Ken’s Ice Cream Parlor

Best ice cream I’ve ever had! Plus great service and a lot of flavors to choose from! I recommend getting the cookie dough or cotton candy flavor. I don’t think there’s a place that beats their prices especially for the amount you get.

Very great place to have a nice scoop of ice cream, malt, shake or whatever. Family owned and very friendly atmosphere.
I LOVE THIS PLACE

Been going here for ever. Best ice cream in town. If you ask for 2 scoops in a cup, you get way more than that. Cookies are great. This is the only ice cream parlor I visit. Staff has always been pleasant. You have to show respect to get it in return. 5 stars!

I was treated like family. An older lady that owned the shop even made conversation!
I asked for one scoop and it was so huge.

I’ve been a customer since they were down the block in the shopping center with Ralph’s. I love Ken’s Ice Cream and I will forever patronize their business.
Try the Rainbow 7-​up when you go.

I don’t know how I’ve managed to go so long without reviewing Ken’s. I’ve been supporting this mom & pop small business since I was a little girl and when it was in the shopping plaza next to Dandy Lion. It’s not a fancy shop with hundreds of creative flavors to choose from. It is an old-​school ice cream shop with good, rich ice cream and a simple menu. The portions have always been generous. Prices… you can’t beat.
Yes, Ms. Wanda isn’t the friendliest person upon first impression. She is all business but sweet, nonetheless. I respect her for keeping the business thriving in the community. I’d also support her business any day before I drive down the street and spend high dollars for Baskin Robbins small scoops.
I recommend the bubblegum flavor. Its the best I’ve ever had. So much so, I still order it after 30 years! They also carry black walnut which I don’t find at many other ice cream shops. You won’t be disappointed with the ice cream here. While you’re at it, pick up a few Otis Spunkmeyer cookies. They too, are some of my favorites and very hard to get. Yummmm!

Ken’s ice cream shop look more like an office. It’s in the cut. The area where it is located look like the shopping area in Mexico. People sitting outside their shops.
So after a lovely time at Skyzone, I decided to get the kids some ice cream here because it had some good reviews. I’m all for supporting family owned businesses.
Let me be honest on my experience. Wanda had an attitude from the moment we walked in. You would think that she would be happy since there was no customers in there. She acted immediately IRRITATED. My little one wanted samples to see what flavor of ice cream they wanted. She acted like we just came for samples and weren’t going to buy anything. I over looked her attitude at first but she kept being rude to my kids. Telling them to talk louder. My son asked if they had a public bathroom, she cut him off telling him to ask to use it and say please. My son has manners, we were just asking to see if it was open to public first. I let it go. The finally straws was when she kept telling my soft spoken son to speak up. I guess her hearing aid was broke because I heard him fine. At this time a young, mannerable and sweet young man took over our order because she started serving the lady from the nail shop next to them.
I asked her name and told her it was mentioned on Unilocal how mean she was and they didnt lie. She started talking about a customer because her kids had on skates. I told her you are rude and mean. She told me, you parents need to teach your kids to speak up. We when back and forth for about 3 or 4 minutes. I told her that is bad customer service, she told me she’s been there 35 years. In my head, I was thinking you need to retire.
I will never set foot in this business again. You can treat me any kind of way. I’m tough. But when you pick on kids, you got issue. Last time I checked, kids are the reason why you’re in business. SHAME ON YOU WANDA.

Treated my mom and godson and myself to ice cream tonight, Wanda is such a sweetheart! I enjoy my talks with her every time I come in to get some ice cream :)

One of my all time favorite places to get ice cream. Owner is a sweetheart. I feel like I’m doing a great deed every time I buy ice cream because I’m helping keep alive family owned small businesses. Best tasting ice cream and serving sizes ENSURE you’ll get your money’s worth! My father’s been going to her for 40+ years and me 10+

I love it here! Not only is the ice cream the best on town, the service is always so welcoming. Not to mention all the cool pictures on the wall and great stories you get to hear. I will drive here any day for some Ice cream and fresh backed cookies.

Their ice cream is delicious! Great price for the amount they give you. If u are hungry enough for a double scoop, ask for a single first… you’ll be surprised how much they give. Greedy customer service !

Ice cream was yummy! They had a huge selection of sherbert and ice cream. I had chocolate brownie and cookie dough ice cream on a waffle cone. The server gave me huge scoops of ice cream – it was more like a three scoop cone instead of two. My bf also tried a scoop of bubblegum ice cream in a bowl – same thing it was more like two scoops maybe even three. They are very generous with their portions and very friendly!

All the usual flavors, good prices and great customer service! Great stop for a quick cool down.
You have at least 20 ice cream and sorbet flavors to choose from not to mention they will turn an ice cream flavor of your choice into a quick smoothie — which was perfect cause I drive better with a drink in my hand and not an ice cream cone. :)
Grabbed two bowls of Chocolate Chocolate and Mint N’ Chip. Both lasted well until I got to the CSUDH campus right across the street. My friends went to town on the bowls and I enjoyed my Black Cherry ice cream smoothie.
The server was wonderful — he was watching the Brazil Vs Colombia game but still paid attention to me while I was making my selections and just looking around.
Parking is easy in the open lot of the strip mall. Getting there off the main street is easy too.

The ice cream is good but the old Lady is really rude and mean. No kind of customer service.

I really love this place. It’s a no frills family run operation that reminds me of ice cream with my grandparents. Highly recommend. Plus, I like supporting small business vs. corporations. Check em out!

Great variety of flavors. High quality ice cream and exceptional value.

Some of the best and creamiest ice cream going! Mrs J has owned and operated this ice cream shop for forever and I love her as does the community. But let’s not get it twisted, she has great ice cream.
Ken’s is not going to be the «gourmet» ice cream shop of the South Bay but if you are looking for good ol’ fashioned flavors and creamy, decadent ice cream then Ken’s is the place. Flavor selection is good and prices are actuually really good too because they give you generous servings. A scoop is not just a single scoop… trust me on this! So if you get a double scoop, have your sweet tooth on maximum drive!
Whenever I have a hankering for some yummy ice cream, I think of Ken’s way before I think of Baskin Robbins… besides Ken’s is closer to my house… woo hoo!

I’ve been working right next to this ice cream parlor for quite some time and I’ve never been in here. It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just when I get out of work, they are closed at the same time. Ah… anyways, I got out of work at 7 on Friday and I got to grab a quick bite.
Exterior — Located in the shopping plaza, shared with Family Fish Market, Henry’s Market, KFC, R&R Soul Food, and Thrifty Gas Station. Right across the Home Depot Center. Parking lot has ample slots, but beware of people that cannot park and people that drive recklessly in the lots. There are fewer parking on Fridays due to Family Fish Market customers, but nonetheless you should find one.
Interior — Very simple. Very clean and tidy. Has your menu on the wall. Couple of chairs. They have a long table connected to the wall and stools to sit on, but no casual table where you sit like 4 people and talk. There are pictures hung up with the owner and many celebrities.
Customer Service — I know the guy, David, he usually walks across work or buys something. Now it’s weird the other way around, haha. He was very friendly and attentive. The owner was present as well and very friendly. She was very talkative. I walked around couple of times, deciding and ended up getting a simple double cup of vanilla and chocolate ice cream. She was surprised cause I took a while and ended up getting some simple. She thought I was going to get something exotic and crazy. Such a funny lady.
Food — The ice cream was good. This is my go to spot now for ice cream whenever I’m craving some. Taste fresh and homemade. And they give HUGE servings. I was in a ice cream coma shortly after. Menu wise, they had the typical floats, cones, and others. I just glanced shortly, should have taken a picture of the menu. But anyways…
Overall — Give this place a go. Maybe not the best looking ice cream parlor. But so delicious. Quick friendly service. Decent prices.

My girlfriend suggested we visited Ken’s Ice cream Parlor since she’s always wanted to go to an authentic ice cream parlor. After lunch we both went to Ken’s for a banana split. Unfortunately, searching for the place was very confusing. The original address for this business was incorrect. I guess they moved. Their website also had their old address so I drove around Carson for a good 15 minutes searching for Ken’s. I finally called the place and they gave me the correct address, which was at 18 511 Avalon.
When we finally got there, we were not impressed. First of all the place didn’t even look like an ice cream parlor. It was more of an office with ice cream storage. Secondly, there weren’t even tables for us to eat our banana split!!! How can an eating establishment not have tables! Unbelievable. So we just ate in our car.
The pricing is decent, but if you want ice cream just go somewhere else and save your time looking for this place, and save your money.

I have a respect for Ken’s Ice Cream Parlor that I have rarely felt for a restaurant, even small businesses. And I’m a huge supporter of small businesses.
Ken’s is owned by Wanda Johnson-​Pope, and has been open in Carson for over 25 years. Aside from the great ice creams and treats they serve, they are very active in the community. They make a point to support businesses and non-​profits in any way they can. They are not only about making a buck, as many businesses are these days. They are about economic development of the community. It is a great civil service to be available to businesses with the goal of supporting the community as a whole.
And I love Wanda and her attitude. The first time I was there, I was visiting Wanda on a business matter. I made a comment about what a great job it must be to work in an ice cream shop because everyone is happy when they come in. She had a nice twist on my statement, saying, «Yes, and ice cream makes people happy. People who eat ice cream are happier.»
I replied, «I guess I should eat more ice cream,»
She said, «Yes, you should.»
She sent me home with a big sample that day.