Mariposa Ice Cream

Went there during a weekday evening in the summer. Parking is quite the pain as is parking throughout San Diego. But anyway, we walked there. I honestly was expecting more like a Mexican ice cream place, but it is not. I initially got a certain kind of negative vibe for asking for some tastings. I asked for two. I also tried other two flavors from someone else sharing with me. I would prefer more presence of the flavors in the recipe. The creaminess was good.

Parking can be a challenge at times, especially during the day, but the handmade ice cream is worth it! They have vegan flavors as well. Skip Handel's and just come here for better ice cream. In fact, it's so good that many of the neighborhood restaurants use their ice cream for desserts.

I love this place. Our family has been going here for 20 years. Long before all of the new, over priced places with flavors you've never heard of before showed up. All of their flavors are hand made with love and 1/3 the amount of sugars as all the rest. They are a staple in the Normal Heights community.

Delicious! Was eating dinner nearby and wanted something sweet and thank goodness we found this place. I had Cookies and Cream and Maple Walnut, the Ice-Cream was so good! I am not in the area often but would go back just for this ice-cream. it was so loaded with cookies and walnuts!

Best ice cream in town. Full of classic flavors, just the way I like it!

THIS IS THE BEST ice cream and experience I have ever had. It is reasonably priced, unique variety of flavors, fresh, sustainable, jolly environment and people! The next time I am in San Diego, you can BET on me eating all 3 meals here. Best ice cream of my life. Thank you!!💛

This place truly is amazing!!! This is one of the places I used to go when I was younger with my family. I also remember the guy that used to work there he was a big fan of the beetles and sadly passed away 9 years ago or so. Good memories 🥲

Best ice cream in the universe! The staff is super friendly. They do offer samples. Waffle cones are amazing too.

Stopped by here one evening a few minutes after 9pm when they close. Saw they were still open so we popped in hoping to get some ice cream. The girl working was being very patient with an indecisive customer in front of us and then extended the same patience to help us next. I truly appreciated her willingness to serve us "after hours" technically speaking. You don't see that very often these days. Now to the ice cream... they have a great mix of both unique and classic flavors. Something for everyone. The flavors are rich, but not overpowering. The portions are generous and the prices are fair. If you're a cone person. I'd highly recommend the waffle cone too.

We finally got to visit Mariposa ice cream. It's a bit hard to catch them open as they are closed for at least three days in a week, I believe. Cute and quaint shop that I heard is family-ran so you get that warn vibe inside. They have simple and not gimmicky flavors and we ended up getting a scoop of their banana walnut & cookies in cream. Amazingly, the big cup was only $4.50! They didn't have the waffle cone that day which we would've opted for. Ice cream was good but nothing too mindblowing? I'm curious if we could've gotten better flavors. It tasted very natural and homemade though. 5 stars for customer service and price-point worthiness, 3 for the ice cream itself.

Been coming here since 2014! I love a rocky road sundae with pineapple topping and peanuts! Mexican chocolate is a must try as well as their strawberry and banana walnut! Super friendly customer service.

Giving Mariposa 5 stars because of the lovely service and the great value. It was so refreshing to see affordable prices ($4.50 for a small). The guy taking our order was super friendly, let us sample a flavor before making our option, and let us know that we could choose two flavors no matter which size cup we chose. There are several tables to sit at and enjoy the ice cream. Sure it may not have been the most mind-blowing ice cream I've ever eaten but I definitely hold it in high regard as a local favorite with service that made it a pleasant experience.

Best Spot for Ice Cream! Been coming here for years. Simple & delicious. Wheel doesn't need to be re-invented. Change in flavors keeps it interesting and more the reason to frequent! Flavor is fresh and always top customer service!

We haven't been here in a while, only because it is far from our neighborhood. It's probably a good 15-20 minute drive. It is still one of our favorite ice cream joints though. Mariposa has been around for 20+ years according to their website. I think we've been coming here on and off for close to 10 years. We love the flavors they offer here. My favorites are Mexican Hot Chocolate, Peanut Butter Fudge, Rocky Road, Blueberry, and Strawberry. You can go with any of the serving options: sugar cone, cake cone, or cup. They also offer sundaes, banana splits, malts, shakes, and more. We have tried their banana split in the past, and we enjoyed it. Haven't tried any of the shakes or malts, so can't really comment on those items, but if it's anywhere as good as the ice cream or banana split, those should be good as well. Service is good. The owner and employees are always friendly. We always leave a tip. They have some cool decor here. A lot of Beatles Memorabilia, other cool photos, and some cool jerseys (including a Tony Gwynn jersey). They have some photos of celebrities visiting the shop for ice cream as well. The only negative is that the parking situation is not the greatest here in Normal Heights. There are only a couple of spots in front of the store. Usually we park around the corner and walk over. 5 / 5: Ice Cream 4 / 5: Service 4 / 5: Cleanliness 5 / 5: Decor 4.5 / 5: Overall

Mariposa Ice Cream is a hidden gem that exceeded my expectations! The employees were incredibly friendly and welcoming, making the experience even more enjoyable. The Mexican chocolate flavor was a must-try and absolutely delicious. A great spot to take friends and family for a delightful treat!

This mom and pop ice cream spot is incredible! It's unassuming on the outside but the warmth of the staff and the quality of ice cream blew me away. They make everything from scratch even the toppings. The sundae was delicious. For $10 you get 3 huge scoops and 3 toppings. It's honestly enough to share for 4 people. The owner Anna came to greet us and thank us for visiting her shop. She was so nice and we loved our experience here!

Just tried for the first time, super bomb! Banana Walnut and Mexican Chocolate are delicious. Their waffle cones are also super light and yummy! The two gentlemen working were very nice also. Will be back when in the area for sure!

This was my first time here and I had a great experience. The staff and the owner, Anna, were super warm and welcoming. They make all the ice cream and toppings in-house, and it really tastes like it. We ended up getting a banana split with cappuccino almond fudge, Mexican chocolate, and the toffee, which were all great. The ice cream here isn't too sugary, which brings out the natural flavor. We were also able to pick our toppings, for which we got the homemade fudge, wet pecans and strawberry. The wet pecans were my favorite, but pretty sweet. The shop had very old school and relaxing vibes, I would definitely recommend others to check this place out!

Small cute ice cream shop in normal heights, i was looking for a place like this, like small mom and pop shops, loved by locals. I loved the atmosphere, so warm and cozy like family. Very friendly service! Ice cream was very creamy and rich in taste. Their waffle corn is the best waffle corn I've ever had. Waffle corn is usually kind of hard or chewy-ish if you know what I mean. But this waffle corn was so so flaky, got good snap, tasted so different from other stores, it was DELICIOUS!!! I'm very much in love with this place, such a good people and high quality ice cream. I'm going to come here very often.

The best icecream in whole entire country. This place is a treasure. Anna, the owner, is so special. This shop is our favorite place in San Diego.

I've been coming here, on and off, for years, but for some reason, I've never taken the time to review it. This is a family business that specializes in producing some of the highest quality ice cream, in the San Diego area. Not an exaggeration. Almost as important as the quality of the ice cream, is the quality of the experience. Great customer service. Great ice cream (the attention to detail, makes all the difference) Comfortable, family-oriented, environment. Fair prices. What more could you want???

I found Mariposa during the pandemic and still think about their coconut ice cream. I went there over the weekend, so excited about having it again after all this time. When I went to the counter, I was disappointed to find out it wasn't on the menu anymore! I asked the staff at the counter if it was a seasonal flavor because I loved it so much and she told me they had some in the back and she would get it for me also to mention, they were closing in ten minutes. The staff was so sweet and didn't make me feel rushed. That place has the best coconut ice cream and the best staff! Love Mariposa's!

Really cute local ice cream place with friendly staff. Everything there looked good, and I had a half-and-half scoop of dairy-free cookies and cream ice cream with strawberry sorbet. Definitely get the sorbet- some of the best I've had! It looks like they always have some dairy-free options, even including fruit smoothies.

I love this place - delicious high quality ice cream and decent prices. The service is friendly and I will come back often. My only issue is that I've come here twice now during their normal business hours and have found them closed. Disappointing, but it wont stop me from coming back.

The best ice cream in the world. This beloved family owned business makes delicioys and high quality ice cream. Great variety of flavors. Had an errand to run on Adams Avenue and behold across the street Mariposa Ice Cream was open. What a wonderful double scoop treat. I highly recommend this sweet establishment.

Best ice cream ever! This place has kind of ruined ice cream for me because I can't and don't want ice cream from any other place. They have the most amazing texture and flavors. I love the maple walnut, cookies and cream, and chocolate chip cookie dough. It doesn't feel too heavy when you eat it. I love this place!!

Great little ice cream shop in Normal Heights! Found this place with my husband because we were both craving a sweet treat. Would come back!

We haven't been here in years! I'm glad we came back! The staff here is super nice and helpful. They also let you sample the different flavors of ice cream. If you haven't been here this is a must visit mom & pop place. The price for ice cream, sundaes & shakes. are really reasonable. They have a lot of variety flavors to choose from. They even sell your favorite flavors in pints! Thank you Mariposa Ice Cream staff for being so courteous and patient! I am definitely coming back!

Love this place . homemade ice-cream. very tasty , no too sweet . juts perfect little place. we have been there many times, and each time we feel the same AMAZING! 100% recommended for ice-cream lovers.

I have tried this down by the pier in Oceanside, so I was excited to find one near my daughter's new home. Tiny little quaint shop. I was hoping to smell fresh waffle cones when I walked in, but we smelled household cleaner, which turned us off from staying in the little shop to enjoy our icecream. I ordered my favorite Mexican chocolate and was not disappointed. Mariposa's has one of the best Mexican chocolate flavored icecreams I have ever ordered. The sundae was perfect; hot fudge was delectable topped perfectly with whipped cream and a cherry. Worthy! I will return when in town! Sorry,no photo. I ate it so fast! Ha ha.

Unique flavors! Love supporting small mom and pop businesses. So glad this place has survived through the pandemic. The Mexican Chocolate is my go to. I ended up with a pint so I can try and stretch it out over the weekend as they are closed Monday and Tuesday. When you open the door, you are smacked in the face with the smell of freshly made waffle cones. The creaminess and richness of the ice cream makes me keep coming back. If you are in the Normal Heights area, swing by and try a cone.

Visited here today and tried the Mexican Chocolate and Vanilla ice creams, 10/10! I walked in this sunny afternoon and was quickly greeted as I admired the memorabilia and decorations on the wall. I ordered a pint of vanilla and a single scoop of Mexican chocolate to go, so the cups were kindly placed in a bag with napkins and spoons! The service was great and the ice cream was perfect for the warm weather. Once I got home, I tried both flavors and they were delicious. The vanilla is not your average vanilla--to me it has kind of a complex profile that I'm not sure how to describe (edit: hints of cinnamon maybe) exactly but my mom said it tastes like the vanilla ice cream from her small hometown in Mexico and it's absolutely amazing. The Mexican chocolate was great as well, satisfying my chocolate craving with a childhood drink (like chocolate Abuelita iykyk). I'd like to try more flavors next! (I didn't take photos as I was in a rush)

We had a fun evening trying ice cream from this local Normal Heights spot. We arrived on foot only 20 minutes before closing but the service was excellent! My nephew got a ice cream soda which I haven't seen on a menu in years. It was his first! My niece got a scoop as did I and I got one to go for my wife. The portions were very generous so our dessert splurge was very satisfied! Thank you for happily serving us right before closing time! Life is good with delicious ice cream!

SO GOOD. Heath Butter Toffee and Cookies n Cream were to die for!!! Love this place, great service and awesome people

Absolutely delicious. We always come here now and we absolutely love it! The ice cream is authentic the flavors are super delicious and the customer service is extra great. What I like is that they also have vegan options for ice cream.

Homemade ice cream on my list every week. Great flavors, some special flavors. Service is always nice and polite. Samples are a great help to confuse you, on what you thought you wanted. Try something new. It is a small friendly parlor, Anna, and her crews are the best. There's plenty to look at while you visit. My husband and I have been going there almost since it opened, once a week. Friendly guest you see when you're there. The crew welcomed you in.

After 12 years, Taste exactly the same. Fave flavors are white chocolate raspberry ripple and Mexican chocolate. I appreciate that this place is still really inexpensive.

Best ice shake I've had in my life. Fast service, beautiful recor, and family oriented. If you are in the SD area, try this place out and fall in love.

Service was great and employee serving us was very friendly and gave great suggestions. We went on a Sunday afternoon around 3 pm and there were only two people in front of us so we didn't have to wait even 5 minutes. The shop is quite small but there's seating indoors and outdoors. I love supporting local businesses and this will be a great one to visit again.

Fantastic local San Diego family owned ice cream shop! Their ice cream is homemade and freshly made. They offer a wide selection of flavors too. They tend to get busy on the weekends particularly in the evenings so there might be a line but worth the wait.

So delicious! The Mexican Hot Chocolate ice cream is so nostalgic, the atmosphere of the little shop is too. Support small local businesses and keep great places such is Mariposas thriving. You won't be disappointed in the people or the product.

Strawberry ice cream is so good. Less pink and less sweet than other stores which I LOVE! Don't feel too lactose either

Best ice cream in SD in my opinion. Local mom & pop shop that has been part of the neighborhood for decades. Delicious ice cream made fresh in house. Treat your self to an ice cream cone!

Pretty cool family-friendly ice cream spot. The proprietors really like The Beatles! A lot of pictures, posters, Beatles hot wheel themed cars as well as San Diego Padres memorabilia. Home pride is pretty cool to see in a local spot like this one. On the other side of the wall is the visitor hall of fame, for example Will Ferrell has apparently been here at least twice and other photos of the owner with politicians and celebrities out somewhere. I saw more notably the current governor everyone wants to kick out of office, a Cesar Chavez (the activist) signed shirt THAT WAS PRETTY COOL, and some others that I forgot who they are, but they made the wall. If I remember correctly they only had 8 flavors on our visit. The staff was great with my kids, so cool points for that. They are located next to Mamma Mia Pizza and a 7-11. On our particular there was a cloud of weed smoke surrounding the building, but once we walked into the building the sweet smell of waffle cones made for easy breathing for everyone. There's a couple tables inside, 1-2 kids tables with random communal kids books to share, and 2 tables outside which with the weed cloud on this visit were not an option for us. This is a really cool local spot. Sadly Normal Heights is liberal mess. Liberals don't even come to this area after dark. I'm not judging, I'm just stating the obvious. The area is family-friendly, just not after sundown. This post is not about Normal Heights, but about this gem of spot. Go check it out! The ice cream is great!

Such a hidden gem in San Diego. This family owned business has one of a kind ice cream. They catered our wedding years ago and it was a fan favorite for all our guests

I've gone to mariposa my whole life!!! It's the best Ice cream I've ever had!!!! My favorites are cappuccino almond fudge which sometimes isn't there bust most of the time it is so if you're a coffee lover I think you will love this!!!!! My absolute favorite is cookies n cream it is the best cookies n cream you'll ever have!!!! Trust me!!Everyone is so nice!!!! And there are Beatles decor everywhere!!!! It's amazing 1000000% recommended you won't be disappointed at all!!!!!!! Trust me if you're craving ice cream this is the place to go!!!!!

Glad they have survived the ravages of gentrification. An acutally independent small business....They make it there....or somewhere.....but they make it..... Fabulous ice cream... I always get something diff, but really like the Mexican choclate....

This is one of the best ice creams I've ever had. Friends brought over a quart of Heath Butter Toffee and it was so rich and delicious, just thinking about it now makes my mouth water.

Great ice cream with classic and innovative flavors. The owners work hard and are super friendly and make sure you get why you want, what more can you ask?

This place is amazing! A hidden gem in SD!! Must try the cookies and cream! Awesome staff and great ambiance

What a great place to visit. Whenever the kids are over I we love to walk Over to Mariposa. Every once in a while they might be making their waffle cones. This is what I think Heaven is going to smell like. This is a family run business that is been in the neighborhood over 20 years. The ice cream is delicious and the service is great.

I have learned there are different levels of ice cream. A place like salt and straw which can cost more than $6/scoop is like couture ice cream. Mariposa, which offers excellent ice cream with less pizzazz and flare is maybe like the Target store of ice creams.. everyone loves it.. but it's nothing fancier than it has to be. Mariposa is practical ice cream.. in short. I had a small scoop in a sugar cone for $3. Hand made waffle cones are a little extra. I saw that they do make them fresh, In-store. Flavors are pretty classic in my opinion.. cookies n cream, peppermint, peanut butter cup etc. This ice cream shop reminds me of the local places I went to as a 90s kid, before I knew about gourmet ice cream. My flavor of choice here- mint cookies n cream. There are a few seats indoor and out doors. The interior is overflowing with The Beatles memorabilia and celebrity photos eating this ice cream. Pleasant interactions with all staff. Will certainly come back if in the area.

This is a great neighborhood destination! We've been coming here for years, and always have a pleasant experience. Just really nice, down to earth people who make excellent ice cream!

The absolute best ice cream in SD! I have been coming to Mariposa since I was a kid and it is so near and dear to my heart. Driving here after school is one of my happiest memories! You can literally taste the quality ingredients in the ice cream. The waffle cones are so delicious, I have never had a waffle cone that compared, and I've been coming here for over 15 years! The staff are so friendly and I always look forward to saying hi when I come in. Truly is a family run place. My family loves Mariposa. It's such a special place. Highly highly highly recommend!

A friend who often works remotely from San Diego introduced Mariposa to us. It's a wonderful legitimately old fashioned ice cream place that I believe is family run. Delicious! The people are so friendly. Great location on Adams, so after a spice filled meal at one of the good spots on Adams, don't hesitate to take a walk here and indulge. There are flavors for everyone from the Pure Vanilla Lover to those who like to switch up their flavors. Just like Life!! Come and enjoy. Life's too short not to have ice cream...

Overrated, overpriced, and overcluttered. I realize that some people might enjoy rotten-tasting ice cream in a cramped, humid, small space... but I am not one of those people. There was barely any room for me to stand or sit to enjoy my ice cream. Regardless of the uncomfortable ambiance, enjoying my ice cream wasn't an option since the taste of it was rotten. I ordered something sweet but what I got tasted sour. The flavor was as putrid as the smell in the air. Needless to say, I will not be returning to this nauseating establishment.

EATING ICE CREAM WITH THE BEATLES FAN.TASTIC homemade ice cream. I am a fan. Very small and humble ice cream shop popular amongst the locals. Reminds me of an ice cream shop from the 70s. Rotating flavors handwritten and posted on a white board hovering over the back counter ranging from basic classical flavors to a combination of basic flavors mixed together - no crazy or experimental mixes. I sampled only two flavors and fell inlove with both and ended up getting a split. Sometimes good quality ice cream doesn't have to be fancy to taste good. BANANA WALNUT - it's as simple as that, banana flavor and walnuts mixed in. Their ice cream is very silky and soft - little thicker than a soft served yet lighter in density when compared to average ice cream. The banana flavor was a little heavier than expect though not overwhelming BUT I love banana so this was perfect for my palette. I'm all about ice cream sign texture and the walnuts were the perfect peanut to pair with banana flavor. HIGHLY RECOMMEND ROCKY ROAD - and yet another simple flavor, chocolate and marshmallow. The chocolate wasn't too sweet or too rich and the marshmallow flavor balanced any "too chocolatey" thoughts when starring at its deep brown coloring. Love me some ice cream texture, the marshmallows were proportioned to the ice cream so every two licks there was an accompanying marshmallow. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Such a perfect combo, Banana Walnut + Rocky Rocky. Flavors mingled well with each other almost reminded me of a banana split. Two textures, walnuts and marshmallows! JABA APPROVED. Until the next review...

A friend had recommended this place! Glad we were able to try it out. We were lucky that the line was not long when we had arrived. I guess we were fortunate since a lot of people where at Comi-Con so it did not get too crowded. It is small inside and they only have limited seating. I was able to try the Peanut Butter & Jelly, Cookies 'N Cream and Coffee. They were all good! But the Peanut Butter & Jelly was the most flavorful. I got the Coffee flavor myself. I had also previously tried Blueberry and Mexican Chocolate also, but they were just ok. I like the ice cream here since it is not too sweet or too rich. .