Waikīkī's beachside shave ice scene just got a serious shakeup. Sinicestir, a new counter tucked into the Twin Fin Hotel on Kalākaua Avenue, stacks ultra-fine shave ice over soft-serve, then tops it with chef-curated combinations that swing savory as often as they do sweet. Each bowl runs $10, with a lineup that blends throwback fruit flavors and more experimental ideas, including a bacon and Bloody Mary syrup combo aimed squarely at both curious visitors and in-the-know locals.
A New Take On An Island Classic
Sinicestir’s menu centers on four permanent “naughty and nice” creations and four rotating monthly flavors, with every shave ice set over an ice cream base and priced at $10, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. The owners say guests can ask for extra syrup at no additional charge, a move they designed to keep each serving tasting fully flavored from top to bottom.
Flavors That Push The Envelope
The menu leans into both playful and downright eccentric. Offerings include “Smuggler's Sunrise,” made with hickory-smoked bacon and Bloody Mary syrups and finished with candied celery, “Butterscotch Booty,” which pairs toasted marshmallow and butterscotch miso with Heath crunch, “Shark Bait,” a mix of blue vanilla, lilikoi and strawberry syrups topped with mochi balls and gummy sharks, and “Coco Moco,” a coconut and Coca-Cola syrup combo crowned with a gummy egg, per the Aloha State Daily.
A Chef-Forward Approach
The concept comes from the team behind Tiki's Grill & Bar and Vintage Books, and owner Bill Tobin says the mission is to steer shave ice into a more overtly culinary lane. Tobin told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser “we're not your grandma's shave ice,” and Chef Ronnie Nasuti of Tiki's worked on developing 44 small-batch syrups, teaming up with flavor developer Toby Tobin, according to Nate Eats Hawaii.
Where To Find It
Sinicestir operates out of a ground-floor spot at the Twin Fin Hotel facing the ocean on Kalākaua Avenue and lists hours of 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily on its website. Its single-price format and counter service are set up for quick turnover during Waikīkī’s busiest stretches, and the tightly curated menu is meant to guide guests toward bold combinations without piling on competing flavors, per SinIceStir.
Early Reactions
Coverage from local outlets and early customer feedback point to a mixed but lively response. Writers highlight the creativity behind many of the builds, while some diners report that heavier syrups can still leave patches of unflavored ice if the shave is not quite dialed in. That blend of ambition and a few texture quirks has already turned Sinicestir into a talking point on Waikīkī’s food circuit, according to the Aloha State Daily and traveler listings such as Roadtrippers.
