Leopold's Ice Cream — Restaurant in Savannah

An Absolute Must-Do in Savannah (especially if your name is Leopold!)

Don't be discouraged by the line snaking out the door – it's a testament to what's inside and a beloved part of the experience. We waited for about 45 minutes, and I can honestly say I would have waited longer for the magic that is Leopold's Ice Cream. This isn't just an ice cream shop; it's a true Savannah institution.

The ice cream itself is simply phenomenal. On our first visit, I had a scoop of the famous Banana ice cream paired with Vanilla Chocolate Chip. It was an absolutely magical combination! We were so impressed that we came back a second day to continue our delicious "research." The Lemon Custard was perfectly creamy and tart, and every single flavor we tried was clearly made with incredible quality and care, using recipes that have been perfected for over a century.

What makes this place so special, though, is the history. You can feel the tradition from the moment you walk into the charming, old-fashioned parlor. We learned that the shop was founded back in 1919 by three brothers from Greece and was later brought back to life by the founder's son, Stratton Leopold, who happens to be a major Hollywood producer!

Now for the best part, and the main reason for our visit. Our 11-year-old son's name is also Leopold! The staff was so charmed by this, and we simply had to go all-in. We left with huge smiles, a t-shirt, the history book, and a commemorative coin. Our son felt like a true celebrity, and it was the absolute highlight of his trip.

This is a 5-star experience all around and a must-visit for anyone coming to Savannah. We're already planning our trip back next year, and Leopold's will be our first stop. We're secretly hoping young Leopold gets the "hometown hero" treatment when...

Employee named “Lucio” and the way they treated their fellow employee AND treated me left a lot to be desired, and that’s being generous. Another employee was scooping ice cream and before he was even given a chance to begin Lucio, very annoyed, aggressively told him to “Scoop the sides Xavier!!!” Then made a gesture with their hands as if this was the most annoying thing this employee has ever witnessed. Once they moved on Lucio asked me, almost begrudgingly, if I want anything. I said a single scoop in a waffle cone, then changed it to a sugar cone. They snapped and said “I’m giving you a cup for a double scoop.” I then reminded them I only wanted a single scoop. To which they shook their head. Once given my cone I noticed some (I think) chocolate residue on the top. So I asked them if they knew what it was since I have an allergy to peanuts and I told them this. They then grabbed a spoon and held it an arm and a half’s length away without showing intent to hand it to me, so I assumed they were going to take off the chocolate so I handed it to them. They moved their hand away and said “yeah it happens sometimes.” And then finally handed me the spoon. Overall it just felt like a very hostile experience and I was already put off by the fact that they had gave Xavier such an attitude for seemingly no reason. I probably would turn around if I saw Lucio was working again. On the other hand, Bella was very friendly informative and helpful and I really appreciated how she helped my wife and friends find something they wanted. I have lived in Savannah for a few years and I like this place a lot, but the experience I had made me feel like it is a...

This might be another “too hyped up” place. The group we were traveling with said this was THE place to get ice cream. We waited for… I dunno? 30-45 minutes to get ice cream. The ending result was just good ice cream, a kinda terrible cookie (that cost $3!!), and an awesome step back in time to that old school ice cream shop look.

I liked that they had a QR code to scan to see the menu even if you were far back in line, but the printed sign didn’t match - online it said a cookie added to ice cream was $2, but the sign said $3. You can guess which was correct. By the time we finally made it to the front of the line, I wanted to try a couple but felt very rushed. The young gal helping us seemed impatient and annoyed. She yelled at the people in front of us to “move forward if you’ve already ordered!” I tried the coffee with chips before getting a cup, and I’m glad I did. It was just okay. I ended up deciding on cinnamon (a fall flavor special) with a chocolate chip cookie. The ice cream was good but the cookie really was not. My kids got chocolate and strawberry, both were good. My husband got Savannah Socialite and pumpkin. The pumpkin was good - the Socialite had pecan that I think overwhelmed the other flavors.

I don’t think I would return for the sweets - the ice cream isn’t worth the wait, but the step back in time is sweet, indeed. That might be worth it in...