There is nowhere that will give you as much bang for your buck as Nelson's. The portion size is huge, and the ice cream is good. The wait can be quite long in line, so be prepared to stand for a while. It's cash only, but there is an ATM inside, with both indoor and outdoor umbrella seating. They also include pup cups. read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Cherry Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

This is a staple!!!! Such a great price with massive portions. Plenty of flavors to choose from, [[HIGHLIGHT]]indoor and outdoor seating available with cute lighting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service is very friendly and generous! read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Triple icecream in three cones: brownie s'more, rich & famous, mango icecream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Okay so I love ice cream and heaping amounts of it, this place satiates that very well. Nelson's gives you SO MUCH and I'm always thankful for that. Been going here for all my life and it's one of those places that gets super busy in the summer because it's undeniably tasty and satisfying. I can't remember what I got, but it was large and delicious. Sometimes it's too much and I have to throw some, but sometimes it's just the right amount. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is friendly and family oriented, seating outside thwarts the inside, I think there's like two chairs inside during the summer.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Overall delicious ice cream, many options, and the service is super friendly!!! read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

The ice cream is delicious and the serving sizes are very generous. Everything seems to get put into smaller packages with a higher price these days. That is not the case for Nelson's Ice Cream. Definitely stopping there every time I'm in town. You must try and be sure to bring your dessert stomach. read more

I already knew Nelson's was going to be a hit because it'd been a recommendation from a local friend, but it'd been undersold! [[HIGHLIGHT]]A WIDE range of flavors, gigantic servings, friendly staff, ample in/outdoor seating, and a clean restroom to boot![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] For those visiting St. Paul, you've gotta visit this hidden gem! read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Prices as of 8/2025 - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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If you are hungry for delicious ice-cream and lots of flavors to choose from this is a must go place. The servings are ridiculously large! Cash only. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Clean and great service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Child's waffle cone- strawberry and lemon bar. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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CASH ONLY! This place is only open in the summer and always has a line out the door. They serve a stupid amount of Kemps ice cream, like there is no way on God's screen earth that one person could even finish the child's size here. They always have a bunch of kids working, but they are efficient and kind. You will also be overwhelmed by the number of flavors. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a fun place to take your kid if you want to absolutely blow their mind.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Take lots of napkins and wet wipes.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

If you want to eat a lot of delicious ice cream, come to Nelson's! I got a child size of the toffee mixed with the s'mores and it was good! I split it with my husband because the child size fills an entire 12 oz cup plus the same amount that's in the cup is stacked on top of the cup. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There is ample seating inside and some outside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service is great! I would totally come back here. FYI - It is cash only! read more

Come to Nelson's ready to eat boatloads of ice cream! No frills, cash only. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Space indoor and outdoor to sit.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My husband and I both ordered kid's sizes and thought they were joking when we were handed a mound of ice cream in a paper cup. The raspberry white chocolate truffle and java chip were both super tasty. Plenty of leftovers! read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Nelson's is always a destination must when heading to Stillwater! They have a huge selection of delicious ice cream, only to be matched by the gigantic sizes of their cones! Staff bring smiles to everyone's faces with their friendly service. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There's also a nice sitting area on the patio, with a convenient washing station for those inevitably sticky hands on a hot day![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]This is a perfect stop for families, friends, or even colleagues.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Toffee crunch ice cream on a " child" size waffle cone. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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YES! YES! YES! Found this lovely shop while searching for non dairy ice cream (THEY HAVE SOME!) and it did not disappoint. There's a small lot for parking on the side, it is on a pretty busy street. They ONLY ACCEPT CASH! The interior was clean and had the flavors on the walls. My sisters and I all got kid sized, KID SIZED! I was surprised they kept adding to our cup. I only paid $20ish for two cups and one cone/a pup cup. So happy I found this spot! It's close to where I'm staying and a great place to have some ice cream (I got the non dairy cookies and cream). If you're looking to have some ice cream..PICK THIS PLACE! read more

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Nelson's Ice Cream is phenomenal! I always know the ice cream is good when you walk in and can smell it. I ordered a kids size cup and it was more than overflowing with ice cream. I could barely finish the entire cup but it was so good I couldn't waste it. They let you choose 2 flavors and I had the brownie s'mores and cake & cream ice cream. I will be back again and again for the brownie s'mores flavor! Service was fast and friendly, letting me try a couple flavors that I couldn't decide on. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There was plenty of seating to enjoy your ice cream inside and out and parking was also easy to find.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The kids cup was $5.50 and cash is a must when going! read more

If you know, you definitely know that Nelson's is a must for ice cream in St. Paul. They have a ton of flavors that you can mix and match. But most notably, the servings are massive. For anyone new to Nelson's, get the kids size ice cream. They always have extra cups at the checkout for you to use if needed (and they will be needed). Also just a heads up, it's cash only!! But the prices are super cheap for the amount of ice cream you get. read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Warning: quantities are HUGE! Love coming here every summer. One of the only places I can still get my childhood favorite ice cream (French Silk). I get the kids size every time and I've easily split it with 3 other people. Great amount of ice cream for the price. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Seating is outside only, and the restaurant is not open over the winter.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Parking has usually been limited, so prepare to sometimes have to park on the side of the road and walk to the business. I believe Nelson's is still cash only, so prepare for that as well. Overall, great place, friendly staff, and worth the price. read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Kids Cup of French Silk - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Best bang for your buck at Nelson's Ice Cream! SO many delicious flavors of ice cream and portions are so large, you could share the smallest size cup/cone with two other people. Service was friendly and fast. The outdoor patio area was pretty cute too. We love this place. On those summer nights where you NEED to fill your belly with ice cream, you should head here. Note: CASH ONLY, they do not accept credit cards. read more

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BRING a Cooler. This is so much ice cream and Soooo good! My husband is a great saver and realized it is better to get the larger size and bring some home. However, was extremely frustrated at the gull of some people. The line is always long but that doesn't give you the right to have your children stand in line and then have a car of 5 other people pull up and join them in line. Wait like the rest of us. Be kind and considerate- damn. read more

An AMAZING bang for your buck. Trust me when I say, this little mom and pop ice cream shop is serving up HUGE portions of ice cream. I definitely recommend ordering a child size for yourself or even to share with someone else. I got a child size in a waffle cone ($6.50) which came with like 7 scoops of ice cream! It was massive and definitely worth the price. Not only that, but the ice cream was delicious. I got flavors Rum Cherry and Mackinac Island Fudge. It isn't the most gourmet ice cream ever, but for sure a good treat. They have tons of flavors to choose from! Whichever one you get, I am sure you will love it. read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - child size w/ rum cherry + mackinac island fudge in a waffle cone ($6.50) -- HUGE!!! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Visited on one of the hottest days of the summer and we're rewarded with some delicious (and large!) ice cream. The St Paul spot has plenty of parking in a small lot and on side streets and a to. If seating both inside and out. The flavors are displayed on the wall but take your time looking at each offering in the case. Servers were friendly and patient as we made our selections and there was no skimping in the ice cream. Our only mistake was getting a child size each as there appears to be about 6 scoops in just that one! This has to be one of the best deals for ice cream in the cities as it was only $5.50. They also offer and I want it all sampler for $37. Where are you appear to get a scoop of every single ice cream and if you finish it get your picture on the wall. No one was attempting the sun we were there but I bet it would be pretty entertaining to watch! If you haven't been, add it to your list of must try's...and maybe take a pal and plan on splitting. read more

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nelson's is the best. large selection and all the flavors have full flavor. the people are so nice. and the portions are bigger that anywhere else on the planet. read more

A:"hole-in-a-wall" (inside), where upon entering, you may think "this might be good!." but there was also a smell when we entered. I couldn't think of what it was, and I didn't hear my wife say that she thought it smelled like rotten milk until she mentioned it again later, so I ordered. Hopefully that was a one-time thing. Service was service, nothing bad, nothing memorable. The ice cream... Delicious!! If you can handle ALOT of ice cream, Nelson's is the place. The servings are huge. I was thinking "what am I suppose to do with that?" and almost asked the guy not to add the last scoop. But who's in the business of turning down ice cream? I had what's considered a single. Even the kiddie scoop was huge. The ice cream was delicious!!! Definitely the best bang for your buck! Too bad we had to make business decisions, sadly choosing to throw away what we couldn't finish instead of finishing our way into an ice cream stomach ache. Will we return? Yes! read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Kiddie and single scoop of Nelson's Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

giant servings! crazy cheap too. i had the chocolate chunk raspberry and the elephant tracks, soooo good. line wasn't too bad but there were quite a few people in there for a cold and rainy day, im sure its a hit on the hot summer days! read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - "child's size" double scoops tops are almaretto cherry and chocolate chunk raspberry - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I'm surprised at some of the low reviews for Nelsons. The sizing is huge so you get your bang for your buck. How is there such a thing as too much ice cream?! Of course I understand their sizing is large, so I usually order a kids size and split with 1-2 people. Still makes it so cheap and the ice cream tastes amazing. They have a variety of flavors and I haven't been disappointed by the ones I've tried. Some say the ice cream isn't high quality. Personally I think it's delicious. The perfect place to pick up a summer treat in this heat. read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Kids size with 2 flavors - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Great place and number one go to for ice cream in St Paul, MN. Everyone we bring is impressed with selection and serving size. Amazing!

So many flavor choices, giant quantities for a really great price, but most importantly very high quality ice cream. I like supporting small family owned businesses. read more

Excellent ice cream. Service was good, and awesome serving sizes. A nice drive to Stillwater should definitely warrant a trip to Nelsons read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Still awesome. I really enjoy the cornucopia of flavors to try and yes, the child size has gone up since I first reviewed a whole 25 cents. This being the time of "the rona", everyone was masked up and while a little slow, one of the employees went through wiping everything down. I paid cash and after getting my change, the employee washed their hands before working with the next customer. There is usually a ton of people waiting in line so the place does get busy but that is easy enough to see. Thankful there is one in the hood. read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Ice cream flavors and pricing for this is the best ever!They have seasonal flavors and normal ones. On a hot day lines can easily be out the door! We came on a warm late afternoon and were able to stand in line inside the building. The vibe is very "Hello, from your local ice cream parlor" place. Some seating inside in the back and some seating out in front. Beware of sticky floors/ground since they can melt quicker if it's hot and how much they give you. They his spot can easily get really busy. There's street parking and a very small parking lot on the side. An extra cup can be used to top your ice cream as well as share it (if you want). We found ourselves eating it outside by our car with sticky hands so bring wet wipes! Overall, I wish we had these ice cream prices and sizing back home! Would totally visit again! read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Kid size VS single serve size - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Largest portion of ice cream I've ever seen for a tiny price. A gazillion flavors. Our new favorite ice cream spot!

We were on a week-long trip, exploring Minnesota for our first time (visiting from Atlanta) and Nelson's was recommended in one of my FB travel groups. I definitely think it's a must-visit for any ice cream lover! The portion sizes are enormous. We ordered the child-size, and it seemed like about 8 scoops. And you can choose 2 flavors! It was also extremely reasonably priced, I think just over $5 for this size (cash only). read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

The ice cream is fabulous! Portions ridiculous, so huge. Only reason I didn't give a 5 is the line could move a little faster. read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - The Lemon bar is my favorite this summer! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

So here's a review I never thought I'd write; this was way too much ice cream! We ordered a kid's cup and 2 single waffle cones and they were very yummy, but ridiculously over full. Like falling off the cone, soaking through the 9 million napkins, and sugar coma inducing full. We tossed half of it, and that was after most fell on us or the ground. My ice cream loving toddler actually woke up in the middle of the night reminiscing about the "very too much ice cream!" Ice cream is not supposed to be stressful, just give me a normal single scoop! Lest anyone think I'm exaggerating, look at this picture, the strawberry cup was for a 2 year old! *To be fair, the flavor of the ice cream was a solid 4 stars. read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - This is a kid's size cup??!! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Food: ice plus more ice cream because it's has so many flavors to choose from. Also, the quantity you get is huge and the price is very reasonable. You can get 2 different ice creams in one cup which was nice too. Service: The servers were very sweet and allowed us to take our time deciding which flavor we wanted. They were so generous with portions and let us get a couple extra to go cups because we couldn't eat it all the ice cream. Ambiance: lovely out door picnic tables and a couple tables inside. read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - On left: white chocolate raspberry truffle ice cream- kids cup On Right: banana ice and chocolate raspberry-kids cup - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

How can you beat this gem of an ice cream shop located in the quaint Stillwater, MN? Make sure you show up hungry, because you won't want to waste any of very generous, delicious ice cream that you'll be served. read more

I may be the only one there who got this flavor, but hear me out. The licorice chip ice cream is delightful. There aren't words to describe the flavor of licorice mixed with cream. It's light and airy, slightly floral, with notes of root beer, and the cream cuts down the stringent flavor of licorice. Admittedly you probably shouldn't vehemently dislike licorice to get this flavor, but if you're open to trying it, I strongly recommend! The crunchy bits of of licorice were a nice addition. Another suggestion: you only need the child size, trust me. Also- if you plan to take the ice cream anywhere away from the premises (I.e. your car) bring one of those large plastic cylindrical deli to-go containers. Take tons of napkins. You'll appreciate this advice. read more

Tons of flavors, HUGE portions. Order the kiddie size; it is enough for two! Service was helpful.

Every single of us were a kid once...We think of hot summers...I believe most kids grew up in the U.S. would think of Ice-cream and the 'small' town you were from... You wish EVERY day was like your childhood. This place is as close it gets. It has a 'small town' feel. No tables/seats inside - people sit outside on picnic tables. ALL the flavors are written on the wall. This place is timeless - it could easily the same decor from the 60s - just like the way I wanted. Be prepared for long lines especially on hot summer day. For the love of G*d, know what you want. Caution: If you can eat beyond the child/kid's size - you should be a diabetic and/or have some serious ice-cream issues. Trust me, just decide on the flavor and start from there. Bring your kid(s)/nephews/nieces etc...corrupt them and make a great memory out of it. I pretty sure they will remember this place for the rest of their childhood. One more thing, like the old days, bring cash. No credit cards. Love this place. I like to 'corrupt' my children once a year here. read more

I love Nelson's!!!! 1st- cash only. 2nd- you get A LOT of ice cream for a low price AND it taste great! My personal favorite flavors are spumoni & superman! They have many flavors to choose from! I usually order the child size in a waffle cone. It's usually still too much. My tip for eating any size in a cone is grab a cup & put the scoops overflowing the cone into the cup, eat the cone & the ice cream left in the first, then eat what you can from the cup. Or you can share! Otherwise you may never get to the cone. I believe for a child size you can get up to 2 flavors. I'm not sure when the best time to go is because whenever I go there's always a decent size line but It does move fairly fast. They have indoor seating & outdoor seating. As well as a small parking lot. There's street parking as well. read more

Nelson's Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

My brother has a peanut allergy and he went to eat ice cream here. One ice cream had peanuts in it but it didn't disclose the fact that it did. My brother ordered the ice cream and had an allergic reaction. He is in the ER right now. Why would you NOT put up a nut warning sign when nuts are one of the most common allergies? read more

The ice cream was so delicious!!! You knew it was going to be good ice cream when the line was to the door. The staff were very friendly. Lots of great flavors to choose from. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The store was super nice and the outdoor seating was perfect for a warm summer night!!![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Will definitely be back. read more

Maybe we lucked out, bc on a warm but slightly drizzly Sunday at 5:45, there was no line. Ice cream as big as your head! This place is not for the dairy intolerant, although they do have rainbow sherbet. The ice cream may not be as super high quality as some places, but the flavor assortment is SOLID and OMG the serving size to cost ratio is out of control. We didn't see anything gross, in fact the tables were all very clean. We didnt visit the bathrooms, and we knew to bring cash. read more