I was craving sweets so I came across Grater's on Yelp. They have a lot of indoor and outdoor seating & free parking. They have a bunch of classic flavors & speciality flavors to choose from & they do allow free samples! I ended up with a double scoop Madagascar Vanilla & Cookies & Cream. Pricing was fair. read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Madagascar vanilla & cookies & cream - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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Graeter's is a staple for me in the summer. It's my go-to place to take friends and family from out of town and I'm excited to show them that the Midwest has ice cream that can rival anywhere in the US. It's up there with Bi-Rite in SF and McConnell's in Santa Barbara. But recently, I am incredibly disappointed because it seems like Graeter's has phenomenal ice cream, but absolutely TERRIBLE milkshakes. The milkshakes at this location are genuinely and confoundingly bad. The consistency of the "shake" is essentially just liquid. No mass or weight, no peaks or solidity. The ratio of milk to ice cream feels like 99:1. Devastating from a renown and respected brand. What a waste to use a fantastic product by basically diluting it down to flavored milk. I now know what NOT to order at one of my favorite chains and find it sad that I've found a gaping hole in the menu. read more

Graeter's in downtown Northbrook is one of our family favorites. We come here all the time, and I honestly can't remember a single time there wasn't a line out the door, which should tell you everything you need!! They do such a good job keeping the line moving quickly, sometimes almost too fast. So many good options, always tasty and worth the wait. My only request: Please give us gummy bears or Oreos as topping choices. That's all. read more

Nothing beats a great family-owned, small-batch ice cream shop. I stopped by the Northbrook location and tried the seasonal blueberry pie ice cream--it was fantastic. The shop itself is spacious with plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors, and the staff behind the counter were genuinely friendly and welcoming. read more

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This is located in downtown Northbrook. There's parking around & easy with a tiny bit of walking on a weekend. I got to try the signature raspberry chocolate chip, cherry chocolate chip & coconut. Coconut was my least favorite & the raspberry chocolate chip & cherry chocolate chip were incredible. I got a double scoop in a waffle cone & it's highly substantial, making up like half meal so go a bit hungry, not after a full dinner. The double scoop is something like $1.50 more vs a single scoop ($6) & a waffle cone is only $1 add on. Service was good but lines are behind (5-10 min wait) so don't try too many flavors & keep others waiting. Ambiance is a cute little shop & lots of people order it to go & walk around the cute downtown Northbrook instead of dinning in. Protip: They offer self serve free water at the end of checkout, so you canwash down your palette instead of ordering a drink & loading up on more calories. Also, there is an app offering an initial free ice cream, single scoop & you can do an upgrade for the price difference. Great addition to the area! I want yo try the cakes next time. read more

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I got the chocolate waffle cone, birthday cake ice cream and peaches ice cream. It was very yummy but they were out of a lot of flavors. The place was a little gross inside too. Friendly staff. Moved decently fast. Parking is street parking. read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

After a family gathering at a nearby Italian restaurant, we stopped by for some ice cream to end the evening. The staff were friendly and happily offered free samples, which we appreciated. The ice cream itself was good, but the selection of flavors felt fairly ordinary. There wasn't anything particularly unique or memorable that stood out or surprised us. The shop had a pleasant atmosphere, and the service was welcoming, but overall it felt more like a place to visit once rather than somewhere we'd go out of our way to return to. read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Only in "The Chicago" Berbs can you find an ice creamery that's 155 years old! And for anything existing 155 years, they must be doing something VERY right - and in Graeter's case they certainly are. Their Flavor Menu is so eclectic that it took me several minutes to not only deduce what the flavors were, but also take several minutes to make my choice. I chose - black cherry chocolate chip in a cup that was pretty darn great. Coming from California, I grew up with these incredible brands: * Afters Ice Cream in Huntington Beach * Humphry Slocombe, San Francisco * McConnell's Fine Ice Creams, Santa Barbara * Wanderlust Creamery, Tarzana so I had the advantage of some of the best creameries in the country. Graeter's Ice Cream was up there with the "Biggies". I love what they do and how they do it! read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - The history of this fine Brand - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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Had varying experiences here. Sometimes it's pretty good while others I got bad batches of ice cream where the flavor tasted off, a gummy texture, or ice cream came so melted it was already soup, etc. Went again on Valentine's Day. We ordered two Banana Splits (Choice of two ice creams and two toppings, split banana, whipped cream, pecans, and a cherry $9.25). They forgot the whip cream and pecans on both of our dishes. So that was disappointing as the whip cream is my favorite topping and pecans add a great crunch. So the dish felt incomplete and we were disappointed. On top of that the ice cream was super duper melted. We ate some there and it was soup so we had to bring it home and freeze it, then eat it the next day. Overall this place is expensive and I only like some of their flavors. They removed my family's family's favorite flavor of caramel macchiato - sad sad. We'll be back im sure because it's a convenient location. read more

Honestly the best ice cream I have had in awhile. This shop stays busy but it is worth the wait. They have their standard flavors and limited edition/seasonal. They let you try samples before you commit to your purchase. I ended up getting the skyline chili scoop in a cup. It sounds weird but the taste was phenomenal, it even had oyster crackers in it but so good. They have some table and chairs set up inside. read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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This is an updated review and I've been coming to this particular location for years since they open. Very sad to see the Winnetka location close. Came here on a random Friday evening after having an early dinner right down the street in downtown Northbrook and this place was completely packed with families and children. It was a great site to see. The staff here is always friendly. They were eager to help and ask if you had any questions. The staff you're always seems to be very young perhaps high school age employees and I think that's a great thing because it presents a great opportunity. As always, they have incredible flavors and options and it is the best quality. This last time came by for ice cream as usual and it's great that the indoor seating is very nice and cold while the outside is been super hot. read more

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Boldly bearcat is probably my new favorite ice cream ever- marscarpone ice cream with Oreo and chocolate pieces. The chocolate pieces literally melt in your mouth. Love how this is small batch ice cream- and you can really taste the difference. The ice cream is pricy for a scope, $6+ but well worth. They do have pints, cakes, and pies, along with chocolate. I believe they also sell smoothies and shakes too. The store is very clean and well taken care of- and has old school vibes to it. This place is in a cute downtown area, near the train station and a parks. read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Boldly Bearcat - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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$6.33 for a kid's cup!? Ridiculous. It's decent ice cream but that price is highway robbery. Horrible value per dollar. read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Graeter's Black Raspberry Chip Cone Scooper - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Great place for a quick treat! Good customer service and pleasant atmosphere. Great downtown Northbrook location with easy parking.

Decided to stop in on a Monday night after having dinner across the street. This location was hopping! Service was extremely fast as long as you knew what you wanted to order. Many delicious handcrafted flavors to choose from. Prices are a little higher than normal but worth every penny! I tried their small hot fudge sundae minus the nuts with double chocolate brownie ice cream. Delicious! They have indoor and outdoor seating available. A great way to spend a summer night in downtown Northbrook. read more

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Hands down the best icecream I've ever had. Miles above anything else I've reviewed. Kosher too! Clean environment, on-the-ball employees and plenty of great flavors. Cherry chocolate chip 5 stars Black Raspberry chip 5 stars Cotton candy 5 stars Mint chip 5 stars. read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Cherry Chocolate Chip Pint - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Very good ice cream. Not the best I've had but it is very good. Service is hit or miss at times. Some nights lines are very long and the staff doesn't always do a great job in helping customers so the lines moves really slow. Some of it isn't their fault. Customers share in that responsibility....i mean, as you're waiting a long time in line, by the time you're helped, why is there a delay in looking over what they have?? They're frustrating those that are behind them, like drivers in cars in the left turning lane and the lead car is needing an invitation to make their turn when there's no traffic. (Forgive me, traffic this summer has been horrible). Look, the ice cream is good, the lines are long and the staff is so-so in their service. I've made my peace. read more

I want to preface that I have never written a bad review prior to this post. I have never felt the need to nor thought it was worth the energy. I work in the food industry and understand what it's like to deal with difficult/unpleasant clients or staff. That being said, I HATE complaining or sending things back. I also hate causing a scene or being confrontational. I'm typically an anxious person and hate being a burden to the staff. There have been times where I don't like certain food items or the service of a place and simply just don't come back. But the way that I was treated today at Graeters honestly left me baffled. I have never seen a manager so unprofessional, snarky, and defensive. Hands down the worst interaction I've had at any establishment. This was my first time coming here and never will I come again. For context, I came into the shop with my partner. We saw that they had an extensive menu- so we stepped far from the counter so that we wouldn't get in the way of anyone trying to order. I was stuck between getting a scoop of ice cream and a coffee chiller that they had named "mocha joe". Once we reached the counter, I had asked the employee if she had ever tried the chiller. I don't like when things are overbearingly sweet and wanted her opinion. She was honest and said that she hadn't had the drink recently or enough to let me know her thoughts on it. Her response was completely valid and I appreciated her honesty. She was a very sweet girl and was nothing but kind to me. She let me sample the ice cream that they used for the chiller and it was fine. I figured with the coffee that they would add, it would also cut some of the sweetness of the ice cream. My partner ordered an affogato and we were taken care of quickly. All of the staff leading up to the interaction with the manager were nothing but nice and professional. It was around 19 dollars for both items which seems a bit steep but makes sense considering the shop is in a nice area. Our issue wasn't really with the price though. We had hoped that for spending almost 20 dollars we would be happy with what we received. When I received my chiller it was unbearably sweet. When my partner received his affogato it was also not what he expected. He had asked for two shots of espresso and the cup that he was given was almost filled to the brim with coffee and almost all of the ice cream melted underneath. It was practically soupy coffee. He politely went up to the counter and asked if he could have it be remade- but this time with the ice cream and espresso separate so the same thing wouldn't happen. The employee immediately served him a new scoop of ice cream and shot of espresso. When he informed his manager, the manager quickly came over and gave my partner attitude. He tries to argue with my partner that he doesn't know what he's ordering and that he didn't truly want an affogato. My partner tries to explain what the problem was and the manager just hands the ice cream and espresso to my boyfriend. When he was walking away I saw him roll his eyes. Why should my partner be treated with such hostility when all he wanted was the item to be remade? Not only that but my chiller was so sweet it was practically inedible. Seeing how my partner got treated and now seeing a huge line start to appear I contemplate if it's worth sending my item back. I figured that all of the chillers would be much too sweet for me so was hoping that they would give me a scoop of ice cream in exchange. I wait in line and when I get to the counter politely ask if I could exchange the chiller for a scoop of ice cream. The employee brings over the manager and he immediately starts to berate me in front of this huge line of people. He angrily tells me that he had already swapped my partners item and that I can't be swapping mine out too. I explain that it's my first time being there and I didn't know the chillers would be so sweet. He immediately cuts me off and loudly starts to go off on me about how he can't just keep swapping items out and that he's gonna have to comp stuff later. Never in my life have I been yelled at over a drink, a drink that I paid for mind you. I didn't demand anything and was as cordial as possible while all he did was huff and puff in my face and cause a huge scene. He treated us as if we were stealing or causing a problem to his staff. He had all of the customers and staff looking at us and I couldn't understand why he was publicly shaming us. I felt so humiliated and left as soon as they gave me the scoop of ice cream. He made me feel guilty for speaking up for myself. If you cannot handle any sort of criticism you have no right being a manager. I can't imagine what he puts his poor staff through. I can understand being frustrated that the shop is busy or having to remake something, but he had no right to talk to us like that. His attitude was completely unacceptable and I hope that he never treats someone like that again. read more

Love love love the ice cream at Graeters !!! The staff was very helpful and guided us pick their best flavor. Nice cozy place for a quick dessert date Bet you can't have just one read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Raspberry chip icecream - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Thanks to a promotion that offered some certificates for complimentary ice cream at the popular Graeter's Ice Cream shop to our daughter, and we are lucky that there's a shop right in town, we went there and checked it out.  This ice cream shop is almost always busy, when we went on a late afternoon on a Monday, there was still a line, but it moved pretty quickly.   The promotion was for a single scoop of ice cream on a sugar cone (it's $5.25 each on the price board).  I got a signature Black Raspberry Chip, Hubby got the Black Cherry Chip, and daughter got the Mint Chip, and they were all delicious.  I read that Graeter's makes small-batch ice cream with the French Pot process, which results in ice cream that is dense and rich.  I like the ice cream that I ordered a lot, it had a nice flavor, and was creamy and smooth!  However, even though I love chocolate, I don't care that much about the big chucks of chewy chocolates in the ice cream.  Of course, this is only my personal taste.  I wish there is an option for black raspberry without the chip.  There are so many different flavors, though, I will try another flavor next time I go.   The staff members that we had encountered were all friendly and welcoming.  The place was clean.  There were a lot of nice seating indoors and some outdoors.  The Village Green Park is just right across the street.  The views from the Graeter's shop are pretty nice.  Although it could be pricey to some people, they do have a special for July, they are celebrating National Ice Cream Month and also their 153 years with $1.53 single-dip sugar cones, you do need to download their app though.  If you like ice cream, I would highly recommend this shop! read more

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The best black raspberry chocolate ice cream ever!!! Such quality ingredients and the chocolate was so good!

The ice cream was really creamy and there's so many choices that you can go back many times and not repeat! You can also sample the flavors before getting your scoop! The caramel macchiato was really good! The staff was very friendly and helpful! It's a cute little place to spend your afternoon! It's right next to village green park! read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Stopped in to Graeter's for the first time when visiting my friend who lives in Deerfield. It was absolutely fantastic! I love the atmosphere, it's cozy and gives off a little bit of that old-timey energy. I ordered a single scoop of birthday cake ice cream with rainbow sprinkles and fudge. My friend got a cone with a single scoop of a flavor that was coconut with chocolate chips. I tried a bite of his and it was such a unique flavor but really good. The employees were kind and efficient with our orders. I can't wait to return to try some more flavors. I highly recommend if you're passing through to stop for some ice cream. read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Birthday cake ice cream with rainbow sprinkles and fudge. - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

This place was awesome, It was very cute at a nice location You can eat inside or outside. The servers were friendly and let you sample the ice cream . The menu was very full with choices of sundaes shakes cones and more . I chose peanut butter chip it was delicious I even compare it to my favorite place in CA Will must definitely go back again There is a park Accross the street for families Thanks for the great taste experience read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cone - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Fantastic ice cream shop. Ice cream is the best, and their whipped cream is better than anywhere else I've tried.

My go-to flavor Vienna coffee was a little bland to me this visit ( is it me? Why do I always think it's me?) but my friend tried it too and they said it tasted like vanilla with a little splash of coffee. Still creamy and delish but not the flavor I needed. My companions had lemon meringue and buckeye and they thoroughly enjoyed it. Long line and plenty of customers tonight. read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Vienna coffee - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

I've been to a lot of ice cream places and Graeter's is hands down, one of the best. My go to order is the buckeye chocolate and s'mores. I know it's a double scoop, and they are a little pricier than say, Baskin-Robbins, but it is well worth the cost and if you get the app, you get rewards points and you can certainly attain awards faster if you indulge more often than not (and I do indulge as their flavors are fantastic and do not disappoint). My main location is the Northbrook locale surrounded by some truly fantastic restaurants. While those restaurants offer desserts of their own, it's a shame as Graeter's outshines anything they can offer. And there's always a line out the door regardless of the weather which is a true testament to their flavors and offerings as eating ice cream in Chicago in the winter may seem ridiculous, but not if you're going to Graeter's. And you'll certainly find me there throughout the year. read more

In town visiting family and saw this ice cream shop on Yelp. Took the whole family and it was amazing. The service was awesome, the food was delicious and I know if we are ever in town again we will be dropping by again! read more

Quick service and samples are freely given. The ice cream is delish and there's no shortage of toppings & flavors. Great place to go to on a hot day or to satisfy a craving. Drove down from Milwaukee just to have fresh graeters read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Lemon Meringue Pie sundae - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Great ice cream but over priced. The ingredients are always fresh. Ice cram is creamy and flavors are on point. Only reason not five stars is price. read more

Great allergy protocol and staff! We avoid nuts so we ask for an "allergy scoop," which means they use a sanitized scooper and open a new tub from the back. They've earned my business for years to come! read more

I'm not sure what other great things that haven't already been said about Graeter's ice cream! It is always a positive experience everyone we come here. They have a young courteous staff that is always friendly and willing to help out with the app to tabulate a quick checkout. It can get pretty busy, but the line always moves. There are always a great variety of flavors (please bring back dragonfruit for 2025). The ice cream is delicious and creamy, the paper doesn't stick to the sugar cone. They offer really nice incentives wit their app, you get points and occasionally a free ice cream cone. Right now, month of September, is a great time to go visit because they do their annual fundraiser where a small donation of $5 will get you a really good coupon back with lots of BOGO deals. Also after getting your ice cream you can take a nice quick walk to burn off some of the calories at the park across the street. read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Selection of Graeter's branded items for sale - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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I love this place the family and I found them in Cincinnati over a decade ago. Went there tonight to pick up several pints of my favorite Chocolate Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip-amazing. It comes out in February every year although it has been hard to find in our local grocery stores the past few years. Plus I had a scope of their Oregon Strawberry very good. Their sundaes are great too. Friendly staff. read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Chocolate Coconut Almond Chip Pint - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Open until 11pm Friday! Fresh waffle cones. They ran out of all the fun flavors already. (Confusing sizes) read more

A friend and I stopped here after shopping at Abt. Lots of flavor choices; she enjoyed her scoop of coconut and I got the bourbon brown butter pecan (heavy on bourbon flavor; more of a fall taste than summer). They gave it to me as the cone upside down in a cup...i guess so you can paywithout juggling the cone? But half the ice cream stuck in the cup :/ Signage says they've been around for 150 years but this was my first taste. I would give then another try next time I am in Northbrook. read more

Graeter's Ice Cream - Sconces shaped like pints of ice cream - Desserts Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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I applaud the effort, but the efficiency at the Graeters Northbrook left a little to be desired. What I saw here was a classic too many cooks in the kitchen. There were a lot of people running around behind the counter but nobody to man the register! I understand it was a busy night, but with nobody at the register the line had a hard time moving. A note to corporate: If you're going to invent flavors like "Midnight Snack", it's a good idea to leave a description of the flavor. My normal midnight snack is a bag of Doritos. Do I want a Doritos flavored ice cream?! Definitely not. I went with the safe option: "Dark chocolate brownie". The key? The description is in the name! Also, bring back chocolate peanut butter! read more

Best ice cream in area. And if the line is too long to place your order, Baskin Robbin is nearby. We even go there during the cold winter months. read more

Hmm, 6.5 years and 12 visits later, ok, maybe some update comments are merited. But I don't have much to say except that the ice cream quality and flavors here are still top notch and they never disappoint. With only two Chicagoland retail stores, I guess I shouldn't complain about only a 9 mile drive to get here. I also discovered their $6.95 two scoop sundaes only less than a year ago. Such a deal and I'm not sure I'll ever order anything else from here! read more

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Here's what you need to know: the ice cream is fantastic - black cherry chocolate chip. WOW! Customer service from Burl and Josh was just absolutely fantastic. What a fantastic experience for my family with the great welcoming service from these gentlemen. Love the ambiance of this location in NB by the park. We went in on a ridiculously hot afternoon so ended up eating indoors - very clean and well laid out space. Loved my experience here! read more

Nice corner location with convenient street parking. The place is big for an ice cream shop, with plenty of window seating. I'm somewhat unfamiliar with Graeter's, I believe they're based in Indiana?!? In any case, I had the chocolate/coconut/almond shake so that I could compare that to Oberwies' exact, same shake. And here are the results of my fact finding: - the shake is in a paper cup so you can't really see it unless you take the cap off - no whipped cream, no cylindrical cookie - I think they use more milk than ice cream, as a result, it was lighter and not as thick - related to bullet point 3, it wasn't as rich in flavor and lacked crunchiness (from the almonds and coconut) - this shake did provide more chocolate chunks at the end of slurping everything down, that was a big plus. I took some Chunky Chinky Hippo to go and I'm looking forward to trying that during a hot summer night. read more

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