This is an amazing place right next to the beach and so many variety of flavors , a 10/10read more

Matt was awesome ! He was patient and kind as he served me and my husband some of their best scoops…read more! Will be back !

Friends and I weren't craving donuts while in Newport, so we decided on Milk & Cookies to satisfy…read moreour sweet treat cravings. You could tell the cashier was ready to go home, but I found her endearing. She was very helpful and provided descriptions of some of the cookies they had displayed. My friend got the cowboy cookie and I got the M&M cookie. We both opted out of enjoying our cookies with milk, which I guess defeats the purpose.. but the cookies were warm and tasty. They were a great size for a decent price.

I've been coming to this spot since 2020 during the COVID days, and the cookies remain great. They…read moreoffer a wide variety of flavors, and the best part is that the cookies are always served warm. The Order: * My Go-To: I highly recommend the chocolate chip cookie with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top. * Variety: They have every flavor of milk, ice cream, and cookies you could want. Timing & Atmosphere: * Avoid Weekends: I would not recommend coming here on a weekend. The store is tiny, and because it's right next to all the bars, the area gets crowded with a lot of drunk people. If that isn't your scene, stick to a weekday visit. * Rewards: It is quite expensive, but it's a nice treat. Plus, you can sign up with your phone number to get discounts for future visits. The Parking Situation: * Virtually Non-Existent: There is no parking lot, so you are stuck looking for small spots along the side of the road. * Accessibility: There is no designated handicap parking, so keep that in mind if you aren't prepared to walk a bit from a side street. Final Verdict: It's a perfect weekday spot for a warm dessert, just be prepared for the peninsula parking struggle!

First, great tasting ice cream!! But you expect and want that and this delivers! Creamy,…read moreinteresting flavors as well as more traditional ones. But customer service is a real plus. The lines can be long but the wait is worth it. The workers take their time and make sure each customer is taken care of. There are many options and they are willing to let you try as many samples as you want. They have real metal spoons the samples come on- this means more work for the staff. But that is part of a customer oriented store. It is also pet friendly! So come when you want to be treated right, take your time and enjoy unique flavors for something out of the ordinary or enjoy a flavor you're more familiar with. Either way you won't be disappointed.

Wow. Phenomenal service felt welcomed to try all the flavors if I wanted!…read more Had the seasonal flavor with huckleberry oat on a waffle cone. Dear son got strawberry coconut water sherbert! Only a couple benches outside. Would be five stars if there was tables and chairs to sit.

Stopped in today to get my coffee fix, and I think I've found my new go-to spot whenever I'm in the…read morearea. I tried one of the barista's recommendations, and it did not disappoint. It wasn't overly sweet, which I really appreciated. I also love that they offer gelato, açaí bowls, tea, and smoothies--such a great variety. Emma mentioned they carry ceremonial-grade matcha and said it's a must try, so needless to say, I'll definitely be back for that. Shoutout to Emma for being so kind and for turning me into a repeat customer.

Let's start by stating, this is one of those spots you go to when the vibes are already high,…read moreyou're enjoying the beach and walk in wearing your bathing suit, a little cover up, and definitely covered in sand and probably a little sunburnt! It's located at the Newport/Balboa pier by the surfer statue, the interior is tight but manageable as the drinks come out pretty quickly. There's plenty of tables set outside to be shared amongst the other small food spots around. I visited on a Saturday morning after taking a walk up and down the pier with my pup. The line was a few folks out the door but I was at the counter ordering within a few minutes. The menu is straight and to the point, prices are what you'd expect from any coffee shop in the OC (I would think the baseline is $6-$8 per drink) They also offer smoothies and açaí bowls as well. I see that they had an açaí smoothie on the menu and was intrigued! Once I received my smoothie, I could tell just by visuals it was a premade frozen açaí blend of some sort that was re-blended. It tasted pretty close to the single serve frozen açaí pouches you can buy at Costco. And speaking of, the consistency was exactly like your Costco berry smoothie (and dare I say.. even the taste? lol) except of course the Costco smoothie is only $3. It wasn't great. It wasn't bad. It wasn't cheap ($8) but, it was a cold drink on a hot day that was artificially sweet and went down easy. And also, served by the nicest staff!! Next time I'll try their matcha (which is what I was going to order but then I had to get spontaneous lol)

My son has been raving about Stella Jean's ice cream for awhile now and I finally got a chance to…read morego try it myself and it did not disappoint! I'm Filipino and was tickled to hear about the flavors...Ube Pandesal Toffee, Banana Turon Crunch & Mango Sticky Rice. We tried the Ube Pandesal Toffee and I'm quite amazed how they were able to capture that unique flavor. I grew up with making an "ice cream" sandwich by putting ice cream in a pandesal and tasting this just unleashed a core memory of being young and making an ice cream sandwich that way. We will definitely be back to try the other flavors! When we arrived there was a few people in line and when the line grew a bit, I think it was a manager that stopped what he was doing to jump in and help with customers which I thought was very considerate of him to do. Lastly, the location was charming and tucked away in the corner of the plaza. It had a few tables outside and in the adjacent Pop Pie shop to sit for a few minutes to enjoy the ice cream! It's nice to support a small businesses that cater to the community! Good luck to the Stella Jean family...wishing you success! I'll be back for my Turon & sticky rice!

Came in for a quick ice cream treat and the options did not disappoint!! They have many flavors…read morethat rotate out and the flavors are very unique which is great. I compare it to a Salt and Straw and the price point was also similar/average. Service was friendly and patient, they allow you to try as many flavors as you want! Ambiance is aesthetic and nice, a little spot to stop by for a quick treat!

The bhel puri was incredibly fresh and yummy. The rice crispies were not soggy. The bhel was well…read moreseasoned and not dry. The blend between the sweet and spicy chutneys was perfect. It was delicious and hit the spot! I also tried the mango kulfi and it was yummy and brought back fond childhood memories!

Nice place if you are into this type of unique ice creme, they have offerings and flavours that you…read morewould not get elsewhere normally. I like to try new stuff so enjoyed trying few things here. This spot is near the NP beach and also offers some snacks and bites of you want to have something more than ice creame. The owners lady is nice and these are all her own recipes that they are serving here. Overall will give 6 out of 10 on my DVFM* score. *Dees value for money score

Delicious!!! And they take cash…read more My sister and I got frozen bananas dipped in chocolate with rainbow sprinkles. She added Strawberry drizzle too! Tasty and refreshing on a hot day.

A perfect stop before walking around Balboa. My friend and I came here to catch up and grab…read moresomething sweet before exploring, and it did not disappoint. I got a slice of frozen cheesecake dipped in chocolate with peanuts and peanut butter sauce. I was honestly surprised by how balanced it was, it wasn't overly sweet at all. And the fact that it didn't wreck my stomach before an hour of walking around is really saying something. My friend went with the Oreo hot fudge sundae and she was equally happy with hers. It's just a stand with two benches out front, which is exactly what you want for a quick treat before a stroll. Service was quick, treats were out in less than 4 minutes. Simple, delicious, and the perfect Balboa pit stop.

We decided to spend a day in Irvine/Newport Beach area, and I saw a blog that talked about the…read morefrozen bananas here. We decided try it out! The employee there welcomed and greeted us, and she was kind. The inside of the small shop looked clean. Parking is on residential streets, and it wasn't that hard to find; it took us 5-10 min to find parking. The frozen banana with coconut was pretty good! It was not too sweet. The medium size was adequate between me and my partner.

Dad's Donut & Bakery Shop is well-known for its Chocolate Frozen Bananas, Balboa Bars, and hippo…read morecookies. The shop has been a Balboa Island staple since 1960, when it was opened by Joe "Dad" Anderson. According to local lore, a group known as the "Dew Dads" began a tradition in the 1960s of gathering early for coffee and donuts, and that tradition continues today. Some regulars even have their own hooks on the wall for their coffee mugs. The hippo sugar cookies change with the holidays. I visited around Easter, and they had Easter colors. We got a glazed donut for my son, and he loved it. I got a hippo cookie to share; it was a standard sugar cookie, but the little, colorful hippo was adorable. It's a great treat for kids of all ages. We also got a frozen banana covered in chocolate with sprinkles. My son didn't care for it, but I really enjoyed it. I appreciate that Dad's Donuts opens early, allowing visitors to sample their goodies. It felt like a classic mom-and-pop shop, and I could tell many are regulars, as the staff was on a first-name basis with some patrons. Dad's Donuts is definitely a gem on Balboa Island, and their delicious treats and charming, family-friendly atmosphere make it a must-visit.