FRÍO Gelato - Evanston

The line was literally out the door on Sunday evening - and this young guy who was by himself when we got there deserves 5+ stars alone for how fast he was and how calm he remained - truly over the top service by this young man! My family thought this was some of the best sorbet/ice cream they have had! Don’t go expecting your traditional gelato or gelato flavors -there is a definite uniqueness to their options. The flavors are really unique, ask for a sample taste -you might find something you don’t expect to like! That’s what happened to us! Even with the long line it moved pretty quickly. Limited seating, corner location. Street parking. We’ll definitely be returning!

Best Gelato! Familiar Latin and Argentinian flavors. The quality and care is there! Not too sweet or rich. Got the right balance. Flavors are very unique but also traditional ones too

Simple gem off the main downtown area of Evanston. It's a great location which makes it feel more like a neighborhood spot. Its not cheap....but it does make you want to say "gel-aaaaaaa-toe"! There is a small dining inside area and there are chairs outside which would be so great to sit in on a warm cozy summer afternoon and people watch.

On 6/7/23, I had the pleasure of tasting some of the most delicious gelato I've ever come across. It was fresh, made of natural ingredients, and very reasonably priced. The flavors were unique and plentiful. Among us, my family ordered the following flavors: "Cheese & Honey", "Egg Custard & Marsala Wine" [Sambayon], "Fig and Cognac", lemon sorbet, mango sorbet, and vanilla. I couldn't even choose a favorite because each one was fantastic in its own right.

We’ve been visiting this place for years and it continues to exceed our expectations every single time. The quality of the gelato and coffee is absolutely outstanding — fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. The staff is always welcoming, kind, and ready to help with a smile. Camilla, in particular, went above and beyond to make our experience memorable. She was attentive, professional, and genuinely warm. The environment is clean, cozy, and perfect for a quick stop or a relaxed afternoon. It’s rare to find a place that consistently delivers both top-notch products and incredible service. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a quality treat and great customer care. We’ll definitely keep coming back!

As a European I’ve been really missing a gelato place like this and FRÍO Gelato 100% hit the spot. Unique flavors that are not overly sweet and I appreciate that you can get more flavors in a normal size cup and you don’t have to get the XXL cup to get 3+ flavors which you’d never be able to finish… Also love the homemade wafflecones and cups!

Frio Gelato is a gem in Evanston! My wife and I loved it so much that we returned for a late-night walk and more gelato. The friendly staff and high-quality gelato made it a perfect experience. You know the gelato is good when it starts melting fast, which only added to its authenticity. The weather suited the occasion, making our visit even more enjoyable. Highly recommend for a sweet treat, especially late at night!

I recently stopped by Frio Gelato, and honestly, it was such a refreshing and joyful experience. I’ve had gelato before, but something about this visit really stood out. From the moment I walked in, the place had this warm, welcoming vibe—bright, clean, and filled with the sweet aroma of fresh gelato. The staff was super friendly and patient while I took my time deciding on a flavor (because let’s be real, picking just one is hard!). I ended up choosing a flavor that instantly took me by surprise with how rich and smooth it was. The texture was perfectly creamy, not too heavy, and had that fresh, melt-in-your-mouth quality that makes you want to savor every spoonful. It wasn’t overly sweet, which I really appreciated—it felt balanced and thoughtfully made. I found myself eating slower than usual just to make the moment last. There’s something so comforting about treating yourself to something small but delicious, and this felt like exactly that. Frio Gelato didn’t just serve me a dessert—it gave me a moment of calm and joy in the middle of my day. I’ll definitely be back, probably to try every other flavor they offer.

Literally the best gelato place I have ever been to. Customer service is great and it is very clean inside. Never change Frío Gelato. You are the best!

This place was packed, but it was worth the wait. I personally would suggest the Dulce de Leche. The other ice creams were OK too This place is dangerous. If I lived in Evanston, I'm sure I would be here all the time.

Frio has great Gelato. Flavors for vegan folks and consistent yumminess. If you like Gelato and are in the Evanston area it's definitely worth a try. Pros: Good gelato Friendly staff Cons: No samples (unless they have changed the policy I was not able to sample the flavors).

This is an Argentinian gelato shop that serves good tasting gelato with a nice variety of flavors. Their gelato is creamy and smooth. The flavor profile of their gelato and sorbetto have a unique taste. They use high-quality natural ingredients to make their gelato flavors. Their flavors, shop, and kitchen have nut-free products. I have been here a few times now but can't remember if I had written a review before or not. This shop was clean. It has nice decor. The service was nice and friendly. The prices for small, medium, and large scoops and the relative portion sizes are reasonable. I tried their Mascarpone Raspberry Swirl and Samoa Coconut flavors, as well as Mango and Lemon sorbetto flavors. They were all good. The sorbetto flavors were creamy for being dairy-free. The lemon flavor was refreshing. The Mascarpone Raspberry Swirl was my favorite. My party and I enjoyed our visit here and would go back to try more of their offerings. I definitely recommend checking out Frio.

One of the best gelato spots I've been too. My husband and I were so intrigued by the different flavors. They were so nice and patient to let us taste some of the flavors. I got the dulce de leche and their popular flavor of tramontana. The little shaved pieces of chocolate definitely hit the spot. Next time I'd get the small size, the medium was too big but enough to take home for another day! Perfect gelato for a hot day!

First stop at Frío and definitely will return. We both had a piccolo, a small cup, but you get 2 flavors and it was packed full and out of the top of the cup, so it felt like a reasonable deal for $5. My chocolate alongside a Malbec with mixed berries was wonderful - enjoyed both flavors. My partners Tramontana (cream, dulce de leche and chocolate shavings) and a caramel was also delicious. Service was pretty fast with a pretty good crowd almost to the door. The space is clean and bright. Only minor complaint is that they don't do tastes, so it was hard on our first visit, but I suppose it keeps the line moving.

I got vegan ice cream, passion fruit, peach and berry mix. It was delicious. It is sometimes difficult to find good vegan ice cream but Frio Gelato satisfy my tastebuds completely. Service was great, no issues. Space look clean and nice. Price was pretty good as well comparison to any vegan ice cream I purchased before. I will come back when I visit Chicago again.

Came here to get some unique Argentine gelato and frozen desserts. FRIO is one of the hip places in Evanston. It's got lots of gelato as well as coffee and sorbets. A bit pricey but worth a bowl. There's lots of rotating flavors, making you need to come often and get more. A few other choices besides gelato. It also has dairy free sorbets. These rotate in flavors as well. It's about $6 a cup. That's a lot but this isn't average gelato and sorbet though. It's Argentine. Lots creamier than most others it seems, and a lot is packed into the cups too. All the sorbets are non dairy. There was Chocolate Sorbet the last time among others. Get some coffee to warm up, and some gelato to be cool. It isn't big but it's large enough to have a few tables inside. The prices are higher than regular ice cream but this is better quality.

When you first walk in FRIO Gelato, you'll likely be welcomed by the warm, comforting scent of freshly made vanilla waffle cones, drawing you deeper and deeper into shop until you suddenly feel like a child again, where your face is nearly pressed up against the glass display of all of the different kinds of mouthwatering flavors. But because they all look and sound amazing, you can easily get overwhelmed when it comes to making a decision. So, you start chatting with a staff member only to find out the most popular flavor: the Tramonata. It was nothing short of excellent - its taste I could have sworn transported me straight to the gelato parlors of Argentina. Sweet cream gelato with dulche de leche and bits of chocolate, all folded together to create an unbelievably deep and complex flavor you'll really need to spend the time to savor. And since I'm a human being, I couldn't leave without ordering the Horchata, Cheese and Honey, and Figs with Cognac. Each and every single one was phenomenal. I especially loved the Figs and Cognac; it's made with fresh figs (if you look close enough, you'll be able to see the seeds) and blended with cream and brandy to create the best boozy, sweet, and earthy dessert. Whatever you get, FRIO Gelato will bring tears of joy to your eyes because never in a million years would you have thought to taste chef-driven gelato this unbelievable right here in the Chicagoland area.

FRÍO Gelato is a family-run Argentine gelateria, and they offer rotating flavors of gelato as well as other specialties (cucurucho, alfa-lato, barquillo, cafe-lato, ahogado, sundaes, cortado, hot chocolate, and dipped cones). We've tried: +Frutos del Bosque +Limon +Banana +Malbec con Frutos Rojos The gelato was smooth and creamy, and was a nice treat on a hot summery day. There are a few tables inside, but most seem to get theirs to go while walking our Evanston. Restricted permit street parking in the area. +offers rotating and seasonal gelato flavors +restricted permit street parking

As of 12/12/23, they are charging 50 cents to sample a flavor! Seriously?! An icecream shop charging for samples. I know it's a pain in the ass to give samples especially if ppl ask for like 4-5 samples. But this gelato shop doesn't have usual typical flavors so you have to be sure you'll like what you're getting. Plus it's $5 for a scoop. Very disappointing considering it is a very good icecream/gelato shop otherwise.

The gelato is pricey but it's one of my favorite places to visit in the summer and bring guests from out of town to. I haven't seen many other Argentinian gelato places in the US. All the gelato flavors are very unique and delicious. Because it's homemade it does melt pretty quickly so eat it up fast. Some favorite flavors include cheese and honey, passion fruit, coconut, strawberry, and the caramel flavor. The servers are all very friendly and nice. There's free neighborhood parking a block away so you'll have to walk over. There's a few tables in the shop for people to sit at. During popular times it may be difficult to find somewhere to sit inside.

I really like that we have Frio Gelato here because we need a gelato specific place. The flavors are unique from other ice cream shops in Evanston and the gelato has a great texture. The shop itself is quite cute and has a nice simple aesthetic. The people behind the counter are also nice.

For a chico (small) cup with half passion fruit and half chocolate gelato. The passion fruit was one of the best frozen treats I've ever had, so decadent. The chocolate was also great. I hope life brings us to this area again so we can enjoy more treats from here.

Cute gelato place in Evanston! They have a great variety of flavors. There's some indoor seating, but that gets pretty quickly occupied during peak hours. We tried Raspberry Mascarpone swirl and Vanilla scoops in vanilla waffle cone, loved it! The staff was pretty friendly too. The only thing that stood out was $0.50 per flavor for tasting.

Bad service. Just came here with my mother and I asked for two samples. She gave me one, I did not like it, the girl wouldn't allow me to get another OR allow my mother to have a sample. I've never been to an ice cream place where there was only one sample allowed per entire party. So only one persons allowed to get a sample per entire party and your not even allowed to try another one if you don't like it? Not sure if these are the rules or if the worker was confused. It was a short Hispanic girl. I would recommend either retraining the employees, if it was an employee mistake or just not giving out any samples at all if it's store policy, because this is ridiculous. Sucks because the flavors were cool and we would've totally came back if it wasn't for the poor service.

Frio's Berry Sorbet was very good! The creamy and smooth texture is what gets me to come back here. Delicious'

The consistency of the "gelato" is basically ice cream. The peppermint with chocolate chip tastes like toothpaste. On a better note, the barquillo was tasty and the staff was fairly pleasant. 10/10 will not return.

Nice selection in your menu. I had a lemon gelato while my +2 went for chocolate or raspberry flavors on cones. Really nice staff. For a gelato place the interior was underwhelming but I appreciate the few seatings and the documentary video of how they make their products. I applaud their passion to bring a new representation of Latin flavors to this area of Evanston. There's public metered parking all over. Each sample of their products costs fifty (0.5) cents. My total was $18 with tips. Buen provecho.

Best ice cream in Evanston !! Nice chill atmosphere, seating available, variety of flavors - deuce leches is my favorite.

I cannot believe I only just found out about this place. The storefront looked clean and inviting and I'd figure I'd pop in. I got a cup of half dulce de leche and half peach (which was like a sorbet). The peach was fantastic. It's definitely a different consistency and much richer flavor profile than regular ice cream/sorbet and neither gelato was too sweet. They are "allergy friendly," which according to the cashier meant they do not use nuts or gluten and offer dairy free options. I feel like this could have been hi-lighted more (maybe I was and I missed it?) My only complaint is that I found the menu really hard to interpret at first glance. Will definitely be back!

Love, love, love the gelato here! The grandkids feel the same. My particular favorite is lemon.

The day was oppressively humid, and there was only one remedy. I needed gelato. Walking in, I was greeted by a refreshingly unique menu of flavors: mango, dulce de leche, zabaglione. And because of COVID precautions, samples weren't allowed. How could I possibly choose? It was a tough decision, and I ended up settling on two flavors. The first was peach: it was bright, summery, and had the pure flavor of yellow peach. So good. For the other I decided on something off the beaten path: cheese, honey, and cherry. I love a salty sweet combination, and the slight tang from the cheese complimented both the honey and the syrupy sweetness of the cherry. I parked a block away towards the lake. You can find free parking if you hunt around. Immediately nearby, the street parking is metered. I would definitely come here again. So many flavors to try that I couldn't sample! I guess COVID has its benefits...

Visited here randomly on a Saturday night after dinner at a next-door establishment. It was my first visit and during Covid therefore no dining indoors no tables or chairs and they were stanchions up to separate and or keep people far enough from the actual gelato cases. They do have a limited menu at the time which I visited at maximum maybe 20 flavors which were a mix of gelato and sorbet. However with the selections we made we were not disappointed and the scoop sizes were generous. The flavors are very dominant which is great as you are not left guessing what you were eating. They also have the classic cheese flavor which is incredible. I would definitely come back and hope that they are able to expand the menu as Covid restrictions lift.

I come from an Argentine family. Going to Frio is the closest thing to going to Freddo's in Buenos Aires. It is the best Argentine ice cream I've had in the US. Have the Sabayon ice cream. It may seem obscure here, but in Argentina every ice cream show has several variations. The one downside is it is too close to my office, making it a constant temptation!

this is some of the best gelato and sorbet i've ever had. the sorbet were the real winners for me -- they are so incredibly creamy and flavorful that i couldn't believe there wasn't any dairy in them. how is this even possible?? ugh so delicious, and i especially loved the lemon and peach sorbets. i saw some people here on yelp say they were charging for samples, but i came in and everyone in my party got 1-3 samples and were not charged a penny.

Pricey but worth it! My favorite is the cheese and honey and it hits the spot every time. The people are nice and you can see the care they put into the flavors they create.

Great gelato! There are so many flavors to chose from. They have everything from chocolate to passion fruit. Great service in a cute cafe.

Just YUM! Fantastic flavors and service. Go before the hot weather comes and the line is out the door!

Options | Smooth | Vibe (COVID Review) Options: Frio Gelato has a lot of options. We have been to the location 3 times and there are always a few new options. During the post COVID world, we cannot sample. However, the attendants offer GREAT recommendations. We have never gone wrong listening to them. Smooth: The Gelato is REALLY smooth. It is creamy, light, and really filling. Monica and I enjoy the taste as a switch up from traditional ice cream. Vibe: The biggest aid to the Frio Gelato experience, is its location. It is on a popular street. Therefore, the move is to park somewhere get a meal at one of the many locations around the story, and then go to Frio Gelato for dessert. Also, given its proximity to the beach, it is a great place to go before or after sunbathing. Pro-Tip: Parking is tough. However, you can go 1-2 streets towards the neighborhood and find free street parking. Pro-Tip: There aren't seats to sit down and enjoy your gelato by the store. However, you can walk two blocks towards downtown Evanston and Northwestern's campus and there are a few park benches by a jungle gym where you can sit down.

Really nice staff! Love the gelato, I thought the lemon sorbet was a little flat but the wife loved it

Very friendly service and delicious gelato. The best gelato/ice cream in Evanston!

Really great gelato but it was slightly overpriced for what it is. They had $2 espresso drinks on Saturday's though so that was a good deal.

Delicious ingredients! Best ice cream in Evanston and up there for best in Chicago. The gelato isn't too sweet but the ingredients still shine.

NOT REALLY ALLERGEN FRIENDLY! Frio Gelato bills itself as allergy friendly. They do a good job of stating their top allergen, but many people have allergens beyond the top allergens. Having contacted Frio multiple times via email, Facebook chat and website chat we received only a couple of responses without directly answering all our questions. We requested a list of ingredients because my son and wife have other allergies that not as common. They refused to provide any list or confirm/deny the allergens we stated in our communication. My wife sent follow up emails with no follow up responses. When we visited the shop In Evanston, we were assured we could read the ingredients in the store. But that was not the case. I tried the gelato which was tasty but my wife and son could not enjoy it because the employees did not have a list and could not provide a list of ingredients. That was huge disappointment and because of that we will not be visiting again. The responses to our emails are few to none with no clear answers. So as a parent of a child who has multiple food allergies, I cannot recommend this establishment. Nor can I vouch for their "allergen friendly" menu.

Amazing flavors. So creamy. Cute little place. Must eat in Evanston. So good on a warm summer night

Great Gelato....although there's this one employee who's always there that looks like she's pissed off for whatever reason...doesn't even say hi...probably is an entitled Northwestern student (tall blondish girl)

After a healthy dinner at Blind Faith Cafe a couple doors down, we stopped at Frio Gelato for dessert. We chose queso y miel (Cheese and Honey) and the marscapone con frambuesa (Mascarpone Cheese with Raspberry Swirl). I loved the variety of unique flavors that they had!

Corner gelato shop with such flavors as cognac and Malbec. Modern interior with a couple of tables and a counter. On-the-wall menu is confusing with a large amount of text that does not immediately make sense. It's easier to directly point at the gelato. There are no scoops. Containers are loaded to capacity with a little over. We chose chocolate, coffee, and dulce de leche with caramel. It was rich, flavorful, and not overly sweet. It's good gelato! The experience was the same as purchasing at a store. There was nothing special like seeing the waffles being baked for cones or a barista to whip out a nice espresso to go with the gelato (albeit they had a machine just no barista) Overall, a good gelato with mediocre experience. Not worth a drive; if in the area, we'll grab some

First time trying gelato, enjoyed the atmosphere here, there is street parking and if you go on the weekend or evenings during the week expect a small line but it goes by quick. They have many options for cones and gelatos, I was surprised they have the names of each gelato in English and Spanish, I made sure to read the whole menu :)

I'm obsessed with gelato since frequenting Europe on yearly basis. The ladies behind the counter are always smiling. The place is beautiful. This gelato is a gorgeous plethora of flavors which leave a lasting impression and desire to return. Do yourself a favor and get the big to go container.

This is by far one of our fav dessert places ever! Didn't even know Argentinian gelato was a thing until we came here. Ice cream is a bit of a struggle for our family because I'm super lactose intolerant. A lot of times when we want to treat the kids, we'll take them somewhere to get ice cream and I'll just watch. Well not here folks! Their sorbets are just as good as the dairy products, and they have lovely flavors. I'm obsessed with the chocolate sorbetto so I almost always get that one. But really you can't go wrong here. If you're more into dairy, their dulce de leche is wonderful and they usually have a rotating flavor or two as well. If you haven't tried this place, you really should. The textures are so creamy and perfect. And everyone can find something to enjoy!

We decided to stop by and get a sweet treat prior to dinner since our food would take over an hour to be ready nearby and I am sure glad we did. :) There were so many different gelato flavors to choose from but I was intrigued by the cheese and honey. I also wanted to play it safe so I got a scoop of coffee gelato too. The scoops were way larger than I expected (my eyes were bigger than my stomach). The cheese and honey was delectable and it was much better than I anticipated. Hubby got the raspberry mascarpone and mint chocolate chip and also enjoyed both of his flavors.

The gelato/ice cream here is SO GOOD and flavorful! Loved it. A small is all you need, they give two big scoops in one cup. The two scoops can be any two flavors of your choice. Loooooved all the flavor options! There were so many I wanted to try. I got the Dulce De Leche (honestly perfect, caramel-y & milky) and the Blackberry (sooo fruity). The flavors here are so unique and tasty. Definitely on the pricier side, but a great way to treat yourself.

Be prepared to pay $0.50 PER SAMPLE. (B.S. considering I spent $25+ on 4 scoops.) The two flavors I ordered were good - but would have liked to have sampled more...

I brought my friend, a Northwestern undergrad (I know, fancy) here after our dinner almost next door at Union Squared (some of the BEST pizza we've ever had, and that's both of us saying that). Actually, she brought ME here- I'd seen the reviews and heard the tales, but she'd been already and said that it lived up. As someone who's really only had gelato on the streets of Rome, years ago, I had high expectations. It's strange to say this, but I love when places give you small portions: to me, it says, "we believe in the quality of what we're putting out. So instead of overloading you with abundances of food, we'll give you exactly what you need and you'll be left wanting more." Frio does this immaculately: the small scoop, although slightly expensive, is perfect for a post-dinner aperatif, if you will. It's rich, but not overtly so, and definitely leaves you craving to return to try another delicious flavor. I'd go back, that's for sure, and I'm pretty convinced I'm not going to find somewhere nearly as good in my Midwestern suburb of Carmel, Indiana either.

On a hot nite it was the perfect place to head over to to cool ourselves with some frozen gelato. Was a long line but worth the wait. My hubby n I shared a half coffee n half passion fruit gelato. Was so yummy n to die for. Thank u frio gelato . Will be back next time we r in Evanston.

My sister had been meaning to try this place and we stopped in. Now generally gelato isn't my choice of dessert, but I was craving a cold treat that day. I went with the two flavor option and I have to say the Pineapple Coconut Gelato was fantastic! The banana Gelato is also really good. I should also note it's Argentine Gelato. I've never been to Argentine, but if Frio is giving us an authentic taste then I may have to grab my passport and head there in the near future. :)

Washing hands between orders is not happening. Gloves are not happening. The same young lady preparing orders is also working the register. Handling customer payments and then going directly back to serving food is not safe. Please put in place proper hand washing protocols for your employees. Gloves, face masks, washing hands is a MUST!!! I just lost my father to Covid which he contracted from an employee at work due to poor safety precautions. With the pandemic still on the rise it's important to keep yourself safe as well as your customers. I see death daily working in healthcare. Please take proper precautions. Aside from that that, this place is a little gem tucked away in downtown Evanston. I have visited three nights in a row since I've been in town for my father's funeral. Coffee, mint chocolate chip and raspberry are my faves.

I'm so disappointed with this place. Went in today with a gift card and was excited to try the avocado gelato because this is one of my favorite flavors of ice cream. I first asked to sample a different flavor because I wanted to see if it would pair well with avocado. I was informed that samples are $0.50 each. What the what?!?! This is an insanely high cost for a SAMPLE!!! I can understand limiting the number of samples, especially when/if they are busy, but universally charging $0.50 for a sample? That is incredibly nickel and dimey. I couldn't fathom paying that amount for a bite of gelato so I just ordered the avocado. Much to my dismay, it was terrible. Completely tasteless, and I ended up throwing about 2/3 of it in the trash because it was not worth the calories. My son, who could eat sweets all day every day, had recently been to FRÍO with my husband and hated his milkshake so much, he refused to even get anything today (and proceeded to enter "Hartigan's" into my car navigation when we got in!). We just got back from Italy where my son ate his weight in gelato daily, so this is not a gelato vs. ice cream situation. FRÍO gelato is just not good. I hate to be disparaging of a local establishment, but this one is just such a disappointment. And I still have a decent amount of money on the gift card that will likely go to waste.