Salt & Straw

Love salt & straw they always have super unique flavors to try.

The line does get long but it's worth the wait and it moves fast. I got the caramel ribbon and salt/malted chocolate something (I forgot the name LOL). Really amazing combination together highly recommend!

I also like that they let you try a ton of flavors before you choose what you want. I definitely took advantage of that and got to taste the whackier ones like the fried chicken ice cream.

10/10

The staff here are friendly but the wait can get quite long--maybe this location is a bit understaffed? We were stuck behind 2 large parties that were asking for samples of almost every ice cream flavor available. There were only 2 people scooping ice cream so no one could help us, despite the fact that we already had our flavors picked out. Limiting the number of samples people can ask for might be something to consider.

I loved the new summer berry flavors, especially the huckleberry cornbread pudding flavor. My husband really liked the wild-foraged berry slab pie flavor. They were so good that we went back to get a pint of each flavor.

Interesting flavors of ice cream that makes it trendy in hot sunny California. Lines do get long because they are very generous with offering samples. And it's a teaspoon each.

There's not a lot of seating area inside but outside there's public benches to enjoy your ice cream.

I tried Cinnamon & Honey Fried Chicken, Pear & Blue Cheese & Pink Rosé & Watermelon Sorbet. All are very good with the last two true to their taste.

Will be back to try more!

So I've had pretty good experiences at salt and straw overall. I really liked the berry icecream line up they had this summer. The lavender icecream kinda tasted soapy to me so I probably wouldn't opt for that one. They always have plenty of seating - would come back!

I love how Salt & Straw has a different set of flavors every month. It's nice to come by every month and check out the new flavors they have.

There can be a line depending on when you go. I notice there's usually a line after dinner time (so 8p-9p).

The service is good. They let you sample different flavors before so you can try all the new ones and choose the one you like.

The interior is cute and warm. There isn't that much seating indoors though. Just a few bar seats by the front window. There are some tables outside the restaurant by the side.

Was in the area to get my Apple Watch checked out and was enticed by the limited edition sign outside. The brewers series just came out today consists of 5 beer flavored ice creams.

What we ordered:
- Double scoop in a cup w/ Breakside barrel aged chocolate stout and salted, malted, chocolate chip cookie dough ($8.50)
- Double scoop in a waffle cup w/ peanut butter brittle camel fudge ($10.15)

The line was super long but moved quickly. Don't need scared away. The wait is worth it. Service was very accommodating and let us try 5 different flavors before making our decisions.

The serving sizes are HUGE. My eyes were certainly bigger than my stomach. It didn't help that the upgrade to two scoops is only an extra $2.50. Hack for next time: just order a cup with 2 scoops and share with your partner instead of paying for two singles.

The cost here is pretty high for Ice cream, not going to lie, I felt a little silly spending $18 for two ice creams. However, this serving was so large I couldn't eat dinner so honestly if you think about it ... I saved money... #girlmath

With so many locations opened in the area, by now I am happily familiar with the vibrancy if Salt & Straw's menu. Is the quality of their ice cream the best in terms of creaminess and overall texture? No, but at least it's good enough to still enjoy. Whatever Salt & Straw lacks, it makes up for by being original in a manner that craves its niche out in Bay Area ice cream. Especially because they rotate flavors monthly, I know that every time I visit the store, I will get to experience something new, and that novelty is what keeps me coming back.

The line is always long when I go, but thankfully it moves relatively quick. I always feel the need to taste flavors just because there is so many things to try. Aside from their basic menu which already has some interesting picks, I find myself constantly gravitating to the seasonal items. This time, breweries was the monthly theme, and they delivered. The flavor of the brew comes forward while also meshing well with the intended mix-ins. Salt & Straw will always be on my list of ice cream place go-to's.

This is my second time visiting this location and I've left happy both times. The ice cream here is excellent and they offer atypical flavors that transforms enjoying a classic treat into a mini indulgent adventure.

For the classic lovers, you'll find something on the menu for yourself; vanilla included. For the more adventurous, I recommend trying their 'pear & blue cheese' or 'honey lavender'. They're staples here for a reason.

While walking by today, I saw the sign outside for the limited Brewers series which I guess JUST kicked off at the end of May. I've had most of those beers in their own and I was excited to try them as part of an ice cream. I ended up trying all 5 they had available and I was impressed that you could pick up the beer flavor fairly easily while it also not being overpowering. I hope a brewer's series becomes something standard.

My favorites were the Breakside barrel aged chocolate stout which is described as an "intense, stout-soaked cocoa nib ice cream and stout tres leches cake" and the Monkish Space Cookies & Cream Hazy IPA which was described as a "very cool ice cream, triple-dry-hopped, with fresh grapefruit zest and 'nilla wafer cookie butter". I laughed at the "very cool" descriptor because... it's ice cream... so DUH it's "cool". I found both of these ice creams to be the ones that had a perfect balance of the beer-to-'other' flavor ratio. The Breakside Stout comes through at the beginning and the cocoa nibs give this a great texture. The Tres leches cake pieces remind me more of cookie dough, which isn't a bad thing.

The monkish IPA really shows its fruit forwardness at the beginning, and the added grapefruit zest increases the citrus notes with the cookie butter rounding out the ice cream for a sweet finish.

The Russian river ice cream would be a top contender if it wasn't for the added cherry marmalade. Russian River is one of my favorite breweries and this particular beer is excellent on its own and I think the cherry actually off-balance's this is a bit. Still good but it was the only one I found underwhelming and the beer flavor slightly subdued.

Service:

The service was surprisingly fast given how packed the inside of the store was. There were at least 10 to 15 people in front of us when we entered the line but we waited around 5 minutes to be served. The crew showed really great teamwork behind the counter, which I greatly appreciated.

Ambience:

The inside of the store is fairly small with limited seating, and there are a handful of seats outside in the alleyway. Most people grabbed their ice cream and took it to go so this wasn't a big deal for most.

Overall:

For four scoops of ice cream and a waffle cone, our grand total, before tip, came to $18.80. Considering the excellent quality of the ice cream, efficient service, and unique offerings, I think the price is somewhat justified. I can't believe I'm saying that myself - don't judge me - but this is an occasional treat and not your regular store branded ice cream. Just be aware that a single scoop will cost you $6.50, the same as a premium coffee, so you need to ask yourself; are you looking more for a caffeine hit or a sugar rush? Then you'll have made your choice.

Salt & Straw was packed on a Sunday evening after dinner. Thankfully there was no shortage of staff and they did a great job of keeping the line moving. They use metal spoons for taste tests, no waste, and have awesome little slots which the kids loved putting their test spoons in.
The ice cream itself was great, we enjoyed strawberry coconut as a unique flavor, the kids got cookie dough and loved it. Great experience.

I LOVE how every month they introduce a themed seasonal menu -- which I look FORWARD too!

The staff at the counter are SOO FRIENDLY and PATIENT, they wanted to ensure we were happy and leave with ONLY our favorite flavors.

Anyways, I definitely recommend y'all stop by and try them out when you're in the area.