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Such a yummy ice cream spot. Also they are able to make cute shape animals with your ice cream. Love that the ice cream isn't overly sweet.
Came in before closing and the staff was patient and very quick with our order. The interior was cute and clean. They have homemade specialty flavors with the cutest animals faces. Everything we tried was amazing. Prices were very reasonable too!
The ice cream was delicious, and the cute animals made it even better! The staff was friendly and helpful.
Guys this place is so adorbs!! This was one of my first saved dessert places in Chicago purely for the fact that I LOVE cute things. The cuter, the better!! Step aside clean modern aesthetics! I want my future house to have pastel furniture and pastel exteriors and cutesy tootsy everything. I had the mint chocolate stracciatella ice cream, and you have the option to make your scoop into an animal, ranging from koala, monkey, pig, and unicorn to capybara. I'm OBSESSED with capybaras, owing tribute to the song on tiktok "Capybaraaaaa! Capybara capybara capybara capybara. Capybaraaaaaa! Capybara capybara capybara." (You get it I'll stop now). The ice cream scoop was SO generous, and it was refreshing. The capybara design was so incredibly adorable, so aptly designed. We were one of the first customers at 1pm on a Saturday, so there was no wait time and the staff were very friendly! There is a bathroom in here, and they let you try flavors before buying!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The only thing I post on Instagram with any regularity is my cat. All those ice cream cones that look like various animals? Cute, no doubt, and same for the names of flavors. However, I eat for enjoyment of food, not likes on social media. After sampling the 'You Pecan Do It,' 'I got Ube,' and a "Miso Mon Cherie," The ube has mild ube flavors, and the Miso Mon Cherie was spectacularly chocolatey, seemingly having very dark chocolate. I opted for the pecan flavor, not because there was anything wrong with the others, simply that's where my mood was. I got the smallest size, with a cone on top, for 'ice cream hands' is only fun on TV. ' In a word, I found the ice cream underwhelming. The pecan pieces were too small to make a notable impact, and the ice cream itself lacked that creamy, luscious goodness that makes ice cream so great. Not that it was bad per se, but not very enjoyable. The same thing goes for the macaron. I asked to be surprised, and I think I was given a raspberry, but am unsure. What I can tell you is this once lacked the textures that makes macaron fantastic, without the necessary contrast of textures. In terms of value, I felt that ~$4 for the smaller size is reasonable. On that note, I want to point out that while their menu seems simple, it can bring some confusion. A single scoop can be done in the style of an animal without additional cost, but 'piggybacking' does cost extra? What is 'piggybacking' anyway? As I said, confusing. The vibe inside is clean and modern, however, I feel they have plenty of unused space that could be taken up by more tables (though, to be fair, it was not very busy that night). Final verdict: The product at Eli's Ark decidedly did not hit the spot. In a situation where I find myself preferring ice cream from the grocer's (store brand, to boot), a return visit is not in the cards.
Eli's ark is peak cuteness! This little gelato shop has lots of flavors to choose from. My favorites are "I got ube" and "mango tango". The ube flavor is probably my favorite ube desert in the city, they have to be using some high quality ube in their mix. The mango is also super fresh tasting. The service is always great with my gelato served up with a smile. The decor is simple yet inviting. A perfect spot for the family.
I love the cute animal gelato! You get to pick your size and then your animal. You have the option of a cup or cone and I like there are many different sizes to choose from. It's nice to have the option of a small size that actually is a small portion! Sometimes ice cream spots serve massive portions and I don't want that commitment if I'm already full from dinner. The price for the small portion was also really reasonable. They also let you sample their flavors and they have lots of unique options. The ones I tried were fruity and more subtle in flavor which was nice, so not too sweet. I ended up getting their mint chocolate ice cream in the form of a cute capybara! So cute and perfect small size in a cup.
Cute animal ice cream! The staff is very friendly. Nice place to chat and catch up with friends over a little sweet treat. Each cone has a good amount of ice cream. They have some fun ice cream flavors. Kids would love this place.
Some good tasting gelato! I love the variety of flavors, and the animals are cute too. I would definitely come back and recommend this place.
I've had this place bookmarked for so long now and finally made my way over which I am questioning why it took me so long. This is hands down the cutest ice cream spot in town. I love that no matter which flavor you get, you can pick your little animal. It's so tempting to stack so many flavors but I limited myself to 1. I got the Ube gelato which I personally think is the best Ube icecream/gelato that I've ever had. The flavor was so prominent and it was so creamy. You can also get your ice cream in a cup if you don't want a cone. I'm already thinking about which animal to get next!
Cutest dessert spot ever! I got the pig-shaped soft serve with the Pretty in Pink flavor (yakult + strawberry + rose) -- so refreshing and unique. My friend's koala soft serve was just as adorable. They also offer 4 non-dairy flavors and are super accommodating about it, which I really appreciated. Fun vibe, great service, and desserts that are as delicious as they are Instagram-worthy.
If, like me, you have been craving animal shaped gelato your whole life, boy do I have the place for you. Eli's Ark. This place is so stinking cute. A variety of unique flavors and designs. Well priced, nothing crazy. I got the ube, and my friend (vegan) got the vegan chocolate. Lots of vegan choices! They were very nice and did such a perfect job making our animal gelatos. I will be sure to come back and bring friends!
Capybara icecream was sooooo adorable! They have tons of animals to choose from and a lot of pretty unique icecream flavors as well. My go to is the ube for sure:)
5 years ago
I've been wanting to come here since last year but since Covid happened I didn't get to go, finally this weekend we went and it was worth it. The line was long but they had a good system of when to let people in and when to wait outside. They had a lot of workers working too so it went by fast. We each got double scoops, I got the vanilla and the Ube ice cream, definitely recommend those two combo the ube has more flavore and the vanilla balanced out the taste! The ice cream was pricy but overall would recommend going there, super cute idea and good ice cream! read more
This place has the cutest ice cream and it tastes so good too! They have a bunch of cool flavors like black sesame pb&j and strawberry yakult. I ended up getting the green goddess which was fruity and delicious. After you choose your flavor you can pick an animal design which I think costs a bit more but it's worth it for how cute the designs are! I got a pig and my friend got a koala, we were very happy with the results and taste and will definitely be back! read more
6 years ago
We really loved our experience here today! You can tell they're a popular spot, we got lucky with a short wait. You can tell how much the staff cares about their customers. They talked to the customers in line making sure everyone was doing okay and crafted our gelato to perfection! Highly recommend! read more
6 years ago
Definitely recommend! The ice cream was really tasty. Their flavor are really unique. The idea of animals was super cute. The place was so clean and the service was the best. read more
7 years ago
I originally heard of Eli's Ark from Allison and Ho/ung at a Macy's event I was vendoring for Asian-American Pacific Islander month. They generously offered my coworker and me macarons (rose and black sesame) from their store and shared a business card. Hearing that my friends loved macarons, we came in on a chillier Saturday evening to meet up for birthday treats. The space was open and clean, with ample seating in modern furniture, an Instagrammable wall, and a chalkboard menu. Before my friends arrived, Trisha did a great job helping us try out flavors, and told us which pieces of edible design would come with which animals (the chocolate-covered mini Oreos helped me decide on the bear). It wasn't all fluff, however--the gelatos use creative and flavorful ingredients and have a smooth texture; my favorites were the horchata and peach jasmine tea. They also offered vegan sorbets. Friendly and helpful staff, a comfortable space, cute gelato designs, and well-crafted macarons make this Wicker Park shop a local gem! read more
It's gotta be pretty special if I'm going to choose a different dessert/treat over macarons. And while Eli's Ark macarons looked pretty darn good, I had to try the gelato--more importantly the gelato animal. (Ah, so that's why the Ark, in Eli's Ark...) They can decorate your scoop of gelato into a bear face, pig, chicken, monkey, dog and a unicorn. So very cute! And definitely IG worthy. They have about 16 different flavors of gelato--I spied the basic flavors and then some interesting flavors like bannoffee pie, mango peach, cafe du monde and horchata. After getting a free taste (thanks again!), I decided on the mango peach bear face. The flavors were so fresh, it was almost like biting into a peach/mango, if that makes any sense. Trust me, it was just yum. There are a few board games. Some table and couch seating. Cute and clean space. Friendly service. Totally worth future visits! read more
5 years ago
Brilliant idea and the execution is perfect. Lots of unique gelato flavors creatively turned into your choice of 9 animals. I ordered the " pig" and my 6 year old ordered a " dog". The ice cream is very good and the animal faces are the cutest thing ever. Warning: most of the flavors are a little sophisticated and seem geared toward adults but my daughter hardly paid attention as she was too busy fawning over her adorable doggy cone. Highly recommend read more
It's a cute little spot for quick Instagram pictures. It's more child-friendly, little kids were having so much fun picking their scoop animals. The flavors are ok, I thought it was a bit pricey. The flavors are homemade. The scoop animals are a cute idea. The cashier was nice and guided me through the process. It was a bit overwhelming environment for me because there was so much going on at the same time. Maybe if we go again, we'll try to go on a less busy time. read more
8 years ago
I've been wanting to try this place for so long and I finally did today! It was not a disappointment. It is such a nice place to interact with friends and even play games. The workers there are very patient. I wanted to try almost every flavor and they are patient about you choosing what flavors you want. (It is a hard decision to choose what flavor and what animal you want). The ice cream are so delicious. And the way they put the animal art into it is very creative! Would definitely come here again! read more
I happened to be in the neighborhood and came upon the opening of Eli's Ark. I came away impressed...and very full. Occupying a bright, cheery space, this gelateria/patisserie is already a new favorite. The girls working behind the counter were quite helpful and allowed me to try several flavors, all of which were quite good (next time I'm getting avocado). I ended up with both a gianduja (hazelnut) gelato and a pistachio macaroon (don't judge, I took it to go). The gelato was appropriately dense and rich while the oversized macaroon had a crisp exterior and a flavorful, not too sweet filling. My friend had a cone that was decorated like a chicken -- so cute! I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in the neighborhood. Woo-hoo, first review! read more
I came here for the exact same reason as most people ... the ice cream is just too cute to pass up! Besides it being adorable I was thoroughly impressed by the unique flavors they offered! Throwing a twist on classics such as green tea and flavors i've just never seen at a dessert shop before, so that made the experience all the more exciting! If I can recall correctly I got a flavor that was peach with yakult (the yogurt drink) and loved it! The service is pretty quick and the shop was clean and a nice place to relax after a long day of shopping. No complaints here, an easy 5 stars. read more
8 years ago
I am somewhat of a gelato connoisseur and this has to be my favorite gelato place in the US. It has superseded the Gelato Classico store in Mountain View, CA, that I long held to be the best gelato in the country. The flavors are innovative and tastes very fresh, creamy and grains of actual fruits and nuts in every bite. The place is run by a family and it has a very cozy feeling. The owner, Elisa, makes the gelato from all natural ingredients; no artificial coloring or additives whatsoever. It's not overly sweet and the flavors are very vibrant. It's so good, that on my last visit, I had 3 scoops (Pistachio, Hazelnut and Coconut Kefir Lime) of my own and mooched off the other 2 scoops from my girlfriend's cup. There are 18 rotating flavors, so every few weeks you will see new flavors pop up which keeps me coming back for more. I wish they sold the gelato by the tub. They also create cute animal figures out of the gelato that seems to be a hit with both children and adults. I also tried their french pastry and my favorite is the tiramisu. read more
What can I say - cute and instaworthy ice cream AND it's one of better gelato's I've had? Definitely 5 stars in my book! Super easy to order - pick a flavor, pick an animal - want more? Piggy back on another flavor, and another animal! The staff is super friendly, and more than happy to let you sample all of the flavors. There's a great variety of them, probably around 12-16? I tried the Strawberry and Mango one and the strawberry gelato was one of the best I've ever had! Would definitely come back for it. They also have plenty of seating and the whole place is clean and decorated well. Very inviting and a cool place to hang out over all! read more
This place is adorable! When I saw it on Instagram j knew I had to try it. They serve gelato in cute animal designs. When I went they had the regular animals and also special holiday season animals. I chose the raindeer which was so cute it was so hard for me to eat it. The actual gelato taste is pretty good. Like others have said the prices are steep for how much you get. They have plenty of places to sit inside. I also like how they arent stingy with the samples. read more
8 years ago
Very creative ice-cream spot! Sure to get your kids excited or the kid in you for that matter. They have interesting gelato flavors- much like Jeni's but since it is gelato and not custard/ice-cream it isn't that creamy as Jeni's. I like it tho! Importantly, Eli's has found its spot along its competitors by adding this creative animal feature to their scoops. Its $.50 more to get a scoop with the animal add ons but its sooooo cute! I got the coconut lime flavor and savored my bunny with a big smile! Flavor was great, more like a sorbet. They also serve pastries and macrons (not macaroons). The pistachio one was delicious, the creme brulee tasted like caramel popcorn and was a bit too sweet. The sitting arrangement is also very fresh and the servers were very sweet to talk to. I saw some happy excited families in there. So do try! P.S- maybe a future yelp event here would help promote this business ;) read more
4 years ago
I think this place is definitely a cute ice cream place for kids. The workers were patient with kids that I saw come in and were indecisive. All the animal add-one are edible. I definitely recommend to bring your children or younger siblings to......or just to post something cute for the gram. My 9years old siblings love this place and are wanting to come again. read more
8 years ago
Ambiance: casual, cute Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Eli's Ark has been around for 2 weeks and they're slowly catching everyone's eye in the area! They make all of their gelato in house and couple are dairy free for those that are lactose intolerant. They have a lot of fun flavors like: tiramisu, pineapple grapefruit sorbet, Sicilian orange sorbet, horchata, amongst many more AND they allow samples. They also have other pastry options like macarons and cake which I didn't try (yet). Now the prices vary upon how many scoops, cup or cone, animal or no animal. I felt really extra that day and I ended up getting the green tea dog and pineapple grapefruit sorbet pig in a cone and it was WORTH IT! Service was fantastic and I would recommend stopping in! While this isn't a place that I can afford on a regular basis, it's definitely a sweet treat when you want to splurge a little bit. read more
3 years ago
Super cute! Icecream was delicious (lots of unique seasonal flavors) and their animal options were absolutely adorable! Almost too cute to eat. Staff was friendly and the price was really fair! 5 bucks for this memorable and delicious experience. We are from Dallas, but next time we're here we will definitely return! read more
7 years ago
Super cute ice cream place!! I found this while visiting Chicago from LA. This place has very unique ice cream flavors such as Peach Jasmine Tea to Strawberry Yakult or even chocolate flavors. I got the Jasmine Tea w: pig shape and cone and my boyfriend got Lavender with cinnamon ice cream with a unicorn. Nice place :) but kind of far from the city! Would return and recommend :) read more
Putting animal faces on ice creams might just seem like a gimmick or photo opp, but the gelato flavors are very unique and delicious too. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle mochi green tea was one of my favorites. The Canoli one was vert tasty too. I'd be curious to see what other flavors they have! They give you samples, so try Em all! read more
8 years ago
This is a newly opened gelato and patisserie shop with unique and delicious flavors for macarons and gelato that you won't be able to find anywhere else! New flavors are rotated daily and the cones are shaped like cute animals too. The dragonfruit gelato and tea infused macarons are my favorite, will be back to try the other flavors!! read more
5 years ago
Gelato was just as cute in person as it is in everyone's pictures! The gelato is exceptionally good too super creamy. Had a wide variety of flavor options and they have multiple animals you can mix and match with. The staff was nice and the place was taken care of. read more
Ahh such an adorable little ice cream shop! The animals and actually feasibly priced compared to others. I didn't try many flavors, but I liked their matcha green tea! They are quick at making them, too! I'll be back to try others. read more
5 years ago
I love this place! Of course, you go for the adorable animals, but because of this, I didn't expect much from the gelato. I was wrong. It is delicious! The flavors are unique and tasty. We've been twice on a Saturday afternoon and there was a small line the first time and no line the second time! Will be back! read more
Eli's Ark is a must stop gelato location when you are visiting and/or exploring Wicker Park. It has a very cute aesthetic and there a different animals and flavors you can choose from. Definitely, expect to be on a line specially during the busy weekends... people drive from out of town just to stop to get this cute gelato. On a busy day I had waited for 20-30 min but the reward made up for my wait! I enjoyed my gelato and I loved the aesthetics. The shop is located in a convenient location surrounded by nice restaurants, local boutiques and even a new bicycle trail :) read more
5 years ago
I'm sure it depends on time of day, but parking sucked. Expect to park on the street, or get dropped off by whoever is driving. We came on a Friday around 3:00-4:00. The shop is spacious and minimally decorated but so cute! I didn't get a chance to try any of the other flavors but the melon I got, was good. I just wish I didn't get it in a cone, as it's sorbet and not milk based to match the taste of the cone. The service was friendly, and I would definitely come back to try the other flavors. But again, parking sucks. read more
5 years ago
We stumbled upon Eli's ark by accident and were taken by the cute gelato faces! the gelato was incredible and I'm excited to go back for more flavors and different faces. 10/10 would recommend. I am an adult with no children. read more
5 years ago
Such a cute ice cream shop! We absolutely loved our ice cream experience here! The ice cream is the perfect amount of sweetness and great flavor options. Definitely, coming back for more cute ice cream animals. read more
7 years ago
So cute and so good! I went to Eli's Ark after lunch on a Friday at around 4 and there was only one other group there. I was able to try three flavors, and they were all very different. The flavors they offer are not typical ones like straight chocolate. Instead they are fun and highly unique combinations. My gelato had salted caramel and hazelnut flavors, although I don't remember the name. My boyfriend got the Chunky Elvis and Mango de Leche, which he loved. These flavors are not super sweet, but still very yummy. The faces on the gelato are SO cute! They do not cost any extra and they're made of sweet candy. You have to choose between 10 or so animals, which is more challenging than you would imagine! So instagram worthy and so good! read more
6 years ago
This places was perfect for a date night dessert! The fun animal designs make for an awesome photo but the flavors of the ice cream really stole the show. They have a variety of flavors and some delicious pastries too! read more
5 years ago
Friendly & super patient staff that are just plain amazing! It's awesome that the ice cream actually tastes as good as it looks. The animals are so cute that I felt guilty taking a bite. Lol~ read more
6 years ago
Costumer service is wonderful!!! And icecream flavors are delicious as well as the animals, which are adorable read more
5 years ago
Decent ice cream. Definitely not the best. Worth the try for a picture for the gram. Prices are so so. Decent vegan options as well. read more
I'm in LOVE this little ice cream shop!! I go here quite often with family and friends just to take pictures of everyone's animal faces after, while still trying to try all of their flavors (Mounds of Joy/ One of their vegan choices is really good). They sometimes have a long line, but it moves rather quickly and is worth the wait. Overall, a nice place to grab a cone, a picture, and a Mound of Joy. read more
This shop had such a clean and simple interior and the staff was super friendly and patient. I went in seeing such cute pictures online of the animal Gelato and that's what I had my heart set on when arriving. The clerk gave me several samples so I could get a feel of what I liked. My favorite was the Cafe Du Monde and Matcha flavors. They complimented one anorther super well. The animal design was super cute and I loved it. Would give this place anorther go. Parking was super easy and the wait was not bad either. read more
Was definitely disappointed that they were out of all of the good vegan flavors except for one, but the presentation of the ice cream made up for that! The pig is absolutely adorable and I'm so happy with my ice cream. There was about a 30 minute wait on Friday night but it was worth it. Whoever came up with this idea is a genius! read more
More info about Eli's Ark
1843 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Wicker Park, West Town
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(773) 687-9072
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How's the parking situation?
Just hope you're lucky! We actually just had someone stay in the car, parked somewhere that wasn't a spot while we ran in really quick because there was no close street parking
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