Eli's Ark

150

234

7 years ago

We were originally planning on going to the zoo but didn't make it in time and that's totally fine because we were able to finally make it out to Eli's Ark! Honestly sampled pretty much every flavor & it was so hard to decide what to get! Everything was so good! Went with the Ninja Turtle (matcha) & strawberry & I had them make a unicorn cause why not! My little guy got the "Blue Lagoon" as a llama & my husband & Littles guy got raspberry sorbet & "puckered up" (a lime kiwi sorbet). We all devoured our treats & cant wait to go back. What's nice was that they have tons of sizes too I was able to get 1/2 scoops which was great, they have kid sizes & you can get up to 4 scoops! They also offer macaroons & pastries which I'll be sure to try next time. Such a fun place to check out especially with the kiddos. Great job guys, really keep it up! read more

Eli's Ark - I mean how cute!!! - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Eli's Ark - Each one was delicious (yes I sampled pretty much all of them shamelessly) - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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John ..

2 years ago

great little ice cream place. line was out the door. kids loved the little animal face. every family friendly neighborhood should have something like this read more

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Shari B.

406

253

6 years ago

Super cute ice creams. Both my kids love this cute shop on ice cream. It's worth the wait if there's a line out the door. They also do a great job of social distancing inside and making sure there's a small number of people inside at a time. read more

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Suz E.

8 years ago

This place is sooo yummy! We went on their grand opening day to try their gelato and macarons. My husband and I tried their horchata, peach mango, and coconut lime. They were so good! I also decided to try their animal decorations on the gelato and got the piggy back combo super cute! My husband and I also bought their macarons and they were delicious! They definitely do not skimp on the fillings either which I appreciate. My favorite was the Nutella flavor and my husband loved the caramel flavor. This place is awesome! read more

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Bailey M.

7 years ago

Eli's Ark is truly a fun place! It is definitely on the pricier side, but only because you receive the cutest cones ever! They have a variety of fun animals you can transform their delicious gelato into, making it a very Instagrammable place You can mix and match different animals and flavors or you can simply enjoy their gelato. It is a simple environment that is often pretty busy, so be aware you are limited to only tasting 3 flavors. It is also conveniently located right in the heart of Wicker Park, making it a perfect place to end a meal for people of all ages. read more

Eli's Ark - Koala berry non-dairy gelato & Llama coffee-flavored gelato - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Shannon L.

147

5 years ago

We have only gone once and waited awhile outside, but the owners kept us updated. They were all very nice and happy to answer any questions. I hope to go back sometime in the future, my only complaint is the cost. read more

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Gladys M.

7 years ago

Came in here for the first time today and my kids loved it! The flavors are delicious and the animal faces are adorable! The berry gelato (has a much longer and cool name I can't recall) is super delicious and flavorful! Prices are super reasonable! Will def be back with my girls. read more

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Anica L.

5 years ago

Such a cute place to visit if you are craving good gelato and take a good picture for your instagram. Service was great and super clean! I highly recommend getting razzmatazzy and kookie monster read more

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Tammy H.

598

7 years ago

SO ADORABLE. Eli's Ark is now one of my favorite places in Chicago!!! They added new animal designs (koala, panda, and llama) and their flavors rotate. In addition to being super cute, this place's gelato is delicious! When I visited in May, they had Yumcha which was peach + jasmine milk tea and it was one of the few fruity gelatos that I actually really liked. With their lovely designs, delectable rotating flavors, and cozy interior (plenty of natural light and tables and board games), Eli's Ark is an easy 5 stars for me! read more

Eli's Ark - May 2019 flavors - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Erica C.

3 years ago

This place has cute insta worthy animal ice cream cones and cups. However, as far as taste goes I didn't find anything spectacular about it. It's a little over priced in my opinion. If you just want overpriced mediocre tasting ice cream that looks super cute, run don't walk. Other than that, do yourself a favor and go to Jeni's ice cream. Similar price, but waaaaaaaaay better!!! read more

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Ada W.

5 years ago

This is the kind of shop I am searching for! I love ice cream and I wanted something that is cute on top of it, that's why when I saw someone's post with this kind of ice cream I literally drive into this shop and have my order for my cravings. All are so cute! I really enjoyed the animal design on top of it. I thought it's only about the cute design, but when I tasted it, I was so amazed with how it perfectly made, the flavor is so good. That's why I ordered more of it, I ordered different flavor and I also ask for customize design. And I'm happy that the server is so accommodating. The place is also clean and quite spacious, many kids will like to come here for sure. Before I decided to go home, I ask for take out too, so that I can eat it while I'm watching movie. read more

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Christi C.

7 years ago

Adorable and delicious? Yay! Instagram-worthy cuteness. Uniquely yummy flavors. Clean tables and seats. Service was not the quickest, but that was to be expected since they are making each animal individually. We went with 4 kids ranging in ages from 3 to 10, and they loved it. The adults also loved it. Highly recommend for a quick treat! read more

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Carlo P.

Elite 22

189

194

8 years ago

Visited with my sister a few weeks ago during a short visit in Chicago, and we were definitely drawn to Eli's because of instagram lol. It's a small space in Wicker Park in a high foot traffic area. You choose an animal style and a flavor, and there are options to "piggyback" different animals. They also have a very aesthetic wall for which one can use "for the gram" with their ice cream. The service was courteous and efficient. Recommend. read more

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Sara C.

5 years ago

Eli's Ark is a great place for gelato. They have both seasonal and regular flavors and you can choose to double or triple your scoop. The gelato is so good, it is not overpowering and has the right amount pf sweetness. I had the Cookie Monster and my friend got the seasonal apple pie flavor, both really good. We'll definitely be back! read more

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Krista O.

5 years ago

Ok they get a 5 out of 5 for cuteness regarding animals and design. However, this cannot be defined as gelato. Our family had 3 flavors amongst us and honestly, we disliked all 3. It all tasted watered down and just super sweet. So going only off taste, I would give it a 1. Giving it a 3 for an overall experience. read more

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Natalie K.

7 years ago

The cutest little place for dessert in Wicker Park! Perfect for the family or any age. Pick your flavor, animal(s), and enjoy! Can't wait to go back! read more

Eli's Ark - St. Patrick's Pig - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Tiana A.

6 years ago

Went this following weekend and first the line was kinda long but completely understandable due to its popularity. But even so wouldn't say customer service here went that well. Tried to order something but first got my order wrong. I decided something was better than having to explain again and take more time when clearly felt rushed. Donno if the ice cream was good enough to come back, definitely gimmicky to me. read more

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Denisa N.

6 years ago

The animal shaped ice cream were so cute! I got the unicorn. Best of all, it actually taste delicious and they give you a big scoop. One scoop was definitely more than enough for me. read more

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Diana A.

5 years ago

The long line was so worth it! Such a cute experience! I got a piggy and a unicorn. The ice cream was so so good. Will be coming back for sure! read more

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Lizeth M.

118

7 years ago

Im my opinion creativity towards the ice cream is amazing the animals are tooo cute!! Reasons why I'm giving it a 4 star is bcs the gelato did not meet my expectations it had a strong creamy flavor which I didn't like. Other than that the employees are super amazing so nice and helpful they had patience with everyone!! I wanted to come here bcs it was all over Instagram and the background and cute pics were nice. Tbh I would come here again just the gelato wasn't all that read more

Eli's Ark - Double animal scoops - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Alexis N.

304

7 years ago

Great for a one time experience for some tasty gelato and super cute photo opportunity! On the pricey side but I would still say it's worth it if you've never been. I ordered the fairy floss (cotton candy) in the shape of a koala. So yummy! read more

Eli's Ark - Koala Fairy Floss - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Eli's Ark - Koala fairy floss, unicorn birthday cake - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Arielle A.

Elite 19

136

8 years ago

This little new addition to Wicker Park is just too cute! I of course had to order one of their very Instagramable animal gelato cones - I had their nutella gelato with unicorn decor (about $5-$6). Their gelato is good, and perfect for a hot day - but nothing to rave about. They do have some unique flavors though, such as horchata. The employees are so sweet, and are happy to offer samples upon ordering. The place itself is not big, but they have enough seating area, and we had no issue finding a seat on a Sunday afternoon. read more

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Chandra D.

7 years ago

They decorate ice cream so beautifully that you don't want to eat it to mess up the Art. Good flavors with great selections, they also have have macaroon, although I haven't tried macaroon but they do look yummy. read more

Eli's Ark - Llama art! - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Annie G.

8 years ago

Super cute little place. Delicious macarons with fun unique flavors. I thought there was a little too much filling in them, but still enjoyed and would definitely come back to get more. The gelato was delicious too, the staff was very kind in offering multiple samples. The only part I didn't enjoy was there wasn't any music playing in the store so I felt a little awkward. But I'll be back! read more

Eli's Ark - Strawberry, chocolate coconut, earl grey, creme brûlée, and lavender! - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Chau T.

8 years ago

Gellato was good and fun. The animals were super cute. The macarons were one of the best my wife and I ever had. They were not hollow or hard. Just the perfect texture. read more

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Marie B.

107

4 years ago

This place is awesome. Simple and sweet. We had three cookies and cream cones. (It's actually called something else but I can't remember the name) The animal decorations on the vines were fun for the kids and adults. Service was great (patient). We will be back! read more

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Courtney J.

514

5 years ago

This is the cutest ice cream shop ever! We went to solely because of the animal face ice cream scoops, but the gelato was surprisingly good! They also have vegan options. read more

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veronica m.

7 years ago

Service sucked the girl wanted to rush me out the door after I signed for payment and added tip she didn't even turn around to say thank you and bye; no napkins given. The ice cream had no flavor whatsoever it was so damn bland we ended up throwing our $24 ice cream. Huge disappointment; just one more for the gram :/ read more

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Denise B.

6 years ago

I absolutely love this place. Totally worth it. I was afraid of the line but it went fast. Prices were not bad and the staff was friendly. read more

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Nhung D.

Elite 24

198

376

6 years ago

Cutest little ice cream shop to hit this area! I've visited this shop a couple times now and have had a great experience every time. Because we are living in a pandemic, they are taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of both staff and customers. They only allow 10 people in at a time so if you're coming during a busy hour, be prepared to wait outside, especially if it's a nice and hot summer day. They also provide hand sanitizer as needed and all employees are wearing masks to protect everyone in the shop. My friends and I came here for dessert one evening and all got the kookie monster flavor (which was delicious). They have a variety of different and unique flavors so I'm gonna do my best to try various ones as much as possible. We each got a different animal to make things interesting and they are super cute! Life is definitely sweet so enjoy it to its fullest (while wearing a mask). read more

Eli's Ark - Kookie monster flavor with different animals (bear, koala, and panda) - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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RV S.

7 years ago

We were so excited to come to Eli's Ark. I had literally been waiting patiently watching everyone else's Instagram feeds and I wanted to create my own pics. We were a family of 5 so it took some time for the kids to decide on their flavors. I hadn't even had a chance to taste a flavor much less figure out what I wanted before the kids were rushed to order and the first kid got their ice cream. By the time it was my turn, it was all melting and we couldn't get any good pics. I was so disappointed. We didn't come all the way from the suburbs to spend $8 on each cone and not even get pics. And just to clarify, it was not busy at all. We were the only ones in the place and people came in halfway as we were ordering. I would recommend that the staff realize that this is an experience for people and treat it as such. 5 stars for the ice cream but 1 star for the service. read more

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Rachel A.

4 years ago

Cute decorations in animal shapes but gelato is meh. Gelato has a freezer burn flavor. I picked tiramisu flavor and it came with odd tasting pieces of ladyfingers in it which had the flavor of eating a sponge. They don't allow you to sample so you have to guess at which flavor you'd like. Also overpriced. If you like the animal shape gimmick, I'd try once but if you are a gelato appreciator, pass on this one. read more

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Sara V.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

319

6 years ago

Waited in line to finally get their treats and it was worth it :) so many flavors to choose from and animals to make from them! Really enjoyed it on a hot summer day while walking around the city! read more

Eli's Ark - Menu - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Eli's Ark - Flavors - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Eli's Ark - Razzmatazzy koala and ube unicorn - Gelato Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Tina S.

4 years ago

I'm so in love with this place. I have not had a flavor I didn't like yet. I'm a little disappointed with their rewards program, but I guess I've gotten over it since I still go and I still dream of going. I am low carb. The gelato doesn't make me crash from a sugar high because it's not too sweet, though I do have to get it in a cup and not come (I had the cone once and it's so good! But I did struggle afterwards). My son and I have decided this will be another place we take out of town guests. It's that good and that cute. I sure hope they will be open during the winter too! Please have a better rewards system though. The security guard at Chase knows me because I've gone so often since finding this place - I go that often, but no free gelato yet. This place is highly recommended!! read more

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Page 7 of 9

1843 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Wicker Park, West Town
Directions
(773) 687-9072
Call Now

Hours

What time does Eli's Ark open?

Eli's Ark opens at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.Eli's Ark opens at 1:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday.

What time does Eli's Ark close?

Eli's Ark is closed on Monday and Tuesday.Eli's Ark closes at 9:00 PM on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.Eli's Ark closes at 8:00 PM on Sunday.

Mon-Tue ClosedWed-Fri 3:00 PM - 9:00 PMSat 1:00 PM - 9:00 PMSun 1:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Payment methods

Does Eli's Ark take credit cards?

Yes, Eli's Ark takes credit cards.

Food & Alcohol

Does Eli's Ark have a drive thru?

No, Eli's Ark does not have a drive thru.

Indoor Amenities

Does Eli's Ark allow dogs?

No, Eli's Ark does not allow dogs.

Outdoor Amenities

Does Eli's Ark have parking?

Yes, Eli's Ark has parking options. Street Parking, Validated Parking

Eli's Ark Reviews in Other Languages

Spanish
2 Reviews

Ask the Community - Eli's Ark

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

View 3 more answers

Are there dairy free options?

Yes, there are a few dairy free options

View question details

Is it vegan?

I believe they do offer vegan options.

View 3 more answers

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Margie's Candies

4.1(656 reviews)

Cute location too close to my house to be safe. My sister and I shared a brownie sundae and it was…read moreso good. We loved the homemade hot fudge. The mint ice cream was very nice and the vanilla was perfect for the brownie and fudge. Service was fast and efficient and we didn't have to wait very long for our order. Will be going back for sure.

I had a super special date at Margie's with my 2 year old, and we had the best time ever. What I…read morelove about Margie's is that it's frozen in time. It's pretty small inside, there are only a few tables. A server comes to your table to place your order, which I feel like never happens at ice cream shops anymore! The menu is huge! There were multiple sections to banana splits, sundaes, and shakes. We decided to go with something simple. My son ordered 2 scoops of cookies n cream ice cream (with sprinkles of course) and I got moose tracks! The ice cream is the real deal. Our server was super sweet, and we were in and out of there in probably 30-45 minutes. We had the best time and will definitely be back this summer.

Coco Loco sundae

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8 reviews that are not currently recommended

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E. J.

312

7 years ago

I was holding my one year old nephew when a large group of ghetto customers cut in front of me. I waited 20 minutes for all of them to take pics of themselves to finally order and the staff was very rude. I would never recommend this place to anyone. read more

Stacy A.

5 years ago

Ice cream tastes was horrible I ordered 3 different flavored panda,pig,monkey Ear was felled nose was dropped And worst thing was bad taste ice cream Never go back Waste money and time read more

Tim C.

4 years ago

Took my kids here for ice cream. They have different kind of flavors but my favorite was mango and chocolate. Service was good and the shop is pretty clean. read more

Darrin D.

6 years ago

Ok hands down the best gelato in LA All fresh natural ingredients. Like woah! Love the color of the floors! Amazing mint color stain.

Jennifer R.

6 years ago

this place is very cute! The line is a bit long but worth it! would definitely go again! read more

Haley P.

4 years ago

So cute!!! Yum yum yum so cute yum yum so cuteee so cute!! So cute yum yum yum yummy yum

Bob J.

7 years ago

Cutest ice cream cones ever! Great for kids and adults!

Kylie J.

7 years ago

Cutest ice cream cones ever! Must visit!

Eli's Ark - gelato - Updated October 2026

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My best friend and I visited Vaca's in Lincoln Square on a Saturday after lunch. As anyone familiar…read morewith the area knows, parking here will be what parking is! There are spots close to Vaca's but during peak times especially it's all luck on getting one. We parked in a garage just around the corner and walked. Vaca's is a pretty big store front/space with tables inside. It's counter service style and you order and then your order comes up and they call your name. The store/restaurant space was very clean, and cutely decorated. Staff were friendly and welcoming as we ordered. While my best friend was visiting, she saw a post on Vaca's social media about their corn soft serve leaving September 1st, and we decided we had to try it before it left. We each ordered one of the special corn soft serve in a corn cone and dipped in a (vegan) butter ... shell? dip? I'm not sure how to refer to that! This cone is giant, I need to be so clear. I was impressed with the size of the cone and they fill it all the way up with soft serve. The texture is remarkably smooth and the flavor was really perfect. If I didn't know this was a corn flavor, I'm not sure I would have known it was corn as opposed to maybe "sweet cream" or something more mild, but this was a perfect ice cream. I could eat this particular soft serve for the rest of my life and be so satisfied. The cone was really crunchy and also a more mild flavor. The corn soft serve was so delicious that I would definitely try anything else on their menu and it leaves me excited to try more seasonal offerings in the future. I'm so curious about other flavors and options on their menu, and was really impressed with the quality my order. Thank you so much, Vaca's, for a great treat with my best friend!

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