Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Dippin' Dots

    3.4 (156 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 6:00 PM

    Dippin' Dots Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Dippin' Dots

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Inside layout
    Corinna T.

    My husband discovered there was a Dippin' Dots storefront in Monterey prior to our visit here so we had to check it out! After our eventful day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium this was a nice treat for our family. The storefront was located not far from the aquarium and sure enough had plenty of flavors like you'd see in a normal ice cream shop. Two of our kids got Rainbow Ice & Cherry & Blue Razz Ice combined and our toddler birthday girl got the Frozetti Dough. Flavors were just as tasty and authentic to what you'd get at a Dippin' Dots stand. Pricing is comparable to what you'd see in theme parks too and worth it. Knocking off one star because this is not wheelchair or stroller friendly. Speaking as someone who was previously disabled and had our toddler in her stroller during our visit. There were at least 10+ steps so heads up to future customers.

    Jessica G.

    I meannn, it's Dippin' Dots right? If you're looking to just get your dippin' dots fix in, this place gets the job done. I've always loved that it's an actual store for dippin' dots. Howeverrrr, that's pretty much all there is to this store. Besides, the actual dippin' dots ice cream, the ambiance is pretty dark and dreary. While the art and decor on the walls are cool to look at, it does look pretty overdue for an upgrade. Even the chairs/tables look like they could use a refresh. It was silent when we got there, no one was really inside and no music was playing. I will say, the staff was quick to help once we came in so that was great. We were in and out in maybe 5 minutes. Price wise, your smallest dippin' dots scoop will go for $7 - a little pricey for ice cream in my opinion but I guess you're also paying for the dippin' dots specialty ice cream. I was also expecting more flavors available but they basically had the regular flavors you can get at mall kiosks with the addition of a new hawaiian flavor. They also offer Marianne's Ice Cream here if you'd rather have the classic ice cream experience. If you've never had dippin' dots before, definitely check it out and give it a try! My go-to is the banana split. It's a novelty unique experience you'll enjoy. Enjoy it at the store, or take it down to the beach.

    Diana R.

    Stopped by here a few days ago. We poked our heads in that other ice cream place but the line was way to long. We happened across this place, so we stopped in. They have a good selection of Dip N Dot ice cream and a small selection of Marianne's ice cream. Oddly enough they didn't have chocolate, but we found something we each liked anyway. The decor on the walls are cute, but the walls could use a fresh coat of paint. The price is probably a third of the other ice cream place. No warm and fuzzy atmosphere, but if you want a sweet treat without the high price tag, this is your place.

    Flavors during February 2024
    Katy Z.

    One of my childhood memories of coming to Monterey are going to the aquarium, getting food at Bubba Gump and getting a snack at Dippin' Dots. I am so glad it is still here even after who knows how long. It's been a while since I had Dippin' Dots because the only real other place you can get them now seems to be at random outlet malls in a vending machine :/. I originally came on Saturday of President's weekend at 7:15pm. However, it was already closed even though Google and Yelp both said it would be open til 8pm. A bit disappointing considering this place was one that I wanted to check off with my boyfriend since he has NEVER tried it. I know shocking, how is that even possible? Anyways, we decided to give it another try after our day at the aquarium on Sunday afternoon and it was OPEN! The interior looks exactly like what I remember it to be some 15 years ago. It could be a bad thing or a good thing in people's eyes, but I considered it as a staple that people should try at least once even if it looks a little dated. There were maybe 10+ tables for those that would like to sit and enjoy their tasty treat. There are 3 sizes to choose from small ($6.75), medium ($8.75), and large ($11). Flavors available while I was there included: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mint chip, rainbow, cookies n' cream, chocolate chip cookie dough, cotton candy, candy cane ice cream, banana split, rainbow ice, and Fozeti dough (not sure what that was). Besides Dippin' Dots, they also have Marianne's ice cream as well. We both got a small cup, I got half mint chip and half chocolate cookie dough and he got banana split. Eating these Dippin' Dots brings back so many happy memories and taste exactly how I remember it. The mint was what you expected it to be and the chocolate cookie dough was basically vanilla dots with cookie dough bits. The banana split, even before taking a bite, you can smell the aroma of the banana. He said it was the ice cream version of fruity pebbles except banana. I considered this a win in my book. FYI, the girl working said that you can choose up to two flavors per a cup. Considering there aren't many places that sell Dippin' Dots anymore, I would definitely recommend others give this place a try. I know if I am back in town, I would definitely be stopping by again!

    Catherine N.

    Typical dippin' dots store! Had all the options I wanted to have and three different sizes. The largest size was $11 which I think is a little pricey. I love dippin' dots and this place was right next to the Monterey Bay Aquarium! The service was quite fast, there was only one employee there when we came in and there were no other customers. The ambiance definitely gave off oldies vibes to me. Some of their chairs were dirty though.

    My order
    Oliver G.

    This Dippin' Dots location is super awesome. I used to come here all the time whenever my friends and I went into Monterey for the day back in high school and the vibe inside is really nice, with cool historical stuff on the walls and good seating. The staff is almost always incredibly friendly and the selection of flavors is great. On top of that it's in a great location, being so close to other places to visit like the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Lovers Point. Whenever I come through Monterey I almost always make sure to stop by.

    Michelle D.

    We really love Dippin' Dots so we were super happy to see one next to the Starbucks when we were leaving the aquarium to walk back to the parking garage. $6 each for 3 regular dippin dots is really not bad and we will definitely be making this a tradition now ;) I am a banana split loyalist, but my daughter tried cookie dough and that was tasty too. Employees didn't seem very enthused or happy because they didn't smile or welcome us, (just asked "what do you want"?), but other than that my only small complaint was that the record player looked pretty gross upon walking in like it hadn't been cleaned in years. Still , for such a treat we left very happy.

    Offerings
    Kristine F.

    Yum! We love Dippin' Dots! Ecstatic it was located right on Cannery Row and it was open before we went to the Aquarium. I read lots of reviews saying the shop was closed during normal business hours, and that employees weren't the nicest. Not the case during my visit-- the two ladies were polite and did their job right. We ordered two mediums and a small, pricey at $7.50 & $5.50 each, but cryogenically freezing little bits of perfectly rotund ice cream dots is costly. Nostalgia of my youth and missing Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk during the pandemic all at once! Alas, seems like Mint Chocolate has been replaced by plain mint with Oreo cookie pieces. Not the same without the chocolate ice cream dots. Good thing I also got half banana split. So good! For some reason, I thought the banana tasted like pineapple for a minute. Go in when it's open! Never know when they'll close early. Flavors available when I dropped by late September: Banana Split Mint Oreo Cookie Crunch Vanilla Chocolate Brownie Batter Cotton Candy Rainbow Ice (like popsicles) Chocolate chip cookie dough Cookies n Cream Oreo Birthday Cake *Note: I found prepackaged single serving containers at Candy World at the front of Old Fisherman's Wharf in case you need an even pricier Dippin' Dots fix (we got some again before leaving Monterey).

    Daniela A.

    I always forget that we have a Dippin' Dots in cannery row, Great spot to head after the aquarium, They have a variety of flavors they also sale marianne's ice cream ! the girls at the front are always very nice. I love the vintage decor , even tho it does look a bit on the older side lol Parking is tricky here because cannery row is always busy. But come November it's usually a ghost town in cannery row

    Adelina P.

    The service was great they were nice and the Dippin dots were great it was nice in there and was very clean and colorful this was an amazing place it was more expensive then the amusement parks but it still was big and was really good

    Large banana split $10
    Emily W.

    Was so excited to see that there was a dippin' dots store that had actual bowls and not the vending machine pack types. I got a large bowl of banana split. Tastes just like it does everywhere else you can buy dippin' dots. Pretty pricy at $10 but I think still better pricing than most amusement parks/tourist attractions.

    View from counter to entrance
    Tiffany K.

    Right in the heart of Cannery Row, you can't miss this ice cream spot. Walk up some stairs, not too far from the Aquarium, and you'll see the counter serving nothing but Dippin' Dots. They do not serve regular ice cream here. Rather than focus on taste, I was trying to figure out how they make these Dippin' Dots. Is it dripped in liquid nitrogen? I later found out that they are indeed cryogenically produced this way. Crazy I tell ya. They have so many flavors and it was the first time (*gasp*) that I had tried this amazing concoction of frozen sweetness. This ice cream is not the velvety texture of your childhood, think more like cold and tasty melty bean bag beads ha ha. Samples of these ice cream beads are served in small plastic cups. Apparently there are 2,000 dots in a 5 oz cup. Decor is 50s themed and service is friendly. I don't recall how many flavors they have here but daughter was going crazy as their were flavors that she had never seen before!

    One of the tiniest most expensive scoops of mediocre ice cream I've ever bought.  Literally a half scoop.
    Magie d.

    Bad customers service and tiny cones to top it off. lol. I'm still upset that I only got a half cone when I went.

    Cookie dough and birthday cake

    See all

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    We love stopping in and trying the unique flavors we can't find other places. There's other plenty of seating. Service is friendly.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Katy Z.
    244
    408
    1864

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Oliver G.
    1
    118
    103

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 0
    Love this 12
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tiffany K.
    1093
    1544
    1240

    6 years ago

    Helpful 14
    Thanks 0
    Love this 12
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Magie d.
    65
    178
    821

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 21
    Thanks 0
    Love this 13
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Aaron K.
    13
    61
    18

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 15
    Thanks 0
    Love this 14
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    The kids loves their ice cream. It is within walking distance to our hotel and everything else.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tina L.
    137
    651
    1873

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    This place is not for kids. They fill the cup to the rim, no lids, huge spoons letting it all spill out. Terrible service.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dave A.
    504
    558
    3376

    11 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    18 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Not many ice cream flavors. The service was pretty quick, no complaints. Pretty casual ice cream place, nothing extraordinary.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eduardo B.
    57
    180
    765

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Dippin' Dots

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt 3,262 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Spinach & feta roll

    ALTA Bakery & Cafe

    4.2(924 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Came here at 10 on a Tuesday morning and still had to wait in line. Luckily it was not too bad of a…read morewait. I think also because Ad Astra nearby was closed for spring cleaning. Everything tasted amazing. I love the croissant (chocolate and ham&cheese). Super flaky and flavorful and sinful. My son said it was the best ham & cheese ever. They also served a special mushroom tartine which was lovely. The backyard outdoor sitting area is super cute. Would definitely come back again!!

    Charming bakery and cafe with plenty of outdoor seating in the back connecting garden…read more Nice flaky, buttery dough on their pastries. Latte was decent, not too bitter or acidic and it was creamy They try a lot of variations for pastries, both savory and sweet! The savory danish was really tasty and there was some pickled / citrus component that added more depth and made it super interesting to eat! The salmon croissant was alright, had a really nice flaky crust but the filling tasted kinda gamey , would've been nice to have another component to balance it out. Cookies were niceeeee the buckwheat choco cookie had nice amounts of sea salt and was like a brownie texture on the inside. Choco chip cookie was thin and crispy on the outside with chocolate blobs spread around, quite sweet though There was a line going out the door but only had to wait around 15 min!

    Photos
    ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Inside the cafe

    Inside the cafe

    ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Chocolate strudel

    Chocolate strudel

    ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Mixed berry strudel

    See all

    Mixed berry strudel

    Dippin' Dots - icecream - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...