Sliders Bakery and Ice Cream Factory — Restaurant in Burbank

My wife and I had a really hard week that came to a surprisingly good end and decided to celebrate with ice cream. Turns out we picked the perfect place for that, as the story of Sliders is one of really hard weeks, followed by hard earned success. As the affable owner Josh will tell you if you ask his background, he was putting the shop together and weeks before they were supposed to open, COVID hit. But they stayed open, became a neighborhood takeaway favorite, and pushed through. Then this year, they were set to open a second location in Altadena. And while the building escaped the destruction of the fires, there's an inch layer of dust on all their newly purchased equipment, and the whole building will have to go through the remediation process before it can be opened.

Despite this, Josh is trying to spend more time in the shop so he can chat with his customers. No, you can't have samples (take it up with the powers that be, it's apparently a mandate), but he will happily explain any flavor in detail and why he decided to make it. The photoshopped movie posters are hilarious, and feel like a personality touch compared to the generic barebones "industrial chic" vibe of most newer, boutique desert shops.

As for the ice cream itself, it's delicious and creamy, and the mixed in ingredients are definitely not just Sysco generics (even a Ferrero Rocher flavor!). Although I will say, they're kinda fooling you by not advertising as an ice cream AND cookie place, because you walk in and it's like "oh yeah, and also these cookies" but they're lowkey maybe the best part?

Anyway, Bruce Springsteen takes himself out for ice cream every time he has a number one record. He says as time passes, you never remember exactly how you felt in the moment, but you always remember the ice cream.

This is a good...

This place is phenomenal! The ice cream flavors are unique and delicious. I had Thai Tea and Dubai Chocolate, but I was tempted to choose others, like Oatmeal Cream Pie and Snickers. More standard flavors, like Cookies n' Cream, are also executed immaculately.

The taste alone was impressive enough, but what really pushed this place over the edge for me was the passion of the owner, Josh. He explained how he works hard and experiments tirelessly to get ice cream that is not only creative, but also tasty. Each flavor has a story, and he told us the inspiration behind a few of them. He doesn't stop until he meets his very high standards. A dedication like that deserves some applause. And it pays off. The ice cream was scrumptious!

There are other tantalizing treats there as well - like ice cream tacos, cookies, and pies! So many options, and they all look delicious! The place also has a cozy and fun feeling with various pop culture references scattered throughout the store (ET, Wizard of Oz, Indiana Jones, etc.).

In a city filled with restaurants and dessert shops, Sliders stands out! I...

I ordered their twist on cookies and cream with a scoop of the Dubai chocolate, and overall it tasted pretty good. I'm usually the type who prefers smooth, blended ice cream with no crunch, but most shops love throwing in mix-ins. The cookies and cream had a few unexpected crunchy bits--not just standard Oreos--which made it interesting.

The Dubai chocolate was different. It didn't taste like regular chocolate--it leaned more into pistachio flavor. If you try it, I'd definitely recommend pairing it with a scoop of regular chocolate for balance.

Didn't get to try the cookies--my friend destroyed all of them before I had a chance--but they said they were good. No idea which was which, they just went in.

The owner was chill, told us he makes everything fresh in the morning, and the lady at the front was super friendly. The vibe inside is fun--they've got some great movie poster parodies themed around the shop. Cool spot, good energy, and worth...