Scandinavian Shave Ice

I've been coming here since 1990 and IMHO, this is the best shave ice in Kona. The flavors are bold, sweet and an absolute taste of Hawaii. The shave ice is snow-soft and fluffy. You can get it with ice cream, and with toppings if you want. I prefer just shave ice as-is. Service was fine. There is usually a line, but it moves fast enough. The location is on the boardwalk, just enjoy it as you walk, or sit by the Kona sign. The tasted coconut ice cream was tasty. Here's the downside: Due to the high cost of Hawaii, high rents, etc., it was $20 with tip for a small shave ice, waffle cone and 2 stickers.

If you are looking for a great shaved ice treat this is your spot. They have tons of flavors and even offer ice cream in the middle. They have soft serve and ice cream flavors. Well worth getting a taste if you’re in the area.

The shave ice is decent, and they do offer some natural flavors. But the vibe is really off. Friendliness is basically nonexistent. We came here twice because the kids wanted to go again—we didn’t. Not once did I see any of the girls working there smile. Even when our daughter’s top-heavy shave ice tipped over in the empty store, the woman who saw it happen didn’t react at all. When we asked for something to clean it up, we were handed napkins from the dispenser—exactly what we were already using to help ourselves.

Not only can you get the best shaved ice in town (yes, even the kind with ice cream in the center), but they also have an incredible selection of local ice creams! My personal favorite is Kona Joy, but the lilikoi cheesecake is a close second! Almost always busy with a line but the staff is fast, friendly and you’ll be enjoying something delicious in no time. As a local I could not recommend this stop enough.

This is on the lower end of shave ice in my opinion after visiting a number of spots on both Oahu and the Big Island. I did appreciate the detail with which our server prepared the shave ice and enjoyed the strawberry flavor, but the Pińa Colada tasted very artificial. The macadamia nut ice cream in the middle was average and the rice mochi bits we added on top were decent. I recommend staying away from coconut flavoring in general, as the fruit seems to be less artificial tasting. There’s free street parking in the alley behind it, but we were there quite late, so it may not be available during the day.

Respectfully, the worst shave ice experience I’ve had visiting Hawaii. Something smells off from the moment you step into the store; there were some questionable sanitation practices with the employees using the same hand unwashed to handle credit cards and the ice. Syrups tasted artificial, and the ice was not finely shaved at all with a tap water taste to it. To their credit, the portion size was quite generous, however, we ended up throwing away most of it due to the reasons mentioned above. Really disappointed given the plethora of awards and good reviews.

Located in the lively Ali‘i Drive shopping area, this popular shave ice stand always has a crowd, so parking can be a bit tricky. But it’s worth it—the selection of flavors and ice cream options is amazing! We tried the Rainbow (small) and a medium size with natural flavors: mango, lychee, and strawberry. Super refreshing and definitely a local favorite.🍧

We came here twice. The shave ice is decent. If you’ve been to Oahu- Matsumoto’s Shave ice is better. That being said, this isn’t Oahu. We did enjoy the shave ice - it is quite expensive. We purchased a large tigers blonde, with the Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream, Snow Capped (sweetened condensed milk) and thoroughly enjoyed it. As well as two other mediums, the same ice cream, just different flavors. There isn’t much seating - like 1-2 tables inside for just a couple people, so we ended up outside just in front of the store. Overall, it is decent and would go back again, but I did feel like it was a bit over priced.

Always friendly, patient servers that are passionate about all the flavors. Volcano is a fun flavor banana ice cream, strawberry swirls, and Oreo cookies. The lilikoi cheesecake ice cream is divine. I typically walk across the street to enjoy my ice cream on the beach next to the palace.

The good: All four of us ordered smalls, because portions of shave ice were huge. The bad: Ended up throwing out most of our shave ice. Ice was coarser than I like. Lots of syrup options that tasted artificial and horrible, at least guava, lychee, and mango did. Mango tasted more like orange. Guava or maybe it was lychee tasted like cough syrup. Hard to tell since none of the flavors tasted like what they were supposed to.

Best Shave Ice on the island! We came here three different times during our stay in Kona. The workers were so nice and the portions are BIG! I think we got lucky because there was never too much of a line. Definitely swing by if you are in Kona town!

Overall Experience: 8.5/10 The shop is located in a busy part of the strip, and parking is tough to find at times unless you are open to pay for parking. The shop is a walk in take out with a few tables on the inside. The service there was good, but wait times can reach up to 15ish minutes if it is super busy but they are typically pretty fast. The Ice: The ice was good, as the flavors were strong, but is very noticeable very syrupy. It felt a little sugary and artificial at times, but it is still perfect on a hot day after the beach. There are a bunch of flavors to choose from for their shaved ice. The ice itself is not as smooth and melty as I would have expected, compared to other shaved ice places I have experienced in the past. The texture was in between a ballpark snowcone and fluffy ice. They have an option to put ice cream in between the ice and it was a perfect addition. There were many different flavors but my favorite was the macadamia nut, as it was a perfect mix of creamy and nutty flavors and the ube which was a rich and has a vibrant purple color. We came back here another time just for their ice cream and not their shaved ice. Overall: This is a great place to cool off at and there will be something for anyone at this shop. I would recommend people to try the ice cream though!

I can't call myself a shave ice connoisseur, but I have been to Matsumotu's in Haleiwa a few times and have sampled similar cold treats in the Caribbean. My spouse and I brought our nephew on his first-ever trip to Hawaii, so I wanted him to sample "real" shave ice. Scandinavian delivered! The selection of flavors is amazing, they offer a variety of toppings and ice cream choices. The staff was helpful and efficient. All three of us ordered the small size, which was huge--most of us struggled to finish and I wish I'd shared. The consistency of the ice is perfectly fine. Lines could quickly become long here, so we knew we were in the right place. The location is conveniently close to the farmer's market and lodging in downtown Kailua. My only critique is that the shave ice was a bit too sweet for my taste, making me think they are pour heavy with the syrup.

When you first walked in, it looks run down and smells like a bathroom in a run down Chinese restaurant. I came across this place after a local recommended it and we couldn't find the original place that we wanted to go to. The experience was horrible. Their shaved ice is like a snow cone, not shaved ice. Service was ok. Run by high school or college students. Would rather any other shaved ice place than here.

The staff were incredibly nice and cracked some jokes at us. I got scared at first because my brother got a small shaved ice and it was MASSIVE. My mom, sister and I ended up sharing a medium Hawaiian Sunset. It was pretty good, but couldn't really tell which flavor was which since they ended up meshing together. The store is pretty small. Has two tables for seating indoors, but very close to the water so you have some nice scenery. It is a bit hard to find parking here, but there is some street parking and a lot out back

Ok there are so so SO many flavors and combinations you could spend an entire day trying to come up with the best combo, but at a certain point you just have to send it! We got one small with li hing, POG, and mai tai and one medium with ube, haupia, kahlua, with a scoop of mud pie ice cream. The ice is very fine and getting a scoop of ice cream in the middle really ties everything together. This wasn't necessarily the best shaved ice we had, but better than most shaved ice we've tried on the mainland and all the assortment of flavors made it fun! The portions are huge, so either size down or make sure to share. There are a couple of small tables to enjoy your treat but the space is a bit tight. The staff are all really friendly, so I'd recommend asking them what they suggest if you're not sure what to get!

Okay, don't sleep on this place. The vanilla and pineapple soft serve was amazing. The POG small shaved ice was also a hit. This was after a long and strenuous 4 mile hike, so this was well deserved. They have li hing powder on the side to top all their yummy desserts. The ambiance is very casual and service was so fast!

Simple and the combination works with a few toppings and ice cream in the middle. Delectable

We got the large shaved ice and share it with 4 people. IT WAS SO GOOD! Make me want to go back, but sadly we did not have time :( the flavors were really good. Also DO NOT FORGET to check in with Yelp and get that 1 free topping, not including the mochi! The girl that served us was really nice. The woman and man were also very nice and friendly, it seemed like they enjoy what they were doing. This place was such a vibe. WOULD VERY RECOMMEND, so refreshing for the sunny weather!

Delicious and creamy ice cream. The shave ice is really good and refreshing on a hot day after the beach. The service was quick and good as well.

Authentic Shave Ice The best. Larger servings and what Hawaii's known for. Skip geckos girls and come here.

Pretty good shaved ice! The ones in Hawaii really are just much better than elsewhere - super soft and perfectly soaked by the syrups. Service here seemed a little impatient, but that didn't faze us too much. The portion sizes are quite large and generous, and my friends and I shared a medium amongst the 3 of us which was the right amount. We just got the POG and pina colada flavors, both of which were good! I liked the POG more but the pina colada was quite an accurate representation of the drink flavor. A good refreshing treat!

Stopped by for some shaved ice while walking along Ali'i Drive. They have so many different flavor options for a basic shaved ice! We ended up choosing strawberry, pineapple, and coconut - great combination. The ice was perfect - nice and fluffy. My only complaint was that the flavors had a bit of that artificial flavor to it that I've never really experienced when having shaved ice, but otherwise it was great! We got a medium, and it was definitely large enough to share between two if you wanted. Staff were super friendly and efficient. A great stop for some shaved ice while strolling around Kona.

Wide variety of syrup flavorings. The small and medium size are HUGE. We prefer ululani though.

Shaved ice was good with big portion sizes. Restaurant had odd smell and seemed run down. Despite this would return.

Came here since Ululani's shaved ice was closed. We got guava, passionfruit and coconut flavors with macnut ice cream, snow capped and mochi. The shaved ice were more like ice flakes. The syrup tasted very artificial. The mochi was hard. I wasn't impressed. I think it's overrated and gets a lot of attention cause it's in a prime busy location. Very tiny space. Lots of tourists. People bringing strollers and blocking the entrance. The line moves quickly. Staff were very efficient. I recommend walking to Ululani's instead.

Authentic Hawaiian shaved ice in Kona with every flavor under the sun as well as a good selection of ice cream! My one tip is to get flavor combos that you know will taste good. If you're not sure, stick with POG... Pineapple Orange and Guava. Check out my pics!

They got all the tropical flavors and more. They got the best OG shaving machine that produces the most consistent ice texture. They got lots of ice cream bases and toppings. They got friendly staff to help you out. They got seating in the store so you can sit and enjoy.

This is the best shave ice for me so far because of the fluffiness of the ice and the flavorful syrups. There was no line and the service was good. While waiting, a little kid ran in and grabbed the shaker of some powder (li hing mui?), licked it and then went outside to shake the powder into his remaining shave ice. I told the guy and said now you have to throw it away. When the mom came in, I told her what happened and she offered to pay for it. Employee said it was okay and he would just wipe it off. Aih yah! I wish I had checked in via Yelp right away because there was an offer for a free topping. Snow cap would have been good and next time, ice cream. They can be busy when the cruise ships come in due to the proximity of the dock. Please support this local business

We read about this place, had Shaved Ice in Maui last year. So we came here to try it out . Great little location and great service. Liked the inside all Of the Choices of flavors were hanging up Glad we came we ordered the small Pina Colada, Pineapple and Coconut flavors with A Scoop of Vanilla Ice.CREAM, Topped with Sweet Condensed Milk. WOW!! Better than MAUI's Shaved Ice

Delicious shaved ice. So many flavours and toppings. The portions are HUGE so ask first as it was almost like a meal for me! This place is walkable from kona harbour. It gets lots of foot traffic from people at the pier or cruise ships. The line moves relatively fast so don't be disheartened by it. Once I ordered you get a choice of 3 flavours on your ice and can even put toppings inside the bowl for a kind of buried treasure dish at the end. You also can top it off with ice cream or more toppings like Boba. So refreshing on a hot day. It definitely hit the spot. I drizzled mine with coconut cream and had ube ice cream inside. It was a meal all itself for less than $12 ! The service was stellar and fast and super friendly. And I loved the little plastic holders to make it easier to eat without risking a lost of your shaved ice. We took ours outside to enjoy the beautiful kona weather. On the big island. There was only 3 decent shaved ice places I could find and this one was the most easily accessible. So 5 stars for the best location and a stellar shaved ice that did not disappoint.

Great treat, fantastic service, and cool spot to grab a sweet treat. All flavors of shaved ice are Gluten Free, and so is the Dole Whip.. we ate an embarrassing amount of shaved ice from Scandinavian Shave Ice!!

We tried their hawaiian sunset with macadamia nut ice cream and condensed milk and a second order of pink lady with vanilla ice cream and gummy bears. The ice itself isn't the best I've ever had because it was a bit hard, but their syrup flavors were good and not diluted. I enjoyed the macadamia nut ice cream too, but I only had two macadamia nuts pieces. It can get pricey if you start adding ice cream or toppings. Parking can be a bit challenging if you are only coming for the shaved ice. We found some parking lots that require you to pay to park there, but not many free spots nearby.

The three stars are for the ice cream, which is fine. One star for the shave ice. On the night we visited, the staff member squeezed the snow way too tight, ruining the fluffy texture and making a hard ice ball. Then the real fruit syrups we paid extra for were fails. We couldn't distinguish the guava from the strawberry. We also ordered passionfruit and questioned the fact that the syrup was completely clear and colorless. Yup, that's the natural passionfruit, he told us. Well, there's obviously no fruit in that one, since passionfruit is not clear or colorless. It didn't taste of anything, either. We ended up eating the ube ice cream and throwing the ice away. I would just skip the shave ice if I couldn't get to Ululani's or Kula.

Long overdue review: After being on island 8 times , could not go to Kona without getting their well known Shaved ice. With yummy flavors to choose from .My favorite is always the lychee . Love the service from this location with a smile and mahalo .

We stopped by on a rainy night to grab this highly rated shaved ice! It's a small store with limited seating in the downtown area & parking can be tricky (there is a public lot in the back). The small serving was huge & I really enjoyed the tropical flavor's combo (mango, guava & passion fruit). One of the servers was lacking the aloha spirit we've come to love on this island & was quite abrupt taking orders which was surprising! Overall a great place for shaved ice!

Ok spot for shaved ice in Kona. It was a custom experience which can take a while but the line went quick. Man there were a ton of options which made it tough to make a choice!!! Overall I've had better shave ice in Hawaii.

Yum! They get the ice for each person and it's delicious. They have great flavors and they taste delicious. Also I loved the coconut cream on top. Yum!

Definitely worth a stop. Great service and perfect shave ice! Scandinavian is a our favorite on the island.

I've had my fair share of shave ice in Hawaii, but never have I had Scandinavian shave ice. It is a little different than your regular shave ice shops. They shave about 3x the height of ice needed for the shave ice and then pack it down to a normal level. The ice does melt a lot more quickly than other shave ice though. The ice texture is super fine, which absorbs the flavors really well. I got the mango, passion orange, and lychee, which was the perfect combo! There are barely any places to sit inside, so we just ended up enjoying our treat outside. They do not offer a kamaaina discount, but the tax is already included in the price of the item.

My first time trying ice cream in the middle of shaved ice. They offer a variety of flavors and I love the selection of sugar free syrups as well! Always a great spot to visit when we are in Kona.

Why are they called Scandinavian shave ice? At first, T was asking me why we would get Scandinavian when we're in Hawaii. But we decided to try. We got the natural flavors, so the shave ice definitely looked not as pretty - no vibrant colors bc no artificial food dyes I'm guessing. We also opted for pineapple dole whip soft serve in our medium sized cone - a good size for 2 to share. The guy had to make it twice - not sure why the first one he made was melting before he could even get it to us. The shave ice was good but the ice wasn't as soft compared to Gecko Girlz, so next time, we'd prob just go there.

Cute little shop down by the bay. Both times we stopped by there was a line out the door. Staff is friendly and efficient. They get the line moving pretty quickly. They are open later than the other shaved ice locations we tried to visit. Most others closed around 3 or 4. They have a generous selection of flavors of fillings and toppings, to include sugar free syrups for those that need or prefer it. I loved the rainbow shave ice because it's so pretty and tasty.

The 5 star reviews are not wrong. This is a small shop with lots of shaved ice flavors to choose from, as well as some ice cream and frozen yogurt options with toppings. We ordered a medium sized shaved ice with coconut cream and pineapple frozen yogurt. It was big enough for the both of us to share and it tasted good. Be prepared for brain freeze. The only thing I would change is more frozen yogurt.

Nice little establishment with no frills but fast & friendly service. Great selection of flavors for shave ice and ice cream. We selected Hawaiian sunset consisting of guava, mango and passion fruit. Very refreshing! We plan to return before we leave!

Not sure why it smells like bathroom cleaning supplies in here. I'm sure the shaved ice is great. But please improve the smell.

Sooo many flavors to choose from!! The ice melts in your mouth and it was so fun choosing from the various different flavors. The medium size we got were huge and each fed two people easily! The place is small inside and had a few tables inside but can also should be enjoyed outside in the warmth anyways! My favorite flavors were lychee and the tiger's blood which tasted like coconut.

Scandinavian Shave Ice BETTER THAN Matsumoto Shave Ice The shave ice here is so fine that it's so satisfying, and the shave ice here doesn't melt so quickly that you have to drink a good amount of water with syrup at the end. Best combo is to have shave ice with soft serve in the middle. And if you're wondering if the natural flavor for $.75 is worth it, I say YES! Not only is it without dye and preservatives, but the flavor is a whole lot more satisfying as I did a taste comparison between the regular and natural of same flavors.

Such a cute and refreshing spot! It's located off the busy Ali'i Drive. It's hard to miss with three snow cone cutouts right at the front. They have a ton of options to select from, with an extensive list posted right by the front door. They had a few creations listed on the chalkboard wall so we selected one of those - Maui Wowie. It consisted of li hing mui, mango and pog, with condensed milk on top. We ordered a large size ($12) to share amongst three people. It was the perfect size! The consistency of the ice was very fine but I wasn't a fan of the flavors. They tasted pretty sugary unfortunately. I'm pretty sure there's a list of natural flavors and those would have been better. Definitely recommend for a quick sweet to cool off with!

This has become our favorite shave ice shop while on vacation. Great service and good quality shave ice. Service: A++ Quality: A+++ (you definitely get what you paid for here Price: A (worth the price)

Good place for shave ice. Kids loved it. I preferred their signature ice cream on a cone. I believe the flavor was called lava flow. It was a mix of coconut and strawberry and it was delicious. I had to go twice while I was visiting on vacation. Staff was friendly and it's really close to the water so you can sit and enjoy the ocean and your shave ice or ice cream.

Service was excellent the employee working was very friendly and informative. Got the small which was plenty. They offer all natural flavors without the high fructose corn syrup as well as to fill your shaved ice with ice cream or soft serve in the middle. Prices are the lowest in the downtown area. Two small shaved ice both with all natural flavors only 11.50. You should stop by if you're having that sweet tooth!! Also after 3 behind the building where it's "one way" parking.. FREE PARKING in the loading zone!!

Visiting from San Diego had already tried Gecko Girls shave Ice down the way in Cocunut Grove shopping center. We got a large which was ginormous alot more than what you get at Gecko for about same price and imo better. This thing was a challenge for 3 of us to finish and I was wrecked the rest of the night!

Really great Kona Coffee and Coconut Ice Cream. Right in the center of town. They let you get samples.

Friendly and fast shave ice! Several ice cream flavors to choose from if you want in your shave ice. They have a handful of flavors that have real fruit in them but will charge you an additional $0.75 for it, haven't experienced an upcharge elsewhere so that was new. Two small tables inside that honestly were constantly in need of a good wipe down. You can also just take your shave ice to a shady spot or enjoy the ocean view just across the street. Parking is a challenge. Either try parking up the hill behind the store or park at the ABC store and make a purchase there to justify taking up a spot. Down the street where many park to visit the shops is paid parking. If you're there, you might as well make a stop here for some shave ice. You won't see many (if any) locals here likely because you won't see any in this area but still good shave ice.

This place is not as good as other shave ice places. The ice melted so fast. The flavors tasted a lot more artificial. We tried the mango, passion fruit and guava with vanilla ice cream and coconut cream. The workers were not friendly and looked annoyed the whole time when taking our order. I'd skip and go elsewhere.

This was one of the places we had in our list to try while at the Big Island and so glad we did! We chose to try a large shave ice with ice cream and went with the pineapple soft serve as we also wanted to try that. Looking back would probably do a medium as the portion was huge but definitely loved it!

Been coming here for many, many years every summer. The shave ice I think is good for what it is, but I think the service today was extremely rude, extremely indifferent, and it left me puzzled. I would've gladly left a generous tip. Had they been professional and kind and welcoming. They were not. Both girls were like this. It seems counterproductive. Being friendly would result in tips.