Bruster's Real Ice Cream — Restaurant in Annapolis

May 2024 - still love going to Bruster’s for the occasional premium ice cream (my waist & my wallet are glad we don’t live closer!). On the last visit, I couldn’t choose between the Boston Cream Pie and the Southern Banana Pudding, so I got a scoop of both. Almost too much to eat!

I drove over hoping the Banana Pudding was still in rotation, it was that good last time I had it. I’d happily take either flavor again. Great flavors!

Love Bruster’s Ice Cream!

They always have interesting flavor as well as the classics … all made in-house. Lots of fun specials and specialties. A tad pricey, as you can buy a pint of Haagen-daz or Talenti at a store (even Safeway) for less … although that price differential is slipping as the shrink flatiron continues with our groceries.

Any how .. back to Bruster’s - great creamy ice cream. Coats at this location, $6 for an adult small (2 scoops) or $5.50 for a kid’s single (1 scoop), then thing increase in both dimensions.

My new favorite after tonight is the “Southern Banana Puddin” - tastes like the real eat down to the bits of Nilla Wafers! Amazing!! (No pic, I slurped that little cup...

I have visited here with my family a handful of times and each time seemed to get worse with service. The ice cream tasted of straight cream - like heavy cream you'd put in coffee. There was almost no sweetness. The employee wouldn't even consider remaking the milkshakes even though my daughter and I had each taken one small sip to taste (I tasted it after my daughter told me that it was horrible). I reached out to the owner via phone after asking for the contact info. I was either given an invalid phone number or the owner really does not care about unhappy customers because all 4 of my calls were never returned. This is terrible customer service. Unfortunately, this is the 3rd unpleasant visit to this particular shop. The cleanliness of employees is also questionable! The last 2 times we visited, the employees looked a mess - unkept hair (who wants hair in their ice cream?!) and dirty fingernails. Just kind of gross. I liked this place on our first visit and we tried it again a few more times but it just isn't up to par for really tasty, hand-dipped ice cream. My family will be taking our business...

Very sad. I jumped through all the hoops to order ahead online. Paying ahead is an act of faith. My experience was a massive disappointment. I ordered at 1020 in the morning for a pickup at 4pm. I showed up at 4.20pm and my order wasn't ready. It took them longer to find the order (remember I paid ahead) then ordering as a walk up. They were rude the entire time. Then they said they hadn't bothered to put my order together, so I had to wait yet longer. More rudeness, including slamming the service window in my face.

As it happens, Brusters was the last of a series of curbside pickups (Target, Giant Food, Safeway). All those faceless corporations provided excellent service with cheerful employees. Brusters, a local business we are supposed to steer our business toward, was a massive failure.

The ice cream isn't all that special either. Back to Breyers (another faceless corporation) at grocery stores.

Do not go to Brusters. Certainly don't give them payment...