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    McConnell's Fine Ice Creams

    4.5 (327 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

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    Frank P.

    This a must stop for me before taking the train home from SBA. They have the best ice-cream in town. Service is always good. The long line moves fast.

    Elocin T.

    This is the iconic spot for ice cream for many decades and they have different branches throughout Santa Barbara they also sell ice cream to go be sure to get your ice cream fixed here you will not be disappointed

    Jake B.

    It's hard to fill the void that Tondi left, but McConnell's does a good job. They provide high quality ice cream for a reasonable price, and are very friendly. I definitely plan on returning!

    Sweet Corn & Blackberries
    David M.

    Sweet Corn & Blackberries. Somehow this just works. So many other fun flavors to try. Go to McConnell's!

    Shannon W.

    I'm a big fan of McConnell's ice cream here. I went with the 3x chocolate flavor--it's made with three types of chocolate and was creamy and delicious. I had no problem finishing the whole thing and the waffle cone by myself. Just a heads up, this isn't the flagship store. That one is a few blocks away, also on State Street, but it only has about six seats so it's not a huge difference. This location is super easy to get to as long as you're already on the State Street promenade.

    single size scoops
    Graschelle H.

    I tried McConnell's for the first time and it was TOP TIER! Like immediately! Every flavor I sampled was deliciously creamy, dense, and rich--a testament to their use of high quality ingredients (grass-grazed milk and cream) sourced locally from the Central Coast. It was so difficult to choose! I ultimately went with the Earl Grey Tea & Shortbread Cookies and Sea Salt Cream & Cookies. The Earl Grey tea base was really aromatic and authentic, and the shortbread cookies added a buttery sweet texture, easily one of the best artisanal flavors I've ever tried. As for the Sea Salt Cream & Cookies flavor, the local sea salt in the cream base paired perfectly with the chocolate chunk cookie pieces. I appreciate how both flavors I chose were balanced by elements that cut the richness in such a well-crafted way. My friends got the Eureka Lemon & Marionberries, Churros Con Leche, and Santa Barbara Strawberry flavors and LOVED them. The SB Strawberry flavor was so fresh and unlike any other strawberry ice cream. There's just something about those local Central Coast strawberries! Prepare to pay, but also prepare to be blown away. The quality and flavor make it an indulgence well worth the price. We were greeted by friendly employees who were super helpful with letting us sample flavors and advising us on what flavors pair well together. This location is perfect for grabbing a scoop and walking along State Street or browsing the Farmer's Market! There were also a few tables upstairs and some benches right outside.

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    Breanna Belcher

    Came to this ice cream shop because it was highly recommended in a YouTube video as a "must" when in Santa Barbara. When we arrived the line was out the door, but fairly short because it started at the entrance. We were able to order within 3-5min. In another review on yelp I saw they had cake sprinkles, one of my favorite types of ice cream! Unfortunately they didn't have that flavor, nor did they have a couple other flavors my husband was looking for that he saw on their website. Though they had them in the pint version. I did end up trying the peanut butter, but ultimately went with the strawberries and cream. Wouldn't have been my first choice, but I didn't really have other options that I was eager to try. I'm wondering if they sold out of specific flavors because ordered 30 min before closing. If you like different flavored ice cream I would recommend trying if you're interested, but I wouldn't say it's a "MUST".

    Vivian A.

    I spotted this out of the corner of my eye after a walk from the Amtrak station. So good to hear good things about it that we made sure to hit it up on the way back to the train. Employees were nice and let us sample until we made up our made. Man, everything was so good! What I swallowed: *SPLIT SINGLE: SANTA BARBARA STRAWBERRY & SEA SALT CREAM AND COOKIES: How can I NOT get SB strawberries if I'm here? Man, it was good: creamy with very tasty strawberries. The sea sale cream and cookies was top notch as well. I took note that they are at Sprouts. I'll have to check if they are in the Denver area (pretty please say you are!). If not, we can always online order!

    Kami H.

    This is not your average ice cream shop. They have some great flavor combinations that are not your basic choices. So if you're looking for plain vanilla, this is not your place. Chocolate hazelnut and brownies - This is rich, but not overpowering. If brownies came in ice cream form, this is it. Almost like eating brownie batter, but better. Double peanut butter chip - Has a hint of saltiness which paired well with the chocolate hazelnut. The chips were not big and more mashed up in the ice cream. Get it in a waffle cone or in a regular cone upside down in a cup. If you're going to splurge, might as well go big!

    Leslie W.

    McConnell's is truly a Santa Barbara classic and an easy stop whenever you are craving something sweet after a meal or just need a mid day treat while walking around town. It feels like one of those places locals and visitors naturally gravitate toward for good reason. We tried the vanilla bean and the sea salt cookies and cream. The vanilla bean was simple in the best way, rich, creamy, and full of real flavor that reminds you how good a classic can be when done right. The sea salt cookies and cream was the surprise favorite. It had a unique balance of sweet and salty that made it stand out from the standard version you find elsewhere, with great texture throughout. The waffle cone alone is worth ordering. Fresh, fragrant, and slightly crisp with just enough sweetness, it elevated the whole experience and made the ice cream feel extra indulgent. McConnell's lives up to its reputation as a staple Santa Barbara dessert spot. Perfect for a casual post dinner stop or an afternoon pick me up, and definitely somewhere I would return every time I am in the area.

    Megan D.

    1 Scoop of ice cream- One scoop lets you choose two flavors, woohoo! I went with earl grey tea with shortbread cookies and sea salt cream with cookies. Both were delicious! Cost - $7.50 for one scoop.

    Summer Corn & Blackberries + Earl Grey Tea & Shortbread Cookies
    Christina T.

    cute ice cream shop with unique flavors. we got the summer corn & blackberry and the earl grey tea & shortbread cookie. the ice cream was super creamy and not too sweet, which I really appreciate. however, i think the earl grey flavor was not that prominent. I would definitely come back and try their other flavors! Service was fast and efficient. the store was pretty spacious, but there wasn't that much seating inside. it's located in a shopping area and it's near the beach, which makes a perfect little snack to eat while walking on the beach or shopping around.

    Monica R.

    It is an iconic place in Santa Barbara. They have different flavors, and I liked my choices. It is pricey but worth to get a scoop. The service is nice and friendly. The ambiance is simple, with chair and table inside.

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    McConnell's Fine Ice Creams Reviews in Other Languages

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    Are there tables and chairs to eat inside?

    Yes, benches.

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    Mission Street Ice Cream and Yogurt - Featuring McConnell's

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    4.4
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    Melt in your mouth goodness!!! While visiting SB, we drove…read moreby this spot on the way to dinner. We said to ourselves, skip dessert at the restaurant , so we can save room for ice cream! Thursday evening and there was a line! We got double scoops and those were generous portions for sure, seemed like a pint of ice cream in each. We got Santa Barbara Strawberry, very strawberry, creamy and yummy! And Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate - as creamy chocolate as it gets, with bits of chocolate - yummo!!! Go get some goodness while in the area, we highly recommend !

    This ice cream spot was definitely one of the highlights of my Santa Barbara trip. I was already so…read moreexcited to go because my friend was hyping it up, and it definitely lived up to the hype. I got a small froyo which ended up being HUGE. I was shocked with their serving size because it was so much for only $9. Anywhere else this would probably be $20 lol. With the small you can get four flavors so i got horchata, peanut butter, honey vanilla, and graham cracker. All of the flavors were so yummy, not to sweet, and creamy as could be. Definitely would recommend coming here. The wait was a bit long, but while chatting it up with some friends made it go by fast.

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    Our new store front! Mission Street Ice Cream and Yogurt - Featuring McConnell's Fine Ice Cream.
    Our new store front! Mission Street Ice Cream and Yogurt - Featuring McConnell's Fine Ice Cream.
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    Rori's Artisanal Creamery

    Rori's Artisanal Creamery

    4.4
    (379 reviews)
    1.1 mi
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    I ordered the milk and cookies and the Nutella flavor. The ice cream was very creamy, and was on…read morethe softer side which I like. The milk and cookies flavor was good. It had these chunks of chocolate cookies and chocolate chips. I liked the cookie bits, not so much the chocolate chips. The Nutella ice cream was great, and I enjoyed how it came with Nutella spread on the bottom. I like how the ice cream is organic but it is pretty expensive. The service was nice. Rori's is located in a food hall. It is kinda loud, and there is not a ton of seating outside of the stall.

    Rori's Artisinal Creamery is located inside of the Santa Barbara Public Market. A great spot to…read morecome for a drink, lunch/dinner and they stop by Rori's for some delicious ice cream! The line was fairly long when we arrived, but it does move pretty fast even with only 2 people working. // FLAVORS // BROWN SUGAR BANANA: fresh banana ice cream made with homemade dark brown sugar. If you love bananas, you'll definitely go crazy for this! The brown sugar flavor takes a backseat compared to the banana. SALTED CARAMEL: Homemade caramel topped with Maldon sea salt. This was my favorite one! Deep caramel flavor, with a slight hint of Maldon sea salt. The only thing that would make this better is something added to it for texture.

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    Cuso's Creamery

    Cuso's Creamery

    4.6
    (80 reviews)
    0.5 mi
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    Cuso's has officially moved just across the street from their original spot. Now located at 609…read moreState Street with a much larger space. I decided to check out their brand new sandwich lineup. It's only two choices right now, but they could potentially add more later. I went with the Cuso's Crunch, which is smoked turkey piled onto a Dutch crunch roll with seasoned aioli, Havarti cheese, bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and avocado. This is the kind of meal fit for a hot summer. It's packed with flavor, and so generously sized that I saved the other half for dinner. The price was about $18 after tax, kinda pricey but the size and quality of ingredients match the price point. I'd recommend sharing this sandwich because it's a generous size. Since it was a warm Santa Barbara day, I had to finish things off with ice cream. I ordered the Maple Bacon Praline and Brown Butter Banana Toffee. Both rich, creamy, and absolutely worth trying if you can't decide on just one flavor. I loved both flavors, but you may need water because it's so rich! They also offer samples to try. If you like a dirty soda, then you can find it here too. I don't drink soda, but the combination of flavors on the menu sounded really good. Whether you're grabbing lunch, treating yourself to ice cream, or heading out on an adventure, Cuso's has you covered. They also offer e-bike, mountain bike, and hybrid bike rentals and tours, making it a true one-stop shop for exploring Santa Barbara. Plus the new space is really nice and accommodating for groups or if your coming here solo. I also met the owners on my visit and they were very friendly and gave me a little background on their business. I love supporting family owned businesses in town. It makes the experience all worthwhile.

    I walked into Cuso's when they were going to close in 5 minutes completely expecting them to say…read morethey're closed which would have been fine! However, they said they would still serve me. I ordered a double scoop of cookies and cream and went on my way. It was delicious, and I appreciate them serving me so close to closing it.

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    It's National Ice Cream Scoop Day! Free Waffle cone today only 9.22.24
    It's National Ice Cream Scoop Day! Free Waffle cone today only 9.22.24
    The Guava Cheesecake was so good!! Chunks of cheesecake and ribbons of guava.
    The Guava Cheesecake was so good!! Chunks of cheesecake and ribbons of guava.
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    Tondi Gelato

    Tondi Gelato

    4.9
    (373 reviews)
    0.6 mi
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    I was on State Street for a quick day trip and was wandering around and saw a huge line in front of…read moreTondi Gelato. I saw that the line was moving pretty quickly so I decided to wait in line. It was about a 15 minute wait, which was not bad for Saturday afternoon. Tondi Gelato hand churns the gelato (which they advertised in front), so I was excited to try. There were tons of flavors and they also allow you to mix. I decided on salted caramel and strawberries and cream. Once I got to the front, I was in and out in about 5 minutes. They also put on whipped cream, which I opted to skip. There's a small patio for seating, but I wandered around state street. The ice cream was pretty delicious, so creamy and tasty. The only thing is that my strawberry and cream over flavored the caramel. So I ate them one side at a time (lol). Next time, I will pick other flavors that mesh better. Definitely a must try when you're on state street. They also have a ton of vegan options, which looked really good.

    While visiting the Santa Barbara mall stopped in at Tondi Gelato to satisfy our craving for…read moresomething sweet. Employees were welcoming and friendly and trying their best to get everyone served. The shop was simple but cute. This was my first time having gelato, and I really enjoyed it. They had a variety of flavors to choose from however I went with coconut and lemon might go to flavors. Coconut was sweet and creamy and the lemon tasted like fresh lemons the perfect flavor for a hot summer day.

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    McConnell's Fine Ice Creams - icecream - Updated August 2026

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