Rude customer service! Our order was late and made incorrectly. Not worth the wait to order through their online ordering system.

Stopped by here on our way up to wine country a few Saturdays ago since it was the closest place to our street parking. The cafe has an extensive menu of dessert, sandwiches, smoothies, bagels, salads, coffee drinks, ice cream, whole kitchen sink of casual dining items. The vibe is very mom-n-pop, retro ice cream shop -- the kind of place you'd expect girls in poodle skirts singing the soundtrack for Grease. But... Service was meh. A pretty teenager was taking orders at the counter but charmless and apathetic as it gets -- when I started my order with a Californian sandwich, I noticed they had a special menu tacked to the register with bagel sandwiches -- including lox on bagel (my husband's favorite). I asked to change the order for the Californian and was met with the grouchiest side-eye ever, and the slowest shuffle to their inventory to check if they even had any lox. I get it already, you hate spending Saturday afternoon here. I had jobs I hated too at some point when I was your age. Lose the attitude! Service was also not that fast. Food was mediocre -- I ordered espresso, an iced mocha, a tuna melt and a lox / cream cheese bagel. Admittedly more people were in there for dessert than cafe food, which is understandable. Coffee was fine, but the bagel was disappointingly stale and the onions in the sandwich were pretty bitter (i.e. not the freshest). The tuna melt was probably the best part of the order, but at $8 it was a little pricey for the size and what it was (FYI - sandwiches were around $10 and can come with a side of chips or salad). To top it off, the place wasn't very clean. Floor was hella sticky (I guess I can sort of see why since they serve so many dessert items but still). The 1 stall Bathroom was spacious but somewhat gross, or maybe I'm more paranoid since I have an infant to tend to. Request key access from behind the counter. Overall, not hugely impressed as a place to get lunch but it's a cute classic ice cream shop. read more

I love double rainbow! I've been going there since I was a kid. They have great ice cream and yummy sandwiches and food. It has such a warm retro neighborhood vibe. I always try to stop there when I'm in San Rafael and hankering for some ice cream. Good place to hang out and get work done or just meet up with friends. It's such a staple in the Marin community read more

Double Rainbow has always offered a welcoming environment! i will never take for granted every worker's patience when everyone in a large group is picking out the flavors they want to enjoy. served with a smile every time! young workers who realize the novelty of working in an ice cream shop in sunny California! read more

Stumbled upon this place while browsing through yelp. Such delicious ice cream flavors. I have already been here twice. Tried strawberry and match green tea ice cream- both super yummy. The staff is very friendly too. Will be back to try more flavors :) read more

My friend and I were looking for a spot for a refreshment and came across this gem in San Rafael. I got the tropical smoothie and my friend got the fruit basket smoothie and did not disappoint. They tasted very natural and service was great. Would highly recommend! read more

My family went to double rainbow after dinner in Mill Valley it was 10 of us most of us Jessica plain ice cream like chocolate sherbet one of the brother Oreo milkshake and they said we don't have Oreo milkshake or just for ice cream with Oreos on top while he didn't want that he wanted a shake and then myself I ordered shy latte it just tasted like milk was horrible this place used to be so good but has gone down the gutter read more

Sorry for not giving out the review sooner. Anyway, incredible excellent customer service. Probably it's a family owned ice cream shop because they are over staffing. Lol. Very warm feeling. We just want to have something sweet after dinner. Walk in with welcoming smile and greeting. While we were deciding which favor to pick, the owner was asking if we would like to try their banana splits for free because they were training a new employee. We said we could pay for it. But they insisted it's free for us. So we ended up taking it and just paid for couple scoops extra. We gotta tip them good:-) The ice cream are very creamy and not too sweet. Will definitely return! read more

Review #088 - 2016 It was a very warm Sunday evening, 88 degrees at 6:45 PM to be exact. We had just left church and I suggested to my siblings that we meet up for ice cream before we head home. I Yelped for a nearby ice cream shop and found that Double Rainbow was less than a mile away from church and we made our way over. Parking in downtown San Rafael on a Sunday is awful, but I was lucky enough to find a spot a few steps away and I left the spot right in front for my sister since she has two young kids. My older brother, on the other hand, had to drive around for a good five minutes before he was able to find a spot. When we showed up, there weren't any customers in line so the 8 of us made our way over & asked to sample a few flavors. The young girl working seemed a little stressed when she saw our big group, but got more overwhelmed when new customers kept coming in. She didn't seem very pleasant to begin with, but was even more unpleasant when the line started getting longer. She got even more unpleasant when I told her about the 10% Yelp check-in offer, saying she didn't know anything about it. I showed her the offer on my phone and she said "fine, I'll give it to you since there are so many people waiting in line." As if it was my fault that she wasn't aware of the offer... I decided on a small with the white pistachio & salted caramel which were both just ok. My son ordered the white pistachio & hazelnut latte, which I really liked. I tasted my nephew's green tea and strawberry cheesecake as well, both were good. read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

Cool decor. Love the local, retro-bohemian feel of the place and the eclectic downtown San Rafael, but left feeling like I could have gotten better service and wish my dish would have been better. It was a standard experience outside of the local flavor/decor. AMBIANCE ========== It has a old-school deli / soda shop sort of feel with booths and a few sidewalk tables and chairs. We sat outside and I enjoyed the experience. FOOD ====== COFFEE CAKE Good, not great. Small portion. RATING: 3/5 GREEN TEA ICE CREAM Different, good, but fairly standard. Standard portion. RATING: 3/5 BEVERAGE ========= DECAF COFFEE From the pump, self-serve. Good temperature, self-serve in a mug. RATING: 3.5/5 PRICE / VALUE ======= Treats for two was less than $20. SERVICE ========== The guy behind the counter that was cleaning was somewhat rude to me when I asked him for help. He just said I'm cleaning, is someone else helping you? 2/5 read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - Everybody loves ice cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

See all

Ahhh, Double Rainbow. I will always have fond memories of this place from my days at DU. Double Rainbow was one of my go-to spots. It was always the mandatory dessert stop after a lunch/dinner at Sol Food right down the street. Sis and I would come here on the late night after CRUSHING it on our exams and talk for a couple hours until closing. Hell, this is where I took my close friends from back home the night before graduation last year. But anyway... their ice cream is pretty solid. I don't normally order scoops of ice cream, but if I do, It's usually because I'm sharing a banana split. I would definitely recommend those. What I do normally order are their shakes because I can take my time and won't have to worry about finishing before the ice cream melts. I especially like their green tea shake. The espresso is a solid choice as well. On occasion I'll see some sugary cereal related item that I'll order if it was a really rough day and I want something super sweet. If you're into milkshakes too, they allow you to mix flavors so feel free to get creative with it! There are plenty of baked goods (cookies, whoopie pies, brownies, ect.) on the counter to pair with your dessert if you want to really indulge. There are plenty of dairy free options too. As for the food, I typically get their pastrami. It's just okay. I mean, I didn't really come here for a meal anyway but it's a nice option to have. Also, they have a daily trivia question written on the board behind the counter. If you get it right, you get a prize. Seems pretty easy but I've only been able to correctly answer the question a couple of times. Double rainbow does give a student discount (or at least they did when I was still a student). You don't have to be a DU student. A good friend from SSU used to visit me often and she still received that student discount. Random note, the staff is super friendly. In any case, Double Rainbow is a great place to hang out with friends and grab some ice cream and maybe a bite to eat. If you're in the area, I recommend you stop by. As for me, my time in the north bay is running out and I'm really going to miss coming here. Maybe I'll stop by again sometime soon. read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - Green tea shake - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

Double Rainbow used to be fantastic relatively, but the world long ago caught up and has surpassed this once proud brand. Take your ice cream to go because the place is just way to tired, with ripped seats, broken tables and a color scheme that well hides what grime may be lurking around. The ice cream is still good. Four stars if you could separate it from the overall experience. Vanilla is a dud. The chocolates and fruits are good. read more

YES! I grew up on Double Rainbow ice cream and have been missing it since they closed down a lot of their locations in San Francisco. We were in the area for the San Rafael Twilight Criterium and were craving a sweet treat after dinner. Of course I used my Yelp app to search for the closest ice cream spot and was uberrrr excited to find a Double Rainbow nearby. There were about 4 other ice cream/frozen yogurt/gelato places closer to us than Double Rainbow, but we happily passed them by and make the trek to this ice cream shop. This location offers a lot more than the standard ice cream parlor. In addition to sundaes, banana splits, and waffle cones, DR serves coffee drinks, sandwiches, salads, paninis, pies, and other baked goods. Booth and table seating indoors and out. This location is much more spacious than the other two SF locations I went to as a child. Service was friendly and quick on a busy Saturday night. At the time, the bathroom was kinda gross (hoping it's not a reflection of the kitchen) (-1 star), but.... DR makes THE BEST blueberry ice cream I've ever had (and I've had a lot of ice cream) (+1 star). Hoping to make another visit soon! read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

Yum! The Double Rainbow offers a variety of flavors. Ice cream lover? You're covered! Lactose intolerant? Yup, this place checks out! My favorite is the strawberry. I typically mix this with chocolate or with any of their seasonal flavors. I love their ice cream. The guys behind the counter are sweet! (Heh) They're very cute and incredibly helpful. This is a cool ice cream spot! read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - Strawberry and chocolate - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

Best dessert place in San Rafael Rafael - great ice cream flavors, friendly staff, and excellent vibe.

The sundaes were fantastic but was shocked and bewildered by the man with the pink hair. someone walking in and was putting on his mask and the worker yelled at him to put it on outside, when the worker himself was indeed NOT wearing a mask. He also said that to us when we were putting ours on. and when he was confronted politely by the man saying he wasnt wearing a mask himself the worker said suck my cock read more

Hands-down the best ice cream I've had in the Bay. This cafe serves all sorts of stuff: ice cream, sundaes, coffee, sandwiches, cupcakes, etc. I had a medium with Ultra Chocolate and Raspberry Sorbet and both flavors were absolutely delicious-- especially the chocolate (sooo good!). Plus, the staff here are really nice. Parking is available at a lot not too far for 75¢/hr, and they shut down the road in front of the store for pedestrians only on Thursdays & Fridays I believe. read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

I think of the Rainbow as a hang out spot for townies so it brings me back to fond memories of youth. A star for that. A star for the good service, fun staff, and lots of room to sit down to enjoy your mocha ultra chocolate and Oreo combo medium cup for $4.50 Sounds hefty for ice cream but go to Cold Stone down the street if you want to pay more. The ice cream here tastes great AND is less filling. (Cold Stone's ice cream is heavy on the sneaky, addictive liquid sugar and you'll be a fatty in no time if you hang out at this place) Another star for staying open past 11pm in a town that likes to close the streets down at 8:30. Ahhh, good ol' San Rafael... read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - The Rainbow on 4th - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

See all

Great place. Service was quick - which can be unusual. Great idea with trivia questions and lots of decorations and the cupcakes made the kids day! This is a San Rafael staple so not much else I can say.... read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - Little one enjoying a custom made scoop with marshmallow sauce and rainbow springs. Something only a kiddo would like! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

My first time at Double Rainbow! I came because of the good reviews and it definitely met and surpassed my expectations! Brownie Sundae was amazing! Great ice cream and the brownie had a great consistency and was fresh! Had mine with the old fashioned brownie and chocolate chip ice cream. Made a great combination. Regular size is a great size to share after dinner. Oreo sundae was also very good, but I definitely prefer the brownie sundae! Great, friendly customer service! Very nice old-fashioned ice cream parlor atmosphere. Dessert is pretty inexpensive for what you get. read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - Oreo Sundae - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

See all

This place is what magical childhood memories are made of. There's something for everyone. Our kids love it... and our adult friends who grew up in SR have been coming to double rainbow since they were kids. read more

Cool ice cream shop to come to for late-night cravings!! They serve food as well (sandwiches, salads), a small selection of cookies and pastries, and of course, ice creams and ice cream sundaes. The only thing they could maybe have more of is topping choices. Anyways I had a scoop of peanut butter cup sundae ice cream with oreo topping. Yummyyyyy read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - peanut butter cup sundae ice cream with oreo topping - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

Came here after dinner for dessert. I got the hot fudge sundae with no sprinkles and it was to die for. The hot fudge sundae comes with your choice of ice cream, hot fudge, whip cream, sprinkles and finally topped with a cherry. Also they make their hot fudge in house. This place is great it has a variety of ice cream and frozen yogurt. They even have dairy free and they also have gluten free waffles cones. They also have cakes, shakes, sandwiches, coffee drinks and much more. A really fantastic place. read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

Very good desserts and drinks. Seriously needs a remodel , tired and dirty! I'll bet if the state is called in the place wouldn't pass inspection. read more

yum they have really good ice cream and one of the only places that's open past 10 pm in Marin read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - a - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

I used to come here when I was younger, as it's one of the few places open late on the weekends. The ice cream here is awesome, and they serve a variety of coffee drinks and sandwiches. I've never eaten the food, though. When I think of Double Rainbow, I want some ice cream or a smoothie. If you come by during the day, there's usual available seating, either inside or out. But on Friday and Saturday nights, be prepared to fight your way through the hordes of teenagers. But the ice cream is worth it. read more

Double Rainbow ofers a lot here: (pricey) sammies, coffee, tea, sundaes, ice cream, and even froyo. sampling: med cup mango tangerine sorbet(3.75) -pretty tangy on the verge of sourness. mango not tasted. tangerine barely. -was expecting something sweet -serving small, mabybe 5 ounce. was weighed too. yogurt availability: dannon (yocream) -cable car chocolate -vanilla pricing: (s)2.25 (m) 3.50 , didn't see toppings nor topping pricing frodrips: -old taylor plastic handle machine, custom laminated cups -mikey passes on yocream. read more

I loved Double Rainbow when there was one in Castro Valley, Berkeley campus area, and the Ranch99 plaza in Richmond. The small family owned vibe and good quality ice cream is reminiscent of Loard's and some other small creameries in the area. Anyway, great food, small town service, and all the fun mom-and-pop ice cream parlor goodies you would want: cookies, ice cream cookie sandwiches, fun flavors like "It's a Goody" (vanilla, fudge chips, pb) and Golden Gate Caramel Swirl (chocolate, vanilla, caramel). We really enjoyed the pear sorbet, actually. They even have some surprising offerings like soy ice cream for vegan/ dairy free options. Open late. It's only AOK to me because it was so, so warm inside it was uncomfortable, the seating was a tad crowded, and they were out of frozen yogurt. Bonus, love the neon rainbow lit on the sidewalk from their window sign. read more

My friend Julie and I came here for ice cream after lunch. It's a very big place with lots of tables and seats for accommodating guests. They carry the Double Rainbow Ice Cream. It was my first time having it, but it was one of the creamiest ice creams I have ever had. Service behind the counter is very friendly and make sure to show your student ID for a discount on your purchase! read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - Cookies and cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

Double Rainbow is one of my all-time favorite ice cream places. Whenever we're in the area, a visit is essential. The sundaes are massive and decadent, as are the shakes. But the sandwiches are outstanding, as well. Grilled cheese and similar grilled sandwiches were rich and delicious, and a great prelude to the ice cream. read more

This is where the high school kids go on dates. The people who work here are rad. But the ice cream is only so-so. Definitely not as good as Silverman's. read more

This has been a staple place to hang out and get yummy ice cream in downtown San Rafael for longer than I've been on earth (23 years haha). I come here for the personalized pints where the happy employees scoop different flavors into a container for me to enjoy with my family. I love that I can get more than one flavor!! read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

Really good ice cream! We were helped by Dae and she let us try various flavors and was very nice and welcoming!Ava was also very helpful. 10/10 recommend read more

The ice cream is good, and I like that they are open late, but I miss the old double rainbow, now it has spiderweb on the ceiling and the cleanliness of their staff is below expectation, their bathroom is worst than a gas station bathroom. Please bring back the old double rainbow! read more

Huge selection of ice cream options and other tasty concoctions, however my whole family settled on getting cups or cones of ice cream. Servings weren't super generous (my cup was only half full), but the one advantage is that you aren't limited in the number of flavors. That's a big advantage for someone who always wants to try more than 1 flavor without ordering the largest option. I had the white grasshopper and then another that was some combination of coffee and chocolate. Really good! They have several vegan options too. read more

First time to Double Rainbow and it lives up to the hype. I kept it semi simple with once scoop of ice cream but went afagato, which means espresso and whip cream in a cup. Yes please! Love the throwback old skool throwback motif. Except I think that's just the way it's been since it opened. Price is right and friendly staff. read more

Double Rainbow Cafe - Meter tip - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - San Rafael, California

We loved Double Rainbow before COVID, and we're glad they have remained open. Like all businesses they are doing their best to have people social distance, and staff are being very safe. Their ice cream is delicious and they have a lot of fun options, so we look forward to continuing to go there! If you go, please tip generously. read more

I have never anything but a wonderful experience dining here. The staff are pleasant, the food is good and it's a nice place to bring your children or just have a peaceful conversation. It's not too noisy and there are no TVs blaring. I love their deserts and soup as well! read more

Great sandwiches and soups, as well as yummy ice cream and smoothies! Love this place.

Fantastic ice cream AND food! We all know Double Rainbow ice cream is epic but this DR cafe also has great food! I love the grilled cheese. All the servers are kind and friendly - I don't know what some of these reviews are talking about.... Double Rainbow Cafe is old school and so refreshing in Marin. read more