Tad’s Shaved Ice

Love this little place! It’s a favorite of my friends especially when it is hot outside.

I’m sorry that others are hating so much on this little mom and pop joint situated in the west parking lot of HyVee on 135^th. My first foray here was a good one, but I also wasn’t expecting Baked Alaska in my cup.
Like the name of the business implies, it’s shaved ice covered in a syrup of your choice in a cup. It’s going to be syruppy… it’s syrup. Outside of just having ice in a cup, this might be the simplest dessert treat ever. Why are expectations so high?
There are three sizes, much akin to like it, love it, and gotta have it. 3, 4, and 5 bucks for sizes aren’t terrible and the largest size comes with a plastic collar for the more respectable ice heads.
It’s the perfect refreshment on a hot day with dozens of flavor combinations. I tried the «typhoon» which ended up looking like a Ninja Turtle but tasted great. Don’t come with high expectations, it’s just ice and sugar syrup, people.

Prices are high, but it is definitely worth coming to once a summer! If the prices were more affordable, i’d likely rank them 5 stars, but you are paying almost $ 5 for a cup of special ice and sugar syrup. Don’t get me wrong, this is some delicious ice and syrup, but it is very expensive. Try the Tiger’s Blood flavor! It sounds strange but it is so tasty!

Well, I was all excited to find a shaves ice vendor in our general area – only a few miles away. Then learned after ordering a pile of ice and high-​margin syrup for $ 5.00 that, in 2013, they only take cash. So, after $ 3.00 in bank fees later at First National’s ATM (crazy in itself), I was back in track. Get one of the many wireless card processors available (Square being an example) and enter the modern age.

Tad’s is a great little shaved ice place tucked into the parking lot of Hy Vee (great location right across from the baseball and soccer fields!) The have probably about 3 gajillion flavors, they load the ice with flavors (no bite goes un-​yummified!!) and the service is always very nice! It makes a great cheap date spot or good place to grab a treat if you with the kids at the sports fields of Deanna Rose, definitely worth a try!

Been here many times for some shaved ice since it has been sweltering hot this summer. This place is a little shack out in the parking lot of a Hy Vee, no indoor seating, just a walk up window. The first time you go it can be very overwhelming! They seriously have well over 100 flavors so you can get menu paralysis pretty easy.
They only take cash and have 3 sizes: Perfect, small snowman, and um you mistakenly gave me a giant iceberg. My first time was over a year ago and I wasn’t impressed because I ordered the wrong flavor. Once my daughter turned me on to Tiger’s Blood (piña colada, strawberry, and cinnamon) I’ve been very pleased.
The prices aren’t bad ($ 2.25) for the perfect size. Yes the iceberg is like $ 4.50, but you are getting enough ice to reverse global warming… stop complaining. All in all a good place to take the family, sit outside, talk, and enjoy.

Cash only? For $ 3 for a cup I shaved ice an sugar water I’d think they could spring for a card reader.
And make sure you have time to eat it there. The ridiculously overfilled cups shouldn’t be taken into a nice vehicle!

Pretty typical shaved ice place… seems like a lot of flavors. All we tried were pretty good.
A word of warning — the large size is huge… only get it if you’re sharing.
I posted a picture of the menu, but it’s not really readable here on Unilocal.Full size is at