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Marianne's Ice Cream
Category: Food Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt [Edit]
1020 Ocean StSanta Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 458-1447
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 10 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 10 am - 12 am
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
The Penny Ice Creamery is the only ice cream shop in Santa Cruz making delicious ice cream completely from scratch in house. Our rotating selection of… read more »
614 reviews for Marianne's Ice Cream
Review Highlights
"I love the Mexican Chocolate as well."
(in 47 reviews)
"My favorite has to be the oatmeal raisin cookie dough."
(in 13 reviews)
"But the Northern Oregon Blackberry."
(in 12 reviews)
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614 reviews in English
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Review from Stephanie L.
Milpitas, CA
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
BEST OLD FASHIONED ICE CREAM. EVER.
If you're in Santa Cruz, you MUST visit Mariannes. You can't go wrong with any flavor they have and you are sure to find a new favorite flavor. Be warned, it is usually crowded so make sure you grab your ticket number when you get there. A few of my favorites are the mint chip, mint oreo, northern oregon blackberry and the 10-20.
My little tip is to get the double jr. because that way you can get two flavors in a cup, and don't worry. They are very generous with their scoops :)
Tip your server directly and make sure you have cash because it's cash only. -
Review from Delaine Z.
Fresno, CA
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
One should always stick with what the place is famous for. In this case, ice cream. I ordered apple pie because I cannot eat ice cream, and I noticed no alternative milks used here. Hubby ordered ice cream and said it was very good. The apple pie? Eh, I've had better. They overheat it, claiming it's been in the freezer overnight.
The assortment of ice cream flavors is amazing, and if I could eat ice cream, I would have tried the lavender.
Also, this is a cash only store with a 50s feel to its decor. -
Review from Jennifer N.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2012
I have been a fan of Marianne's since discovering it at the Tower Market before Molly Stone's bought them out. They have so much rich and delicious flavors it's hard to pick just one. Went to the actual Marianne's shop when in Santa Cruz this past week. Very old school and very cute.
If they took credit cards they would be 5+ stars. -
Review from Lindsay L.
San Jose, CA
1/17/2012 2 photos
Grab a number, choose a flavor, choose what size cone/cup, and get ready for the best darn ice cream you've ever had.
Marianne's is one of those shops where you definitely shouldn't judge the place by how it looks. You can totally tell that the shop is 50+ years old and they haven't fixed the place up in the while, but their ice cream is SOOO good. I ALWAYS have to stop by Marianne's whenever I'm in Santa Cruz. My favorite is Blueberry Cheesecake and my boyfriend's favorite is Mint Oreo. The serving size for this place is ridiculous. Yesterday I came here looking for the smallest sized cone because I was still full from dinner, and the scoop that the lady gave me was 3 times more than I was hoping for! We usually eat our ice cream in the shop so we can enjoy it instead of eating it carefully in the car. And then we laugh at the silly wallpaper with dancing cows. -
Review from Sal E.
Los Gatos, CA
2/5/2012
marianne's has the absolute best tasting ice cream west of the mississippi river!!!!!
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Review from Ashley M.
Santa Cruz, CA
12/14/2011
I have lived in Santa Cruz for 2 years now and this is my most favorite place here. There is nothing that satisfies my ice cream cravings like Marrianes.
The prices and portions are just right. This is simple, fantastic ice cream. -
Review from Tes B.
San Jose, CA
1/15/2012
My favorite ice cream parlor. Great assortment of delicious selection that can be found nowhere else.
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Review from J R.
Pacific Grove, CA
Updated - 1/9/2012
The banana almond fudge is stupendous!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/12/2011
Some of the best ice cream I've had in recent years, and great service. I've been good lately, and… Read more »
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Review from Andy F.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
lots lots lots lots and lots of various ice cream flavorssss but my favorite would have to be the green tea and some hazelnut ice cream. yeppp,mixed babyyy.
it's all customer service where if you're interested in a flavor, they will give you a spoonful of your flavor.
Customer service is definitely a plus, lots and lots of smiles on their faces.
mini private parking lot, easy go-in get ice cream and bounce!
great place for a mini get together -
Review from kristel c.
San Jose, CA
1/10/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Been here twice and both times have been absolutely delicious! They have so many flavors to choose from that its ridiculous! But i think my favorites so far are Heaven and Pralines & Cream. But if you don't know what you want you can always ask the servers for a little sample of each.. SWEEET!! Also you can mix and match flavors if you get 2 scoops or more. Marianne's = AWESOME!
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Review from Rachael K.
Los Angeles, CA
11/13/2011
Occasion: Dessert/snack after hiking with cousins and brother
What I Had: Praline n' cream on a cone
Food Review: The ice cream here wasn't any more or less delicious than at Coldstone, Baskin Robbins, or from a pint, but the thing I did enjoy was the selection. The whole back wall of the store is covered in little tablets with decorated names of their flavors, and there were scores of them to choose from (I think they have at least 75 flavors).
Service Review: I wish they were able to give out samples of their many types but there are just so many and the store isn't set up in a way that is very conducive to sample distribution, and there were so many people in line the afternoon that we were there that it was difficult to get our orders in.
Venue Review: The venue itself is rather small compared to the number of people there. Parking was available right outside the store. It had a nice mom and pop shop feel to it, which made the ice cream taste better (I'm telling you, in the end it's all psychological!).
Overall Impression: If you just want some good ice cream, I wouldn't drive to Santa Cruz to get it. But if you happen to be traveling around Santa Cruz, this is a cool place to stop by and grab some ice cream on a hot day just for the family-owned feel. -
Review from Catherine Y.
Cupertino, CA
11/1/2011
Let me clarify something about this place first. It's just a small little ice cream shop, kinda old, not very new or modern and not very fancy. But what really makes it shine is first, well it's ice cream, and who doesn't like ice cream?! And, second, they have a TON of unique flavors. I like the small little ice cream shop feel to it because it adds to the mood that eating ice cream tends to evoke--reminiscing about the good ol' days when you were a happy little kid eating a simple ice cream with not a care in the world. Prices are reasonable, flavors are creative and tasty, servers are friendly.
I'd come again. :) -
Review from Jeremy G.
10/18/2011
So good and definitely a Santa Cruz landmark. It has been there FOREVER!
I have fond memories as a kid going here. My my brothers and I never had many sweets or desserts, but once in awhile my parents would pile us in their the van to drive from San Jose to Santa Cruz just for an ice cream from Marianne's. It was always a treat. We'd have some ice cream and then sometimes just drive home right afterwards.
This is still a common stop for me when I'm up in Santa Cruz and it's still the best ice cream around. -
Review from Lily L.
Saratoga, CA
10/28/2011
There's a lot of hype surrounding Marianne's Ice Cream. After hearing a lot about it, I decided to buy a quart of their Coffee Almond Fudge at my local boutique-y independent little grocery store. At first taste, I liked it. The consistency was light and fluffy. It melted in a nice creamy way..dissolved on your tongue like frozen whip cream's decadent cousin. I was pretty satisfied with my purchase until I started reading the label.
High Fructose Corn Syrup??!? Really?? The ingredients were not clean. The HFCS and the words "Natural Flavor in the ingredient list really cheated the local-quality-homemade mom and pop business image. Not acceptable. I really hope Marianne goes back to the basics and focuses on quality instead of low cost mixes.
For now, I'm taking my business to Penny Ice Creamery, which offers organic, local and seasonal ingredients, and is true homemade ice cream made from scratch. -
Review from Marilyn C.
Flower Mound, TX
10/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Meeeee likieeeeee ice cream! Meeeeee likieeeeee ice cream! I mean, seriously, who in their right mind doesn't LOVE ice cream?!?!?? I don't care if you are lactose intolerant, diabetic, allergic, or all three .. you probably still like ice cream! (Get that Insulin, Benadryl, and Lactaid ready baby, because Marrianne's is worth bending the dietary rules for!) Those who TRULY do not like ice cream must be freak-a-zoid space aliens from the planet Marklar, and should be considered a menace to society.
If you are wanting some good ice cream in Santa Cruz, then you need to head your cute little tush on down to Marianne's Ice Cream Parlor and prepare to have your mind (and mouth!) blown away with awesomeness! This place is an adorable old fashioned ice cream parlor with a drug store soda fountain type feel. Don't mind the skeezy strip mall neighbors, this place is a Gem!
Marianne's give Ben and Jerry a run for their money on the number and creativity of flavor combinations. I have yet to taste one I didn't like. Wait, I mean LOVE!
They serve up ice cream by the cone, sundae, shake, malt, and in containers to take home. They have insanely huge Sundaes that feature some artery clogging awesome quantity of frozen cream... You know, the type of quantities you only see consumed by one person If your name is Adam Richman (man vs food) or perhaps your a frat Boy getting hazed w a death by deliciousness wish. Sounds like a delectable way to die to me. I'd like to jump into a swimming pool filled with Marianne's ice cream and eat my way back to the surface. Blissssssss!Listed in: Ice Ice Baby! Ice Cream is…
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Review from Sue Ellen E.
Santa Clara, CA
9/27/2011
Loud ice cream! Really loud. Mandarin chocolate, ok? Don't say I didn't warn you. Yummy and loud! Orange and chocolate go really well together, but it doesn't come with volume control. Ask for a taste sample first to make sure you can handle it!
We really like this place, and want to try more flavors. Looks like they're always adding more flavors. Marianne's is a traditional way of ending your day at the beach in Santa Cruz, but the atmosphere is not the most comfortable. It can get very crowded and the environment doesn't beckon you to want to go in and sit down. It's a take-out sort of place.
Very limited parking, rather unattractive interior, cash only, and expensive (but I guess ice cream generally costs a lot more these days, not just here), but wonderfully delicious ice cream. Next time I want to try Lavender. Yes, Lavender. They have all kinds of flavors that don't sound like flavors. Just go!
I have to comment on the total kindness and patience of the guy who served us. He was angelic. Hordes of people mulling over what to order, asking for samples, deciding what to order, and asking questions about flavors...he never lost his cool, and maintained his sweetness throughout. Amazing. I bet he's also a really great father, or will be someday. I hope the owner recognizes him as a star, unless he is the owner. Don't know his name though.
If you haven't been, this place is definitely a must-try. It's costly, especially if you add a tip, but you probably couldn't afford most of the things you did in Santa Cruz that day anyway. Who ever expected a Boardwalk ride to be five dollars? It's less than that for a scoop of Marianne's ice cream. -
Review from Bob M.
Santa Clara, CA
1/27/2012
Good ice cream but bad service. I will never go there again. Rude kids that work there went there on 1/27/2012 a girl named Ariel was very rude and there was guy there to was not friendly. I give 5 stars for food 0 for service
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Review from Ada T.
San Francisco, CA
9/16/2011
Everything at Marianne's is creamy and delicious. Plenty of flavors, where you pretty much can't make up your mind. Servers seemed extremely rushed, and there is reason to, due to a hellish amount of people crowding around, because it really is, THAT good.
My friend introduced me to the "1020" and its friggen bomb! It has oreos, caramel, fudge, and some other ultimate goodness in there! Try it! I guarantee you won't regret it! :) -
Review from Alison H.
Stockton, CA
9/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
One of my childhood favorites! So many flavors to choose from that multiple visits are indicated. Horchata and macapuno are two of my favorites and seasonally, I love the watermelon sherbert and the cantaloupe.
It's changed a lot from the old school ice cream shoppe feel I grew up with where you could get sit down service and have delicious treats like cream puff sundaes, but the ice cream is still great! -
Review from Maureen L.
Cupertino, CA
11/10/2011
Yum I love this place and like trying different flavors. They have a couple of unique concoctions as well as the classics. My friends and I will usually stop by if we go to the beach or somewhere around this vicinity for at least a scoop or two.
It's nice that they sell this ice cream in my hometown at a local donut shop too. -
Review from Louie L.
Pacifica, CA
9/23/2011
My housemates and I just came back from an impulsive Marianne's Ice Cream run. We're satisfied with happy ice cream goodness.
At 10:30 PM on a Friday night, Marianne's Ice Cream was brimming with UCSC YOUTH. The tables were filled; the areas around the tables were filled; the aisles were packed; people were waiting outside, and our party thought we had a long wait ahead of us. Well, SURPRISE, I walk in and see #91 being served, and I pull #92. I was kind of on the spot with my sudden order, but I went for a single-scoop of my go-to flavor (Raspberry Cheesecake).
The ice cream is delicious, by the way. I love ice cream where you can really taste the milk and the eggs. Not only that, but the flavors pop(!). The Raspberry Cheesecake tastes of cream cheese, and my housemate's German Chocolate had a subtle coconut flavor, typical of German chocolate cakes.
My server was hilarious. He told me the ice cream wasn't real, and that it was made of mashed potatoes. Well, SURPRISE, I love mashed potatoes.
Prices seem decent, as well. It's 3.05 for a single scoop, and 4.90 for a double scoop. Sugar and waffle cones are about fifty cents more expensive. In addition to the multitude of ice cream flavors, they have CHOCOLATE DIPPED CHEESECAKE and ice cream bars.
Marianne's is a great place to get dessert that's open-late. It's a Santa Cruz legend that has satisfied UCSC student's sweet-tooth for a long time, and will continue to do so.
NOTE: They only take cash. o.O There is an ATM, but Wells Fargo and Bank of America ATM's aren't too far off from this location. -
Review from Ana W.
Berkeley, CA
12/25/2011
Traditional American rich, decadent, satisfying ice cream; this is a big contrast from the other good Northern Californian ice cream places that are delicious, but very light. Pistachio Cardamom and Horchata are my favorite flavors. I usually rush to this place as soon as I get to Santa Cruz.
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Review from mel p.
Santa Cruz, CA
8/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Only takes cash....weird and to bad. With being as busy as they always are you would think this would not be so....stupid.
Marianne's Ice Cream seems to be major staple in Santa Cruz. While in line the other day an older man started chatting up my girlfriend. I heard this guy say he has been "coming here for like 50 years" . Wicked. I have been here a handful of times and I am always happy with my selection. They have something like 50 flavors to decided on. Something for everyone that is for sure. Be ready though to wait in line for a bit. EVERYTIME I have been here the line is just about out the door.
Go check them out. -
Review from Chelsea L.
Half Moon Bay, CA
8/22/2011
After parking, putting money in the meter and waiting in line at the Penny Ice Creamery I realized that I just really didn't feel like eating Sweet Corn and Wild Fennel ice cream. I wanted CHOCOLATE and PEANUT BUTTER DAMNIT!! Thank god for the yelp app and Marianne's!!
Since that day I've been back a second time and continue to love their ice cream. From what I can remember I had bittersweet chocolate, heaven, and Mayan chocolate. All were very good.
The only problem (not really even a problem, I just think it's weird) I have with this place is their whole tipping thing. They have multiple signs (and a note on their yelp page) telling you to tip each individual employee instead of putting tips in a communal jar. That idea is fine with me! But, I just don't like being told to tip. The sign could read "if you're happy with our service and would like to tip, please tip your scooper instead of..." or something along those lines. I don't know. Maybe I just expect a little bit more politeness. This will not keep me from visiting here often and also won't keep me from tipping...I left a nice tip for our nice server last time I was there. -
Review from celeste s.
San Diego, CA
11/10/2011
Just left Mariannes and will never be back. We tried to use a coupon given to my mom by the owners wife- the coupon was stamped but didn't have a dollar amount. The cashier refused to honor the coupon, which was fine and we just paid for our ice cream. Both cashier's were extremely rude and unkept, acting as if we were trying to steal a scoop of ice cream. My mom showed up after, and the owner (an ornery old man) berated her about the coupon demanded to know where she got it from. He treated her so poorly she was left confused and in tears. I do not understand why someone would have an ice cream shop who clearly hates people. On a side note, as a former pastry chef, this ice cream is the furthest thing from wholesome or fresh. It is spun with high fructose corn syrup and clearly stored for too long- take a peek in the ice cream case and look at the freezer burn. WILL NOT BE BACK EVER!!!
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Review from Sofia R.
8/12/2011
I've only been here once but I can't find anything bad to say about this place except for the long lines!
This place is pretty popular. I went here at night and the lines still got pretty long. The place itself is very cute and old looking with charming cow wallpaper. It's very old fashioned looking but not in a trying-too-hard kind of way. It's just cute!
They have a WIDE range of flavors (normal flavors, exotic flavors, strange flavors...). In this way, long lines aren't so bad (at least for me) because then you get to stare at the menu and think about what you want. I chose to get horchata and Mexican chocolate while a friend got macapuno and this other coconut flavor that I forgot.
The quality of the ice cream is great. Very creamy! They give you good sized portions too. There really wasn't anything to complain about.
I would go here again. I recommend this place. -
Review from Doug C.
Mountain View, CA
8/21/2011
Great flavors. Recipes have changed in recent years with addition of natural/artificial flavoring agents to make the flavors more pronounced.
For example both the banana and coconut ice cream bases use added banana flavoring and coconut flavoring respectively.
Can see some cost reduction strategies in place, for example using smaller pieces of nuts in the ice cream. -
Review from Denise R.
San Jose, CA
8/29/2011
Always worth the wait, I'm NEVER disappointed!
Macapuno is like an orgasm in my mouth, it tastes so damn delicious! -
Review from Cindy T.
9/11/2011 1 photo
This place is as good as Sweet Retreat and Treatbot in San Jose or Cowabunga Creamery in San Carlos. Like other shops in Santa Cruz, Marianne's also uses the number ticket system. Get in, grab a ticket and be ready to order when they call you.
There are SO MANY choices here. All the flavors plastered on the wall. I didn't like that I couldn't see the actual ice cream before I ordered since they aren't really visible. I sampled the Lavender and it was as flowery as the one offered from Treatbot. I also sampled the Green Leaf Tea and that was not what I expected. (The best green tea flavor is perfected at Gelato Classico in Mountain View!) I settled on Horchata and Mexican chocolate; surprisingly, they tasted super similar to the ones from Treatbot. I really, really wonder if Marianne's supplies Treatbot? I highly recommend these two flavors! Super delicious.
Cash only and open late! ;) -
Review from Stepha G.
Sierra Madre, CA
10/12/2011
Marianne's, a place recommended by a good friend who is a strong supporter of this establishment which has been making ice cream for 50 years. Marianne's makes ice cream for other businesses in the immediate Santa Cruz area, and certainly has a fan base.
After taste testing the lavendar and pumpkin, I decided to order a cup of the pumpkin. It tasted like pumpkin pie filling, to a large extent. My husband ordered a cup of the peach ice cream, according to him, appeared to use peach jam for its fruit component. The peach must have food coloring added to it because the color of the ice cream was too orange to be credible.
Yes, we were glad to have experienced the ice cream. Would we return? Probably not, mostly because there is more competition in the ice cream business now. Obviously, there are enough people who think fondly of Marianne's and will continue to return. -
Review from Ali O.
Hackensack, NJ
11/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I would have stuck my face in my bowl and licked it clean, if that kind of behavior were socially acceptable. I went here after seeing the sunset on the beach and the combination of Marianne's Ice Cream and running barefoot along the beach taking pictures makes me want to move to Santa Cruz, just a little.
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Review from Jessica R.
Los Gatos, CA
7/14/2011
This place is fantastic. Ok, so if it weren't for Yelp I would have continued to pass this place on my way in and out of Santa Cruz for the rest of my life. It was EXTREMELY packed and the people working seemed a little flustered. Since there were so many people in the way, I didn't know what to do when we walked in and I couldn't even see the ice cream because I am 5'4, and apparently that is too short to see the ice cream in the bins. Turns out it REALLY helps having a tall boyfriend.
He was like, hey we have to grab a number! And look! There's a big list of the flavors on the wall... I was like, Oh.
We decided on a waffle cone with double scoop - blueberry cheesecake and rasberry cheesecake.
While waiting we found some chairs along the back wall to sit in. I don't, but if you do have a butt phobia (okay yes it makes me a little uncomfortable having butt's in my face) don't sit there! I tried turning sideways a bit, but then my boyfriend had to lean on me because well, we kept having people's butt's in our faces. Fun fun fun.
All in all I think we waited like 15 min. Since everyone on Yelp says its worth waiting for... we waited... and waited... and were so happy we did because this stuff is the creamiest-richest-deliciousist ice cream ever. I don't believe it really tasted cheesecake-y enough but it was still amazing. -
Review from Aliela L.
Fremont, CA
12/11/2011
Best Ice Cream in Santa Cruz.. They have a variety of flavors and mixings that change frequently. Must try!
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Review from Terri L.
San Jose, CA
7/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
An ice cream lover's paradise! Whenever I'm in Santa Cruz I don't ever consider skipping out on Marianne's.
It's always packed in here, so get a number and pay attention. The workers are all friendly and really fill the entire cone up with ice cream. My waffle cone was filled to the very last delicious bite.
My favorite flavor is 10-20. Your really won't know what you're missing until you try it. -
Review from Sean K.
Lodi, CA
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great ice cream!! Sick of the old location. I know it's a Santa Cruz landmark. I know it's charming. I know it's throw back. It's a hole.
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Review from Christina C.
Pinole, CA
8/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ice cream heaven!!! AND it's open late!
With so many flavors there's something for everyone, from sherbet style to very sweet and decadent or exotic and fruity. The green tea is my favorite and is only slightly sweet so I can eat a whole gallon!
There are always tons of people here. I can only complain about the cramped space. Try not to block the walkways when you stare at the menu in a zombie-like drone because you WILL get yelled at by the scoopers. I'm not sure if there's a tasting limit but I'd suggest you tip your scooper if you go overboard for good measure. -
Review from Thuy N.
Fremont, CA
7/18/2011
Marianne's is AMAZING and a SCZ tradition. Must note that this place takes cash only and every time I come here, there's at least a 10 minute wait. The shop itself is bare bones and unassuming - no need to have bells and whistles if there is AMAZING cold creamy goodness on the premises!!!!
Grab a number and while you wait, peruse the wall and whittle down your choices. Got the Mint Oreo single scoop in a waffle cone - $3.70. The scoop is VERY generous and ice cream was yummy! Oreos were fresh and still had a crunch and luckily, there was no artificial coloring indicating the mint disguise. It was smooth, not too overpowering and sweet enough!
Also had tried the NW Oregon Blackberry - OMG that was so good and unique and refreshing! So many flavors to try - and the wait staff are really nice, trying hard to get to everyone as quickly as possible. Be prepared to wait - sometimes there are groups of 5 plus- but it's totally worth it!!!! -
Review from Jared M.
San Jose, CA
9/11/2011
Best. Ice. Cream. Ever.
And soooo many flavors. I like mango and horchata.
Food-gasm fo sheezy.
And the chick with the colored hair is cool. Don't mind the other reviews. -
Review from Nina S.
Bay Area
7/19/2011
This is some good stuff!! There are a ton of flavors to choose from so grab a ticket and you'll have time plenty of time to decide since this place seems to always be busy.
I wanted to have a couple flavors without having to wheel myself out so I went for the 2-scoop Junior and was still stuffed and satisfied. The 10-20 was so good, like everyone says. I was with others so I was able to try the lavendar (good to try but I couldn't finish a scoop), Reeces (yum!), Strawberry, Mud Pie, Strawberry Sherbert, Chocolate, Malt... it was ALL good.
This place will definitely be one of my go-to spots before heading home from a trip to SCZ! -
Review from Katherine L.
San Jose, CA
8/6/2011
My friends and I always make a stop here before heading home from Santa Cruz. Their flavors don't disappoint!! Love it!
Sucks that they have such a small parking lot, though.
