Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

The outside of this place smells like cookies and sugar.
Just stand outside and allow yourself to gain 5lbs just by getting a good whiff!
Overall very stellar place. They are a little costly, in my opinion, but, you get what you pay for. They have very unique flavors. I had it a little while back in the summer before going to see a movie in the park (try that out!). I think the best part of this place was that you get a sticker after you get your ice cream :)

The tropical weather last Saturday lead me to need a treat worthy of tropical indulgence: ice cream. So I stopped by and sampled virtually everything at Jeni’s, because I’m a fat kid and Jeni’s was built on the doughy backs of fat kids in Columbus with other fat kids like me in mind, and settled on a seriously winning combination. First, a half scoop of brown-​buttered almond brittle, followed by a half scoop of churro, in a waffle cone. This was the tropical treat I needed to weather the blistering 40 degree elements.
Note: The half scoops are a marketing ploy. There is nothing «half» about the bulbous mounds of ice cream loaded in their dispensary. It just makes you feel like you’re being less fat. You aren’t.
My treat lasted several blocks until I got to the center of that half scoop of brown-​buttered almond brittle, where a short, mildly curled black hair made its appearance. The dilemma… Do I pretend it didn’t happen and scoot it out of the way and go about my delicious snack, or forfeit the $ 6, and more importantly the entire cone I hadn’t gotten to, over silly principles, like hygiene? Fortunately I was saved from making such a harsh life choice, when hubs noticed it and made me throw the whole thing away. With mixed remorse and a shred of my dignity retained, I gently laid the cone in the trash and lamented my loss.
TL;DR? Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream is truly so splendid, I hesitated not throwing my hairy treat in the trash. And still gave it three stars.

NOM NOM NOM! Aside from the cold cold weather, that doesn’t stop me from getting my ice cream! I order the Pistachio and Honey and sweet cream in a small cup! I tried the waffle cones from my boyfriend and I should’ve gotten my ice cream in that!
I also enjoyed trying the Bourbon Pecan, that was very creamy and smooth. Very great flavors, nothing over whelming.
Something about sweet cream, I can’t get away from. I think it’s the subtle sweetness that makes my mouth water. I don’t enjoy over bearing flavors, so that’s why I enjoy the pistachio and honey, along with the sweet cream.
Also, the pistachio and honey, has no chemicals or artificial coloring, so that is why it’s not «super green» as it usually is at other ice cream locations.

Jeni’s is my favorite ice cream spot that I’ve tried in the city so far. Absolutely excellent ice cream! The staff is super friendly and outgoing. I was here once a week over the summer, but as it has gotten colder I’ve had a harder time making it over to Jeni’s. The great part about this place is that there is something for everyone– if you want something a bit healthier, they have light sorbet options. If you are a chocolate fanatic like me, PLEASE do yourself a favor and try the milkiest chocolate flavor. It is seriously the best chocolate ice cream I’ve ever had.
The only thing that sucks about this place is that it is expensive. But, you get what you pay for, and with Jeni’s you’re paying for amazing, high quality ice cream.

Excellent ice cream.
I’m not a huge ice cream fan, but a friend suggested Jeni’s for dessert.
I had the peanut butter with chocolate flakes and the dark chocolate with peppermint. The dark chocolate peppermint was incredibly rich and dark and the peppermint notes were strong. The peanut butter with chocolate was a great example of a chocolate peanut butter ice cream where the two flavors remained distinct but paired beautifully.
I’ll easily rerun here.

Super nice guy helping us! I had three samples and ended up with the super dark chocolate (think that’s what it was called). My icecream was rich, creamy, and satisfying. I’d definitely return.

Jeni’s, how i have missed you. You say you are in Wicker Park now? Game changer!!!
We all know the famous Milwaukee Avenue covered in hip clothing joints, cool restaurants, bars and clubs. Milwaukee Avenue is home to a location of Jeni’s splendid Ice Creams now. This location is super easy to get to by public transportation or vehicle.
Say what? You get those little cone triangles in all ice creams? If you can, I highly suggest getting that brown butter almond brittle. Highly suggest. That flavor is a straight up game changer. It made me reevaluate my previous ice cream choices. They have good choices to chose from, all of which I got to try in samples too. Very high quality made ice creams with a difference you can tell. Can’t wait to return!

Ice cream in the Chicago winter doesn’t generally seem like a good idea, but after having Jeni’s last night, I can’t wait to go back!
Jeni’s is a clean, bright place with a variety of unique flavors. They allow you to sample the ice creams, and the woman behind the counter was friendly and great at explaining how each one was made. I ended up buying a half scoop each of wildberry lavender and lemon buttermilk, both of which were creamy and refreshing. The cups come with a waffle cone piece, and while the prices seem a little steep, the ice cream, in my opinion, is definitely worth it.

By far, the best ice cream I have ever had in my entire life. And probably in the afterlife, too.
The ice cream is very rich and very creamy. I ordered a triple half-​scoop for $ 7, which on the surface seems a little steep, but the ice cream is so rich and filling that you will definitely get your money’s worth. I ordered brambleberry crisp and sweet cream, and neither one disappointed. The flavors are on point, without being overly sweet. The staff here is super helpful, and even explains the ice cream flavors and suggested pairings as they dole out samples.
I came here on a blistery January night, and I’m not sorry. I’d do it again. And again. And again, and again, and again. It’s that good.
Personal tip: The staff mentioned that my favorite flavor, Goat Cheese with Red Cherries, will be coming back eventually. If it does, I personally recommend it, especially if you like a cherry cheesecake kind of taste.
I can’t say enough positive things about Jeni’s. Just go. You won’t be sorry. And if you are, well, more ice cream for me. :P

Jeni’s is awesome. They have unique flavors that are very rich. This is their 3^rd Chicago location I believe and even though it doesn’t have as many choices as the other location it is still good. People say it’s a bit pricey for how much you get, but I think it’s what you «should» be eating vs how much you think you deserve.
On the other hand, Brown Butter Almond Brittle is amazing. So good that I bought two pints to go!

Splendid indeed is how I would describe this ice cream shop.
My friend brought us here claiming there were 3 great things from Ohio (besides herself).
1. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream
2. LeBron
3. Great Lakes Brewing
So, we tried it out and were impressed. A little taste of Ohio without actually needing to go to Ohio. It was somewhat reminiscent of Salt & Straw in Portland. Delicious ice cream, with unique names to make you feel like it’s ok to pay extra for gourmet ice cream. No seriously, it’s a marketing thing. People are more likely to buy something called «The Milkiest Chocolate» instead of just «Chocolate». Sounds better, even if it’s probably just the same thing.
Anyway, I ended up getting «Salted Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip» for one of my half scoops and «Sweet Potato Pecan Pie» for my other half scoop. Both were delicious. The Sweet Potato pecan pie is seasonal, but it was fantastic. The half scoop thing is a little weird. They’re just slightly smaller than real scoops, but 2 are the smallest size you can get. You can’t get a single scoop. But you’re getting two half scoops, so you’re getting one full scoop. Whatever. I like it that way. I wish more places did half scoops so people like me who have trouble making decisions on ice cream got to try more than just cookie dough every time.
Pricey, but it’s the city and that’s what we expect. Delicious, and that’s what I was expecting as well. Definitely a must to try!

My roommate was hyping me up about this place cuz her classmate kept raving about it. Was kind of disappointed that it didn’t live up to my expectations.
I must say, the ice cream is very creamy and soft. However, the flavor profiles were not there! Right outside the store, there was a sign advertising pistachio and honey flavored ice cream. Once I saw it, I was like «mussssst haaaavvveeee itttt!!»
When I sampled it, the honey was wayy too overpowering and it completely masked the taste of the pistachio. I also sampled the 2 other flavored (can’t remember what they were), but t wasn’t very good. Th flavor was just weeeirrrdd! I ended up just getting the vanilla, which was pretty good, but not out of this world. Would I come back? Probably not. For the $ 6 price tag of 2 scoops, I think the nearby grocery store ice cream will suffice.
3 stars because the vanilla was good.
FYI, they don’t sell by single scoop.

Immediate reaction after eating: The ice cream was really good the staff was extremely friendly and I got to try a lot of flavors before deciding. For 5 bucks you get 2 decent size scoops and if you get it in a cup you get a nice piece of waffle cone for free. Loved it.
Went in about 30 minutes before closing on a Friday night, the place was still busy and there was a little wait but not too bad. The staff was extremely upbeat and friendly and knowledgeable about the ice cream flavors and taste notes. We were able to try so many flavors and they were happy to help us. I decided on the bourbon one with the almond brittle, and my wife got the lavender and the mango, all were great! The place was clean bright and really great to bring a date or a friend, lovely after dinner dessert.

This place definitely lives up to the hype. I don’t even like ice cream that much and I loved it here.
Prepare to wait in line, especially if the weather is nice. Service is great– they are armed with little taster spoons so you can try different flavors! Not sure if there is a limit.
The first time we went, we got a float with ginger beer and lemon sorbet. It was delicious. The honey whipped cream was a great finishing touch. The second time, I got a small cup, with comes with two small scoops of whatever flavor you want. I got the mango lassi and the darkest chocolate, both of which I would get again. They have complimentary cucumber water too.
I’m really curious what the vanilla bean tastes like since its been sold out both times I’ve been. I guess I have to make another trip out to Wicker Park!

My friend brought me in here in order to convince me that froyo is in fact not the best.
Well I am sold. I had the double toasted coconut which I am currently laying in bed dreaming about. And the vanilla bean also quite delicious and quite amazing. They also have really good waffle cones which I’m not sure if they make there but got they were so good.
Only reason I don’t give five stars is because they don’t have more flavors. Which I know I’m being petty for but what about caramel or strawberry. Yeah I know don’t judge me but I will be ok.
Next time I’m in town I will definitely come back and sit here and eat a piece of heavens magnificent dessert.

I like it, but I don’t love it.
I also would rather visit the Southport location of Jeni’s because this Milwaukee location:
— doesn’t offer as many flavors. It has maybe ⁵⁄₈ of the flavor offerings that the other Jeni’s does.
— ran out of brown butter almond brickle! How!!! Whyyy? Heartbreak!
— keeps it COLD inside. I actually started getting the jitters when sitting inside to enjoy my treat. I totally get that they need to have cool conditions for the ice cream’s sake, but brrr!
I like how smooth and creamy the ice cream is, but the fact that a small (2 half scoops) serving runs almost $ 6 makes my wallet hurt.

Mmm, super delicious, thick ice cream. The staff is very generous with samples, and quick to make recommendations. Plenty of seating available.
Highly recommend the wildberry lavender (I’m not even generally a fan of lavender! This one was heavily on the berry part) and the salted pecan + bourbon. They use a bourbon flavor concentrate, so the bourbon taste is quite strong (you can’t add too much actual alcohol to ice cream without it becoming overly soft). I have Jeni’s recipe book for ice cream at home and have tried making the bourbon myself… super delicious, more or less tastes exactly like what you’d get in the store!
On the expensive side though — $ 5 for a scoop (or two half scoops) and another $ 1 if you want a waffle cone. The amount you get is enormous though… two people could easily share one if you wanted. I wish they would have a smaller option (like a baby scoop or something) that would be around $ 3.

Original flavors, quick and friendly service, large portions. Although the small is $ 5, there is a lot of ice cream in that cup… Additionally, they add a waffle cone wedge if you want.
The Passion fruit frozen yogurt was a little on the tart side, but was light and had just the right amount of passion fruit flavor.
Mango lassi frozen yogurt had a smooth creamy texture, real mango flavor (didn’t taste like fake mango flavoring at all), with the slight yogurt tang.
Great ice cream. I’ll be back.

Yummy ice cream! So good! I had their passionfruit yogurt and Pistachios honey flavor ice ream. It cost $ 5.00 for a small but it’s worth it for a sweet treat. You see more adults in here for ice-​cream than you do kids. It’s fun to see adults loving ice-​cream as much as kids.
You can see a woman owns and runs this ice-​cream store and company because the restrooms are very nice. The women’s restroom has women products if you need it and a diaper changing table. That is truly a woman’s touch.
I think this place is truly a sweet treat for anyone enjoying some different unique flavors. I love passionfruit yogurt it was nice and tart. I love passionfruit anything.

I had read all about the excitement leading up to Jeni’s opening up a location in Wicker Park. We decided to wait a month after opening to come in case there were kinks that needed to be worked out and to attempt to avoid really long lines. On a fairly cool weeknight, there was still a line almost out the door. However, we weren’t left waiting as long as I thought we might be. Jeni’s is appropriately staffed and the line went fairly quickly. The only thing keeping it from going faster is that people seemed to be kind of overwhelmed by all the options, so many people sampled multiple flavors. Since all the people ahead of us took time to sample, we did, too.
I tried the brambleberry crisp, which delicious, very fresh, very sweet, but I didn’t think it would go particularly well. The brambleberry crisp was recommended as a good flavor to go with the buckeye state because it’s like peanut butter and jelly. Pretty cool! I also sampled the goat cheese with cherry, which tasted a whole lot like cheesecake for those of you who think goat cheese ice cream sounds weird/​gross (like I did before trying it). However, I decided to go with a trio (three small scoops for $ 6) of buckeye state, Askinosie dark milk chocolate, and brown butter almond brittle. We were able to find seating and a little table to share, luckily. A lot of people got ice cream to go.
My absolute favorite was the Askinosie dark milk chocolate. OMG. You simply must get this if you’re a chocolate fan at all. The buckeye state, which is peanut butter with a little chocolate mixed in, came in at a close second. If you’re a peanut butter fan, this is a must. The brown butter almond brittle was also pretty good with real bit of almond brittle in there. There is a real buttery taste to the rest of the ice cream, which wasn’t necessarily my thing, but it tasted as advertised. I liked that it came with a piece of the amazing-​smelling (and tasting) homemade waffle cones. I enjoyed watching them made fresh right in front of us in a little waffle iron while waiting in line.
My overall feelings are that the ice cream is very good, but overpriced for the serving size. I wish it were an option to just get one scoop. You can’t have ice cream under $ 5 here, which is a little frustrating. When you’re paying the price, you may as well just go with the $ 6 trio for just one more dollar and one more scoop. I will be back because I want to try more flavors, especially the pistachio honey, which is only available as a pint.