Wilson's came recommended as a local favorite, so we absolutely made a point to stop by on a nice day. The patio was beautiful and had a very scenic view of the water. The restaurant marketed itself as an all-purpose stop for food, so we ordered the charbroiled chicken sandwich and reuben for lunch. The chicken was pretty dry with minimal toppings- definitely something you could make at home for a fraction of the price. The reuben was satisfying and not too heavy, with a generous portion of both beef and sauerkraut. We washed it down with the house-made root beer, which was very good. What you're really here for is the ice cream. Be sure to go to the counter inside, as only a fraction of the menu was advertised in the seating area. There were countless creative flavors with all the toppings you could think of. After a lot of deliberation, we opted for a scoop of the frozen tundra, which was a mint ice cream filled with Oreo and brownie chunks. Just a single scoop was massive and definitely enough for two people as a dessert. The mint was delicate and super refreshing, and was absolutely packed with giant chunks of chocolatey goodness. Definitely a 10/10 and a must-try! Although I would skip the food next time, the sweet treats at Wilson's are well worth a trip out of the way. Will absolutely be back for more of that ice cream! read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Frozen tundra ice cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

Went for the diner experience, didn't get the diner feel from the food. Ordered the mushroom burger. It tasted like canned mushrooms and frozen pre-formed meat patties. Absolutely nothing to rave about and I feel like the customer traffic is more for the nostalgia than for flavor. The fries were good but can you really go wrong with a potato? read more

This place is so cute- it's like a hallmark movie genuinely. The root beer float and cherry pie were LIFE CHANGING. The actual root beer was quite sweet and not carbonated enough for me, but still such a treat. We also tried the burgers, fries, cheese, curds, and nachos, which were all fine- just bar ish food. Come for the ice cream and the 50s throwback read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

See all

One of the oldest and most popular burger spots in Door County, open for an incredible 120 years and known for its burgers, shakes, and old-school atmosphere. It's definitely a local favorite and was very busy when we visited. There's plenty of parking along the street, plus outdoor seating with a nice view of the lake. The burgers were delicious, the onion rings were my favorite, and the service was good. My only complaints were the policies. They don't offer refills on drinks, which I wasn't a big fan of, and they're not very flexible when it comes to substituting sides with your meal. Overall, a fun classic Door County stop with good burgers, a great location, and more than a century of history. Thank You read more

See all

THE BEST ice cream, root beer & pulled pork. If I could give this place 100 stars I would. My husband and I have never been to the area & we came here Friday & Saturday night for dinner. They were SO fast at getting us a table even when it looked packed!! (A lot of customers just come for ice cream so the "line" can be deceiving). I wish I didn't live 6 hours from here or I'd be a regular. Also the malts are insane!! So yummy. read more

I think I chose a flavor I didn't like, but I was not impressed with the hype of wilson's. it's a super cute diner, but not sure the line is worth the wait. I chose the door county tart cherry flavor and it tasted quite artificial and more like maraschino cherries - not my favorite. read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Door County Tart Cherry - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

The cutest little ice cream parlor on the lake!! We just picked up some ice cream to eat lake side with our pup which was the best experience. Everyone was friendly when we ordered ice cream to go! read more

See all

Lovely historic spot right in Ephraim by the water. Sat outside on the patio on a warm sunny evening and it was lovely. Had the all American cheeseburger and it was tasty and the fries were good. Had the root beer float and it was a great dessert. Service was decent. Hope to return. read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Root beer float - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

See all

Always a treat and like stepping back in time! Lots of happy smiling workers ready to serve! Great ice cream treats! Beautiful location to enjoy your treats! I highly suggest making a stop here if you're touring Door County! read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

Cute place Well set up And the amount of ice cream you get for $ is great. Will be back read more

Wilson's has excellent food and ice cream options. We had the BBQ pulled pork sandwich, reuben, whitefish sandwich, and grilled cheese for dinner, and the pulled pork sandwich was one of the best I've ever had. The ice cream dishes are large, so would recommend splitting rather than trying to go it alone. The dusty road and banana split hit the spot. The atmosphere is lively and loud with an old-school diner feel. Service was great. read more

Got the Chicago dog which was excellent. My wife got a burger which was decent. Kids split a chicken finger basket and ate the entire thing (4-5 tenders total) with fries. Service was great, loved the atmosphere and of course we all had ice cream to finish and we're so full we skipped dinner that night! read more

So glad we finally made it here! Food was good and ice cream was even better. Felt very nostalgic there along with the menu choices! read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Wilson's Banquet - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

See all

Awesome way to spend 4th of July weekend here in Door County and spending time at this iconic restaurant. First, the restaurant was more than accommodating with our party of ten, getting us two side by side booths. The food was traditional picnic American and my Turkey Rueben was the bomb. Save room for ice cream, Easy 5 stars and my highest recommendation. read more

We've been coming to Door County on vacation for many years, and when we were kids would always come here for ice cream. In more recent years it was always so crowded that we'd end up going to one of the many other ice cream shops in the area. We managed to arrive this time at a quieter moment with a short line and were able actually revisit this childhood spot. The good news is that the ice cream is actually delicious and it wasn't just a nostalgic memory. I had a hard time deciding on what flavor to get so went with Door County cherry since it's hard to go wrong with cherries here. A single scoop in a waffle cone was huge...see the photo...this is one scoop...it was delicious with great cherry flavor and lots of cherries. The waffle cone was fresh and tasty too. Service was great; the young employees working the takeout ice cream counter were doing an excellent job. If you want to sit at a table inside you need to be seated and served at the table as a dine in customer, but for cones takeout is the way to go. There is a lot of seating out front for takeout customers and also a lot of benches in the waterfront park area across the street. read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Door County cherry - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

Went 2 nights in a row for a strawberry malt. I wish they had size options but overall great experience. 1 thing that could be improved is adding arrows to the floor or a sign that tells you what to do once you're in there. Where do I order? Who is next? Why did those people get helped before I did? Could all be avoided with a little direction. That being said, I would go back! read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Strawberry Malt - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

I'm really not sure. Maybe we ordered the wrong thing. Service was good and staff was friendly. The place is cute. We split a shake that was decent and both got burgers that were pretty terrible. I'd probably skip next time. read more

Worst experience ever. Find another place ce cream shop. Door county has many. It is incredibly sad and disappointing they do not accept or respect the disabilities act. I attempted to enter and was told no. I was attempting to explain and was told to go outside. If you have a disability a service animal or need assistance or support individuals with disabilities. I ask you to find another ice cream shop. read more

Finally stopped at Wilson's. Really kicking myself for not going sooner. Single scoop ice cream is HUGE! I'd say almost a pint. And it was delicious. I got the Door County cherry and my daughter got Maple nut. Neither disappointed. Only wish they had smaller scoops so we could have tried other flavors. Also got nachos, which were just ok, and chicken tenders with fries. Food was nothing special. read more

Someone had suggested we eat here for the food and the view. But there's a street in between the water and the restaurant, so I wasn't that impressed with the view. The food was okay, but not all that great. Our server was polite and attentive. Figure this one's checked off my list. read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Lemonade - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

See all

Local staple. History speaks for itself. Good options and historical charm. Good diner food and ice cream options.

This place is always busy for a reason. They have a lot of great ice creams and I recommend the fountain cherry coke soda.

Good milkshake waaaaay overpriced at $10.50...don't need to ever return and get fleeced again. Too bad because it's a great location.

The place was all done up in 50's decor and had a such a fun atmosphere. There were so many treats on the menu that I could hardly make up my mind. I had to start off with a root beer because I'm a huge fan of home made root beer. Theirs had a bit of a spice to it and was served in a chilled mug. It was awesome! After studying the menu over and over I finally went with a two scoop sundae. Yes folks, these is only two scoops! 2 scoops of homemade vanilla ice cream drenched in hot fudge, caramel, and marshmallow. They even topped it with whip cream and a cherry. Next time however I will go with the Junior version which is only one scoop. I could barely finish half of it. It would be a perfect treat to split! All of us loved what we chose and were so full. They do serve more than ice cream. You could totally make a meal out of the ice cream though After we were full and checked out their gift shop we walked across the street to watch the sun set over Lake Michigan. We found a few benches and took in the scenery. It was a wonderful evening. read more

See all

Wonderful little restaurant that has been around for over 100 years. There is inside and outside seating with a lovely view of the harbor. The staff were friendly and the service was fairly quick. The food tasted fine and the ice cream is always amazing. read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Dish of Door County Cherry flavored ice cream. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

See all

I choose 2 flavors. Big Muddy was very rich in chocolate and had chewy brownie bites. Or maybe the Carmel made it chewy. Well it hit the spot if you're craving for chocolate. Also had on top Jamocha Joe which is mocha flavor and almond bits. Couldn't eat it fast enough as it was melting on the side of my cup. They had piled on many scoops. It was so good I practically ate the whole thing. They sell t-shirts, so got myself one as a souvenir. Parking is available across the street in front. The cars that go by are nice to stop and let you cross the street. read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

See all

The food was delicious, Rueben, patty melt and burgers were very good. Root beer was awesome! Great food and service!

Always an enjoyable visit here. The chicken salad sandwich and the triple decker BLT was the hit of our table today. Burger was good- tasty and came with all the fixings. However, the chxn salad sandwich and BLT sandwich were outstanding. The onions rings also were crisp, tasty and enjoyable. As always- the ice cream sodas, root beer (YUM!), shakes and malts are so reason a nice summer day. Enjoy! read more

See all

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor is a great find. Old fashioned ice cream parlor and diner atmosphere. Seating is limited for both inside and outside and outside, but they seem to manage getting customers served quickly. Overall, food was very good. We had a double burger and fries, chicken tenders and fries, and soup w/chicken salad sandwich. All of which were very good. Good flavors and quantity. Service was good. Drink refills are extra. Dessert was large. We had ice cream and sherbet. Great quantity and again, flavor was spot on. I'd give a five star, but limited seating detracted, even though the staff did a good job. Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor is a high recommend. We'll be back! read more

I used to love Wilson's so much, and I do still love the ice cream. But I wish they would work on the little details that make a small business charming and one you want to support. The single scoops are massive, which is fun, but unlike most ice cream shops, you can only get one flavor per cone. And if you don't want a massive single scoop and would prefer a smaller kid size, they actually make you prove that it's for a child and not an adult. The staff behind the counter clearly just want to churn people and aren't very friendly or helpful. I needed a carrier for my massive ice cream cones, but they don't have any carriers and I was told I was out of luck. Do a little bit better please! read more

The hostess was the most rude person I have ever met.Due to the weather advisory we wanted to wait inside and this woman told us we were not allowed and we had to wait in our car or outside. That is NOT acceptable. The restaurant was not even busy. We have been coming here and own here for the last 25 years and I am here to tell you we will NEVER return. This restaurant wouldn't survive anywhere else... food is average at best and this sealed the deal for me! read more

Nice location but has some issues: the service and menu is different if you sit down vs to go, the ice cream itself is average, and the service is mediocre. The kid that served us kept using his bare fingers to add cherries or remove any drips. The front lady at the front is also not the most pleasant and she kinds of forces you to go the "to go" option which really sucks since the menu gets cut down by 70-80%. Not sure we'll be back. read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor brings you back in time with a lakeside view and I'm not mad about it. Here's the thing, this place gets super busy. We came on a Saturday about 10 minutes before they opened and there was a line. Luckily we wanted to sit outside to enjoy the views and everyone else wanted to be inside. We started with the onion rings were great and the right call, I recommend them as a started. For the meal we both went with the bacon cheese burgers, keeping it simple- was it the best burger in Door County? No. Was it good? Yes. We also went with a root-beer float and that my friend was a great choice. It was so refreshing and stayed cold due to the frosty mug. Price wise this place is affordable and offers a unique dining option. Great views, good food and friendly staff, hard to beat! read more

We stopped at Wilson's over the weekend, after having not been there fie several years. Highly disappointed! The burgers were clearly pre formed and over cooked, not at all the quality that we remembered. The fries were good, but overall not worth the stop. Next time around we'll stop foe the ice cream and dine elsewhere. read more

No matter how busy Wilson's is, it's worth the wait. We have been going to DC for 30 years and we have never missed Wilson's for watching the sunset and eating the delicious ice cream. The staff is great and the experience is always memorable. read more

My family and I got a quick dinner and some ice cream while staying in Sturgeon Bay. This place has an old school soda fountain kind of vibe and we loved it! We all got some burgers which were delicious! I got a root beer float that was amazing! For dessert my mother in law got some chocolate ice cream that she loved. This place is definitely a must if you're looking for an old timey feel with good food and ice cream. read more

Wilson's is a must stop in Door County! They have the best ice cream I have had in a very long time. Their food is great as well! I got a turkey sandwich and a rootbeer float. Wilson's is an old school ice cream parlor so it's a really fun ambiance! They have outdoor and indoor seating. You can also just stop in, grab ice cream and go. read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

See all

I love Wilson's because it's nostalgic and quaint and they have delicious and unique icecream flavors. You definitely want to stop here when visiting Door County! read more

Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor - Strawberry Rhubarb Pie- it was AMAZING! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ephraim, Wisconsin

My wife got the cheeseburger, very good. I got the whitefish sandwich, it was over cooked and made me regret the selection. Th sundae for desert was very good. They have great ice cream. read more

The food is below average and their bbq pork is inedible. The burgers are below average. The onion rings were fried in old, rancid oil. We actually threw away 90% of the food. read more