Swensen's Ice Cream Reviews

Awesome old-school hand-dipped ice cream. Went twice on our trip and only didn't go a third time because they aren't open on Mondays. :(

Absolutely awesome ice cream parlor with friendly staff and great selection. It made for a great dessert location and has some of the best cookie dough ice cream I have yet tasted! Located just across the street from Zarzuela, it makes for a terrific after dinner dessert location. Highly recommended with speedy service despite its understandable popularity.

Kind service. Good price. The white chocolate was the Best. Everything is delicious and tasty also the quality and the quantity is in balance with the price.

So creamy. Chocolate and mango flavors were the best!

Great ice cream and I even got the red star on my receipt so I didn't have to pay!

Sticky Chewy is always my favorite ice cream of all time. It will make you feel bliss in a hot sunny day.

Flavored milk. If you prefer a shake with a thicker consistency, this is not the place for you.

Strawberry milkshake FTW! Oh, and the Orange Chip is yummy too!

Great flavor, kind patient informative servers! Nice cap off a hike from Lombard.

Cute ice cream joint on top of the hill. A must do if you're in the neighborhood.

Made it just in time before they closed, one night after dinner. I think Turkish Coffee is my new favorite ice cream flavor. Great service and friendly staff! An oldie but a goodie in Russian Hill, the first Swenson's is still the best.

This is the spot! Hands down one of the Best Ice Creams in SF! This is the original spot, opening in 1948. If you are in the area or love ice cream. Take a quick trip over. This is a popular place. And normally one person at a time. But it's well worth it! Especially if you love ice cream or milkshakes. The waffle cones are the Best! I grabbed the cookies and cream with peanut butter milkshake ! So yummy.

Delicious ice cream. they have all the right flavors! Watch out, it's on a hill so prepare to climb or make sure you come from the right direction.

Don't let the long line intimidate you, Swensen's is well-worth the wait. The cookies and cream was the best ice cream I've ever had, 100%.

Best ice cream in San Francisco! I could eat their thin mint every day.

Swenson's lychee ice cream tastes exactly as I remembered it tasting when I used to come here as a kid. I visited recently and they had markers on the ground to help customers self regulate social distancing and the employees inside helped make sure parties were small, only allowing 2 people into the store at a time. When you visit, remember that its cash only and don't forget to leave a tip!

Very tasty. I had a cousin come into town and she asked me to go back here. Prices that won't shock you.

Authentic ice cream shop. No frills, but great ice cream!

Ice Cream is good. Our favorite is swiss orange (chocolate) chip. Lines can be long and parking is difficult; there is short term parking in front of store, on Hyde, for two cars. The bus stop may be an option, but leave room for the bus to stop.

The old fashion vanilla icecream is delicious and smooth! It the perfect vanilla icecream. I highly recomend anymore with a sweet tooth to check this place out! It's also a very cute place.

This ice cream store offers a VARIETY of flavors!!! You can definitely select a flavor of your choice. Aside from a huge choices, it tastes good as well! I just love this place

Best ice cream. Cash only, but that adds to the folksy charm. The people are always very nice and the service is fast. Strawberry is probably my favorite flavor so far.

One of my favorite ice creameries in the Bay Area. I've been coming here since I was a kid and I don't get tired of it. It's usually busy here, so expect a wait. It's definitely worth it though. They offer more than just ice cream, you can also order off of their full menu which has hot food.

A bit of San Francisco history with THE BEST ice cream. Make sure to try the Swiss orange chip! My fav!

Greatest ice cream in the Bay Area. Unfortunately, one of the last Swensen's around, as franchising in US was a disaster. Sticky Chewy Chcolate is still a popular choice but I think their Swiss Orange Chip is the best ice cream you can get anywhere! Ice cream is still made in this store, which changed in other stores when Swensen's franchised.

A Russian Hill landmark, Swensen's is a good standby on one of the warmer days in SF. They have French Vanilla Custard - difficult to find in SF. Many traditional and non-traditional flavors.

Tasty, historic, very cozy space. Find what you like and walk away with a tasty ice cream to eat as you wander a lovely part of San Francisco.

Great location to meet with friends. I will be back with my relatives. Prices were average for the menu.

Rich and creamy icecream but pretty old school flavors for the most part. Cash only and one scoop for a small cup is annoying. Would come back but wouldn't be my first choice. Would rather go to Smitten.

A very nice corner ice cream place serving some good flavors.

Small little shop. They closed in Swenson shop by us so it was cool to see the origin of this yummy ice cream.

Great for an original. The Swensen's in Thailand is way upgraded. Should take the Thailand model back to the US.

the food was amazing. the staff was helpful and kind. prices are decent for the quality. reminds me of a restaurant in philadelphia that i enjoyed.

It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the selection and the flavors are fantastic. Try the Turkish coffee flavor!

Cash only, but there is an ATM across the street.

A good stop for ice cream. If they want this to be treated as a destination stop, they need to add public restrooms.

Delicious icecream!! Must try if you're in San Francisco!

who knew?!!! its right on the cable car line. rocky road for me mint chip for he

Nice around the corner shop.

Good tasting ice creams.

No seating inside though.

The place to go in Hyde St, for ice cream... be patient... always a line but worth the wait. A ton of variety and quality!

Delicious! And they were friendly too. So glad we stopped by.

Toasted Almond. You re welcome, in advance. It s amazing. Buy a gallon. You won t regret it.

And, everyone, it s cash only. I literally heard a couple ask the workers in the snobbiest voice Is it REALLLYYYY cash only. Who does that? I meannn, they do that. It s their choice. Soo be warned.

Also, parking sitch is extraordinary rare. But if you can get a spot, omg is it worth it. Mm toasted almondddd. 5 stars!

The world's first branch of Swensen ice cream shop There is no sitting table to serve. Must buy a base of a cup or flavor of ice cream But secretly felt that it was more melting compared to when eating in Thailand Parking in front of the store may be a bit difficult because it is near the road trip. Lombard (Winding Road)

If you're around, it's alright, otherwise, it is a pretty unremarkable icecream shop. They could be more friendly. And oh, no credit cards.

I worked at a Swensen's in Knoxville, TN in the late '70's. They folded many years ago. The ice cream was fantastic as well as the food. I was excited about going to Swensen's at what is essentially their flagship store.

I was sorely disappointed to see that this location is just a walk-up ice cream counter. No food. No seats. Limited selection of flavors. Cash only (had to go to an ATM across the street).

The ice cream was very good. But, it was not worth the walk up Russian Hill.

After some research, I learned that Swensen's is no longer a family-owned business. It is owned by a Canadian company that also owns TCBY and some other frozen dessert chains.

I've tried not to let my disappointment skew my review. Trying to be objective, I've given it three stars. The ice cream is good, but with limited flavors, nowhere to sit, and cash only, I can't give it more than three stars.

It's the original location. The nostalgia alone makes it 5/5

Nice little ice cream store near Polk gulch to reward yourself for climbing that hill. Friendly service and reasonable prices.

Decent ice cream in a very old school spot. Cash only is a bummer though.

Classic, old fashioned. Cheap and great ice cream

staff were very friendly. the ice cream taste great, though a little on the sweet side.

I honestly couldn't tell you the difference between a scoop of swensen's or breyer's, but the shop itself, as the name suggests, is unmistakable.

If you've travelled to Asia and seen the proliferation of the brand there, this location (the original) will be particularly noteworthy for you. It's like listening to an old soul record on vinyl, but in ice cream form.

CASH ONLY but great ice cream with slightly different flavors from the norm. Short walk from visiting the winding Lombard Street

The toasted almond is so good! It's good ice cream and the staff are really friendly. If you are going with another friend and each are getting a scoop, you should just get the double scoop and ask them to put it in separate cups so you pay less.

Delish ice cream, but don't plan on staying to eat it. The inside is very small and no room for seating. The waffle cone is worth the extra dollar. Tried the mocha chip and was not disappointed. Cash only.

This is the cutest little ice cream shop! We passed by when my parents were in town and my mom said she used to have Swensen's when she was growing up. The chocolate chip mint is my favorite!

Love this place! My favs are the turkish coffee and banana on their homemade waffle cone!