YAHglobal Over a decade ago, there were some really good mom & pop shave ice spots in California. A few even made our famous Best Shave Ice in the World list before being bumped off as gubernatorial doors shuttered on small local businesses. That, and some simply got lazy with their high-fructose corn syrup pours. Consequently, residents of the Golden State were left in a state of array until the clouds recently parted with the news of Ululani’s arrival.
For the uninitiated, Ululani’s is the undisputed champion of shave ice. We have watched them grow from a small kiosk in Lahaina, Maui, to the super-franchise that it is today. Admittedly, when we first heard that they were opening up shops on the mainland, we were a little worried. So many Hawaiian eateries have failed to maintain the same level of quality and aloha-spirit after crossing more than 2,500 miles over the Pacific. We can live with the ubiquity of L&L Hawaiian BBQ and Zippy’s, but our sacred shave ice? That’s a whole other story.
We had no choice but to proceed with an investigation. Up to the duty, yours truly was sent to find out if “Ululanis Shave Ice California” stacked up to the brand’s own high expectations, much less than those enforced upon them by fickle foodies. Has the Hawaiian mainstay saved California from a fate of subpar shave ice? Read ahead to find out.
An In-Depth Investigation into the Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice Expansion into California
Ululani’s Shave Ice California Locations
Who’s up for a road trip!?
Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice is expanding fast across California so be sure to bookmark this page to keep up to date with where they are located. At press, you can find Ululani’s within the following communities:
Ululani’s Hollywood California
4661 1/2 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA (get directions)
Ululani’s Livermore California
3016 W Jack London Blvd, Livermore, CA (get directions)
Ululani’s Redlands California
206 E State St, Redlands, CA (get directions)
Ululani’s Stockton California
2130 Pacific Ave, Stockton, CA (get directions)
Drop-In Taste (and Experience) Tests
With four California locations to choose from, we figured a 50/50 split would suffice for the analysis of taste and overall experience. We selected Hollywood in Los Angeles for obvious reasons. Stockton in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California was the second destination. We could say the latter was selected due to it being the furthest from the former, but that would be a fib. There’s ohana in Stockton, and that equates a free place to crash for a few nights. After all, writing a guide to authentic Hawaiian experiences without taking bribes from hoteliers doesn’t pay that well.
To mitigate potential for tampering we kept our arrival under wraps until after orders were placed. We also solicited the services of younger members of the ohana to weigh in. Keiki always shoot straight when it comes to giving their opinions! We hit the Stockton location first, followed by Hollywood. Keep reading for the results.
Stockton CA
The Stockton location is found along what is known as the Miracle Mile. To be honest, this stretch of the 209 feels like a ghost town from morning until the late afternoon. We showed up about 30-minutes prior to opening, with nary a person in the vicinity. We were struck by the thought that this could very well be the first Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice to close its doors due to a lack of business. Oh boy, were we wrong.
Within seconds of staff placing rainbow toned seating on to the sidewalk of Pacific Avenue, people came crawling from the bookending streets of Adams and Pine. A single tear fell down the cheek of the nearby Baskin-Robbins. It was immediately evident that Ululani’s had already made its mark on the city. We hopped in the growing line, resisting the urge to exclaim our VIP status to garner favor. It was not needed. The young and capable crew took our order, packed-in then ventilated the ice in each bowl, poured, and delivered the goods with a speed that the Hawaiian islands are not known for. The results? We’ll let the photos below do the talking.
Keiki approved!
Shave ice aficionado @marcus_ocean w/franchisee Jonnie Dang
Jonnie Dang and his Stockton franchise absolutely exceeded expectations. They have honored the reputation that Ululani’s founders David Yamashiro and Ululani Yamashiro have worked hard to build. We had the pleasure of meeting Jonnie and his lovely family while shoveling in orders of Hawaiian Root Beer Float (coconut, root beer, vanilla w/snowcap) and Sunset Beach (passion orange, mango, and guava). And what about our own Stockton ohana? Word has it they are now regular customers!
Hollywood CA
We decided to go stealth for Hollywood, not letting anyone know that we were in town so as to not alert culinary authorities that YAHglobal had arrived in LA county. After working up an appetite for refreshment while walking the Walk of Fame, we hopped the Metro B-Line to Vermont / Sunset to Ululani’s on Hollywood BLVD.
The street was bustling but not as overflowing with tourists as it is on the western end of the boulevard. This franchise location fit right in with the vibrant collection of vintage stores, galleries, shops, and cafes. The biggest giveaway that Ululani’s was present was the flock of honeybees that hovered around the receptacles placed adjacent to the shop. They frantically slurped microscopic residue left behind on the emptied bowls of satiated patrons to recharge prior to pollinating the colorful community. We dipped in, placed and received our orders, and were asked to come right back if we required more syrup or snowcap. We did not, which is something that cannot be said for any other shave ice business on the mainland. The gourmet syrup ran deep and the snowcap blanketed the crescent peak on our orders of Hawaiian Root Beer Float (yes, again) and Ube paired with Vanilla. Hollywood nailed it too.
Give Ululani’s 5-stars on the Walk of Fame!
Investigation Conclusion
“Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice Saves California!”
We left the state with peace of mind that Ululani’s is in good hands on the mainland. Meanwhile, Californians can revel in the fact that they now have access to the authentic Hawaiian shave ice experience. Book your roadtrips and flights accordingly.
~ ALOHA ~
