Great little spot right at the foot of the pier. There are lots of flavors to choose from. I got a scoop of Sea Salt Caramel in a standard sugar cone and it was delicious. They also have lots of great coffees and pastries, both of my kids wanted Dippin Dots, which they enjoyed. The staff was extremely friendly. They followed all COVID safety protocols, prices were good, we will definitely return next time we are in the area! read more

We don't make it into IB that often, but this is a really cute shop that sells fantastic ice cream and coffee creations as well as a great assortment of pastry treats. Try the House Special ice cream/espresso mix - sooo good! Their ice cream has a great consistency - not too hard or too mushy. And the flavors we've tried have been delicious. The staff is really friendly and efficient (don't worry if the line is outside the door, they'll move everyone through quickly). We'll be back the next time we're at the pier for sure! read more

Staff is amazing!!! Got a mint chocolate chip ice cream , when I came back to my vehicle I had a parking ticket (100% my fault) didn't have cash, paid with Apple Pay. I asked the young lady if I could purchase something a get $2 back. She said no problem, you don't need to purchase anything a gave me the $2 out of her tip jar!!!!!! Amazing staff read more

Service was fine, a kid named Alex was helping me through my order and he was amazing. Very amiable and gave good recommendations on what to order, said I *had* to try the black cherry ice cream and he was right on the money, it was great!! Ambiance was alright, only one person inside at a time since the pandemic i'm assuming, only thing I didn't like was that one of the girls working was sitting in a corner on her phone while Alex attended all the customers in the line by himself. Would definitely come back, the ice cream is definitely worth the wait in line. read more

Excellent little ice cream shop along the pier . They have great ice cream, and even better iced tea. We make sure we hit up this spot at least a few times while staying in imperial Beach. They do a great business so prepare for a line but it moves quickly read more

The best ice cream in IB! So many great choices! We always get a single scoop waffle cone, but so many choices!

Great customer service and plenty of options to choose from. We waited outside for our order and the cashier actually brought it out to us. He's such a sweetheart :) read more

I was really exited to try this place and their smoothies. When I walked in the workers look depressed and sad which really killed the cool vibe of the place. I ordered a strawberry berry smoothie but it tasted more like water than a smoothie. Also ! They use plastic straws and that's a big no for me. read more

Cow-A-Bunga - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

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Awesome mom & pop ice cream shop located right on the IB pier. Great service with a smile. Ice cream, banana splits, milk shakes, various types of coffee, hot chocolate, and more. Everything I've ever had here is great. read more

Cow-A-Bunga - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

We stopped here Sunday of last week after biking 12 miles(ish?) from Marina Chula Vista, feeling tired and hungry. We got three waffle cones (espresso, sea salt caramel, pistachio), a banana split (w/ rocky road, ....), and a cookie sandwich (w/ chocolate chip cookie dough for the inside). The line was about a 15 min wait? And they only allowed 3 ppl per family in at a time due to covid and had an assortment of snacks at the register too! All were definitely delicious and we'd come back if we ever visit the Imperial Beach Pier again! read more

they sell this "healthy bread" in slices. its a little sweet with apples, raisins, and nuts for $1. mmmmm... DONT get their hot chocolate. as a chocolate fan, i was not satisfied. :( my guy friend LOOOVESSS the HOMEMADE peanut butter brownie + cookies n cream ice cream scoops in a waffle cone. they sell dippin dots too! my friends and i are totes fans. :) read more

I came here for the 70.3 Superfrog . They were open at the crack of dawn serving athletes. They really have great coffee, sweets and ice cream. The staff is friendly and attentive, I'm guessing they are all local, which gives it a homie feel. Talked to the owner a little bit, awesome guy. One of the girls had eyes like the ocean, wow. Beautiful. If you know who you are, thanks for the chat about painful finger tattoos. All in all, really a 5 star place at a beautiful spot. Get an ice cream , walk down the pier ! read more

It was Friday and another beautiful evening in SD. I wanted to catch the sunset so I headed towards good ole IB. After watching the sunset with my daughters, we had the munchies (it was too early to have dinner). So, we all SCREAMED FOR ICE CREAM!! "Holy Cowabunga" is just what you would say after tasting their housemade ice cream! There were 16 flavors for me to choose form and I wasn't sure what I was in the mood for, luckily they give out free samples. Once I sampled the peanut butter brownie I knew I had to get a full scoop of it. My daughter chose the chocolate chip. She usually likes sour flavors but they didn't have any, at least not the night we went. Peanut butter brownie - SOOO GOOD!! the perfect amount of peanut butter flavor, pieces of peanuts and little bits of chunks or swirls of brownies. (When I say little bits, it really was little bits) my particular scoop didn't have too many brownie bits in it, BUT, I wasn't really missing it because this ice cream WAS THAT GOOD! Even my other daughter who doesn't care too much for PB flavored items took a bite and she said she surprisingly liked it, so we ended up sharing. Chocolate chip - this one was just ok for me. This seemed to lack vanilla flavoring. Lots of chips though. Poor chocolate chip couldn't stand up next to my PB ice cream. This place also offers shaved ice and coffee. I remember having their coffee before, the Mexican Mocha to be exact and it was just ok for me. I like my coffee "kick in the ass" strong and it wasn't for me. But, HOLY COWabunga...ice cream lovers would love it here! read more

Cow-A-Bunga - Peanut Butter Brownie ice cream and Chocolate Chip - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

It's a sunny December afternoon, you've just got done taking 50 some pictures of the sunset off the IB pier and you want ice cream what do you do? You stop here! Grab a scoop or two, sit outside at a table and watch the skate boarders do their stuff and wipe out. Good ice cream, my favorite is the dulce de leche, the ginger is tasty as well but the Spiced Chai tea did nothing for me. I'm told the coffee is pretty good too but since I don't drink the stuff I have no idea I just know I like the ice cream. read more

Cow-A-Bunga - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

The hot chocolate sundae with everything on it taste great. It is 2 scoops of any ice cream topped with whip cream, hot chocolate, nuts, and a cherry. It is delicious and on warm sunny day, it hits the spot. Sercive is good. The place is small inside so do not mind the line out the door. read more

would give this 6 stars if i could. right next to the IB pier and the ice cream doesn't disappoint. Very friendly staff knows what's on the menu and you can't go wrong with the salted caramel ice cream. Açaí bowls are also amazing. read more

perhaps being right on pier plaza, just steps from the sand and surf makes cow-a-bunga just a bit better than your typical microcreamery? it helps that the ice cream is pretty darn awesome. they have an eclectic selection of creamy, mouth-watering ice cream. classics like sweet cream and cookies & cream (side note: how many times can one type cream in one review? goodness...) are near-perfection. i'm partial to peanut butter-y flavors, and the peanut butter brownie is great: not inanely sweet with chunks of pb brownie and, more importantly, peanut butter in the ice cream. order in a waffle cone: more ice cream fits in there. take and enjoy while standing on the pier. beware of sea gulls pooping. read more

Cow-A-Bunga - peanut butter brownie and cookies & cream in a waffle cone. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Every time I come here they are always super nice and the drink (which I'm picky) are very yummy. The ice cream and shaved ice are a must too! read more

The absolute best homemade ice cream you will find anywhere! We have been coming here for years and will continue to for many more!

Love cowabunga! Super delicious ice cream right off the beautiful imperial beach pier. The ice cream is so tasty! I got the hazelnut caramel and it was the best ice cream ever! read more

Two people from this establishment have contacted me after leaving a bad review due to their hours. They were both extremely rude and unprofessional. I would NOT get ice cream from this dump. There is a cold stone not too far read more

The staff short changed my daughter and the manager nor the owner did anything about it. Sad that they would take advantage of a young teen. We use to go here often but will never go there again. read more

Their coffee and icecream hit the spot! Pros? Friendly staff Lots of flavors Latte was on point Cons? A bit pricey read more

There is nothing worse than being the only customer, making eye contact and saying "Hi" because you're having a personal conversation with another employee and having to wait for that conversation to end all the while making eye contact with you. You had one job. To make a chocolate milkshake, the first scoop which dropped on the floor you stared at for 30 seconds. I'm assuming you were contemplating recycling it while I was there staring at you. I asked you to make it milky so my daughter could easily drink it. You took so long that my 3 year old daughter lost interest in it and walked out. After chasing her I came back for the milkshake checked for thickness and...well you guessed it. Let that sink in a minute. read more

On our visit to San Diego, we decided to venture down along the coast and came across Imperial Beach. While this collection of little stores are really for the tourists (like us) they seemed to have had some value. I really enjoyed my frappuccino with ice-cream. I thought the concept was interesting; I guess it's just a coffee flavored milk shake! The lady behind the counter was very friendly and promptly welcomed me into the store! read more

Making a trip to this fine eatery is definitely a must!! My first time here and was not disappointed. If you're caught in one of San Diego's dreadful summer blazes, *which was not today* I would absolutely suggest a visit over. My banana split was on point for my sweet tooth craving. Three scoops chosen; black cherry, birthday cake, & choco chip cookie dough. Caramel sauce topping along with strawberries, nuts and whipped cream. And then additional coating of caramel sauce. **Heaven** An additional order, of their ice cream sandwich. Choco peanut butter and cookies and cream. Such a good treat to end the weekend with. read more

Cow-A-Bunga - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

This is a must-visit while you're in IB. We live a few blocks away and regularly come here for a treat. We are lucky to have such a great ice cream shop at the beach. Also, the workers have been fabulous to accommodate my son's 3rd and 4th birthday parties. I simply opened a tab and let everyone order whatever they wanted and we ate the ice cream outside at the "tot lot" next door where the kids love to play. Easiest birthday parties ever.. and quite affordable. Thank you Cow-A-Bunga.. don't ever leave IB! read more

Went to this cute little shop because my kids wanted some dip and dots. My husband ordered a coffee. Wasn't sure if I was going to get a coffee or not and I think i was speaking to the owner up front. He was giving me suggestions on what I should order. They have really nice music playing out front. The girls that work here were really nice. We will definitely be back. Seem like they had really yummy ice cream that I will definitely try next time read more

Cow-A-Bunga - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

The ice cream is still great but over the last year the scoops have gotten a lot smaller. I love around the corner and we get half as much ice cream as we used to. Very disappointed. We now go to Right Aid and buy it there and keep it in the freezer at home. read more

Right on the beach. Perfect for a family outing. The ice cream is great, they also have Sunday's and other options to choose from. I wish they had a wider ice cream flavor selection. Customer service is always spot on. read more

This place was great, staff was very friendly and helpful too. We went in a couple times for coffee and tea as we were staying just down the street. We also came in to give the kids a treat and let them get ice cream. There was so much to choose form, cups or cones and different types of cones, ice cream, dip and dots, shave ice, smoothies, shakes, blended drinks, different sweets and pastries. This small store has a lot packed in there. Its also just such a cool and relaxed vibe to it. While finishing our drinks we had the kids play at the little playground out in front of it, then they watched a street artist spray paint some awesome artwork, then we walked the pier, and then the beach. This is a great place to start or finish your day, or perhaps both. read more

I was craving some ice cream while checking out the Sun & Sea Fest and came here. Small place but great location. I got the Mexican coffee mocha ice cream in a waffle cone. The servers were nice and the line moved fairly quickly for a busy day. read more

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I was very disappointed. This was my to go to when I lived in IB. I ordered a white mocha Frappuccino and it could've been better. My cup was not full and the whipped cream made it look more full than I really was. read more

Cow-A-Bunga - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Let it be known that this is hands-down, THE BEST ice cream I've EVER had. I don't know what they do to it that keeps me coming back. But their chocolate Ice cream is killer. And their waffle cones are SO FRESH and warm when you get them. They don't taste like your ordinary waffle cones either. They're BETTER. And you get so much bang for your buck. A filled waffle cone will cost less than half of what you'd pay at that Cold Rock place. When you arrive, and you see a long line, don't get discouraged. I promise you, it is worth the wait. And you can either take your ice cream and take a stroll on the pier or on the beach. Or just sit on one of the little tables outside and watch the waves crash. Watch out for seagulls though, one tried to swipe my ice cream from my hands Sea World style! If you know what I mean. read more

One of my favorite things about this place is their closing time is sunset. That means you always know, as long as the sun is still up in some fashion, you can get some yummy in your tummy Cow-A-Bunga ice cream! This place smells like the delicious homemade waffle cones and ice cream they are famous for as soon as you get close to the door. Well, unless it is busy- and then it might smell like the saltwater dripping from the person in front of you's head (or the sunscreen slathered on their back if you are short)... because the line gets long, and that is the ONLY reason this place doesn't get 5 stars! The space is cramped and the line gets a little unorganized and crazy if their are a lot of people screaming for ice cream. But, it is worth the hassle and wait. Customer service is great, and the line does move fast. They have coffee and others things too apparently, one time I saw someone waiting in a 10 minute line to get a Latte... which was weird, as the ice cream is where it is at, but to each their own! Bonus, if you like cows, there is funky little cow decor all over. Moooooooo-ve over other ice cream shops, cause Cow-A-Bunga is where I am going when I want Ice Cream in IB. read more

Came here for a coffee drink after a nice walk on the beach. It's a great location right near the pier. They make coffee any way you want it..hot, iced, or Frappuccino style. I ordered the frozen blended chocolate mocha blended with a scoop of the Mexican coffee ice cream! The ice cream has flecks of espresso...It was delicious and creamy, full of coffee flavor. The ice cream here is incredibly good and home made. They have over 15 flavors to choose from..and if you are not sure what you want they will give you a free taste. The server was friendly and greeted me with a smile. The best part was taking my awesome drink and walking on the pier to watch the beautiful ocean waves roll in. Each sip of my delicious drink kept me cool ..because it was a hot day at the beach! read more

Delicious home made ice cream! Must try it while at Imperial Beach! I love the salted caramel one! Addicting!!! read more

Cow-A-Bunga - Piña colada shaved ice. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

We stopped by this place on our way back from a quick visit to Imperial Beach. It is a cute, cozy small place packed with delicious treats. They had the usually variety of ice cream with waffle cones and cups, but also fresh pastries and coffee. The prices are fair, which is surprising considering they are located right next to a beach. If I'm ever in the area again, I'm making another stop here so I can try some of their fresh waffles and brownies! read more

After playing in the surf for an hour or so, me & the wife decide to rest & hang out at the pier. Wife spots the word ice cream & then commands me to go & check it out. Well, after seeing the signs stating that it was homemade & that it was voted as the second best ice cream in all of San Diego, lets just say I didnt need any further convincing from the misses. I love ice cream anyway so I was totally down for the cause. We step in & I place an order for a single scoop of butter pecan for me & a double scoop of cherry & pistachio/mint for the lady. I sit down & commence to lick away. Man, it was good! Rich, creamy, not to sweet..what a refreshing treat on a warm day! I sampled my wifes flavors & they were tasty as well. Cow-A-Bunga definitely has a hit on thier hands with thier hand crafted ice cream. Cany wait to go back & try the other flavors! Recommended for sweet, creamy, bliss! read more

I got a cup of cookie dough & cookies and cream. The ice cream tasted pretty good and the price was ok. I also got a pack of chocolate chip cookies but they tasted like they had been wrapped in plastic for days - ended up feeding them to some pretty happy pigeons. If I was ever in the area I would possibly get ice cream but stay away from the baked goods. read more