McConnell's Fine Ice Creams - Third Street Promenade

Although I wouldn't call myself an ice cream connoisseur, McConnell's has won me over, particularly their chocolate variant ( named chocolate chocolate chocolate!). Hailing from Santa Barbara, they've expanded to several Southern California locations. Plus, they offer pints for sale if you're looking to bring a taste of their delicious ice cream home.

So good I forgot to take the photo before I began devouring it. The mango sorbet is off the hook!! I do have to agree with a lot of reviews about staff not having a smile on their faces, but the girl that helped me did her job. Maybe the owner needs to do something to make the staff happy. Perks or better pay or bonuses for 5 star reviews with their name. Just saying.... staff should be happy. The product is solid.

The key to a primo ice cream is to make it FRESH. McConnell's always uses the freshest ingredients , never frozen and you can taste the difference. Just got the strawberry and you can taste that they were picked before they were frozen. SUBLIME

I commend you on the excellent quality of your ice cream, however, I am concerned about the unauthorized gratuity added to my emailed receipt. This unexpected charge has diminished my confidence in your establishment, and I am unsure if I will return. Additional staff training is necessary to prevent future occurrences, although I have some doubts about its efficacy. Attributing it to "human error" seems inadequate; I suspect a more intentional action was taken, considering my familiarity with your system and the fact that digital mobile purchases usually generate a receipt unless manually adjusted by someone. Your response, beyond the refund, seems to lack sufficient attention to detail; as a loyal customer, I felt a lack of concern. I suggest that all customers thoroughly review their receipts.

Yummy ice cream! Pretty quick service regardless of the long lines. It’s a crowd favorite and it’s always lovely to get icecream and walk around the block. Good selection of flavours but all are 10-20% sweeter than other places.

Ice cream was AMAZING. They have a sea salt cookies and cream that is to die for and the peanut butter one was literally perfect if you like peanut butter. Waffle cone was the perfect amount of crispy-ness. It’s on a cute walking street too so it’s a little quieter. Almost didn’t go because there weren’t many reviews- but it was delicious!! I will probably be buying some online/seeing if they have it locally to me!

Excellent ice cream! We loved the peanut butter in particular.

Lovely selection of ice creams. They ship nationwide too. Cookies and cream and chocolate dipped strawberries were two excellent choices. And homemade waffle cones. Yum.

As soon as I tasted this ice cream, I instantly knew I had made a huge mistake--because now I'm obsessed, and as a North Carolina resident, it's so far away from me! I think about this ice cream almost daily. The line was out the door, but the service moved quickly. They offer pints for purchase, scoops, and waffle cones, and the shop smells absolutely delectable. As someone who eats gluten-free, I couldn't try the waffle cone, but trust me--I know good when I smell it! I had two scoops, and both were unforgettable. The Eureka Lemon & Marionberries was a perfect balance of tart, creamy, and tangy, made with Oregon marionberry preserves and Eureka lemon-infused cream. My second scoop was the Coffee flavor, and you could definitely taste the bold cold brew and house-made espresso--rich, smooth, and just damn delicious. A MUST-TRY if you're anywhere near Santa Monica!

McConnell's is some of the best ice cream we've had! It's very creamy, sweet, and tastes like it was freshly made. They also have tons of different flavors that you may not get elsewhere. The service is always friendly, and they'll let you try several to help make your choice. I always get 2 flavors (still considered 1 scoop), which allows me to enjoy a couple of flavors each time. If you're in the area, I highly recommend.

We were going on a walk after dinner down Third St. Promenade and came across McConnell's, your classic, all-American ice creamery complete with huge menus, white uniforms, and silver tasting spoons. The line was long-ish, but from the time we got in line to the time we paid and got our ice cream couldn't have been longer than 10-15 minutes. We sampled a couple of flavors before landing on Banana Cream with See's Toffee-ettes (btw, if you've never had See's Candies - you must, and you can thank me later), strawberry, Brownie Cookie, and Sea Salt Cream and Cookies. They were amazing, and months later, I can still remember with clarity how indulgent and rich the ice cream was! I love that they have online ordering available for a 4 pint minimum, but I also did a search and they are carried in grocery stores local to me!

The ice cream was amazing. The service was really fast. They had two guys working in the line. The ambience was your typical ice cream place not bad. I'll go back here for another scoop soon.

I've always been curious about McConnell because I see their pints at the grocery store. I was excited to see a store so I could try their ice creams! They do spilt scoops which is always fun to do. I got their reindeer tracks and their earl grey. The ice creams were good but not too sure if I necessarily liked the texture of it. And their ice creams were on the sweeter side which could have been the flavors I chose. The service was fine but the staffs were not really friendly. Glad I got to try McConnells but not too sure if I would go back

First time at McConnell's and why didn't I come here sooner!! Delicious ice cream. Very rich and creamy!! I got the freeze with Martinelli's cider and cranberry jam ice cream. Honestly one of the best desserts I've had in a while. It's a pretty high price for this drink - ~$13. But given that a lot of smoothie places here are $10 at minimum it makes sense. Highly recommend for dessert in Santa Monica and right on the 3rd Street Promenade so fun to walk around with your ice cream! Some seating is available. No public restrooms.

Very tasty ice cream! Pretty expensive, and if you have picky kids, it might be tricky to find a plain vanilla for them. Very fun and unique flavors. Their best offering is the Martinelli Cranberry Jam ice cream. It's delish!! Cute interior.

Another really solid ice cream shop to check out in LA. I think what makes McConnell's stand out is that they use a lot of cookie chunks that add a lot of texture and flavor to their ice cream. I tried the Honey and Cornbread Cookies and Salted Caramel Chip Flavor, and I liked how the chunks are pretty small that they fuse well with the creamy texture of the ice cream. There was a line out the door when we went but we waited less than 5 minutes. The staff was pretty good about moving very fast.

OMG! The flavors !! They have so many cool Flavors ! The standards meet the new. They have dairy free/vegan flavors too. Don't worry - you can try as many as you like! And the staff doesn't mind. They like to see how excited customers get. The vibe/atmosphere is super cool and happy. You can get your scoop(s) half and half to enjoy more flavors. They also have pints pre packed to take with you too This will be your new favorite ice cream !

McConnell's is probably the best thing at Third Street Promenade to be honest. I was so glad I was able to get an after lunch treat here while roaming all the wack stores around it. I love that some of their ice cream is organic. They also have vegan and dairy-free options. Oh and they have so many flavors to choose from and the staff allows you to sample. Their menu changes from time to time but popular ones include Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate and their Banana & Salted Caramel. The seasonal flavor they had when I went was their Garrison Brothers Whiskey & Pecan Praline flavor which included alcohol. My personal flavor of choice is their Sweet Cream Caramel Brownie which is absolutely heavenly. It had the right amount of sweetness and was creamy and delicious. I got it on a gluten free sugar cone for an additional .50 cents and it was perfect. One scoop you can get up to two flavors. The staff is nice, patient and knowledgable. I like that the have several staff members behind the counter so the line can go quicker. This location is smaller so there isn't really a spot to sit in and enjoy your food. But overall a solid spot.

This ice cream shop is located at 3rd street promenade. The ice cream is great! I got the cookies and cream ice cream and it was perfect: creamy, cold and sweet with good chunks of Oreo's. It's a great ice cream spot for all occasions. The shop is small and doesn't have much seating. Service was fine.

BELIEVE THE HYPE! To be fair, I do not regularly eat ice cream because I see it as a treat to enjoy in moderation (like only a couple of times a year). But this stuff is INSANELY DELICIOUS! I was walking around downtown Santa Monica on a very chilly January evening, and I spied a line at McConnell's that literally stretched out onto the sidewalk and into the street. It's basic Foodie 101: you see a line like that, you get in it. So I did. The line moved very quickly, as the ice cream store had lots of employees working behind the counter. The menu is overwhelming, so it helps if you peruse it online before getting up to the front to place your order. There is a rotating menu of flavors, and it was hard to decide which one I wanted! Luckily, it works like a gelato place - a "one scoop" cup can be two flavors! Score! When I got to the front of the line, a friendly employee greeted me warmly. I asked for a sample of the peanut butter chip, and she gave me a very large spoonful to try. It was so good, I got that and a salted caramel brownie. I was impressed with how quickly the line moved, and the service was very efficient and pleasant enough. The people in front of me ordered milkshakes which took longer to fix, but I appreciated that I was able to go around them and pay so I could start digging in! The ice cream was rich, fresh, and tasted gourmet. I loved the sea salt and the fresh brownie combo, and you can tell there's no "junk" ingredients in this product. They even have dairy-free and certified organic flavors. With all of this quality comes a cost, and it's not cheap. Allow about $7 for a single scoop (two flavors) of ice cream. It's so rich though, that it was plenty satisfying. I did manage to eat it all, however! Be prepared to take your ice cream to eat elsewhere, as there is no seating inside, and there is a very small patio with a total of four stools. Luckily, the Promenade is right outside, with places to hang out and eat. It wasn't so fun on a frigid evening, however. There's a reason this place has been making ice cream from scratch for 70 years - it's THAT good. Stop here, you won't regret it!

Nice clean store front, service was quick. Tried this for the first time and got a single scoop which you can get two flavors. I would say the chocolate scoop was a bit mild in flavor and the berry was very sour and tangy. The waffle cones were soggy so quickly. I can't say it was my favorite but wasn't so terrible

While walking through the 3rd Street Promenade, I found this cute ice cream shop and couldn't just pass especially knowing that it has a long history as well so I stopped by despite of the long line. The clerks were very nice and patient waiting for the customers to choose their ice cream and kindly suggest flavors and hand out spoons to allow them to taste each ice creams. Their beautiful smiles made everybody feel warmly welcomed. I had double scoops in a single cup. For the flavors, I asked for Santa Barbara Strawberry and one popular flavor. The clerk gave me sea salt cream & cookies for the other scoop and it was an excellent recommendation. The ice creams were not too sweet and the flavors were distinctive. Can't wait to come back for other flavors!

I ordered the "Single" size that comes with 1 or 2 flavors. I tried the Double Peanut Butter Chip and Salted Caramel Chip. I enjoyed the Double Peanut Butter Chip flavor the best. The Salted Caramel Chip was good but got a little too salty tasting after taking more bites. Both flavors were creamy and had a smooth texture. I would come back and try other flavors if I happen to be walking around Downtown Santa Monica.

yummy but expensive. for the price, the portion was kinda small but the ice cream was really good! Staff was really kind in letting u sample as much flavors as u wished:) I got the lemon and marionberry flavor and it tasted like a mix of cheese cake & berry syrup not a big fan of cheesecake but this hit! zesty + sweet

Great addition to the Promenade! McConnell's is always a good idea for me, especially on a nice, sunny day! Smaller space than usual with less seating options, I would add more tables outside since there's a very pedestrian friendly area, great to hang out and enjoy a nice ice-cream! I like to get a flight with coffee, churro, marionberries and lemon, some of my usual go to flavors since you can't go wrong. Love McConnell's ice-cream, my fave, nice and smooth. Decent service, handy location, McConnell's brings a fresh vibe to the area!

I've tried the DTLA location of McConnell's before, so I was excited to try it again at the promenade! I had to get the Earl Grey flavor, which I've gotten before-- it is such a unique flavor and I love the little pieces of shortbread that really bring out a great texture. It also surprisingly went well with the Santa Barbara strawberry flavor, which is a classic strawberry ice cream flavor, but somehow more strawberry-y! The ice creams here are creamy but still hold a gritty, tangible texture, and all the flavors sound delicious. There was a long line and not many places to sit except a stool or two outside. But overall great desse

I happened to be walking down Third Street Promenade and felt like getting a sweet treat. Decided to check out McConnell's and was pleasantly surprised by the quality! It's a tiny little ice cream spot, very much a grab-and-go kind of place. I sampled three different flavors of ice cream, and the workers were very patient with me. Ended up getting the coffee and strawberry ice cream in a waffle cone. The scoops weren't as big as I would've liked considering the price. Wow was that strawberry ice cream good!! I usually don't like strawberry ice cream because of how artificial it tends to taste, but this one was delicious and tasted natural and fresh. The coffee was also really good, nothing super special, but still very good. The waffle cone didn't taste very fresh, it was okay. Would definitely drop by here again if I'm walking down Third Street!

Stopped by this place for desserts as my bf and I were walking down the area. We just ate at 1212 and would recommend going there for dinner. I love ice cream and can't say no to this place. I got a single scoop of cookies & cream and the sweet cream caramel brownie. Both were so delicious and tasted really good. Price was okay as it came out to about $7. Service was quick and simple. There was no line on a Sunday evening. Would come back if I'm nearby the area!

The ice cream is a 5 but the experience made it a 3. We wanted to buy a few pints of ice cream to take home. I was visiting my daughter in Santa Monica and she raved about McConnells. We walked in and were the only ones in the shop. No greeting, no hi, no nothing. Both is us asked to try a flavor. We decided on the peanut butter and earl grey which were locked in the front case. She didn't say a word, retrieved the ice cream and rang us up. The shop itself was quaint, cute and clean. Too bad the customer service was flat and not up to par.

This ice cream just hits different. They have so many flavors and they even sell pints!

my favorite out of the two flavors i tried was the churro but it blended well with the cookies n cream. i sampled a few others but gravitated towards ones without salt. the waffle topping added a great texture to it.

I used to go tot his place every time I came to Santa Barbara, but now it is here!! Delicious ice cream! It is probably one of my top 5 choices, so when I pass it- I have to go, it never disappoints! This seasons flavor: banana salted caramel; and earl grey shortbread cookie. Not too sweet, we'll balanced, super delicious! You should try it! Ambience is nice, similar to the original shop in SB. It's also popular, so you might have to wait a little.

The girls wanted somisomi so we headed to 3rd street. We were surprised that somisomi was replaced by this ice cream shop. Since we were already there we decided to check it out. We got: Strawberry: my daughter liked this one. Chocolate: my daughter liked it but said Hagen daaz is better. Pistachio: this was ok The ice cream is good and service is fast.

AMAZING flavor combinations and waffle cones are to die for. The overpriced ice cream game in LA is rough with salt and straw and wanderlust, and I've tried just about them all. But McConnells definitely takes the cake as my favorite. Their waffle cones have the perfect amount of toast on them and are always crisp and fresh. My favorite flavors are the earl grey tea with shortbread and matcha coconut crisp. The earl grey tea ice cream is sophisticated with the notes of lavender in the base, but still satisfy my huge sweet tooth with the ribbons of shortbread throughout. The matcha coconut crisp is refreshing and I love the addition of the chocolate coated rice crispies.

I got Matcha coconut crisp, Earl Grey Tea & Shortbread Cookies, Honey & Cornbread Cookies. My favorite was the early grey tea & shortbread cookies. I really like that this ice cream place has a variety of unique flavors. I am a big fan of texture so I tend to choose icecream that has bits and flakes on them. I like how the matcha and early grey tea icecream had a good rich flavor to them. When I tried the other flavors I felt like it was lacking in flavors. I do have a strong sweet tooth and felt that the other flavor were alittle bland. However if u want ice cream that isn't too sweet I would Reocmended trying the other flavors out. I would def check this place out again since I did not get to try everything I wanted.

I'm a big fan of McConnell's, and I know they are a crowd favorite. I had them in Santa Barbara many years ago and I always stop by when I visit LA. When you taste the ice cream, you can understand that the quality is gourmet. This location is new and it feels like they are still working out the kinks, which I'm sure they will. One thing I do not like is that they seem to have raised their prices. It doesn't really make sense that you can't just get one scoop for less money. You're only option is to get one cup with one or two scoops, for $7. This is a lot of money if you just want one scoop! I know it's a posh place, but that should really be an option. Regardless, my husband and I shared just one scoop of the California date shake. It's incredibly sweet and tasty, accurately tastes somehow like a date shake, and one scoop of it is more than enough! They really do have some of the most excellent ice cream I've ever tried. It's just so on the expensive side considering you could go to Vons and get a pint of McConnell's for $10, versus paying $7 for a cup here.

My favorite ice cream shop in the area. The Earl Grey flavor is spectacular! All the employees have been exceptionally friendly.

Located in the heart of Santa Monica Very creamy and rich, gives off a little ben&jerrys feeling Can't go wrong with cookies and cream wherever you go but i would stay away from the coffee (very strong espresso flavor) Great little shop if you are craving ice cream

This place was FANTASTIC!! We came here right before closing yesterday. They have such unique flavors but the combos all work really well together. The ice cream is perfectly creamy but not too sweet. I got the Earl grey Tea & Shortbread and Banana Split. The waffle cone is also a must! It's perfectly light and flaky. Definitely will be coming back :)

Big ice cream fan here, and McConnell's consistently does a great job. One of my go-to spots in LA with the likes of Jeni's and Salt & Straw. Love their assortment of flavors, and I think they're one of the shops that does the best non-dairy renditions. As someone who is lactose intolerant, but risks it all for ice cream, I appreciate how creamy and decadent their non-dairy flavors are (and the fact that I don't have to choose something like a sorbet). I appreciate how accessible this location is. However, I will say that the workers here don't seem super friendly and I felt like they were really over it when I was visiting last time.

I had coffee and mint chip flavors. Coffee was okay, very muted. The mint chip didn't taste much like mint, but the chocolate chips were big. Big bummer though is as soon as I said the flavors the girl walked away and put it in a cup. Didn't even give me a chance to say I wanted a waffle cone. I think I'll be going elsewhere.

Nice snack break while shopping. Nice service. Good ice cream. Single size you can pick 2 flavors and it's not too big.

The inside was standard fare for an ice cream shop but the wall decor was really nice to look at. The server I had was super friendly and helpful with recommendations and I ended up paying $8 for a two scoops of ice cream on a waffle cone. I got two flavors (Double Peanut Butter Chip and Churros Con Leche). The double peanut butter was a little on the salty side but i think the it tasted quite well when paired with the soft flaky waffle cone. The churros con leche was sweet and I think was the perfect contrast to the peanut butter. This was an enjoyable experience and I'd definitely stop by again.

The Earl Grey tea was very good. I recommend getting a waffle cone as you will smell it right when you walk in. The line can get long as the space is tight. Only 2-3 tables outside so it's a to go spot as you explore the promenade. I think it's similar to salt n straw but less sugar. Service is kind and patient with the taste testing. A nice snack in the afternoon or after dinner

As soon as you walk in you can smell the sugar in the air. I ordered the banana caramel and it was too soft to be on a cone so the employee added another scoop and placed it upside down in a cup. Tasty treat but they need a colder refrigerator especially with the hot summer months.

The friendliest staff and thee most bestest ice cream. Unless you are a self proclaimed ice cream connoisseur like myself, you might ask what the big deal is. Yes- lots of ice cream out there but not all are made equal and mcconnells shops are so few and far between but they are one of the best! If you're at or around the promenade, do yourself a nicey and grab a scoop or 4! There are many flavor options and the way their pricing g works allows you to order many flavors!

First time and McConnell's and certainly not the last! I got a scoop of the chocolate fudge and cookie ice cream and a scoop of the mint chip (because always). We barely had to wait despite a long line of people waiting which is a testament to both 1) how great the service is there and 2) how popular it is. I will note that there wasn't really anywhere to sit down just for anyone who is specifically looking for that (I also might be completely wrong I just didn't notice any seats) but I honestly think that's a good thing given that it's right on 3rd street promenade- nothing like a good lil ice cream stroll with the girls! Definitely would recommend this place, I immediately understood where all the hype was coming from.

The ice cream is to die for! So good! I got the sea salt cream and cookies and it was so good. Doesn't disappoint! The line can be a little long but it is so worth the wait!

Tried McConnells to see what all the hype is about and I can say that I was not disappointed. I loved that they had traditional flavors but also flavors you can't find other places. The line moved quickly and the staff was nice. They allowed us to have a few samples because we couldn't decide what we wanted. I love that you can get one scoop but split the flavors. We ended up getting the caramel banana and the honey with cornbread cookie. Both were 10/10 but the caramel banana would be my favorite if I had to pick. I will definitely be back for more ice cream this summer.

Great flavors that you actually want to try and we tried many of them. The kids loved them all. The staff was nice and accommodating to my kids requests. Overall great experience.

This location is walking distance from where I work & on bad days this is where I want to be. I'll take a quick ice cream break. Jessica is the manager there & she's always so nice!

The ice cream was good not great. The flavor did not meet the hype. For those prices you're better off with cold stones or blue bunny from the grocery store.

Best ice cream in the world. Period. Happy to have a location on 3rd street promenade. Great spot here.

honestly, chocolate x3 flavor i got was good, but it got kinda old quick. shop is small, and theres enougj options but hard to try flavors if it's crowded. service was okay, wish i had the chance to try more. workers seemed tired. overall would try other flavors but it was alright.

It was really hard to choose just 2 flavors out of so many good ones! I decided on chocolate covered strawberries and sea salt cream & cookies. Yum!

While walking down the promenade, we found this place with a line of people. We just ate dinner and we were looking for desert and I am glad that we came here. The ice cream had the perfect taste, and had variety of unique flavors. I have tried most of the unique flavors and decided to get the Double in a cup. Matcha Coconut Crisps were light in flavor but the chocolate chunks had a burst of flavor that was quite enjoyable. The Earl Grey Tea & Shortbread Cookies had a great taste to it. The tea was light but zesty and it was a refreshing flavor that cleanse the palate very well. Lastly, the Honey & Cornbread Cookies was my favorite. It was sweet and savory, truly like the name of the flavor. It was really good and I decided to get 2 scoops of it. Overall, I would recommend this shop. Although it doesn't have much seating inside, it is a perfect desert to enjoy while exploring the area.

Came in with a few friends after dinner and got some ice cream. Loved the number of fun flavors to choose from, I sampled a few and then got the honey and cornbread cookie flavor, very sweet and tasty! All the workers were super nice!