This is not just ice cream place. It's heritage. I will say it's ice cream museum. This place is more than 100 years old. The ambience is rustic and welcoming. Their ice cream is so good that it's always busy. The ice cream is creamy, rich and full of flavour with so many flavours to choose from. It's difficult to pick a favourite, however my favourite flavours are pistachio, kulfi and Rocky Mountain coffee. The staff here is very friendly and efficient despite long lines. Beautiful drive from Calgary to Cochrane to this beautiful retro ice cream shop is worth it! read more

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This is probably the best ice cream I've ever had! The line was out the door which compelled us to join the line. Impressive that the line moved very fast. The prices are very reasonable too. So many flavors from which to choose--I got the Rocky Mountain Coffee with flecks of espresso bean grounds--yum. My husband got the black cherry that was full of whole cherries. Wow! But the creaminess is what stands out on all flavors. We plan to go back once more before leaving town. If you live here--lucky you! read more

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I lovee MacKay's! Every summer when I visit my grandparents in Calgary, I make the drive to Cochrane to get some MacKay's. Line is always out the door. Today we each got triple scoops. We got strawberry lychee, pistachio almond, coconut, root beer, vanilla, black cherry, and green tea. All of it was so so good. I love how buttery and creamy the ice cream is. We even got the durian ice cream to go. Three scoops was about $10 each. I love supporting small family businesses. Would definitely recommend if you're in the area and craving ice cream. read more

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75 years old and there's a reason for it. Lots of choices. There can be a long line at peak times read more

MacKay's Ice Cream - Today's menu - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cochrane, Alberta

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Well the ice cream seems ok. There's always a 1-2 hour wait to get ok ice cream. It seems kinda over hyped. read more

Looking for ice cream while on vacation and staying near Cochrane and found MacKay's - we came back multiple times while in the area! Friendly staff, efficient service with a smile even when very busy, and the ice cream itself is delicious. We tried a few different flavors - I really loved the cinnamon raisin bun flavor that they had on special (had actual raisins and chunks of cinnamon bun in it!). Lovely experience on a summer afternoon to get a cone and then walk around the neighborhood. read more

I stumbled upon this place which had an extensive flavors for selection. Such as avocado, but I decided to be conservative. What could go wrong with strawberry flavor? Well the ice cream did not taste like strawberry at all. It in fact has a suspicious pink color. I can't say I liked it much. read more

MacKay's has been THE best ice cream shop in Calgary, if not all of Alberta, for decades. I returned to this shop after being out of country for 14 years and I was not disappointed after ordering my favorite Tiger Tail cone. A month or so later In July, I returned and was very disappointed with the quality/taste of my go-to ice cream flavor, Tiger Tail. The Tiger Tail blend of orange and licorice was noticeably off with a chemical/plastic taste and the colour of the licorice ice cream was grey instead of black. I had also purchased a pint of licorice ice cream that I then tried at home. This ice cream was also grey, not black, and tasted like plastic. As a side note, I recently visited Ida Mae's in Bragg Creek and tried both their Tiger Tail and licorice flavors. Both were excellent and the colour of the licorice was black not grey. It would be well worth MacKay investigating this issue as it would be a shame to lose such an iconic ice cream shop in Cochrane. read more

If you are in town you have to try this ice cream! Best in Alberta! Many flavours and taste naturally. Love it! read more

MacKay's Ice Cream - Orange heat Ice-cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cochrane, Alberta

This was very good ice cream, served pretty quickly considering the lines and at reasonable prices. They also had a great way of organizing the flavors, which I haven't seen elsewhere, where they give you a list of what the different chocolate, caramel, etc. flavors are in the store. Very smart. We liked all the flavors we tried, with coffee being the best, probably followed by salted caramel. Barn floor and the cheesecake flavor were good as well, though I probably wouldn't order them again and instead would try something different. On the whole, I would definitely recommend people to swing through here if they're in the extended Calgary area. We were able to make the trip on the way back from Banff and seem to not add too much time to our trip. Highly recommended. read more

MacKay's Ice Cream - Menu of flavors Sept 2023 - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cochrane, Alberta

I tasted the licorice ice cream, tiger ice cream (orange + licorice), coconut, mango, and chocolate icecream. Each icecream flavor was packed with flavor but low on sugar which was great for me. I finally ended up taking the licorice flavor for myself and my family bought the other flavors. Note the Nanaimo flavor at the store is not gluten free. The mango icecream is a flavor that is also dairy free. I highly recommend trying out this store if you are driving from Calgary to Banff. read more

The oldest family owned ice cream shop I've been to, they've been operating for 75 years! This is no surprise since the ice cream is so dense and creamy, offering over 50 flavors! read more

MacKay's Ice Cream - Signage - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cochrane, Alberta

Many, many flavours to choose from. Everything from Avocado and Keso to Barn Floor and Rocky Road. Fun flavours for the kids (birthday cake, cotton candy, shark attack, and more!) Also has regular favourites like chocolate or vanilla. Cups, cones, floats, milkshakes. The choice is yours! Get there early on a hot day though, lineups can (and will!) be out the door and around the corner. read more

There's a big jump from single to double scoop. Plenty of flavours to choose from but a bit hit or miss. But still good overall. Very filling compared to regular ice cream you buy elsewhere so a single scoop may be enough. Good reputation and is a definite tourist spot so expect a line when you come. Get your orders ready while you wait in line. read more

The maple bacon flavor sounds bizarre but it's bizarrely yummy. Recommend it to anyone who's into trying new flavors. read more

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A popular and busy ice cream shop. Lots of flavors to choose from. High quality. We bought some small tubs to take home with us, although I understand you can find some of their basic flavors in some supermarkets read more

I love this place. I visit this place very often. Their chocolate and strawberry flavors are cool.

Ice cream was as advertised! Very flavorful and creamy, not overly sweet. Delicious!

Great but expensive and hiuuuuuuuuuuge lines and overrated ............ I prefer candy store Nextdoor

It is a tourist trap. They sell ice cream cones. Lineups can be long. Our adult single scoops were small, we would consider them child size. So for the $5 plus we would not return. There is better value elsewhere. There is seating inside and they have off sales. Staff were quite young and pleasant. read more

After seeing this joint featured on the Food Network, my curiosity was piqued. We came on a chilly day and the line up was considerable, all the same. So, is it worth the wait (or trip)? In a word: yes. The thing that had intrigued me on TV was learning that they make their own ice cream using premium ingredients. The process was labor-intensive and the dedication to quality was obvious. This comes through in taste. We sampled 7 flavours all together. Our faves were the chocolate and strawberry-rhubarb custard. The ice cream has a similar texture to Earnest Ice Cream in Vancouver. Thick, rich and smooth. The building it is housed in is heritage in style. The ambience is endearing and the staff are efficient at moving a crowd along smoothly. read more

MacKay's Ice Cream - Sweet Shoppe. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cochrane, Alberta

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The ice cream itself is pretty good. Little less dense than my preference, but still pretty good. I love how many different and unusual flavours there are too. There's something about unusual flavours that makes it seem more exciting than just like Dairy Queen or something. The line up when we went though was pretty long (which is understandable for how popular the place is), so if you're impatient or have little kids with you I almost think you're better off picking up a bucket from Sobeys. Love that you can buy it just in the grocery store too so if you're in Calgary you don't have to go all the way to Cochrane. read more

So many flavours and the best ice cream I've ever had. Located on the original Street in Cochrane with lots of stores to look at while holding your ice cream cone. read more

Refused to serve my 89 yr old mother who has dementia and my self. I was carrying my 4 pound dog and my mother was holding my arm. . I explained that it was too hot and not safe to leave either my dog or my mother in the car. The staff refused to serve us and told us to leave. Incredible to me that after Covid i had hoped that people would become more caring more considerate, not the case at McKay's ice cream! Shame on you! read more

Over priced. Not too bad of icecream considering that it is made with a commercial base unlike the old days. Confetti Icecream Was way better. Used to be able to grab a litre out of their cooler, skip the cone lineup and go directly to till. Today I went in and a girl working was by the cooler and before I could ask if I could buy a litre she started scolding me and waving her arms, "DID YOU WAIT IN LINE, DID YOU WAIT IN LINE'". Her arm was waving. I said no, can I. / DID YOU WAIT IN LINE, GONGET IN LINE! Can I just get a litre and /YOU HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE GO BACK AND WAIT IN LINE. So I can't buy a litre like I use to? NO! YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND G E T I N. LINE. Ok. I'll go somewhere else then. O k. read more

My Calgary friends are gaga over MacKay's. So much so that during one drive to Banff, I made it a point to go through Cochrane just so I could have an ice cream cone here. And it was well worth the trip. The ice cream shop itself in downtown and was like being back in the Midwest as a kid. It's old fashioned and family-oriented, it smells wonderful, and there are oodles of flavours posted up for your difficult decision ahead. The ice cream was great and I was lucky enough to be here with no line ups. My only problem was the happy mess I made in the car. read more

Great ice cream. The line can be a bit long on a hot summer day, but it is worth the wait.

I came here for the first time in 25 years this afternoon. Like most things, a trip to Cochrane for ice cream was a lot less magical today, as an adult, than it was a quarter century ago as a child. Over that time, Cochrane has grown from a quaint prairie town to a somewhat polished suburb of Calgary, and the Old West feel of its "old downtown" now seems a little disingenuous and put on, like one of those ubiquitous, touristy pioneer village re-creations. The above notwithstanding, MacKay's ice cream is still the real deal. In the 25 years since my last visit, I've outgrown tiger ice cream (which I distinctly remember having the last time I was here), and have experienced better (or at least equally good) frozen desserts elsewhere, but I'd still say that a stop at MacKay's and a walk around Ghost Lake are still a great way to spend a little time on a sunny Sunday afternoon. read more

Remember coming here with my parents as a kid over a quarter century ago. Now that I've moved back into town, seemed only right to bring my nephew here to introduce my fur-baby to the wonders of this place. So many awesome flavors to choose from. You simply can't make a bad decision. My nephew and I agreed, we will have to make this our regular thing now that I'm back. I'm gonna make this place my Cheers! read more

MacKay's Ice Cream - My nephew holding my puppy Penny who enjoyed her first Mackay's ice cream. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cochrane, Alberta

Best ice cream stop ever, great selection, only bad thing is the lineups la can get pretty long

One of the best ice cream parlour in Calgary, and the only one I have been to :p Travelled from Toronto for this... Not really, but a nice detour if you are in the area or on your way to Banff read more

MacKay's Ice Cream - Triple scoop xD - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cochrane, Alberta

Never been to the location but I'm sure it's cute and quirky and worth the experience. However one experience I could do with out is the massive stomach issues caused by the MacKay's bubblegum ice cream we bought at the grocery store. Both myself and my partner woke up with cramps, bad stomach pain and have added a reoccurring distinct green blue tint to our toilet bowl.( If you catch my drift...) At first we thought it was something to do with the dinner we ate previously, however we tried again on its own and had the same results. Sorry to say this will be the first and most likely last try for MacKay's products. read more

Very overpriced ice cream that is not really that good. Don't understand why people come from all over to stand in line for overpriced ice cream with poor service. read more

Even on a chilly Saturday, MacKay's is buzzing with activity. Their selection is always fantastic and the staff are very helpful. With five kids and three adults it's a bonus to be able to cater to all of the different tastes. I ventured far from my usual picks and went with the Nanaimo bar ice cream. It's custard base was so dreamy, and with just the right amount of coconut and chocolate it was perfect! Not too sweet either. We really enjoyed the trip out to Cochrane (and no, it isn't too far to go "just for ice cream"!) read more

MacKay's Cochrane Ice Cream so far is in line with Village and Nice Cream, yes they have lots of flavours but they're no match to Nice Cream's liquid nitrogen ice cream and Village Ice Cream's seasonal specialty ice cream but nevertheless still worth it! MacKay is located in Cochrane and even though it's a short drive it is still worth the experience. When you drive downhill into Cochrane you'll be dazzled by the beautiful scenery which both Nice Cream and Village doesn't have. It didn't took too long to find the ice cream parlour and parking was easy to find. The line up was fairly long both inside and outside the shop but we didn't have to wait a really long time. There was a lot of debating to choose what flavours to get but after deciding in line we know what to get. It's hard to explain the experience if you haven't been there so I do strongly recommend it! Even though it is a drive to get to Cochrane you won't be disappointed. Hopefully we'll be able to come back soon. read more

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So extremely delicious. Long lines but they usually move quickly and the staff are usually nice. The ice cream is excellent. Pricey and not huge portions but so extremely tasty. Creamy with really good ingredients. Just had pralines and cream. Yum. read more

MacKay's Ice Cream - Ice Cream Flavours - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cochrane, Alberta

Tried cochrane ice cream today and no wonder a huge queue is non stop from opening to closing. I tried couple if ice cream store but this one beats all! read more

MacKay's Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cochrane, Alberta

Best ice cream. Must must try. Fav flavours are pistachio and Kulfi. Rocky roads is another great one. read more

MacKay's Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cochrane, Alberta

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Honestly I don't get the rave about this place. It might've tasted good ten years ago ( I come visit this place from time to time for the past decade) but the quality has gone downhill consistently. Two years ago it tasted okay still but now I could buy store ice cream that taste better than this crap. Ice cream is not creamy and has a weird taste. Many of the flavors are not even present for example the raspberry cheesecake. Pistachio almond and Kesap berry was also disgusting. Line is long as hell and the ice cream is pretty pricey. They even charge you for the bowls if you don't get a waffle cone. The only thing good is that the employees are pretty friendly for the most part. A word of advice: skip this place and the line. Just go to the superstore and you would find better quality ice cream there. read more

Been here many times. I like the cash only rule. However, would like people to taste something before they pay $7 for a single cone.