The Italian ice is always good. But they getting skimpy on nachos. This ain't worth 6$. They use to be 5$ for almost a whole tray. Today for some reason smelled like sewer inside the store. We grabbed our stuff and headed out. read more

Pop-Pop's Italian Ice - Nachos - Shaved Ice Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

I discovered this place on Instagram actually, and I immediately went to check the yelp ratings. Seemed really legit so I went to check it out. I tried several flavors but the watermelon one with gelati ice cream was by far my favorite. It reminded me the most of the water ice in Philly and the Italian ice in so cal that I've grown to love. The mango one was gushing so much I had to stay a while to wipe it all up haha. Ultimately I felt like the flavor I really loved the best was the watermelon. The Dubai chocolate was alright but very over priced indeed. For the price paid it should have been at least a little larger in size. They had a lot of unique snacks as well as long as you're okay with the premium cost, which I paid just to try them. All in all, I would go back some day to have the watermelon flavor again! read more

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I came to the city for work, and because I LOVE Italian ice I couldn't pass it up! The first night I tried, the lady said they were closing but it wasn't closing time. I came back the next day. And made it. It's a fun looking place, they have a lot of the snacks you see on TikTok. (See pictures). They don't have a lot of flavors for Italian ice. So I went with my go to tigers blood, but it wasn't full of flavor like I thought it would be for a sweet drink. I did of course buy some of the snacks. The skittles were so good! The Oreos tasted old. Something that rubbed me the wrong way, when I put my items on the counter the cashier told me the price of the Oreos. I said okay, and then she repeated the price and was like "is that okay?" They're like $8, so I understand why someone would change their mind.....but, I wasn't going to. I would've asked the price FIRST! -- It was just the way she asked. read more

Pop-Pop's Italian Ice - Tigers blood ice - Shaved Ice Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Visited Pop Pops last night for dessert! Boy working the counter was very kind and helpful. I ordered the small gelati with tigers blood, he said it was a mix of cherry and watermelon, but it just tasted like coconut. I like coconut but it didn't really taste like much of anything at all. My friend got the blue raspberry which also tasted like coconut and not much of anything at all. She also got half lemon, and the lemon was pretty good but all selections lacked flavor unfortunately. I know this sounds ridiculous but my biggest issue outside of the flavor was the sizing, the cup was HUGE and I ordered a small. I didn't see a smaller sizing option on the menu, it was almost $9 with tip for the smallest gelati. Of course I didn't finish not only because of the size but because of the flavoring. Next time I will ask if they do kids sizes, if I try them out again. SHOULD YOU GO? Maybe, honestly I'm conflicted on this one. I'm going to have to make another visit and see. I will always say SUPPORT LOCAL-- so if you want Italian ice I would say give it a try because we don't have other options. read more

I do not recommend this place the Italian ice tastes very artificial. I also ordered a gelati and they gave me just the Italian ice, and when I mentioned that it was not the right order the lady said that she "already made it" so I did not get what I ordered. read more

Neat little spot to enjoy a cold treat and several other unique options. The Italian ice cream is not overly sweet which was enjoyable. Also got to try some free samples of other flavors which I really enjoyed. Will definitely stop by another time when I am in the area! read more

Pop-Pop's Italian Ice - Tigers blood and vanilla Italian ice - Shaved Ice Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Uck! All of the iced treats are neon-colored and have little taste. I have had Italian ice before, and it had no artificial colors and was all about the flavor. All of the other products available are various types of junk food. Nothing appealing at all for us at this place. We won't be back. read more

I didn't really know what to expect. I came with my daughter who had a free ice coupon from her school. I couldn't event tell what it was like from the outside of the store due to the mirrored windows. My daughter got the watermelon ice and I got a pretzel. Yum yum! I will be back to get an ice. It was really delicious! read more

Atmosphere was awesome very modern hipster. The worker was super friendly and sweet. Sweet treats were all good. Found some delicious beef jerky here that's from another company that's local. I will visit again! read more

Wonderful and kind people would recommend they had great service and the items were delicious and exotic read more

Pop-Pop's Italian Ice - Mango propitious - Shaved Ice Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Allie and sam are the best! Their customer service is top notch. I love the choco ice cream

Great Italian ice. I was so sad when they closed their last location and then so happy they opened a new one. This is an Abq staple.

Once in a while I get this craving for good ol' Italian coffee. Fortunately I just found out about POP-POPS here in Albuquerque. I had two shots of Italian expresso coffee. It was great!! But POP-POPS' main attraction seems to be Italian Ice. Definitely next time, for sure. POP-POPS is open from 12 noon. On San Mateo and Academy. read more

Pop-Pop's Italian Ice - POP- POPS ITALIAN ICE AND COFFEE - Shaved Ice Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

So happy to find them. I used to go to their other locations before closing. Their Italian ice is just like I remember it. The Affogato is my new favorite. They sell other interesting food and drink items but I won't spoil the surprise. The surprises are on the pricy side, but I've never seen them sold anywhere in the United States. read more

Order two gelatis (italian ice with ice cream) and a pretzel with cheese. I'll start with the good: the gelatis were delicious! Nice flavor throughout the ice, two scoops of ice cream, with one partway down the cup and one on top, so we weren't stuck eating cups of just ice for half the time. On to the bad: the pretzel was hard as a rock. We didn't say anything because we literally heard the (male) manager come out of the back and instruct the employee to serve us the old, stale pretzel sitting in the heater and replace it with a fresh one, rather than just make a fresh pretzel and toss out the stale one. I'm not sure if this is awful corporate policy or just a bad manager, but until they get their priorities right, I definitely do not recommend buying food here. But, hey, the italian ice and ice cream were pretty good! read more

Last time I had pop pops was when it was still a store, I must have been 8 or 9. I always thought of it as a fond experience of my childhood and have not forgot it 10 years later. Thought they closed down forever, but saw the truck when I was passing by a park. I had to stop by with my friend who never had pop pops before. We both enjoyed what we got, unfortunately because it's a truck now there were less flavors than before. The worker was nice and we could get different flavors in one cup. Definitely made me reminisce about the good old times. read more

Pop-Pop's Italian Ice - two people holding drinks - Shaved Ice Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Incidentally ran into this Italian ice truck while grabbing a bite at a food truck. I ordered the mango flavor which paired very well with the burgee and fries I ordered next door. I'm not an expert on the topic of Italian ice but the customer service was on par with the high quality of their product. Even on a chilly night, this was a pleasant experience. I can't wait to try these out on a warm sunny day. read more

Pop-Pop's Italian Ice - Menu Circa 2020 - Shaved Ice Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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We've visited Pop-Pop's twice for cool treats to beat the ABQ heat, they park the truck at Foodie Tuesdays at Domingo Baca Park. Judging from past reviews and a note on their website stating that they've changed the business model from storefront to truck, it's clearly a revamped and streamlined menu. There's not a lot to it, honestly, just crowd-friendly Italian ice flavors (cherry, mango, etc.), a smattering of sodas and, of course, because this is New Mexico, beef jerky. My kid loves how the blue raspberry dyes her tongue and lips a la Smurf. I'd really appreciate some unique flavor options, but in the end, it's all about the kid. read more

Pop-Pop's Italian Ice - Medium blue raspberry - Shaved Ice Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Just learned this yesterday, we were talking about Pop Pops Italian Ice of old and I decided to look it up see if it still existed anywhere in town. They took on a new business model using trucks after new ownership. The website is unclear as to the mobile truck locations, so I called and talked to the gentleman that answered. He said they actually have a physical location at Academy and San Mateo. Wow! That's news to me! They also have trucks that move around town and he said that you can call to see where they are currently located that day. They really need someone to update their website to make that information clear. I hope it tastes as remembered and we plan to make a trip out there this weekend. I Just wanted to get the word out there for those wanting some summer refreshment. I will add the quality review soon. read more

I'm upset that no one has told me about this place before. Literally obsessed! It was all so yummy I had to come back :,)) and the snacks are so cool I love it, walked out with more than I intended to lol definitely will be back! read more

The place isn't real Italian ices, it's closer to getting a slushee or slurpee or slush puppy and throwing it in the freezer, or as it said on the cup: an Italian water ice. I was deceived by the name and for that I'm not a fan. They're a bit pricey. Service was good. Place had a semi-weird layout. read more

Very Cool spot with a great selection, I will definitely be back here. They have exotic snacks imported from all over the world!

This is the Best Italian Ice ever and amazing selection of Exotic snacks! I love the shop and!

i love this place so much! amazing customer service and amazing snacks and don't get me started on the italian ice! i love mixing flavors and my favorite is ice quakes! i highly recommend read more

Pop-Pop's is always a must whenever I'm visiting my relatives in Albuquerque during the summer :) For those unfamiliar with Italian ice, it is a sweetened frozen dessert made with fruit or other natural/artificial food flavorings. The texture is between shaved ice and sorbet. It is made via the same process as ice cream (ingredients are frozen while being mixed), but without the dairy and eggs. I usually get a medium gelati (up to two flavors), which is their Italian water ice layered with vanilla soft serve - such a delicious treat for those hot summer days! I wish they had a small size gelati, the medium is just too much sometimes. I enjoy their watermelon and mango flavors :) but the servers allow you to sample as many as you like if you're feeling indecisive and unsure. read more

Pop-Pop's Italian Ice - Medium gelati with watermelon and apple Italian water ice :) - Shaved Ice Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Stopped by here today on the enthusiastic recommendation of my DOM. Let me preface this by saying that my Italian Ice experience is limited. My fondest memory is of a hot July in 2007 when I happened upon a street fair on Mulberry Street in NYC's Little Italy. There I had single scoop of fantastic lemon Italian ice from a street vendor. The lemon was sharp and strong, but the smooth texture just danced on my tongue until it melted into a pool of sweet-tart liquid. The lemon ice I had here at Pop Pop's I think may not have been quite as strong, or maybe the Mulberry St. Ice just improved in my mind with age (not unlikely). In any case, I thought this place was great and I will definitely return! They had about 8 or 12 flavors listed. I went straight for the lemon. In addition to the Ice, they served Gelati, which was described as Italian ice layered with soft serve. I'll have to try that next time! There was another item on the menu (forgot the name), a sort of shake/drink kind of thing. I'll try that some other time as well. The atmosphere is simple. Some seating inside, and one bench outside. The owner (I guess that would be Pop Pop) is a native Philadelphia Italian, and the interior is decorated accordingly. Not the kind of place you'll want to loudly extol the virtues of the Mets over the Phillies. They also serve big soft pretzels. read more

Pop-Pop's Italian Ice - Medium Lemon Italian Ice !!! - Shaved Ice Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

You know when you make a snow cone and you put in enough syrup to change the color but it doesn't actually taste like anything, that's what we got when we got ones recently. The vibrant lime had the tiniest hint of lime. My kids tasted my chocolate and they said it tasted like water which it did and considering we drove out specifically for Pop's it was disappointing. They use to have good ice when they had the store front. read more

Pop-Pop's Italian Ice - Chocolate tasted like plain ice - Shaved Ice Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Saw the new location and decided to check it out. Poor decision! Ordered a medium Blue Raspberry and a medium Watermelon. Both were virtually tasteless. They had nice color and texture but absolutely no flavor. Quite expensive for colored ice. read more

So amazing!!! So Delicious and refreshing and perfect for the ABQ heat! I always get a red rasberry+coconut or Mango gelati. The Gelato/softserve is more like whipped cream and goes sooo well with fruity water ice. I absolutely love Pop Pops! read more

Well, this was interesting! Tucked away between two well-known restaurants, Pop-Pop's stands strong and steady. Basic, to the point, and absolutely delicious. They serve you with a smile, and are very helpful in making sure you order something you'll enjoy. I had a small water ice with a scoop/slice/shaving (I don't know what they call it) of lemon and cherry. Very sugary, so heads up on that one, but it is very delicious! I'll definitely venture back here! read more

What have I done? I found its place a year or two ago and since then I've spent far more money than I'd like to admit on flavored ice... I didn't know that water was addictive but let me tell you, it is. I love this place and my only regret is that I didn't find out about it sooner...well that and the fact that they close for part of the year. I know it may be the middle of winter but I still need my fix. Seriously, if you've never been to pop-pop's you should give it a shot, the prices are very reasonable so even if you absolutely hate it you're only out a couple of bucks. I will say I wish the staff was on their phones less but I guess that's just the way the world is headed. read more

This is actually a pretty cool place -- although it's small, but what it offers makes up for it! I came here on a busy Saturday afternoon to beat the heat. I got the strawberry lemonade water ice -- which is practically just like a strawberry lemonade slush type deal or so.. in my personal opinion. This place is def a great place to beat the ABQ summer heat! I'm already looking forward to my next visit here to try other flavors on their menu! read more

Cheap and delicious. I used to come here after baseball practice at the near by HS. It's very refreshing and it is easy on your wallet. Try the flavors before you get them, I like some more than others. Also, be sure to get one with some custard, they're great. read more

Awesome Italian water ice! I got a medium coconut/strawberry and my boyfriend got a medium chocolate/strawberry. I can't wait to try their other flavors and we will definitely be back soon. read more

Pop-Pop's Italian Ice - Strawberry/Chocolate and Coconut/Strawberry water ice. Delicious! - Shaved Ice Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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I LOVE THIS PLACE. I moved to Los Angeles, and I still dream about pop pop's. The ice cream is ridiculous, idk what they put in it but its soooo whipped and creamy its THE BEST. and I always get cotton candy shave ice with it. I could just die in peace every time I eat it. I love this place, please never close down, and if you do, let me continue the legacy LOL read more

My boyfriend had a taste of Italian ice in Seattle as a kid and it never left his memory. He hasn't been able to find a place with it since. When he came to visit me in ABQ we spotted this place, and he just had to try it. It brought back memories from when he was 9! We love this place and have gone multiple times a day before. The dessert is refreshing and doesn't have the artificial feel of other fruit flavored desserts. They switch up the flavors all the time, so there's always something new to try. The owner, who spends a significant amount of time at the store, is super friendly and makes an effort to say hi to everyone who goes in there. I love this place and am excited that it just opened up yesterday for the warmer seasons! I've been trying to convince him to open up a store in Seattle ;) read more

Love love love this place! So yummy! My husband and I come here often. The only downfall is that they really don't ever open on time on Sunday. So usually there are multiple people waiting outside for the employees to open, and a lot of people end up leaving. Otherwise we love this place! read more

One of my favorite places to beat the summer heat. Their water ice is so refreshing. It's what I always wished a snow cone could be as a kid. They sell it 3 different sizes. With every size you can choose 2 different flavors. They always have many favors to choose from. The employees are friendly and helpful. Next time your in the mood for a cool treat go get a Pop-Pop's! read more

Excellent! I'm allergic to dairy products, & had tried all the other italian ice places in Abq. By far this is the best!! I go at least 3x per month and its always worth the 30 min ride. Unique flavors, lots of variety & the texture of Italian ice is very smooth and almost creamy! ! Very nice staff, & great place for anyone. read more

Pop Pop's Italian Ice is a favorite year-round, but especially Summer! The kids love coming here and we can take care of the family in just about 10 bucks. The only downside is deciding on your flavors - too many to choose from for the kids. I never have the problem, because Mango is a sure bet every time for me. read more