Emack & Bolio’s Ice Cream

Ice cream was very delicious and creamy. They have very creative flavors with really cool toppings in them. The reason for the loss of the two stars is simply because of the price, it was a little to expensive for a small serving of ice cream. Close to 5 dollars for a small and an extra dollar if you want it in a cone. Great flavors and pretty healthy if you chose a smoothly. Overall I may come back, but only if I’m really craving it.

It all started on Dec. 30 at 7:42 p.m. I kid you not when I tell you this story.
I just came out yume ramen shop for some ice cream. I walk in expecting something decent for the night. After seeing what I have chosen, I walk up to the register and asked for space cake. In response I got a ‚“Do you want it in a cone, cup, or in your face.” Being already through basic training of the army I was used to getting insults so I ignored that and continue on saying I want it in a cup.
My friend came up and ordered as well and all he got from the employee was attitude. Not only that but her friends at the side was glaring him down as well. My last friend came up and asked for a recommendation. He asked which would be the one with the most chocolate (he really loves chocolate) instead of getting a thoughtful answer he got a sarcastic answer and the action of the rolling of the eyes from the employee.
We left as quickly as possible after getting our order and regret turning our wonderful fun night into one filled with ignorance, horrible customer service, and the glares from her and her friends. We felt as if we were being ostracized.

Was not impressed as a first-​time goer. First off, how do they not have regular flavors? I just wanted chocolate and they didn’t even have that! There’s options, but they are too chocolate-​y or vanilla-​based with tons of toppings. I tried the Cosmic Crunch (vanilla with caramel, chocolate chips, nuts, toffee, and cookie pieces) and S’moreo. I don’t even recall eating any nuts, toffee, cookie pieces, or Oreo pieces! It was mostly plain vanilla ice cream. I was in a dark car, so I couldn’t see what I was eating, but it all tasted the same! And the ice cream itself did not taste fresh and creamy. The texture was too icy. Not happy with my $ 5 cup of ice cream!

I am a huge ice cream person — and this place did not cut it. I got a small sized cone (and I mean ridiculously small for a «small») for almost $ 5! What? Other ice cream stands I’ve been to are waaaay betteri in taste, variety of flavors, prices, and portions. If I’m in that area and need a fix, I’ll trek across the parking lot to Shaw’s for a pint of Haagen Das and sit outside Emack + Bolios and eat it out of the carton. What a rip off.

The ice cream is just ok, but the serving sizes were very small for the prices charged. The worst thing was the whipped cream topping. I asked if it was fresh or canned and was told fresh. What I got was a runny white substance that was not remotely «whipped». The girl behind the counter said it had «settled». Perhaps it shouldn’t have been served if it wasn’t fresh.

I went to E&B for the first and last time today. My ice cream (bananas foster) was hands-​down the worst ice cream I’ve ever had. I couldn’t even eat 2 bites. It was so bad I went back to ask for a refund, and was told it was «fine» and I must just «not like the taste». So my $ 5 small went straight into the garbage. I will gladly take my $ down the street to JP Licks, which serves delicious ice cream with no attitude.

I end up here every now and then to fulfill a craving (since I live so close), but the ice cream is not great. Better to go into Harvard for B&J or Lizzy’s (or Berryline if you’re in it for fro-​yo).

The sign on the door says it opens at 11. Waited with my crestfallen daughter until 11:40. Still no signs of life inside.

The flavors might be the tip-​off. Practically every Emack & Bolio’s flavor is filled with candy! and pretzels! and cookies! and a fudge or caramel ribbon! There are very few basic, straightforward flavors. And the reason may be that the ice cream just isn’t that good as ice cream. The vanilla is insipid and bland, without any real vanilla taste, for instance. So if you want a vehicle for Oreos and candy, this may be the place for you. But if you actually like ice cream as ice cream, skip it.
On the plus side, they have egg creams.

I don’t know why this store got such low reviews. I think Emack & Bolio’s ice cream is amazing. I first had it in NYC because the NYC store got really high reviews (and I discovered they had a marshmallow rice krispy cone), so I was really sad that I wouldn’t be able to eat the amazing SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE PRETZEL flavor after coming back to Boston (I knew there was a store somewhere in Back Bay, but that seemed too inconvenient for me to frequent all the time). Thus I was really surprised to see this store when walking to Shaw’s (or whatever it’s called now — I keep calling it Shaw’s) from the Porter Square T station. I felt very exhilarated on the inside. I actually never paid much mind to this store even though I’ve seen it before because it didn’t look as nice as JP Lick’s or Ben & Jerry’s.
Anyhow, come here for the salted caramel chocolate pretzel flavor and the marshmallow rice krispy cone. It’s soooooooo good. It’s expensive, but so is JP Lick’s and Ben & Jerry’s. I think I will only come to Emack & Bolio’s now for the salted caramel chocolate pretzel flavor and the marshmallow rice krispy cone. It’s ruined me for normal flavors and normal cones.

I always wondered about this place since I have lived in Davis for the last five years or so, well wonder no more! On the outside walking by it looks magical, lots of colors and concoctions, groovy signs and usually a healthy line of people, but on the inside an apathetic sweating clerk with chocolate ice cream all over his hands awaits… along with the lackluster ice cream he serves and the even more impressive prices. I say impressive because the prices are what left an impression on me. This place is somehow more expensive than JP Licks, which I actually like.
Everything sounds good on paper, but when you actually taste it and realize you paid $ 6 for a single scoop of mediocre ice cream and a waffle cone, you can’t help but feel ripped off. Then you factor in the Grasshopper ice cream that your girlfriend gets that literally has no Oreos of chocolate chips to speak of (no word of exaggeration) and you start to develop a prejudice towards this place only to be topped off by them charging over $ 4 for a toffee like bar which I have yet to taste. Anyways, I’m not broke, but I realize how much my money can buy me at other places and this place isn’t a good investment when you factor in the entire lackluster experience, I would strongly recommend walking to JP Licks in Davis or just going to Shaw’s and buying ANYTHING there since it will be A) cheaper B) you will get more C) you won’t get sweat on your ice cream cone and D) you won’t be inspired to write a Unilocal review the day after.

Will never return! Ice cream tasted old and frostbitten. The huge display of chocolates and cones looked old as well. I imagine a place as small as that does not have the time or space to keep that big of a fresh inventory. Young guy behind the counter was nice but very slow, and weighed everything. Sundaes are ridiculously overpriced for the one tiny scoop of ice cream and melted whipped cream.

You know that large parking lot area lined by shops in Porter Square? Yes, the Porter Square Shopping Center.
Well, turns out that there is an Emack & Bolio’s location there, just a bit off from Mass Ave., sort of facing the Porter Square T station. It is a small spot with no indoor seating, so it does not encourage loitering within once you’ve selected and paid for your ice cream, smoothie or frappé.
It was great that I was able to get two flavors in my small cup for $ 3.85. A nice treat for an autumn day!

I go here a couple times every summer. I’ve been out and it’s warm and perfect icecream weather. I go in and then I start remebering why I don’t go there more often. The ice cream is very expensive and of poor quality. If you’re in the Porter Square area, you should keep going, head to Davis or Harvard or Union. THey all have ice cream options that are actually good.
«How bad can the ice cream be?» you ask… Only time I’ve thrown out ice cream was E&B. That bad. Then I told the staff. «I think your Peach ice cream is off. I just had to throw it out… You should probaby take it off the menu and get it sorted out.»
Their response was simply «No, it’s not. The manager just brought it in this morning». So the service is just as bad as the ice cream.

Stopped in because I saw the display. I’m a sweet tooth, so I couldn’t help myself. Asked for a soft serve in a cone. It was OK, though, I’ve tasted better. What they seem to do is take the icecream and put it through a machine to make it «soft»…so it kinda seemed like my icecream was melting. I couldn’t complain though. It was a hot day, i got the fix that i needed, and had great service.

It’s been a two summers since I last visited. I’ve been craving the cake batter, because nothing else in the world is as sinfully amazing. The creamy, smooth ice cream and the giant bits of cake… It’s the best of both worlds, and I feel like I have the best life.
Then, the bad news: they don’t make it anymore. Jaw dropped and disappointed to the point of wanting to cry and scream, because this always happens to me. I take ice cream seriously and personally. It’s my vice. When it comes to genuinely good ice cream, there is nothing in the world that can stop me. Then, my better half knows that’s all I get in every ice cream shop we visit, I need to expand my pallet and I shouldn’t be all worked up.
After fake-​sobbing and looking at the menu to see what else could never meet my expectations to replace Cake Batter, I stopped and questioned, «Space Cake»?
Cool guy behind the counter gave me a sample on a popsicle stick, and IT’S CAKE BATTER WITH RED VELVET! Holy hell! Emack pulled through and exceeded what I’ve been after for two years! Cool sh*t like this never happens to me. Emack went above and beyond and made me happier than I could have imagined. How could I doubt Emack and Bolio’s ice cream? They make ice cream taste like magic!

For what it is, a permanent ice cream stand, its great. The flavors are unusual, but its a chain, and this isn’t the best iteration of the chain. Go to Toscanini’s for an independent ice cream place that constantly surprises you.

I really want to love Emack & Bolio’s because the store is so cute and gives off an old-​timey boardwalk feel. Emack & Bolio’s sells not only ice cream, but also candy, and the two worlds come together in their crazy waffle cones, dipped in all sorts of confections (froot loops, gummy bears, rice krispies and marshmallows, etc.) I’ve never tried these specialty cones, though, because they kind of look like sensory overload.
Since Boston is home to so many wonderful ice cream places, you have to be really good to survive the competition. However, the ice cream here is just so average, and Emack and & Bolio’s doesn’t offer much in terms of variety of flavors.
I much prefer J.P. Licks if I want to satisfy a craving like black raspberry or mint oreo, or I’ll go to Toscanini’s or Christina’s if I’m feeling adventurous, because they have such fun flavors like goat cheese brownie and cardamom (respectively).

If there is a heaven, the contents of Emack and Bolio’s will be waiting for me when I get there…
E&Bs is my favorite ice cream store, hands-​down. The ice cream, smoothies and frappes are amazing! Contrary to what you may read on Unilocal regarding the prices, Emack and Bolio’s is not more expensive than JP Licks or Christina’s. They are all about the same price-​wise, but the service and food quality is exponentially better at E&Bs. You have to expect to pay a lot for an establishment’s product whose tagline is «Ice cream for the connoisseur.»
Try the Liquid Yoga smoothie or an extra thick frappé. I will be back to test the many varieties of waffle cones (rice krispy treat covered waffle cones!!!) !

So we were sitting across the street at the outdoor seating at Christopher’s and I suggest — instead of having dessert there, let’s cross the street to have ice cream.
Now, I had to get over the conflict of going to an ice cream place that is under a women’s health club — genius or evil (or both). My husband said the only thing more evil would be if they also had chocolate. So guess what — they have chocolate too. We chose to go the ice cream route.
Since we just ate, we split an ice cream of Chunk O’Funk — vanilla ice cream with chocolate, caramel and pretzel bits. Yah, I am going with EVIL!