I adore Black Cat. This is my first time checking out their downtown location, but all the elements are there - the politics, the punk decor, and many many pics of cats. Gotta love it. They mix up their menu all rhe time but it's never hard to find something amazing. This time it was cinnamon and coffee. The views outside the windows are really nice, facing a shaded park and the downtown library. If you're in the area, it's well worth a stop! read more

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This ice cream lover is officially obsessed with Black Cat Ice Cream, which combines delicious creativity with a cool vibe in a neighborhood shop. It checks every box. The superb exterior opens to a fun interior that feels really comfy. Tremendous customer service. Humorous photos are all over the place, and fun food options are highlighted. Their courtyard is terrific, with fun murals all over and plenty of shade. My two-scoop combo, blending Red Velvet Oreo with Twinkee Butter, was truly awesome, and I loved every nibble. read more

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When we were in town visiting our friends who live in Johnston, they insisted that we include a visit to Black Cat Ice Cream for what they considered one of the best ice creams they have ever had. So, naturally, we happily obliged...and were so glad that we did! Black Cat is such a unique ice cream joint! From their website "Based out of Des Moines, we serve hand-crafted small batch artisanal ice cream. We utilize grass-fed natural dairy and ingredients sourced from local producers to create our one-of-a-kind flavors." The staff was super friendly and let us taste many different flavors. We were a little disappointed that the red velvet oreo was not on the menu the day we went, but that being said, everything we did sample was delicious! They change the flavors everyday...just be sure to check their website before you go (which we did, which is why we thought we could get the oreo. It turns out we checked the website too early in the day and the menu hadn't been updated from the previous day yet). read more

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Walking in to the shop they have a huge wall of pictures of black cats which was fun to see. The guy who took our order was quick but explained the flavors to us as we had not been here before. They also had what looked like chicken nuggets but were actually ice cream they were great. We each had 2 scoops and loved them. It was very rich ice cream I brought half of mine home. read more

We have continued to visit this ice cream and the quality and flavors have only gotten better and better. Today I had a double scoop of peach brown butter sorbet on top of molasses cookie ice cream on a sugar cone and wow. This was PEAK PERFORMANCE dessert. The flavors were great on their own but blended perfectly. The cone was crunchy and fresh. My husband bought a pint of chocolate ho oh flavor as well and it was creamy and rich. Cannot recommend this spot more one of our fav places in des moines. read more

I love ice cream. I live for it. And there's nothing better than trying local ice cream spots on work trips. But this one, this one stood out above all the rest. The location is SO cool. The aesthetic perfectly matches the name. The decor was very carefully chosen to fit the vibe. It was so cute. Service was good, getting people through the line and quickly as possible. I ended up with one of their weekly flavors which was fantastic and so flavorful, I loved looking at all their different options and what they came up with. If I lived here, I would be here all the time trying everything. We also shared some nuggets and omg these are SO cool. It's weird when you first open them and they are literally shaped like chicken nuggets, but the flavor is fantastic. They are super filling though so I would recommend those over a scoop of ice cream or vice versa. Great experience on a hot day. This place is super cool. read more

My opinion of Black Cat Ice Cream is a positive one. Walking in, the atmosphere was interesting with the choice of decor being witch-like and a lot of black cat motifs. Their menu is usually updated everyday with new flavors to try, and the staff are very cherry when serving their customers. I really liked how instead of using spoons for their ice cream, they use wood sticks for us to eat it with. The ice cream itself if pretty high quality itself and the price for it is justifiable. read more

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4.6 +Extremely high quality and interesting flavor profiles to boot. It's seriously great. Fantastic job on the newest location! read more

Best funky fun well thought out Ice Cream flavors in DSM!! I love going to this place. Quick service. ALWAYS a line out the door. Soo many flavors to choose from. & the ice cream NUGGETS!!! To. Die. For.!!!! Don't sleep on this place! Your kids will love it. Your grandma will love it. You will want to move right next door! read more

Black Cat Ice Cream - Lucky Bulldog Lucky charms cereal milk base with lucky charms marshmallows - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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4.5* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4* Service: 4* 06/17/2023 This place has been on my Want to Go list for a while and finally got to experience it on Father's Day since we were in the area (and I LOVE ice cream). It is a bit of a surprise as you pull up, as it is in a very residential area - leading you to initially think the map is wrong. The exterior is clearly recognizable as a business though and everything about this place is quite unique if not a little eclectic - from the modern facia to the black cat painting on the sidewall...and then the black cat bike in the patio area. Sticking with my nature of wanting to try something new, my wife and I ordered the Ice Cream Nuggets (see picture) split between 3 Classic & 3 Killer Bees - and really enjoyed them. As the name implies, they looked like chicken nuggets...but were filled with ice cream and had a corn flake crust. If you've ever had fried ice cream at a Mexican restaurant - think of it as that but on a smaller scale with bite-sized finger-food portions. They were very good - and the Fudge dipping sauce was an excellent complement! If you like ice cream as much as I do, you will definitely want to stop and sample some made from scratch daily unique deliciousness! If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com read more

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We tried this unique hot spot for the first time and it didn't disappoint. The ice is very unique and delicious. My favorite is the crème brûlée; it's super rich! The service is great, staff is incredibly friendly. They have a beautiful outdoor patio area to sit at as well. Don't forget to check out the wall of black cats! read more

Black Cat Ice Cream - Outside patio - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The best ice cream shop in the Drake area. Service has always been friendly. Depending on the day it can get fairly crowded, but plenty of people just stop in to get their ice cream to go. Not a lot of seating inside, it is fairly small. But they have a very cute patio. If you walk out the back to the patio, you'll see the corner full of cat pictures :) Their flavors rotate a lot but they update their website and Instagram on what's happening. I've had their ice cream nuggets and they're pretty big. I do let them thaw a bit after getting them because you do have to bite into it. They do take Apple Pay. read more

Black Cat Ice Cream - Ice cream nuggets - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Definitely recommend going during one of their cat adoption events! During nice weather they have cat adoption events with the local shelters. Also love their ice cream nuggets! read more

Black Cat Ice Cream - Interior - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

We stopped in for ice cream for the first time and was not disappointed. The ice cream is so good. You can taste the quality of their product and the ice cream nugs are so good too. read more

Local ice cream with unique flavor combinations. Our group got ice cream nuggets w strawberry dip, cookie monster, spumoni, orange cake/sherbet. All flavors were delicious. We lucked out and there wasn't a long line. Inside has a small seating area, but head out back to patio and more seating. read more

Stopped here on a warm, Autumn, night for my second visit. The line was much shorter than the first time I came, which was during the summer. My husband was along for this trip. Sadly, the flavor I really wanted was already devoured by other customers so I went to my backup plan. I had Beetlejuice and Brown Butter Cookie Dough. My husband had Trick-or-Treat and Red Velvet Oreo. The ice cream itself is fine. We enjoy the fun combinations for flavors that are available. We were disappointed with this visit as both of our should have had candy in them. My husband's Trick-or-Treat had one, small piece of candy. When the description for the flavor lists four different candies in it, you'd think you'd have lots of candy in a scoop. It just wasn't that. My Beetlejuice also had only one piece of candy. My Brown Butter Cookie Dough had a single, small piece of dough. My husband's Red Velevet Oreo seemed to have an ok amount of Oreos. Not the best trip to this tasty spot. Hopefully a next one will fare better. read more

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This is the most unique ice cream store I've ever been to! I love it simply for the that! I sampled their red velvet Oreo and killer bee. They are not afraid to mix in spice, the killer bee had habanero! I had to go with the ice cream nuggets, who can say they've had that?! They were vanilla rolled in cereal crumbs, and a few choices of dipping: chocolate, cookie butter, habanero strawberry. I went with chocolate and to add another sauce was .50. In total my ice cream was $10, so a little pricy for 6 ice cream nuggs. But the service was fast, and the store was clean! I love the ice cream treat! Words of advice: pay for the extra dipping sauce. If you love dipping in sauce, one cup wouldn't have been enough. Also, the nuggets start hard as a rock so if you don't like chewing ice cream give it a few minutes. But, be warned they warm up fast and get harder to hold. I should have gotten a spoon for the end. But all that to say it was fun and I can't wait to bring friends!! read more

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Stopped in because was in the neighborhood and needed a cool down treat for the evening. Arrived and there was a long line out the door. It moved a lot faster then I expected. I tried the watermelon sorbet as recommended from the staff. It tasted like fresh watermelon. Very refreshing. We enjoyed our sweet treat on the patio just before a downpour drenched us. It was a fun summer evening. read more

Black Cat Ice Cream - Watermelon sorbet - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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My husband was craving some ice cream during our visit to Des Moines, this was close to the event we were attending and got good reviews. There's on the street parking, in this cute little neighborhood. The shop is uniquely decorated and it was pretty crowded. There was only 1 person at the small ice cream case, so the wait was pretty long. The flavors were definitely not common! My husband found Rocky Road and I tried the Flufffer nutter. The ice cream was good, but not as fabulous as all the reviews said. There is an outdoor space, but it was pretty run-down and messy. Overall, this was ok. No one was especially friendly, they didn't have a lot of choices and some of the flavors were just too odd for us! We're not cool enough for this spot! read more

Ice cream nuggets are so good and look like chicken nuggets!! My friend and I were in town for a concert and we wanted to try some places that we'd never been before. Ice cream is delicious and the theme is really cool. read more

Black Cat Ice Cream - Classic nuggets ice cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Thanks to Google Maps. I was searching around my hotel and there was an ice cream parlor a block or so away from Drake University. I was like, I'm on vacation here in Des Moines in late October 2022 before the winter cometh, so I figured why not? Black Cat isn't the normal type of ice cream parlor that you are accustomed for the usual suspects when it comes to the standard flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberries. They have pre-made mixtures of themed ice cream concoctions that may enrich your tastebuds and is cool to have in the community, especially so close to Drake University campus. My experience here in late October 2022 started when I was looking for dinner in the area within walking distance. I noticed Black Cat first before walking to Drake's Diner. And so, I was here at Black Sheep first to check things out and to pick up a pint to have with my dinner. Upon arrival, Black Cat is a small ice cream shop next to a local park in a suburban neighborhood. The line was short and I was indecisive. While I was waiting on the side, a group of 6 people decided to show up and in line. I guess that was okay, since I got in line afterwards. The entire experience took about 20 minutes, with 10 minutes of waiting and for the line before me to clear out. I asked the counter guy if they had any chocolate items. He showed me one that is a creamy one that had chocolate bits mixed in. I asked for a pint of that and that was it. The overall experience here at the Black Cat in Des Moines, Iowa was quaint, quiet, casual, and good. While the long line gave pause to what I was doing here in this city, it reminded me about all the things that lead me to here. With that said, I thought that the flavor that I picked up was reasonably good and delicious. While they do sell ice cream here, I had preferred on regular chocolate or chocolate fudge, but this will do in the meantime until I find something otherwise. For the most part though, it was a cool visit to a local ice cream parlor to supplement my dinner in a nice area of Des Moines, IA. Although there was enough lighting here and it was still daylight out when I was here, it did seem dark in here a little bit. The ambiance was cool, although I did wear a face mask due to the number of people in the store with me at the time. And so, if you are in the area and want that alternative taste that is ice cream, consider Black Cat in Des Moines, IA. The prices here are pretty reasonable for ice cream actually. The restaurant itself is small and walk in traffic is always welcomed. This Black Cat Ice Cream is located at 2511 Cottage Grove Avenue in Des Moines, Iowa. It's about a block or so from the main campus of Drake University. They accept major credit cards as well as cash. For myself though, I walked here from my hotel on University Avenue to here. If you are coming by car, there are plenty of street parking nearby. Of course, there is Lyft and Uber, if you are needing their service. For the folks who use public transportation, consider the routes that the local DART uses and plan accordingly. All I can say is that it was worth coming here to Black Ice Cream. Too bad I couldn't buy more otherwise, I'd have to run a lot more miles just to have more ice cream. Then again, it is worth it in the end, I think. Best bet would be to come early enough to secure parking. Not sure if they rotate ice cream flavors, but its worth coming to see year round. 4.0 stars for the overall experience. 5.0 stars for the ice cream and the ambiance. 3.0 stars for the prices and 4.0 stars for the service. Support local! B read more

Cute spot! Has a few vegan options...2 or 3 at a time. I had the horchata sorbet. I was initially hesitant ordering it because I'm used to oat milk or other vegan alternatives but the sorbet was great! read more

A very cute little ice cream shop that has unique flavors and atmosphere. It's located in a location that previously had been accouple of different BBQ restaurants but the location works much better for this. The inside is a bit cramped but if the weather is nice there's ample seating outside. They have a gated patio and several picnic benches outside of that area. The ice cream was tasty. I got the Bourbon Banana's Foster which was very tasty. I can't say it had much Bourbon flavor but that suited me just fine. It tasted like the actual dessert, which is my favorite. I had been to their previous location and enjoyed it. I'm glad to report it still impresses me! I would definitely go back! read more

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Literally some of the best ice cream I've ever had. A friend recommended this place to us during our stay in West Des Moines so we had to check it out. Some of the flavors we tried were: Triple Chocolate with brownie bits, Breakfast Trash which tasted like fruity pebbles with bits of pop tarts , Vanilla Brownie, Brown Butter Cookie Dough, Cinnamon Roll, and Pineapple Upside Down Cake!! All extremely good. A must try for everyone FYI: flavors change weekly! read more

Black Cat Ice Cream - Cinnamon Roll, Brown Butter Cookie Dough, and Vanilla Brownie - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

When I say you need to visit this place in the Des Moine area I mean YOU NEED TO GOOOOOO! With that being said super cute little location kind of hidden in a residential area. This place was recommended my a local. My husband ventured out and decided to get one scoop of each. He got the cherry almond cake and I got the red velvet orea( sounds weird but sooooo good). The flavors a different but really good not overly sweet. We spent about 6.35 including tip for both scoops. We got the scoops in the same cup it was an additional 2 dollar if we wanted a different cup. They also have a cute patio where you can sit enjoy the ice cream and just relax. We however opted out because it was toooooo HOT! Street parking but since it a residential area you should have no issue at all. Check them out guys! We will definitely be back probably tomorrow lol read more

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Outstanding ice cream! They know what to mix together for pure deliciousness! Every time I'm in Des Moines, I have to stop by! Never disappointed!!! read more

I used to live in Des Moines and this was my favorite ice cream place! I presently came back for two days and I had to make sure I came back to black cat! read more

Black cat is your classic neighborhood ice cream shop. It's a great edition to the drake neighborhood. Their flavors are made from scratch daily and the outside seating is a perfect place to lounge in the shade and enjoy this amazing artisan ice cream. Their flavors change all the time but they have some staples from red velvet Oreo, brown butter cookie dough, etc. Some friends and I went and we all got a cup with two scoops. Parker -Red Velvet Oreo "I could eat this every single night" -Brown Butter Cookie Dough "I love the taste but I didn't get any cookie dough" Syd -vanilla bean bourbon "you can actually taste the bourbon! Def getting this again" -Brown Butter Cookie Dough " I think I got all of Parker's cookie dough" Me -sugar cookie "I wish this was a staple. Love the chunks of sugar cookie and ice cream tastes like cake batter" -brown butter cookie dough "definitely needs more chunks of cookie dough" read more

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Brown butter cookie dough is amazing. But it's all good. I'm glad we stopped! Red velvet Oreo amazing. Chocolate covered potato chip good, but super potato tasting. Iowa island was yummy too. read more

The ice cream chicken nuggets are very good and I like the vibe in the shop and I really likes the dipping they gave me read more

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This place was amazing! The ice cream was delicious I got the Zombie Flesh and loved the spearmint flavor! The service was great and quick, there was only two people and a giant line. I love the ambiance of the place, It felt like a family owned place and loved the courtyard. read more

This was a pathetic experience Saturday afternoon at 4:00PM. There's only very limited street parking. It was a busy time! Only one gal up front working counter alone. A person or two in back stirring up mix for freezers. Of course all kind of characters I prefer not to see were also customers & the staff heavily tattooed & pierced! By the time I purchased gift certificates and pushed through the waiting lines, more folks were out the door. I bet 25 people were behind me. watch the uneven sidewalks, driveway approach and step without a handrail. $7.00 for one dip of ice cream in a cone plus lots of tax. She even added tax onto my certificate purchase but was so irritated I let it slide because of the crowd. Product is fantastic. read more

Ice cream was delicious! They are stingy on the tasters, max 2 per person. As someone who has a hard time deciding I didn't appreciate this lol it feels silly to complain about but it shouldn't be such a big deal. Otherwise it was great! read more

Fun flavors to check out. Great location. I love the Halloween theme flavors this month! The cat walk is awesome too. The patio is a nice space to enjoy my ice cream! read more

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Delightful ice cream Delightful service Delightful outdoor area Black Cat Ice Cream is a...delight! read more

These are interesting. I really want to try the original ones bc captain crunch has a weird feeling in my mouth always. Same with salted chocolate pretzel ice cream flavor. Red velvet Oreo is so good. Cookie Monster and rice crispy was alright too!! Cute little place to sit and eat outside. read more

Black Cat Ice Cream - Ice cream nuggets captain crunch covered strawberry ice cream. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Finally made it to black cat after a couple of years in Des Moines. It did not disappoint! We've tried to go in the past but sometimes the line can be insanely long. We ended up getting the ice cream nuggets and a cup of a seasonal Halloween flavor. I think it's safe to say this is the creamiest ice cream place in Des Moines and they have such unique flavors. Not to mention, options for vegans! The inside has a little seating but there is more outside. read more

Delicious local ice cream place. Love the black cat theme. They always have unique flavors, I remember the first time I came here they had mac n cheese ice cream which was pretty popular regret not trying it then maybe they'll have it again soon. When I went recently they had a chili ice cream but I went for the lemonade raspberry sorbet that day. Pretty good :) One thing to note that always confuses newcomers is that you don't pay and order first at the register, you get your ice cream first and then pay. Unique and delicious ice cream store worth visiting if your nearby. Street parking only. read more

Black Cat Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

ice cream is very delicious and rich. service was super sweet and it was nicely decorated! i bought a super soft crewneck read more

Black Cat Ice Cream - black cat room - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This place is popular! After trying their ice cream (5 different flavors), I can see why! There was a long line when I arrived, but it went fast. They serve you quickly because the line forms fast. (I didn't mind, some people might like more personable service). We could see an employee making the ice cream. That was really neat. New flavors daily. I'm sure they're all good! It's all street parking, but I don't consider a short walk a negative thing. But something to consider and plan for. Prices are a little high, but the quality seems worth it. They've got tables inside along with an outside patio area with lights and seating to enjoy your ice cream. Local places are my favorite. We will plan to be coming back. read more