interesting place to keep an ice cream shop bc it's in between a bunch of residential buildings but nonetheless, i've heard about this sf classic! I sampled a couple flavors and ended up choosing the lemon custard- a great pick! all the ice cream was such a good texture and all bold flavors! definitely in my top 5 ice cream places!

We stopped by here after having dinner nearby. It's definitely your typical old-school ice cream parlor shop with minimal seating inside and your typical flavors. Service wasn't incredibly welcoming, but it could have just been the time of day. No line around 9pm on a Thursday. Tried the black raspberry marble which was good. Nothing crazy but done well, a bit sweeter than I would prefer. This is the more sticky, liquidity type of ice cream if that's what you like. Was nice to try.

An oldie and classic ice-cream parlor, Swensen's is always a must-visit anytime I'm in the area. The Turkish coffee ice-cream is my favorite and has been since I was a little girl. The black raspberry marble and lemon custard are also flavors I really like. Showing up to a family function with Swensen's in-hand always makes the family member who brought the ice-cream, the favorite person of the event! Parking is extremely difficult in this area, so always best to go with someone who could circle the block while you go in. There is online ordering available now as well.

I have a huge sweet tooth so I came to this spot for a quick sweet treat after dinner, and I was not disappointed! We got to sample up to 6 flavors - our server was super patient with us as we decided from their plethora of options, and all the flavors we tried were super delicious. I love that they had such a large variety of flavors to choose from, ranging from fruity to chocolate-ly to everything in between. I also love the texture of the ice cream - my personal favorite - creamy and super thick, with additional crunch from the toppings. They're also open until 10 so perfect dessert after a meal in the area!

Always super quick service at Swenson's! Also my go to ice cream spot in Russian Hill since it's a quick walk for me! Conveniently located on Union St - Swenson's has amazing ice cream! Seriously every flavor I've tried here is so good. My favorite is their rocky road! Never have had an issue here ordering except when it gets super busy in warmer months - but even then service is super speedy!

A old-school ice cream parlor that keeps it simple and delicious. Great flavors (including non-dairy options), fast service, and reasonable prices make this spot a neighborhood gem.

May swensen's live forever and ever, amen. I love the regular flavors and the seasonal ones too! Lychee is insane, banana is the perfect banana, toasted almond is yum, mocha chip is great (love it with banana). Spumoni is good. It reminds me of something I had when I was a kid, but idk what. I wish I could get tiny or half scoops instead of full size scoops bc I cannot eat so much ice cream at once lol but they have so many good flavors

Swensen's is one of the oldest ice cream shops in San Francisco and it still emanates that old school charm. The bulbous lights and stripped down aesthetic make it feel like something ripped straight off of Main Street in Disneyland -- it's undeniably nostalgic. Yet, in comparison to the vast array of other offerings in the city it feels like a place that could use a little bit of an upgrade to improve the experience. The service is efficient but cold, the flavors are classic but basic, and the options are slim but priced very fair. The landscape of ice cream in San Francisco changed greatly with Humphry Slocombe in 2008 and has continued to evolve and become more competitive with other homegrown companies like Smitten and West Coast heavy weights like Salt & Straw. Even though it's not perfect, I'm really happy that places like Swensen's are still able to exist and remain as classic as the SF cable car, 49ers, and cioppino. Standout flavors are their iconic Sticky Chewy Chocolate, along with the Sticky Peanut Butter and Caramel Marble; but of course that will vary greatly on your personal preferences. This places as it currently stands is a 3 star establishment but for the the sake of San Francisco's history and the perseverance of Swensen's to make it through the pandemic and so many cultural and financial shifts over so many decades, I'm adding a full star. Anyone in the area should absolutely stop by for a scoop for a little sweet taste of the city's past.

While on our honeymoon, my wife and I wanted ice cream. We ended up choosing Ghirardelli, but found it disappointing. So much so, we wanted to find a locally renowned, hidden gem before leaving town. That's how we came across Swensen's. Swensen's was franchised many years back. However, this location, the original, remained exclusively owned by Earle Swensen until 1993. At that point, Richard Campana, who began working at Swensen's in 1959 at the age of 15, took over. Richard handed the business over to his daughter and her husband, Diane and Jim, in 2020. This location remains the only Swensen's left in the U.S. The ice cream, sorbet, and even the cones are all made in-house. My wife and I shared cups of cookies and cream ice cream and orange sorbet. Both were to die for. After coming here, I have a newfound respect for ice cream shops that still make their own product. If you're looking for a dessert shop in San Francisco, this should be your choice.