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Categories: Candy Stores, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt [Edit]
Neighborhood: Old North Saint LouisMon-Thu. 10:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 10:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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I had to try this place because my buddy in St. Louis said it was a great place for a chocolate banana shake. He was right.
On an added note, the service was incredible. The exact opposite of Dr. Jazz in Webster Grove. Our waitress, LaToya was personable, efficient and helpful.
The only reason they did not get 5 stars is because the part of town this place is located in is s-c-a-r-y. Worth a try but it might be safer in daylight.
I probably made a major boo-boo last night by not treating myself to one of their famous malts, BUT I did have a taste of the BLT which was just about one of the best BLT's I've ever had! Unfortunately for me though, that wasn't my dinner, it was my sister's... I ended up getting the Roast Beef Cheddar melt which I wish the Roast Beef was less tough and cut a little thinner because it was difficult biting into the sandwich without pulling the whole hunk of meat out of the bread. I eventually had to ask for a knife and fork to cut it into pieces.
Other than that, the atmosphere was really lovely, completely throwback and old school and the service was good. And, true to the namesake, they had a large candy selection up front! I personally was eyeing the $14 huge lollipop they had.
So, based on terms of the sandwich I had, I give it three stars but next time I come to St. Louis I'll have to give it some justice and get a malt next time :)
You remember that scene in Vacation where they drive through St. Louis (Well it's supposed to be ESL, but they screwed that up)? Roll em up. Well that kind of sums up my trip to Crown Candy Kitchen.
Before you take me for a St. Charlatan or Chesterfieldian, I live in Downtown STL, so I'm pretty used to being not in a room with only white folk. But man, Old St Louis is like Beirut, except with Church's, it was hard to believer the area was just a few miles from my place. (Sorry wanted to make people aware).
Suddenly you see a nice block and nice cars, is this heaven, not it's Crown.
Man, I imagine my grandfather coming in here as a kid and it looking the same, I think I saw Wally and the Beav sipping on a malt.
Seriously though, this place has the best BLT and Malt I've ever had (although, I don't know what the difference between a shake and malt is , just add malt?). The bacon for the blt is kettle cooked, I'm not exactly sure what that means, but I liked kettle cooked chips, so I assume it's some type of frying. The BLT is as good as they come.
The malts, there are so many to pick, but I would suggest sharing it, don't try and be a hero, very rich, so keep up with the water as well.
There will probably be a line, so plan ahead, but enjoy a rel St. Louis classic.
How dare anyone not love a place that has a contest where one must consume 5 malts in 30 minutes, only to win... the price of the malts?
This place has been around for a thousand years, and unlike Margie's Candies in Chicago, the candy on its shelves is presumably younger.
We didn't try any of the lunch items, though I've heard the BLT is awesome. The Crown Sundae seemed like a classic choice, and it was devoured quickly, though I understand why they warn patrons with dentures away from the hot fudge. Damn, what I wouldn't have given to have taken my braces off with that stuff as a kid. Brother's banana chocolate malt was also tasty, but not as malty as I would have expected.
My only reason for less than 5 stars: The line set-up is too confusing. Who is in line for a table? Who is waiting to buy boxes of chocolates to stuff in their faces in the car? It's too hard to guess.
Now, I know as much as the next guy that this city is fueled by nostalgia; yeah, I hear the "go crazy, folks" audio every Fall just like the rest of you. It's both endearing and kind of sad at the same time. And restaurants are definitely not exempt from this, which I guess is why Crown Candy Kitchen gets it's rave reviews.
I ordered the three most famous things from CCK: chili, BLT, and a malt. The chili was "eh." It basically tasted like Steak-n-Shake. The BLT was really good, but honestly, how can you fuck up a BLT? Just add a ton of bacon and mayo, oh, you already did that. Thanks CCK. And the famous malt. Honestly, I don't know what the big deal is on that either. It tasted like a malt I could get at any ice cream stand. The only surprising thing was the water; I can't explain it, but Crown Candy has the best tasting water I've ever, uh, tasted.
I was trying to decide between a two and a three star place, and I decided on two because I figure that--according to the Yelp samples of "Meh. I've experienced better." and "A-OK."--the only difference between a two and a three star restaurant is that both are fine, but a three star you might suggest to go to again, and a two star is a place that you don't really care if you ever go to again. It's not bad, and I guess the kinda run down place in a run down neighborhood is pseudo-charming, but overall, I don't really understand all the fuss. Oh, right, the nostalgia.
Go crazy, folks.
Mmmmm....Crown Candy. How I love thee.
BLT---Pretty sure there's a pound of bacon on this bad boy.
Chili---May be my fav in the STL
Chocolate Shake---Holy crap it makes me so happy.
Chocolate Monkey---A yearly ritual to stand in line with all the other die hard monkey fans to get our Easter fix. Chocolate bunnies are for punks.
Not a lot you can add about this place that hasn't been said. The malts (I had a chocolate, banana, marshmallow malt) are simply phenomenal, it would be hard to overstate just how good they are. The candy selection is great, and if you're looking for Easter selections you should get down there now because they have the most amazing variety of homemade chocolate bunnies you've ever seen.
Helpful hint. If you are there to get candy vs. staying to eat you should walk straight to the door and take a number at the ticket dispenser there. You don't need to stand in line. When there is a line out the door that procedure is not apparent and time after time people were waiting in that long line not realizing that they should have taken a number.
The food on the other hand, is just OK in my opinion. I love the BLT, you've never seen so much crisp bacon stacked between two pieces of bread, and they use Miracle Whip on it! It's an architectural disaster, but oh so good. And the tamale is ok. But to be honest I'm not as ga-ga over a lot of the other items. None of it is bad, I just have a hard time giving 5 stars if I'm including food into the equation.
The one mystery of the day was parking. There was a huge line of people out the door, none of whom lived locally (when you see the neighborhood you'll know why I can be so certain about that statement), yet there were open parking spaces all over the place when we arrived and when we left. How did all of those people get there? Is there some Crown Candy shuttle that I don't know about? Is there one of those Willy Wonka glass elevators hidden around the corner? Are they visitors from "elsewhere" taking on human form (there were a few whose human disguises weren't working so well)? I just don't get it.
I have no idea why it's taken me so long to write a review for Crown Candy, but I was reminded of how wonderful this place is after my mom gave me one of their chocolate bunnies for Easter last weekend (as if I needed to be reminded)! As a took a bite out of the ears, I was blown away by delicious cocoa creaminess. I don't know what I could say that hasn't been said, but I'll give it a try.
You can't beat the charm of Crown Candy. It has stood tall in North St. Louis when many other business closed around it--so they're doing something right. They're still rockin' the old school ice cream parlor booths and decor and I've had a lot of fun with their jukebox in the past.
I've been coming to Crown Candy since I was a baby (not as a commuter from the suburbs but as a true city dweller). I have my fair share of memories socializing and enjoying their delicious treats with friends and family. I stuck to their BLT for years (until becoming a vegetarian). Even though I don't eat meat anymore, I have to highly recommend their BLT (thick, perfectly cooked bacon, piled high). Now I order the egg salad and it is GREAT.
All of their ice cream is delicious (it's homemade!). Their sundaes are AMAZING (Lover's Delight, Banana Split, Hot Fudge sundae--oh god their hot fudge is outstanding). Shakes and malts are equally amazing. Recently I enjoyed a coffee shake made with their coffee ice cream. I can't even talk about it it was so good.
Seriously, I'm gonna have dreams about Crown Candy tonight and I'm sure I'll be thinking about this all day now...
A nostalgic ice cream parlour/candy store/sandwich joint. Certainly quaint and charming for sure. We arrived on a weekday afternoon during the lunch rush and the first and really only major strike for me in the experience was the line of people congregated in the entrance. With no host you basically have to hover over a table like a vulture. They could have used a host, or some benches because it looked like a big clusterf*** in the entrance.
Once we got sat the service was prompt and the food was good. Turkey sandwich with provolone and bacon (added that to it otherwise it would have been plain I guess) was good, and the to-go milkshake I ordered was excellent... not the very best ever but definitely a treat.
Definitely a great date place, if your date doesn't mind going to a mildly sketch neighborhood; the nostalgia makes up for everything.
As diner's go, this landmark has withstood the test of time, particularly in a city that's seen better days, such as St. Louis. Where so much has closed over the years, this has wonderfully been spared. House made ice cream, candy, terrific meals, quick and friendly service make it easy to understand how.
This is a must stop when I come back home; one of the amazing places that keep my St. Louis homesickness rational.
MMM. I love this place. The neighborhood scares me a bit, but the food is enough to make up for it.
The BLT and the shakes are DELICIOUS. I'm drooling, just thinking about it...
It really is like walking back in time....I love everything about this place except the neighborhood is not quite what it should be.
A true land mark.
Legitimately a bonafide, can't-miss St. Louis institution.
Best known for their shakes and malts, you'd be silly to make a trip out here and not get cozy with one of their fine ice cream items. My choice? The marshmallow shake, extra thick. You can request the density of your shake altered by paying a $.50 upgrade for 'thick' or $.75 for 'extra thick'. Aaah, this is how it's done my friend.
Almost a centenarian now and old-fashioned gal Crown Candy has hardly changed. Save for the neighborhood, it's a bit rough. Come. Order a BLT and a big shake and leave 5 pounds happier.
Nothing beats ice cream sundaes and shakes made on the spot in a beautiful soda fountain that's nearly 100 years old. Sure, the area may be a little too Skid Row, but don't let that scare you.
I don't live a thing near St. Louis but I hope to come back whenever I'm in the area.
P.S.
If you're brave, let your inner Peter Dowdeswell attempt to gorge down five malts in half an hour. You get a plaque on the wall!
Absolutely gorgeous, 95-year old diner/soda fountain in the middle of the 'hood. The plain old turkey club had the most amazing tasting turkey and bacon ever.
You must try the ice cream - prepared right there in the shop. We also bought a bunch of chocolates for the home folks.
My favorite part was the old-fashioned phone booth.
Sadly, I forgot the camera. But these people didn't: http://www.flickr.com/...
Nostalgia only explains part of the charm of Crown Candy and those who don't "get it" never will and that's ok. This place has been around forever...I can remember skipping school a few times senior year to have some of their great chocolate malts and candy. I have never actually ate their food...not sure why....just never occurred to me. The neighborhood can scare you if it's your first time there, but we have never had a problem. Great place to go with friends, family, or a date. Do yourself a favor and pay them a visit.
As a child your introduced to places that one of your parents loved as a child themselves. Me, i got multi-generational family members introducing me to this institution. I found, and still do find myself comming her after all these years because the chocolate (at easter!) is the best therr is for bunnies and eggs for baskets and then for the food itself. Sure, everyone touts the BLT, but for me their roast beef sammich has always had my mouth watering when i think about it. Also, i have to say i am a fan of the chocolate-banana malts!
Sure the neighborhood isn't the most appealing, but i belive that it's starting to change for the better with some of the new facelifts to the row next to it being renovated, but that has never bothered me in the least. You go for the food, not the neighborhood!
The fact that this place is the seed to the future development that is Crown Village makes this establishment amazing in and of itself.
http://www.crownvillag.../
Experiencing the ridiculously huge BLT, awesome candy, and solid no-too-sweet shakes and malts should make anyone realize just how this gem of an operation has persevered through the times.
This is a place that St. Louis could rally behind. Let's hope that the organizations behind Crown Village will have the same stamina that Crown Candy Kitchen has to get through these trying times and make this area shine again.
This place totally lives up to its reputation. I had a butterscotch malt and it was awesome. The chocolate banana milkshake that I got for my husband was wonderful. The Big Cheese sandwich (pumped up grilled cheese) was solid. Even the chocolate sprinkles on my son's ice cream were way above average. My husband's cousin confirmed that the BLTs are to die for. The service was good. Nice atmosphere.
I really hope that the development in the area takes off, as the Kitchen deserves to be the heart of a rocking neighborhood.
I appreciated the plaque for those brave souls who have managed to drink 5 malts in 30 minutes.
I am really on the border at a 4.5.
The case for:
This place is awesome. It really probably hasn't changed appreciably in 50 years. They make their own Ice Cream and excellent Hot Fudge (sort of sticky and sugary, a nice and divergent take). The wait-staff was really friendly and the banana chocolate malted that Randy S. consumed was very, very good and probably could have fed a small Central American country for a week.
It's a really unique place in America. One of the great old-time spots that still exists and hasn't updated and ruined itself. It also has a tremendous assortment of candies and all that to go if you want.
The case against:
While the shake was really good, the ice cream was pretty middle of the road and whipped. I am not a fan of whipped, airy, ice cream. The hot fudge sundae was good, but it was fake whipped cream and in a place that goes to the trouble to make it's own whipped cream, there could have been some extra effort here. My pastrami sandwich for lunch was a 3 (but I'm not really using that too heavily).
All in all it probably deserves a 5 because it's a really unique and interesting place. It also gets kudos for standing unharmed in a Compton-esque area of the Lou. Okay, I'm going with 5.
Just go there, get a shake and don't worry so much.
Crown Candy Kitchen, or Crown Candy as my friends and I call it is a most wonderful place. Anyone who has been there would know that wonderful is a word that could sum up the place, but it wouldn't do as great of a job as just showing someone the place, and making sure they order some ice cream and one of their homemade chocolate peanut butter cups.
Besides awesome ice cream and cream, Crown Candy has some great sandwiches too. I really enjoy their Reuben sandwich. They really pile on the corned beef and cheese and add just enough dressing to bring out that extra bit of flavor.
Crown Candy is the kind of place I like to go to on one of those warm lazy days when you're just hanging around with friends, looking to get out to go someplace, anyplace where you can just enjoying each other's being. The service is always great and everyone there is friendly. Going to Crown Candy is just a very enjoyable experience that creates a pleasant highlight of the day.
After lunch at the famous Pappy's Smokehouse, I headed over to another famous St. Louis stop- Crown Candy Kitchen, a candy store/ice cream shop/soda fountain established in 1913. I'm not a big dessert eater. Usually the main meal ends up being so good I don't leave room for it. But since I knew I was going to Crown I made sure I did this time. I like marshmallow a lot as a sundae topping so I ended up ordering a malted marshmallow shake. I'd never had one before so I was glad to see it as an option. It sounded really rich but it actually was not overly sweet. I managed to down the whole thing without any digestive "issues." The malt powder combined with the marshmallow & ice cream yielded a slightly yellow-looking concoction but it was excellent. My friend chose a strawberry-banana shake filled with chunks of fruit blended with vanilla ice cream and milk that was also very good. There are so many options for shakes and sundaes here that you can't go wrong. You will find something you like. I chose the shake over a sundae because of the Man vs. Food milkshake challenge. I wanted to see if they would live up to the hype. Mission accomplished.
Stopped in for some lunch and ice cream with the one and only Andy P. during our road trip from Dallas to Connecticut.
The chicken salad sandwich I had was decent, but clearly that's not the reason to go here - it's all about the ice cream, and the shakes. I had a chocolate banana shake, which was ridiculously good. Andy got a sundae, and I have to admit the ice cream didn't live up to the shake. In many ways, this place reminded me of Itgen's back home (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), and while not necessarily a fair comparison, I'd have to give the edge to Itgen's.
Still, definitely worth checking out for a shake if you're in the St. Louis area.
Ambiance: 25/25 stars
Food: 18/25 stars
Service: 18/25 stars
Bathroom: 15/25 stars
Probability of going back: 10% (I don't live in St. Louis)
Biggest BLT EVER! A mountain of deliciously crisp, salty bacon and the less-important-but-still-tasty L & T with a touch of mayo on toasted wheat = one of the finest lunches in town, especially when washed down with a cherry shake.
Crown Candy Kitchen has been dishing up fab scoops, sundaes and shakes since 1913. The place is the best kind of authentic, old school soda fountain, complete with an oldies jukebox that actually works, tin ceilings and Coca-Cola kitsch from back in the day. Service is friendly and fast, food and ice cream are delicious and they really do sell candy, too.
Don't fret too much about the location. Just go or you'll miss out on one of the best historic eating establishments in St. Louis. Of course, that just means more bacon for me...
This is one of those rare places that really, honestly hasn't changed much over the years and isn't striving for vintage appeal aesthetics--it's just the way it is. Go there for the candy, the ice cream, the greasy spoon food, or just go there to eat somewhere that's been around for almost a hundred years.
This is a place that a lot of St. Louis folks (and visitors) have a soft spot for.
So my dad and I had this ongoing debate on my last visit...which is more dangerous...North St. Louis, or East Oakland? This is one of those dubious distinction kinds of conversations. Oh, hell! I'll visit either North St. Louis or East Oakland any day of the week, so there! Can you say crumbling, yet charming?
On my way to Crown Candy Kitchen from Downtown St. Louis (City Museum), I got lost, took the wrong exit, turned around, DIDN'T GET SHOT, and landed at the ice cream parlor just fine with my kidlet. We repasted on Midwest-stylie tamales (no corn husks were harmed!) and ate the sundae they served that most resembled Fenton's Black and Tan. It was easy to park, easy to eat, not overly crowded, and full of the vintage decor other Yelpers have described.
I'm still alive, with no gunshot wounds, and still not obese, despite St. Louis's finest efforts.
Update October 15, 2007: Rest in Peace, Daddy! Jerry Lee, born 1942, Rolla MO; died October 12, 2007, St. Louis MO.
Sumo-sized sundaes. BLTs with more real estate than anything Trump built. Massive milkshakes too much for any mortal to take.
What's not to love?
It's nostalgic. That's the best part. My dad loves this place because it reminds him of soda fountains from his childhood. We even ordered an egg cream here once. They make their own ice cream, dare people to down an ungodly amount of milkshakes for a prize and sell tons of candy you can't find anywhere else these days. You sit in tiny booths and look at memorabilia all over the walls. Food is food. It doesn't come with a funny name or weird toppings. It's naked. Bacon (though 12 hulking slices of it), lettuce, tomato and REAL mayonnaise on your BLT. Egg salad with eggs and mayo on white bread. No curries. No capers. Food that tastes good because it's made from scratch.
And a bit of whimsy, too.
I love great ice cream and crown candy does not disappoint.
Good old fashioned fun!
Grilled cheese was just like my mom used to make, and was definately a welcome bit of comfort food. It was eclipsed later by the GIGANTIC sundae, with perfectly rich ice cream, chocolate syrup and marshmallow.
Will definately be my first stop next time I'm back in St. Louis!
I come here nearly once a month every time I need my chocolate fix. I typically get the same thing, as no one does it better and I crave these items: chocolate malt, grilled ham and cheese [or a blt, depending on my mood] and a chocolate pecan sundae to finish off. Do I finish it all? Not even close. But, with the prices as low as they are, I really don't care.
This is real Americana food done at its best. I consider Crown Candy as being near the top of the list when it comes to St. Louis' treasures. Anyone visiting StL for the first time would do well to make a stop here. They have a ton of strange candies, they have a real soda fountain, and they make their food from scratch....not to mention the staff is wonderful.
A blast from the past! This is one of the oldest soda-fountain and candy shops still running in St. Louis. They make their own chocolate and their malts and shakes are the best! In addition, they serve dinner and lunch. One of my favorites is their BLT - almost a 1" pile of artery clogging bacon!
Being old, the area around the establishment has evolved and is not safe. Despite this, the place is always busy with locals and tourists experiencing a true piece of Americana.
Crown Candy Kitchen is the center of my old neighborhood I grew up in. I lived up and down and all around the 14Th Street area. We would always meet there with our Friends. I remember in the 60's playing those satellite jukeboxes with the sounds of Temptations, James Brown, Monkeys, Beatles...... Playing the pinball machines! Oh what fun we had at Crowns. Real Cokes mixed right in front of you with real cherry in it! The fresh made ice cream cones are the best I ever tasted. Fresh store made candies created in the back room. I live in N. California now, but when I'm visiting family in St. Louis, I ALWAYS eat at Crowns. It looks the same as it did in the sixty's and probably the 40s and 50s. If you want a flash back into the past, go to THE CROWNS!
This is Chester Green, Shout out to all the folks in the old neighborhood! :)
You just can't mess with Crown Candy Kitchen.
The food and the malts are superbulousfabuamericanfatstyle!
They have a "who can down 5 malts in 30 minutes" contest.
If you do it, you get your name on a plaque.
I insist on taking every visitor who passes through STL to this place.
It's awesome and it gives people a little taste of north st.louis city.
As authentic as it gets. This soda fountain has been in continuous operation by the same family since 1913, and they make their own chocolates with irreplaceable molds. It's a candy and cultural museum as well as a great place to eat affordably.
Weekday lunches are good for spotting local celebs, for whatever that's worth.
This place is definitely the Margie's Candies (a Chicago landmark) of St. Louis!
Excellent sundaes in an old-school atmosphere!
This place is a required stop for anyone visiting St. Louis. If you are a malt connousieur, this is probably the mecca. I had the chocolate malt that can be summed up as -- Pure Decadence. It is an absolutely coronary choker that every living person walking upright should experience. Visiting the place is like stepping back into time. I can picture the same decor adorning the place when it first opened. The neighborhood failed but Crown Candy withstood the test of time. And I am sure it will continue to do so for many more generations to come.
Yikes. My heart truly does stop when I partake of the Heartstopping BLT, made with wonderfully tangy Miracle Whip, not mayo. And nothing gets that heart pumping again like a cherry sundae with a little hot fudge on top. Grab some Heavenly Hash for later. Sigh. I love Crown.
heavenly milkshakes in a variety of flavours, sensational chocolates formed by distinctive molds, an atmosphere authentic to the family that has run the restaurant for generations...
i've been enjoying crown candy since i was a child, and, thanks to their nation-wide delivery, will continue enjoying their chocolate in seattle.
Crown Candy is a hidden gem in the skeleton of St. Louis. It's a really old place and the decor looks it--but in a charming way. The food here is pretty basic. Don't expect anything really fancy. But the desserts, shakes, and candies are why you come anyways. Beware, the neighborhood is definitely shady. But if you've lived in St. Louis for more than a few years and haven't ventured here, you're missing out on a lot of nostalgia.
With the first sip of their signature shakes, Crown Candy Kitchen is easily worth the long trip up to North County. I love the look of this place, which is pretty much the same way it looked 50 years ago (or longer). The antique soda fountain still works, the prices are still very reasonable, and the food is down home and traditional. You won't find anything diet here. People rave about the BLT here and I'm afraid I'm going to have to second the mob's suggestion; it is completely delicious and every other BLT you eat will pale in comparison. You must come here. You just must.
Kimmswick, MO
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