Estes Park Sugar Shack and Fudge Factory — Restaurant in Estes Park

I have always enjoyed coming here. There are several ice cream parlor/baking shops on the strip, but this one has always been a bit more special.

I initially started coming here every summer during family vacation, and it has now become an annual tradition for me to get an ice cream cone upon arrival and upon leaving Estes Park. I have tried all the other ice cream spots, but this one seemed to be a bit more consistent flavor-wise and has always had a crunchy, fresh cone (have been times on occasion that I got soggy cone at other spots). Additionally, their prices are competitive, but at the time of this posting, it has always been just slightly cheaper in price (at least for ice cream) compared to the other places.

A special bonus and unique feature of this place is their mascot: a gorgeous and friendly golden retriever, who you will sometimes find safeguarding the entrance to the store. This has always made this place a bit more unique in my mind.

I also like the interior, which features higher ceilings and a more snake-like walk through that forces you to enjoy the view of everything they sell. It can get a bit cramped at times, but has usually never been a problem for me.

The employees are typically a mixture of locals/owners, part time students, and international seasonal workers. I can see why some other reviewers may consider one of the gentlemen that works there a bit dry and curt, but I think that’s just his brand of humor. Everyone has generally been friendly...

This place is RACIST! Deserves zero stars. The punk who serves the ice cream did NOT serve my kids the same amount as the other white customers, but this part was not the worst. We told him specifically we were going to need two flavors for each of us, but when it was my turn, he decided to give me only one flavor. I made him aware I needed the second flavor and he threw a fit and threw everything forcefully in the garbage, insulting and all. He was MAD because he was serving people of color. I didn't see him do anything like that for the other white folks who were there before us and took a long time to decide. We were quick with our orders but he still decided to treat us with no respect. When I told the owner/cashier what happened, even though he saw it all, instead of apologizing he said was going to have a "little talk" with the guy. Are you kidding me?? You need to start with doing something yourself first. Learn to apologize for the mistake of your employee/relative- whoever the hell he is. If he doesn't like the job, he shouldn't be there. Despite the treatment, I still paid for my kids' ice-creams which were served before the incident. Needless to say, if you are NOT white DO NOT go to this place. They will mistreat you and their ice-creams are not that...

We stopped by this candy store to treat my daughter to some ice cream, and the experience was absolutely mind-blowing — in the worst way. When we walked in, the older man behind the counter was too busy heavily flirting with a female customer to even acknowledge us. He didn’t glance up once. Meanwhile, a teenage boy was nearby pricing items and also completely ignored us, even when we clearly asked for help.

The ice cream was wildly overpriced and looked — definitely not fresh. As for the candy, we were shocked to see it being transferred from giant Costco bags into tiny containers and sold for $6 — for just a few pieces! If you’re going to resell bulk candy, at least do it behind the counter, not right in front of your customers you are ignoring.

Overall, this place is a total rip-off. Poor service, low-quality products, and zero customer care. Save your money and go literally...