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Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor
Category: Food Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt [Edit]
7347 Madison St(between Circle Ave & Hannah Ave)
Forest Park, IL 60130
(708) 366-7970
- Nearest Transit:
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Harlem-forest Park (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 11 pm
- Price Range:
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$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
91 reviews for Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor
Review Highlights
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"My favorite so far is the chocolate peanut butter." In 8 reviews -
"Great ice cream with an old fashioned charm." In 10 reviews -
"...Brown Cow's Sundae with hot fudge and peanut butter, and..." In 5 reviews
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91 reviews in English
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Review from Catherine S.
Oak Park, IL
3/1/2012
No party is complete without their homemade ice cream cakes!
Great old fashioned neighborhood ice cream parlor! I dare you not to want to come back the next week! No, I triple-dog-dare you!
Delicious homemade ice cream and rootbeer as well as locally roasted BlueMax(?) coffee - nuf said huh?! Truly a family owned business with great service and if you dine in they serve your delight in a real glass ice cream parlorie style dish! Perfection.
Generous portions and friendly staff. It's in a beautiful old space and has a neat old counter. The place use to be a movie theater and if you look up in the corner you can see where the projector was located. Cool!
Favorite is the Raspberry Delight sundae made with a fresh raspberry sauce not out of a jar. They occasionally run out of sauce (boo!) but that's what happens with fresh ingredients. Line are out the door during peak season so place to wait or come back later- it's worth it.
We have been here for kids parties and they did a great job each time. If you don't want to have something huge have a nice sundae party here.
But by far the service is the best. My son turned 5 at the beginning of the school year last year and we had a big party at a bouncy place to celebrate starting school and making new friends, etc. We had lots of food and invited all the parents too so everyone could become acquainted. We ordered two big round cakes from Brown Cow that everyone just loved.
Best part was that when I picked up the cakes and expressed concern about how I was going to transport them, keep them cool enough but able to cut at the right time, etc. Connie (the owner) offered instead to drop them off for me at our party location right before they would be needed. She offered this service on the spot the afternoon of the party when I was there to pick them up! And wouldn't even accept a delivery fee from me! Order your delicious homemade ice cream cakes from here instead of the chain places and you will never go wrong. Thank you Connie! -
Review from Grace N.
12/11/2011 ROTD 1/18/2012
If you really want to have a laugh at someone else's expense, bring them to Brown Cow and have them order a double scoop on a cone. And then watch their shock and awe as they receive about a gallon of ice cream on a teeny leetle cone. Grab a bib folks, because they don't mess around.
At first, their ice cream tasted odd to me...it was creamier, sweeter, and heavier than what I'm used to, but that's because it's homemade. This is what ice cream is supposed to taste like when it's not pre-packaged and blown up with cost-saving, volumizing air. Makes me wish I were 5 again so I could demand an ice cream cake party in their back room.Listed in: Idiot's Guide to the Oak Park…
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Review from Brian H.
Chicago, IL
5/9/2012
Had the home made Butter Pecan in a sugarcone. Was fantastic!!
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Review from Jessica L.
Chicago, IL
4/25/2012
I like it but its certainly not my favorite ice cream place. Their ice cream does taste good but I like Petersen's Ice Cream better. I compared their chocolate chip ice cream (my favorite) to the chocolate chip from Petersen's and they don't have a chance beating it. My husband liked his root beer float but wasn't that thrilled either. I guess it was good but not super great.
Also they have no outdoor space to sit..I know some people doesn't bother that but it bothers me...I like the outdoors. The service was nice and friendly.
Overall good but not great. -
Review from Emily C.
Naperville, IL
Updated - 2/14/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Absolute best ice cream spot, true family business and über friendly they are also liberal with the toppings :)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/5/2011
Regularly have 2 flavors from Soy Temptations - friendly staff and even vegan whipped topping if you… Read more »
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Review from Gina S.
10/6/2011 1 photo
I enjoy spending some good old fashion ME time at a good old fashion ice cream parlor, enjoying nothing but some good old fashion ice cream.
It was just me and the guy working behind the counter when I walked in one lazy afternoon. He was so nice too:
Guy: Welcome, how are you doing today?
Me: Great, thanks. How are you?
Guy: I'm doing well, thank you for asking. Let me know if there's
anything I can get you.
If I was a foot shorter, I would be that kid with her face pressed against the glass looking into the cooler to see what all the different ice cream flavors were. I was intrigued by the Pumpkin Soy Cream, I had to tried it. It was so creamy and it tasted just like Thanksgiving pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday of mine and pumpkin pie is one of the main events for my mouth. Sold. One scoop for here.
There's something about eating ice cream out of a glass dish that makes the whole experience come full circle. I love the clinking sound my spoon makes against the glass dish as I tried to get every last drop...short of licking the dish clean. -
Review from Anna F.
Oak Park, IL
4/28/2012
This place has the best ice cream in the world...hands down! After you eat here, you will realize every other ice cream parlor has sub-par ice cream.
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Review from Katie B.
Forest Park, IL
3/1/2012
Best ice cream around. Really great ice cream cookie sandwiches, ice cream cakes, and (my favorite) ice cream pie. I really love their shakes and floats as well. Because it is so yummy, it is sometimes busy, but they move the line along quickly. A good place to get ice cream to go, but plenty of room to eat there as well. I love the building. They also have coffee and lattes, but they are uneven - sometimes great and sometimes not so great.
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Review from Cintya P.
9/4/2011 1 photo
Real ice cream at last! Just darn-good-creamy goodness in the neighborhood offering a variety of homemade ice creams that are sure to fit anyone's sweet tooth.
Staff is super friendly and it gets packed! -
Review from Joe B.
8/30/2011
If this is how old school ice cream parlors used to be - I would've loved to have lived back in those days. The service is classic and they are great to suggest great flavors and treats. You can taste the freshness in the ice cream and once you go here going to a place like Dairy Queen isn't the same.
The classic feel of having fresh delicious ice cream and then taking a stroll is a very cool feeling and this place hits that spot. The selection can be overwhelming but just ask the friendly staff and they will steer you the right way! -
Review from Jide F.
Updated - 1/3/2012 7 Check-ins Here
It's winter time so along with my regular ice cream itch, I need some hot chocolate. I think you truly enjoy the Brown Cow experience in the colder months because there are less people and you can cozy up with a hot drink and take in all the old fashioned goodness of this place. The hot chocolate is the bomb (.com) and is a perfect compliment to my personal fave, Ellie's Turtle Temptation. Named after one of the owner's grandmothers, the Ellie's is a pecan-lover's dream. If you're sticking to a new year resolution of a better diet then I suggest getting a mini-size Ellie's. You need to have your regular dairy intake, right?
Listed in: West Suburban Favorites
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/21/2011
Best ice cream spot in the western suburbs! I love the Brown Cow. It's great to see thriving… Read more »
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Review from Victor M.
8/9/2011
They have an extensive variety of desserts. I am also one of those indecisive customers who don't know what they want.
So I opted for the Cookie Creation only to find it okay..
Lots of fudge, a warm chocolate chip cookie with a scoop of vanilla on top and a good load of whipped cream.
My cookie was cold by the time I dug my spoon in it. I wished the cookie was in a dutch pan instead so it remained hot. -
Review from Samantha K.
Forest Park, IL
12/20/2011
I absolutely love this Froest Park GEM! At anytime of year you can get some of the best homemade ice cream, root beer, coffee and tea in the Chicago-land area! The Brown Family runs this place with such pride and compassion, which shows in the around-the-block lines full of eager ice cream goers in the summertime. Come winter time thier operating hours decrease but the foot traffic doesn't really slow. Serving up hot fresh coffee, coa-coa and cider the Brown Cow caters to all year round. This is agian a local hot spot come summer or winter!!
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Review from Kathleen M.
Frankfort, IL
6/3/2011 3 photos
My only complaint? Way too many fabulous and delicious things on the menu!
I even told the guy, feel free to tweet about the annoying customers who can't make up their minds! I felt like someone who had never seen Christmas before waking up and being hit with the tree, the presents and maybe Santa himself. He was beyond gracious and understandingly patient.
We all settled on mini sundaes which is another amazingly wonderful aspect to this ice cream heaven - you can mini any sundae. Why do I not live in Forest Park?
If you live anywhere near here, get in your car and drive here. Immediately!Listed in: Adventure Fridays
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Review from Tiffany B.
Chicago, IL
9/26/2011
I am an ice cream fanatic! I will try almost any type of ice cream and I am always looking for new and exciting ice cream parlors! Tonight my sweetie wanted to take me out to celebrate a big obstacle that I had finally successfully tackled. When he ask where I wanted to go I instantly thought of ICE CREAM (I'm starting a new diet on the 1st!!!). I wanted to indulge in a cold sweet taste create and I found exactly what I was looking for at Brown Cow! This place has a delectable array of tasty treat that made it hard for me to decide what I wanted. The friendly and patient staff helped me get through the menu and finally we came up with a nontraditional banana slip! Oh, my sweetie ordered a cookie n cream sundae!
Tiffany's Treat: Banana slip with a hardy scoop of cookie n cream w/strawberry topping, butter pecan w/hot fudge topping, strawberry w/pineapple topping all topped off with whip, sprinkles, nuts and cherries! -
Review from Cathleen F.
Forest Park, IL
3/2/2011 ROTD 5/3/2011
It's fantastic! And I LOVE having a mom-and-pop ice cream parlor in my neighborhood.
We frequent Brown Cow year round almost always after having dinner on Madison. Although I almost always get the peanut butter and chocolate, I occasionally try something new. Always good! Lately, I have been trying something new, then getting PB&C to go. Good news for my mouth, bad news for my ass.
There also are a couple of rooms in the back, one of which has a stack of kids books. You can let a toddler run around worry-free or entertain him with a book. Good entertainment for a little one.
Why not 5 stars, you ask? It's just a teeny bit pricey. I know it's worth it, but I've been there well over 25 times and I am still consistently taken aback by how much I spend every time. That said, it's not a deterrent!Listed in: Favorite Neighborhood…
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Review from Barry G.
Chicago, IL
3/14/2012
A nice family business, but the portions are unnecessarily huge and the recipes too sweet. Yet we keep going back because we like the place. We'd just prefer to leave the place slightly less fatter without resorting to alternative sweeteners.
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Review from Tina K.
4/5/2011
Brown Cow is my favorite ice cream parlor in the OPRF/Forest Park area. They have a wide selection of ice cream flavors... and I especially like the flavors that they make themselves. They make great sundaes and shakes. And they also make ice cream cakes, ice cream pies, and ice cream sandwiches.
When the weather is nice, it gets crowded. Go early if you don't want to wait in line. But if you get there and the line is at or out the door, it's worth the wait! -
Review from Nessie V.
8/18/2011
They have two soy vegan flavors every day. One time i went and they tasted like Temptation brand, which i like, but odd. The house root beer makes great floats, and I always appreciate making it yourself.
Listed in: Oak Park Burbs, Vegan Desserts
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Review from Dennis L.
Wow! Just Wow!
I have been wanted to visit Brown Cow for quite a while, and I am so glad that I finally did!
First off, I love the atmosphere. It truly reminds me of The Creole Creamery, a New Orleans mainstay. The staff was very friendly and patient as my wife tried multiple flavors.
On this occasion, I chose to try the monstrous vanilla ice cream sandwich. It consists of a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream placed between two large chocolate chip cookies. The sandwich edges are then rolled in chocolate chips. This was the most delicious and largest ice cream cookie sandwich I have every had.
Well done Brown Cow. I will be back for sure! -
Review from Susie C.
7/22/2011
Awesome place! Their ice cream scoops are huge! I ordered a single scoop and it looked like a double-to-triple scoop!
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Review from Chris L.
Brookfield, IL
4/7/2011
Oh, it's been a couple of years since we darkened the door of The Brown Cow... and I am so glad we stopped in on Saturday night. (First time we've been in the "new" location, so it's been more than a year!) LOVE that they will do a mini version of any sundae - I had the mini Baa's Fudge Fantasy with coconut brownie fudge ice cream instead of vanilla. Just the right size, perfect proportion of brownie to ice cream to whip. Oh Mah Gahd. (I think my husband had something too... I was kind of absorbed in what was on the table in front of ME.)
Bonus: being amused by the absolutely adorable family that came in as we were finishing up. They were the sprinkles on the sundae. -
Review from Malissa L.
Chicago, IL
9/26/2008
I'm going to preface this review with reminding everyone that I've managed to lose and keep off for over a year, 65 lbs. When I indulge, it had better be d@^^n good and worth it.
For the love of all things yummified and delicious. The coffee and coconut fudge brownie Ice cream would have been yummy by itself, but this was my bday kidlettes and I HAD TO HAVE HOT FUDGE.
My friend let me taste the pumpkin ice cream - and we made a deal, I'll cook Thanksgiving dinner if she brings a pint of that for dessert!
Service - it's an ice cream parlor-they are pleasant and quick
Affordability - huge scoops of cold deliciousness
Guilt factor - NONE! it was a bday treat and so worth every last calorie!
Next time I'm back I've got to try the blueberry soy and they have a couple of no-sugar added selections for when I want a treat but don't need the guilt! -
Review from Marcia T.
Chicago, IL
9/5/2011
I hope to come here before the summer is over =) It's a nice old fashioned ice cream parlor...beside ice cream they have all these yummy cakes that I haven't dared tried...lol...I like the old fashioned decor....its very family oriented...if your in Forest Park...you should def stop by =)
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Review from Christiana S.
Buffalo Grove, IL
8/31/2006
Vanilla Cupcake ice cream is one of the most delicious things ever invented in the history of the universe. Yes, I know that sounds like hyperbole, but I promise you it's not.
This shop is great addition to this stretch of Madison Avenue. The lines can be kind of long, and there are only three tables outside, but so what? The ice cream here is incredible. Besides a couple scoops of vanilla cupcake in a cone, my favorite item here is the Brown Cow sundae, (vanilla ice cream topped with hot fudge, warm melty peanut butter, nuts and whipped cream) which comes served in a shiny silver pail. Adorable, but most importantly, SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD.
If you haven't visited downtown Forest Park lately (or ever), it's worth checking out. There are new restaurants, tons of bars (what else is new.... there's always been tons of bars in Forest Park), a couple of cute new boutiques, and most importantly, The Brown Cow.
Go. Now -
Review from Denise P.
Chicago, IL
4/14/2010
So growing up, I used to love going to the Plush Horse in Palos Park. Then their ice cream went significantly downhill, and I moved out of the area. Then I was all over Cupid Candies and go there when I'd visit my mom. Now I am torn between two favorites: Gertie's by my house, and The Brown Cow.
We first came here when my sister lived in North Riverside, because I ate sushi and was craving dessert. I smelled the homemade waffle cones, saw that some of the flavors were homemade, and they had a nice old-school ambience. Plus Green River! I was sold.
I have a thing about always ordering vanilla ice cream the first time I go to an ice cream place, so that's what I did. 2 scoops on a waffle cone, cookies and cream and vanilla. Cookies and cream isn't bad, but the VANILLA. Oh my god, so rich and flavorful and 2 scoops here is like anywhere else's 4 scoops. I was in heaven but could only eat half of it.
Next time I want to try a sundae as it looks like those are pretty popular. -
Review from Brian Q.
Chicago, IL
10/25/2010
On a long 30+ mile bike ride back from a camping trip out at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville, we kept our energy up by stopping at a couple of ice cream shops along the Prairie Path (I know, super-healthy). Our first stop near Wheaton really gave me a taste for old-fashioned ice cream, but that scoop went down quick, as it was quite tiny.
Once we made it to Forest Park, I thought I deserved two scoops of ice cream. Little did I know, Brown Cow servings are more like basketballs than your standard scoop. I could hardly finish the whole thing!
Once we got back to Chicago, the stomach ache was sooo worth it. Their authentic old-school ice cream is out of this world. And well worth a bike ride from wherever it is that you call home. -
Review from Christina R.
Forest Park, IL
12/23/2009
I love the pistachio shakes and the old school ice cream parlor look. They have a great assortment of flavors and offer a "trough" for those of you who might want to try all 21 flavors at once, 7 lbs of ice cream. Yikes, that's an ice cream headache waiting to happen.
They are open late in the summer, and offer a little outdoor seating.
On the down side, they often seem a little understaffed, overwhelmed, and the place needs a busboy. They are always very friendly and helpful, but it always looks like a tornado has just hit and like the employees need a break. Their sundaes and shakes get a little expensive. -
Review from Jeka M.
Updated - 3/23/2010
Just got the chance to visit again after going to La Bella Pastoria, and they are as delicious as ever. I forgot to mention that they also have a few soy ice creams and that if you like food challenges, consider taking on The Trough:
21 scoops of ice cream with the trimmings. If you can finish it by yourself, it's free. :) If not, or if you have a bday party going and just want to share amongst yourselves, it's $45 for the extravaganza! :)
But again, love it AND the kind of people the atmosphere attracts. :) Plus they're open most nights until 11pm!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/21/2010
I took our group of 30 developmentally delayed young adults on a field trip to Brown Cow, and not… Read more »
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Review from Dawne P.
Glendale Heights, IL
9/3/2011
Love this place! It's old fashioned goodness. Plus they are very modern and health conscious...they offer soy choices. They also do fresh fruit toppings! Stopped in late with date, about 10 minutes before closing...we weren't rushed and got a full review of the options. I got mint chocolate chip and banana cream pie. The banana cream pie ice cream was incredible. He got coconut ice cream with fresh raspberry sauce. Again, the ice cream was the star. Also the block the parlor is on has a lot of options for just walking and enjoying the starry night. I'll be back.
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Review from Emily B.
Chicago, IL
7/12/2008
I'm not that big of an ice cream person. When the craving for sweets hits, I tend to go for something else like pie, cookies, or one of those chocolate cakes with oozy chocolate in the middle.
That said, this is the only ice cream parlor with pre-set flavors (aka not Coldstone) that brings me over to the cold dairy dessert side of things. Why? They make their own for a lot of the flavors. I've only tried the ones they make and they are impossibly creamy. My favorite so far is the chocolate peanut butter. It's chocolate ice cream with little ribbons of actual peanut butter and a ton of teeny little peanut butter cups. Oh god... Double your pleasure my friends if you get a chocolate dipped waffle cone with that.
As Coldstones continue to vanish from all around the Chicago suburbs, I hope that Brown Cow remains a staple of the Forest Park downtown area so that I can continue to be an ice cream person once in awhile. -
Review from Patty S.
8/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
One of the few establishments opened past 9:30 pm on a week night (in Forest Park). Try a late night local tea...brewed with fresh leaves (what place brews with fresh leaves anymore?).
The owner is personable and really wants to make sure that you will be happy with your order. I haven't tried their ice cream yet (only tea). They do have a wide selection of ice cream.
They sell fair trade coffee from the local coffee place and they also brew tea leaves from the local tea shop. They have a wide variety of flavors to choose from. It is a very community-based establishment.
The building was an old theater from the mid-1800s. There is rich history of the building that the owner will tell you about if you ask.
A+ in my book! -
Review from Isabelle L.
Wheeling, IL
8/31/2009
OK, from the outside the place doesn't look like much but it is certainly worth the detour when in the area for some good ice cream.
The homemade flavors are definitely the way to go: the pistachio is great and really loaded with pistachios, it's true. The chocolate peanut butter is good but a bit milky and could benefit from darker chocolate flavor.
Anyway, a lot of good flavors to choose from. They also carry some soy based ones which I was not tempted to try. They provide the usual choices: all kind of cones, sundaes and malts and shakes.
Be ready for a long wait on warm weekends and yes the portions are unreal, a kiddie scoop is probably half a cup size already.
Certainly worth the detour. -
Review from Grace G.
Cicero, IL
3/24/2006
OK, Chicago doesn't have too many homemade ice cream parlors, and Forest Park is probably one of the closest that you will get to. The Brown Cow is a step back into what 1920 ice cream parlors used to be. This building built in 1915 houses all original walnut panels and tin ceiling which the owners (the Browns, hence the Brown Cow), have restored to it's original state. Forget Coldstone and Baskin & Robbins...check this little place out.
Now some will argue that Brown Cow isn't homemade, and it wasn't. Originally the ice cream came out of a small company in San Francisco, but there too many issues to deal with because of the distance. So the Browns hooked up with a small Michigan ice cream company, provided some of their own recipes, and with the help of the company, have come up with some truly unique and delicious ice cream flavors. There's a green tea ice cream that many of my friends have developed a taste for. And they have an espresso fudge flavor that I always look for when I'm in there. They change up their flavor list because they are constantly working with new recipe flavors.
What I like about Brown Cow is while they have alot of flavors, they also provide no sugar added and lactose free flavors. I brought my nieces here once and one of them is lactose intolerant. She was so happy that there was a lactose free flavor and she could have ice cream with all of us. Kids really like it here...Brown Cow makes its own waffle cones, some covered with chocolate at the mouth, and some with chocolate and sprinkles...and they have a bunch of toppings to choose from. For those who just want to take it home with them, they already have some prepacked, and they will pack flavors that aren't prepacked.
So check out this little ice cream parlor for a little historic magic and enjoy the creativity, creaminess, and deliciousness of the ice cream. Check out their website: http://www.browncowice... -
Review from Jennifer L.
San Bruno, CA
5/12/2009
Mmmmm...
Pretty good old school ice cream parlor. There are a lot of flavors to chose from. Ice cream is always good. I wish their hours were longer.Comment from Connie B. of Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor 6/16/2009
As a reminder - We're open 11am to 11pm every day… More » -
Review from Brad M.
Buffalo, NY
12/6/2007
In all honesty, it is the best ice cream around. The staff is very polite, the parlor is clean, and at least a third of the ice creams are homemade at the shop.
Get together with about 6 friends and try to eat the trough. It's the tastiest challenge you will ever take on. -
Review from Sean C.
Chicago, IL
6/26/2011
Dear Mom and Dad, why did you deprive me as a child by taking me to baskin robbins for ice cream when brown cow was less than a 10 minute drive from home.
I am glad that I am out of the clutches of my bland-mouthed home, and discovered this gem. I have had my fair share of ice cream from all over the country over the years, and Brown Cow trumps them in every way imaginable. First, the quality of thier ice cream is definitely in the top 3 in my book. Secondly, 31 flavors?? try 97 flavors (not that many, but a really diverse selection of flavors). Thirdly, I have never come across an ice cream menu that had such a perfect balance of classic and modern sundae combinations. Finally and most importantly, The Brown Cow Sundae (3 huge scoops of home made chocolate ice cream, topped with melted peanut butter, fudge and caramel, topped with whipped cream, nuts and marrashcino cherries is the single greatest ice cream sundae of any type that I have tasted. I have been here multiple times, and have ordered a different sundae every time......and needless to say am impressed every time I leave. -
Review from Katie T.
Forest Park, IL
8/9/2011
best. ice cream. ever.
Several of their ice creams are homemade, and all of them are wonderful. They rotate the flavors of their non-homemade ice creams, so there is always something new to try. Our favorites are mint chocolate chip and chocolate peanut butter - both homemade.
They also have waffle bowls and waffle cones that are great.
Additionally, I got a huge chocolate peanut butter cake one year for a birthday party and it was a huge hit. Worth every penny. -
Review from John T.
1/21/2011
Can I give it more stars, please??? I am a HUGE fan of spumoni, and coincidentally, I like to eat a lot. Thus, I tend to get the pistachio, chocolate and black cherry on a waffle cone and it's sort of a makeshift spumoni. They have great everything from their specialty ice creams that include vanilla and apple pie, to their hot chocolate, to their ice cream sandwich, this place is the best around. It feels like you are walking into a piece of heaven. Be ready to undo the belt a notch or two, because there is a lot of ice cream! Lactose intolerant people beware, you are in for a scare!
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Review from Jackie G.
Forest Park, IL
8/17/2010
OMG! The Best Ice Cream. All the employees are the nicest people you will ever meet. It doesn't matter how busy they are, you are always greeted with a smile and a thank you. They have a nice variety ice cream. A must try location!!
So Thank you Brown Cow!! and my little ones thank you!
