28 Best Ice Cream Shops near Monona

“Delicious ice cream with an excellent location. Love the lake views and all the parks. Staff is very nice. Also love that it is a local business instead of a chain. You can tell the owner takes pride in his shop.“

“Wonderful people Great Ice Cream so many flavors.“

“Great & tasty ice cream No handicap parking or easy access But still worth it, just took it slow & easy to get up the stairs with my Mom.“

“Chocolate Shoppe catered our wedding dessert and they were completely perfect! They bring a truck with about ten flavors including 1-2 DF flavors, and scoop into dishes or cones. The guests loved it on a hot, summer day, and it felt a lot more memorable than cake. They were super easy to work with in booking the event and the employee who worked our event was so kind. It was a huge hit and the ice cream was, of course, delicious! We would definitely book them again for a large event and would recommend them to friends.“

“Grabbed a couple ice cream cones while waiting on pizza from a place across the lot.
Good variety of ice creams. I tried the “exhausted parent” lol which was very good. Very nice pricing compared to a lot of ice cream shops. Would you again for sure. Staff was quick to help as well“

“Very creamy, rich, and good ice cream. Lots of flavors with cool names and reasonable prices. My favorite in the whole world was Mint Chocolate Ribbon which is discontinued. It is SO much better than mint chocolate chip which was still good. Please bring it back!“

“Delicious pistachio ice cream, tamarind smoothies, and friendly service :)“

“Came in for a treat on the way home last Thursday, and had the absolute pleasure of being served by Jacob! They have so many interesting flavors, I had no idea what to choose. He helped me out and recommended the Blackberry Lemonbar, it was delicious! Will definitely be coming back for Jacob's kind service.“

“So excited to have found this place at an event in Raleigh and I found out they are in Knightdale station park every weekend! Creative names like Kitty Kitty bang bang which is what I tried it’s cheesecake ice cream with raspberry swirl and chocolate chunks so delicious! True creamy texture that you’d expect from Wisconsin. Really friendly and helpful just can’t say enough good things. My brother tried the exhausted parent(?name) which was bourbon espresso ice cream with chocolate. He loved it. Can’t wait to go see them in Knightdale!“

“Love the Daily Scoop- mostly because it’s Babcock ice cream! So fresh and delicious and fun flavors! The orange custard with chocolate chips is my absolute favorite. About $4 for a scoop and $5.50 for 2 scoops. Not too bad and very generous scoops. Usually plan to wait because every one wants this ice cream! This location is elite because of its proximity to the lake- can’t beat ice cream by the lake!“

“I love this cute little shop! The Breakfast Burrito was soooo good and the Oreo Dream homemade ice cream in a waffle cone was scrumptious 😋 The staff was friendly, engaging and the music was fun! I will definitely be back!“

“I was thrilled to walk into the Fordem location Chocolate Shoppe last night and discover that Key Lime was back on the menu now featuring a new cheesecake twist! I had heard it was discontinued before, so this was a pleasant surprise. The staff were incredibly friendly too. I often arrive just 10 minutes before closing (sorry not sorry lol), and I really appreciate that they understand how spontaneous ice cream outings can be! This location doesn’t have quite the ambience as some of the others, but there are a few outdoor benches, tables/chairs + it’s easy access when it’s really just all about the ice cream! :) they do also have a variety of flavors & dietary options.“

“Great upscale candy shop with a great selection and fair prices! One of the best caramel apples I’ve ever had!“

“My FAVORITE ice cream! Love supporting local businesses in Madison so usually pick some up at Ian’s Pizza!! Their Brandy Old Fashioned Ice cream is a MUST!!“

“Great ice cream, nice quiet location with indoor and outdoor seating. Good selection of ice cream and cone or dish choices and friendly staff. Loved this location to enjoy outside for a quick ice cream. We got mint chocolate chip and sherbet. Both were excellent.“

“Very convenient for campus meetings. Rooms are modern and clean....walls z bit thing (or neighbours were noisy). Amenities on the main floor are lots of campus food...even a pub. Bed was comfy. Would likely stay here again if the opportunity arises.“

“My husband, my two boys, and I LOVE this place. The hour drive we take to come to Crumbl Cookies is SO worth it. We've been to two different locations in Madison and they are both absolutely FABULOUS! The customer service has always been outstanding. The staff are so welcoming, patient, and always smiling! My family and I would like to give a special shout out to Ava and the rest of the staff who were working on July 9th, 2025 around 8:30pm. Ya'll killed it! Keep up the good work! Thanks a ton for making this trip worth it!!.“

“We got crumbl cookies for our wedding and they were delicious!!! We’re so happy we went with crumbl overall! Their communication trying to set up the order with the catering team at this location was a little stressful due to miscommunication, though.“

“DQ cookies and cream ice cream cakes are the best!!!! I usually don’t like when ice cream cakes have sponge layers that get soggy, which doesn’t pair well with the thick ice cream. But this one is all ice cream, filled with Oreo bits and topped with chocolate glaze.“

“I’ve been a regular since the cafe first opened. Everything I’ve tried has been delicious. I love that it is an important part of McFarland history. Such a great place to meet a friend. Very surprised at the negative reviews. Please support this local restaurant owned by a McFarland’s family.“

“I've been a long time customer here (15+ years). Besides the beauty of mixing Gelato with espresso (order the Javalatto people), my favorite thing is the environment. I love seeing the long term staff, and the owner, who I've seen throughout my time as a customer. Most of all, I love that they ALWAYS make me happier, especially on days I'm having those rough mornings. I really try to go in on those days I know are gonna be long. Between my delicious caffeine boost, and their warm welcomes, they always start my morning off better. Thank-you to Renee and all of the Java Cat staff for the morning pick me ups.“

“We love going to the coffeehouse. It is family owned and they do a tremendous job making everyone feel welcomed. And the food is fresh and delicious!“

“Dairy Queen! I love your ice cream and it makes me personally happy to see that you’re employing teenage kids! In looking at the previous reviews, It is a bit shocking to me how many people come here to complain about service. Good grief! I hope they at least ask for a bit more of something (more carmel or strawberry juice- whatever) instead of coming here to complain. Nevertheless, always grateful for ice cream and Orange Julius in the heat of summer. It’s always tasty! Plus, it makes me smile and so happy to see all the young people you employ! It’s really a blessing to this community and hope the negativity does not win! Blessings to all (especially the complainers-they certainly need it)! Direct customer service is SO hard and it’s a shame this is the message your employees and your cute little establishment has to endure! I love this place!“

“The restaurant was exceptionally clean and well kept except for some of the drink dispensers were really low (iced tea lemonade, etc).

They are essentially a slightly less good 5 guys, but also priced much more reasonably.

The biggest point of contention for me was the fries, which were *extremely* soggy, albeit fresh and tasty. I confirmed with the staff thats just how they're supposed to be. To reiterate, they were very good but the texture may not be everyone's cup of tea.“

“Great Culver’s! James at the register is amazing! Keep that team member for life!“

“This is a Mediterranean restaurant close to the zoo. The outdoor patio is spacious and well-equipped. Iros salad and panini with pesto were both delicious. The panini was especially good with the herb-studded bread. However, the strawberry smoothie was a bit disappointing. I was a little confused about its identity, as it sells African food and plays Cuban music inside, but it seems to make sense when you think of it as a zoo.“

“Sadly, this particular Culver’s either changed their fish fry breading recipe or they don’t fry it correctly. The last 2 fish fries I purchased tasted terrible.“

“Good atmosphere, there’s no better place to watch the Vikings lose in the playoffs #OnWisconsin“