Chilly Cow of Boston
451 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA, 02474
Chilly Cow of Boston Menu
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Address :
451 Massachusetts Ave
Arlington, MA, 02474 - Phone (781) 648-4360
- Website https://www.chillycow.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
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Alex M.
THE best frozen custard I have ever had. No question.
(5)Roscoe R.
Frozen custard was all I used to get at Chilly Cow. It's rare to find it in the Boston area -- Abbott's is the only other frozen custard place I know about -- so it was always a treat. Then, on a whim, I figured I'd try the regular ice cream at Chilly Cow. It was AMAZING -- on par with the other local greats (Tosci's, Ranc's, Lizzy's, Christina's). A word about "frozen custard" ... If you're unfamiliar with frozen custard, then know it's NOTHING like the "custard" you have for dessert (in pies, etc.). It's more like ice cream or frozen yogurt (and not as common in New England as it is in some other regions of the US). Service at Chilly Cow is always good, but it seems like they too often have just 1 employee behind the counter when they should have two. But if waiting 2 more minutes means cheaper ice cream due to lower labor costs, then hey, I'm good with waiting!
(5)Steph P.
Ok, so I have no clue what frozen custard is. I do know, however, that it is delicious. And apparently has fewer calories than regular ice cream. Chilly Cow has great frozen custard flavors, along with ice cream and fro yo too. Lots of toppings to add to your frozen treat, and several tables so you can sit and enjoy. The service is pretty good too, always nice and know how to tackle a line.
(4)Amanda A.
AMAZING BIRTHDAY CAKE! The Chilly Cow made us a fantastic Curious George birthday cake for my son's 2nd birthday - it was the hit of the party. I emailed a picture of how I wanted the cake to look and the staff at the Chilly Cow made it look even better than I could imagine. And it tasted better than it looked. The owner Brian was kind enough to make banana custard for the cake which we coupled with chocolate - it was amazing. A million thanks to the Chilly Cow!!!!
(5)Ashley L.
I heart you chilly cow but could you get some color in there? The while walls that now cover up the blue cow-print (albeit silly but gave the place some character) looks like you're still deciding if you want to stick around. I've noticed the portions have gotten smaller too (the kiddie used to be almost 2 scoops worth!) but the ice cream is still top notch. Tornado is my favorite.
(5)Dave F.
This place is amazing! I don't know what I like better... the custard... or the ice cream... so hard to decide. The frozen pies are great! We have them every time there is a family gathering. And they know how to make a real frappe. Not too thick but not too thin. Prices are very fair. Way less then the overpriced J P Licks. And the service is always great.
(5)Dave F.
One warm Saturday afternoon, my girlfriend, Diana, and I were walking around Arlington for the first time. We were starving, but not in the mood for any of the copious Asian food options we were coming across. We were feeling dizzy, but still somehow unable to pick something. We needed something that would tide us over until we could find some real food, when we passed the Chilly Cow. "Ooh, I love frozen custard!" Diana exclaimed. I simply stared, dumbfounded. Frozen whatnow? There wasn't much discussion after that. We would be having frozen custard at Chilly Cow. There were very few people in Chilly Cow when we walked in, so we had plenty of time to look at the menu, which was good, because the entire wall behind the counter is made up of a chalkboard menu full of ice cream, custard and sherbet options, as well as many other treats. I wanted to try so many different flavors, but finally settled on the cookie dough frozen custard, while Diana had the mint cookie. I wasn't sure at first about the $3.50 price for a small, until we got them. For a small, it was huge. I can't even imagine how much is in a regular. The custard was delicious. It was so smooth and creamy and wonderful, and the cookie dough pieces were big enough that each time I dug one out, I could have made a whole cookie out of it. Also, I am very sensitive to food textures, and often don't like cookie dough ice cream because of the frozen rock solid chocolate chunks in the cookie dough. This wasn't an issue for me with Chilly Cow's cookie dough custard, though. The chocolate chunks are actually in the ice cream, leaving the cookie dough unadulterated and smooth. When you're eating one of those huge pieces of dough, you don't have any hidden chocolate rocks hidden throughout it. It was fabulous. I know most people wouldn't care about such a thing, but to me it was a key improvement over most cookie dough ice cream. I don't think I have ever walked into an ice cream place when I was starving and walked out full, but that happened at Chilly Cow. I didn't need to find anything to eat right away any more. A bowl of custard (a small size one, at that matter) became enough of a meal to tide us over until we got back to East Boston, an hour long bus and subway ride later. For me, the only negative about Chilly Cow is that it is in Arlington, and not an area I can visit more frequently.
(4)Caitlin C.
I recently found myself in Arlington with my boss on a blazing hot day. We decided we needed ice cream stat. A quick search using the trusty Yelp app for Blackberry directed me a couple blocks down the street to the Chilly Cow. I was pleasantly pleased to see that they served up custard, which I absolutely love, despite the fact that the name conjures up images of pus and mustard and other gross things. Moving on...I ordered up a small hazelnut and, boy! was it delicious and generously scooped. More like a medium-large anywhere else and pretty inexpensive (7.50 for two large smalls). Service wasn't anything to write home about and they didn't have any coconut flavored anything (which greatly disappointed my boss who settled for black raspberry fro-yo). Decor kind of reminded me of JP Licks only not as clever-cool. I definitely wouldn't make a special trip for the Chilly Cow, but would be perfectly happy to stop by next time I'm in the neighborhood.
(3)Zadie B.
Chilly Cow has delicious frozen custard, generous portions and pleasant service. Unfortunately, they aren't vigilant enough about wiping down tables. A lot of little kids come here with their parents, so tables tend to get very sticky. As a result, eating in is actually kind of gross, despite the excellent product. Take out has its own hazards as I learned when I brushed against the counter while ordering and ended up with a big chocolate ice cream stain in the middle of my shirt.
(3)Joanna F.
I've been wanting to try frozen custard for a while, and I was not let down. I took a delightful bike ride to this ice cream shop. It's a fairly typical "JP Licks-esque" atmosphere with funky booths and a lot of space. I got the cookies and cream frozen custard and it was succulent. Soooo good. My friend got the peach, which I also tried and liked. I paid $3.50 for a small which ended up being really, really big. I could have easily gotten a kid's size and been satisfied.
(4)Brittney S.
3.5. It was good, but not great. The Boston Cream ice cream was awesome. I could eat a tub of it. The strawberry cheesecake custard was sub-par. The strawberry was from strawberry flavored syrup, like the Hershey's stuff from a bottle. Not impressed. My husband and I noticed that the vanilla was pretty flavorless. Overall, good, but not a standout we'd make a special trip to Arlington for.
(3)Elizabeth S.
The best ice cream in Arlington. Relaxed atmosphere, and conveniently located in Arlington Center.
(5)Albert H.
I can only write about my experience with their sorbets. We tried the lemon and raspberry a few days ago, and both were disappointing. The lemon was really quite bitter. The raspberry tasted very artificial and the food dyes made it a violent color. Perhaps it would be best to stick to the frozen custards?
(2)Jess W.
Best ice cream in Arlington hands down! Right down the street from my work and always a super fun place! The staff is always friendly and fun and the flavors are so creative! I wish they would bring back the S'mores flavor! It even had tiny mini marshmallows in it! Reasonably priced and good size cups!!!
(5)Rob L.
My significant other & I live pretty close to Davis Sq. and yet we find ourselves driving over to Arlington to get ice cream at Chilly Cow way more often than we go to JP Licks. It's worth the drive to avoid long lines and actually have a place to sit and enjoy our ice cream, and there's plenty of outside seating nearby if the weather is nice. I like having the option to get ice cream or frozen custard, and both are great. We also shared a banana split one time and it was very good. My favorite is cookies & cream w/ chocolate sprinkles on a cone. Yummm!
(4)Michael C.
This place is practcally a haunted ice cream house, they have had about 4 different ice cream houses here in the last 10 years. They have frozen custard here which is basically a really dense ice cream. It was tasty but I don't think I would go out of my way to return. The place was mostly clean, tables had ice cream gunk on them.
(3)Kate L.
Mother of god. I only live about two blocks away from here and it's pretty dangerous. Every time I go, I go for the frozen custard. It's not like custard as you may imagine it; just picture a creamier, thicker, more delicious ice cream. SO. GOOD. And the serving sizes are VERY generous - when I go, I get a small, but if you're watching what you eat I'd recommend going for the kiddie size, as I'd say the small is much more like a medium (not that I'm complaining). Overall, this is some of the best frozen tastiness I've had since moving to Boston. Just beware of hot sunny days, this place tends to be overrun with children.
(4)Elaine S.
While I must say first I havent been to the shop in Arlington, I did buy a pint of Columbian Avalanche at a local farm stand after reading the excellent reviews. I was so disappointed I considered returning it. It claims to be rich and creamy but it was thin, watery, and icy with very little taste. Very mediocre at best. It really was awful.
(1)Lynne S.
I was excited to try the frozen custard at Chilly Cow after falling in love with it on a visit to Florida last year. I walked in on a busy sunny Sunday afternoon and got my wish! I opted for a kiddie coconut almond chip for $3.25. It was pricey, but good. There were big shavings of fresh coconut, chocolate and whole almonds in a vanilla base. I'm not sure if it was the coconut, but the vanilla base was light and a bit too sweet for my taste. It wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but it wasn't bad. I'll have to try another flavor next time.
(3)Meredith P.
It's not the best ice cream shoppe in the Boston area, but it's all Arlington Center has. The ice cream and frozen custard is decent (but isn't all ice cream pretty decent?) It's not mind-blowing. I actually stopped eating dairy, but I still go here with my husband after dinner on nice summer nights. What kills me is the service. Come on kids.. you work in an ice cream shoppe! You bring joy to kids and adults by giving them ice cream! You're young and good-looking and immune to the ravages of sugar and milk fat! The world is your oyster... would it kill you to SMILE AND BE FRIENDLY to customers?
(2)Chris C.
I stopped in to try the custard and see if it was as good as Abbotts in Brighton & Needham. Boy was I disappointed. The custard was just not custardy at all. It tasted pretty much like ice cream. The flavors were lackluster and the prices were very high. So I will not be making a return trip here.
(2)Layla L.
Some of their flavors are just delicious, and others are... okay. I love ice cream, but I usually only come here when my friends ask me to, and if I had to be honest sometimes I just feel like I would rather eat Ben & Jerrys. Maybe I just need to try some of their more exotic flavors... as if I need more reasons to eat ice cream?
(3)Jamie G.
so I have to give this place props for at least attempting to offer custard in New England. But being quite a custard connoisseur, I was highly disappointed with their attempt. The custard was not thick or creamy enough, and they did not have very good flavors. It really tasted more like ice cream than custard. And the custard machine was no where in sight, so who knows when/how they make this stuff. And the Waffle cones are factory made. Bleh. It is also pretty expensive, and not worth the money. They do sell vienna hot dogs here though (the official Chicago hot dog), so I wonder if these people are midwest transplants too? Thanks for trying with the custard, but sorry, you fail!
(2)Jamie L.
The staff makes my crazy ice cream loving self seem normal! I'd probably be just as kind and patient if I were serving up such deliciousness. Everything I've ever tried here glitters of gluttonous glory, I can't wait to try everything else!
(5)Ethan M.
I could sit here and tell you that to get good ice cream, you have to go to Rancatores in Lexington or Toscaninis in Cambridge, but doing so would ignore one important flavor at Chilly Cow in Arlington: Chilly Tracks. Moose Tracks, Chilly-style. Yes, as other reviewers have noted - you will stand in line at The Chilly Cow if you go during prime ice cream eating hours. (And I use the term "line" loosely, it's more like a chaotic stampede of agitated parents and 7-year olds that pin you up against the display freezer.) But still, go get yourself some Chilly Tracks. You will not be disappointed.
(4)Alison F.
Great neighborhood ice cream store in Arlington Center. Very friendly, earnest owner. Young staff, also friendly and accommodating special requests (Can you make my 5-year-old's scoop look like 2 scoops without making it more ice cream? Sure!). The reviewer who had to wait in line forever had bad luck -- I'm at this place ALL the time, and there is rarely a long line. (If they're staffed for cold weather crowds in the spring and get surprised by one sudden warm day, it's not surprising they'd fall behind.) The one time the line was very long was the last day of Bracket public schools when every kid in K-12 came there at 2:15 for a sundae! The custard is amazing, and one of their specialties. Creamier and richer tasting than regular ice cream, but -- they say (can it be true?) lower calorie/lower fat??? What a miracle that would be. My one grip with this place is that they use food coloring in some flavors: mint choc. chip is green, dinosaur is blue... But kids like that stuff, I guess. VERY LARGE scoops for the money, so order modestly. They've got tables and a restroom, so it's a nice place to sit once you've gotten your order.
(4)Matt S.
Four words: Pumpkin ice custard float. Fall special only, but damn, it's awesome. If only they used Polar or Tommy's Naked root beer instead of Mug.
(5)Sarah G.
I love Chilly Cow! I've been there several times and have gotten the oreo custard, which is absolutely delicious. I usually get the kid's size, which is a very generous portion and it's only $2.50. The place is also very nice to eat at....maybe I'm off but it has that "diner like" feel to it. It doesn't feel corporate at all. Highly suggest!!!
(5)Paul L.
Yumsworth! I love the Chilly Cow! There's a wide array of flavors and a truly delicious peanut butter sauce, in which I have considered bathing. I've also savored a frappe or two on occasion. The owner is super-friendly, and there's always plenty of seats. It doesn't have the corporate, chain-y feel of so many other local ice cream parlors. One drawback is parking - usually I have to double-park my chariot and run in/run out for my lactose fix. In general: Adore.
(4)Juli W.
I met a couple friends and their toddlers here for ice cream. It was our only choice in Arlington Center, which was probably why it was as packed as it was. Flavors are a bit limited. I had the chocolate cookie, which was pretty good. My friend ordered the mint chocolate chip, which she got in a cup; it was served as a soft, gooey mess - almost like it had melted and was starting to re-freeze. She asked for something else a bit more 'solid' and got something slightly better. The servers both seemed like they were having bad days and not happy to be there at all. Not my first choice - but not much you can do when your options are limited. Definitely a bigger fan of JP Licks in Davis and Ben and Jerry's in Harvard Square.
(2)Ger T.
I have to say that I have a new favorite ice cream place and a new favorite flavor at said ice cream place. My go-to ice cream used to be J.P. Licks in Davis, but after trying the Red Raspberry Chip at Chilly Cow, I must now change my allegiances. The decor at the Chilly Cow isn't particularly atmospheric, not like JP in Davis, and they don't have as many choices. But there's something about their ice cream that just hits the right mix of creamy/rich/flavorful. I like to get a pint of ice cream from here every weekend. While I eat ice cream pretty much every day, I try to only eat a little bit at a time, but it's very hard to restrain myself with the ice cream from the Chilly Cow!
(5)Christopher N.
The Chilly one "Cow" can get noisy with all the kiddies floating around, so I suggest you order your favorite treat and walk outside to enjoy it. That is unless; one of those kiddies is yours! Then, you should stay close to him/her. But really, ice cream has a very special place in my heart. You should definitely visit the Chilly Cow. As for recommendations, Vanilla is always safe, but you should reach out and grab a flavor of your own. I often do the same. And, if you are into the toppings, you will be pleased.
(4)Julie S.
Tried the banana frozen custard this afternoon. It had good banana flavor and was extra creamy. If I was in Arlington, I would stop by again. But it wasn't good enough to make a special trip.
(3)Apolinaras S.
Great product, great service, and great prices. Don't get too cocky though and just get the kids size, since the ice cream or custard are super rich. Selection of flavors is also awesome! The place does get busy sometimes, but that is what happens when ice cream is that good.
(5)Emily F.
Yummy. Big servings. Who doesn't like homemade ice cream? I am a fan of the various frozen custards, quite decadent!
(4)Kevin B.
I have frequented this place 4 time in the last 3 weeks ---- despite the chilly temps, they tell me it is ice cream season and I am more than happy to dive in - I have sampled 3 frozen custards and 1 ice cream from their offerings. I think the ice cream was better than most, but not in the stratosphere of their frozen custard. So, let me focus on the frozen custards! First of all....if they ever have pistachio frozen custard on the menu again (not there the last two times) I will have to jump all over it. It was so full of lush creamy flavor. Who knew an ice cream could explode in your mouth spoonful after yummy spoonfull??? I have also had the ginger frozen custard and that was excellent as well. Much of the ginger flavor waits until your mouth has washed away your spoonfull. The after taste announces "Ginger was Here" and had a delicious time in your mouth. I remarked when eating the Ginger Frozen Custard that it made me feel sophisticated! LOL - I have also tried the Coffee Cookie Frozen Custard and I actually came up with a complaint on this one. The frozen custard has a little too much cookie in it (I never thought that would be a complaint!) --- it overshadowed the delicious coffee base. All and all - the pistachio is a 10, the ginger an 8.5 and the coffee cookie a 7. Wait staff seemed energetic and offered samples to others around me. ....now it's back to the gym so I can earn more trips to the Chilly Cow
(5)Winston W.
Well the whole reason I bring this down is because of the staff. I'm usually sympathetic of staff at food establishments but I was just disgusted and pissed when I ordered ice cream for my friend and myself and one of the workers decides it would be delightful to vacuum the carpet right next to my open cups of ice cream that I paid a good money for. The worker also thought it would be appropriate to shake the carpet indoors, again next to my cups of ice cream. Not cool and very unprofessional.
(1)Bethany B.
So I was on a quest for the perfect milkshake... not to thick that I can't drink it, but not melted (I HATE melted ice cream). I came across this place on yelp and saw that everyone at least enjoyed the ice cream. I have been a few times now and let me say - AWESOME milkshakes. I like to get the half cookies and cream - half chocolate shake... it's great! I went back recently and also tried a dish of the chocolate cookie custard... YUM. I got the small (even after reading about how big the sizes were) and almost finished it all because it was so good! but I probably would have been fine with the kiddie size.
(5)D B.
umm yummm. I don't even know what frozen custard is but its damn tasty. The I heart peanutbutter is a favorite. More flavors are now hitting the coolers due to the nice weather. I hope they don't raise the prices once summer hits because right now they are reasonable. Kiddie cup $2.50. Medium for $4.00. Not bad.
(4)Liz L.
This summer I finally discovered why the reviews for Chilly Cow seem to be so split between those that really like it and those that don't understand how other people could really like it. I had ordered the pumpkin frozen custard (when in season) and the black raspberry frozen custard (which seems to generally be available) and both tasted, at least to me, like frozen custard. Then this summer I felt like something a bit more decadent and tried the Oreo mint frozen custard - or at least, that's what the menu claimed it was. It was tasty, but there's no way I would call it frozen custard. At first I thought they had mistakenly served me ice cream, till I checked the menu and realized that there wasn't any Oreo mint ice cream on offer. Another day I tried to branch out again by ordering the ginger frozen custard. Not only did it taste like ice cream, not frozen custard, but it tasted like pretty awful ice cream. It tasted like someone had sprinkled tiny bits of ginger flavoring here and there in a rather dull vanilla ice cream - and it also tasted like it had gotten freezer burn at the store. I still really like their good flavors, but I'm docking a star because of the inconsistency. I prefer to eat somewhere where I know nearly anything I order is going to be tasty.
(3)Courtney H.
If Arlington Center is your hangout, this is a totally acceptable ice cream place. The ice cream is good, at least the flavor I had -- vanilla ice cream with a fudge swirl and peanut butter cups. The service was good. The kid's size is a decent amount but not enough to make me feel like a glutton, which is good. But I don't see myself getting on the 77 bus to make a special trip there.
(3)Robert R.
Get the vanilla with hot caramel sauce, but be sure you get one of the guys (not the girls) to serve it. The guys at Chilly Cow are always very generous and seem really happy to be working there and serving a customer. I LOVE THEIR CARAMEL SAUCE ON VANILLA! IT IS SO-O-O GOOEY AND GOOD! I do know that the owners care very much about their customers. it's a good place.
(4)Lauren E.
I have driven by this place a number of times, and always wanted to try their froze custard. One day I was lucky enough to be there during opening hours and I got to do just that. In my head the place was all about the frozen custard, but in reality they have lots more: ice cream, frozen yogurt, etc. The custard is kind of like gelato. It's really incredible. I got the chocolate cookie flavor, and have been dreaming of it every day since then...!
(4)Julie A.
Kick ass selection, fabulous seasonal specials, tasty and yummy! Can't get much better for an ice cream spot! oh, and the employees are super nice and you can taste anything, and they are open late!
(4)Karman L.
I'm on a mission to try out frozen custard in every city I visit!!! I found out about frozen custard from Dairy Godmother in Alexandria, VA (5 mins from my apt)- yelp.com/biz/jFQ2wk3nhG0… So when I was around Arlington, MA last week, I stopped by Chilly Cow. Unfortunately, they just started to make the vanilla frozen custard...so I just grabbed the pre-package strawberry frozen custard, and took it back to my bf's family. Everybody loved it!!! I still think Dairy Godmother in VA is much better!!
(4)Vanilla P.
The coffee cookie ice cream had way more cookie than I've ever encountered in an ice cream scoop before - so that rocked. Service was slower than slow, but it was polite. Seating is pretty scarce, so be prepared to EAW - Eat And Walk.
(3)Jason K.
I've got a thirst that can only be quenched by (chilly) cowbell. I gave it 4 stars because in the transition form JP Licks to CC, they lost their homemade whipped cream. Despite their use of the canned variety, the sundaes still turn out pretty good (especially if you get the girl who drops mad amounts of strawberres on it!). The iced cream itself is really outstanding, too. In addition to traditional hard iced cream, they offer frozen custard, frozen yogurt, nofat/nosugar, and soft-serve. AND the frappes they make are thick..like thick-"blow a blood vessel in your eye trying to drink it"-thick...awesome.
(4)Tanya S.
Nothin' but net! This place is a hit with me for one reason alone! Chocolate-peanut butter frozen yogurt! Yep, I used to only be able to get a passable one at Baskin-Robbins (which of course, still tops the charts, but what-evah). Delicious! Last night, I even had them drizzle some peanut butter over the top. UNFORTUNATELY, it's right across the street so they could make me really fat, but who cares? Gawd help me if I should get pregnant, I'll be as big as a Chilly Cow!
(5)Jim W.
I am long time frozen custard lover (from Wisconsin) so I was eager to try Chilly Cow's frozen custard. I have had it twice and generally give it a good review. Their custard is fairly rich and the maple had a good flavor (although I wouldn't call it maple exactly). The vanilla I had was creamy and rich but only had a mild vanilla flavor (I would recommend mixing something into it). I have also had their ice cream and it is pretty good as well. I do have some concerns though. My biggest concern is that they have too many flavors. Custard really has to be fresh (made that day) and it obviously wasn't the first time I was there (it should not be "hand-scooped" at all as the soft-serve machine was actually invented to serve frozen custard). I had a lot of ice crystals in my custard once and had a lot of ice crystals in the ice cream once. This is a product of not enough sales or unwillingness to serve high quality ice cream. I have been there three times without many customers around and I have received courteous but slow/indfferent service each time. Obviously it was not bad service but I was really surprised how long it took to be acknowledged when NO ONE else was around.
(4)Robyn L.
The Chilly Cow replaced JP Licks and I'm glad that it did. Even when I lived in JP I hardly ever went to JP Licks. (I'd rather buy myself an entire lunch for what it costs to buy one scoop there.) The Chilly Cow has a nice mix of your basic, favorite ice cream and frozen yogurt flavors, as well as some of their own unique concoctions -- like Chilly Trax (vanilla with fudge and PB cups). They also have smoothies and homemade ice cream cakes, which you can order special with two-days advance notice. The best part is that a small is about the size of a medium at most ice cream shops, and it still only costs about $3 with a topping. If you really want a small, get a kid's size.
(4)Lara S.
I am a total convert to frozen custard after eating at the Chilly Cow. I particularly enjoy the strawberry cheesecake flavor. Usually the kid-size cup is plenty for me, which means I get delicious dessert on the cheap.
(5)Esther L.
I've been here twice, and each time I've had frozen yogurt. And I have to say that their frozen yogurt selection is pretty good (most places only have a couple flavors, but Chilly Cow has at least 5 good ones). Not only that, but it tastes good. I'd recommend the coffee heathbar. Their frozen custard is also very good. A kid sized portion is a scoop of ice cream ($2.25); smalls are actually pretty big ($3.25)-- the equivalent to two scoops.
(4)A S.
Frozen custard = delicious frozenness.
(4)Orly M.
I came here with my Mom today and sampled some of her ice cream. She got a scoop of vanilla and one of mango. Vanilla is good, fairly standard, but the mango tasted like guava, not mango. And it was nastay. I took it up to the counter and traded for the strawberry custard which was the best decision i ever made. That strawberry custard is AMAZING. The staff here was very nice and accomodating. I like.
(4)Jonathan S.
Yes yes yes. Dinosaur Crunch, among others. The ice cream and custard are great.
(4)S S.
They deserve a four star, for there wonderful, icecream cakes, for being able to stroll down mass ave, and eat dallops (is that a word?) of wonderful icecream. They have a great selection of frozen yougurt and i like there sizes for the calorie consious (ok don't frown!) there is a kiddie size portion. Did i mention i love their icecream cakes! Oh, and the staff is super friendly!
(4)Phil B.
The Chilly Cow obviously pleases many people who enjoy their ice cream, but if you're a super premium ice cream snob like me, skip it. If you like your ice cream rich, creamy, dense, and flavorful, you've come to the wrong place. This may qualify as premium ice cream under industry definitions, but it's definitely not the kind of super premium ice cream which you'd find at better ice cream parlors like Harrell's, JP Licks, Ice Cream Works, and Christina's, or in the Double Rainbow, Haagen Daz, or Ben & Jerry's pints and quarts found at your local supermarket. Of course, not everyone goes for super-rich ice cream and if a Hood half-gallon suits you just fine at home, you'll probably enjoy the Chilly Cow. There's too little butterfat and too much air in the mix for me at Chilly Cow. There's more enjoyment to be had in a pint of Ben & Jerry's or Haagen Dazs picked up at any one of half a dozen stores within five blocks of the Cow on Mass Ave. UPDATE 11/30/09: I've been back there recently and tried a couple of their frozen custard flavors. While it is much denser and richer than their regular ice cream, they seem to be using poor quality flavor ingredients. The vanilla base doesn't taste like real vanilla bean or extract, the black raspberry doesn't taste like real black raspberry, etc. UPDATE 2/25/11: OK, maybe "poor quality flavor ingredients" was a bit harsh. What I was trying to express is that the flavors aren't as strong and vibrant as they could otherwise be. I want the flavor of my ice cream/custard to yell loudly at me, the way many Ben & Jerry's flavors do, and not softly make suggestions.
(3)michelle p.
The Chilly Cow was introduced to me this past weekend. I enjoyed the fact that they have an extensive menu but not enough to overwhelm. I've been told about the joys of hand scooped frozen custard and experienced it for the first time here. It was really, really good. It was decently priced, slightly less than JP Licks and Emack & Bolio's.
(4)Maura K.
Two weeks ago my suite-mate and I went to the Arlington farmers market and then to Chili Cow. I have not found any ice cream stores, franchise or otherwise who serve frozen custard. This is absolutely outstanding frozen custard. The first time I had vanilla which was creamy, smooth and unbelieveable delicious. The second time I had the lemon frozen custard--words cannot express how good it was. I went back yesterday, but they didn't have any lemon--they did have strawberry cheesecake and it was the bomb! Large sizes, reasonable prices on pre-packed and employees who LOVE what they sell. Who could ask for anything more? A must for anyone who remembers FROZEN CUSTARD!
(5)Leslie T.
This review is for the peppermint ice cream. I ordered off the small batch menu and can't recommend highly enough. The pint of peppermint was jam packed with pieces of peppermint candy. Perfect balance of creamy and minty. Three out of three friends agreed! Couldn't have hit the spot harder on a hot hot Arlington Heights summer night. Next time I go back here I'm going to try to sample every flavor on the small batch menu. Blueberry looked mighty tempting, but there are unfortunately limits to my ice cream consumption ability.
(5)Kiley J.
Yum, yum, a hundred times, yum. This place is so good. The ice cream is by far the best in the area and the service is always very friendly and helpful. My personal favorites include chocolate chip cookie dough and mint chocolate cookie. All da yumz!
(5)Amy G.
My favorite ice cream place! I usually get the frozen yogurt mocha chip. My husband is a big fan of their frozen custards. They have a great selection of toppings. I am usually not impressed with ice cream places (it's ice cream, how can you mess it up?), but Chilly Cow truly tastes like a step above the rest
(5)Steven C.
A frequent stop for ice cream (or frozen custard) on a hot summer night, and many other nights during the year. Their black raspberry custard is to die for. The sundaes and most everything else is delicious, too! You won't be disappointed. Great service!
(5)Andrea B.
I've been doing this thing where I tend to ignore perfectly decent places that are within walking distance of where I live. I've decided to stop doing that. Chilly Cow is no Toscanini's or JP Licks, but if I'm in dire need of some frozen goodness (or should I say "chilly goodness," perhaps?), it'll do just fine. They serve both ice cream and custard, so I figured I might as well try a scoop of each. I opted for the Nutella ice cream and the Razzle Dazzle custard. The Nutella was pretty standard, and featured a very light Nutella flavor, nothing overly sweet, but it was nice and creamy. I think it was supposed to have chunks of real Nutella mixed in, but there was only one to be found in my entire scoop. Frown. I was a bit happier with the Razzle Dazzle, which is a good thing. With a name like that, it better impress! It consisted of vanilla custard with swirls of raspberry and mini dark chocolate raspberry cups. The custard itself was slightly lighter and less creamy than the ice cream, but it was still quite good. And if you know me, you know how I get when I see anything raspberry flavored... So me and my taste buds were pleased to find that the raspberry cups and swirls were quite plentiful. Is Chilly Cow the best ice cream you'll find in Boston? No. But with summer right around the corner, I am glad that they're just a hop, skip, and a jump from where I live, even if it took me three years to give them a try.
(3)Emily H.
I usually love this place but recently there has been way too many cookies in the cookies and cream custard. I know a lot of people will say "Too many cookies! How is this possible?" And what I say is that I'm paying $4 for $1.50 worth of cookies and no cream. I come here for the chewy, frozen custard; not a bowl of cookies. Just sayin'.
(4)K K.
The ice cream never disappoints here. It's also nice I can grab a milk shake or even a hotdog as well. Only time I ever have an issue is when they don't put enough ice cream in my cup. If I'm paying $4/5 I don't want to find a hole at the bottom. There customer service can be hit or miss too and they seem to have a high turn over of teenagers, though they seem to have gotten better lately. Also wish they would give paper receipts again. Either way I work down street and we make office runs often because we all agree it's yum!
(4)Kristin A.
I am already tired of the trend of "healthy" froyo places with the LED colored lighting that have popped up in Arlington and Somerville and Lexington. Have you ever actually looked at the ingredients at those places or calculated the calories after you've loaded up on gummy bear toppings? If you're interested in health and diet, you're better off avoiding sugar and all those unpronounceable ingredients. If you are not concerned about eating sugar and want a frozen dessert, try Chilly Cow! I love this ice cream shop. And if they have the flavor you want in custard, get it! It's not easy to find a shop that makes it's own custard.
(5)Joe H.
Ice cream quality was good, but poor customer service from surly man behind the counter. Also the "sundae" was just the ice cream and fudge. Whipped cream cost more?! Don't be so cheap!! Too many ice cream options for a poor experience.
(2)Danny B.
I've been going to chilly cow for years (since it opened I believe) and while they aren't like Brigham's, they are probably the best ice cream parlor around Arlington. If you are with a group, get a monster. It's a Banana split on steroids. Unless you're counting calories. They have a huge selection of flavors that usually change depending on the season, but the ice cream is fresh and I've never had a complaint. While a lot of flavors are limited in the fall and winter, they still have the classics. If you want something different, get the dinosaur crunch! It's my personal favorite. Pricing is very reasonable. The monster sundae is a great deal for 12 bucks too.
(4)Phil C.
I used to come here from time-to-time when I was north of Boston, but kinda stopped, especially since Abbott's opened. But I was in the area recently and gave it a go... I usually go for the frozen custard here. The coffee is one of the strongest coffee ice creams/custards I've had around. The flecks of bean just gives it that extra kick. The vanilla brownie, however, was the opposite: weak as heck. There was no vanilla flavor, and the brownie was almost non-existent. It was just milk and a bit of an oreo taste to it. The custard wasn't the smoothest either. I like Abbott's more, but come here if you're in the area and need some frozen custard.
(3)Ross N.
The Chilly Cow surprised us with a summer treat quite unexpected for a frozen yogurt/custard shop: it was Lobster roll, and affordable at that!
(5)Lisa W.
Of all the frozen icy goodness places around Arlington, Chilly Cow is my favorite. I prefer the creamy, fatty ice cream and custard over healthy fro-yo with fruit on it, but that's a personal preference. I enjoy the special (but not over the top) flavors like nutella and salted caramel (I still dream of these.. mmm). The service is always super nice and chipper - I love stopping here on a hot day!
(5)Aaron K.
Our go to ice cream place. Skip the custard, the ice cream is amazing. Our favorite is dinosaur crunch. It is blue colored vanilla ice cream w/ cookies and marshmellows. Recently had Purple Cow which was raspberry icream with chocolate chips and white chocolate chunks. This was outstanding. I usually don't like raspberry flavored things, but this was perfect. They do good shakes as well. This place is always jumping in the summer and for good reason. If you're in Arlington come here for dessert. Prices are 2.50$ for a kid (1 big scoop) and $3.75 for a small (2 scoops). We've never gone bigger. Usually 2 scoops is enough for 2 of us for a snack.
(5)Mac D.
I am a big fan of the frozen custard here. The "smalls" are also pretty generous. I think the ice cream/frozen yogurts could probably be colder though; mine always seem to be pretty melted by the time I finish paying. Overall, lots of good flavors and good quality
(4)Paul S.
It's not bad, but it is not stellar and wonderful either. If I want to indulge on really wonderful ice cream, I will buy a container of Coop's (Berman's Liquors) or wander out to Carlisle for Kimball Farm. Even though I walk past this place regularly, my occasional visits have never led me to any sort of compulsion to wander in on a regular basis. If you are in Arlington Center and really want ice cream, it's okay, but don't expect the ice cream gods to sing.
(2)Michael C.
I love this place! Home made ice cream and frozen custard. If your in the Arlington area definitely stop in and you won't be disappointed. My favorite is the Oreo malted frappe.
(5)Kathleen K.
I know a little bit about a lot of food things, but I know a LOT about ICE CREAM. Chilly Cow in Arlington has a special thing going: frozen custard. Huge with my friends from NJ (what IS that?). I love ice cream but the frozen custard is especially decadent, a rare treat. And created in such competent hands -- these guys start from scratch, totally quality ingredients, locally sourced, no "Hood mix base" (as good as Hood is, this is even better). Why it took me so long to find it? I assumed it was just more schlock ice cream with too much agar and not enough cream and milk solids. Someone kick me.
(5)Lynn S.
I don't know why I haven given this place numerous chances because everytime, I am disappointed. Firstly, they have very boring flavors. It think its lame that they don't have a single flavor of ice cream with chocolate in it other than just plain chocolate. Custard yes, ice cream no. There are much better places in the area. Don't waste your time.
(2)Natalie T.
My favorite Arlington ice cream! The ice cream is always delicious with lots of different flavors. The frozen custard is always a nice change. This place is kind of expensive though, 95 cents for a topping, but still really good!
(4)Damien S.
Chilly Cow is cute. Bubbly illustration, bright blues and chipper high schoolers behind the scoops. If Chilly Cow were selling cookies in front of a grocery store, I'd buy a box. On the way out, of course. On the custard, however, it had a helluva challenge being compared to what's arguably evidence of heaven on earth: BR's FroCus in Woodbridge VA (read: yelp.com/biz/br-frozen-c… ). We opted to split a small Razzle Dazzle - raspberry-swirled vanilla custard and the promise of mini raspberry-filled dark chocolate cups. Hopes high, we dug in. Great vanilla flavor, a solid balance of sweet vs. creamy and the raspberry did not overpower. Pros addressed, the custard is incredibly icy, and those mini cups were rarities. At $4.25, even a decent scoop size can't make up for an average (albeit tasty) product.
(3)Kristin M.
Great ice cream at great prices! The owner is very nice!
(4)Eric M.
I absolutely love Chilly Cow. I lived in Arlington for 3 years and recently moved to Belmont and realized how much I miss this place. We have driven back a few times (it's really not far) to get their delicious ice cream and frappes. You absolutely have to get the Dino Crunch if you go. Coffee or Chocolate frappes are another favorite. They even have a fridge stocked with pints in many flavors and delicious cakes waiting for you to take them home. Summer or winter - this is a frequent stop for me!
(5)Jennifer T.
Love the idea of frozen custard, the texture is more smooth and creamy than regular icecream. The pumpkin flavor tasted just like chilled pumpkin pie - very good, but super sweet, and had trouble finishing just the kiddy size (which is actually quite generous in size).
(4)Brian G.
This place is delicious and has amazing frozen custard. They have a bunch of weird/unique flavors which is awesome. Every time I've been in there the staff has been really helpful and friendly, and doesn't seem to get annoyed at all about how long we take to pick out an icecream (it's usually pretty dead in there due to it being cold outside and usually late when we go). I had a caramel sundae once and they did not skip on the caramel, which is just how I like it. I will definitely go here again next time I'm in Arlington (probably to go to Punjab).
(4)Sara M.
My friend and I walked here after dinner because she wanted some ice cream. I was kind of too full but obliged her anyway. I asked what was the difference between custard and ice cream, and I received an informational answer that I cannot remember. It sounded good at the time! I got the peanut butter custard with mini gummi bears. It was creamy and good but not as delicious as Christina's, which is what I measure all ice cream against. The gummi bears was a poor choice, since I don't think the flavours went well. I did like the peanut butter chunks but wish it was chocolate instead of vanilla. I fear I will never come back since we only stopped by after eating at Manna.
(3)Emily D.
Holy Chilly Cow. My new favorite Ice Cream Shop is the Chilly Cow. The first time I tried their frozen custard was 2 years ago at the Ice Cream Showdown. Ever since then I'd never forgotten how good it was. I'd been wanting to come visit their home and this week I did. I can't compare it to another frozen custard, this is the only one I've tried...but it is so gooooooooooooooooood!! We bought the I [love] PB custard. It was vanilla frozen custard with peanut butter swirls and mini peanut butter cups inside. Holy Moly it was good. The custard is so soft and creamy.. and not too sweet. Everything is made all natural. We also bought a pint of cookies and cream custard and strawberry shortcake frozen custard pie $16 to take home. The pie has a graham cracker pie crust filled with strawberry cheesecake frozen custard and drizzled strawberry sauce. Make sure to let it sit out for 20 min to really enjoy it. I was in love with it all.. I almost made love to it also. :)
(5)Robin G.
We ended up at Chilly Cow's by accident...We were in the mood for ice cream and googled it. It was okay. It was definitely fresh but I would not run back. It's just ok. The bathroom door was actually opened while we were ordering the ice cream. In my mind that was just disgusting! I closed it and completed my order. I am sure it was not purposeful but speaks towards attention to detail.
(3)Shrina A.
Great Ice cream!! Good employees too. All the loud and crying kids from Arlington are here so avoid sitting inside and find a spot on the bench outside.
(4)Samantha S.
Some quality control issues deprive this place of a better rating. My cake batter was cake-batter-y, no small feat, but half-melted when handed to me. (Note: This did not prevent my consumption of same.) The brownie flavor that I tasted was not deeply chocolaty and didn't have a lot of brownie fragments that I could see. But another friend's serving of cookie dough contained a mass of dough the size of a doll's head. (He was not complaining, however, and manfully devoured it after several looks of disbelief.) Other flavors (mango sorbet, and Reece's something-or-other) were praised. But the fudge sauce . . . wow. I got only a taste of this intense stuff, but the next time I'm in town I'm coming back for more. Quibble: There is no line that I could make out, just an anxious crowd in front of the counter. Fortunately, my local host blithely ignored the chaos and got us to the front of the fast-moving line in minutes. All those years of Boston driving finally pay off.
(3)Andrew N.
Right in downtown Arlington, this is pretty much the best in town ice cream joint. Thick and rich custard, I could not imagine anyone finishing a large order of this stuff even though it is delicious. There are not usually a ton of flavors here but that can be a good thing, they do keep it interesting with the basics and some more interesting flavors. Along with the usual ice cream sizes you can also get pints to take the home.
(3)M T.
Once I tried this ice cream I can;t eat any other. The ice cream and custard is so rich and creamy. Since it is made locally, the ingredients are really fresh (like the almonds are still super crunchy!). They also make ice cream cakes to whichever flavor they have in the store. The prices are very reasonable, considering that they use local ingredients.
(5)Kathy P.
My husband and I visit here much more often than we should. However how can you resist frozen custard such as pumpkin, I love peanut butter, mint explosion, Boston cream pie, and coffee? Ice cream such as coffee cookie, razzle dazzle, tornado,and dinosaur crunch should not be missed. They supply the Boston cream pie ice cream for the Parker House. However the best part of the experience is the wonderful staff that serves the ice cream. Mostly local high school girls, they couldn't be more friendly. They will give you samples of anything you wish to try while patiently explaining to new customers what frozen custard is. Make a point to visit and try it yourself. If you like caramel, be certain to add it as a topping to your ice cream or custard. My husband says it's the best he's had.
(5)