Grand Ole Creamery

This is one of my favorite ice cream shops in the country. I live in Arizona. But whenever I’m in the Twin Cities I make nightly trips to GOC. Don’t think about if you’re in the mood for ice cream. Just get over to GOC ASAP and be done with it… then thank me!

Grand Olé will do the trick, but it’s just not quite up to par with the best the cities have to offer. A little pricey — though probably no more than what you’d pay at other local creameries. The store itself is miniscule — and perhaps claustrophobia-​inducing. I don’t recall if there was any small seating space inside, but there was a patio, not particularly scenic once wedged between a parking lot of busy road. I suppose I’d return, maybe after an afternoon at nearby Lake Nokomis, but doesn’t make my short list.

Would I immerse myself in a tub of Grand Olé Creamery’s ice cream after a strenuous leg workout? Yes. Would I eat most of it, even if it meant getting super sick because I’m lactose intolerant? Probably. Would I do it again if I hypothetically did this self-​proclaimed, innovative workout recovery? Absolutely.
That’s how thug-​life I am, when it comes to ice cream. Ice cream and I have been homies since the jump, and I love the fact that GOC (which sounds like a Wu-​Tang Clan member, BTW) can spread its gospel in the Nokomis hood (one I used to live in). It’s a huge win for its residents. So luckily, when my brother came into town a couple weekends ago, I FINALLY got to check this location out.
I. FOOD
Unfortunately, I couldn’t try all the flavors on the menu, but I did love my Cookies & Cream. It reminded me of my childhood, when I used to have midnight ice cream rendezvous at the fridge, when my parents would be asleep. They could never figure out why I was so chubby. #ilovetoeaticecreamproblems This is also a good thing, BTW. I love their Cookies & Cream and appreciate the fact that their cream is fresh and smooth. My only critique is that it’s slightly grainy.
II. SERVICE
Like any ice cream shop in the summer, a couple high school kids staffed this one. And despite their young ages, they were über professional and fast. No qualms here.
III. DÉCOR/​ATMOSPHERE
There’s a parking lot in the back, and the main ordering space is quite small. If you drop by during peak hours, you’ll likely meet a line. Most patrons eat on their medium sized patio (15 – 25 people maybe?), for what that’s worth. You can also take advantage of the scenery around you and stroll around and through Lake Nokomis and its park, respectively.
IV. PRICES
I wish I kept my receipt, but I remember buying a pint of ice cream and two waffle cones with one scoop (which is really two scoops) for about $ 17. I think the pint was closer to $ 10. In other words, I don’t think your wallet will take a hard hit, unlike Izzy’s or other high-​end ice cream joints.
V. OVERALL
For ice cream, would GOC be my first choice? No. But I would certainly say it’s in my fab five and worth checking out if in the area.

Definitely try this place out.
They have a lot of flavors packed into the tiny little building.
Of course they have the usual flavors, but they have some fun weird stuff too! I decided to try the «Taro» flavored Ice cream. Apparently its some kind of vegetable? It was sweet, but not super sweet. Definitely did not taste like a veggie at all!
They have a cute little patio set up between their building and caribou. It’s a short distance from the local Nokomis trails, so you can definitely hit it up on your bike ride!

The ice cream was delicious! I had never had butter brickle before, and it was to die for. The best part however was their home-​made waffle cones. Lots of places try to make their own waffle cones, but I have had no bigger dissapointment than recieving a soft or soggy waffle cone. Not the case here. It was crisp, light, and thick, as a cone should be. I could eat it as a cookie all by itself. What a better vehicle for their decadent ice cream.

I walked 2 miles there with my class at the Germanic-​American Institute thinking that this place would be amazing and worthy of a 10 mile walk. I walked the 2 miles back thinking about how insanely disgusting my dessert was.
I got the’Black Hills Gold’ flavor because on the website it said that the «Black Hills Gold» flavor was their signature. I got an undersized scoop, which doesn’t really bother me. it had a malt ball on top; it was stale and old. I tried the actual ice cream to get the taste out of my mouth. The crushed cookies inside were also old and stale. I thought that my taste buds decieved me, that no ice cream could taste that bad… so I took another lick. Nope! Still gross! At this point I just threw it away.
I would highly reccommend going to Pumphouse Creamery in Minneapolis instead. Pumphouse is WAY better than this craphole that they call an ice cream shop. Save yourself precious taste memory and money by going there instead.

Delicious ice cream and waffle cones. I had the apple pie flavor which comes with real apples and pie crust in it.
Seems a little spendy to me, but you get good sized portions.
Convenient location and nice outdoor patio seating.

All four stars for the ability to make ur own icecream sandwich with a fresh waffle!
What more can I add!

Homemade ice cream! Huge serving sizes! Lovely end to a beautiful summer day! Not much parking available, and not much room inside for ordering when it’s busy. Nice spot for eating outside next to Caribou! We love that there is a self-​serve water cooler inside too!

Finally got a chance to fulfill my dream in going to Grand Olé this weekend (yes in the middle of a damn monsoon).
Incredible ice cream and even better waffle cone bowl things.
I won’t review it too much because I’m still irritated from my last review of some half shot Chicago deep dish wanna be place, but, this was some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had. Blueberry cheesecake was incredible, salted nut roll was the perfect mix of sweet and salty, cookie monster was damn good but needed more cookie crumbles, and birthday cake was perfect.
Could see where «customer service» would be a bit off here. The gals working have a hard time explaining exactly how things get served here. I wanted a scoop of two flavors in my bowl and the gf wanted two scoops in hers. «Do you want a split scoop or a double?» How the hell should I know, they both sound the same to me. Well apparently a double gets you two scoops of one flavor, or something. And a split scoop means half of one scoop and half of one scoop into a bowl. No I’d like a full scoop of each flavor. Then some blank looks… Didn’t realize things could get so complicated.
But, yeah, good stuff and I’ll be back for sure.

This is the best ice cream! Love their Cookie Monster flavor, but any choice my make is the right one.

Ice cream was good but as far as customer service they have no idea about it. I ask for a double scoop cone and got 4 scoops instead of 2, was my fault according to the girl. The the cone broke and they didn’t want to change it because i had it in my hand so it was my fault.

Rainy night treat was necessary after biking for a few hours in the rain. Some friends recommended we try Grand Olé Creamery. I’m so glad we did! The shop is tiny but the ice cream is not. One scoop is a LOT of ice cream (I think they say half a pint). Free samples of anything you want to taste. I wasn’t feeling SUPER adventurous and went with the pb chocolate — it was delicious! My husband went for the mango and the strawberry cheesecake — both superb. I’m SURE we will be back (especially mid-​summer since it’s on our bike route).

The ice cream here is good and it is conveniently located off the Minnehaha Trail. I like ice cream just as much as the next guy, but Grand Olé doesn’t stand out to me like other places. The place is small, there is barely any seating at a window bar inside and the majority of tables are outdoors in between the building and Caribou Coffee. I’ve had plenty of flavors in bowls and cones and I have to say I like the malts more than anything I’ve tried. They do have seasonal hours so don’t plan on it during the long winter months. If you’re riding the trail Grand Olé is definitely worth a stop for a nice treat, they do have a free water jug right inside you can fill your bottle up with too!

It was good ice cream and there were a bunch of options, but it wasn’t «omgoodness this ice cream is to die for». If you like ice cream or desserts, then you will like this place. It’s small inside, really only room for 3 people to sit and a few more to stand around in the inside, but it’s cute and cozy if you don’t mind getting to know others who are also getting ice cream.

The quality of the ice cream here is the same as the St Paul shop. This is by far the best ice cream in the twin cities! The taste is true to the flavor with authentic ingredients. This is not gelatto, so don’t expect that consistency. I’m a mint chocolate chip lover and I’ve tried several shops in town without luck. Their peppermint bonbon was perfection! The black hills gold was a party in my mouth, and the raspberry chocolate flakes was my second favorite after mint. Coffee break was good if you’re into fudge, I prefer my coffee ice cream plain.
The place is small but conveniently located next door to a Caribou in the Nokomis neighborhood.
Fairly priced, you get what you pay for!

I really can’t give any ice cream shop less than four stars if they are doing it homemade and have fresh waffle cones. To the people who gave it 2 or 3… I totally get what you’re saying but hey, I just like ice cream. A lot. Huge selection of sugary sweet flavors and big scoops! I had the ‘cookie monster” with oreos AND cookie dough last time… omg I giggled like a kid when I saw this stuff.
Truthfully, I would probably give it three stars if I am comparing it to Izzy’s because of their WAY more natural, refined flavors and eco-​conscienceness. But I don’t know if you really can compare the two, they are just another animal.
but still… great local shop. Go get some!

Lots of choices, all homemade.
One thing to be aware of though — a standard scoop of their ice cream or sorbet is the size of a large man’s fist. So if you order a cone with two different flavors you may want to opt for a single scoop split (their lingo — a single split) rather than two whole massive scoops — unless you are married to a Lipitor salesman.
Most impressive flavor had to be the raspberry/​lemon sorbet. Tasted like summer.
The waffle cones are homemade too and were delish.
Next time I have lunch at Sandcastle at the nearby Lake Nokomis, I think GOC will be the next destination, for a cold, sweet treat!

DELICIOUS! I am a huge fan of ice cream (really, I am a fan of any sweet). I tried samples of about half of the ice creams. Huge servings! The shop is tiny, a countertop with only three stools but there is plenty of outside seating.

Let me start by saying that I really, really enjoy the coffee break ice cream at this place. And I like that their patio area is dog friendly, although it’s not the most scenic patio around…
Downsides: like at many ice cream stores, I have trouble justifying spending $ 5 – 6 on one ice cream cone. Many of the flavors are pretty similar to each other, and I’d really love to see some light options or sorbet type options so I don’t end up blowing my entire week’s diet going here. They do have a «kids» size scoop/​cone, but I always forget to order it. Service varies each time I come here — sometimes they’re super friendly, other times not so much.
Sometimes they have deals on pints of ice cream, like buy two get one free. These deals are often a much better value than buying individual cones.
Overall, this is a fun place to come if we’re walking to/​from the lake or happen to be going by but it’s not my first choice for ice cream really.