Jarling's Custard Cup

Jarling’s is a nostalgic classic from my undergrad days, still serving up refreshing and satisfying custard cups, with favorites including key lime cheesecake and chocolate chip. Always a treat to see this longtime favorite going strong.

Yummy! You don't see places like this around very often anymore. Awesome custard in a large variety of flavors and serving styles. They make delicious old fashioned sodas - basically a combination milkshake and float (much more ice cream than a modern float and the liquid part is carbonated and easier to drink than a shake) in the largest array of flavors I've ever seen. On a recent trip I stopped at three other places that advertised themselves as classic soda counters with old fashioned sodas - one of them has no idea what it was on their menu and added a scoop of ice cream to a cup with a tiny bit of chocolate syrup on the bottom with plain/unflavored soda water (thus making a very tasteless float), the other two places recommended buying a bottle of soda pop because it was much cheaper that way than it was to pay 'old fashioned' soda prices from their modern coca-cola dispenser (obviously, some corporate knowledge was lost). Jarling's makes thick/rich old fashioned sodas ranging from 12 to 32 ounces! And they are just as good as I remember when I first had them 30 years ago. An old fashioned sodas is soda water thoroughly mixed with flavoring syrup and probably milk (which tastes like the yummy melted ice cream part at the bottom of a float but with fresh/bubbly soda pop), then the flavored soda is poured over a cup full of ice cream making something truly delicious that you consume ~50% with a straw and 50% with a spoon. Imagine something that's the best parts of a milkshake combined with a float. I always get the old fashioned chocolate soda made with vanilla custard - my dad claims it's just like the ones he had as a kid in the 1940's. My wife likes the green river soda (lime flavored) over lemon custard. They have a lot of other flavors and things to order on the menu but I'm always happy with a 32 ounce chocolate soda. Keep local places like this in business because they are both unique and delicious!

Never any disappointment! Snow storm: rocky road! Key lime! Strawberry shortcake! Almond joyful!

Make sure to "check your mirrors" because this drive-thru is busy for a reason. Consistently awesome custard. I highly suggest getting a "Large, Cold Fudge Sundae with Malt" (Malt Dust on top, it's awesome) but don't give it to your dog. Don't show up at the last minute... or you'll be waiting behind us and 20 other people :)

Absolutely THE BEST I have ever had! When I had my first taste of the ice cream, that was it. So hearty, creamy and great flavor! The one thing I did not understand was not putting whip cream and the caramel sauce on the ice cream. Regardless, it was a waffle cone full of HEAVEN!

Been going here since I was a little girl! I always order a Tortis Snowstorm with Carmel instead of Butterscotch with no nuts. But they got in owners so you'll need to create you own snowstorm😁

I always come for some cold fudge (and custard, of course, but I come for the cold fudge) when I’m in town. Lines can be long, but just embrace the activity :)

We went in late yesterday, not long before closing and were slightly worried they might not serve us as they were already packing up. But nonetheless, the staff was kind and took our order. Took some time, but most of us were happy. One of us ordered a Coffee Oreo Snowstorm, and to be frank wasn't a fan as we felt like there was no coffee and almost had a soapy taste. But everyone else enjoyed their custards. Would love to come back and try again, especially when it's warmer, even if it's on the slightly pricier side.

Wish they had indoor seating but this is really the only drawback. Nostalgia awaits at Custard Cup... I won't say how long I've been going but it hasn't lost its delicious charm. Go for a concrete and you won't be disappointed. Fresh, delicious and the combinations are endless. Best part - plenty of parking!!

I grew up going to Custard Cup and it's just as good as an adult. I love their snowstorms , coffee of fudge sundaes and the ice cream pies . You can't go wrong no matter what you order. It can get busy but the line moves pretty quickly so the wait isn't too long and totally worth it.

We came in a cold Saturday afternoon. There was no line and was able to get my custard right away and the staff was friendlyI didn't see many flavors on their menu and ended up getting vanilla. I do agree with my fellow yelpers on their pricing. It's definitely on the expensive side. I recently had some custard in Wisconsin with more flavors and bigger portioning for a lot less than what I paid here. Regardless, it's still some damn delicious custard.

I have yet to find custard remotely as good as Jarling's. Along with Papa Del's a place that is worth the detour to Champaign Illinois. Nice service and fun environment with the outdoor area. A treasured establishment of our great state of Illinois.

This place is the bomb. Best frozen custard anywhere. Fast, friendly service, reasonable prices. Highly recommended.

Its a pretty standard frozen custard/ice cream stand. No frills, but delicious! I seem to remember the menu being a little larger in the past, but they still have the classic treats. The only "downsides" is that there is nowhere to eat the custard inside anymore. There is plenty of outdoor seating, but that doesn't work in the winter. Then again, if I am buying frozen custard in the middle of winter, it must be good! Also, they don't post all their flavors. I asked the worker what they special flavor of the week was and she rattled off 10 additional flavors. Awesome, but you gotta put those on the menu! Either way, good fresh frozen custard is a rarity these days. I am glad to see this classic surviving.

When visiting the U of I campus, this place is a don't miss it spot. The menu can be daunting to review but ya can't go wrong with just about anything. Always a solid choice. Enjoy!

I absolutely love, custard, ice cream, and Jarling's never disappoints. my absolute favorite is lemon custard, and it's always on the menu. I also loved the clean, scrubbed face students they employ, and the very friendly service. I'm a longtime fan!

It's just good, always good. Not inexpensive but lots of choices. Lines get long in summer.

A classic place to go if you're an Illini or visiting campus. Great frozen custard and different flavors and mixes

Jarlings is our favorite place to get ice cream in Champaign. We've always had great service there.

The service was very friendly and helpful. I got a cup of Snickers Parfait. It looks so beautiful, but is actually extremely sweet, even though I'm a dessert lover and a chocolate head. I would absolutely order some other regular ice creams like snowstorms next time. Btw, today is a rainy day, so nothing would be better than the activity of grabbing a cup of ice cream and enjoying it on the bench outside the store!

Came here after a 5 hour flight and 3 hour bus and was instantly revived :9 The light blue storefront is so cute and the Custard Cups are exceptionally creamy. Definitely check out the special flavor!!

Absolutely delicious. I was already so stuffed from lunch, but wanted to stop in before continuing my journey home so I said screw it and decided to grab some custard. Drive through was pretty quick so it was nice not having to get out of the car. First off, the mini is the perfect size. To be honest anything bigger than that is pretty extreme to me cause I was struggling to finish that Second, I tried the strawberry shortcake which was absolutely lovely. Highly recommend that one. All the flavors my friend got were good as well so doesn't seem like you can go wrong at all!

Loved the vanilla frozen custard! I had a vanilla blizzard with peanut butter cups and it was so good and refreshing. Maybe because it was hot, but it definitely melts very fast though. My friends got different flavors and they weren't as amazing, but definitely recommend their classic flavors (vanilla and chocolate)

I LOVE THIS PLACE. It's pretty close to happiness on earth. Their snowstorms are the best. Be warned, it melts really fast. But the texture is super light and doesn't give you that heavy feeling after you eat ice cream. My go to is their blueberry cobbler. It has blueberries and oatmeal crumbles in their vanilla custard which is absolutely AMAZING It's a great place which outdoor seating to chill with friends and to enjoy the summer weather. Whether you're a local or just here for the weekend, this place is worth prioritizing on your list of places to enjoy a delicious treat.

It's OK if you order from the drive up, but needed to take a pint home, and I was given a pint of custard that when I got home was as hard as a brick. Totally useless but pricey pint. If you need a pint insist they scoop it up from the fresh stuff.

So.. I don't know what took me so long to try Jarling's until now, but I finally stopped by to see what's the hype. Did they meet my expectations? Yes! Their menu is super extensive with various toppings and ice cream combinations. I ended up getting their homemade fresh waffle cone sundae with one topping and ended up getting cookie dough bites. The waffle cone sundaes comes with nuts, whipped cream, and cherry on top, but I opted out of the whipped cream and cherry. I think the prices are pretty reasonable for the quality and taste of ice cream. They've tried their best to help people social distance, but it's a popular place so expect there will be lots of people without masks eating ice cream.

There ice cream is very good 9.5/10 on ice cream scale They are always super busy though and it cost a lot of money so if you have time and money I would definitely recommend going

Love ice cream shops that make fresh banana shakes. These are great!! Stopped twice during our 1.5 day stay cuz once wasn't enough. :)

loved the place and LOVED the custard. Got the tortoise sundae with chocolate custard, with caramel sauce and their famous cold fudge. Delicious!! Service inside was quick and pleasant and the simple but comfortable outside place was a delight.

Woohoo! What a treat by UIUC! They feature a new custard flavor every week, and last week it was cake batter, although the sample I tried of it tasted like french vanilla. The custard texture is smooth and creamy, and not too sweet. Their menu houses a variety of frozen treats, from custard, to snowstorms, to floats, and cakes. I got the coffee oreo snowstorm, and it was delish! Don't underestimate the sizes! I got a 12oz, and it was more than I anticipated. The snowstorm wasn't as thick as a DQ blizzard, but it was light and creamy, easy to finish. They also have a drive thru! The building itself looks like a diner, bringing with it an old school charm. Jarling's you are darling. If you're looking for a cool treat in the humidity, think no more and come to Jarling's!

A great local joint for custard ice cream in Champaign, IL! They always have four custard flavors (vanilla, chocolate, lemon, and strawberry) plus one flavor of the week. I personally like vanilla when it comes to custard and soft serve. Custard was smooth and creamy. There are a bunch of high schoolers working there, so if you go on a busy day, say like the weekend, then be prepared for some frazzled high schoolers trying to get orders prepared. Other than that, this is a good joint for to enjoy custard ice cream with family and friends.

Super creamy and delicious! Also good quality with affordable price~ Love it A place that can come over and over again!

As a person graduated from uiuc, it's the go to ice cream place at Champaign - it's always nice to be back.

Well it appears to me that Custard Cup has seen better days. It's not what it used to be. The service was slow although there seemed to be a significant amount of high schoolers working. We got our favorites, a mini and a small sundae of which was a 1/4 less than usual. Normally it's full to the brim. The entire place seemed dirty, the lobby and behind the counter. The lobby was also freezing cold while waiting. Overall, we were Just disappointed. Most likely won't be back anytime soon. It's now in my estimation overrated.

It's always fun to go to Jarlings and get my custard cup! The drive thru works well but sometimes I like to go inside and decide what to try! Staff are always friendly, helpful!

Seems that people still enjoy going there. It no longer has the Custard Cup pride we once knew. The portions seem smaller. The foyer seemed unkept. The service behind the counter seems slow even though the lobby was full but they use the excuse they can't find help. The product is good and I hope they get back to the Custard Cup we used to enjoy. In the meantime grab a quart and make your treats at home.

Extreme long wait (20 minutes) and decent service once ordered. The Strawberry Cup and Black & White Specialty Sundae were okay. The Vanilla Deluxe Waffle Basket with KitKat and Cake Batter (Flavor of the Week) Deluxe Waffle Basket with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Butter Pecans were tasty but portions were small.

So good, but I feel like some of the staff could be friendlier. I work at an icecream shop so I know how it should be. But overall, great icecream!

Mediocre $10 turtle sundae ruined by musty old pecans. Extra cherries got me two, low quality cherries and all the toppings were just subpar. The custard was fine I think but the stale nuts had such a strong flavor it was hard to tell. Super friendly staff but disappointing product.

Tiny servings for $$$, place looks, and feels old. Lots of kids working, but super slow service. Not impressed with product.

Unbelievable. Paid over 12 dollars. One scoop of vanilla and a basket with supposedly lemon and chocolate. My husband threw his away. It tasted awful. Mine was absolutely bad in every way. The cones tasted old, like they came from a old box. The bcustard had no flavor. Never again do. I visit there

Generally bomb. Great custard LOVE the cold fudge. Which is why I write this review. Everyone should eat here HOWEVER ya'll did me dirty today! I am the girl that ordered the lemon chiffon pie with cold fudge topping. Ya'll gave me a whisper of cold fudge! I thought maybe there was more cold fudge in the custard but NO there was literally just the teeniest speck of cold fudge. I just want to be heard that is all

Delicious every time! Definitely a staple in Champaign, if you haven't tried it yet you need to!

I like this ice cream shop. The ice cream was delightful and I think I paid about 7 dollars. The services was ok but it was so packed in there, I know how overwhelming the workers could be.

Such a great selection of toppings, sauces, and fruit on top of really tasty frozen custard. I enjoyed the Coffee Chocolate Chip combo - partially because it was a quick and easy way to choose a perfect mix. Great prices, too.

Saw all the people in line and wanted to try something new. You can customize or get basic flavors. We got chocolate and vanilla on waffle cones with 2 scoops, more than enough! Great bench seating outside to enjoy your dessert . Make sure you park across the far side of the lot or you will get stuck behind the long drive through line!

Very rude, ice cream wasn't that great. There was 1 family in lobby of 3 and 2 in drive thru and 6 employees yet it took more than 10 mins to get a simple order. I will not be back ... highly recommend avoiding

This place is another good desert place with lots of options for ice creams, custards, sundaes!

This place always, always has the best custard. It offers many different flavors, and its version- the Snowstorm- of a blizzard is absolutely without comparison. We bring the grandchildren often, their favorite is lemon custard, my husband gets the Almond Joy Snowstorm every visit. I enjoy the Oreo Cookie snowstorm. Well worth the trip!! My only complaint- completely outdoor seating without any protection from the sun, wind, rain, and snow.

The best! Excellent custard! Always consistently good. The place is busy but worth the wait.

We dropped our son to college and with Covid there was really nothing to do, so we decided to do the jarlings drive through. Picked sundaes and it was amazing. If we had not filled up on lunch, the sundaes can be a meal by it self. Jarlings and black dog in Urbana are keepers. Just do it. You will not regret!!!

This place will always be famous, it sucks they aren't open all year around. They should have it open with limited staff. Overall, this is an iconic custard place in Champaign and although I'm not huge on custard, it's still very good.

This is the place to go to enjoy delicious custard in the Champaign-Urbana area. Personally, I find the custard to be a bit on the sweet side and think that the toppings and mix-ins are really the secret to what makes this so addictive. However, you're really not going to find anything better in this area. The actual shop is somewhat small and can get quite busy during the summer months. While not the cheapest, prices are reasonable (and with prices of other frozen shoppes increasing, this is becoming more of a value). Parking isn't too bad and there's a generous amount of outdoor seating (which fills easily during the summer). Overall, if you're visiting Champaign -- this is worth a visit for the flavor and the experience. It's hard to pinpoint what exactly makes their product addictive, but it's hard to resist rich, creamy custard.

Wonderful Custard! Customize your own "snowstorm" or soft serve. Usually pretty busy and parking sucks.

The new owners have made it much more organized to make your order. Love the cold fudge Sunday's. I had the lemon custard & sure doesn't taste like it use to???

Jarling's Lemon Custard is the best Icecream that i had in my life. this includes some famous places in NY, LV expensive Buffets, and so on. Price is not too expenive. I buy bulk once in a while, but doesn't lasts long.

Wonderful yummy waffle cone Love the specialty flavors weekly My favorite is Georgia Peach