SCOOPS at OIB Pier — Restaurant in Ocean Isle Beach

Of all the ice cream shops that surround beaches, there is always one that feels like the one true ice cream shop, the one that offers the best selection of flavors, that offers hand-dipped and soft-serve, that offers cake cones and waffle cones but, most importantly, has a confident simplicity that creates the sense that you are in the favored spot of locals that have avoided the over-priced allure of sprinkles and myriad flavors to distract from a lower quality of product. For me, the clumsily named Ocean Isle Beach Pier Ice Cream Parlor and Gift Shop is that Holy Grail of ice cream.

Offering at least a dozen flavors of Blue Bell ice cream, and the coveted soft-serve machine, customers are able to take the time to find a flavor that appeals without being overwhelmed by choices and names that attempt to be punny and misleading. Choosing from cake cones or waffle cones, choices are available to add sauces or sprinkles for those flavors that can afford to be complemented without being lost.

Once we recover from the reminder that things will never again cost what they did when we were young, prices are reasonable at just over $5 for a double scoop.

One of the main downsides of the ice cream parlor is that the interior is small and can become crowded with almost no notice during times of peak traffic - a consequence of allowing room for the arcade next door. However, the parlor has generous seating room outside where visitors can make use of several picnic tables under a gazebo to protect from melting ice cream.

During my visit, I hadn’t found time to visit the arcade next door, but from a quick glance through the window, it seemed that there was a reasonable selection of games that could offer a small amount of entertainment but certainly wouldn’t fill a day for those looking to get away from the beach.

Overall, this ice cream store offered some of the best tasting, most reasonably priced, and authentic ‘ice cream at the beach’ sensations compared to the range of nearby...

Wow, the ice cream was great, and the lady behind the counter was extremely friendly. My son and I explored a little the other day and decided to get some ice cream. The lady working was super nice. I got a waffle cone with 1 scoop of peanut cup ice cream. He got a cup of cookies and cream. We both enjoyed it. She warned me their scoops were generous, lol. I think my 1 scoop was about 4. Price was fair for any ice cream place but especially for a place on the coast.

Ice cream 4 out of 5 Service 5 out of 5 Value 4 out of 5 Location 5 out of 5

Would return and probably will ever trip we...

Does not stand by their merchandise!!! I bought approximately $100 worth of merchandise at the store. When we got home, my daughter was very excited about a bracelet we had purchased. When she opened the packaging it was broken. I called the store and they won’t offer a refund or send a replacement. I do not live in the area. They had absolutely no recommendation of how to make it right and were not willing to help. Very poor customer service!! Save your money and shop elsewhere, I...