I love Graeters. They have an excellent ice cream selection lots of choices and they are all really really delicious. They also have seasonal flavors and those are out of this world great. The atmosphere inside is really nice too. Very family friendly and just a nice old fashioned ice cream shop. The employees always seem to be on point. Even when it is crowded they keep the line moving and they are always smiling. Also a wonderful thing I just discovered is that they have packzi’s. Being from Michigan Fat Tuesday can’t be celebrated without them and I was thrilled to find out they have them and they are delicious. Maybe not as good as the Polish bakeries back home but pretty darn good. If you are in Cincy and looking for a place to get ice cream this is definitely your spot, don’t be intimidated by a long line, it will move fast!
John T.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Edmonton, Canada
Stumbled here just before they closed when i was just driving around the city… Had a sample and could not resist to order a scoop of their speciality ice cream to go… for sure i will go back for more.
Leah K.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Boston, MA
We got a gift certificate to Graeters as a wedding present(hint: it was our favorite present). We ordered ice cream and ice cream sandwiches, and the price was right! Flavors We Ordered In the Order We Enjoyed them: Caramel Truffle Gelato Peppermint Stick Mint Chocolate Chip Buckeye Cookie Dough Dark Chocolate Mint Crunch Gelato The caramel truffle gelato was INSANE. Hubby picked it out, wouldn’t have been my first choice, but it was dark and delicious and decadent. All of the«chip» flavors are more like swirl — it’s gentler and softer than a chocolate chip, and WAY more enjoyable. The one that didn’t really do it for me was the dark chocolate mint — it just falls a little flatter than the rest of them, not very sweet(almost not sweet enough). I did like the cookie pieces in it, however. Peppermint Chocolate ice cream sandwiches were fantastic — would order again!
Kate S.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Cincinnati, OH
Best place in Cincinnati to get the best ice cream in the world. The Hyde Park Square store has an old fashioned look, seating indoors and out, and the option to go sit in the park or stroll around window shopping. I recommend double chocolate chip and mocha chip– creamy delicious ice cream with chunks of what must have been an enormous chocolate bar is the Graeter’s way. It’s a must have for locals and a must try for visitors!
Neesa R.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Toronto, Canada
delicious delicious ice cream! definitely try coconut chunk and blueberry chunk and honestly any other chunk ice cream! The chocolate chunks in these are INTENSELY big! I wish they had a store open in Toronto, Canada. Would love to come back and order some more ice cream!
Daniela J.
Rating des Ortes: 4 San Francisco, CA
Delicious old school ice cream! The service was really friendly even when I asked to try about ten different flavors. My favorite was the buckeye– chocolate ice cream with peanut butter balls and chocolate chips. Luckily more places don’t have this or I would be in trouble.
Mercy G.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Tampa, FL
(Based on just 1 visit) Ok. SO much hype about this place I drove out here on my visit to Cincinnati! My first recommendation came from TSA in the Tampa International Airport … the Cincinnati native couldn’t resist telling me to make a stop… so that alone may have set my expectations to high… Either way– I love the area, the shop, and the wonderful service… did not LOVE the ice cream. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t really special in anyway. I had the Brownie Sunday with Coffee & Vanilla ice cream(& ate all of it, so no its not bad)… but wouldn’t be particularly interested in coming back or raving about it. Perhaps, as some other reviews state– there is no need for toppings? May need to come back for just a scoop of the coffee ice cream to truly appreciate the ice cream here! Definitely an old fashioned shop with refreshingly kind staff so I will give them another try! Its great to see the support in the community for this shop so 100% will be back!
Kris D.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Norcross, GA
The ice cream here is so AWESOME! No need for toppings, they’re all in the ice cream. The staff is also so very friendly and genuine. I’m not even an ice cream lover, but this place has changed all that.
J G.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Cincinnati, OH
At first I was skeptical at how good Graeters could be, but it really lives up to its reputation… I can’t believe how much I eat here now. The toffee is my favorite.
Jordan W.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Syracuse, NY
I don’t love ice cream, but was satisfied for a little sweet craving. There was a long line and clearly a good business. I tried the cookie sundae and shared it with two people — we all had plenty. The chocolate is smooth and everything tastes fresh.
Emily D.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Cincinnati, OH
I have never tried a Graeter’s flavor I don’t like. They are all robust, sweet, creamy and delicious. The hardest part is deciding which flavor best suits my mood at the moment. My go to is the black raspberry chip. Any other black raspberry chips pale in comparison. I also love the mint chocolate chip and appreciate that it is naturally colored and white with no artificial color. I also love the strawberry, a burst of fruity deliciousness so when I discovered June’s flavor of the month is strawberry chocolate chip I was all over it. Amazing! Really anything with chocolate chips is great here because they are hand shaved. It is not uncommon to find bar size chunks to chew through. Love, love!
Jonathan E.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Cincinnati, OH
standard great cincinnati experience. recommended.
Manali P.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Cincinnati, OH
I loves graeters’ ice cream. It’s local and doesn’t have any weird ingredients –real cream and sugar. I had the delicious chocolate ice cream. The service is always great. It’s great they have some low calorie options like gelato and sorbet. I also saw a sign for low glycemic index flavors this time. When we have guests from outside town, we always take them to try graeters. Will sure be back here!
Valerie L.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Grand Rapids, MI
I can honestly say that I’m obsessed with Greater’s ice cream. So much so, that when I lived in Texas, my mom shipped me some on dry ice!(I am from Cincinnati, so I’m a bit biased.) Graeter’s ice cream is creamy(not icy), sweet, and delicious! Their ingredients are basic– whole milk, cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk from cows not treated with rBST. Their ice cream is not organic, but mostly free of chemicals and dyes. Warning– you may leave with a coating of fat on the roof of your mouth! Oh, but it’s so delicious! My favorite flavors are mocha(coffee) chip & black raspberry chip! My sister loves the blueberry pie flavor! But you can’t go wrong with any of the flavors! They do have several flavors of the month, and they will let you taste as many as you’d like! The ones with chocolate chunks are the best! The chocolate melts in your mouth, and the chunks are huge! I love the sorbets, sodas, and sundaes too! Most of their toppings(caramel, hot fudge, whipped cream) are made by Graeter’s. Although, I’m not a fan of the new gelatos; I think that they are too sweet(weird, I know!) Most of the locations evoke an old-fashioned soda shop feel. This location is fun in the summer because you can grab your ice cream and sit in Hyde Park square to eat it! The store itself is small, but does have a good number of tables and chairs. They also sell homemade candy, cakes, cookies, and other baked goods. The icing on their birthday cakes is the very sugary, thick kind– I love it because it’s not whippy or chemical-tasting! If you’re in Cincinnati, you HAVE to try Graeter’s. Heck, they even sell it in most grocery stores across the country now!(Thank heaven or I’d go through withdrawls!)
Tyler K.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Tucson, AZ
There are only 2 kinds of people in the world, those who haven’t tried Graeter’s, and those who love Graeter’s. Graeter’s brings the charm of an old-fashioned ice cream and candy shop to a bustling modern world. You will be greeted with the aroma of freshly baking waffle cones when you walk in, and your taste buds will be in for a treat after that. Try their famous black raspberry chocolate chip or mint chocolate chip — you won’t be disappointed!
Rachel K.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
Awesome, just awesome! So many different and wonderful flavors to choose from. I do recommend the turtle sundae which I got on my first visit!
Sandra F.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Cincinnati, OH
Huge Graeter’s fan. My favorites are Black Raspberry Chip, Peanut Butter, Butter Pecan and Mint Chocolate Chip. It’s too hard to choose and recently I fell in love with their new line of Gelatos. I was in the Hyde Park Square location and wanted to get my free Birthday Sundae. Every year I get the 1870 Tower(brownie on the bottom, black raspberry chip(or your choice of ice cream) with whipped cream, chocolate syrup drizzled all over and cherry on top). Delish and mouthwatering. The person waiting on me was a elderly woman and was really sweet. She made my sundae and the serving looked quite large. Not complaining at all! This location is fairly small, yet have a great selection of cookies, pastries and ice cream to go in the freezer section. Very clean. Thanksgiving is coming up and my parents are looking forward to me bringing the butter bit rolls and cookies home(Georgia). If you have not signed up for the rewards program, please do! It is worth it! It’s also free!
Amanda T.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Cincinnati, OH
Delicious ice cream! Since I moved here everyone told me I had to try it! I sampled a few. The raspberry chip, which they’re famous for was pretty good. I’m just not a fan of the fruit based ones. I ended up getting the buckeye, which was delicious but quite a bit of peanut butter. The servings are huge! I got a small cup and it was too much. The chocolate«chips» are pretty big pieces, which I was not a huge fan of that. However, I will definitely go back and bring my friends who visit me to try it! They also have seasonal flavors, which I want to try. The staff was very friendly and helpful!
Chelsea C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Cincinnati, OH
Graeter’s is the bomb .com and everyone knows this, but I love this location best. Maybe it’s just me, but this location makes me feel like I’m in an ice cream parlor from the 50’s or something, which I love. Every time I’m here the place is hoppin’, couples on dates and kids with their parents after a soccer game. Just hearkens back to a simpler time, I guess. And if you don’t want to be inside, a short stroll across the street will take you to the little park in Hyde Park Square where you can sit on a bench and enjoy your ice cream open air. Line is usually long, but it seems to always move quickly. And the gentleman working there last time spontaneously broke into song between scoops, so there’s that too. :) Graeter’s ice cream rules and the Hyde Park location makes it even better.
Jessica H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Lincoln, NE
I am not a huge sweets person. Now don’t get me wrong, I love them from time to time but I don’t think I’m a good critic for them. If it’s too sweet I possibly won’t like it and this was on the brink of too sweet, too creamy. lol. But it was good and I’m really glad I gave it a try. I heard it was supposed to be like, the best in the country? I had a couple flavors, including the black raspberry chip. It was my favorite and absolutely amazing. The chips were actually big, solid chunks of goodness. I also had a scoop of the Buckeye Blitz. Yep, loved the Buckeyes. I am so glad I got the black raspberry. It’s by far my favorite ice cream combo ever! To make the experience even more amazing, my cone was a pretzel cone! Wow! Because Graeder’s uses the French pot method, ice makers produce the ice cream in very small batches, by hand, daily! Two totally amazing happenings due to this adventure? I found a cute area of town I’d love to explore further. The homes were cute and the area surrounding the ice cream shop was like a park and I think it had wi-fi. There were lots of little shops. Another cool thing? They also have candy, including buckeye chocolates. I was very happy to see them because I had originally bought some at Jungle Joe’s to take home to my family but SOMEONE ate them!(blushing a little) First, the guy gave me a free sample of one to see if I approved and then I bought a box. To be honest, the ones at Jungle Jims were way better in my opinion. They were mushier. But the Graeter one’s were fancy, nice thick chocolatey shell and clean peanut butter. Much better for gift giving as far as professional packaging and presentation go.
Anthony N.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Playa del Rey, CA
***Graeter’s is a longstanding ice cream brand out of Cincinnati; it has several locations throughout the city and is sold at some of Cincinnati’s popular restaurants like Montgomery inn; it is more of an old fashioned ice cream parlor like Baskin-Robbins and Fosselman’s than the newer artisan spots like Ohio-based Jeni’s; Graeter’s is a satisfying ice cream spot, but you will be able to find more interesting as well as more delicious ice cream flavors elsewhere*** Graeter’s is one of Cincinnati’s(as well as Ohio’s) most well known ice cream brands. Its popularity is due to its long history in Cincinnati(it has been around since the late 1800s), its availability at popular and longstanding Cincinnati restaurants like Montgomery Inn, and its signature and not found everywhere flavor black raspberry chip. Graeter’s has moved beyond Cincinnati. They have other locations throughout Ohio and pints of a few of their flavors are now available at Ralphs locations in California. Graeter’s is an old fashioned ice cream parlor with mostly traditional hand scoped flavors and throwback sundaes and desserts like banana split. They have gotten a little more modern with some seasonal and more interesting flavors though Graeter’s is still a lot like places such as Fosselman’s and Baskin-Robbins. I tried three of their flavors. I went with one of their seasonal flavors – strawberry chip. It was good. The strawberry ice cream had the right amount of sweetness and tartness. The chocolate chips were also good, thick and rich. They have a lot of other chocolate chip flavors. Their black raspberry chip is popular, but I find the ice cream base on that flavor too tart. I also had their Elena’s blueberry pie. This flavor was quite strong. The blueberry flavor really came across – like very potent blueberry pie filling. There were also crisp shortbread-like cookies in the ice cream(kind of like pie pastry). I thought the flavor was pretty good and some would probably really like it. I am not sure if I would get it again though. I also had the caramel and this was average. It did not have the complexity of the more contemporary salted caramel flavors. It also did not have the richness or sweet flavor of a really good caramel. The consistency of the ice cream was good but not great. It was creamy and smooth and was not icy. The ice cream though did lack the denseness and creaminess of the really good artisan ice cream now available at shops like Sweet Rose Creamery, Bi-Rite Creamery, Three Twins, Jeni’s, and Carmela. Prices were good. Graeter’s is more of a big scoop place so you do not get the variety of flavors in a smaller serving size like Carmela or some gelato shops; however, the portion sizes on scoops are very generous. Service was okay – polite though not as friendly as other places I visited in the Cincinnati area. Graeter’s is worth trying at least once due its popularity and long history. I find it just okay compared to the newer and more upscale gourmet ice cream shops(like Jeni’s in Ohio), but with Graeter’s many ice cream flavors, sundaes, toppings, and shakes, I think most will be able to find something they like here. This Graeter’s is located in the charming and quaint Hyde Park Square shopping district and you can find metered street parking and free street parking in the nearby residential area.