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The Ice Cream Bar Soda Fountain

Ice Cream Parlor$$$$

Cole Valley, San Francisco

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9.1^/10

870

ratings

Ranked #7 for desserts in San Francisco
Has a stamp of approval from Epicurious and AFAR Media
"Get the black cherry phosphate as a float."(18 Tips)
"The Classic Wild Cherry Phosphate Soda is amazing!"(12 Tips)
"Coconut milk chocolate almond is the best, and vegan too!"(4 Tips)
$/Josh\ G.$
"The best, most amazingly delicious waffle cones ever."(12 Tips)

205 Tips and reviews

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phosphate
milkshakes
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sorbet
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hot fudge
good for dates
malts
boozy drinks
good for singles
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grilled cheese sandwiches
cute
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tres leches cake
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SFistJuly 22, 2016
The Ice Cream Bar always has three dairy-free flavors: Chocolate sorbet, a coconut milk-almond, and a rotating fruit flavor. Though all are great, it's the almond that's the real winner. Read more
Mike WinstonJune 19, 2017
Old-school ice cream shop serving up interestingly flavored scoops along with a back bar serving boozy concoctions. Definitely worth a visit when the weather is warm. WinstonWanders.com
Upvoted Oct 19
Christopher AuyeungMarch 20, 2014
Been here 50+ times
Sit at the counter and eat the best damn grilled cheese in San Francisco. Get it on their housemade brioche bread (with tomato soup if they have it), and wash it down with a Meyer Lemon Egg Phosphate.
Ashok LalwaniMay 20, 2015
Been here 5+ times
Loved this place and the neighborhood its in. I like cream sodas. This place probably makes the best ones I have had so far. Orange Sickle and Passion Project cream sodas were just delicious.
Alice BarnardJune 21, 2014
Guy who served us was super friendly & knowledgeable. Love that all of the tinctures, syrups, ice-cream etc. are all made in-house, and digging the retro vibe. Also everything we had was delicious!
Josh WhelchelSeptember 19, 2015
Been here 10+ times
Blueberries and cream + strawberry lavender + banana pudding ice creams. All real flavors. All homemade. All in your mouth! 🍦
Truth KnowledgeMay 31, 2013
Wonderfully great ice cream! I sampled the Carmelized Honey, Tres Leche and Butterscotch! So many great choices and options. I chose the Butterscotch this time (so good!) and will definitely go back
Luke BornheimerAugust 24, 2016
An old-fashioned style ice cream bar serving up unique and delicious ice cream sundaes, milkshakes and anything else you can dream up. Stop by if you want a sweet treat while exploring Haight-Ashbury.
EpicuriousAugust 3, 2014
Watch a soda jerk build banana splits with brûléed-to-order bananas, or a grown-up butterscotch milk shake of eggs, cream, butterscotch syrup, and malt, shaken long and hard over ice like a Martini. Read more
AFAR MediaAugust 12, 2014
You can never go wrong with ice cream, especially when it's a brownie sundae with a scoop of mint chip & a scoop of banana pudding ice cream, caramel sauce, whipped cream, cherries, & toasted pecans. Read more
KellySeptember 10, 2021
Favorite flavors: banana puddin’, roasted pineapple, cherry, butterscotch, and the passion fruit blood orange sorbet! Can’t wait until the soda fountain reopens!
$/Josh\ G.$
/Josh\ GoodmanSeptember 3, 2015
Been here 25+ times
The best, most amazingly delicious waffle cones ever. Also, insanely fresh & smooth ice cream. I miss living in Cole Valley cuz of this place.
Chuck RoslofMay 6, 2018
Been here 5+ times
I like their ice cream a lot, but the real draw is the old fashioned-style soda fountain. Their food is also good, and they have an outpost in the Castro as well.
MarkAugust 14, 2014
Been here 10+ times
Some of the most solid flavors of ice cream in the city, beats Bi-Rite by a lot. If they have the cherry, get it! And the silkiest milk chocolate ice cream I've ever had.
Joe Bob JusticeApril 21, 2015
All the specialty sodas Plus the unique and pared-down food selection is great. Great service. Great detail when it comes to the ambiance. Oh and ice cream is damn tasty as well.
Stephanie ThomasJune 22, 2013
Been here 25+ times
So far I haven't gone wrong here. Ice cream sandwiches, floats, sundaes, waffle cones, even their lunch items are great! And the staff is stellar too. Favorite neighborhood gem.
Terence ChanNovember 9, 2015
Very good ice cream! Not overly sweet or milky/creamy tasting. Strong flavor! Got the pumpkin pie and coconut milk dark chocolate. So good! 4.5/5
SOctober 28, 2016
I liked the Walnut Thyme flavor the most, which sounded like a strange flavor, but it was crazily delicious! And I highly recommend giving their dreamy cone a try.
Ashley BowlesJanuary 8, 2017
Great selection of unique and traditional flavors. Grown up tastes can been fulfilled with alcohol floats!
Chad HornerJuly 31, 2017
the floats are their speciality, but the ice cream is delicious on its own
Norris TranMarch 5, 2012
Excellent dessert or date night spot. The shakes and ice cream sammies are all to die for! Unique concepts on flavors. Parking is bad and it gets crowded on weekends. (3 of 4 petals via Fondu) Read more
SFistAugust 20, 2014
The Ice Cream Bar Soda Fountain’s offerings include old-school classics like phosphates, lactarts, malts, 7 alcohol-infused “remedies.” Take a seat at the sweeping & watch their jerks work. Read more
Cameron KetchamJune 26, 2015
My favorite Ice cream place! The coconut ice cream tastes really light, fresh, and delicious! Make sure to get the hot fudge sauce!
Jae ClarkeDecember 13, 2018
Banana pudding, butterscotch, milk chocolate among other all-star flavors. Milkshakes are killer, as is the hot chocolate on a cold day.
Eliot ChangNovember 13, 2013
Been here 25+ times
The line can be long on weekend evenings, but it's worth it! The milk chocolate is a can't-miss
Jake KaufmanDecember 16, 2014
The ice cream is great but they also have an old fashioned soda fountain! So get some ice cream and have the soda jerk fix you something delicious!
Bkwm JJune 27, 2013
Been here 5+ times
Vegan chocolate, coconut-milk chocolate almond (vegan) & organic strawberry: they're all amazing!!! 😍😋
RichmarkNovember 25, 2012
Can't make up your mind? Create an ice cream cookie: oatmeal raisin cookie with banana puddin' as the filling. You can thank me later.
Josh RaelJune 14, 2013
Like a any other bar, you can keep you tab open and while everything is very good, I recommend the Bonnie Vie No. 2.
Arthur LeeNovember 20, 2016
You gotta try this place if you like floats. They have the most unique combinations
Nick McCoskerMay 1, 2017
This is a very good ice cream bar. I went off menu and added toasted fluff to an ice cream sandwich. So good.
Rachel DaveyFebruary 12, 2014
Get the Tres Leches! It has real tres Leches cake mixed into the ice cream! Each would be excellent alone, but together...nommmm!!
Amy BaldwinJune 18, 2017
One of the few places with vegan ice cream options! The coconut milk chocolate almond was awesome.
JennyAugust 28, 2015
Unique flavors that change frequently, cute retro feel, huge sundaes. Grab a ticket when you get in
J JohnAugust 23, 2019
Solid homemade ice cream 🍨 shop. The chocolate & pistachio praline are highly recommended
Byron WilkesJuly 19, 2016
Lovely little spot for an olde fashioned ice cream sundae or malt! They also have adult milkshakes... 😉
Kelly 🍰October 28, 2012
Root beer float definitely tastes vintage...not for those who remember the a&w floats. Mix with ice cream and it becomes more palatable. The marshmallow is great though!
Chelsea MOctober 26, 2014
The ice cream is really rich in flavor. Too much for me. Tried the caramelized honey, vegan dark chocolate, and creme fraiche
Kathryn KeelingOctober 7, 2014
Awesome old school ice cream bar, flavours were amazing but the waffle cones are freshly made and to die for!
Christine CustodioSeptember 22, 2013
Crowded, popular ice cream shop! Had very good and unique flavors! Definitely coming back! Waffle cones are good!
Carlos BFebruary 24, 2013
"A Touch of Grey" unusual but very tasty. Soda made with Candy Mushroom cap (Yes, real mushrooms). Try it if you are adventurous.
Liz B. PalumbiApril 14, 2013
The drinks at the bar are everything they should be, delicious and creamy and boozy!
Erin MerchantOctober 18, 2014
Soda bar at the back is where it's at. Say tincture 5 times fast!
Kartik SathappanAugust 19, 2015
Cool soda place in SF. They make it right in front of you- I recommend the chocolate soda float.
Christian FengFebruary 3, 2016
Been here 5+ times
Homemade Waffle Cones are great here. Seasonal blueberry ice cream is also fantastic.
Philip GarciaMarch 28, 2015
Créme Fraiche Ice Cream and Caramelized Honey Ice Cream! Perfect texture. Not too sweet!
Eric LorentzJune 26, 2016
Cannot go wrong with a waffle cone. Easily the best ice cream I've had anywhere.
Steve FaddenJuly 13, 2015
Everything! But no a/c, so it can get really warm. Don't forget to grab a number when you come in!
Shirley LiuSeptember 17, 2012
My fave was the butterscotch ice cream! Def try a banana split if you're not in the mood for a shake-- three flavors instead of one!
Gusto LopezJune 23, 2012
Tasty ice crea! I had the Peanut Butter Cookie flavor and it was delicious. I loved the look and feel of this place.

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