Well, my wife and I have made many trips to the Kaiser building, and every time we passed…read moreLeatherby's Family Creamery, we would say, "We need to stop there one day and try their ice cream!" Well, we finally did on October 17, 2026, between 1:00 and 1:30 PM.
When we arrived, we were greeted by a young lady named Rayva (my apologies if I spelled your name incorrectly). She was very nice and welcoming.
We were excited to try the ice cream and noticed they offered a special 60+ menu. Perfect! We planned to order two of Melanie's "Create Your Own" sundaes and enjoy them outside.
Unfortunately, that's where things got a little disappointing.
My wife is immunocompromised, so we take extra precautions and prefer to eat outside rather than inside crowded restaurants. When we asked to order from the 60+ menu and enjoy our ice cream outside, Rayva informed us that those items were not available for takeout.
We explained that we would simply be eating outside, but she politely responded that those were the rules she had been given.
Now, I understand that rules are rules, but I found this policy a little strange. We're not asking for anything extra. We're simply asking to enjoy the same ice cream outside instead of inside. Especially considering the outdoor seating is connected to the building, I couldn't quite understand the reasoning.
Here's where the pricing gets interesting!
We were originally planning to order two of Melanie's "Create Your Own" sundaes from the 60+ menu for $8.99 each. However, because we couldn't eat them outside under that special pricing, we had to order from the regular menu at $15.99 apiece!
That's a jump from $17.98 to $31.98 for the exact same two sundaes!
An extra $14.00 simply because we couldn't eat inside!
Rules are rules, I suppose, but that certainly wasn't the experience we were expecting.
Now, let's talk about the ice cream!
First, I'll give credit where credit is due. You definitely get a generous amount of ice cream, and it tastes good!
I ordered Rita's Strawberry Shortcake Sundae because, ever since moving from the Bay Area, I've been searching for an AWESOME strawberry shortcake sundae. You know, the kind with delicious shortcake, strawberries, plenty of whipped cream, and just the right balance of everything.
Before ordering, I specifically asked Rayva whether the sundae came with whipped cream and a cherry. She assured me it did.
My wife ordered Melanie's "Create Your Own" sundae at the full menu price.
When we got home and opened everything, well... let's just say the pictures will tell the story!
My strawberry shortcake sundae had barely any whipped cream, and as for the shortcake? I received what appeared to be two quarter-sized pieces of shortcake buried under a mountain of ice cream!
Wait a minute! Isn't this supposed to be a strawberry SHORTCAKE sundae?
Don't get me wrong. The ice cream was delicious, and the portions were generous. But when I order a strawberry shortcake sundae, I expect the shortcake to be more than a supporting actor making a two-second appearance!
My final thoughts:
Leatherby's makes good ice cream, and Rayva was very pleasant. My disappointment wasn't with her. She was simply following the rules she had been given.
However, I think management should reconsider its policy regarding the 60+ menu, especially for customers who have legitimate health reasons for eating outside. A little flexibility and understanding can go a long way toward creating loyal customers.
As for the strawberry shortcake sundae, I would love to see a better balance between the ice cream, shortcake, and whipped cream. More ice cream isn't necessarily better when the other ingredients are what make the dessert special.
Would we return? Possibly. The ice cream itself is good, but the pricing policy and disappointing presentation of my sundae left us feeling that our first visit could have been much better.
And as for my search for that perfect strawberry shortcake sundae?
Well... the search continues!