Dairy Joy

I cannot remember a time when Dairy Joy has not been on Manhattan Ave in South Tampa. Families have been coming here for generations. My mother brought me here as a child and I have been bringing my children here for years. Even in the 40 degree weather, there are people waiting outside in line for a soft serve cone, sundae or handmade milkshake. This place is so old it’s now back in style! I love to see the families line up in the summer and sit on the picnic tables to eat their treats. It always reminds me of a simpler time when the world did not move so fast. Is Dairy Joy comparable to the Dessert Room at Bern’s? No, not in the slightest. But each get five stars from me! Bring cash because that is all they accept. This is a walk up window ice cream shop. No indoor seating, there are picnic tables outside.

After passing by many times by myself and never stopping, on a recent jaunt to run some errands we decided to stop in and check out the little slice of the past.
Ice cream is a favorite treat of mine however as of the last few years I favor frozen yogurt but I do occasionally crave some soft serve or hard ice cream. The texture of the Dairy Joy soft serve ice cream was nice, and so was the flavor. Not tooth-​rottenly sweet and the portions were good. Dairy Joy also offers hard ice cream as well as shakes, in regular, «spoon thick» and malted form.
My companion ordered a small coffee shake which has a rich, deep coffee flavor and wasn’t overly sweet. I appreciated the richness of the coffee flavor. My dog thoroughly enjoyed a small cup of vanilla ice cream with a dog biscuit in it, crafted by the server behind the window.
I don’t think the prices have even changed that much since this place first opened! Ok, that might be a stretch but for the very conscious consumer who is used to small cups of ice cream costing upwards of $ 3, the prices were quite reasonable.
I liked the atmosphere of this place and with outside seating only, it’s a great spot to stop by with family or friends. If you’re in the area, be sure to check it out!

I love this 50s /​60s era ice cream drive up shop. Everything about it is awesome. From the $ 1 soft serve kid’s cone pricing to the malt and coffee shakes to the variety of cones, hard and soft ice cream, toppings and flavors offered. This is the spot.
None of that new agey faux ice cream froyo Italian ice nonsense that Boon eats. This is the real stuff.

This is my favorite ice cream shop around. I don’t really like those chain froyo places that seem to be all the rave now. The ice cream here is delicious and they have many flavors. I love the birthday cake batter flavor! The only thing is that they only accept cash, which I never carry so I always have to go to an ATM or get cash back before we go here.

Your ice cream cone at Dairy Joy’s will always be made with the finest ingredients, in small batches and with a few crazy flavors to add a little interest to your decision making process. It’s fall so Pumpkin is on the menu as well a Guinness flavored ice cream. I have been in love with Crème Brule since Dairy Joy’s open some ten years ago.
The ice cream and gelato are not cheap but definitely worth indulging yourself once in a while. You can get a kiddie cone even if you are an adult.

great old fashioned ice cream like i remember as a kid.

Local ice cream stand in business for over 55 years. Homemade ice cream, amazing milkshakes and chili cheese dogs are must try items on the menu. Bring cash, they don’t accept plastic.

A Tampa classic, as inexpensive as it gets, and as many options as the pricier places — a throwback feel as well, in all the right ways. My fav is a spoon thick shake with heathbar, butterfinger and snickers.

My family and I live down the road from this place and we enjoy some ice cream and soft serve more frequently than we probably should! During the summer we bring the kids and the dogs and end up getting ice cream 3 – 4 times per week from this place. It is fantastic every time. Its cash only but you can’t beat the price! It is easily a fraction of what you would pay at any chain ice cream/​frozen yogurt place. Any time we have family or friends visit from out of town, we make sure to stop by Dairy Joy. Its a «dive» ice cream bar but a total gem.

Amazing… Dusty Road Sundae brought back happy childhood memories! Friendly, fast service. Yummy!

Been going to this place since I was a small child. Always loved the soft serve ginormous vanilla cone! The Italian ice was good here as well, but not sure if they still serve that these days… I highly recommend if you’re in the area and need some relief from the FL heat. :)

So good! I love crazy cake hard ice cream and my boyfriend likes their shakes! So yummy and so cheap!

South Tampa gem. This charming little place is a throw back to the classic soft serve ice cream joints; like the old DQ but without the commercial feel. Mom & Pop shop is cute and campy; they only take cash but you won’t need much as the prices are retro too! Yummy, creamy soft ice cream (haven’t tried the hard, hand dipped yet) and delish sundaes for $ 3.00. Efficient help. Always busy open 7 days a week until 9 pm and 10 pm on Friday and Saturday. No wonder they have been in business since the 1950’s — they are doing it right!

We love down the street from here. It’s so nice to have an old fashioned ice cream shop near by. We have a 2.5 yr old and I’m pregnant with our second and we frequent this place! They are CASH ONLY. We love the soft serve, sundaes and milkshakes! They also have hot dogs and chips. Seating at old picnic tables outside brings a nostalgic feel. Love to support this local business!

Wonderful staff, ice cream priced right. One of the only places I know that serves chocolate peanut butter flavor (chocolate base w peanut butter slices). In regards to another reviewer commenting that they sell old ice cream, I can see how that could happen if it is an unpopular flavor. However, with the exceptional customer service I have received in the past, I’m sure that Dairy Joy would make it right if they were notified.

Wonderful place– pumpkin pie cheesecake ice cream was great! $ 7.00 for 3 people instead of $ 7 per person!

Love dairy joy. South tampa is polluted with way to many froyo places. Sometimes I need real unhealthy delicious creamy ice cream. I always get the flutter nutter. But this time I made my own Sunday with peanut butter and marshmallow.

THIS PLACE REALLY FUCKING PISSES ME OFF. They should change their name to Dairy PLOY.
I live literally 5 minutes from this place and I love ice cream. However the last time I was here the ice cream was old: It had ice crystals and tasted/​smelled like the freezer. So I gave it another shot last week. They still serve old ice cream. I ordered the salted caramel and it had ice crystals and had a freezer taste. Like I said, this kind of shit really pisses me off b/​c I live so close yet I cannot go here. Maybe I need to order something else. Like SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ICE CREAM?
Instead of being able to depend on this place for ice cream right around the corner, I have to drag my ass to Publix and buy some Haagen Daz. Because at least I know it won’t have ice crystals and taste like freezer burn. The worst part is I would gladly pay 5, 7, 9 dollars for a scoop of FRESH ice cream, especially to an INDEPENDENT SHOP. What a bunch of fools.
DAIRY JOY I HATE YOU.

We have loved going to Dairy Joy for over 10 years. Cash only, but really good ice cream at very cheap prices! It’s an old fashioned drive up ice cream shop with some outdoor seating.
2 medium twist cones, a medium spoon thick with M&Ms blended in, and a medium dip cone. $ 9.50. Cheap!

Unabashedly old school Florida! Seriously, if someone clubbed you over the head and let you come to your senses on a Dairy Joy picnic table, you’d swear you were suddenly back in the 70’s. I love places like this!
Cash only, no frills. Vanilla and chocolate for soft serve and a small smattering of creative choices for the «hard» ice cream. A nice selection of toppings, too. Prices are super cheap, so it makes sense that they haven’t really remodeled in decades. It’s definitely common for people to be in bathing suits or wrapped in their beach towels when here, no matter the month. It’s kinda like the Dive Bar of Ice Cream Stands, and it’s great!
Swing on by, grab yourself the cleanest picnic table you can find, and enjoy a little ice cream with your Florida humidity. Just eat fast.