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Fentons
Categories: Food Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Restaurants Diners Restaurants American (Traditional) Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Diners, American (Traditional) [Edit]
4226 Piedmont Ave(between Glenwood Ave & Ridgeway Ave)
Oakland, CA 94611
Neighborhoods: Piedmont Ave, North Oakland
(510) 658-7000
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 9 am - 12 am
Sun 9 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dessert
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
2060 reviews for Fentons
Review Highlights
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"My date ordered the highly recommended Black n' Tan." In 252 reviews -
"my personal favorite is swiss milk chocolate." In 51 reviews -
"Also the Toasted Almond ice cream is simply great." In 141 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
2059 reviews in English
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Review from Vanessa C.
Berkeley, CA
5/23/2012
Fenton's. I don't even know what to say.
Portions are huge. Flavors are many. Toppings abound. Creativity is mind-boggling. Whoever made up the menu should get a Nobel prize for their ice-cream-and-topping matchmaking abilities.
I first came here with a man who told me that, "Fenton's is not a place you go for dessert; it's where you go to have ice cream for dinner." Swoon!! (Note: Fenton's has regular food, too). Once I had my first sundae, I was hooked. I could barely move! The guy was trying to move in on he last few bites because I was visibly pained, but I knocked his hand and gave him a death stare. We had to sit there for a while before I could finish it.
If you're the sharing type, go with a friend and try an a few assortments (fruity, chocolate, mint, etc.). If you're the aggressive type, make sure you get your own. This place is an absolute MUST for anyone coming into the East Bay.
Also, be prepared to wait a while. This is a five star ice cream joint, people. Everybody's trying to get someListed in: The Concierge
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Review from Johan S.
San Leandro, CA
5/21/2012
After hearing about Fentons in the movie "Up" I wanted to try their ice cream. I get there midweek and there was a 30 minute wait. Really...30 minutes? While waiting, I am thinking this place is worth the wait.
We start off with food and I ordered the BLT. It was OK but nothing to rave home about (I think Ruddy's Can't Fail has the best BLT). My then-housemate wanted bbq sauce for his fries....why did they charge him $1 without telling him? I appreciate restaurants who tell you in advance if they are going to charge for extra sauce, subsituions, etc. When I asked the server why he didn't tell him of the extra charge, he shrugged his shoulders and said that it's policy to charge for extra sauce.
After my meal I ordered ice cream. Eh, it was ok. I don't understand the hype with this place. I grew up with Mitchell's ice cream in San Francisco. Instead of Fentons I'd definitely recommend Loard's, which are family run ice creameries -- much more reasonable prices, no wait, and good ice cream!
Heads up: if you get food and ice cream you're probably going to spend abour $20 - $25 per person. -
Review from Donna M.
Milpitas, CA
5/19/2012
GET THE ICE CREAM. The Black and Tan is suuuper good! The servings are plentiful, will leave you completely satisfied and not wanting anything sugary for the next few days. Even better is watching someone attempt a large sundae or the Fentons challenge is an absolutely horrendous and hilarious feat.
Don't get the food here though. They serve typical diner food staples such as burgers, hot dogs, and other fried goods that aren't particularly prepared in a remarkable way.
The wait gets longer as summertime approaches so either go early or bring something/ someone to entertain you. -
Review from David W.
Updated - 5/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
A good attrraction to check out when you're in Oakland.
Overpriced ice cream, but a great place to hit up for someone who's new to the area or visiting.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/10/2012
Ordered a Banana Jr. and Myrtle Sundae.
Nothing special with the Banana Jr. Just vanilla,… Read more »
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Review from Tu-Anh N.
I've been here a few times now but every time that I've been here, I always get the Black & Tan! Junior size though because the portions are huge even between 2 people!! And its cheaper ;)
So here are some of the things I've ordered:
California Avocado Burger
A juicy Fenton's burger complimented by monterey jack cheese and slices of fresh avocado.
You cant go wrong with this one! Burger is juicy enough to kill the whole thing!
Tuna Melt
Dolphin-Safe Albacore white tuna salad topped with your choice of melted American, Swiss, pepper jack, Monterey jack or cheddar cheese.
Generic tuna melt that didn't fail! I enjoyed it very much! Yum!
The Black & Tan
Toasted almond and creamy vanilla ice cream layered with our handmade caramel and chocolate fudge, topped with toasted almonds, whipped cream and cherry.
It's my favorite here! Love the generous toppings of caramel and fudge on this! Here's a tip: Order this in a boat so cuz its easier to eat! :D
LOVE it here at Fentons! I cant wait to go back! I usually go at night and I love that it opens late! Definitely a great way to end a night! :] -
Review from Mimi C.
Santa Clara, CA
5/18/2012
Every year my dad takes me to the A's opening game at oakland for my birthday. whenever we go, WE MUST GO TO FENTON'S!!!! after the A's consecutive depressing losses, a yummy ice cream goes along quite nicely. my favorite thing to order is a nice warm brownie with mountains of ice cream on the top :)
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Review from Sonnia K.
Five stars! Great service, great food and great ice cream. We walked in and got a table right away. No wait! The server was very friendly and helpful. It was my first time at Fentons and so I had too many queries. Nothing wrong with asking questions, right? I just wanted to be sure I was getting the food I wanted.
They got huge servings of everything. So all the stuff I ordered were either kiddie size or tiny regular size. I ordered their Chicken Caesar Salad and Cup of Chili (as always, had to taste their chili). The Banana Special was the one I wanted for dessert, but it was a 3-pound ice cream. Maybe if I biked all the way to Oakland and that's the only thing I'd eat, I might order it. Bahahaha. So, I ended up with a kiddie banana split. My fiancé ordered a Western Bacon Burger. It looked so good. He also had a scoop of sundae for his dessert.
Overall, it was a great experience. I'd definitely want to go back. Fentons, very memorable from the movie, "Up." I want the Banana Special! Wanna share it with me? Let's go! -
Review from Justin L.
Stockton, CA
Updated - 5/20/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Finally got to actually eat here today to celebrate my wife's college graduation dinner. Despite the place being absolutely packed out and crazy, we got some pretty good service and very good eats as well. The place was insane full of people everywhere, A good sign that people love this place! I ordered the Crab Salad Sandwich. It was pretty good. I had it with a Jumbo chocolate milkshake and seasoned curly fries. And of course..a scoop of Swiss milk chocolate ice cream for dessert. I was in hog heaven. Here is a tip, make sure you call in ahead of time to get on the wait list and make sure all your people are with with to get seated. That's what we did and there was absolutely no wait at all.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/7/2012
If you prefer death by chocolate...then this is the place you to come and die at. The ice cream… Read more »
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Review from Melissa F.
Mill Creek, WA
4/25/2012
If you want to get chocolate wasted, this is the place to go!
Made famous by the Up movie, I had to check it out and see if the hype was true. And it fact, it is. My best friend and I were on a road trip to Washington and on the way we went to Fenton's and had the black and tan. WOW my tastebuds were going bonkers! It was so good and rich. Too much of it would definitely make me hit the food wall so my friend and I split it luckily! Our other friends and family we were with had different flavors of ice cream too and they all were yummy! It's a busy place but if you have the chance to go, check it out. It's worth the wait! -
Review from James N.
4/18/2012 5 photos
Fentons is one of the only businesses in the area that has some extra parking spaces in their private lot. Most of the area is used as diner for hungry patrons. However, what Fentons is known for is their ice cream. It is famous enough to make it into Pixar's movie, Up.
I came up here for Yelp's Field Trip Event. During the Yelp Field Trip, we were given the VIP treatment we had a complete tour of Fenton's. While in our tour, we visited the new gift shop across the street, learn how their whip cream is made and how caramel is marbled into their sweet ice cream. We learned that Fenton's put Oakland in the map for their Rocky Road ice cream (which was also named after Oakland).
As far as innovations goes, Fenton always been experiment of adding new flavors and also is visited by companies like Nabisco with their Nutter Butter. Though, you won't find dense ice cream here as you might at BiRite. Fentons are very much has a mainstream style.
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+ Pro: Always expect something new!
- Con: Ice Cream may be too traditional for some.
( ^,^) Overall: Best classical ice creams.Listed in: Best of the Bay, YelpEvents FTW!
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Review from Kat S.
Daly City, CA
4/25/2012
Went here Friday for the first time and it was packed! The parking lot is small so good luck trying to find a spot. There was a lot of people in big parties but luckily my bf and I got seated right away at the bar :)
Service was good and our food came up quick. The black and tan sundae is to die for! -
Review from Amy H.
4/26/2012
TIP #1: Make ice cream your dinner. Don't even --try-- to fight it. The sundae will win. Every. Single. Time.
TIP #2: If you're not looking for a frozen treat that's the size of your head with enough sugar to fuel you for a lifetime, you can opt for a frozen treat that's the size of your fist with enough sugar to fuel you for half a lifetime.
TIP #3: Come on your birthday! You dinner--I mean ice cream--will come out with a candle on it and the whole restaurant will sing Happy Birthday to you, even if they don't know your name.
Ice cream, nice and simple. The food is acceptable--who can resist the sweet and salty combination of curly fries and ice cream?--but... I can't stress this enough. Just come for the ice cream. You won't regret it.
I popped my Fenton's cherry by making my own sundae: 1 scoop cookie dough, 1 scoop chocolate peanut butter crunch, chocolate malt sauce, and chocolate peanut butter fudge. But I was having a really hard time deciding between blueberry cheesecake, rocky road, swiss chocolate, vanilla bean, toasted almond, mocha royale, pistachio... and that's not even half of the flavors they offer!
I promise that you will leave happy. Everyone is here to relive their childhoods, even if it's just for 30 minutes or so while they're eating their ice cream. Of course, for me, it was only for about 5 minutes, because I practically inhaled my sundae. Time and calories well spent. -
Review from Sophia Y.
Pleasanton, CA
5/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
I had to check this place out after seeing it in the Pixar movie Up. And this place is just as cute as it was featured in the movie.
The staff is very friendly and takes very good care of the customer. The manager had noticed that we hadn't gotten our food in half an hour and was kind enough to give us a free dessert of our choosing with our meal. The large-portioned breakfast we had there was average and had nothing special to note about. I think it was the Sausage and Eggs. But the ice cream was what I was most looking forward to! We had the Cookie Connection and vanilla ice cream. It was like ice cream heaven. I especially loved the strong vanilla-y taste of the vanilla ice cream due to the fresh vanilla beans that they use. You can even watch them make some of the ice creams through the window. Also, a good place for birthdays since the staff will sing to you.
Despite the decadent and scrumptious ice cream creations that I would definitely come back for, other things were not as pleasant. Their parking lot is very small and street parking is hard to find. The wait is often long during peak hours. It's a very family-friendly environment, so be prepared for lots of screaming kids and toddlers throwing tantrums and running around. Wouldn't recommend this place to a diabetic or those who hate kids. -
Review from Alexander R.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2012
This Fentons, this ice cream place is so much more than a place to get your frozen dairy treat, it's the center of the Piedmont universe as far as i can tell. I mean the line and buzz around it was something and and it always is. The ice cream is good and the vibe is old school.
Is you plan on visiting Fentons be prepared for a long wait and just dig it as your activity for the hour. Line waiting can be a blast, y'all! Taunting said line once you've got your chilled yummies is also fun.
Fentons serves more than ice cream but I aint' ever tried any of it because I'm pretty lame.
PS If ya' didn't know already this is the ice cream place at the end of the Pixar movie UP! -
Review from Natalie C.
Pleasanton, CA
4/19/2012
What up, Fentons?! I'd say adding to the +2000 reviews at this point is just overkill, and that my review really doesn't make a difference. I'm just a little speck on their body of work, so to speak.
But I am quite frankly... Freaking in love with this place. Everything is handmade. Even the marshmallows. Swiss milk chocolate is bomb[dot]com. And I've never in my life described anything as "bomb[dot]com" in spoken word or written text. I saved it for Fentons.
I had to use the restroom one rainy, November day (November Rain, GET IT??), and I saw a few little kids huddled outside of the window across from the restrooms. Turns out, they were watching marshmallows being made. I called my mom over, and we watched them make the marshmallows... And when they were done, they gave us a fresh one to try. Believe it. -
Review from Breanna C.
Martinez, CA
4/16/2012
I went to Fentons for the first time last weekend on a Friday night with a group of friends. I was excited to try Fentons out since I've heard so many things about it but it was seriously the worst service I have ever experienced!
We had a reservation for 6:30 but they wouldn't seat us because ONLY ONE of our group members hadn't arrived yet! We had to wait about an hour outside in the cold while other people who didn't have a reservation got seated before us until we went in to ask if we could be seated. The hostess wasn't very friendly and told us that we'd have to wait another 20 minutes. Well 20 minutes turned into another hour. So we got seated 2 hours after our reservation even after our final group member had shown up.
I guess they didn't like us complaining about the wait because we had gotten seated at a B**** table by the waiters cash register/work area. The table had obviously just been put there to get us out of the way.
My friend's fries were cold, they forgot to bring another friend's meal completely and had to make it while everyone else was already eating. Food wasn't worth the price. The Ice Cream was good pretty good though.
The service completely ruined my first trip to Fentons and I don't think I'll be making another trip there again. I can find better ice cream somewhere else. If you do choose to go though, make sure you go in the middle of the day during the week. Maybe that will make your experience better than the one I had. -
Review from Jason S.
Oakland, CA
5/18/2012
This is my favorite place in Oakland. I love the cookie connection and I will always come back for more. The food on the menu I could take or leave, not all that great. ICE CREAM!!!!!
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Review from Cecelia S.
Martinez, CA
5/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is such a diner!
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Review from Bevy M.
Castro Valley, CA
4/19/2012
Now, I am certain that I'd already reviewed Fenton's but for some reason it's not here on Yelp any longer. Hmmmmm... Grrrrrrrrr... the mystery of the missing reviews. Someone should get to the bottom of this!
And in the meantime, you should get to Fenton's as soon as humanly possible. For a delicious scoop of home made ice cream. Or a sundae. Or a milk shake.
Or, if you want something more substantial (but with ice cream this delicious, why?), try the famous crab sandwich. It alone is worth the trip.
Have fun, be daring, and if you can, take a kid or two with you. Or perhaps some really immature adults who will assuredly go crazy over the ice cream, perhaps get a bit hyper and really loud...
Enjoy!Listed in: Fine Oakland Choices, Ice Cream Heaven
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Review from Anna D.
Ah..Fenton's.
I've heard about this place numerous times over the years and yesterday, I finally had a chance to give it a try.
Definitely come with a group, so that you may have a chance to try more flavors.
Banana nut..you are amazing and with the creamy peanut butter sauce topping, please roll me out the door.
The service may be a bit slow, but all is forgotten since you'll be suffering from a doozy of a brain freeze. -
Review from N. I.
Oakland, CA
5/12/2012
Love the food and ice cream. Depending on the waiter or waitress, the service could be excellent or terrible. It's a toss up. And at this point I think I've been waited on by each of them. I go a few times a month. I'm fat. GO! And cross your fingers that you get waited on by one of the good ones.
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Review from Marlyn A.
Updated - 4/18/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Went to the Yelp Fieldtrip to Fenton's tonight and must say that I learned a whole lot about the beloved company, unfamiliar menu items and how they make their ice cream and whipped cream.
A few things I learned tonight:
- They make 4 differt types of whipped cream: Old Fashion, Milk Chocolate, Jersey(sp?), and the type we're all familiar with that comes out of a can.
- I need to correct myself in a previous review about Rocky Road's invention: Dryer's never did invent Rocky Road, in fact it was the Fenton's family and one of Dryer's children or grandchildren used to go to Fenton's and buy Rocky Road from them in the early days...and then we all know the rest of that story.
- Lastly, they have another business across the street called Myrtle's Lodge. Inside is a nostalgic look of a 1920's soda shop.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/7/2012
I've come to this location a few times, always with family. It is a great place to have American… Read more »
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Review from TAHSIN K.
San Jose, CA
5/15/2012
This is quite possibly the best ice cream i have ever head. I have been here a couple of times, and it always hits the spot. Their cheeseburgers are really good but you really come here for the ice cream. It's worth just to make the drive for ice cream.
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Review from Brooke W.
Berkeley, CA
4/12/2012
Every time I come here, I think, "never again". This is just a place to go back in time and be nostalgic about your memories there as a child (if you're a local), not a place to currently get a tuna melt. It will be dry...dry as a bone. The ice cream is still pretty good and it's nice to watch a kid eat an ice cream sunday that is nearly as big as he is. That is where the delight ends.
Mediocre is the word that comes to mind. It's great though the child's undeveloped palate. -
Review from Michelle M.
Houston, TX
4/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Fentons. Deliciously creamy ice cream with several different flavors to choose from. Also a very good dinner, should you choose to come here for it. It is a little pricey for ice cream (comparing to Ben & Jerry's, Cold Stone, or Baskin Robbins) but maybe not for Piedmont Avenue.
VERY HARD to find tables here, and I don't think they take reservations. Come early or prepared to wait. There is patio seating completely up for grabs. (Indoors, they ask you to wait to be seated.) Heath bar ice cream was my favorite. -
Review from Samuel C.
Berkeley, CA
3/31/2012
This place is known for its ice cream, especially for the infamous Fenton's challenge, which is a gargantuan mass of chaos and death (I failed it, heh...). Look to other people's pictures for reference.
Service/Decor: This place hosts TONS of people. Most of the people are families or couples, or frats or social clubs later at night. It's actually quite nicely decorated and has a slightly more retro vibe. What was amazing was that our group had about ~28 people and we were seated almost IMMEDIATELY. That's pretty awesome considering the place was packed. Our servers were very generous, and since it was my friend's birthday, they prepared the ice cream with a candle in it (actually it was addressed to someone else on accident since my friend ordered a burger, but anyone could have made that mistake...still hilarious :P) and we all sang happy birthday.
Food: Yes, this place is known for its ice cream, but I decided to get an entree because I was starving. I got the California Avocado Burger (asked for cheddar instead of Monterey Jack) and got fries with it. Yeah, don't bother getting entrees here. The patty was cooked very well done (almost burnt), though the bread was baked to an excellent crisp. Quite expensive, about $9.50+tax for a mediocre burger and fries.
Now, onto the ice cream! We got the black & tan, which looked quite nice despite its oozing ice cream and syrup out of its cup. I must say, though, that it was WAY too sweet. I've never tasted any chocolate/fudge, whatever that dark flavor was to be that intense in flavor. It literally hurt my tongue eating it, and I was so glad to get to the layer of vanilla underneath it but I finally gave up on the next layer of chocolate underneath. I shared this with my friend, and I don't even think we finished it, despite us being big, burly men (just kidding, not really).
I don't think I'm much of a fan of the ice cream here, perhaps I'll try a milder flavor next time. -
Review from Charles T.
Los Angeles, CA
5/3/2012 4 Check-ins Here
This place is great for Breakfast, Lunch, Dessert and a Late Night Snack!!! Only downside is it gets pretty busy during peak times and parking is limited. Every time my family visits San Francisco from Los Angeles dropping by Fentons is a must, whether its at this location or in Vacaville! The ice cream selection is extensive and very generous in their portion offerings. Ice cream pies are good and different! First time I tried it, I got the Spumoni Pie and it was quite good and unexpected! Sundaes are great for sharing but if you want all for yourself why not! We would always order in for Ice Cream, but just recently we ordered a Banana Special to-go and it came in a tub! Great packaging! And of course the staff is always great and provides excellent customer service.
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Review from Matt M.
Monterey, CA
5/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
For Ice Cream, this place is pretty good for scoop. Honestly I would be hard pressed to tell the difference between this and a Cold Stone, but I understand Fentons is a local institution and respect that. I guess I was a little drunk and dreaming of some good Ted Drew's Custard, so I was disappointed in the flavor I got. But Custard and Ice Cream are not the same, so it is unfair to compare the two. Its still fun to be able to say I have been to Fentons as, like I said, it is a local institution.
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Review from Matt G.
Fenton Creamery has been around since 1895. The institution has endured the 1906 earthquake, the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and the 1991 Berkeley Hills fire. And somewhere in between, the creamery has continuously calling me to dine here.
Despite going to Oakland once biweekly, my daughter and I finally made it to the family-friendly Piedmont side of Oakland.
As always, the popular creamery requires a wait. The wait wasn't too bad on a Saturday afternoon- just 10 minutes. My daughter got the buzzer call from her back pocket and she felt ticklish and giggled. "Man, she has got to get used to the restaurant's buzzer call."
When we got seated, my daughter just wanted a scoop of ice cream on a cone. I told her, "We didn't travel 10 miles from San Francisco to Oakland and wait ten minutes for a table for just a scoop of ice cream. We are getting down dirty and inhale a banana split, baby!" (Now many of you are terrified from my demands).
For $10.95, we had the "Banana Junior" sundae. The popular sundae had the three scoops of the neopolitan ice creams, warm pineapple, strawberry, and hot fudge sauces with chopped nuts, a cloud of whipped cream, and a cute marachino cherry on top with a split banana. We substituted the regular vanilla for a scoop of Vanilla bean instead for more of an intense vanilla taste. My goodness that sundae was one messy but sweet treat. Our sundae: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
As we were enjoying our banana split, we were admiring other sundaes and food ordered by other people. You can hear my daughter and I in unison shouted, "Damn, that looks good!"
"Wow!"
"I got to get what she is having next time!"
All the sundaes and treats are made like an art.
I'm happy that my sidekick and I finally made the trip to Fenton's. We will try other sundaes and hopefully try the diner's food.
By the way, grab the restaurant's receipt and use the receipt to receive 10% off any merchandise from the gift shop located across the street.
Your welcome!Listed in: Matt's Summertime Frozen…
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Review from Dean N.
I'm not much an ice cream person, but I was in escape mode and Fentons was a choice. I hardly eat dairy so coming here was special. Let's just say that I came back twice to get that out of the way.
The ice cream here is awesome. The choices of flavors you can sample is limitless, but you have to be mindful of the people waiting in the long line behind you. I ordered the almond mocha fudge, strawberry shortcake and chocolate and raspberries. Those were the flavors I ordered and NOT all the flavors I sampled. I was fortunate to have a patient server who remembered me on my two occasions. Suck on that froyo!!!!
The ice cream is rich and will fulfill your sweet tooth. Not to mention add a few pounds to your waist line.Listed in: Escape LA
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Review from Sadie H.
Oakland, CA
5/21/2012
I love Fentons, it's a great place to bring your kids for a birthday. Friendly servers great menu and amazing ice cream & sundays. I've never left disappointed.
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Review from Joyce E.
Daly City, CA
4/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been here twice; once on a date and another with friends. They have a tiny parking lot to the side of the restaurant but on both occasions, I've had to park on the streets. Fenton's has a regular scoop station where you can order ice cream and go and they have a sit down restaurant where you can order specialty sundaes. The diner is very cute! It's definitely out of place (looks like it belongs in Disneyland) and everything about it is just kid friendly and relaxed.
The first occasion was a real treat! I came here with my boyfriend to dine at the restaurant and have some ice cream. I called earlier to make a reservation and we were seated right away. Our waitress was really cool and bubbly. She definitely made our experience worthwhile. We were lucky to get a seat next to the ice cream display so that was nice and the service was excellent.
I ordered the BLT and and the Hot Toppers ice cream sundae while my boyfriend ordered a sandwich and the Berry Go Round sundae. Their food is mediocre and overpriced. My BLT had almost no flavor and the bread was burnt. They also charge extra if you want fries with your sandwich. Lame! The ice cream, on the otherhand, was absolutely delicious! At $10, they definitely DO NOT skimp on the ice cream. In fact, I highly suggest that you order an appetizer if you're getting the ice cream because these sundaes are freakin' huge! Our total was about $50 for two people.
The second occasion was a bit different. I came here with friends and we ordered appetizers (hot wings, fries, chili cheese fries) while my sister ordered the philly chicken cheesesteak. All of the appetizers were very good but my sister's philly chicken cheesesteak was just plain NASTY. The bread was burnt, they burnt the mushrooms, and the chicken was slimy. Just gross! Needless to say, my sister didn't finish her $10 cheesesteak.
As for the ice cream..
My sister ordered a scoop of marbled chocolate, my friend and her boyfriend shared the fudgeanna, I ordered the cookie creation and my friend's sister ordered the Banana Jr. Later, my friend's sister decided she wanted something different so she told the waitress she wanted a small sundae instead and to cancel the order.The same waitress KNEW my sister's friend ordered two ice cream sundaes so it was her job to cancel the order. I even asked the waitress if we could cancel the order and she said yes.
So when we received our ice cream, the waiter asked us who ordered the Banana Jr. and we said we canceled it earlier. He looked confused so he took it back and then came back to our table to clarify who ordered what. When we asked him to take our plates away he looked at us like "wtf?" Really now? Do you expect us to enjoy our ice cream with dirty plates on our table? Ridiculous. The waitress came back and asked us if we canceled the order. We all had a "wtf" look on our face because she took the order and asked us if we wanted to cancel. Then she rolled her eyes and walked away. She was in charge of the surrounding tables and DID NOT come to our table until we asked for the check. So unprofessional! It was everyone's first time except for mine so I was definitely embarrassed. Our bill came out to $80 something which is ridiculous.
Definitely worth the drive for the ice cream though! -
Review from Jamie L.
Oakland, CA
Maybe I just didn't order the right thing... :/ Or I just expected too much?
The portions were a lot smaller than I expected. I got a Half sandwich special of chicken salad and a single scoop of the Lemon Light ice cream and they were both pretty small for their prices. I could have made the sandwich better myself and the ice cream was so artificial tasting/looking. -
Review from Winnie G.
3/24/2012 109 Check-ins Here
One of those places that's a jem and should be on your list of places to at least try once for their signature dish in Oakland.
Honestly I don't find their food worth the money or the wait. It's bland, small portions and I'm paying a la carte for something that I can get better down the street. I've had their Philly sandwich which comes with chips. Small portion, sandwich cut in half but not enough. I've tried their burgers as well, which I found to be dry and tasteless. I guess it's one of those places where they just need to have food to extend their menu until its time for dessert.
Onto the dessert, Mmm. Black and Tan is a super rave! Absolutely tuxed up with huge scoops of ice cream covered with chocolate drizzle and nuts. Sink your teeth into in, absolute brain freeze sweet tooth heaven.
Their banana spilt is somewhere near close to food channel challenge awesome. HUGE scoops of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry topped with nuts, sliced bananas whipped cream chocolate drizzle and a cherry on top. It usually takes 2 people to barely finish it, a great pile of awesome. My parents love it and have more than a blast eating it. :adorable:
Every month, they feature a new ice cream sundae or ice cream of the month for some special event or occasion. They're pretty special and the funds always goes to something worthy! Plus, during different seasons they have special flavors. Like during the holidays, they have egg nog. During summer, pistachio and pomegranate.
But I do feel that this place is over hyped, but it doesn't make it any lesser of a restaurant. Great for dessert or just hanging out with friends, nothing beats huge scoops of delicious ice cream.
PS. If you order to go and get the single scoop of ice cream, they let you spilt flavors!! But that's only for to go, they don't let you of dining in, which sucks.
Also, parking is absolutely terrible but if you go up the block to Glen Ave, there's residential parking if you're going during the day and free parking after 6 on weeknights! -
Review from Leanne P.
3/28/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I love love LOVE Fentons. I would love to give them 5 stars as well, and if we were talking about the food alone--no doubt they'd get a million stars. Their ice cream is TO DIE for and I drive from the south bay all the way to Oakland just for this treat.
BUT, let's face it, the service sucks. I don't know how/when did this happen, but the service sucks at Fentons now. Its a bunch of people who hate their jobs, who hate the customers who come from EVERYWHERE to enjoy some ice cream, who basically are out to ruin other people's days. If I could go behind the counter and scoop my own ice cream, I would and then I wouldn't have to deal with everyone's bad attitudes.
Ok, now that my vent session is done, let's go back to the positives!
The ice cream is the best. Rocky road, swiss chocolate, coffee cookie crunch... the flavor possibilities are endless! I always get a black & white sundae (with hot fudge and marshmallow!) but I pick different flavors of ice cream. I will always drive the hour trip out here because its freaking amazing. -
Review from Joel V.
3/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm a South Bay guy, but everyone in the bay has heard of FENTONS! My sweet little niece had her basketball game at St. Leo's across the street, so we planned to eat at Fenton's afterward. We had a short wait, and I scoped out the ice cream situation for later decisions... They tried to squeeze six of us into a table for four, and we asked if we could add the table next to us. They reluctantly agreed. Sheesh.
My wife and I agreed that we'd share lunch and get our own sundaes for dessert to somewhat salvage some calories. So we went with the Club Sandwich. It was pretty solid, but definitely forgettable. Everyone else at the table got a burger or patty melt - and they all looked a little on the boring side. But let's get real, Fentons isn't known for its lunches. It was time to get down to business...
I got the Medium Sundae with Cookies and Cream with Caramel sauce, loaded. It was really good, but I think the caramel stole the show. But here's the thing...
WAAAAAY too expensive. The meals were about $10 a pop. Fine. But the sundaes were $8-15 each. Come on dudes. A one-scoop sundae isn't worth $8. My brother and sis-in-laws shared banana split was HUGE, but $15?
The place is worth going to once. But it's basically a "tourist trap" at this point. A slight disappointment.
3.5 Stars. -
Review from R C.
San Mateo, CA
4/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Disclaimer: I come to Fentons just for their ice cream. I've never eaten their food.
I love their ice cream! It doesn't get much better then this. The creamy goodness just melts in your month without a overload of sugar. My personal favorite is their ice cream sundae with chocolate mint ice cream. Writing this review makes me want a sundae. Yummmmmy!
Expect to wait in line for a table, or you can always stand in line at the ice cream counter. Then you can grab your dessert to-go. -
Review from Vittorio L.
Oakland, CA
3/25/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Amazing, creamy, monstrous scoops of delicious house-made ice cream. Try the Coffee Cookie Dream (coffee ice cream with cookie dough and oreos) or something seasonal, and be prepared not to park anywhere remotely close on Friday or Saturday nights.
Tips: anything with caramel is delicious. Bring a few friends to share with. -
Review from Rob E.
Seattle, WA
4/24/2012
Great ice cream, good service, everything else not so much.
Had the occasion to make two visits to this fabled place over the past weekend. The ice cream was everything I was told it would be. Full butterfat, super creamy with a perfect mouth feel and a great selection of flavors,
The rest of the food I sampled was mediocre at best and would have been half the price anyplace else.
Avoid the pie. I ordered pie ala mode and was presented a piece that while warmed contained under done apples and a crust with the texture of leather.
I ate the ice cream.
My suggestion, dine somewhere else and go to Fenton's for an ice cream dessert. -
Review from John C.
Danville, CA
5/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Fun place and great ice cream.
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