Graeter's Ice Cream — Restaurant in Westlake

I'm an ice cream snob. I've tried every brand available in the area, and have been to every ice cream shop. I purchased a brownie sundae with peanut butter ice cream. In my opinion, the best way to review this brand is in list form:

LOCATION: Right in the new addition of crocker park. Yes, that's a plus. Probably couldn't be better.

ESTABLISHMENT: Very clean, brings me the sense of being in an old fashioned, yet updated parlor from times gone by.

FLAVOR SELECTION: Heavily lacking. Only around a dozen or so flavors to choose from.

ICE CREAM QUALITY: Here's where I was the most disappointed. I sampled the plain chocolate, raspberry chocolate chip, coconut with chocolate chips, bourbon chip (I apologize if I don't exactly remember the names of each flavor) and peanut butter ice cream. The consistency of the ice cream is about as average as ice cream could be. I can compare the texture and level or creaminess to that of Ruggles or Pierre's. Each individual flavor had a hard time telling my palette exactly what it was I was eating. The coconut ice cream was the most profound in flavor profile, and I must say that is probably the best ice cream they offer. The plain chocolate tastes almost identical to a frosty from Wendy's with a more ice cream consistency, now that was very disappointing. The peanut butter ice cream was so weak in peanut butter flavor, that if this were a blind taste test, I almost wouldn't be able to tell if I were eating vanilla, chocolate or peanut butter. That's how unnoticeable the flavors were. Every flavor except for the coconut left me feeling more to be desired.

BROWNIE: The brownie in my sundae was actually very good, it was small in sized, resembling a small cupcake in shape. I was pleased that the hot fudge was pooled in the center of it as the barista showed me prior to putting my one scoop of ice cream on top of it. Even though the brownie was very good, I still feel it was rather small for the price.

WHIPPED CREAM: Now here I was impressed. They actually use real whipped heavy cream, and it tastes how you would expect it to. I didn't taste any added sugar. I feel by them using this approach, the balance of brownie to ice cream to hot fudge to whipped cream ratio was perfect and the flavors all complimented each other without one overpowering the other.

I really wanted to love their ice cream. The branding is nice, the establishment is nice, the location is nice, but the ice cream was extremely average in flavor, it lacks the richness an creaminess that would be expected in an ice cream shop of this caliber. Also the prices are, in my opinion, about $1.00 dollar too high for what you get, but price wasn't that much of an issue, I'll pay the price for good ice cream.

I don't hate Graeter's, I do want to go back and try a shake or malt, and I will be doing that very soon.

Mitchell's is still the premier ice cream shop in the area.

Thanks for...

What a disappointment! When I arrived, both employees were leaning/seated and didn’t greet me until I spent a considerable amount of time viewing the menu.

To add insult to injury, the male employee, a “mature” man who identified himself as Steve (when I called back for clarification), was sniffing and whipping his nose. Based on his carelessness for sanitation, I was elated to see that Josie, the other employee, would be taking my order. I ordered a double scoop of chocolate chip ice cream, and then inquired about ordering a smaller portion for my husband who didn’t want ice cream, but often picks at mine when I only order for myself.

I was immediately assured by Steve that I would receive a “child size” and pricing for my husband, INSTEAD of the regular double scoop size and pricing. I was slightly frustrated because Steve was insistent upon packing my husband’s order, and with him sniffing and whipping his nose as well as taking a phone call during my time on-site, I ultimately had to request that he wash his hands before making my husband’s order. Unfortunately, Steve did not use soap, but I was happy to see some level of sanitation occur.

Once I retuned home, I realized I was actually charged for two double scoops despite being told differently. When I called for an explanation, there was little concern or accountability offered. “Graeters” is the only ice cream location in Cleveland offering chocolate chip ice cream non-seasonally. Nonetheless, between my thoughtful tip and the overall lack of service and accountability, I’ll save my time as well as the calories in the future. Scam artists can only...

The ice cream itself was good…the staple however was not. I was halfway through my single scoop when I bit down on something kind of hard? So I bit down again thinking maybe it was ice since the ice cream was really cold, and I immediately was like “yeah thats hard”; when i pulled it out of my mouth i was surprised to see a STAPLE- like a literal medal staple for PAPER. How does that even get in icecream? So I went back to the shop and told them very very nicely what happened to which they offered me a new scoop for free, with little to no concern. The manager was standing right there next to the employee and said nothing, no sorry or asked what flavor it was so they could maybe check the bin?? I denied their offer for free icecream and politely said I wanted a refund- which they agreed to. While the manager did my refund, The employee checked the bin my flavor was in, and said “I dont see any staples”. Well…neither did I until it was in my mouth. Hopefully they disposed of the bin my ice cream came from since there possibly could've been more staples. A law suite...