Swirll
2531 University Blvd, Houston, TX, 77246
Swirll Menu
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Address :
2531 University Blvd
Houston, TX, 77246 - Phone (713) 526-7947
- Website https://www.swirlls.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :12:30 pm - 10
- Mon : 12:30 pm - 10
Specialities
- Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Bridget Y.
Swirll is great. The girls behind the counter are always friendly, and the yogurt is consistently good. They take flavor suggestions, and actually follow up with them! Toppings include a variety of fresh fruit, circus animal cookies, mini Oreos (regular and golden) and a variety of nuts. I wish they had graham crackers, but hopefully we will see this in the near future. Yogurt is priced at 48 cents an ounce (which is less than the 52 cents you will pay elsewhere) and there is a 15% discount with a Rice ID!
(4)Dennis C.
Bath rooms are up kept....It was slow when we walked in....one girl had her head on the counter...not social at all...no tip! The second girl was eating the toppings... No smiles... Then the television was so loud it was hard to talk with one another. Plus the program was not children appropriate... Going back to Menchy's... Has to be management.....
(3)AM W.
Yogurt is fine, a little runny, but the toppings looked good and fresh. BUT I hate not getting samples myself, having to have the worker do it for me is awkward. I'm not a child. Also, I got barely any, just a little tasting of 3 flavors, and it was almost $5. I notice at other yogurt places they discount the weight of the cup from the total weight. Not here. The cups are big thick and heavy, and the weight didn't come out from what I was charged for.
(2)Howard L.
DIETERS BEWARE: The frozen yogurt at this place is deceptively unhealthy. Skip to my last two paragraphs if calories and fat are your main concerns. Self-serve frozen yogurt and toppings, sold by weight. Currently the price here is 48 cents per ounce. The cup you get also adds almost another ounce. At that price, you can easily under-calculate the price of your food and be in for a shock at the register. To help you visualize an ounce: 1 oz = 2 tablespoons. Another visual would be that a the size of a standard deck of playing cards would equal about 3 ounces. Since many people fill their cups almost all the way, the price per cup would come out to about $7. A huge problem with Swirll's yogurt is that it melts so quickly! By the time you pay for your food, I guarantee there will already be a small pool of melted yogurt at the bottom of your cup. With the prices at the higher end of the frozen yogurt spectrum, I would have expected some higher quality frozen yogurt! In terms of nutritional facts, all the yogurts are labelled as "non-fat" or "low-fat" but the labels are VERY misleading. If you read the nutrition labels carefully, you'll discover that a "serving size" is one ounce. NO ONE eats only 1 oz of frozen yogurt. However, Swirll keeps the "serving size" at one ounce because doing so allows Swirll to legally round down the amount of fat in a serving to "zero" grams. If the nutritional labels stated a realistic serving size, the frozen yogurt would definitely not be labelled as "non-fat". Just something to keep in mind for all y'all health conscious folks out there!
(2)Chris B.
Yogurt was tasty and worth the price. I like how there are board games and such to play with free of charge. The only thing I didn't like was that the toppings aren't labeled - I found myself having to ask the staff what several of the toppings were. I'll definitely come back!
(5)Mitchell C.
The yogurt here is good, the location is prime though the place needs to be cleaned, and the people who work here have no work ethic.
(3)Sarah L.
Swirll isn't great but it isn't terrible. The yogurt is very runny and not thick at all. When you first press down on the lever to make the yogurt come out its just liquid and then real fro yo comes out. Toppings are standard, they price by weight. I come here a lot so the owner knows me. She's very friendly and the service is good. Overall a mediocre fro yo place.
(3)Grecia R.
Taro and original are my favorite. They have 12 different flavors and a very large variety of toppings.
(4)Suzanne W.
The froyo here is thin and not creamy at all! In addition, they don't offer samples. /: Too pricey for the bad quality of froyo.
(1)C P.
This place is a joke if you want yogurt in rice village go with red mango this place is overpriced and has poor quality also not to mention bad service go to chocolate bar or red mango instead and save your time
(2)Abby H.
I would consider myself a frozen-yogurt connoisseur, and after several visits here, I have vowed to never return. The yogurt is overly priced, the staff is less than friendly, and the vibe is just not that of competitors (such as yogurt land or sweet frog). This is the only frozen yogurt place I have ever been disappointed with, but I would highly recommend taking your business elsewhere.
(1)Hannah K.
Too expensive, terrible service, and limited options. As a froyo enthusiast, I make it a point to NEVER go here. Take your money and go get twice as much froyo for half the price at yogurt land. Better flavors, toppings, and people.
(2)Ashley S.
For a froyo place, they have pretty darn good smoothies! Ordered a strawberry banana smoothie the other day after working out and it was Refreshing :) I do love that they have outside seating though, especially being in village! Only downside, Not very many flavors of froyo. And, everytime I come here, it smells a little like dirty mop water. Bleh!
(3)Tarel W.
Very good frozen yogurt! I got there everytime I eat on the weekends in Rice Village
(5)Rachel E.
This is the second time I've been to Swirll. Both times I was impressed with the variety of flavors and toppings. The fruit always looks fresh. But let's be honest, I pass right over the fruit and top my yogurt with gummy worms. The store is clean and there are tables inside and outside for sitting. It can get very chilly inside though. Only negative is that it's a little more expensive per ounce than some other self serve places. But the quality/choices here are better than red mango.
(4)Olivia H.
Swirll froyo melts even faster that Yogurtland froyo does. Does no one value texture anymore?!? At least Yogurtland is cheap enough that I would still visit there on occasion.
(1)Rama S.
Very helpful and nice people. Gave me many sample to try. Reasonable price. I like it.
(4)Claudia B.
Brought my nieces and nephew here for some frozen yogurt. I love the idea of pouring your own yogurt and putting your own toppings on it and then only paying for what you have gotten. What a great concept!!! They are VERY kid friendly. The guy behind the bar was super nice and let each of the kids go at their own pace picking out their flavors and toppings and then measuring their cups. He helped others in between and didn't make me pay until I had sat them down at a table and then gone back for MY cup of yogurt :). Super cool...
(4)Stella Y.
I really like Swirl's yogurt...especially their plain tart. We go there a lot after we work out and it's a nice little treat. I do feel that they are a little overprotective with the samples though. you have to go up to the counter and ask for sample cups, and they actually get the sample for you rather than letting you pour it yourself.
(4)Alan S.
A friend and I decided to give this place a go one afternoon in the village. The guy behind the counter was nice and was very inviting about trying a few samples. I wasn't amazed by anything, but I enjoyed it none the less. Lots of toppings/mixing to choose from, but I don't like "stuff" in my fro-yo so I didn't partake in that.
(3)Michelle K.
Swirll was a bit disappointing, honestly. I'm used to a larger spread of flavors to choose from and it felt strange to have an employee stand next to you and wait for you to point out which flavor you wanted to sample. Why not just hand out the tiny sample cups and let me do my thing? The mochi was disappointingly stale. The brownie bites were nice and fresh, however. It's alright if you're in the neighborhood, but I prefer my regular fro-yo spot.
(3)Amber W.
Delicious frozen yogurt. I like the fact that they have a variety of options, but it isn't overwhelming. The choices range from tart fruit flavors to sweet dulce de leche. They have a variety of options, including fresh fruit, cookies, candy and syrups. The prices are also reasonable. You can get a fairly large portion for under $5. The only complaint I have, like most other reviews, is the parking, but it is the Village, so it's to be expected.
(4)Cynthia C.
I love this yogurt place. Swirly delicious healthy goodness. Swirl blows away all of the naysayers that claim frozen yogurt isn't as good as the real thing. It's better than the other frozen yogurt places. The atmosphere is inviting, comfortable and modern. You can serve your own yogurt and toppings, to make it just the way you like it. I love going here with my boyfriend to share a guilt free fruit yogurt :)
(5)Barbara A.
I went about half an hour before they closed on a Friday night so I should go back and give this place another go and review. I say this because everything tasted old. The lychee was a bit watery and the chocolate had a weird aftertaste. The fruit toppings were alright except for the mango which had been left out a bit. It had mushy-itis. BUT CHEESECAKE BITES Y'ALL!!! Someone already mentioned the card rewards program, if you frequent this place then it's a very good idea. The cashier was very helpful and offered us lids when we said we were ordering to-go. The place itself isn't so bad, it's spacious and has weird chairs (my little cousin said they looked like Lady Gaga's chairs and made a face. Good girl.) and a tv that plays top 40's and some college indie.
(2)Fernando H.
Tasty swirl , like 10 flavors, 9 nonfat. Place is clean with nice toppings spread. They accept the coupons that the Houston Rockets give out. Located next to Half Price books and near Chocolate Bar. Enjoy!
(4)Ekim E.
Best frozen yogurt place in the village. Simply for the fact that you get to put as many toppings as you like, as much as you like. Yes, it's a bit pricey, but so are other frozen yogurt spots around. To taste the flavors you have to ask someone, and it might get awkward when they're just standing there waiting for you to eat whatever they've just given you and keep asking if you like to try any other flavors. And most of their flavors actually do not taste like frozen yogurt, they are more like ice cream. Which is why I always get 'the original' and maybe a fruit flavor. If you're getting cookie dough or cake batter, don't expect to get 'yogurt'. Be realistic. It's in the village so finding parking is never easy, and it's quite popular so it gets loud and crowded inside in the evenings. But if you just want to get your yogurt and walk outside while eating, Swirll is perfect.
(4)Adrienne L.
It's hard for me to hate on froyo. The tart pomegranate and tart "house blend" were a great post-workout snack. They've got a huge selection of toppings, which were all fresh in the evening. What I really appreciate is how they have both the smaller, wider cups and plastic drink-cup. It's like a party cup of froyo! PARTY!
(4)Natalie S.
Can I live here?
(5)Jaire Q.
This is how it happened: I needed to buy a book for my "How to be a Princess" group, as I approached Rice Village (yes, it is made out of rice) I realized there were not enough parking spots for all the horses around the village. I saw one in front of the "Half priced books for fairy creatures" store but passed it as my horse was galloping too fast. I saw one in front of Swirl, which clearly stated: "For Swirl customers only, all other horses will be killed!" My beautiful horse!! So, I decided to go into Swirl, buy whatever it is they sell and proceed to my final destination. As I stepped off my horse, I looked inside to try to figure out what in the world they sell in there (and hoping not to have to buy some herbs or something!) To my surprise, Swirl sells Yogurt and Ice cream! Low fat yogurt for that matter. I love that it was a self-serve kind of place. Since I am pretty good with magic (got an A+ in magic class), I snapped my pretty princess fingers and a Pomegranate yogurt with pieces of Mango, gummy bears and sneaker bars appeared in front of me! This is a child's dream as you get to choose whatever topping you want and only pay $.43 per oz! My yogurt cost me four hair strands and an eyelash (or $4.64- I am a princess so my hair is very expensive). I enjoyed my visit to Swirl, even if it was just to spare my horse's life!
(5)Andrea R.
Me: So this is Pinkberry type of yogurt or old school fro yo? Swirll Employee: Actually we stole the idea from Pinkberry, but it's a bit different... Something tells me that's not how she was trained to answer the question, but gotta love her honesty. And it is a bit different from Pinkberry...it's not as good! They haven't quite mastered the sour taste I've come to love at my favorite Berry Chill in Chicago or at Pinkberry during trips to NY/LA... They do have some interesting toppings (fruit loops anyone?) and it hit the spot while craving some yogurt, but nothing to write home about...
(3)Monique H.
A friend and I were in the mood for yogurt so we ended up at Swirl. And it wasn't great.. Pros: it's spacious, clean & not too noisy Cons: the fruit wasn't all that fresh, the chunks of fruit were too big, the flavors were less than alright For something so simple as yogurt, Swirl just hasn't got it figured out. I usually love dessert spots but not this one. Next time I'm in Rice Village I'm definitely going to Berripop instead.
(2)Holly S.
Went down to Rice Village the other day to kill some time and while I was perusing the many shops I stopped into Swirll to get some oh so yummy frozen yogurt. I absolutely love frozen yogurt and what could be better than a place where you can make your own blend of whatever flavors you want??! It's basically a frozen dessert buffet with about 10 different nonfat flavored yogurts (some no sugar added options). Then there are two different topping stations with way to many options to just choose one. I like that they have everything from sprinkles to granola. At the end of making your masterpiece they weigh it and charge by the ounce. My concoction was dutch chocolate and new york cheesecake frozen yogurts, topped with white chocolate mini chips and granola...and it was great! Both yogurts were extra cold and super flavorful, especially for being no-sugar added varieties! I will definitely be back!
(5)Jerrikka A.
I have already written about Swirll some time ago. Different location but I would just like to point out that I appreciate the consistency. I like when I can go to a restaurant and receive the same great service and same great quality of food. Being that these two locations are about 20-something miles away from each other I find assurance knowing I will not be disappointed. They still offer the basic flavors and some seasonal ones too. I am really jonesin' for some more of that pumpkin pie with the cake batter. The two together taste like pumpkin cheesecake. Also if you have one of the frequent buyer cards those are honored there too no matter what location you originally got it from. Oh and I found out that they do gift cards as well, just a little hint if you are looking for a gift for that special someone who loves them some Swirll.
(5)Becky K.
So I already stated in another review that I'm a Berripop girl. But let me just clarify... although I don't have anything particular against Swirll, I gotta say that this location is my least favorite. Since this was the first exposure of the new trend of froyo in Houston, I used to come to this place all the time. Then Berripop came in and I converted... however, I still had friends who wanted to come here so I'd go with them. I just thought it was funny how slowly their decor started to mimic Berripop's. Then, after time, their "topping" consisted of one scoop from a small plastic spoon, and yet they stayed the same price. I mean, come on! Talk about sheisty! Needless to say, I never went back.
(2)Jen K.
Oh Swirll, you have a sweet (tart?) place in my heart. I love Swirll. If it weren't for the parking jungle that is the Rice Village, I would come here all the time. ALL the time. Fortunately, there are several other Swirll locations around town that are more accessible parking-wise. Still, the University Blvd location is my favorite. Yes, Swirll is a knock-off of Pinkberry....but it's better than Pinkberry. It's even better than Red Mango, the original chain that launched the whole froyo craze. (Red Mango started in Korea; years later, Pinkberry stole the recipe/concept and brought it to the US). Pinkberry is too icy and Red Mango is meh. Swirll froyo has a nice thick, rich consistency with the perfect level of tartness. Swirll has more flavors than Pinkberry and Red Mango combined. Original, mango, taro, pomegranate, lemon, cake batter, snickerdoodle, red velvet cake, chocolate, banana, cheesecake and pistachio are just some of the flavors. Even eggnog and peppermint during the holidays. Some are tart, some are sweet, all are delicious. I love the self-serve topping bar and gives me control over what, and how much, I put on my tarty goodness. There's always a good selection of fruit & sweets, like mangoes, blueberries, lychee and mochi. The only minor negative is the sampling policy. Different Swirll stores seem to have have different policies. At the Rice location, a staffperson walks around the counter to pour a sample for you into a tiny cup. If you want to sample another flavor, they'll pour again and stand there until you make a decision. I think the unspoken limit is 2 samples - at least that's the feeling I get. If there are a lot of people asking for samples, the poor kid runs back and forth for more cups. At other locations, the staff just hand you however many sample cups you want and leave the sampling to you. I like this approach much better. Still, it's a very minor issue and Swirll remains my favorite froyo place in town. Ken, the owner, is also really nice. Yay Swirll!!
(5)Kylie S.
Between Swirll and Berripop I prefer Swirll and here's why: the taste is a bit more tart and it's self-serve. These are both personal preferences, obviously. The West U location is convenient to shopping and restaurants and I like to stop in as a treat to myself after a hard afternoon of shopping ;) The interior is tiny, but that's okay because I rarely eat my FroYo in the business anyways. Service was friendly. My boyfriend recently ordered a smoothie and that took a bit longer than I would have expected, but he said it was great so I guess it was worth the wait! I am racking up the stamps on my reward card!
(4)Anna W.
I am rather particular when it comes to...okay, a lot of things, so it's kind of good that, if you ask, a lady will come out with tester cups and get you tastes. However, I actually need to try (tiny bits) of more than just three flavors, so the tester-lady is also a negative. That meant getting flavors to try in my actual cup that made me go bleurgh and weighed down my cup. If you're like me, sneak a spoon (mind you, I'm not saying give yourself a big honkin' dose to try). The reviews I scanned all seemed to mention the shock of having your cup cost $6. "Six dollars?" I thought. "Nah, that doesn't feel like $6." $5.37 does not $6 make, but I was still surprised. The cake batter and taro are good, if you go for that sort of thing. There was also some fruity stuff (no fruity froyo for me), red velvet, and cookies and cream. Red velvet was like a mild cookies and cream. Snickerdoodle was way too cinnamon-y. If you get fruit toppings, pretend you're burying treasure. Got it buried way down there? Good. You don't actually want to taste the mushiness or hardened fruit--and I'm not talking about a Nicholas Sparks book or a gay guy who lived life on the streets. There are a variety of liquid Hershey's toppings, plus condensed milk upon request. One unique topping is the big chunks of mini M&Ms cookie dough, in addition to the regular tiny cookie dough bits. There's the standard smattering of tables inside.
(2)Helen C.
Absolutely love this place! Have you tried their pomegranate fro yo with granola? It's A-MA-ZING. There's something about yummy, tart frozen yogurt and toppings that really gets me excited. This Swirll has got the friendliest staff -- they are always ready to serve you -- and I love that this place is so close to all the shopping in Rice Village. I always stop by when I'm in the area to get my fix of this good stuff (and I can't lie -- this is my absolute favorite fro yo place in Houston). So should you!
(5)Long T.
Swirl is good stuff. It is a frequent destination for the Super Secret Tuesday Night Happy Fun Time Crew, especially if we are converging for dinner in the Rice Village and we want a nice dessert. Some people aren't crazy about the tartness, but I like it. I typically get the pomegrante with almonds and fruit... Staul Wall usually opts for the fruity Pebbles on hers... There is another location in the River Oaks area that I will definitely have to try as well. EDIT: Check out the review for the River Oaks location... it is really cool! They have 16 self serve machines with 16 different yogurt flavors and a self serve buffet of toppings... and you pay by the ounce... which in my opinion is a better deal than the West U pay by the served serving size... It is almost worth the extra drive for me to go to the River Oaks location!
(4)Ryan L.
I wish they had a scale for our use before the final weigh in so that I could rein in my topping selection, but otherwise, this is one of the best "fruit salads" I could come up with, but at a premium. Taro is great when they have it, and if going down a creamier route, red velvet is a great ice cream substitute.
(3)David N.
Their phone number is: (713) 526-7947. OK I've had this place on my bookmarks since I've joined yelp. I never actually went to try it because my roommate told me it was the worst tasting yogurt ever. Tonight I asked him if he was willing to check it out again. Reluctantly he agreed. He sure was glad he gave them another shot. Apparently when they first opened they only had 4 flavors, the 4 on the right, mango, lemon, normal, and pomegranate. Basically all of the tart type flavors. For a person going out for something sweet I don't blame him for not liking them. However, they now have added 8 more flavors and I must say they were great additions. I had the cake batter and cookies and cream. That by far was one of the best cookies and cream flavor of anything, yogurt, ice cream, ANYTHING, I have ever had. I don't care for the "Fresh" toppings when I do "fro-yo" so that never affects my rating, but they did have a nice topping bar if that's what you're into. The price was 43 cents per ounce which is high for dessert but what you expect. There are a bunch of Rice kids that come to this location so it can be some interesting people watching.
(4)Sarah H.
love this place!!! pretty good selection of froyo & toppings. taking off 1 star only because i feel rushed sometimes when i come here by the staff. and i have seen bigger selection at other froyo places, but i love that it's all self serve (minus trying flavors). i'm definitely a regular here so can't give less than 4 stars! :)
(4)Eva L.
So what does one doe after a less than ideal meal (hee hee, i rhymed), well, in my case, I head somewhere for some ice cream, since, for me, ice cream really does makes everything better . I love ice cream. In fact, I love it so much, I can't keep it in my home because I'll end up eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's much easier to be less of a pig in a public setting. Swirlls, however is a bit of a danger zone. As others have said, the set up at Swirlls is self serve - did I mention I have little self control regarding ice cream? I must have been dazzled by different serving stations because I didn't see the ice cream and ended up getting frozen yogurt instead. Froyo's good, but ice cream is just so much more creamier. I'll have to keep my wits about me next time. As far as toppings are concerned, there's really only one that does it for me: toffee, as in heath bar toffee. Mmm, butter toffee, you complete me. Alas, while Swirlls has just about every other topping under the sun, there is no toffee. I wasn't feeling the other toppings so I decided to keep my yogurt pure - good stuff should always be able to stand on its own, and the pistachio yogurt delivered. Some of the other flavors were a bit too tart for my taste, but others really loved them. Since I hadn't notice that the place offered ice cream, I was able to keep my serving under control... the same can't be said for others in my party (ahem, you know who you are). As others have stated, it's really easy to go overboard, which is what I'm sure Swirlls is banking on. Just step away from the machine/fixings for a moment, regain your senses and you'll probably be okay. If I have one complaint it's that the serving containers are big so it's really easy to overdo it. I noticed that there are pictures showing smaller containers but perhaps you need to ask for these because I didn't see any small containers at the serving station. Decor-wise, it's a little sterile looking for my tastes, but, eh, is that really important when you're eating ice cream? Yeah, not so much. Get your priorities straight.
(3)Heidi H.
After eating healthy a lunch yesterday, our lunch bunch decided we needed something tasty & headed over to Swirll. This is the perfect sweet spot for the indecisive. First, I recommend trying the flavors first (ask for a taster cup). Vanilla was surprising as it doesn't really resemble the vanilla I'm used to. The smallest cup is pretty large. I took a serving of pistachio only to find my froyo looked pretty lonely in that big cup. So I did what any first timer would do, and added my second runner-up fav: Passion fruit. Cones aren't an option here and it's a good thing, too since they have so many good toppings to choose from. Fresh fruit (not frozen or canned), candies, and nuts - yum. My toppings included Raspberries, coconut, and granola. Next time I will do a better job mixing and matching if I'm going to add that much to my bowl. Considering the amount of yogurt I consumed, this stuff is pretty light- thankfully. The price is about average, just remember they calculate by weight- take that into consideration while piling on that pineapple ;)
(3)Liz S.
WHY ARE YOU NOT AT SWIRLL RIGHT NOW OMG?!? Seriously. I had some pomegranate yogurt with berries and granola, and I have thought of nothing else since. Their standard flavors are plain and green tea (both tasty), and the other flavor option yesterday was banana. Toppings include fruity pebbles, chocolate chips, and all sorts of freshly cut fruit. Prices are from $3-$6 for the yogurt+topping combos, a bit more for the exotic choices. It's like a very tasty, healthy, natural TCBY - or a very close cousin of Pinkberry, for those who have been to one. I don't really care about the non-fat low-calorie side of this place, but know that everything is non-fat and has about 25 calories per ounce (with nothing arificial - I asked the cashier three times). The cashiers were all very, very friendly and enthusiastic. Free wi-fi, too! I've watched several cafes come and go from this spot - let's make sure this one stays, ok? It has given me a whole new reason to stay in Houston.
(5)Kyle S.
Pinkberry knock-off in Houston's RIce Village area. Swirll is quite possibly my favorite fro-yo place in Houston.
(4)Casey P.
If I ever get a craving for ice cream without all the fat, Swirll is my go to! Their cake batter flavor is my all time favorite, and I enjoy when they have their seasonal flavors out too (namely pumpkin). They have a wide variety of toppings, and their cookie dough topping always finds its way into my cup regardless of the yogurt flavor I've chosen. They have a loyalty program too so make sure you get your stamps every time you're there to earn yourself some free fro-yo! The only downside to this place is that they don't let you get your own samples. Boo.
(4)Caroline K.
Why the heck have I not opened one of these boutique frozen yogurt or cupcake shops...??? These things are CASH COWS!! ok, so this review is not only coming from a from a huge fro-yo fan but also from someone who lived in NYC where the frozen yogurt options seem endless. As others have mentioned, swirll isnt like red mango, pinkberry, berripop etc. bc at swirll you do it all yourself and the price is based on weight (like 16 handles in the east village)... sounds great right!? So, I like swirll bc it appeals to both the trendy tart (pinkberry style) people and the sweet classic (tcby style) people. win win win. Also, who doesn't like having full control of their toppings??? I kindof feel like a little kid again.... one could really go crazy with the toppings. so the original and the berry in my tart loving opinion, are the best flavors that swirll offers. But in the end, I like the original at blueberry hill and the yogurt spot better (both in houston). I do have a little frustration with the whole tester situation... I get that they dont want people taking advantage of testers, and that bc the place is set up with about 16 different handles one could try, things could get a bit unsanitary if not kept under wraps... BUT, if you do ask for a sample, the worker has to walk around the counter, make it for you (the smallest amount of yogurt imaginable) and then proceeds to act somewhat annoyed (or maybe I just feel annoying) if you ask for a sample of something else. Its just kind of uncomfortable. Def a good spot for yogurt in the neighborhood, and if I was a kid, I would prob be OBSESSED...but not my favorite in houston
(3)Amaranta C.
I heart Swirll! The last time I came (around Thanksgiving) the counter girl gave me a spoon and a small cup (think the plastic tasting cups at Whole Foods) to try the yogurt flavors. This time? A tiny paper cup that only holds about a teaspoon- and they don't give you a spoon until you pay. Kind of strange. I love Swirll's original non-fat flavor (sweet, yet tangy, yuummmmm! the only flavor I ever get) but the have others including cake batter, chococlate, cookies and cream, peanut butter, etc. They also have a TON of add-ins, including crushed Twix, Heath bars, Cap'n Crunch, real cheesecake crumbles, mango, coconut... the list goes on and on. It's soooo good. I only wish they had smaller containers so that if you don't want a full pint you won't waste a big container.
(4)Kristina D.
Everything *is* bigger in Texas! For the sake of comparison: Tucked into a space about 1/3 the size of Swirll, my beloved Berryline serves about four flavors of frozen yogurt in small, medium and large cups with a choice of about ten toppings at a per-topping fee to hungry Cambridge yogurt eaters. Swirll offers about eight different flavors out of self-serve dispensers (including such gems as acai berry and green tea) followed by a self-serve toppings bar comprised of fruits, chocolate toppings, candy toppings, cereals, and syrups. Do what you will within the confines of plastic pint glasses or extra-large tubs--it's all $.43/oz. Berryline edges out Swirll with respect to quality of yogurt. Swirll's is a little too sour and non-substantial for my taste, while Berryline's is creamy and appropriately tart. However, Swirll edges out Berryline with respect to table & chair space (especially those cute orange chairs) and with sheer variety. I ended up trying New York cheesecake, strawberry, and house blend yogurts topped with caramel, maraschino cherries, blueberries, strawberries, white chocolate chips, Raisinettes and Fruity Pebbles. I'd scale it back to strawberry yogurt with Fruity Pebbles if I went back--simplicity is better!
(3)Briana T.
Love love love this place. So tasty...and less fattening than ice cream. So many toppings!!! Fruity pebbles are my absolute favorite! And the best part...you do not have to worry about getting shorted on the toppings because you put them on yourself. Thats right! Go crazy! Want a full bowl of Reese's Peice's and Mango? Go for it!
(5)Alicia S.
Instead of chowing down on heavy, rich ice cream after a big dinner my boyfriend and I had decided to give fro yo a try. I had heard about this place and passed by it many-a-time, but I didn't have a sweet tooth at the time. BUT IT'S BACK! Walking into the place you grab a cup and then you are faced with a wall of fro yo's with flavours ranging from New York cheesecake to my new fav: mango. After you fill your cup with your desired amount, you move on to the topping (!!!). The toppings start off with fresh fruit such as mango, kiwi, and strawberry. Along with the classic ice cream toppings such as m&m's and sprinkles, there are chocolate-covered raisins and reeses's and even jello. I paid $4 for a satisfying cold treat that you can't go wrong with in Houston heat.
(4)Loren P.
Frozen yogurt with the perfect balance of rich smooth coolness and the tang of fruit, chocolate and other flavors delighted my taste buds. I thought I could skip rope like a ten year old, even in the 100 degree Houston heat. As I scooped up my passion fruit yogurt that was sprinkled with fresh berries, mangoes and exotic fruit, my mind went to simpler days of childhood. The creme texture reminded me of the rich ice cream we used to eat before butterfat became a curse word. My daughters and I hummed away as this frozen treat melted on our tongues. This is a self serve yogurt place with at least 10 types of soft yogurt. You pick you fruit, cereal and candy toppings. You purchase it by weight and mix it up in your own large cup. I love the simple architectural design of the space and the flat screen TVs playing uplifting contemporary music. Rice village has a great place to have a small sweet escape during a hectic day.
(5)Lauren C.
The Swirll at Rice village has completely redone their interior and apparently reopened to customers yesterday. Therefore a update of my review is in order! When I first walked in I was quite surprised to find that they had remodeled to work like the other swirlls (which I believe opened up after this location). What does this mean exactly? Well for those of you who have not been to the Westheimer or West Gray locations, this means that the yogurt is now self serve, you put whatever toppings you want on, and you are charged 43 cents per ounce. The Rice village location now has 12 flavors. These are the ones I remember off of my head: vanilla, chocolate, NY Cheesecake, peanut butter, coconut, lemon (I think), pomegranate, cookies and cream, original, and green tea. So that means there are two I forgot. This number is up from 4 at this location which was always original, pomegranate, and two other flavors that changed from week to week. I must say, I like this format better because I can put as much or as little yogurt in as I want and put however many toppings on it I want. It is also nice to be able to split flavors. I had NY Cheesecake and Pomegranate today. I can't tell if there is more or less room outside of the counter for seating, but I want to say it is about the same. There weren't that many tables out today and quite a bit of empty space, but I imagine since they just reopened yesterday they will put more chairs out (and return the outdoor chairs). They even have 4 semi-lounger chairs if you felt the old chairs weren't comfy enough. As for the flavors. Pomegranate has always been my favorite. It has a tart yet sweet flavor to it that really appeals to me. The Cheesecake tastes like cheesecake (for the most part). The vanilla tastes more like ice cream than yogurt, so for all of you non-yogurt lovers you'll probably like the vanilla (and also chocolate). Peanut-Butter was surprisingly good. It was like eating the inside of a peanut butter cup. My husband really liked cookies and cream (I'm not a fan of that flavor no matter what format it is in, so I didn't try it). Original is always good and my second favorite, though I suggest you only eat it if you REALLY like yogurt. Still has a sweet flavor that regular yogurt does not. And in case your wondering how I know all this, they gave me a little cup to try the flavors. All in all, I like the redesign. It gives you a whole lot more flavors, more choices on what sort of toppings you want I(instead of limiting it to at most 3), and allows you to choose how much or little you want to eat. They still have the same tasting non-fat frozen yogurt, but now they have both flavors that taste like real yogurt and flavors that taste more like ice cream to cater to more taste buds. It lost some of its family run feel by changing the look of the counter, but honestly the new layout looks really good and sleek. I still give it 5 stars, and would probably have raised it to 5 stars if I had given it 4 originally because I feel that this is an improvement. Apparently customers were demanding that this location change to the format of the others, and the owners complied. If you've been putting off trying it before, go and try it now! Just have fun parking in the Rice Village, but you're used to it right?
(5)Jon S.
Another frozen yogurt place. These have exploded over the past 2 years and each have a different name. If you don't know what these places are well then you are out of the loop, sorry. From Pink Berry, Berry Wild, Red Berry, Berripop, Go Berry, Berry R Us...so many. But one thing I liked from Swirl that I'm not sure other places do, they might I just haven't been to them, is do it yourself. In other places the staff pours the yogurt and applies the number of toppings requested. Usually 3. Here though you can pick your favorite of yogurt and then add as many toppings as you like. You pay based on weight, which I think is a great idea. They had 10 flavors that you could mix and a good number of toppings from fruit, candy, and of course gummy worms. The only down side to this? I have no control and mix and add everything I see. In the end I go overboard and sometimes ruin my tasty treat.
(4)Jennifer S.
the frozen yoghurt is usually runny/watery with fruit and toppings that are rarely fresh. i would suggest going to Yogurtland on Sheppard. So much better and almost half the price!
(2)Lauren K.
Swirll is a great spot for an afternoon snack you don't have to feel too guilty about. I love that they always have a great selection of yogurt flavors and toppings and that you can do it all yourself. I prefer the tangy fruit options, but my friends say the sweet flavors hit the spot too. You can top it all off with candy, fresh fruit, nuts, cereals, etc as high as you care to pile it.
(3)Kristin H.
I'm pretty sure that all fro yo places are the same... at least all the ones I have been to and this place is no different. Now, to someone brand new to the frozen yogurt joints/fads, you may be amazed at the limitless topping and pay by weight. I can tell you this particular location was just a tad bit pricier than I'm used to. The location is EXCELLENT, however, so I just may decide to frequent this place again while strolling around and shopping on University Blvd- my brand new favorite place to take a walk :)
(3)Jason B.
Frozen yogurt that actually tastes like regular yogurt. This ain't yo mama's froyo. It's a build on the frozen yogurt craze of the 80's with a twist - "the healthy junk food" approach. Daily flavor specials (usually fruit infusions, i.e. mango) accompany plain old vanilla. You can dress up any yogurt base with toppings from the bar. Opt for the fruit side if you're feeling the need for healthy. Kiwi and mango are backed up by the major berry varieties: strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, shrimpberries - just kidding. The left side of the topping bar features the good stuff: Cap'n Crunch, Fruity & Coco Pebbles, M&Ms, etc. Free WiFi and ample, reasonably comfortable seating make this a good Yelping spot.
(3)Katie F.
I'm going to preface this review with the fact that I really don't like regular yogurt at all, so if you do, you might feel differently than me. Who wants sour frozen yogurt? I know this is a trendy thing, and it's pretty healthy to boot, but give me TCBY over this stuff anyday. Out of the new fro yo chains in Houston I've tried, Swirll is by far the most plain-yogurt tasting of them all. Really sour. When I went, they had three flavors on tap: plain (yuck), green tea (double yuck), and pomegranate (ok). After testing them all, I picked pomegranate. If you're like me and enjoy sweet rather than sour, ask them to fill up the small cup halfway and double up on the fruit toppings. The fruit toppings are the highlight of Swirll due to their freshness and the fact that the server really will pile them on if you ask. I had blackberries and kiwi: these toppings alone saved this review from being one star. Next time I'm going to Whole Foods and getting my fruit without the yogurt.
(2)Jimmy N.
I love this place! I do not like the poppy music playing but meh. The selection is good and the toppings are plentiful. There is next to no available parking in Rice Village though so be prepared to walk.
(5)Samrat B.
Not the best frozen yogurt buffet place, but still tasty. A bit more expensive than others, but the quality of frozen yourt is acceptable.
(3)Cory O.
While looking for places with free wi-fi, a bunch of helpful Yelpers gave me some great suggestions and this was one of them ( yelp.com/topic/houston-b… ). I'd read some information about Swirll when the Houston Chronicle did a write up ( blogs.chron.com/cookstou… ) and had completely forgotten about it until I was talking to someone about Pinkberry. I know a lot of people would say that Swirll is better than Pinkberry because it is creamier, but I actually felt like that was a detriment. I hardly ever eat frozen yogurt or ice cream and if I wanted a McDonald's-ish ice cream texture, I could've gone there. However, there's no denying that the quality is there, though the lack of toppings and types of yogurt flavors was a bit disconcerting. They did offer samples and I ended up with a plain pomegranate frozen yogurt that was just okay. The prices are on par with similar stores and the free wi-fi was great for studying. Even though it is in Rice Village, it wasn't crowded or loud and there were actually a few of us studying in there. The service was friendly and prompt and the music wasn't overbearing or too loud (although it was Christmas music--bleh). I was happy to find out that this is approved for those us of with high cholesterol and they use skim milk as a base. This "healthy" dessert has all the makings of becoming a very expensive habit.
(4)Byoung Kyu S.
Place was clean and offered enough variety. Didn't really stand out compared to other frozen yogurt joints but the staff were super nice. They were closing up but still served us and let us sit inside while they cleaned.
(4)Shazia C.
I can make this at home seriously. It tastes like plain yougurt with fruits (a little tiny bit sour). I also tried the pomegranate, the taste was NOT over powering at all infact it didn't taste like pomegrante.The serving sizes are huge! 5 oz for small serving , c'mon now. Staff is friendly and thats about it. I have never been to Pink Berry in LA but my friends tell me it tastes the same. Well ..then I wouldn't go to Pink Berry either :)
(1)Lauren J.
My friend took me here last night. I was a Berripop fan, but now I think I have crossed over, if you can say that. Although the staff appeared to be severely unhappy doing their job (as my friend put it: "They clearly haven't had their swirll today!"), the ice cream and plethora of toppings were delicious. And in case you don't notice the large sign that says the price/oz, make sure you don't make the mistake of thinking the large bowl is a fixed price and fill that puppy up (like the poor girl checking out in front of us who had at least 3 flavors and more than 8 toppings). I do bet it was good though and to each his own.
(5)Carrie C.
Yogurt can be pretty melty, and it's pricier than other area yogurt places. I much prefer yogurtland or menchies.
(2)Hannah A.
WOW. I abso-friggin-lutely love this place. They do not have very many flavors to choose from but the ones that they do are all, my favorite. I was ecstatic to see that they had peanut butter frozen yogurt. YUM in CUP. I also love the fact that you pay by weight, I filled my cup all the way to the top and loaded it with toppings and still paid only $6.45. Very impressive! They even have tapioca as a topping which I have never seen in a yogurt shop. I was not crazy about the parking situation but it's Rice Village, parking is bad everywhere unfortunately. I went on a Sunday so I was able to snag a spot. The decorations are very modern and unique. I love the artsy fartsy feel of this place. The backsplash is my favorite; it has an opal look to it. Very trendy, quiet, inexpensive and most of all tasty!!!!!!
(4)Lisa T.
after the renovation.. i'd have to say.. IT LOOKS MUCH MORE INVITING! hands down! this place is convenient, esp after shopping long and hard in the summery heat of the day around the village! the orig tart is the way to gooo... although.. i still say berripop tastes better..
(3)Katherine W.
Delicious! I love their eclectic flavors and the way the ice cream bar is set up. I just wish that seating was better. Oh, and that parking in Rice Village weren't such a pain in the ass.
(4)Michelle T.
Despite how crazy some of my friends think I am, there is TOTALLY A DIFFERENCE in yogurt between this location and other Swirll locations. I always get the original flavor topped with blackberries, oreos, fruity pebbles, and gummy bears. My friend and I had visited New York together and she knew how much I was craving Pinkberry so she brought me here... I totally fell in love with this place. It's not as tart as Pinkberry and way creamier from what I remember (which is totally a good thing).
(5)Natalie P.
Ok, I'll admit it. I have an unhealthy obsession/addiction to frozen yogurt. Thus, spending this past summer in Houston, I was desperate to find a place to fill this insatiable desire. Swirll satisfied!!! In my few and rare moments of spare time, I lived at this location. The staff were always great, being right in Rice Village was easily accessible (and lots of shopping and other food around), and free wi-fi! Now, about the yogurt: from reading the other reviews, it sounds like they redid this location since I've left and now maybe have more than 4 flavors of froyo from which to choose, but my favorite flavor (and pretty much the only one I ever got) was the plain/standard/original (among all the froyo places I hit up, it's slipped my mind which name goes with which place). But, you get it. It's tart, creamy, silky, cool and refreshing (at least when I was there in the summer), light, and filling. Delicious topped with almonds. I found the prices to be relatively reasonable too, and it's nice that they give student discounts! I can't remember the hours, but they're posted at the store, and students get like 10 or 15% off... I did hit up all the other locations of Swirll over the course of the summer and I will say I was a huge fan of the many, many flavors at the Galleria/Westheimer location. Cookies 'n Cream comes highly recommended. The self-serve aspect of the yogurt is kind of a plus/minus for me, because sometimes I want to get lots of different flavors, or certain portion sizes of whatever...but then other times I'm just like, can't someone swirl(l) it up all pretty for me, and top it with toppings, and quickly! If you like have a thing for frozen yogurt, Swirll shouldn't disappoint. And if you don't, check it out and be swirlled into the love.
(4)Yyyy Y.
The parking is scary but the yogurt is worth it. Bonus points for making it self serve but negative points for the guilt it induces by giving you the ability to choose the weight of your own sweet demise..
(4)Dee Y.
Swirll is a decent frozen yogurt joint and at a relatively good location. Selection of flavors and toppings are great, and the seating is very ample. I'm not a fan of frozen yogurt (the blandness and sourness is not what I call dessert), but it's good to bring a friend is he/she likes this kind of stuff.
(4)Therese T.
I finally took people up on their reviews, and I was not disappointed. Swirll has honest-to-goodness good yogurt that isn't too sweet at all! You can add whatever toppings you want. So yeah. YUM. Go for your fro-yo fix over TCBY any day.
(4)Sam L.
First time at the swirll, village location, sunday night. Like how u can make whatever yogurt u want. Dispense ur flavor(s), top it with tops, weigh it, pay, enjoy. Waiting to try the cappuccino flavor at the river oaks one.
(5)Piyo C.
Swirll is da bomb! Plus, it's located next to Half Price Books =p The frozen yogurt here is excelente! It tastes exactly like Pinkberry's fro-yog from Cali. It's just alittle cheaper over here :) The prices range from $2.35-$9.30 depending on what size you get and if you get toppings. They also have a couple flavors that Pinkberry does not have (I still like Pinkberry though, cause of it's cute name xD). They have mango, pomegranate, green tea, and plain (I'm not sure if flavors differ from day to day or if they have any new flavors). And then you can choose fruit toppings such as kiwis, strawberries, bananas, raspberries etc. They also sell smoothies (around $4.50) and shaved ice ($6-$7). My 3-year old cousin didn't like the yogurt though (I guess it was too sour for him, haha). If your looking for super-sweet frozen yogurt, don't come in here. It's very mildly sour (which isn't bad, just saying so you don't expect ice cream sweetness). Inside Swirll the decor is very simple and modern, but kind of bare. I guess they were trying to get the look of Pinkberry, but sorry Swirll, you haven't quite got there. Yet. The owner and workers are very friendly and don't mind how many times you ask for samples (which I do, everytime, haha) so you can make up your mind xD The owner was very nice and talkative, and I found out that he lives in Cinco Ranch (where my relatives live), and that the cheerleaders from Rice University come there like, every afternoon (the frozen yogurt may be fat free, but it's not calorie free girls!). The frozen yogurt is super yummy over here, so try it next time your in Rice Village!
(4)Nick L.
With the runaway success of Pinkberry in Los Angeles and the numerous knockoffs it spawned, it was only a matter of time before Houston would get on the bandwagon. Swirll opened up two weeks ago next to the Half Price Bookstore in Rice Village. Spotting the sign outside advertising "non-fat Italian yogurt," my curiosity was my piqued. My hopes were confirmed as I entered the store and immediately saw the familiar gigantic steel magical yogurt mixing machines. The setup is exactly the same as LA Pinkberry. Yogurt comes in two flavors: plain or green tea, in small, medium, and large cups. You have a wide range of toppings to choose from, including various fruits and candies. My favorite combo at Pinkberry when I visited LA was a plain with mango, strawberries, and raspberries. At Swirll, however, I ordered a plain small ($2.35 -- toppings are 80 cents extra. E. says it's 15 cents cheaper than Pinkberry), so I could taste the yogurt unadulterated by any other fruit toppings. After I ordered my cup, I asked the friendly cashier if Swirll was in fact a take on Pinkberry, to which she cheerfully replied, "Actually, yes!" For those of you unfamiliar with the craze surrounding this kind of yogurt, it's usually described as somewhat tart, slightly sweet but not too sweet, and strangely addicting. Oh, and it's also fat free. Does it get any better than that? Swirll's version was virtually indistinguishable from Pinkberry's, so I'll be paying them a visit again soon. The only discernible difference between Swirll and PB was the decor. Go to Swirll and try a cup. I guarantee we'll see more knockoffs popping up around Houston in the next few years, but for now, this is as good as i gets.
(5)Andrew M.
I personally really enjoyed Swirll, the frozen yogurt was light and delicious. I had pomegranate with some fresh berries and I was in heaven, this made for the perfect light desert. I would say the one down fall is actually with the lack of toppings, since there are so few choices with the frozen yogurt I would like to have seen more choices. Also, if you aren't into frozen yogurt this is definitely not your place. I took my girlfriend here and she was totally turned of by the flavor, she prefers super sweet deserts. Overall, I would say that this is a great place for a nice light and fresh desert.
(4)Karen R.
Came here with my Aunt and Uncle the other night. They are from Dallas and have been making frequent visits to Houston, and come to Swirll whenever they are here. They love it! I guess I should caveat this by saying that I am not a buffet person, not because of those hygiene reasons that others claim when they don't like buffets. Too many options overwhelm me, especially when I can take a bit of everything rather than having to make a choice. I had chocolate, vanilla and cake batter... I'm not a tart yogurt person, although I tried it and liked the lemon the best. Their non-fat, sugar-free frozen yogurts, sweet, had that weird chemical taste that sugar-free frozen yogurt gets sometimes, and I really don't like it. The chocolate and vanilla had that going on, but when mixed with the real sugar cake batter, they were okay. Swirll gets major points for having fresh cut fruit for toppings, I put strawberries and blackberries on mine, plus chocolate syrup and cocoa krispies. They have so many kinds of candy and cereal for toppings, its a very well thought out selection. I found it a bit overwhelming, but tasty. I'm not sure I loved Swirll as much as my Aunt and Uncle do, especially because its priced by weight, they give you massive cups (encouraging you to fill up and then your yogurt could end up being like $8 or something crazy) and I think it's kind of expensive. I'd go back, but I wouldn't come on a weekly basis.
(3)Helen P.
THIS PLACE IS AWESOME. As someone from NY, where there are literallly hundreds of these frozen yogurt places, I can honestly say that Swirll kicks all their asses. Compared to all the other places I have been to( pinkberry, yogurberry, red mango, berryberry, red berry, the list goes on) this place is the best for frozen yogurt. It has about 8 different types of flavors which is amazing. Most places have original and green tea (which tastes like original). There are about 16 different toppings and you can take a little from each one if you are not too good at making decisions. You could have all the flavors and all the toppings and only pay 3 bucks because they charge by the ounce. I got 2 flavors and 5 topping and it only cost me 3.50. At another store they would charge by cup size and per topping. The amount of yogurt I got was about a small in NY which is already between 3- 5 dollars depending on the store. Then for each topping they charge money. In NY I would have spent between 10 and 20 for the same cup of yogurt and toppings. Clearly, money wise and variety wise Swirll already kicks ass. On top of it they have friendly service and a good amount of seating for the size of the store itself. The yogurt also tastes amazing and their fruit always seems fresh. They will even cut a banana for you to keep it fresh.
(5)Star J.
Well i had a friend that told me that i just had to try this place and i was like YAH yogurt * sarcastically of course so my husband was like come on lets go.. so when we first went it it was nice and clean and then when we told them it was our first time the nice guy behind the counter was so excited he talk to us about the flavors and everything, i tasted the pomegrante and it was over..i was head over heels in love and lets just say that i was licking the container clean! For the lady who said that she can make the same thing at her house must invite me to it because if you can make the pomegrante better i will pay you double.. i just doubt that you can... so go and eat here and dont feel bad about getting a little more..its heathy..
(5)Cindy T.
I've tried my first "create your own yogart" shop in Las Vegas-Tutti Bella and it was awesome! I also tried another yogart shop in San Diego-Yogartland and it was also awesome! After going on vacation and trying their yogarts, I've look online to see if there were any yogart shops here in houston. With Yelp's good reviews for Swirll, I've convinced my sister that she would love this place. We go there with both of our 3 kids (totalling 6 kids), and first of all parking was tight. Then we go inside and come to find out that there were no more seats available. (Note: there were only 3 tables and a counter table with only 5 or 6 seats....They need more furnishing) There were also few yogart flavors and toppings to choose from-what a disappointment:( Then to top it off-a homeless, smelly person in a wheelchair came in to cool off next to us and started to count his dollar bills....I will never come back...WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT! Go to Las Vegas or California and you will think otherwise of Swirll...
(1)Johanna Dieterich H.
Although I'd prefer ice cream, this froyo can hit the spit. It's self serve which is nice, but watch out: those bowls are deceivingly large which is difficult when you're paying by the oz. I recommend mixing add-ons with yogurt as you go to check your ratios.
(4)