My wife actually introduced me to Holy Cow when we lived nearby, and from that very first visit I was hooked. It's easily one of the best places to grab ice cream on a warm summer evening. There's something special about enjoying your favorite flavor while watching the sunset. Fast forward a few years, and now we're bringing our own kids here to make those same memories. The ice cream has always been consistently delicious, no matter how many times we've visited, and the staff has been friendly and welcoming every single time. It's one of those places that never disappoints, and we're always happy to make the trip back whenever we're in the area. Highly recommend if you're looking for great ice cream and a relaxed atmosphere with family or friends! read more

Great soft serve ice cream! They also have hard ice cream but didn't try this trip. Super cheap also. We paid $7-$8 for 3 cones (two mediums and one small). There was a line the entire time we were there that went out the door but it moved quickly. No indoor seating but they have benches for outdoor seating. Will definitely return! read more

Holy Cow - Small size vanilla soft serve - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Red Hook, New York

Holy Cow indeed! The best soft serve ice cream. Simple done right. Light and creamy. My go to is a chocolate dipped vanilla cone in store, and usually get a pint or two to bring home. There is no indoor seating. There are plenty of picnic benches outside, but minimal shade. The staff is friendly and welcoming. Note: This is a CASH ONLY establishment. read more

Over the summer on vacation in the area my son of course wants his nightly ice cream and this place did not disappoint lol.

"Soft Serve & Nostalgia Overload!" Took a field trip with my coworkers to this little gem, and let me tell you--this place is straight out of an '80s time capsule. The kind of spot where you half expect to see kids with Walkmans and scrunchies hanging out by the jukebox. We came for the soft serve, and oh boy, did it deliver. Creamy, dreamy, and piled high like it was competing for the tallest swirl award. And the sprinkles? They didn't skimp. It was like a glitter bomb went off on top of my cone--in the best way possible. The service? Top-notch. Friendly, fast, and they didn't judge when one of my coworkers asked for "just a little more" sprinkles...three times. If you're looking to take a delicious trip down memory lane (and probably ruin your diet), this is the spot. 10/10 would convince my coworkers to "brainstorm" here again. read more

Its me again. So me and my group Poop and Scoop out of Hudson went to Holy Cow now I am not a big soft serve ice cream fan however the creamsicle was delicious. Each of us had a different flavor and each one of us left satisfied. OMG it was really worth the drive. read more

Super super delicious, very friendly atmosphere. Can't get enough ice cream. Adorable pricing and generous portions. read more

Holy Cow - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Red Hook, New York

There are so many ice cream shops in the area. I love Fortunes, which I would say is in a different category than Holy Cow. I am glad I went to Holy Cow... for the soft serve. If you have classic taste, get the chocolate and vanilla soft serve swirl with chocolate crunchies. Let the crunchies sit in the soft serve a bit. So rich and good. It might be one of the top soft serves I've ever had, and I can't easily think about what else is up there because I don't think of soft serve that often. It's also super affordable, and cash only. Luckily I went when there was barely a line and they were nice to deal with my questions. As someone else mentioned, the menu/options aren't super clear. read more

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Perfection every time. Best ice cream hands down. Line always moves fast and the selection is great. Can wait to go back. read more

I came here during a visit to Hyde Park from Manhattan and you can't go wrong with any ice cream shop that sells a kid's scoop for only $1.50!! You can get a scoop in kid's, small and large all for a price unimaginable in the city. We got the coffee & holy cow (vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cups) and they were both solid! read more

How can you not give such a great rating for one of the best ice creams in the Hudson Valley or all time?! It may be a long line when visiting (even at 8:15 at night), but's it well worth it though. The menu provides a lot of choices to pick from with many flavors of ice cream to choose from, wheater it is in a cone or dish. They also provide cakes, drinks, milkshakes, and slushies as an alternative which is also very good. For milkshakes, requesting whip cream is recommended, unless they happen to ask. They have signs at the door and at the cash register that state - it is CASH and CHECKS only. They do not take credit cards with no expectations. Everything is well priced which makes sense with their policy. Just bring a lot of cash. Bring it on at Holy Cow! read more

Holy Cow - Vanilla milkshake with whip cream - tasty. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Red Hook, New York

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I have been coming to Holy Cow for 30+ years and it does not disappoint. Not now...not ever. I get my usual chocolate cone with chocolate sprinkles and I'm a child again!! This is the best soft serve anywhere. The ice cream is dense and flavorful. If anyone is having a birthday, I'm bringing the Holy Cow ice cream cake with extra chocolate crunchies. If you know, you know. And bonus....the prices are amazing but bring cash. They don't take credit cards. read more

Best soft serve (made on the premises!) in the Hudson Valley Well worth the wait when the line gets long after a movie ends read more

It's creamy alright. And fresh if I may add. But chocolate, it's not. My chocolate ice cream tasted exactly like vanilla- spiked with brown syrup. Not a fan. On Rt 9 in Red Hook, front entrance is a bit deceiving- but you'll find it once you enter the small plaza and make that turn towards the back. My husband skipped ice cream this time and wanted a lemon Icee- but these folks don't carry any. Thought about lemon sorbet- scratch that too. Instead, he picked up one of those Berry All Fruit popsicles. Come back here? Nnnno. There's just good chocolate ice cream and then there's terrible chocolate ice cream- and this lacked. Oh... it's ca$h only. read more

Holy Cow - It's Creamy & Fresh - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Red Hook, New York

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Delicious homemade frozen yogurt and ice cream. You might wait on line on a hot summer day but it's totally worth it if you're in the area.

Holy cow is right! Didn't get a picture because I was too busy scarfing down their delicious soft serve frozen yogurt swirl. You can see the commitment of customers by the line out the door and people sitting outside even in the oppressive humidity and drizzle. As they should be since everything is home made and so so good! Staff moves the line fast so definitely helps to know what you want ahead of time. I hope to have an excuse to be back in area again! read more

Holy Cow is an iconic little ice cream counter that is very well known in Northern Dutchess County. So well known and loved that I would be willing to bet money that you cannot find anyone in the area that has not been here at least once! In addition to the usual items that you would expect in an ice cream shop, they also sell ice cream cakes that are very popular for celebrations. The ice cream is very good here. They only have outdoor seating and they do not allow dogs to come in with you to order. (My only complaint) If you are passing through the area, it is worth a stop read more

A friend who grew up in this area recommended visiting Holy Cow while I was apple picking nearby. Beware it is CASH ONLY. Upon entering this little ice cream shop, it was quite difficult to see what flavors are offered on the menu and what types of ice cream they offered. I got the "Holy Cow" flavor -- no idea why it's named after the store when it was just regular peanut butter swirl ice cream with pb cups. It was creamy and decent, but came in flimsy styrofoam cups. The prices were really cheap (at least coming from nyc, HA) though, so I can't complain too much. There's also a lot of picnic tables outside. read more

Holy Cow - a hand holding a bowl of ice cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Red Hook, New York

One of the best ice cream shops in the nation. If I do recall correctly, it is listed as one of the top 10 ice cream shops in the nation somewhere. All of the ice cream are locally made, super rich and creamy, and did I mention super cheap? A large cup is only under $2.60! My flavor recommendations would be their classic Holy Cow flavor and Coffee flavor. If you're looking for an ice cream cake, they also make bomb ice cream cake. You can pick them out from the fridge or pre order one if they don't have the desired size available right away. So if you're in town, do yourself a favor and get yourself a cup. FYI: This is a cash only establishment. read more

Holy Cow - Holy Cow Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Red Hook, New York

Best. Ice cream. Ever. Good prices and we love that they offer frozen yogurt as well as flavor burst. read more

Best chocolate malted in the tristate area. Make sure you tell them you want syrup and malt powder. Huge delicious ice cream cones and the prices in this inflationary times are reasonable. read more

This place is fine. My Aunt lives in the area and it's her favorite ice cream. I do agree that the ice cream is creamy, though it does remind me of the soft serve at McDonald's (as someone else had also mentioned) - that's not to say it's not good (I like McD's vanilla soft serve and I usually don't like vanilla). I got the mint chocolate chip hard ice cream in a waffle cone - it was fine as far as mint chocolate chip goes. Not amazing, but not bad. We also got a pint of pistachio, though my husband accidentally got me the soft serve version rather than the hard ice cream. It had a nutty buttery flavor which was surprising as it was white with green swirls. Overall it was fine and I wouldn't mind trying it again. read more

Best soft serve ice cream! Love the vanilla with the chocolate crunchies. Can't beat the price. I live in Phoenix, so when I visit family in the area Holy Cow is a must. We celebrate birthdays with there delicious ice cream cakes! Yes it is cash only, but with such affordable ice cream it's not a problem! read more

Just great they have the best ice cream around, however the will not even sell me a small whipped cream for my dog. BOO.

Don't get an attitude with me because never having been there before, no I was not looking for a cash only sign on the door. So NO I did not see it. I agree with the reviewer who said the service is rude. And I agree with a reviewer who said the menu is confusing. It's a mess. And after ordering "coffee and cream", I got what tasted like regular vanilla. Of course I didn't know this until I was out of the parking lot and talking the first taste. By then I just wanted to keep going. The vanilla was ok, nothing special. But it was not what I ordered. Here's a thought. Come into the 21st century with the rest of us and take debit and credit cards. Places like this know they have a captive customer base. There is no other ice cream place anywhere in the area. So they don't care about the menu or the service. read more

If you're a local here, you just know! Always a great place to grab ice cream, a shake, and best of all, an ice cream sandwich! Just be ready to wait in a long line if you go on a summer afternoon. read more

Many great flavors. Friendly Service. So sad their expansion to Port Ewen did not work out.

Holy cow is the soft serve amazing. When you think chocolate/vanilla twist, you typically think: basic, classic, original. However, the twist here is just so creamy and special... I really can't explain it. It's cash only but it's also super cheap so not a big deal. I make it a point to stop by every time I'm coming home to NYC from somewhere upstate. read more

Affordable, efficient service, delicious ice cream. For whatever reason, I have bad luck with soft serve vanilla wherever I go. It is unsatisfying or grainy or off in flavor. But what Holy Cow serves is top notch. Topped with peanut butter sauce, peanuts, and whipped cream = heaven. Cash only. So come prepared. read more

Banger Ice Cream, Quick Service, Great Seating! They offer a wide variety of flavors, hard and soft, as well as many other things like milkshakes and sodas. read more

Love their soft serve - they also have frozen yogurt which is quite tasty. This is a very popular spot and is open year-round which is unusual. read more

Service is rude, borderline insulting even. There is much attitude from the girls behind the counter. They are impatient and then would make faces and talk to each other about the customers in front of you. The customers are asking questions and taking a long time because all your signage is confusing. Based on the other reviews, it seems like an ongoing problem they don't care about fixing. The only redeeming quality is the price. It's very cheap, even for mediocre "ice cream." read more

No frills soft serve joint. Very tasty at a decent price. I love grabbing premade quarts up front. A steal at $4.50z

If you love classic no frills ice cream, look no further! Holy Cow makes all of their hard and soft ice creams and they sure know what they're doing. They don't have an overwhelming menu, so there's no need to stand around sampling crazy flavors and honestly it's a breath of fresh air You can't go wrong with a scoop or a sundae. My favorite is the strawberry ice cream with strawberry topping, and my husband always gets a brownie sundae. I've always wanted to try their flying saucers because they look amazing Oh and who could forget their affordable prices! You could get 2 treats for under $5. As if this place couldn't get any better!! read more

I loved the soft serve, it was rich in flavor and creamy, especially the chocolate. Almost custardy. Holy Cow flavor is pb and vanilla, good for those who love sweet. Raspberry is light and refreshing but still very creamy. Blueberry pie is exactly as it sounds, so good!! They have benches outside for sitting. Perfect for an after apple picking treat! read more

Looking for the best ice cream of all time? Holy Cow is just that. My family and I have been going there my whole life and the ice cream keeps us coming back. At an affordable price, you can be satisfied with a tasty treat after - or before - dinner. read more

Rude staff. Too worried about rules and signs than just being nice and serving ice cream.

Holy cow is a staple in red hook! Friendly service and great fresh ice cream! Anything from their soft serve to their ice cream cakes are always delicious. If your in the area you definitely have to stop by! read more

Just plain & simply, NO! Everyone from the area their entire life will swear by this place, but that's just because they have not had REAL ice cream before. It's NOT because this place has a good product. It's just what they grew up with & they don't know any better. It's the nostalgic effect, just check out all the reviews & how they all have something like "i've been coming here since i was a kid"! You can get better ice cream across the street at stewarts! When i first walked in, i didn't know if i was in an ice cream store or another antique store this area is SO jam packed with. No public restroom! Prices are a bit outrageous for what you are really getting, especially with regards to their soft serve. You are paying them for air! Since all the locals have been drinking the cult kool-aid this place is always packed with them & the place is so small there's not much room inside. While you are being herded through the line, the close quarters & all the cow brick-a-brack leaves you with the impression that you're one of them being led to slaughter. When you get to the counter you are then met with a disorganized attempt at an assembly line. You place your order with one person but by the time you get to paying it'st been passed between multiple people, & when you cash out the person at the till doesn't know what you got, so they have to try & find the first person that you dealt with to find out what they should be charging you. The place looks a mess & could use a good cleaning, again just like the local antique stores! Everyone thinks that they are so special because they have "real, fresh whipped cream", but they don't they just have aerated or foamed cream. It's no different than picking up a can of redi-whip from the store. It's NOT whipped cream! Their ice cream is really no different than the ice cream that you can get from a fast food store like mcdonald's. It's not real ice cream & is so highly aerated that you are paying for about the same amount of air as cream. I've gone about 5 times trying to find something positive to say, but it's just not there. read more

Im literally in love with this place. Huge portions, friendly staff and incredibly low prices. Their ice cream cookie sandwich is the best of the best! I was determined to try everything what they offer this summer and so did I. My recommendations: -pistachio hard cone. -chocolate dipped chocolate soft serve - banana split - the holy cow! - egg soda (vanilla flavor)- as good as weird it sounds Ive also tried their strawberry milkshake, it is thick, creamy and good in flavor, Im just not a milkshake kind of person read more