Four Seas Ice Cream — Restaurant in Barnstable

Always on the lookout for outstanding ice cream in my travels. Research showed this one on our route for New England road-trip. Many awards over the years had my hopes sky high. But it was ultimately a disappointment. Recently reopened for ‘22 season. Small shack I called ramshackle upon arrival that had little curb appeal unless you were looking for it. Entered to find a wall of poorly written, and confusing hand done signs. Along with menu boards sourced probably sometime in the ‘60’s. Unattractive. Along with the ice cream they have some lunch items including the unique cream cheese/olive sandwich and the cream cheese/date/nut sandwich. Also non-dairy frozen treats I think are produced by a different company. Many of the signs advertise sundae combos of different varieties. Fun that they list a regular size and a diet size which I can only assume is smaller. Another very noticeable aspect upon entry was the dead silence. Like a library. Even just some quiet background music would bring up the level of buzz when you arrive. Maybe that comes after they are busier in summer. Two young people behind the counter while we made our choices. The young lady who approached us was, I believe, very new here and possibly working at her first gig. Quite timid and quiet. We were patient as she went over the options for sizes, prices, and how served(cup, cone, etc) multiple times. The other young man seemed to busy doing something besides helping the young lady. I chose the peppermint stick one scoop in a cup and wife chose butter crunch which is similar to a butter pecan but no nuts. She chose child size which was perfect for her and seemed a decent portion. This was pretty tasty with a nice smooth flavor with a nicely done caramel ribbon. She enjoyed this. My peppermint stick was unfortunately light on peppermint flavor with candy chunks meant to be crunchy but were really mushy and flavorless. The one scoop portion was very generous but didn’t finish it as it was such a disappointment. Though I left unsatisfied, I’d stop again to try a different flavor later in the season-knowing what to expect-with hopes of a...

On two occasions I went to this ice cream parlor. The two times I was all the staff were in a beautiful conversation between them, there were not many people to attend only two more people who patiently waited for them to deign to attend, My family and I turned around and left the place after a long wait without attention. The next day I went alone to see if this statement was change and all in the same rhythm of conversation, after waiting for a while a client asked me if anyone who was there attended my order to what I said I'm waiting to see if they notice me, he said we are in the same situation nobody noticed yet our presence. And other people there looked at us and nodded we were all in the same situation, and one of them said these guys are still very young. After a long wait, a young woman asked me what I wanted, I told her just a coffee, she did not know what to do, I ordered only one coffee and cream, she went around the place looking for a coffee, the coffee that they sell is the one that comes ready for Keurig coffee maker (my 7-year-old daughter knows how to use it) apparently she knew how to use it, it took me 15 minutes counted with a clock to bring a quarter of a cup and she tells me this is what came out, to what I say please cream, another search and not find cream (cold coffee) we do not have cream only ice cream. $ 3 a quasi-cafe. I was in the hotel across the street. Out of my bad experience with a coffee. My family did not buy ice cream, the place was very dirty and they had flies around the place. I'm sorry if you see my history I travel a lot from end to end of the USA, I never give...

Having lived around the corner from Four Seas since way back when, we know it is truly a summertime institution. We have witnessed the family’s losses and sorrow. The ice cream has even been shipped to far off places for birthday celebrations. The cantaloupe was a favorite in 1969, but cranberry sherbet has since taken over as number one. Many quarts of coconut, chocolate almond, mocha and chocolate chip have also graced our freezer. Our summer visitors often experience a smorgasbord of blue ice cream containers lined up on the dining room table and adding their favorites butter crunch, caramel or butter pecan. On occasion peppermint stick or black raspberry will make an appearance. My grandfather years ago would like to treat us to sundaes and referred them as college ice. Fast forward to a summer with less Covid restrictions. The prices for pints and quarts have gone sky high while the consistency has plummeted. The ice cream isn’t even hand packed and is now packaged in a plain white container with a simple sticker. Where did the iconic blue Fours Sea’s container go - raise prices and cut cost? Twice this summer I had to return quarts; one blueberry yogurt because it was all frosted over and slimy inside and the other cranberry sherbet because it was all melty and dripping. The servers scooping ice cream, all high school kids, are still a delight. Disappointingly though Four Seas aura seems to...