Rainbow Shave Ice Kauai

Best burgers/food around. Came up looking for good food and this was the spot. Better than the…read moresushi spots, seafood spots, or pubs around, best food. Just don't lean on the owners truck like my dumb**s did. Be respectful and the owner will treat you right to the best burger you ever had. 12/10 would recommend to anyone comin here for vacation.

One of the best burgers I've ever had! The service was excellent, and the atmosphere was just as…read moreimpressive. Great food, friendly staff, and an awesome vibe I'll definitely be coming back.

Walking on the road from the beach to nawiliwili bar

Smittyaki burger

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Kauai Burger

Shaka Burgers Hawaii

4.9(137 reviews)

0.0 mi

One of these best burgers I've ever had, and the service was amazing. Ordering was super easy, and…read morethe food came out super quick. Highly recommend to everyone.

Another husband-wife duo! Delicious, juicy burgers. Always hot and fresh!…read more Not too sure if they make their burger Pattie's themselves. If they do, that's always an even more Plus! But hands down, always a good choice when you want a juicy, dirty burger. Extra napkins, always a must!

Shaka Burgers

Yakuza burger with fries!

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Shaka burger

Rainbeau Jo's

4.9(665 reviews)

1.1 mi

amazing food, customer service, and staff members! it's a beautiful shop in Lihue that is so…read morewelcoming! I've been dreaming about their delicious bagels, cinnamon rolls, and coffee! 10/10!!

Arrived at this place on an early Friday morning to grab some coffee. Street parking was relatively…read moreeasy since we got a spot right in front. Immediately entering the store we were greeted by the cashier (which I'm presuming is the owner) welcoming us in. The overall feel and vibe of the shop was clean and accommodating for people to sit and relax. I ordered the caramel haze with oat milk which totalled around $9. The tasted really sweet and the texture was perfect. Generally with oat milk drinks it can be sometimes powdery but I believe the ice cream helped make drink overall creamy. If you're visiting Kauai and have a few minutes for some coffee after arriving, this is a perfect first coffee place to check out!

JIMMY PESTO - EVERYTHING BAGEL

Iced AMERICANO - 16oz (2 SHOTS)

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NAPALI NECTAR - 16oz MOCHA - 16oz (2 SHOTS) SLEEPY GIANT

Kauai Boba & Barbeque

4.6(210 reviews)

2.0 mi

I was determined to have a plate lunch in Hawaii. Wanted to get to zippy's, a Hawaiian fast food…read more No car and on cruise which gave limited hours in port So happy to find this food truck and finally get my plate Its was a short distance from an elegant beach and a world of difference. None the less, I had enough grilled chicken to feed a family, 2scoops of rice and really yummy pasta salad Did the trick, on the list, had it and enjoyed it

This is a great place but it looks like it's closed? They say they'll be closed until. May 20th,…read moretoday is June 20th!

Blowing sea breeze drinking ices you feel you know ............

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Barbecue beef bowl with broccoli, carrot, onion, and peas

The Musubi Truck

4.7(389 reviews)

8.5 mi

Not only was the food amazing but the service and vibe was outstanding aswell! We ordered the og…read moremusuvi and the bomb musubi

The Musubi Truck is a must visit for anyone visiting Kauaʻi. There are a few parking stalls in…read morefront with street parking nearby, plus covered picnic tables with misting fans that make waiting in the summer heat a bit more comfortable. There's even a small merch booth to browse while your food is being made. We waited about 20 minutes, but the staff were incredibly friendly, and it was well worth it. I ordered the Lifeguard Bento, which comes with the OG fried Spam musubi, truffle tater tots, choice of poke (I got spicy mayo), and rice for $20. The fried Spam musubi was so good that I'm not sure I can eat musubi any other way now. I also thought the truffle tater tots were an odd choice to offer at first, but they ended up being some of the best tots I've ever had, and the portion was generous. The spicy mayo poke was fresh and flavorful, making the whole plate a pretty solid value. This is one spot I'll definitely be coming back to every time I come back.

Deep Fried OG

Local Style poke - a bit salty but still got 4.5 stars. Dragonfruit slushee - I thought the flavor syrup they used was way too sweet.

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Chicken katsu musubi deliciousness

The Fish Express

4.4(1.2k reviews)

1.6 mi

The moment my husband and I landed, we wanted to get the vacay going by looking up where to eat…read more Based on the time we landed we noticed alot of places closes by 8pm.The Fish Express was close to where we were at and they were closing at 4. We were there around noon and it is amazing to see that most of their fish were gone, I knew that was a sign that this spot was gonna be good! The fish express offers ready to go foods, hot food, and also fresh fish like a fish market! My husband and I always just get the poke and this time we tried ahi shoyu poke, ahi maui onion poke, ahi spicy poke with crab, and sliced tako. They don't have a seating place everyone either ate it outside the store or in their car. The poke... cuts like butter! When it cuts like you know you picked a good spot! There's something about getting the first bite at the start of your vacation that kick starts the day, time, and the vacation. Getting the right eats makes a person remember that special place and since it was our first time in Kauai, finding The Fish Express and eating one of the best pokes really set the mood to our vacation and I can't wait to go back!

Thor little spot was great!! Fish was pretty fresh! They…read moresell everything per lb and they options for poke bowls also. They have toppings à la carte. It's pretty reasonably priced, If I had more time I would have gone back for more! And they were super friendly also.

Inside

One of the best poke spots!

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Tuna Sashimi and Unagi bento

Kikuchi's

4.8(253 reviews)

318.0 mi

Open during covid November 2020 Friday, I thought they were going to retire, so I was delighted to…read moresee the crimson truck from Kalapaki beach! The consistency of this two man band is incredible and appreciated especially during a pandemic! Kudos aside, the ginger chicken karaage bao wrap is one of the most delicious menu items on the island. I live here so this is no one visit in a lifetime review. It's best had on the spot as the ethereal bao wrap melts in your mouth but also in your hands after about 20 minutes. Get the salad the greens are impeccable and the homemade dressing/sandwich topping delightful. Lemon honey ginger

For an island treat head on to Kikuchi's food truck by the airport! We stopped here for a bite to…read moreeat before our helicopter tour and we were so glad we chose this instead of the restaurants in the shopping center. FOOD: amazing flavors made with the freshest ingredients! The pulled pork was super tender and bursting with smoky flavors and the fresh made bun was excellent! Now for the vegetarian option I had the island garden sushi wrap that looked like the Hawaiian rainbow! Loved the purple sweet potatoes and the salad! Everything was so fresh and tasty! I highly recommend this food truck and skip the restaurant row and other touristy restaurants nearby! Your taste buds will thank you!

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Pulled pork sandwich bun!

Thai Street Food

4.1(271 reviews)

1.5 mi

I ate some of the best Thai food at Anatta's Thai food truck in Lihue, Kauai (the Ace Hardware…read moreStore location). Their location at the end of the parking lot has a few plastic picnic tables, plenty of parking, and lots of locals (human and feathered) enjoying the food. The menu has something for everyone, and you can customize with your choice of proteins, veggies, or tofu. I chose the pad see ew with veggies for $15.95, a very generous portion loaded with beautiful fresh vegetables. The red curry with beef for $16.95 was beautifully aromatic with tender slices of beef and plenty of bamboo shoots and cabbage. A chicken thigh skewer for $4.75 was succulent, perfectly seared and a must! Three tender skewers of chicken satay for $7.95 with the best Thai peanut sauce I've ever tasted. I got 2 veggie summer rolls for the plane ride back to the mainland, which were the perfect red eye food packed with fresh veggies and with a sweet chili sauce side. Any return trips to Kauai will definitely include a stop at Anatta's :)

I would usually give Thai Street Food 5 plus stars! My go-to is always the tofu Pad Tha: it's…read morenormally delicious, worth the price, and beyond! Unfortunately, over the past 2-3 months, the tofu just hasn't tasted the same. It seems less seasoned or marinated and comes across oily instead of blending into the dish like it used to. I really hope they bring the old tofu preparation back! For now, I'm settling at 4 stars: which is still very competitive with most restaurants on Kauai.

Food truck (Thai Street Food)

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Uncle D’s BBQ

4.9(94 reviews)

2.0 mi

Talk about the Aloha Spirit!…read more I'm only in town for the day until our ship leaves this afternoon. Walking through the town of Lihue I found this store and wouldn't you know it! They have exactly what I was hoping to find somewhere, Disc Golf equipment! Then I find that the store is closed today! This is a shared operation with a Barbecue business and the other half being Disc Golf. Well, it turns out that staffing issues had occurred and the only one staff member there was running the barbecue. Bummer. The Mrs ended up knocking on the closed doors and the proprietor came to see what she wanted. She explained I was hoping for some discs for my son who is an avid player, and as luck would have it, he stopped cooking long enough to help me purchase a couple of discs! Oh man that was so cool, plus he knew his stuff and helped me pick out two top quality discs. I got two drivers. One initial driver and a custom design fairway driver that they designed! At 171 for their custom disc, and 167 gr. for the other, these two will be seeing some use when we hit the mainland. While we're doing this, ah, the smell of the food started wafting over, but he was not nearly ready yet to start serving. I appreciate so much how this gentleman went out of his way to help a tourist pick out some gifts, when clearly he needed to be in the other side of the business managing his barbecue. Thanks Uncle D's You Rock!

Located in a small retail space on the first floor of the Harbor Mall, Uncle D's BBQ is a…read morecombination BBQ, retail beer, and disc golf equipment retailer. My wife and I were staying very close by, so we made it a point to visit it during our week long stay in Kauai. The concept and beer selection was great, but the food tasted no different from what one would get from a cafeteria. It's important to check their hours when their food is offered, since it differs from their open hours. Currently food hours are 10:30 - 14:30, W-Sa (opening one hour earlier on Saturday). We came on Friday, and walked around the mall until their kitchen opened. It wasn't too busy yet, so was able to order and pay. While waiting, added two cans of alcohol, at which time the food was ready. Brought everything out to the common outdoor tables that can be used for dining. There is a large choice of local beers in cans, and we chose two: Lanikai Brewing Company's Pualani Sour Ale ($6) and Paradise Ciders (Honolulu HI)'s Lei'd Back Lilikoi ($3.50). Both were good, and would absolutely use this store to buy local beers to take back home in the future. Both of us love brisket, so got the brisket sandwich a la carte for $18.99, and added a side of cole slaw ($3) and Mac Salad ($3). It was a medium sandwich to begin with (used a hoagie type soft bun), but with so much bbq sauce mixed with the chopped brisket, it became more of a bbq sauce sandwich. The sauce itself was good, and the chopped brisked seemed OK, but the ratio was way off. The sides were OK with small portions. For $24.99, should have gotten better...even in a tourist area of Hawaii.

Shared outdoor dining area

Bbq chicken mac and cheese boat

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Menu

Sunrise Coffee

4.3(437 reviews)

2.1 mi

amazing coffee!! first time coming here and will be coming back sooo good! i never leave reviews…read moreeither!

Sweet spot on lovely people with yummy coffees ext... Might…read morebe a bit more of parking issue if they are busy but manageable. Lots of seating even undercover if it's raining. We will be back So worth the stop.

Santa slay latte

Iced ube cookie latte

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Area next to donuts

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Marisa R.

0

1

1 year ago

I visited this shave ice truck with my family on our first visit to Oahu together. The owner went above and beyond to make sure we were happy with our orders! I tried the mixed berry, lemon, and lilikoi syrups with the condensed milk and coconut foam. It was SO delish! I thought I wasn't a shaved ice girl until I tried Rainbow Shave Ice Kauai. Plus the truck was so cute for pictures! I highly recommend you try this place!! read more

Ashley S.

0

1

0

8 months ago

Definitely stop here if you are looking for a shave ice. Wonderful and friendly service and this is easily the best shave ice I have during my 2 week vacation to Hawaii. The flavor is so fresh and not artificial tasting at all! read more

Karissa W.

0

1

0

10 months ago

Best shave ice we've had on the island! The fresh fruit put it over the top! The only thing better than the dessert was the super friendly customer service! We will be back! read more

Megan M.

0

1

0

7 months ago

Such good shaved ice, good shareable size, and beautiful too!!!! I also love that the syrups are made from real fruit. Would come here again and again!!! read more

Rainbow Shave Ice Kauai - shavedice - Updated September 2026

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The Good Stuff Shave Ice

4.8

(41 reviews)

Step away from Jojo's and come here! You won't regret it…read more Absolutely delicious, with fresh fruit syrups you can see some pulp in. The owner makes them fresh every morning. No dyes so you can see the natural color. Best shave ice on the island, by far!

We hit a minimum of one shave ice every day (sometimes 2 or 3!) in Hawaii and this trip to Kauai…read moreall 7 of us agreed this was the best we found. The Ube flavor was so creamy and delicious. The stand is small and they are made one at a time, but that's ok. It's a small truck in a parking lot, and that's ok. It feels like a homemade specialty treat. I wish we could have gotten another, but we are back on the mainland

Hee Fat General Store

4.6

(413 reviews)

I think this had to be my favorite shaved ice on the island. I got a POG, and the flavor was so…read morespot on and tasted so much like the actual fruit. The portion size was also so generous. There's a parking lot around the back and a beach a block away to enjoy your shaved ice.

We've been going to Hee Fat for shave ice for nearly two decades. It used to be our favorite place…read morefor shave ice, mostly for the high quality syrups. But it both hasn't kept up with some of the more creative offerings at other shave ice places, and the quality was lower on our most recent trip (June 2026). Here are the rankings of the shave ice places from our last trip: Kauai Shave Ice Rankings 2026 1. (Tied) North Shore Bowls in Kilauea - very enjoyable and creative pre-designed flavor combos, nice fluffy ice, good ice cream, flavorful syrups 1. (Tied) Wailua Shave Ice - very enjoyable and creative pre-designed flavor combos, delicious toppings, very good ice texture and ice cream; too light on the syrup for one of our two trips 3. Wishing Well in Hanalei - good fluffy ice and really flavorful natural syrups; downside is it's very crowded (always!) and pretty basic 4. JoJo's in Hanalei - this is a standard shave ice place; ice was a bit compact and icy, but the syrup was plentiful (maybe too much, if you can believe that, for our one visit) and the ice cream was both generous and good 5. Hee Fat in Kapaa - great flavors but the syrup was light coverage, and the ice cream seemed gummy/freezer burned, ice was decent texture; used to be our favorite in Kauai in years past, but it hasn't kept up with other places and maybe the quality has gone down hill 6. Honu Shave Ice in Kapaa - syrup was very light, almost nonexistent on one of our shave ices, ice was clumpy/chunky, ice cream was really minimal, flavors were decent

Sunskai Shave Ice

5.0

(16 reviews)

Came here after spending time in Waimea Canyon State Park. Very friendly and patiently explain…read moreflavors to our party of 10. Flavors were phenomenal, especially the ones they made in house. I especially enjoyed how vibrant the dragonfruit syrup was. Got to try the pineapple, haupia, ube, li hing mui. Mochi balls see more like Chinese tangyuan than the ones you see at frozen yogurt places stateside, which I enjoyed. Hands down best overall shave ice place I've been to. All natural and not just sugar dyed ice.

Sunskai Shave Ice was recommended to us by the locals and it didn't disappoint! The service was…read moresuper friendly and warm. The flavors were all delicious! My family's favorite on the island! Highly recommend!

Aloha Shave Ice

5.0

(6 reviews)

A new venture for this truck business and they're doing it up right! Super friendly service…read more Delicious shave ice at half the price in Lihue. We shared one with lychee, pineapple and watermelon and of course added on vanilla ice cream with cream topping. Can't wait to return to try the melona.

Was looking for shave ice after spending the day at the beach and came across this little truck…read morelocated in what looks like a food truck parking lot. Husband and I ordered a shave ice each and the price was good as it seemed the same as other spots around the island. One thing different is that the portion is much much bigger than other places we've tried. Also the scoop of ice cream I asked for wasn't just a tiny scoop, but a large portion of ice cream. We each asked for 3 flavors and it was also drizzled with coconut cream. One of the flavors that I had was Melona (melon), which reminded me of the Melona ice cream bars at the Asian Markets. Was hot the day we got it, so it was melting fast, but not to worry, we had the straw and it because a nice slushy drink. Highly recommend stopping by here to try. Park in the little lot next to this food truck lot. We parked across the street and it was hard to cross with all the traffic.

Riptides Shave Ice & Snacks

4.8

(191 reviews)

Right off the beach, there's a little shaved ice truck. It's got great flavors of real fruit syrup…read moreand classic syrup. They also sell other items--it all sounds so tempting and refreshing in the hot, humid weather! Got the guava and mango real fruit syrups. I'm a super big fan of the guava!! It's sweet, but like juice sweet, not pure sugar sweet. The ice melts fast, but knowing that, they give you a straw. I'd come back!

This was right across from Lawa'i beach and it was very very popular. The service was friendly but…read morethey were definitely on island time. I didn't mind waiting - stood there and enjoyed the nice ocean breeze! I ordered the coconut cream and guava plus a snowcap. I decided to go with the organic syrups but they also have the more traditional flavors too. In addition to shave ice, they also sell snacks. Compared to some of the other shave ice places, I felt like the syrup was more on the sweeter side ... most people don't mind that but for me, I like it less sweet so it tastes more like "natural" sweet. Don't get me wrong though, I ate the whole thing! I would definitely get this place again if I was in the area! Highly recommend!

Longies Shave Ice & Treats

4.4

(38 reviews)

Hanapēpē is Hawaii's biggest little town and was once the capital of Kaua'i, once bustling with a…read morebusy harbor, train station and military base. Today, it's a sleepy town with art galleries, restaurants, gift shops and auto parts stores. Nestled in the corner of a former hotel and brothel is Longies. Offering refreshing and delicious (and legal) delights, it's somewhat of an oasis in a hot and dry region. On this visit, I had the Longies special, which is a bed of vanilla ice cream with shave ice flavored with Blue Hawaii, haupia (Hawaiian coconut pudding) and ube. There's also a vanilla cold cream cap on top of the shave ice. The place is family run with parents and their kids serving you with nothing but genuine West Side aloha. Ignore the reviews on other sites that say it's "lightly flavored water." This place is great.

Fantastic treat! Friendly staff. Delicious. Glad we stopped! Would totally go back.read more

The Green General

4.7

(40 reviews)

shave ice was really good. wanna try the acai bowls next time. friendly staff, flavors would good…read more would come again.

If you love The Green, shave ice, and happen to be Kauai..this place is for you! I love how they…read moreplay the Green inside as well. Service was okay.

Jojo's Shave Ice

4.3

(274 reviews)

While planning our trip and going through Hawaii's best magazines to see what was ranked best for…read moreeach category and all the runner ups, Jojo's shave ice was recommended not only from Hawaii's best magazines, but also by so many people on youtube. There are different locations of Jojo's shave ice and we were lucky that there was one by our hotel! There was no line and we shared a a lilo and stitch (red raspberry and blue raspberry) with li hing mui and vanilla ice cream! The shave ice was super soft, and the syrups were not sweet! The staff were super friendly and the service was fast.

In the coconut shopping area, there is a little hut with icy desserts. We came over as the shopping…read morearea is close to our hotel. It has many gift shops, a grocery and restaurants. The center also has some entertainment, and our main reason for the visit was the hula and fire dance that was put on by a local hula school. Jojo's has many shaved ice options with ice and ice cream and many flavor syrup options. We had the tropical breeze, and it had tropical syrups and ice cream covered by shaved ice. Two sizes available. We shared a large for the show. Quick service and nice treat location.

Hawaiian Blizzard

4.9

(209 reviews)

My husband grew up visiting his family on Kauai every summer, and having shave ice here was a key…read moredaily event. We incorporated Hawaiian Blizzard shave ice as a part of our wedding reception and it was a lovely way to beat the heat and share a treasured family memory together! Best on the island!

Hawaiian Blizzard shave ice is the best! Aaron's homemade…read moresyrups are the best. Aaron's shave ice stand outside Big Save in Kapaa is the best. Aaron is the best.

Island Treats and Gift Shop

4.7

(79 reviews)