I first visited this place when I was two years old. This was back in 1986. I believe the last time I visited the place was back in 1996. The place is still there (it's been there since 1895, along with the Mt. Gretna cottages dating back to the Civil War) and is a local favorite, especially during the summer time. Whenever we stayed at our cottage, we would walk there in the early evening along the small paths, as I would hop around on the curbs and bumps in the paths caused by giant, ancient trees. If you ever visit this small, obscure little community, you MUST visit this local favorite. it's quaint (at least it was when I was last there) and a great treat on a summer night. read more

Jigger Shop - Since 1985... a local favorite! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania

Well, we were out this way last few weekends ago and stopped by to grab lunch. I ordered a wrap and Mac and cheese my husband ordered a wrap and fries and both got tea- WOW almost 30 dollars!!! Come on! For lunch and no alcohol!!! Any way the wraps were very good. The main reason I am writing this is about my 3.25 cent side dish!!! Of Mac and cheese!! It came in a tea cup AND IT WAS CLEARLY from a box of Kraft Mac and cheese. Not what I had hoped for.... The price was bad enough but then to see what it was and the Amount was just highway robbery! Check out the picture of the teacup! read more

Jigger Shop - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania

As a hard core ice cream and custard enthusiast, without a doubt this is one of the best ice cream shops in the country. Don't mess around with a cone, go straight for one of the many epic sundaes. The flambéed sticky bun sundae is my favorite. The young staff are fast, courteous and on it. The setting under the trees is fantastic and walking round Mt. Gretna or biking the nearby rail trail go great with the ice cream. Don't miss this! read more

Absolutely delicious food and even better sundaes. The whole area reminds you of the movie Dirty Dancing, and is one of the best kept secrets in all of Pennsylvania. They are known for their wide assortment of sundaes. It does get busy though (excellent place only open from Memorial Day to Labor Day), but they usually have 5-7 workers taking orders and making the orders, and there are places to sit outside, or take a scenic stroll along the cottages. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Indoor gets a bit stuffy, but Mt. Gretna seems to be humid anyway because of the trees. All in all, a place that I always love going. read more

Jigger Shop - Only downside is that they just list the sundaes they have on the marquee, not the descriptions, so here are the sundae descriptions. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania

See all

We live two miles away from The Jigger Shop and have been going here since we were kids. Our most recent visit was disappointing. We both tried sundaes. I ordered the Cookie Sundae and my husband ordered the Shoo-fly Pie Sundae. The ice cream part of the sundaes was delicious. The cookie in my sundae was awful- it tasted as though there was zero sugar or sweetener used in the baking process. My husband's shoo-fly pie did NOT taste like a shoo-fly pie from Lancaster County. It was disgusting- the molasses drizzle really should not be added to the sundae either. The long line we waited in for our desserts was not worth it. We are reluctant to return. read more

I have loved this place ever since moving to Lancaster - it's always worth the drive to experience the amazing audience of this charming ice cream parlor and eatery! Fantastic Burgers and hand crafted Sundaes and Malts!! Must try the Apple Fritter Flambé ( pictured ) read more

Jigger Shop - Apple Fritter Flambé - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania

I haven't reviewed this sooner!? This is the best ice cream shop ever. Really. No contest. The flaming Baked Alaska Sunday in my photographs is just one of the reasons. They have so many creative and delicious looking sundays here. There was a Saw Dust Sunday which was pretty amazing too. I first came here two years ago after a trip to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire at the recommendation of a waiter at a different restaurant where we went for dinner. The Jigger Shop is seasonal. They close end of the summer, which is a bit unfortunate since I am from NY and only ever really come to the area for the Renaissance Faire which is in the fall. It's a local place, the history of which can be read about on their website. They are very popular from what I have seen. There is food as well but I never tried it and just known them for their ice cream. The place is big with lotsa tables and outdoor benches. There is a nice back area with benches and paths that I had a good time running around with my friends. Definitely recommend it if you're in the area! read more

Jigger Shop - Baked Alaska Sunday - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania

I've been visiting the Jigger Shop for decades. My recent visit was a big disappointment. Charming setting. Good service. But the quality was sub par. Waffle cone was chewy! Ice cream was no where near the quality I remember. Chocolate malt shake was made with soft serve. Horrible! Strawberry Ice-cream was below average. It appears the owners are looking to increase profits at the expense of quality. Try improving what you have. And they will come. And please, don't use Covid as an excuse. Your competition isn't! read more

Wonderful area off the beaten path, where you can get a quick meal or a delicious Ice Cream treat.

Hard and soft ice cream were good. Staff friendly. Employees sanitizing and wearing masks. Felt comfortable and safe there. Thank you.

Good ice cream and food. Staff is friendly, however expect to wait 25 minutes plus in line for food/ ice cream. Very popular.

My experience -- I figured based on the area being outdoorsy and dog-friendly that this place would allow dogs on the deck area. They only allow service dogs. So--that's fine, this is how most places are and I am used to that. We decided to get take out and shared turns waiting out on the benches with the dog and going in for ordering. The food was just ok. I had a chicken wrap, which had a few bites of chicken and a lot of leftover wrap and lettuce. Bit underwhelmed at the experience. Beautiful setting and location here though. Check out all the cool old homes nearby. read more

BEST MILKSHAKE I EVER HAD !! Wish the server was more pleasant. Smile !!! Great location. Great ice cream!!! read more

Jigger Shop - Mount Gretna June 2016 - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania

Food quality has dropped with the change of ownership. If you like greasy pink-slime burgers and watered down orange-aid, this is your spot. Stop cutting costs before you lose all of your customers. read more

A Mt. Gretna, was busy for a Wednesday night but probably the shortest line I ever had to stand in here. Service was fine. Ice cream was good and the regular size waffle cone was huge. read more

The food and ice cream is a Lebanon County staple however most of the kids working behind the counter are rude, it's hit or miss. The place is always insanely crowded which is also irritating but otherwise service has been good read more

Went up last weekend and got the usual California cheeseburger. 2nd time we got stall rolls that fall apart half way thru. The prices have skyrocketed. Coleslaw $6.00. I can feed a family of 4 cheaper at a Restuarant. They ruined a fun place to go. No more! read more

While staying in Mt Gretna we had to try the Jigger shop for ice cream. They have reasonable priced ice cream and tons of sundae choices. I had the Chocolate Eclair and it was excellent. They have burgers, fries etc. Didn't try anything other than ice cream but the food I saw looked pretty good. Outdoor seating which is nice and we could walk from our house which was a plus. Good spot for a night time treat! read more

Just too expensive for what you get. Also so little parking people park on the highway shoulder. Even with the no parking signs

I stopped by here with the in laws for some ice cream after a bike ride on a Saturday night. It was fairly warm out so to no one's surprise the Jigger shop was very crowded! Although the line to order was long, there was enough seating around to find a table for 4 people. The atmosphere here is quite incredible. The Jigger shop is in a prime location with such a beautiful wooded surrounding, nice outdoor seating, and a short distance away from a beautiful community and playground. The ice cream here is just mediocre for the price. They do have some creative dishes that they serve, but the quality of ice cream and toppings is just average. I ordered a chocolate marshmallow sundae, my wife had a nut based sundae, and my in laws had something similar with caramel. My in laws were displeased to find the cashes used in their ice cream were stale. The price is a bit steep for the ice cream, but the experience here makes it worth it in my opinion. The sundae's are large enough to split; so if you don't mind getting overly stuffed with ice cream don't be afraid to share something here. I'll be back here for the cool summer atmosphere this place provides. read more

I think some of these reviews are overly harsh. The Jigger Shoppe is a Gretna icon. It's all about the camp feel of the place and All the different and sundaes etc - not your standard ice cream shop lineup. Portions are generous. There are no white tablecloth, Sorry. More like plastic tables and chairs but the covered wooden deck is really cute. Is the food outstanding? No, but it's fine. Is it hideously overpriced? No. Someone whined about $5 for a burger. Really??! Have u been to McDonalds recently? Btw to really get the full experience try hopping on the rail trail and riding your bike over to the Jigger shop. Really nice ride with a yummy reward at the end. read more

On a recent trip to Mt Gretna, PA for the outdoor art festical we stopped at the Jigger Shop. It was established in 1895 as an ice cream parlor and is legendary among locals for its delicious treats. Really a fun place to visit with your family. We tried some food (fish sandwich, hamburger, fries) along with some ice cream (birch beer float, marshmellow & butterscotch ice cream, etc) Prices were fair, I wouldnt describe them as cheap. as must-see if you're ever in the area. read more

See all

Am I seriously the lowest rating so far? I wish someone would explain this to me. I've came here twice. To me this place is a disappointment, the hype people create is completely unnecessary. The first time I had come was a few years ago, my order was ice cream - because that's what it's known for. The ice cream included mini donuts and a flag if I remember correctly. It didn't taste all that. It's a tiny shop that doesn't seem organized or put together, you have separate lines for different things on the menu. It's dark inside. And the chairs and tables aren't anything pleasant, with their red, cheap table cloths. From the outside it's not eye catching either, it looks run down to me. So, the second time trying it out, the person whom I was with wanted to see what this place showed for itself as well. We attended the art show, hungry - we stopped here. Got an overpriced, $5.00 burger. Which doens't include fries. Fries were a separate order, over $2.00. It wasn't that great of a burger, the only time I'm ever paying $5.00 for a burger again will be at Five Guys - A taste worth paying the money, and that includes toppings. My company thought the same thing I did - nothing special about this place. Oh, and other thing.. This restaurant has random jars laying around asking for a tip? Um, tell the owner to lower the prices and we'll consider that. read more

It's an experience. There is sort of a nostalgic vibe to this place. First of all it's basically in a pavilion decorated with hanging glass lamps (reminds me of the old Tavern on the Green in NYC). The night we happened to be there we waited in a very long line but the girls running around behind the counter were doing a great job turning out amazing looking sundaes in very little time so we waited maybe 10 minutes to order. Here's your opportunity to people watch or talk with the folks around you. See, it's an experience. Anyway, we ordered a sherbet cone, a chocolate cone, and a banana split for my daughter and me to share. It was sooo good. I haven't had one in years and we wound up dueling with our spoons for the last bite...she won :) Anyway, they have a great variety of sundaes and I wouldn't waste my time on a cone -- come on, you can get plain old ice cream anywhere. It's what they DO with that ice cream that's the special part -- the experience. They had a strawberry shortcake sundae that looked and smelled worthy of a return visit. Don't even get me started on the Death By Chocolate sundae. They had beignets, people! Freshly made beignets. C'mon, go there and try something special. read more

Unfortunately I feel that most of the reviews here are from regulars and people that have a sentimental attachment to the area. The Jigger Shop, although a staple to Mt Gretna is lacking in quite a few aspects. The food is ok, but not much better than "diner" style food, it's a quick easy meal that comes at near a sit down restaraunt price. For my wife, a 2 year old and myself to stop in it's easy $30 with no service for just a simple cheeseburger, sandwich, kids meal, fries and drinks. Add in 7-8 dollar ice cream sundaes a quick stop here for lunch is easily $50. Now mind you, don't forget on a weekend unless your waiting for them to open a 10-15 min stand in line for food, and just last weekend I waited 25 minutes for icecream and eventually gave up as for the last 10 minutes they didn't even process the person 3 people in front us' order. We drove down to Twin Kiss in Colebrook for icecream (at more than half the price i'm sure). It was a reminder on why I haven't stopped here in a few years. My TLDR; It's an ok place to go but it is over rated, over priced, and often has long waits standing in line. It's worth stopping for the atmosphere/location (walking distances to what Mt Gretna has to offer), but not for the food/prices. read more

Just don't. Please. Don't. Plastic bologna. $3 extra to put lettuce on your burger. Water poured into my coffee. Run for your life. read more

Stopped at the Jigger Shop tonight to use the last of a gift certificate that we had before they closed . My wife ordered a cheeseburger and fries and I ordered the chicken basket. The food arrived a decent amount of time since we beat the evening rush. The hamburger had absolutely no flavor to it whatsoever and really did not even have the look of good quality hamburger. The fries were just okay and nothing really to talk about. Live just outside of Mt. Gretna and probably will not return. Recommend fresh hamburger and fresh cut fries. read more

Lots of yummy sundae choices! Definitely stop by for some good desert!! You also get a super cute location especially at night with the adorable lights and beautiful sunsets! read more

Awesome summer evening hangout! There's a long line for a reason. The ice cream desserts are massive so bring some friends and share a banana split. The whole town is a cool place to be, if you're in the area check it out! read more

Ice cream, sundaes, and of course the infamous Jigger! Always wonderful - everything I remember from my childhood. However, I think the new owners should re-think the food menu. I had a double Tex Burger. The obviously frozen hockey-puck patties were overcooked, room temperature, dry, tasteless, and topped with what seemed like cheese whiz, served on tiny grocery store bun. It's not 1940 anymore...time to up your burger game! Or, perhaps ditch the food altogether and stick with what you do best. read more

Yumm!! This is a great spot for food and especially ice cream!! Lines can get long though in the evening which further validates this score. They have one dessert where they fry a doughnut in front of you then put ice cream over it! Awesome! read more

We visited for the first time here and I was not impressed. I got a chocolate milkshake and a burger, and my husband got a burger. Our kids each got the death by chocolate sundae. My milkshake was not at all worth almost $6. It was just vanilla soft serve blended with Hershey syrup. Our burgers had a very awkward taste. It was very distinct, and nothing we've tasted in a burger before. Almost tasted like a chemical of some sort, or maybe there was something wrong with the meat. We told the manager and he made us each another one, which both still tasted funny. There's far better places with homemade ice cream that cost around the same or less. They really should focus more on the quality of the food they're serving instead of making giant sundaes that are half whipped cream. My rating is only for the quality of food and the cost. The staff was very friendly. read more

We have loved the Jigger Shop for years until last night. Paying $7 each for two sundaes and getting 'no more' than 1/2 scoop of ice cream was a real shock. They advertise 2 1/2 scoops of ice cream in their sundaes. False advertising unless they take away the ' 2 ' ! Hate to put down the place, since we go there several times a year, recommend it to friends, etc. We will still enjoy the atmosphere ( always 10 degrees cooler than elsewhere ), but will NEVER again get a sundae. Complete waste of money unless you want a dish of toppings, whipped cream and a cherry. Sorry !!! read more

great family friendly place in the heart of mount gretna. there is indoor and outdoor seating. no A/C or heat. the sundaes and ice cream are huge and beyond delicious!! read more

So much whipped cream! OH MY GOD! Anyways, I haven't actually been here in what? 6 years? I'm glad my friends after rehearsal suggested it. I got lost though which is fine though since I don't know the area, but the ice cream is how I remembered it. I got a hot fudge sundae tonight, though it had a mountain of whipped cream on it, I still loved it! I like the retro atmosphere of the place as well, plus indoor/outdoor seating makes it a great place. I hope I can get back here again soon. read more

Stopped by here on our way to the Indian Echo caverns. The food is simple and served quickly, but nothing that you couldn't get at another spot. However, the ambiance and being able to enjoy the breeze and nature of Mt. Gretna make this place worth a visit. We ended up trying the cheeseburger, chicken burger, fishwich and fries, all intentional choices to save room for the selection of ice cream treats. Jigger shop is named after the jigger sundae - vanilla icecream, chocolate or butterscotch, and whipped marshmallows toppings and true to the descriptions, they do not mess around with dessert portions. Since it's a seasonal store, there was definitely the added pleasure of getting in before the last day for the season. read more

Jigger Shop - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania

A true ice cream shop! Only open in the summer & the lines get long but it is truly worth the wait! Real scooped ice cream with a menagerie of sundaes to choose from & of course, the Jigger! If your in the area take a break & stop! read more

Love the fat free peanut butter yogurt in the past. Haven't been here for a long time so I don't know if this is served anymore. All the food was the best at the Jigger Shop! read more

We've been coming here for years as a family tradition, however since 2018 the service and prices have been sub par. Specifically for ice cream, the portions have gone down and the prices have gone up. The staff seems miserable and it's apparent that they did not want to be bothered whenever we asked them to correct our orders. The coffee is "always cold" as the staff not-so-kindly explained so they took our coffees back and microwaved them. It's unfortunate that the experience here has gone downhill and our summer family tradition has to come to an end. read more

Finally I made it here! After driving somewhat confused through the wooded area, we arrived! I was so excited to try this place, my late neighbor who passed away a few years ago, had told me about this place and wanted us to go together, which unfortunately didn't happen since she got sick. Anyhow, honoring her memory I walked up the wooden steps into the retro camp looking establishment built among & around the trees. We incidentally went into the food line, but only wanted ice cream, and the girl at the register recommended the Jigger Sundae, but that we needed to go to the ice cream line. There were people all lined up, so we stood behind them, but as we did we realized we were supposed to go to another area. So we waited about 10 minutes awkwardly and then ordered the Jigger sundae with hot fudge. It was about 10 dollars for one normal sized sundae, big enough for us, but kind of pricey. The person in front ordered something with flaming pretzels on top, and another a patriotic sundae with a lit sparkler on top! We went and sat on the porch under the awning, and marveled at the fun roof built around the trees. The sundae was covered in thick, warm, rich marshmallow topping, which was delicious, and "jigger nuts" which tasted like ground up Boston baked beans? It was kind of grainy, very interesting. The fudge was not impressive, kind of bland and cold and thick. The French vanilla ice cream was very watery and you had to dig deep with the spoon past several feet of marshmallow topping to get any. We actually didn't finish it and I kind of was not overly impressed other than the marshmallow. But the experience was fun and precious and I thought of Miss Cathy and her laugh and love for ice cream in a cute town. read more