Uncle Clay’s House Of Pure Aloha

If you’re looking for shaved ice in Oahu, this is the place that you should go to. Every spoonful felt like an explosion of flavor in my mouth, so glad that I didnt pass out from the explosions. So beware, if you think that you cannot handle the savory flavors. I also got the chance to meet uncle Clay, he is hands down the kindest and friendliest person that I have ever met. He has a divine pure aloha aura flowing around him like a super saiyan. After having a conversion with him, I felt like I wanted to smile nonstop and give people hugs. I went into this shop without an uncle, but I am leaving this shop with an uncle, Uncle Clay.

As a person who isn’t a huge fan of shaved ice, HOPA certainly helped make me a fan of shaved ice.
The strawberry dream was one of many great specialty shaved ice. Rich strawberry syrup, ice cream, sweet strawberries, and even sweeter dream sauce (extra sweet condensed milk) made for a very refreshing treat. You also have the option of customizing your own shaved ice if you’re feeling creative.
The line can get long sporadically so be prepared for a wait, or lack thereof if you’re lucky. All in all, HOPA was a pleasant experience even for a non-​shaved ice person like me.

First of all, Uncle Clay is the sweetest, most genuine individual you’ll meet. As a first time visiter, he introduced himself to me and my family; and continued to get to know us beyond our vacation plans. His idea of Pure Aloha is definitely a virtue worth living by.
The shaved ice is the bomb! It was light, not too sweet, but was packed with flavor. I tried both #2 and #7. The fruit flavors are fresh and draw you into the Hawaiian culture. Both the green tea and fruit flavors mixed well with the uniquely flavored vanilla ice cream.
The price isn’t too steep for the amount you receive, and the amount in the large is just right for a family of 4 to share.
Definitely the best Hawaiian shaved ice I’ve tried, and I’m definitely coming back!

Amazing!!! Seriously in love with uncle clays shaved ice. I love that’s it’s natural and homemade… no fake sugar here… my favorite flavor is green tea.
Uncle clay is so awesome. love his energy and welcoming sprit
My husband and I came here as much as we could during our trip to hawaii. one seriously has to open up in Los Angeles. please uncle clay come to LA!!!

Wow. Uncle Clay not only greeted and thanked us for supporting his business but he also shared so much Aloha with us that it made our experience much more warm and inviting. His staff was great from when i walked in to when i walked out. His shaved ice is amazing, different, fresh and flavorful. Its clean and affordable. His place may seem far from most but definitely worth the drive. Cant wait to return and try all the flavors!

I’ve been trying to come to Uncle Clay’s for months now. I love shaved ice and wanted to see what all the hype was all about with this place. It did not disappoint.
My fiancé is not a fan of shave ice, but decided to get a mini just to try it and he said it’s the best shaved ice he’s ever had and he grew up on the North Shore. Go figure! Bye bye Matsumoto’s. After finishing his mini he said he wished he would’ve got a large!!! I agree 100%. The flavors are amazing and my taste buds were dancing with excitement. The lilikoi is the best flavor by far. Highly recommend if you like passion fruit.
We can’t wait to go back and try other flavors and toppings. We are going to be here at least once a month!!! Yay :). This truly is the best shave ice on the island. I can’t wait to take my friends and visitors here. They’re going to love it!

I was told this was the best shave ice on the island, and of the many I have been to so far, everyone has been correct.
I had the uji kintoki and was amazed. The home made mochi was the perfect compliment to the green tea, Tahitian vanilla ice cream, and Azuki beans.
I will definitely tell friends and family to come here, and even bring them myself because I will return for the other flavors.
My only regret was that I ordered the regular size instead of the large.

One cannot visit Hawaii without noticing the profusion of enterprising shaved ice establishments, both storefronts and food trucks. While it is also common in California, this trendy dessert was something I had never indulged. So when our Unilocal friend (and his family) took us under his wing for the day, he proclaimed this to be one of their favorite sugary splurges. Ironic. He was our beloved, but now transplanted Hawaiian, dentist (shameless plug,
)
Knowing our dentist would not steer us wrong, we went with the flow.
This entirely cute, little ice cream parlor is quite impressive. They do two things absolutely right in my eyes, both of which result in undeniably quality outcomes and very happy customers. The first is their house syrups which they make from fresh local fruit. The go easy on the sugar which allows the taste of the fruit to shine. The second is the choice of ice cream they feature. I am referring to the Hawaiian based, Tropical Dream brand which I had fortuitously discovered (and loved) by accident in San Diego just days before. Put them together in a multitude of combinations and toppings, and they make for some mind blowing, tantalizing Hawaiian frozen desserts. Three winners for us:
The Tropical Delight features guava, pineapple and lilikoi (passion fruit) syrups poured over shaved ice covering a Tahitian vanilla ice cream base.
The Uji Kintoki starts with a large scoop of the same vanilla ice cream, topped with shaved ice, green tea syrup, then surrounded by mochi and sweetened azuki beans.
The Strawberry Dream is a simple vanilla ice cream base, shaved ice doused with strawberry syrup, and surrounded by cut, fresh strawberries.
We got the smaller size, but even those are quite generous and capable of satisfying two.
Pure Aloha. Absolutely.

The best shaved ice on the planet & superb customer service! We met Uncle Clay & he was so welcoming to all of his customers! I bought a shirt to promote just how awesome their shaved ice is!
Tropical Delight (Guava, Lilikoi, Pineapple, Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream, & Dream Sauce (extra $)): Wow, just wow! The ice was shaved so perfectly, fine & fluffy. The syrups won my heart because they were made with real fruit! All were delicious! The ice cream gave it an extra oomph & the sauce was tasty, I would say it tasted like a combination between marshmallow cream & condensed milk. The mochi was delicious too. Absolute perfection in a bowl!
Thank you for everything Uncle Clay, we will be seeing you very soon!

As usual, a little late jumping on the bandwagon here. But whoa where has Uncle Clay been all my life?! Thank you Unilocal friends for helping me realize what I was missing all this time!
Seriously though, softest, smoothest shaved ice I ever had. I’m not the type that likes the larger chunks of ice. I prefer mine as fine as possible with a smooth almost creamy texture and consistency. At uncle clays you get just that AND more!
We had ordered a large bowl with mango and guava flavor, Tahitian vanilla ice cream, dream sauce, and azuki beans. The Tahitian vanilla ice cream was amazing! Sooo smooth and creamy, sandwiched between the bottom and top layer of shaved ice. A perfect complement to the mango and guava flavors. Topped with uncle clays «dream sauce» and azuki beans. It was the best shaved ice I’ve ever had! Sadly I had to share with my family. Now I know to get one all to myself next time!
What really truly made the experience though, uncle clay was there spreading his aloha to every single customer that walked through his shop doors. He recognized we were new faces and immediately introduced himself to myself and my family. He even introduced us to his long time customers to in a way pay it forward and pass the aloha spirit to others.
I can’t wait to come back!

Shave ice with syrups made of all-​natural ingredients is on the rise. Uncle Clay’s House of Pure Aloha is one of the pioneers. HOPA definitely lives up to its hype and name, as the flavors are pure aloha as they hit your taste buds.
Upon our first visit, I ordered the Hawaiian Superman and my mom and partner both ordered the Uji Kintoki. The Hawaiian Superman consists of both Strawberry and Li Hing syrups, with Li Hing powder topping. The Uji Kintoki has green tea syrup, layered with Tahitian vanilla ice cream, azuki beans, and mochi. The flavors of both were perfect, as they aren’t too strong, and not too sweet.
The popularity and rave reviews for HOPA come to neo surprise. The staff is helpful. The shave ice is amazing. Whether hot or cold outside, stop in for a delicious shave ice that truly is made with aloha.

After hearing so much about Uncle Clay’s from our friends who visited Hawaii, we decided to stop by. It did not disappoint!
We ordered the green tea shaved ice, which came with mochi, red bean, and ice cream. We also added fruit pieces. The green tea syrup was definitely very fresh and had very strong team flavors. After enjoying this so much, we decided to also order the strawberry and guava flavored ice just to try some fruit flavors. The guava as our favorite here.
Staff was super friendly and it was a great dessert/​snack stop!

Looks like I was last here a year and a half ago. .another case of procrastination. .obviously!
Okay, so why does this place have 5 stars after more than 777 reviews?
— free parking
— friendly service
— reasonable prices
— great shave ice
— use of 100 percent compostable products
— local ambiance
— support for local farmers
— sincere Aloha Spirit of Uncle Clay?
Answer: all of the above!
Just come to HOPA (House of Pure Aloha) and experience it for yourself..

Extraordinary. What more can I say about HOPA that hasn’t already been said. We have been loyal followers since the old days when it was originally Uncle Clays Doe Fangs. We love Uncle Clay as much as we love the shave ice!
Uncle Clay and his nephew Bronson are the reason why they have such a large fan base. If you want to understand what Aloha is, talk to them. They are such genuine people that exude warmth and love.
The shave ice is phenomenonal. The syrups taste organic, not like the cheap sweet stuff you get elsewhere. The ice is soft and melts nicely in your mouth. My mom thinks this is the best ujikintoki on the island.
Custom make your own shave ice (choose syrup flavors, size, and toppings) OR choose from their special creations. The mochi is sooo good! And the ice cream is delicious. They rotate their special ice cream flavor weekly. Its pricey, but you really get what you pay for.
If you can’t make it out to Hawaii Kai, follow them on Instagram because they will post when they are doing pop-​up shop at Blue Hawaii Surf in Ala Moana.

Whoa, how is it possible that I’ve never written a review of Uncle Clay’s?! All that sugar must have seeped into my brain and caused temporary memory loss! If you’re a shave ice afficionado like myself, you’ve tried them all. The Shimazu’s, the Waiola’s, the Matsumoto’s, and every copy cat wanna be in between. But the ones that truly stand out have figured out something which makes them special. Well the key to Uncle Clay’s awesomeness is:
1) Uncle Clay: There to greet you like the sweet uncle everyone loves, Uncle Clay is the best! I didn’t grow up in a family that expressed emotion very well (we’re ultra Japanese), but Uncle Clay kind of makes up for that hole in my childhood. He genuinely wants to learn more about you and share his shave ice world with you.
2) Local When Possible: HOPA really strives to keep it local when possible and derive most of their fruit syrups from locally grown produce.
3) Quality Ice: They say all shave ice is created equal, and this is a flat out lie. The texture of your shave ice is a key factor in overall success. They’ve got it down pat here!
A locally owned, dare I say landmark, business in the ‘Aina Haina area, Uncle Clay’s is everything you want a Mom n’ Pop store to be. Hope you love Uncle Clay’s HOPA as much as I do, and that it’ll be the place your kids remember visiting when they’re all grown up!

THIS IS THE BEST SHAVED ICE ON THE ISLAND!!! Trust me. Uncle Clay is the nicest and most genuine person you could chat with. I am so sorry Uncle Clay that I said I would be back the next day, but couldn’t make it back there (i honestly was trying to move plans around so I could get shaved ice here one more time)
I tried a lot of shaved ice during my stay in Oahu, but Uncle Clay’s was the best. The strawberry with dream sauce and mochi… nommmmzzzzz. My bf was so sick of shaved ice by the time we went to Uncle Clay’s because we had hit up two other places already. I got my own and after having just ONE bite of mine… he ordered the piña colada one for himself.
The flavors do not taste artificial. The workers are so nice. Just a great establishment. You could see long time customers saying hi to Uncle Clay and Uncle Clay chatting it up with everyone that came in. I can not wait for my next trip so I can have shaved ice here again.
I learned the meaning of Ohana here and not only Aloha, but what Pure Aloha is :)

I came here with my family after having dinner a few shops down. This place was just alright for me. I’ve eaten shave ice all over the island and this wasn’t one of the better spots. I shared a large shaved ice with my son. I asked him what he wanted. After looking at the pics, he wanted the Hawaiian Superman. It’s half strawberry, half li-​hing syrup with dream sauce and li-​hing powder. I knew I should have gotten something else when the cashier asked me if I had li-​hing before. The hubby ordered the large pineapple and lilikoi with mochi balls. The two shaved ice came out to around $ 12. My dad got himself the Tahitian Vanilla ice cream.
My son took a bite of the Hawaiian Superman and refused to eat anymore. It was very, very salty and sour. The whole bowl was drenched in li-​hing. I didn’t even taste the strawberry. The hubby thought his bowl was decent but overpriced. He only got five pieces of mochi. My dad like his ice cream.
People rave about this place, so maybe I just ordered the wrong item. I want to go back to try some of their other flavors. All their syrups are homemade which definitely is a plus.

I’ve been wanting to go to Uncle Clay“‘s for so long. I just kept looking at the reviews and drooling over the pictures. I kept telling myself, one day I’ll try some of that. Well, today was that day!
There was a little line but the line moved pretty quickly. They had signs up that guided you when you ordered. It was very helpful as a first time guest. They have about 9 or so different combinations that they specialize in. But you can also customize your shave ice however you want. The sign on the menu said that the specialties were 10% cheaper than if you were to customize.
I decided to stick to one of their creations. I chose the Strawberry one and my husband got the Classic Rainbow. I’ve asked other people about the taste and one person said it tastes healthy. Not sure what that meant, but I decided to try mine. It was really tasty! The ice just melted in your mouth and the shave ice was sitting nicely over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It also had real strawberries in the shave ice bowl. I got to try my husband’s one also, but mine was definitely better than his, since I love strawberry.
But I figured out why that person told me it tastes healthy. This shave ice wasn’t too sweet. You know how some places just pour on the syrup so much and it tastes so sweet and sugary? Well, this shave ice was light and didn’t have that sweet sweet taste.
I really enjoyed it and I hope to come back again soon.

Shave ice tastes best after a hike, but when the shave ice already tastes as good as HOPA’s it’s just out of this world.
A group of friends and I came here after trekking Koko Head. I had been here once before but it was a first time for all of my friends, and it did not disappoint.
I enjoyed a Tropical Sunrise (#7) to get a fruity dessert. I had the green tea last time, which was also great.
Next time I am going to get the Kalespin. I tried some of my friends and it was so good. Don’t knock it until you try it!
Also the Tahitian Vanilla ice cream is not too sweet at all. It’s one of the purest vanilla flavored ice creams I’ve ever had.

BOMB DOT COM.
I randomly stumbled upon this place after searching for some shaved ice after snorkeling in Haunama Bay and I definitely did not regret it!
You can either create your own or choose one of their creations.
I went with their most expensive thing there,
The Ultimate
(Guava Flavored Shaved Ice, Tahitan Vanilla Ice Cream, Homemade Mochi, Azuki Beans, Coconut Flakes, Li Hing Powder, Chocolate Chips, Strawberries, Pineapples, and Dream Sauce)
Their syrup has really good flavor as well as the ice cream. Every bite was magical. Although I prefer not to have the chocolate chips when I’m eating something fruity, but all the fruits were fresh and delicious. And we especially loved the mochi.
Personally, I prefer this place over Matsumotos, which everyone hypes about.