Windy City Dogs — Restaurant in El Mirage

After a fun time at the splash pad with our kids, we decided to stop for a cool treat at the nearby “Hawaiian Shaved Ice” stand. What we thought would be a refreshing stop quickly turned sour and I knew it wasnt “HAWAIIAN” and I should of listened to my instincts. However. whats a small shave ice to a restaurant that is totally empty

The man behind the counter was noticeably rude—rushed us even though we were the only ones there, saying “Whose gonna come in on a weekday in 100 degrees” lol, um US and he corrected me when I said “shave ice,” insisting it’s called “shaved ice.” I let him know that shave ice is the correct term in Hawaiʻi and that his menu didn’t carry any true Hawaiian flavors—no lilikoʻi, no lychee, no haupia (coconut), nothing cultural, other than pineapple (which isn’t even native to Hawaiʻi).

His response? “Yeah, it’s not Hawaiian. It’s just what we have on the window.” And when I suggested he needs to change the sign so it’s not misrepresenting or misleading of our culture, he said: “I’ve been in business for 13 years. I’m not changing anything.”

That’s the problem. Thirteen years of misappropriating/misleading Hawaiian identity just to turn a profit. No effort to understand the culture. No respect. Just a name slapped on a window.

So we walked out. And we won’t be back.

If you’re craving real Hawaiian shave ice—with aloha, authentic flavors, and deep cultural roots—go see Happy Honu Shave Ice in Peoria. Maui-raised, local-owned, and the kind of business that brings our people and island pride, not shame. Plus, Happy Honu SHAVE ICE had so many walk ins and it was 115 degrees. People do show up when they know they are treated with respect. It’s disappointing that a business like this continues to operate in the heart of the El Mirage community, especially while misrepresenting a culture it clearly doesn’t respect. As for the owner—if he feels the need to respond defensively to honest feedback as it is shown on here, that’s his choice. But I stand by what I said, and I’m not afraid to speak up when something’s wrong and will be writing a formal letter to the City of El Mirage, AZ, since this business operates within a public community park. The way we were treated—being rushed, disrespected, and dismissed for speaking up about cultural misrepresentation—was unacceptable and, in my view, borders on discrimination. No one should feel belittled for defending their cultural identity, especially at a city-sanctioned location meant to serve families and the wider community with aloha and...

I cannot comment on the food as we did not actually order anything here. We stopped in after leaving the nearby splash pad because we saw a sign in the window that said Hawaiian Shaved Ice. As a Native Hawaiian that grew up in Hawaii, and now lives in Arizona the thought of shave ice on 100°+ afternoon was what we had in mind. As we approached Windy City we were unsure if it was open since we did not see anyone outside nor any vehicles parked out front. I jumped out to check if they were open before having my wife and grandson get out of the car. I asked the gentleman sitting at the counter on his laptop if they were open. I was acknowledged with a sarcastic, "the lights are on and the sign says open." That should have been my first clue to just turnaround and go somewhere else. However, I thought we'd give it a shot, and felt kind of bad that he had no business with an empty store. So I went to get my wife and grandson, and we all came back in for some shave ice and maybe a hotdog. My wife was trying to decide what flavor she wanted, and asked if there were any Hawaiian flavors like guava, etc. He responded, that it wasn't Hawaiian Shave Ice, and my wife responded that he should take down the sign then if it wasn't Hawaiian. He said, "I've been here 13 years and not taking down anything." We ended up leaving without ordering anything, and went the extra 20 minute drive to Happy Honu Shave Ice, who actually is from Hawaii. I cannot speak for my wife, but I always try to give people the benefit of the down, and am all for supporting local businesses. I could careless if there were no Hawaiian flavors, but a little Hawaiian hospitality could go a long way. We...

On the hunt today for a good Chicago dog or possible Italian beef and came across Windy City Dogs. I’m kicking myself for somehow letting this one slip under the radar for so long.. That changes after today. After talking with the owner they’ve been here for 12 years. I will say I don’t frequent El Mirage much besides a few taco spots. So this was a good change of pace. The spot was easy to find and located right in the same parking lot as the neighboring skate park.parking was easy. We were not only greeted right away, but we had a great chat while our food was fixed. The location is small. There are a few seats at a high top and one table, but for the most part all seating is outside or take home and eat. We wanted to try not only the Chicago dogs, but the Italian beef as well which we got with the hot peppers. They offer many side options like fried. Onion rings and more, but we stuck with the three main items and some bottled waters. Drinks are all bottled. Gatorade, monsters you name it. That’s awesome of you’re at the park on a hot day and need a drink or two. Our food was ready quick, prices fair and I was excited to dig in. The Italian beef looked, smelled and most importantly was delicious! Bread was made well and wasn’t instantly soggy. I loved it came with Aus Ju to dip it in. Hands down my favorite. The hot dog was great as well. Peppers good, pickle crispy and tomato’s good. We will definitely be back. Great service, food and we left...