Mam’s Snoballs

I FINALLY visited Mam’s this week after constantly missing them and it was worth the wait! This tiny little joint off Cavalcade is a tiny blessing to the area.
I ordered the watermelon snowball with condensed milk and gummy bears and the bf had a cherry snowball with condensed milk and whipped cream. The snowballs here run about $ 2– $ 3 bucks and extras such as gummy bears, tajin seasoning, whipped cream etc are .25 cents extra and you can get a vanilla scoop for .75cents extra. The flavor was very good! It wasn’t that «artificial flavor» you’d come to expect from snocone syrup, it wasn’t too sweet either. And the ice is very soft. They don’t really have a food menu though, what I saw they offered during my visit were just frito pies but hey, it’s a snowball place not a café. I liked how they offer sugar free flavors as well. I believe they change their sugar free flavors daily, if I’m not mistaken.
Now, one thing to not get confused. If you’re looking for a more «traditional raspa» or «snocone» where they put all kinds of fruit and add all the fixins one could imagine, this isn’t the place. For a traditonal raspa, I would stick to Flamingo Chill or Tampico. I’m not saying Mam’s is bad! Not at all, it’s a nice simple spot where you can get your snowball on during the stank hot Houston summers.
This cute little place is worth a visit when you’re in the Heights. The employees are nice and friendly and the snowballs are pretty solid. They are not open late though so be aware! They’re open from 12−7p Tuesday through Saturday. Mondays they are closed and an employee told me they are going to start closing at 8 soon but not sure when exactly.
Stop in and try it and see what you think. :)

The snowballs are the New Orleans real thing, cold & delicious. But the staff needs a trip to the Crescent City to learn how to turn those cones out quickly. Right now, with a staff of five teenagers, it takes fully 5 minutes to turn out one snowball. I’d hate to be here if there’s ever a crowd!

This place is fantastic. They even have a little swing area for the kids! They would have received 5 stars but did not have what I wanted. They made a recommendation but then called me back up to tell me they were out of that too, turns out they were out of a lot of flavors

I love this place. Thr parking lot is pretty bad, but the snow cones/​balls is like no other. The flavoring doesnt taste all kinds of fake and syrupy. The ice is soft enough for my toddler.

So good! Nice fine shaved ice that mostly melts in your mouth. Good syrups. They have all the classics flavors: wedding cake, Tiger’s blood, ice cream, nectar. They are pretty fancy drizzling the condensed milk on top in a nice spiral!
The seating is a bit limited, and the seating with shade is even more limited. This has only ever been an issue once. Very kid friendly. Be prepared for a wait. If there is anyone else in line (even one person), you’ll have a bit of a wait. They aren’t fast. Still totally worth it on a hot Houston summer day!

Mam’s snowballs AMAZEBALLS!!! Love love the new place. They are always so friendly and have something cold for my puppy. them. If you’ve never been I highly recommend you making a trip.

This place is kinda out the way but after tasting their snowball made the drive worth it.
This is your classic neighborhood type snoball stand. Tiger blood or blue bubble gum is the way to go! I always get ½ & ½ of both because I can never make up my mind.

This is by far the best sno cone in Houston. I love that they are open during the winter, too. My favorite thing in the world is a sno cone, so I have some high expectations. I searched out a famous sno ball stand in New Orleans, which was horrible compared to Mams! The staff is always happy and eager to help, and I have not ever waited long at all. Loved ordering the rainbow and getting the surprise gummy bears! Can’t wait to go in the summer to try to meat pies. Do yourself a favor and go to Mams!

I attended a Heights Chamber of commerce event. We had a Ribbon cutting ceremony here.
Mam’s snoballs was located in the Heights area. I bought $ 3.5 Strawberry snoballs. It was great. I loved it. Hope to visit here again.

This nola style snowball is yummy! I am chompin on tigers blood, blue berry and pineapple.

Before Texas Blizzard (now called Friohana Shave Ice) became our go-​to for shave ice, I had heard Mam’s had the best shaved ice in town. So, one day when their truck was closed repairs and my friends and I were craving something for the hot day, we finally tried Mam’s. Maybe we’re spoiled by the naturals at Texas Blizzard, but the flavors at Mam’s were nothing special. Although there is a large variety, the flavors tasted like typical artificial snowcone syrups.
As other people have said, the service was very slow considering it’s just snow cones (and when we were the only people in the store). When our orders finally came out, we could barely taste the flavorings at all — it was mostly just ice. But, the people working were kind enough to add more syrup to each of our snow cones. Overall, this place has a cute local business vibe but I don’t see myself coming back unless Friohana is closed for the day.

Cute little destination in the heights! They have a lot of flavor options, and they don’t skimp on the amount of syrup. The staff is very friendly also!

First visit to MAM’s Snow Cones — good stuff! friendly!
Huge assortment of flavors — had the Pineapple Upside Down Cake — sounds weird but was good!
Lookin’ forward to the next visit!

This could very well be the best shaved ice ever! Someone included in their review it tasted like you would imagine a cloud might taste. Light, fluffy, heaven! It’s not a sno cone… it’s shaved ice. The soft, smooth melty ice that soaks up the flavored syrup and makes your tongue change color. Yummy… yummy.
I know we all think we can eat a large but really even the medium cup is HUGE. The cherry was great for a basic flavor. But branch out to maybe wedding cake with cream (50 cents extra) or maybe a bomb pop.
It takes a few minutes once you order to shave the ice. Don’t get impatient. It’s worth the wait.
It’s a shaved ice place, not a sit down restaruant… ya know?
A couple small tables inside. Picnic tables outside. They have pastries and coffees now.

Excellent snow cones, I got a fluffy. Appropriate pricing, and we came in with a party of 20 and they were more than happy to accommodate!
Will definitely be returning.

So slow. Seriously, the slowest in service so good thing they have an actual store w AC. Been craving snowcones lately which brought me here. Not really sure what’s so special about Mam’s but my grape, sour apple, and pink lemonade snowcone was pretty satisfying.

Best snow cones I’ve ever had!
The ice is super soft and fluffy — if I could taste a cloud, I imagine this is what it would be like. There are small, medium, large sizes, and the small was the right amount for me. After we ordered, we waited maybe a max of 10 minutes, which wasn’t bad at all.
I got Tiger’s Blood and Blueberry with condensed milk added on for an additional 50 cents. The color combo was really pretty (very July 4^th appropriate) and the flavors complemented each other nicely and weren’t overly sweet. I highly recommend getting the condensed milk! They pour it down the middle, so you can taste it all throughout the cone.
My friend and I had to stand inside at a table because the other chairs inside were taken, but it wasn’t a big deal to us. There’s plenty of tables outside though. I would say it’s a tradeoff between seating and AC.
Overall, I really enjoyed my experience here and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of my snow cone! The ratio to ice and syrup was just right for me, and I loved how the ice was smooth, never crunchy. Would definitely stop by again when I’m in the area!

First: best snowball ever.
Second: complete ineptness at producing them.
Was a great fan at old stand on Rutland. Soooo excited when I saw they had an actual storefront! Unfortunately, it’s as though they’ve just moved the equipment and completely disregarded any planning or training.
I live down the street so this review is based on several visits.
I’m cool with waiting. They deliver a great product and with great products comes wait (at least around here). However, when I stand in line for 35 minutes to order and then wait another 30 for my snoball, there’d better be a good explanation.
Here, there is none. You’re making money now– time to invest in another ice machine. Also, how about coming up with an efficient way to roll those puppies out? Perhaps you could start by training your staff. They run around looking frustrated and panicked, sweat trickling down their brows, like a flock of chickens trying to dodge the ax. I don’t blame them. Frankly, I’m amazed that they even show up. It’s so obvious that the management (and I use that term loosely) have not planned or executed a production procedure that helps keep wait times at a minimum.
The best was when after waiting (with the rest of the crowd) for an hour to receive my ‘ball, they called my name THREE MORE TIMES while I was sitting there eating it, each while holding up a freshly made gem, as if it were a newly delivered babe. They were so proud– they had (or so they thought they had) ended some poor patron’s ridiculous wait. That’s right– they made my cone a total of FOUR TIMES, while the crowd watched in horror and disbelief.
Bottom line: Mam’s, you’ve gotten cocky. You make a great product and you know it. However, continue mistreating the very folks who have put you on the map and we’ll move on. Hell, maybe I’ll invest in a couple of ice machines and set up shop in my front yard (God bless Houston’s zany no-​zoning laws). My eleven year-​old son and his pals could be trained just like little pre-​pubescent monkeys…

Probably the best in town — maybe even in the south.
I’ve had many snowballs (growing up in the NE) and had too many at the much heralded Hansen’s Sno Blitz in New Orleans.
First — great service, outside tables, and generally parking is available.
OK — but you came for a sugary treat.
Three sizes — all well priced (medium which is plenty is only $ 3.50). Myriad flavors and extra toppings, They are very generous on the syrup — you will still find liquid at the bottom when you finish up the ice (compared to others where you encounter parts of the snow not touched by flavoring). Much like sushi is the rice; a snow cone is THE ice.
These folks have that down pat — no chunks; just a velvety smooth and consistent ice.
Give them a try! You will see all sorts of folks here.

Before I detail how much I enjoyed my snoball from MAM’S House of Ice New Orleans Style Snoballs there are a couple of things you need to know:
1. MAM’S is popular and it gets busy. Very busy, very quickly. The line will get long and the wait is not short. Be patient, read over the menu board and make sure you know what you want by the time you get to the register. It will make the process a few seconds speedier.
2. There are many flavors to choose from but not an overwhelming amount. You’ll see the usual strawberry, lemon/​lime, cherry, orange, grape, etc. but they also have some New Orleans themed flavors like King Cake, Cajun Red Hot, Creole Cream Cheese and Hurricane. Along the cake line they also have Red Velvet. There are the unusual flavors, too, like Dill Pickle. It’s not what I was expecting to see on the menu board but it obviously works for some tastes.
3. MAM’S will deliver with a 24 hr. notice. The delivery size is for the 16 oz. single flavors only. Delivery is free within a 5 mile radius.
What I like about MAM’S is the intensity of their flavors. The flavors are legit. They taste like the real deal. My favorites are Dreamsicle, Blueberry, Blackberry and Spearmint. The sweetness is there but not overly so.
The syrup to snow ratio has been perfect with our purchases. The servers even check to make sure the syrup reaches the bottom of the cup so you’re not left with plain snow and no flavor by the time you reach the bottom. Speaking of the snow, it is light, fluffy, very melt in your mouth with no crunchiness or tear-​up-​your-​mouth texture. It’s much like real snow ((I know because I was raised in an area that had real winters).
They will do half and half flavors and sugar-​free flavors are available upon asking as well as natural flavorings. Extras are available such as whipped cream, condensed milk, fruits, candies and spices. They do have a specialties flavor menu which looks interesting.
MAM’S isn’t just snoballs. They do serve coffees, water, sodas, floats and a few snacks.
Your dog family member is welcome to come and get their own doggie cone (ice only) to cool off. Pets aren’t allowed inside so please make sure you have a responsible person to wait outside with your leashed pet.
I thoroughly enjoyed MAM’S and it has the approval of a Cajun I trust completely. It’s a great place to come cool off or enjoy a nice treat. I can’t wait to try more flavors.

Too long a wait. It’s snowballs not rocket science. The fact that it takes more than 30 minutes means that either there’s not enough staff or no training. Perhaps an additional ice shredder is needed. Let’s just say that I’d rather go to Main St tropicana and get a snow cone. So not worth the wait.
Waited in line for over 30 minutes to find out they didn’t have the flavor I order. Bad customer service to not know what you have in stock. Just plain horrible so don’t waste your time. Go to Main St. Tropicana.

In the amount of time it’s going to take you to get a snoball at Mam’s, you could order, eat, and pay for a steak dinner.
Service is mind bafflingly slow. Such a shame too because their snowballs are good, if you have the patience of a saint and actually wait it out to receive your order.
After my first experience there last summer and waiting over an hour to get my snoball, I swore the place off. A business that takes advantage of my time in such an extreme way does not deserve my patronage. I had a weak moment this weekend, though, 3÷20÷15, and decided to give Mam’s another chance. Maybe they had improved? Unfortunately, no. My waiting experience was the same…
I walked into Mam’s at 6:02pm. The place was empty except for the FIVE employees they had working behind the counter and three girls in line in front of me. The three girls each ordered a snoball. I ordered my one small snoball at 6:10, and thus began my waiting game.
I watched as the five employees did a whole lot of talking and no working. The three snoballs ordered by the girls in front of me slowwwwly came out. Oh yay! Now it’s time for mine! So I was thoroughly confused when the «syrup girl» made a fourth snoball and then called out a name that wasn’t mine. Turns out she had just accidentally RE-​MADE one of the three orders that had been in front of me. Wow. *shaking my head* Only four tickets to keep track of and you managed to mess that up. I finally received my snoball at 6:30, 20 minutes after ordering… and that was with only three orders in front of me.
So to summarize, Mam’s averages 5 minutes to make each snoball. Imagine being there on a crowded day when there are 20 snoballs in front of yours? You’re looking at a 1 hour & 40 minute wait.
Get your act together, Mam’s.

Honestly, I thought this place was just «a-​ok» after all the hype and 5 star reviews. My snoball wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t blown away by it or anything. I got Tiger Blood and added gummie bears. The flavor was… interesting. I probably wouldn’t order it again if I ever return. I’m not sure it’s worth the wait here just for a so-​so snoball though.
They also have a tiny gravel parking lot. I always hate driving my car over those things.

Its like I’m back in New Orleans! I moved to Houston a few years ago and I’ve been looking for snow balls for a while now (hhhhh sounds weird).
Located in the Heights area, this place hits on all levels! The snowballs are absolutely perfect! The shaved ice is PERFECT. It is shaved down to perfection. We had the coconut flavor with condensed milk. DO IT! I also tried rhe coconut flavor with mango and condensed milk. Delicious.
Also, the people that run this place are awesome! So nice and genuinely great people! If u guys read this, know that someone from NOLA really loves this place!

MAM’s now has a storefront. It’s very exciting to be able to stand in the AC and not some hot, humid line outside. At least, it ranks up there for me.
There’s one table in there, but you’re not going to want to sit there once you have your snowball. The reverb in that room will drive you mad. If you’re inside and a restless child is in line, as well. Well, you’ve been warned.
There are several tables out front to lounge on, a nice enough neighborhood to wander through, or you can just get in your car and eat/​drink your flavored ice, with or without sweetened, condensed milk*.
Yeah, no I got nothing else. Technically, I didn’t need to add the asterisk and asterisk foot note, but you’ve stuck around this long, so just keep reading.
*I once had a great uncle who put sweetened, condensed milk (SCM) on everything. My dad once told me that this uncle carried a extra can with him in his car in cases of SCM deficient situations. Coffee, tea, ice cream, all desserts. What? You have no SCM?! The horror; the scandal. He was always just a church key can opener away from heart palpitations. I mean, SCM covered food and/​or drinks.

They now have a brick and mortal! It’s been a while since I’ve had mams. They also have loyalty punch cards.
I agree with other Unilocalers that the service and wait for a dang snowcone is just too long. It’s either they’re not sufficiently staffed or they’re just really slow or inefficient. My friends and I came right before the dinner dessert rush on a Tuesday night (thank goodness because although we had a few people in front of us, it still took over 15 min to get our goods. I can’t imagine for the folks at the end of the spiraling long line.)
I got the red velvet flavor and it definitely tasted like red velvet. My boyfriend got the strawberry and even that was very sweet.
They have a few tables and seats outside but the gate around the establishment just makes it look sketch.

I came here on a Sunday expecting a large crowd, but wasn’t so bad. I am used to Plum St. in New Orleans so I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to get here in Houston. (Google Plum St.)
When I walked up I noticed that for a place with such RAVE reviews I was surprised to see such wide open space and a lack of seating in the porch area. Who wants to eat snowballs standing around in the concert jungle. I am sure they aren’t hurting for cash. Hit up the local Tuesday Morning or cheap shop and buy some seats for your clients to enjoy their snowballs outside in the heat. It was a little odd.
We order, and just as we do, the crowd starts to roll in. From what I noticed there was only one machine making shaved ice (which was taking FORVER). They were whipping up a WHOPPING two orders at a time at a rate of like 5 — 7 minutes per two orders. This would be a definite FAIL at Plum St. No wonder people complain of a back up! It took ages to get the orders out. At times there wasn’t even anyone at the cashier taking orders because they were so busy shaving ice. Is it always like this???
I can’t complain about the snowballs. The shaved ice was right on! They have a zillion flavors to choose from and the flavors we tried were fantastic!
I just hope at some point they’d invest in more seating because they definitely have the room! Oh, and maybe more ice shavers and employees???