Klavon’s Ice Cream Parlor

Wow! I’ve never had a better experience at an ice cream shop. From the atmosphere to customer service. I came in on a hot Friday night with a line out the door. However, in little to no time the employees handled orders with ease and I received a FRESH MADE WAFFLE CONE, with one of tastiest peanut butter ice creams I’ve ever had. Kudos to this shop and their staff, Klavons is a true gem in Pittsburgh.

Make the waffle cones on the spot! I was served by the same guy both times I’ve been here and he is great! Was working by himself on a busy afternoon (line was constantly 10 people long), and he was grinding out orders. Love the peach ice cream, want to come back for a float!

I was on the prowl for dessert at 10:30pm and luckily, I happened to stumble upon Klavon’s by the strip. The location wasn’t great, especially at night, but I was pleasantly surprised at the sight of the unique vintage 1920s décor (although the seats were very uncomfortable). There were many great options from sundaes to floats to splits. The great thing is though there are plenty of predesigned desserts, you can customize it in any way you want. I went the traditional route and chose the Super Sundae (approx. $ 6) which was a brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, caramel, salted pecans, and whipped cream. YUMM! We got two scoops which is plenty if you’re looking to share with another person. It tasted like diabetes but definitely worth it.
It was served in a clear plastic take-​out container and plastic spoon even though were not taking it to go which killed the vibe a little. The real downside came when we found a mystery piece of PLASTIC in our ice cream! Though I was not going to let that make me waste perfectly good ice cream, I did not appreciate the carelessness. The staff were nice, but we had to physically get their attention to get our order in and pay even though we were one of the two parties in the restaurant.
Overall, I would recommend this place if you’re looking for a quick stop to grab some ice cream. I would go back to try out some of the other items on their menu (minus the plastic).

My nephew had «done his research» and wanted to visit Klavons. I have been living in Pittsburgh for 10+ years and was sad to say I had never experienced it! He had done great research!
You walk back in time, walking into this Ice Cream Parlor. From telephone booths to the candy — you defiantly walk back in time.
I have now (thanks to my nephew who lives out of town) been here a few times. Who are we kidding — I come for the peanut butter ice cream. It is phenomenal.
Everything is reasonably priced, the staff is great (even let us sample (not my under-​aged nephew!) the beer ice cream! It can — at times — seem a bit unorganized — do they wait on customers or ring people out first? However, it’s worth the wait. Everything from milkshakes, to cones (homemade waffle cones!) to floats to sundaes — they have everything you could dream of in relation to ice cream!
If you are an ice cream lover — like myself — check it out!

Great! Cute atmosphere and courteous staff.

I love the atmosphere here. It was a very familial and laid back vibe. The ice cream sundaes and floats were also delicious. Can’t go wrong with any flavor!

The old-​time atmosphere of the building is 5 stars. The taste of the ice cream is 5 stars. The service was at best 2 stars. My husband and I entered the business one hour before their closing time, and three employees, who had started to clean up, ignored us for several minutes. No one greeted us. I asked my husband if we should just walk out. I finally asked an employee if I could place my order. She said nothing in response, but we told her which ice cream we wanted. I sat down at a table. Most of the tables were dirty. Several minutes later, an employee came over to the table to give us the ice cream. She was holding my husband’s ice cream sideways, and it would have fallen onto my lap if I had not pushed her hand up and away. She apologized. We ate our ice cream and enjoyed the taste and generous size. We had not yet paid for our ice cream, so my husband walked up the counter to ask to pay. Another employee asked him which ice creams we ordered and rang up the total cost, which was $ 11 total for two ice creams. We left without anyone saying goodbye. I would return to this business only if they hired new employees who do not have attitudes.

Sat there and watched several customers walk in while the «employee» ate her own ice cream behind the bar and didn’t say a word or bother to acknowledge them. She left her other co-​worker to handle the entire crowd. We had the same experience when we walked in.
When she finally did find the strength to help, she returned to serving without washing her hands.
Very sad, it seems this place has amazing history and potential. However I agree with the previous reviews that the staff are killing it. Will not return.

Really disappointed! I have been here several times since the place got new owners and every time has been unpleasant. My 3yo and I waited for ten minutes at a table while being ignored and not once had anyone come over to take our order. Three separate parties came in after us and the two guys served them in the slowest fashion. Finally I got up and they said can we help you? I got my son a wee cone for $ 2.94. Yes, for a wee cone it was overpriced. Then I asked for a sundae but they didn’t have the ice cream I wanted, nor did they have my second choice, or third. I said, «forget it.» I told my son this place isn’t the same and we won’t be back. Hopefully they can train the employees to be more friendly, prompt, and not goof around.

Old fashion style ice cream parlor with sundaes, floats, and ice cream sodas. Perfect after a day shopping in the Strip or for dessert after a meal nearby. Free parking too.

Got the super sundae, which is basically a turtle sundae on a chocolate brownie. Good stuff! The pecans stole the show. It aint no Antneys or Pages, but then again, who is?

I can’t help but love the old time feel of Klavon’s. From the old time telephone booths to the penny candy to the actual glasses that the ice cream comes in. It is great place for a cool treat. All of the combinations look amazing. I am prone to chocolate and peanut butter combos, but I did notice a fruity number, that I am going to try on a hot day. (Peachy Paterno ***ice cream is from Penn State Creamery*** with Pineapples and Strawberries on top. Take me to a tropical location…)
One aspect that I have noticed when I have been in Klavon’s is that the employees are always smiling. They seem happy to be giving you the sweetest treat in town. They joke with the customers and seem to generally love their job. Stay away from franchise ice cream, and go grab some Klavon’s.

Klavon’s is an ice cream lover’s dream! Walking into Klavon’s is like stepping out of a time machine into the 1930s — I mean sure, the employees are dressed in modern clothes, but really, overall this is a little slice of nostalgia heaven! They offer a huge selection of delicious ice cream concoctions from simple ice cream cones to fabulously decadent sundaes with a wide variety of ingredients that make it difficult to chose which one to try! On this occasion I got the Cookie Monster which has cookies and cream ice cream, with Oreo’s, and hot fudge topped with whipped cream and my boyfriend got the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup which has chocolate ice cream, Reese’s peanut butter cups and peanut butter topping. They were delicious! It would be great if they made their own ice cream, but they purchase their ice cream from Penn State Creamery, which is fabulous ice cream, so I have no complaints. I like that they sell old fashioned candy even though I didn’t purchase any of it, it is a nice touch to the shop. I love that they kept the original décor and that they have maintained the atmosphere of the original shop for the most part — yes, it would be fun if the employees dressed the part but I don’t feel that it took away from my experience because the employees, who were mostly younger, were dressed in modern clothing.
I wanted to acknowledge how great the staff was when we were here last night. I’ve been here a few times and last night we stopped by not realizing that they were offering free green shakes for St. Patrick’s Day, so we were surprised by how crowded it was at 8 PM on a Thursday night, but the staff did a tremendous job at handling the crowd and they were very upbeat, friendly and the service was quick. They didn’t seem at all phased by what surely must have been a busy day dealing with lots of people stopping in just for a free shake (and many who seem to have been drinking) they just kept serving up free shakes will taking care of paying customers. I think that shows absolute professionalism and that they clearly enjoy their jobs!

I stumbled upon Klavon’s biking through the Strip on a Saturday night and have been back on many occasions often on dates.
You just don’t see places like Klavon’s anymore… is what I would say if i was 60+ years old.
However, I’m 25 and thoroughly enjoyed my experiences here.
The atmosphere of the parlor gives you that ‘old-​timey’ feel as if you were in the 60’s and candy only cost a nickel. It’s warming and almost artistic in a way, Hence the reason it’s nice to go on a date; It feels like a well kept secret. Oh yea, their ice cream is great and mixed in-​house and their sundaes are great as well.

Rarely will you find an ice cream joint like Klavon’s. A colorful mural greets customers in the parking lot. The fun and whimsy continue inside with an old fashion drug store counter, bar stools, equipment, telephone booths, and vintage products on the shelves. The ice cream and milkshakes are just as great as the atmosphere. A treat for customers of all ages.

I used to love this place and took my family there for special treats many times. The marvellous art deco interior, old-​fashioned menu items, creative sundae offerings and cheerful atmosphere made it easy to forgive the high prices and small portions. Sadly yesterday my daughter and I had such an unpleasant experience that we are not likely to go back. The server ignored us while serving several groups who came in after us and was about to take orders from another when I reminded her of our presence. She was rude and unapologetic and acted as if she were doing us a favor taking our order. We waited and when I saw her serving another customer decided it was time to leave. As we were about to leave, she called to us asking if we wanted our order, which she had behind the counter and was apparently not willing to bring to us at our booth. Reluctantly I accepted the offer and paid the tab – over $ 11 for a modest sundae and milk shake. Again she was unfriendly and offered no apology. My daughter and I ate our treats but by then could not really enjoy them, and my daughter left hers unfinished. To be fair, just after we came in the place got very busy and the server was alone at the counter. Still, to treat a customer as she did us is inexcusable. At the very least a simple and friendly apology would have helped a great deal. It was clear from her manner that if anyone owed an apology it was us for inconveniencing her and audaciously demanding to be served. If you go I recommend sitting at the counter rather than at a table or booth. You will be more likely to be served and can then take your order to a table.

Even though I have to pledge loyalty to Pitt, the Penn State Creamery ice cream I had from them is awesome! Great flavors, great décor, super nice people!

Giving this place 2 stars because I like the ice cream but after my last experience I really want to give it 1.
On Wednesday, I called at around 6:30 pm and asked how late they would be open. I was told 9:00 pm. I went at 8:15 pm and it was closed! Why would you give me a closing time and close so much earlier?
I called the next day to ask what happened. I could understand if an emergency came up, but nope! I was told that they had no customers for two hours and they decided to close early. I’m sorry you didn’t have customers that day but you can’t just close whenever you feel like it, at least adjust the timings and tell people the hours accordingly.
TL;DR: I drove 25 minutes in both directions just to see a closed sign on the door even after I called to confirm hours, so disappointing.

Terrific!
Very old-​timey feel. Highly recommend the Turtle Sundae.

This place is awesome. Completely authentic and has the old school charm, not to mention the menu is huge! 20 different sundaes, shakes, splits and floats. The service was super friendly and they genuinely seem to enjoy themselves. Did I mention the sundae I had was delicious! I got the cookie n cream with hot fudge and I asked for peanuts so they threw them on. It so was inexpensive. My friend got their homemade chocolate almond ice cream and she loved it. Def recommend for families or even date night! I will definitely be going back!

I came here with a group and enjoyed a peanut butter swirl milkshake with m&ms. It was a hard decision given the many choices available for ice cream, sundaes, and milkshakes. I love that the staff will do custom orders. The vintage look of the place is really cool along with it’s neat candy display in the corners. The staff are super friendly. The location and parking were convenient in the strip district.

I’m surprised I haven’t been here before, it’s been a Pittsburgh establishment dating back to 1923 and has an interior that is reminiscent of exactly that. With a rich history as a marble topped pharmacy reopened as an ice cream parlor in 1999, it has been supporting good old fashioned trips to the Strip through generations.
It was swiftly purchased from Mr Klavon in Jun 2013 after the old man had passed away in January and the family sought to sell. I swear that is when I took notice of the location in the post gazette but I had believe it to be last year not 2 years ago. I guess i’m not the only one living in a time capsule. A time capsule find of an old 50’s Milkshaker was the spark to create a creamery out of the old pharmacy location in 1999.
It difficult to sift through the wonderful options of Sundaes, Floats and Sodas so you must find a seat at the Counter. I opted for a Nutty Englishman Soda creation. How have I never has an ice cream soda before? Considering my love for soda water it is the perfect way to simultaneously indulge in cream scoops of ice cream [this one butterscotch] and still lighten it up as a drink. Amazing — I will never go back. It’s set up large so you will be plenty filled by yourself, or to share if you wish. KB had hers as a Sundae that comes in two sizes. Being very full still from lunch, the smaller size was good enough.
The newest venture is paired with the Penn State Creamery [America’s largest college creamery celebrating 150 years] and will not disappoint. Klavon’s new owner is a Penn State Alum and is proud to bring in-​house creations to our beloved city.
Klavon’s is a perfect way to finish a Saturday hot summer stroll or a quick fix if you have a sweet tooth emergency. Bring a date here for some flashback fun that’s off the beaten track, or just need to get away from the adult scene. Yum.

Whenever I’m in town I try to stop into Klavon’s; today was my first visit under new ownership. Ice cream was good (was expecting new strip district flavors I read about, but got to try the famous Penn State Dairy Peachy Paterno so that was a win.) The person who took our order was very friendly, not all the staff there tonight were so polite though. I was shocked at how rude one of your employees was to an older customer. He was there with his granddaughter and being nostalgic, and not only did she straight up argue with him about something he remembered, she was visibly irritated with him. She continued to be short with him for the rest of the time we were there. She even plunked his ice cream soda down and told him the straws were in front of him… seriously?
Edit: I contacted the business about this issue, and received a response, thanking me for bringing this to their attention, and advising me they had addressed the situation with the employee.

A quintessential ice cream parlor tucked away in the Strip District. I love the atmosphere and everything that Klavon’s represents. They have cones, sundaes, milkshakes, smoothies, floats, and everything you could dream of. There is a counter, tables, or booths to sit at, and there is plenty of seating. While they no longer use old-​school milkshake machines, these things remain on display to remind you of the past era. They also have candy and some other fun ambiance. I don’t want to spoil the excitement of coming here.
I ordered a Death by Chocolate Milkshake, and it was delicious. It was very rich and blended well. I really want to try a sundae next time I come in because it all looked so pretty! My friend got a mango smoothie that she liked a lot as well. Apparently, they also have multiple flavors of whipped cream!
One complaint: The day my friend and I went in, the girl automatically made our orders to go. I would have loved one of the glasses but alas. I am sure if I had asked she would have changed the order over. Nonetheless, a super fun place to come and hang out.

Love the old school feel of the place. While it seem a bit disorganized when you walk in, be patient and someone will eventually help you. Since their ice cream is that of the famed Berkey Creamery at Penn State, they have lots of the same flavors as those at the headquarters, including the fruity and fluffy Peachy Paterno. The Regular size is huge, and they let you combine multiple flavors, something strictly forbidden at Penn State. The servers are friendly, and one even came over to ask customers how they were doing while eating. My favorite ice cream in the city by far!

I came here expecting to give 5 stars, I really did! I love the old school vibe with the decorations, phone booths and retro candy. The ice cream was really good, and the prices were pretty affordable compared to the portion. There are many different sundaes, floats and combos on the menu. 3 different kinds of whip cream– vanilla, chocolate and amaretto. All the employees were super nice.
However, it was just a zoo in there. Klavon’s was pretty packed when we went, and there was no line system, actually, no real line at all. There were tables with people taking orders– was this a sit down place or what? I still have no idea. We sat at a table, grabbed a waiter, ordered, and paid at the cashier.

I went on a date a couple of weeks ago and he took me here. I had never been here before but can I say it was great!!! I have a severe peanut/​tree nut allergy, so typically ice cream places aren’t safe, but the employees made sure everything was safe for me. I had a small peach smoothie which was anything but small! And very sweet and refreshing! Such a cute old fashioned ice cream parlor I am absolutely in love with!

Best place in Pittsburgh I’ve been to get ice cream so far. Sooooo many options and just not enough stomach space to do so. Next time, next time.

There’s no place in Pittsburgh like Klavon’s. Actual Klavon’s. Most believe it’s not the same since the take over which is a shame, but we’re so lucky to have this one still (I say take over, but really this was saved by the current owner). Unfortunately the current set up with the ridiculous amount of odd candy sold here makes it a little cheap. That’s the only negative I can find.
A fair warning, Klavon’s seems a bit out of the way if you’re doing the typical Saturday afternoon in the strip but definitely doable. The ice cream is from PSU which is delicious but the real point is to have one of the sundaes in this 20’s shop. Not to sound corny, but it is just uniquely entertaining. Where in the city are you getting hot fudge on some white house? No where. The service was awesome too; we spent a fair bit of time talking with the young man behind the counter about the most popular items (turtle sundae!) and his favorite, a genuine, classic banana split. This isn’t a frozen dairy historical society so cut the kids some slack, by the way.
Take the extra few blocks to Klavon’s and get the amaretto sundae, two scoops! Add the fudge! And chocolate whipped cream! And cherries! I could go on forever, but you understand. It’s worth it.

A bit of a walk from the main part of Pittsburgh «Strip» district but the ice cream treats are delish! We shared the Pecan Ball.

I love Klavon’s. I love Klavon’s so much that I’ve been known to stop in for a tasty treat here even on the chilliest of Pittsburgh winter nights. And it takes some darn good ice cream to get me to overcome my aversion to the cold during that season, let me tell you!
Klavon’s is one of the oldest places I know of in the area that serves food and dessert. It originally opened in 1923, although there was admittedly 20-​year period where it was closed. I bring this up since they reopened in 1999 — but aside from restructuring things a bit for basic functionality purposes, they didn’t really renovate or modernize the look of the shop. The result is that it really looks, feels and even smells like you’ve stepped back into an old ice cream parlor. There are wooden booths and tables, an old counter with iconic revolving stools, even old wooden phone-​booths (non-​functioning now, of course).
But enough about the shop. Let’s talk about the food — like the ice cream, which comes from Penn State Creamery. Really, do I need to say anything else? It’s delicious! But it gets better — not only does Klavon’s serve plain ol’ Penn State Creamery ice cream, they also serve sundaes, ice cream sodas, ice cream floats, and splits. All made with Penn State Creamery ice cream. It’s heaven right here in Pittsburgh as far as I’m concerned.
And even if you’re not in a dessert kind of mood, Klavon’s is still worth a trip — they also serve paninis, soup, pepperoni rolls, and a couple small kid snacks. Not to mention, they sell a range of candy — some new, some older classics — that you can purchase singularly or in-​bulk and take with you. I know this is something my parents absolutely love, as they’re fans of some of the candy options.
As far as I’m concerned, this place is a historic and tasty Pittsburgh treasure. Definitely be sure to stop in sooner rather than later, cold weather or not!

Ok, so what we have here is an early century gem that is kind of covered by a thick layer of lack of knowledge and interest in history.
We stopped in before a two-​store ‘block party’ in the area, and having heard about it for years and never been in, we decided to check it out. Entering was kind of a wonderment initially, scoping out a somewhat back-​in-​time feel and appearance, with shelves of old style candies and gums for sale, a menu board with a handful of varieties of ice creams, sundaes and other concoctions available for somewhat reasonable prices. And the Terrazzo floors are pristine and gorgeous.
The décor is mostly original old soda fountain, with original shelves and display cases, beautiful marble tables and wooden booths, and original snack counter, vintage blenders, etc.
I ordered a double espresso and my friend ordered a coffee, and I do have to say kudos for knowing how to properly fill a double shot demitasse. The espresso was a little on the sour side, but good enough for what I expected at an ice cream store.
I think that what could make this place fantastic would be eliminating the ‘youth’ from the employee team, or at least replacing them with folks who had a clue what that era represents, and how to recreate it, or, at the very, VERY least, educating the youth on what it was like, and how to recreate it.
When I’m sitting at a vintage marble table, sipping espresso from a demitasse, I’m a bit thrown off by hipster music coming from a Pandora box, and a service staff that looks like they just came to work directly from the Urban charter school, dressed like silly high school kids.
I sampled the ice cream, the death by chocolate… and although it tasted ‘ok’, hearing the story that this old fashioned ice cream parlor bought their ice creams from Penn State Creamery, and did not make their own, well, that was about as ‘authentic’ as the Necco company candy reproductions being sold to ‘look’ vintage, but all of which were really just watered down versions of the originals.
This place could be so much more than it is, a true destination, if the ‘theming’ was carried through in a more careful and thoughtful manner. Turn off the hipster tunes, and put on some big band or old fashioned malt shop tunes. Try a nice crisp uniform instead of saggy (or skinny) jeans with a sloppy looking over shirt or T-​shirt.
What should be a very cool and warm, inviting atmosphere plays off as a little cold and sadly weathered.
Create a few more aspects of the true old fashioned malt shop, ice cream parlour and lunch counter, instead of a ‘trendy’ collection of outside sourced lunch options, and the run of the mill sundae collection, simply renamed to be ‘cool’. Throw in a kitchen sink challenge, maybe some home made baked good…
It’s a very cool little building and spot… with SO much potential.
In South Florida is a place called Jaxson’s…this place ALWAYS had a line so far out the door that they’d hire a keyboardist to play in the parking lot to keep people entertained while waiting, and they’d pass popcorn out to the waiting line. They also had the vintage candy shelves, and you could truly find ANYTHING still made. Their ice creams were all made in house, and they would have bells and whistles going off if you ate the whole ‘Kitchen Sink’, or similar creation. They had a nice simple kitschy line of ‘real’ meals, to accompany the ice cream
THIS was a ‘destination’, not just an after thought. And this is what Klavon’s SHOULD strive to be.

I came back here after the Tar and Feather party at Wigle Whiskey last night with a friend. I’d been meaning to visit Klavon’s again since it’d been a year since I’d last visited, so I suggested it, and my friend, who’d never been before, was game.
I usually order a soda or float when I’m here, since this is the only place in PGH I know that makes them. However, most of the flavors were fruity, and I was in the mood for some chocolate, so I decided to go with a sundae instead. I ordered a regular sized peanut butter M & M sundae, which the woman serving me (who I assume is the proprietor) described as consisting of two regular sized scoops of ice cream. It was huge! The ice cream was vanilla with streaks of peanut butter, and the sundae had warm peanut butter and M & M pieces spooned into it. The ice cream was very creamy and delicious, and there were no problems with freezer burns this time. Overall, the sundae was great, if not quite what I was expecting. Other than the M & M’s, it lacked chocolate (I had assumed that the ice cream would be chocolate ice cream with peanut butter swirls), which was disappointing since I was looking for more of a chocolate peanut butter combo. However, to be fair, this was more of an expectation issue on my part since the description of the sundae didn’t say anything about chocolate ice cream or fudge, so I can’t blame the proprietor for this. Word to the wise: If you’re seeking more chocolate, you may want to have them add some hot fudge!
My friend ordered the orange creamsicle ice cream soda, which consisted of vanilla ice cream and orange soda, and she enjoyed it very much. The only thing slightly amiss with it was that when she first started sipping it, the ice cream shifted, causing the soda to fizz up and overflow the mug. Since I’d been wanting to try this flavor, I asked her if I could have a sip and she obliged. The flavor was very good, and I’d definitely order it when I return.
Service was friendly, if a bit slow. The current owner has done a great job of maintaining the décor, down to the penny candy (I saw it this time!) and phone booths. The only thing conspicuously missing is the scale, which I assume the original owner’s family kept as a personal keepsake – but this is probably a good thing for dieters who’d rather not be reminded of their indulgence (ahem, cough, cough). My friend really enjoyed the atmosphere, and said she’ll definitely be back soon. Despite trying to lose weight, I’m sure I will, too! 4.5 stars.