We weren't planning to visit Kilwins but the building happened to catch our eyes on the way to the Tunnel of Trees. We quickly found out that this is the flagship/factory location and we decided to drop in on the way back down. This location is huge, and understandably so as it makes the chocolates that are delivered to the rest of the stores in the country. While we visited as the day was winding down, there were still a few people making chocolate bunnies and packaging peppermint squares in the windows. There were plenty of people inside looking to get ice cream and treats in the hot weather but the line moved fast and we were in the front in no time. Regular in a Dish ($7.99) - I almost had a heart attack when I saw how much they were charging for a regular size in a dish. I guess there's a reason they only have the menu posted up near the end of the line, after you've already selected your flavors... They also weigh the ice cream before serving it to you - a good way to control portions I suppose, but very strange to see in an ice cream shop. Is it because they want to make sure to give you a minimum amount of ice cream for the size, or is it because they want to nickle and dime and make sure you don't get a single gram more than they need to give? I'm not sure, but I know now that a regular is approximately 8.2oz. I was almost going to give Kilwins a premature 2/5 before I started eating... We went with two flavors in the regular dish - firstly a scoop of Chocolate Caramel Cookies & Cream on the bottom and New Orleans Praline Pecan on the top. On my first spoonful, I could tell that this ice cream is exceptionally high quality. It was difficult to even insert the plastic spoon into the ice cream and it took some effort to finally get a scoop out. And then lifting the spoon out of the cup, the ice cream stuck well to the spoon without any stretch or gumminess. The first impression I got as it hit my tongue - exceptionally creamy, rich and dense, with an exceptionally low overrun for an ice cream. The ice cream is sweet, but not cloyingly so. It's studded with actual pralines that are covered with crunchy candied coating, adding a nice texture and caramelized flavor. The chocolate caramel is similar in quality - with a rich chocolate flavor, sweet with caramel swirl and some soft cocoa cookie bits to round out the flavor. I have to say, Kilwins has some of the highest quality ice cream you can get. Now the problem is that I don't know if it's worth the money over small batch artisan ice cream shops, or other larger high quality chains. For example, the ice cream here costs more than Salt & Straw, Jeni's, Chocolate Shoppe, etc. I just can't image that the quality is that much higher than those places, and yet they charge more. So yes, the ice cream here is fantastic and I have to give Kilwin's a 5/5 just for quality. However, I don't feel like I can recommend this place due to the cost, unless you count it as the price of entertainment while stopping in the shop and watching the factory hum along. One bonus is that they do give out free samples of both ice cream and chocolate, so I guess that makes up for some of the cost as well? Bathrooms - Two larger bathrooms for both genders. read more

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As soon as you walk into the store, you're welcomed with a lovely smell of all the chocolates, fudge, and other goodies. Immediately we were asked about trying a fudge sample. All the fudge is delicious and well worth it. They have a variety of other tasty treats available and upon checking out, we were given a mini portion of whatever chocolate we said was our favorite. The ice cream was also delicious. The staff very friendly. Very nice spot. read more

Kilwins Ice Cream - Chocolate - Fudge - Chocolate shake - Desserts Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

Natalie and the fudge team was fantastic! Great experience, worth stopping and wonderful fudge, made my day!

What a glorious place to visit with so many chocolate selections, bright cheerful surroundings, tons of treats, ice cream, covered apples, fudge, caramel corn and a lot to indulge in. It is huge, clean, bright and they make everything on-site. The displays make everything look even more enticing! There is always something being made right in front of your eyes, so there are treats for all the senses! I watched a staff person make caramel corn right on the spot! The staff is super friendly, patient and welcoming. They offer information about Kilwins, its rich history and I was told that this is hub of distribution for stores across the country. I did not try everything, that would take many more trips, but I would predict that all of their items are super tasty. I got the caramel corn, some chocolate selections and a "turtle" apple. Super scrumptious! Great place to stop and enjoy the sweeter things in life! read more

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What is a $5 "charge tip" that was added to my bill unbeknownst to me until I got home and was reviewing the seemingly higher than ticketed cost?? read more

Very nice, large place. Delicious samples! We got a couple of different flavors of Mackinaw Island fudge and they are yummy! Very fresh tasting and fudgy not dry and powdered sugary like some fudges. The prices are not bad either. About what you would expect for fudge. They offer a buy 2 get one free fudge deal. The staff if very friendly. There are large windows where you can watch fudge/chocolate being made. I am not sure about the tours since Covid. read more

Kilwins Ice Cream - Chocolate - Fudge - a box of klwins - Desserts Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

How can a place like this not have five stars? It was very coincidental that we stopped in though. Our location in Florida told us they get many items from their headquarters in Petoskey, which we were going to be driving through in a couple months. So when our trip to Michigan happened, we made sure to visit. Every single employee we spoke to was so friendly and helpful. Christopher provided a lot of info on the company, and where they have other "factories" to handle all their locations. And we were able to look through the glass here and watch many chocolates being made on site. Somehow we didn't buy one of everything, but we left with happy stomachs! read more

It was quick and efficient stop to pick up some fudge. My goal was to buy one, but was sucked into the buy 2 get one free situation. The lady was super nice and friendly. I tried a sample of the lemon as well. I can't say I would have tried it without a nudge. It was good, but like I said I was on a mission. The place was very clean and welcoming. Definitely a place that you want to be in and get some sugary goodness. read more

It's pricey but the ice cream is amazing and the people are super nice! I usually get a double scoop in a cone... some combination of Rum Raisin, Butter Pecan, Banana Fudge Pie, Double Peanut Butter Pie! read more

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Truly am amazing place to visit! Very very clean. Smells yummy. We were there for ice cream. Adam was an excellent representative for Kilwin's. He is so proud to be part of the customer service team and shared his love for the company since he was a small child. We delighted in hearing his story and seeing a photo of a big salmon he recently caught. Their ice cream is excellent! So many flavors to choose from! We also bought some fudge to give as a gift. The associate told us to freeze it immediately as placing it in a refrigerator will dry it out. Highly recommend a visit to this candy company! read more

First kilwins to ever open back in 1947! Delicious ice cream and fudge! fun to come with kids because you can actually see where they make everything through a glass wall. read more

Kilwin's is my new go to spot for ice cream or anything sweet. Everyone in this place is super friendly and courteous. Honestly, I have never seen such a fine place then this. This is a place you don't mind spending money at. I ordered a chocolate shake and it was heavenly. Thank you to the relatively new lady that made it for me. Thank you to Kilwin's for treating people with kindness, a greeting and smile. It sure goes a long way. read more

Kilwins Ice Cream - Chocolate - Fudge - Chocolate shake to die for. - Desserts Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

It's not a trip up north unless you stop in a Kilwins. Amazing confections and service to match. The gentleman who helped us out was so friendly and personable. Can't wait to go back. read more

Ok first off this is what I hope heaven looks, tastes and smells like! If not, I'm gonna be super pissed!! These folks are the real deal for ice cream and confections! If it's got chocolate, caramel, nuts, or is sweet they make it and do it better than anyone else!! Their customer service is absolutely out of this world. We had their ice cream and it was a tough decision to make because there were so many delicious flavors. While it's pricy $50 for 5 peeps it was worth every penny! Get their custom waffle cones which have chocolate inside of them. read more

Flagship Kilwins store in Northern MI, come for the ice cream, stay for the fudge sample and view of staff making a massive amount of chocolate! The staff were SO friendly with myself and my three year old on a random weekday afternoon, offering samples, pointing out treats, and generally making us feel so welcome. Huge variety of quality sweets and ice cream can't be beat, plus a few tables to enjoy ice cream and treats in house. read more

Chocolate overload! This place is awesome if you love chocolate! Seriously, who doesn't love chocolate? I mean, I know there are people who don't like it, but I just can't wrap my head around that concept. I love chocolate in all of its deliciously decadent incarnations and therefore a trip here was a must. This store is amazing in just about every possible way. They conduct free chocolate tours to the public! That's awesome. I can watch them make chocolate right in front of my eyes? Yes, please. If you have a family, it's a cheap way to enjoy yourselves and get a little birds eye view of the intricate chocolate-making process. Oh, and did I forget to mention the supply of free fudge and chocolate samples they give out? Well, they were pretty generous with that, let me tell you. Heck, they practically pushed it on me at every counter. Who am I to say no? Seriously, I had free samples of just about everything and what a great sales tactic it is. I wound up spending quite a bit just on chocolate balls, peanut butter chocolate bark and ice cream. My husband and I intended to only grab ice cream, but wound up picking up a bunch of other goodies as well. There was simply too much on display to turn down and with all of the free sampling going on, well, you get the picture. We opted for the peanut butter bark (Kilwins version is sort of reminiscent of peppermint bark, but with sumptuous chocolate and peanut butter instead of white chocolate and mint) and it was divine. I love peanut butter and chocolate together (seriously, what better flavor combination in the world possibly exists beyond peanut butter and chocolate???), so I knew it would be good, but I had no idea how good. My only regret is not buying more of it in bulk. The dark chocolate and peanut butter balls were also amazing as well and inexpensively-priced, too (about $1 each). As for ice cream, they had so many flavors, so many varieties, it was nearly impossible to narrow it down to just one. I opted for a waffle cone Lemon Sorbetto (I know, not chocolate, but I think variety is the spice of life, so..) while my husband ordered the Banana Mud Pie. I'd recommend either one. Both were delicious and the portion sizes were decent for the price. The girl behind the counter gave us a few different samples before ordering and I must say that the Raspberry Sorbetto and Pumpkin Pie were also pretty good, too. I did almost get one of their super rich chocolate concoctions, though I figured I already had enough chocolate for the moment. Now, for the fudge. That's where the free sampling really came into play. They were doling out free samples (big ones, too, not just tiny specks which hardly give you the ability to adequately taste the variety) to everyone. They had plenty of flavors of fudge, including several sans nuts for those with nut allergies (same with the ice cream and candy selection, too). For me, the Double Dark Sea Salt Caramel and Mud Pie were the best, but my husband preferred the Maple fudge. They had one I'd never seen before, Penuche, and it was terrific, too. The prices on Kilwins fudge weren't bad, not really any higher than any of the competition, but I like their variety and quality a little better. Honestly, it's hard for two adults to walk out of here without spending at least $30. There's simply too much chocolate decadence going on here to not pick up something. I only intended to grab ice cream and we walked out with a whole lot more (no complaints, though). Overall, I thought the store was super clean and cute, well-organized and the staff was very friendly, expedient (lines were super short) and fairly well-versed in their product line, outside of the girl behind the ice cream counter, who overhead my conversation with my husband regarding gelato. She looked at me and asked me, "what is gelato?" I was incredulous. Oh well, apparently she didn't know what gelato was, but she was friendly other than that little blip. read more

Kilwins Ice Cream - Chocolate - Fudge - Lemon sorbetto. - Desserts Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

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If you love sweets this is the place for you. They have the kitchen and they also have a small store downtown close to the chamber of commerce. The Ice cream is amazing the fudge is delicious. read more

This is the corporate HQ! They offer tours every half hour. You get to walk through the kitchens and see the chocolate being made. At the end of the tour they give you chocolate samples. The store has many flavors of ice cream, fudge, and chocolates to choose from. They have indoor seating. There is a large parking lot. Overall a fun time and it was a FREE tour! read more

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From fine candies to the best ice cream in NW Michigan. Several locations to choose from. Also have a location in Ann Arbor!

Perfect! So many ice cream flavors and chocolate variety's! Workers there were amazing! They were great and friendly! I highly recommend for anyone ice cream or chocolate lover! read more

This place always has the best fudge and ice cream selection. All their locations are great and always have so many options! Chocolate covered Oreos or Superman ice crean everytime read more

'Ello chaps! Few things get a 5 star rating from this guy, but Kilwins always does. Kilwins is a specialty chocolate shop with roots in northern Michigan. Don and Kathy Kilwin started the company some time ago and later sold it. New ownership later grew the company with franchises in many states, sprawling from Michigan to Florida and out west to Colorado. Specialty ice cream and chocolates and all so delicious. Try them all! Their specialty is Mackinac Island (Michigan) fudge, which are offered in several flavors. (Tip: Fudge is not chocolate so don't eat large quantity of fudge in a single sitting or you'll be sitting elsewhere with a rumbly in the tummy). Many Kilwin stores create some of their delectable chocolate products in store. You can watch them in action making in-house fudge or other treats. NOTE: Ever want to know what's made in-house and what is shipped in? Just search on products for the Kilwins label. If it lists an address for that local store, then it was likely made there. If the Kilwins label lists a city of "Petoskey, Michigan" then it was likely shipped in - but still delicious. Just know Kilwins chocolate is a little more expensive than your ordinary Hershey bar - but the quality is so much greater and well worth it! read more

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The staff at Kilwins are just wonderful. There have been a few evenings when we have gotten to the store just after closing time, but we've peeked in the door and the staff always accommodates and scoops more ice cream cones for us. Tasty toasted coconut ice cream tonight! read more

Kilwins was amazing. They had a huge variety and a great showroom. We didn't get a chance to do the tour, but the staff we interacted with was super nice and knowledgeable. If you have a sweet tooth this is the place for you. The fudge is really good too, and we got to sample a bunch of different varieties before picking the ones we wanted. Really fun spot to visit while on the lake! read more

I had no idea! There's a Kilwins in my hometown, and honestly I'd never really given it a second thought in passing by on Main St. Turns out after visiting the home base of their entire operations, I have quite a bit more respect for this brand and their chocolates. The tour is delightful, the staff attentive and you can tell they love their jobs. And yes, the chocolate is on point. So glad we happened in here after seeing a sign on our visit to the area. Did not disappoint at all, ended up spending about two hours total. read more

Can't come to Petoskey and not have some fudge, Kilwin's fudge is what I'm talking about. This is a fairly new store with huge selection of fudge, chocolate, ice cream, coffee, and gift baskets. They also have tours available if you wished to learn about the artistry of fudge making. My personal favorite is the chocolate peanut butter but you can't go wrong with any flavor. Great staff, always smiling, super friendly. Gawd I love this place. read more

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We absolutely love going to Kilwin's in Petoskey to get our annual chocolate fix! Aside from the fudge (which is amazing!), our favorites are the sea foam, Buckeyes, and peppermint bark. We did not get to take a tour of the chocolate factory this year due to COVID, but our nephews really enjoyed that in years past. They have so many delicious chocolates to offer including truffles, fudge, clusters and more. They also offer some treat that are not chocolate like lemon hard candies and licorice ropes. Although they are somewhat pricey ($10.59 each), we also love getting ice cream malted milkshakes! If you don't want a shake, they offer cones and bowls, too. During the holidays, Santa also comes down from the North Pole to meet the kids and take pictures. Worth a visit if you are in the area! read more

If you love chocolate then you'll like it here. They do free chocolate tours and samples! And at the end of the tour, they'll give you a 20% discount on the chocolate tuttles which are amazing. They also have ice cream here as well read more

Kilwins Ice Cream - Chocolate - Fudge - Their top 10 ice cream - Desserts Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

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Excellent ice cream and other treats. Service usually very good with one notable exception a few years back.

Drooling. Staff is awesome and they know their craft. A bonus was our server gave tips about the area.

I'm not a big fan of chocolate so I can't review on that. I visited because my friends wanted to. This was so much fun to see all the sweets and how they made them. I got a Carmel Apple which was delicious. My friends got their home made ice cream and raved about it. It is well worth the visit. Also I was super impressed with how clean it was. I seen a worker on the floor wiping under the machines and they already looked spotless. read more

Unique store! Best place to get Kilwins without traveling to the Island. Very clean store with welcoming employees. John and the two women working near the fudge counter were helpful and friendly. Will definitely check out this location again !! read more

Kilwins Ice Cream - Chocolate - Fudge - Apple Pie Caramel Apple - Desserts Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

The ice cream is amazing and many creative choices. The service is great too with a friendly and helpful staff.

We missed the free tour (only on weekdays until 4:30). But... VERY friendly and helpful staff. The fudge and chocolate were awesome! read more

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Not too much to say about this place except for I'm pretty sure this is what heaven is like! People standing around smiling and handing you candy! Really good candy! Oh and the ice cream, yummy! read more

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I love Kilwins ice cream. And I love watching people make chocolates. This spot is great. I can't imagine giving it less than 5 stars.

This place is great. I thought I'd died & gone to heaven! I wanted one of everything. We started with the tour. Dave was a great tour guide. He knew the original owners. Lots of history. The chocolate is just amazing. So many different types. My favorite thing today was the lemon fudge! You heard that right lemon fudge! It was great! Very happy we stopped here. My waistline may disagree, but my stomach doesn't. read more

We enjoyed visiting Kilwins Chocolate Kitchen in Petoskey. The staffs welcomed everyone to the store and cheerfully introduced us all different kind of chocolate they made. The store display showed great holiday spirit. We bought 5 different flavor fudge in the end. read more

large store with ice cream, fudge, and chocolates, as well as a few other treats. There are frequent free chocolate tours at this location as well. This visit I tried the Savory collection of truffles, and really liked it because they were slightly less sweet than your average Kilwin's chocolate. Definitely try the Blue Cheese Truffle, I think that was my favorite. Minus one star because it is a bit pricy for the quality in my opinion. read more

Discouraged that the only dairy free options were packaged bars and outrageously priced! People were pleasant and they had a huge selection, just nothing for me!! read more