings and flavours, such as black sesame, horchata, and Vietnamese coffee so if you're inclined towards something like that, this might be for you, but we tend to prefer the standards you'd find at most froyo places, so the appeal is mostly lost on us. read more

1st time here and we ordered the following: -Black Sesame w/ sweet milk glaze and mochi (good if the black sesame taste stronger) -Matcha Green Tea w/ milk glaze and mochi (good) *Friendly Servers read more

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I had my doubts, having had the OG shaved snow in Taiwan....but Powder delivered. They did a great job with the sesame and green tea flavors; didn't taste fake at all. And the combination bowls with toppings that they create for you are on point. Definitely coming back again. read more

Powder - Sesame with mochi. Green tea with Oreos and strawbs - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

SO BOMB. I went yesterday and I contemplated for about an hour before I got on the muni if I should stop by again. It's sooo good and the price point is just about right. I got the Ube flavor with milk glaze (which I'm pretty sure is condensed milk). It is a little on the sweeter side but that suits my preference. There's another dessert place similar to this in San Diego that I go to called iceskimo, that used to be my favorite Asian shaved ice place but now Powder is... However, it can get a little expensive if you like to add excessive toppings but if you're in the area and craving dessert this place should satisfy that. They have a nice variety of flavors and toppings. The inside is small, only fits about 13 people as stated on their max capacity sign. read more

Powder serves Taiwanese shaved ice, which isn't my dessert de jour. lst place i've seen that had their ice shaving machine in the open. others shavers have their "machines" or whatever behind drapes in another room. shave ice flavors: horchata, black sesame seed, vietnamese coffee, srawberry reg. (4.5) lg (5.5) toppings: 20 choices. 50 or .75 cents eats: black sesame seed with chocolate glaze (5+ tax) -chocolate actually just a drizzle over the top -shaved ice so smooth, like snow. -waffle chip was nice -powder aftertaste, probably why this place is called "powder" take aways: -was asked my name, told cashier it didn't matter, i was the only one there. -no seating inside, outside had some tables. -assume all flavors are powder infused. so not a fan. shaved ice was really nice, no icy chill down my spine as happens in other places (snowflake?) read more

This place is delicious! It's tasty and really aesthetic!! All of the flavors are great but my personal favorite is the black sesame with mochi and condensed milk! Will definitely come again! read more

Powder - Black Sesame with Sweet Milk Glaze and Mochi ($5.50) - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

The store is small but it's cute inside. There isn't much seating and gets crowded quick, so it would be hard to eat there. The shaved ice/ice cream was very light but was still flavorful. I had the matcha and it had the right amount of sweetness. It was really good and was a good portion. Also it was kind of entertaining watching the workers make the shaved ice! The black sesame looks interesting and I would definitely try it in the future. read more

Powder - The menu inside - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I visited this shop while doing some sightseeing at Painted Ladies last Saturday afternoon. I like how this shop offers unique flavors such as ube, horchata, black sesame, and vietnamese coffee. I ordered ube shaved ice with toppings, strawberries and mochi. The shaved ice tasted smooth and creamy. The mochi was chewy, milky, and delicious while the strawberries were fresh and sweet. I appreciated how the shop had a constant flow of customers going in and out but not a line or crowd. I also got my order quickly, so I am happy with the efficiency of this shop. read more

*** In Short *** One of your best bets for shaved snow in the city, hipster SF tax or not. *** In Depth *** As a Taiwanese person, shaved snow was something I yearned for for years, until it started slowly making its way into the US. And even then, as with most things Asian, SoCal got it first, and even THEN, after SF finally had some options, they all... well, kind of sucked. Enter Powder, one of recent additions to the Haight, serving up what I consider more Americanized shaved snow (both in terms of flavors and toppings), with the classic SF twist: organic and locally sourced ingredients. How do they fare? Well, this still ain't no Taiwanese shaved snow, and SoCal (and parts of the South Bay) still do it better, but it's certainly the best I've tried in SF thus far, getting both that fluffy and creamy texture pretty on point, while maintaining some great flavor (which is where most places are lacking). And, honestly, the prices aren't really that bad, when it comes down to it: yes, you're paying a bit more than you would for the equivalent elsewhere, but the hipster tax isn't nearly as much as you'd imagine it to be. ***Accessibility Info*** Venue - They're a small shop, meant mostly just to order at, with a decently sized and mostly accessible parklet right out front that you can sit at. Otherwise, seating inside the shop is comprised of an entire single bench by the main window. Bathroom - Didn't use them, but I also don't think they had a publicly accessible one. read more

Came here on a Friday night around 7pm, ecstatic they were not sold out and also no line! Big easy: Vietnamese coffee with sweet milk glaze, tcho chocolate, and almonds. This combination was delicious. It was not too bitter and not too sweet with a perfect crunch from the almonds. Horchata: I decided to get this with sweet milk glaze and Mochi, my favorite toppings from the list. Horchata was enjoyable, but not as good as the big easy. I would also not choose these toppings with Horchata flavored shaved snow, it was not the best together. Matcha Green Tea: My friend and I decided to get this with Tcho chocolate and almonds because we really enjoyed these toppings on the Big Easy. We were disappointed, the Matcha green tea flavor was not very strong and the combination with the toppings was also not what we hoped it would be. Service was great, highly recommend the Big Easy. Definitely choose your toppings wisely because it will make a big difference with the shaved snow! read more

Powder - Big easy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've had some shaved ice places in the area, and they're in general pretty good. I thought this one fell a little flat with its flavor. We got the Vietnamese coffee flavor, but I thought it could have used a tiny bit more sugar. We even got the sweet milk glaze, but it still didn't taste like much. They also charge per the topping, so it can definitely add up if you want multiple toppings. This place has a tendency to run out really fast, so don't come here too late otherwise you might miss out. read more

Cute almost-hole-in-the-wall shaved snow in Lower Haights! I tried their Vietnamese Coffee with mochi. The flavors were a little watered down, which is why I usually prefer shaved ice over shaved snow. The waffle cookie was delicious though! Each topping is $0.50 additional to the shaved ice (regular - $4.50; large - $5.50). I think this is another one of the hyped up dessert places in SF, meaning people come here more for the experience than for the food. The shop is small and can only fit probably 10 people. There are a few small tables outside but most people end up just standing because Diversadero is a busy street. Limited parking nearby. read more

Powder - Regular size viet coffee with mochi ($5) - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

We came on the Tuesday after their grand opening and were pleasantly surprised! I have had Hawaiian shaved ice and Taiwanese shaved snow before, but Powder is in its own category. It is neither chippy like shaved ice nor sheet-like like Taiwanese shaved snow. I agree with other reviewers who said Powder is a cross between shaved snow and ice cream...except without the guilt of ice cream (at least that's what I'm telling myself). There was no line on a weekday evening right after work, and I'm hoping it stays that way because parking in the area is already a challenge. We decided to build our own instead of getting one of the S'nome Picks - there were so many toppings to choose from! I loved the concoction I created and was sad when it was all gone...but all the more reason to come back soon and try one of the S'nomes. The staff is super friendly and the space is clean and bright. There is barely any seating other than a bench by the window that seats 3-4. Tip: Yelp pictures made the regular size look small, but trust me, it's big enough for most. read more

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The shop itself is pretty small and there isn't really any seating except for a small bench. The staff here was really friendly. We had a hard time deciding on a flavor as they all sounded amazing but they recommended the Valencia and it was bomb! The Valencia is their horchata snow, came with a sweet milk glaze, cinnamon sugar, tcho nibs, a waffle cone cookie, and we substituted the sliced almonds for mochi. A little pricey for the amount you get but that won't stop me from coming back. read more

Powder - Horchata snow - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

The ice cream is the best and the staff is the sweetest. Love coming here with my family and enjoying the shaved snow and great flavors

Tiny shop with fast service. My boyfriend and I came here before a quick walk to the top of buena vista. He had the black sesame, and I got the strawberry. Both delicious and super quick, despite the line. Sizes are pretty hefty compared to most dessert places in the city. We could have split a regular and been fine. read more

Powder - Strawberry with sweet milk sauce and mochi. - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Is it ice cream?? Is it shaved ice?? Both??? They use a big shave ice machine that grinds an entire block of ice, but use already flavored blocks of ice, so maybe watered down ice cream blocks? Idk and I don't really care. They way its made makes it light which alleviated the guilt I usually get when I bloat after eating a serving of ice cream. I don't remember exactly what I ordered, but it was the horchata ice cream with cinnamon and almonds and other things I don't remember, but it was SO GOOD. Extremely creamy, which surprised me because I thought it would be more ice-y like traditional shaved ice. Would recommend to everyone!! read more

the shaved ice cream here is so good and so refreshing to have instead of a full on ice cream scoop. the smaller size is only like $5 - we got the horchata flavor with mochi on top. it was so good without drying your mouth out and making you super thirsty. read more

Delicious shaved snow!! I guy it delivered and though the snow was pretty packed into the container, it was still light in texture and refreshing. Ended up getting the cereal and black sesame and would recommend getting both! read more

My new favorite dessert place and I'm wondering why I didn't know about it sooner! I am a huge fan of bingsu because of how creamy yet light it is, and that is basically the type of shaved ice they sell here. The flavors are frozen into ice blocks and shaved as-is, so unlike typical shaved ice where it's chunky and syrup-y, you get flavor in every bite. And you get to pick from a ton of flavors and toppings and really make it your own. read more

Mmmmm who doesn't love ice cream in the form of soft powdery snow :D I pass this place so often and there's always a huge line of people and I finally got to see what the hype was all about! We came with 4 people so I got to try 4 different flavors - horchata, matcha green tea, black sesame and vietnamese coffee. They also have strawberry! The menu is super simple, just those 5 flavors and around 10 different toppings to add. While simple, the flavors were all soooo unique and I liked all of them! I highly recommend the matcha green tea it was everyone's favorite - really smooth and you can totally taste the real matcha in it. I feel like I could have eaten the matcha forever! The Vietnamese coffee was probably the strongest flavor out of them all but it tasted just like a vietnamese coffee in ice cream form! The horchata was really light and smooth but didn't pack a powerful taste on its own, I still really enjoyed it! No matter what, you won't go wrong with a stop here to satisfy your sweet tooth craving. The shaved snow flavors are so unique and so delicious - the hype is real!! read more

Powder - My horchata snow ice with raspberries! - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

A delicious alternative to ice cream! This is pretty new and they have a lot of different snow flavors. I got the sesame snow and it was very light and fluffy. However, the sesame flavor wasn't as strong as I would have liked it to be. I also got the TCHO chocolate topping and the bitter chocolate paired well with the snow. It was somewhat pricey as well, but the serving size is really big. It also comes with a waffle cookie! read more

Powder - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Delicious! "Shared" a large with my husband: matcha green tea and black sesame topped with adzuki red bean and mochi. I say shared bc I pretty much ate the whole thing. The shaved ice is a mixture of milk and ice so it's a bit creamy, therefore we decided to forgo condensed milk topping. Heavy black sesame flavor, very matcha green tea flavor and sweet red bean. Chewy mochi just like you'd find in a froyo shop. Toppings on the side and not mixed in. No sampling. Service was meh but the shaved ice was just what I wanted. read more

Came here on a Sunday afternoon, to satisfy my dessert cravings. 5 stars for the quality, we had horchata and banana&coconut. To be honest, my I did not expect it to be that good. The ice is very fine and flavorful. It literally melts in your mouth. 3 stars for the price, we had two regular cups with one topping on each (Oreo is overrated, Mochi is the best!) For a little less than 11 bucks for both. I find it too expensive for a shaved ice with flavor. 4 star for the ambience, they have an outdoor seating which I find cool, but not so cool after since they occupy the street parking. The store is pretty small and gets too crowded with 4-5 people in line. It should have been a 3.5 stars but since no restroom available either, 3 stars is my final verdict. read more

So after dinner, it's only natural to go get dessert. Powder is relatively a new dessert spot, basically a small spot where 4 people standing will feel crowded already. They have a easy menu to select from, on the wall right as you take a step in. I tried the black sesame (Large $5.50) with milk glaze ($.50) and mochi ($.50). The process don't take long and comes in a biodegradable cup. The presentation is appealing and you definitely get a decent amount of mochi. The taste is just delicious and hits the spot after a dinner meal. Overall I wouldn't mind trying this again (frequent buyer program is avail, gotta buy 10), though a bit pricey but definitely satisfying and delicious. read more

Powder - Menu pic as of 02.08.17 - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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So delicious!! Not your conventional type ice cream. Very tasty and airy. Not too sweet either. Had regular size horchata and green tea with milk cream. Perfect balance. Just melts right in your mouth. read more

Powder - Horchata - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The girl at the register couldn't wait to close the store. Once she closed the register, She threw the register money in an envelope up above in hopes it would land in the upper level of a storage area. read more

I had horchata while my two friends had black sesame and Vietnamese coffee. Tasted amazing and will be coming back soon! read more

Powder - Horchata (bottom), black sesame (right), Vietnamese Coffee (left). So good! - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

An interesting take on dessert, but I didn't really like it because it wasn't very flavorful. I got Vietnamese coffee with sweet milk glaze (condensed milk) and Oreos, and the only thing I could taste was the Oreos. And that too, you have to pick up a full Oreo and take a bite out of it because they don't crush them up... so weird. Hopefully they read this and take into consideration how hard it is to eat an Oreo as a "topping" when 3 whole Oreos are simply placed on the side of the cup. The Vietnamese coffee was also very diluted, and it had a very faint flavor, which was disappointing. The horchata one tasted a little stronger, but that was probably due to the cinnamon sprinkled on top. I like the idea of this place but it could definitely use some work. read more

Powder - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

The shaved ice here is a must after dinner! The flavors are incredibly robust and will leave you satisfied and happy. I've tried the Valencia horchata, green tea, and Vietnamese coffee flavors and they are all absolutely amazing. If I had to order one again, it would definitely be either the horchata or Vietnamese. The little Belgian waffle included is a nice finishing touch to a delicious, satisfying dessert. read more

Powder - Valencia horchata - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Favorite dessert place ever and the main reason I chose to drive five hours to sf for my birthday trip. Pls go

The perfect treat or dessert! Powder has an exceptional array of shaved ice options and toppings. Every time I have visited, the servers are friendly and the shaved ice is light and fluffy. My personal favorite is the black sesame flavor with mochi and condensed milk (called sweet milk glaze on the menu). Other notable mentions are the Green Tea and Vietnamese Coffee flavors. Each order comes with a small wafer on the side. The venue is quite small, so be prepared to take your shaved ice outside or to go. read more

We brought the whole family and everyone loved it! The croffles are especially delicious, I would recommend the sweet milk glaze and mochi. The staff was efficient and as our youngest said, "this tastes super professional!" read more

Came here at night, and even though there were people standing outside the shop there wasn't a line to order/pay. Shop is very small so I can imagine it getting really crowded. There's a small bench inside which can maybe sit around 3-4 people, but other than that no indoor seating. Unfortunately they don't offer samples so we had to just order with our gut! We ended up getting the black sesame with a side of mochi. The waffle cookie is complementary. Shaved ice was good but nothing mindblowing or extraordinary. Service was super good though and the people working at the shop were super friendly, welcoming, and thanked us for stopping by as we left. Would come back if I was in the area again, but wouldn't make a special trip out. read more

Powder - black sesame with mochi - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'm a sucker for sweets and powder is by far one of my favorite dessert spots in the city ! I love shaved ice and when I heard Powder was opening in the city, I had to go try it. It's a Taiwanese version of shaved ice and it's super light and fluffy. They have a variety of different flavors and a ton of toppings to go with it. My go to is definitely the black sesame with sweet milk glazed, mochi & their seasonal fruits. It also comes with a waffle cookie for free ! The black sesame is not too sweet but full of flavor ! A spot to get a quick bite of dessert and it's easy to carry around, but there's not a lot of seats to just chill besides the benches outside since the place is quite small. But definitely highly recommended as a must try ! read more

Powder - Black sesame shaved ice with sweet milk glaze, mochi, blueberries & a waffle cookie. - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

A must-visit on Divis! Just went to Powder's brand new location close to Alamo Square and this is my favorite new dessert!! It's lighter than normal ice cream (makes Bi-Rite seem overly dense and too creamy by comparison). Very refreshing and great toppings like condensed milk and mochi mmm :) My friend from Michigan said it's like eating fresh powdered snow, but with fun SF-flavors like Vietnamese Coffee and Black Sesame. Make sure to try the Horchata if they have it! Check it out before the city's food bloggers make this place too crowded! And say Hi to owners Mimi and David, they're super friendly and give good topping recommendations. read more

Powder - Powder on Divisidero - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'm a sucker for shaved snow and Powder is quiet excellent! I've been craving this since I moved from New York and am glad I found this place! Staff were really friendly and answered our questions regarding flavors. Black sesame and matcha are the two most popular flavors- I ended up getting the seasonal flavor (cereal snow) with mochi and sweet milk while my friend got the black sesame with mochi. Each shaved snow comes with a waffle cone chip, which we liked since we could get a taste of a waffle cone without feeling too guilty of eating a whole waffle cone. Loved how the black sesame wasn't too sweet- I like anything black sesame flavored that way and the staff in fact usually recommend that you add the sweet milk topping with it to give it a bit more sweetness if you want it (we liked it without). Cereal snow was pretty sweet, but thankfully not sickeningly sweet (like some other places do)- you probably don't need the sweet milk topping if you have the cereal snow flavor. Light and fluffy, you definitely don't feel too heavy after eating a regular-sized cup of this snow. Mochi was also light and not too sweet. Perhaps because we came during the winter the fruits aren't as seasonal, but would be great if there were a few more fruit topping options- will just have to check in during the summer to see! Shaved snow / bingsoo fans in SF, you are in luck- Powder is a place you ought to try to satisfy your craving read more

Powder - Black sesame with mochi (one of the most popular flavors) Cereal snow with mochi and sweet milk sauce - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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