Milkshakes around Bmore

[Wangus]

Hey guys. This is super appropo considering the bout of warm weather we're all enjoying.

I don't know how many of you are from or have lived/familiar'ed North Carolina, but there's a small chain of drive-throughs there called Cookout. It does burgers and such. When I went to school in NC I got to try their milkshakes on more than one occasion. They're wonderful: close to tipping over to the 'too-thick-to-drink' side sometimes but always fantastic in taste.

Yesterday I found myself eating at a Cheeburger Cheeburger and decided to get a milkshake and found it very subpar (especially since I had a Cookout shake just this past weekend). There was a bit of gritty consistency and the flavors were quite bland.

So, the question I shoot out is: does anyone know of any places around here that serve a really good milkshake. All of Baltimore and the local burbs are open to suggestion (I live in Timonium, work in the city myself). My personal preference in milkshakes are thicker ones (I know everyone is different) but I'd be more than willing to try different styles if backed by a hounder.

Thanks.

[exploravore]

The Abbey in FedHill has alcoholic milkshakes made with Berger Cookies and the like mixed in...so good

[hon]

mmmmmmmmmm

[poohbear315]

If you head over the Eastern Shore, don't forget Dumser's Dairyland in Ocean City. Fantastic flavors and just the right thickness.

[1000yregg]

In Hampden, the gift shop Hometown Girl, has a nice soda fountain with nice thick milkshakes made to order.
Ye Old Malt Shop's blender is not very strong, so their shakes are on the thin side.

[Jason1]

Yes, if you can make it out to the Pasadena/Glen Burnie area, the Daily Scoop and Bruster's Ice Cream are both fabulous. For what it's worth, I've always though that Cold Stone Creamery's ice cream tasted incredibly artificial.

[Denise]

Not worth the trip from Timonium, but if you find yourself in the Pasadena area, you might want to try The Daily Scoop on Mountain Road. My husband likes their malts because they mix in a lot of malt flavoring.

[poached]

Best around by far is Hoffmans in Westminster- while not in the imediate area I dare say worth the drive- their ice cream cakes are out of this world!

Of the local vartiety Tamber's in Charles Village makes a very good chocolate milkshake.

[bmorecupcake]

Try the Hershey's ice cream shop in Lexington Market (the one that also sells grated coconut and horseradish). They have very reasonable prices and I always find that they do a solid job. Nothing spectacular, but consistent and reliable. The ice cream shop in Cross Street Market has not impressed me, though, even though the last time I went they were also used Hershey's ice cream.

[MDicecreamguy]

Have to agree....Hersheys ice cream is very pedestrian

[treetop tom]

There are lots of good reasons to frequent Lexington Market, but to get a milkshake that's "nothing spectacular" made with Hershey's ice cream ain't one of them, IMHO. If I want a consistent, unspectacular milkshake I can go to MickeyD's.

[bmorecupcake]

Come on now, I wouldn't post something unless it was better than MickeyD's. :)

I just didn't want people to expect something like Hoffman's. If you're ever there on a hot summer day, try it out, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[misssphinx]

Is Ye Olde Malt Shop still around? I remember going for a milkshake last summer.

[kelarry]

Yeah! Ye Olde Malt Shop on Fort Ave in Fed. Hill!!

[charmedgirl]

Don't they use Hershey's ice cream though? I often feel like there is no point in going "out" for ice cream if they serve a product I can buy commercially anywhere.

[tigerbeachgal]

I like Maggie Moo's shakes ... there is one in the Columbia Mall, but not sure if there are any near you. Ben & Jerry's is also yummy. There is a Ben & Jerry's in Arundel Mills Mall. There is (or was - not sure if it is still in business) a small place on RT 40 in Ellicott City near the Forrest Diner. Not sure if it is tied to the diner, but they have are usually open during the summer. It was a delicious treat on hot summer nights.

[bmorecupcake]

They were tied to the Forest Motel, but now that shop is independently operated. There ice cream is decent, but I don't like the milkshakes.

[jes]

Daily Scoop in Pasadena.

[treetop tom]

Here in the Catonsville/Ellicott City area the two standouts IMO are Mr. G's Fast Lane at Johnnycake Road and US 40 inside the beltway Catonsville and the Duchess on Old Columbia Pike in Ellicott City.

Mr.G's is also known for their hot rod drive-ins and onion rings. 5600 Johnnycake Rd 410-744-0011

The Duchess is open only for lunch during the week. Always a good idea to call first because their hours are kind of variable depending on how the owner feels that day. 4126 Old Columbia Pike 410-750-1952

[bmorecupcake]

I have to respectfully disagree, having grown up in the same area. I think Mr.G's is mediocre on a very good day, and on top of that I find the place very unclean.

[Jason1]

Have you been to the Duchess since it twice changed hands in the last few years? Is it back on track? They you to be fantastic, but not nearly as good after they were sold, they added the hot food, etc.

[treetop tom]

It will never be the same as when Mr. Mike and Miss Maggie ran the place but I haven't noticed a huge difference since the ownership changed, at least as far as the milkshakes are concerned. I haven't gotten a sandwich there since Mr. Mike passed away. Just wouldn't seem right.

[yum1]

Miss Maggie has renovated Duchess and reopened and the milkshakes are as good as ever!

[bmorecupcake]

Just went yesterday, had a strawberry milkshake and it was just what I wanted: a nice, simple milkshake. They use Turkey Hill ice cream. They no longer have hot food. I asked her if "ice cream and sandwiches is all you have" and she replied "isn't that enough!" :)

Thanks for the tip. I wish they were open later, though. (Close by 5.) Then my other half would have no excuse to frequent the Chic-fil-a closeby.

[Jason1]

Nice! Adding the hot food was the first mistake by the new ownership. I'll have to try to stop back in.

[thefish53]

You're right, my friend and I decided we wanted to go there today and it was closed, we settled for uno, not as good as one of her homemade sandwiches..

[ktracy]

Circle Drive In is a fun little ice cream shop near the Home Depot on Eastern Avenue in Dundalk. URL is http://www.circledrive-in.com/ – the owners are very nice and there's quite a bit of outdoor seating.

I also love North Pole Ice Cream Co on Eastern in Highlandtown – also a locally owned shop. http://www.northpoleicecream.com/

[crackers]

Chick and Ruth's Delly in Annapolis! Real ice cream, good and thick, and they give you the whole stainless steel mixing container to refill your glass when you're ready (i.e. after the brain freeze thaws out a little.) psssstttt: chocolate.

[ktracy]

Well, bummer. Hubby and I went to Circle today and they have gone out of business. So scratch that one from the list. The milkshake at north Pole did hit the spot though.

[little audrey]

Aw, that's too bad! That place was there forever. I went there a few times in high school.

[cece_balti]

Get a snowball hon! Seriously, I like Coldstone Creamery also.

If only they had In n' Out burgers/shakes on the east coast....

[baltoellen]

You're kidding! I adored their birthday cake ice cream and the entire scene out there at the picnic table out on Dundalk Ave. The owners were really personable and struck me as good solid folks. It was always great fun and a perfect stop for dessert apres crabs. One night, a friend of mine spent a good deal of time trying to get them make Almond Smash flavor Italian ice.

I'm not a big fan of North Pole. They're not awful, just pretty mediocre.

[Whitemarshjohn]

Circle Drive In is a cool looking building - I use to drive past there often and some people I knew at the time really liked that place. Are you sure it isn't just still closed down for the season? If it's closed it is a shame because I believe that place has been around since the 40's or 50's.

[baltoellen]

I'm fairly certain that the last owners weren't the original owners. I also hope that they were just not yet opened for the season, but, honestly, I think they may have stayed open year 'round.

[Hal Laurent]

The last owners were indeed not the original owners, by a long shot.

In its heyday, the Circle Drive-In was a burger joint straight out of "Happy Days". Dundalk Avenue was where the teenagers went cruising on Saturday nights. That was a long time ago.

[ktracy]

The current Circle has a sign that says, "After 9 years of business..." and notes that it closed January 19th. It says they may try selling homemade ice cream at The Naked Italian which is the building behind Circle.

[GalwayGirl]

Chick-fil-a has very good shakes :)

[bmorecupcake]

Ever since I saw that their chocolate milkshake is 760 calories, I just can't seem to go back. Of course, everyone else's is probably the same, but I don't know that for sure. ;)

[Hue]

Hoffman's Ice Cream near Westminister, its on Rte 32. Great milkshakes and malteds!!!

[elgringoviejo]

Hoffman's is worth the drive, even at today's high gasoline prices.

[Whitemarshjohn]

I am reluctant to recommend them because I thought one of the women who works there seems like a Witch and they messed up my order, but there's a place in Glen Burnie called Ann's Dari-Creme (located outside Marley Station Mall) that has been around forever. It's a land mark and they're known for their hotdogs and shakes. I had read about Ann's a number of times and when I went there - there was a line of people getting their food and the pompous witchy woman would arrogantly bark at you to take your order but the food is actually pretty good and it has a very nostalgic feel to it - like experiencing a by-gone era (very 1940's - 1950's). I'm not a shake person (I'm fat enough already), so I can't tell you how good they are from experience, but that is one of their staple items that people go there for.

http://www.hollyeats.com/AnnsDariCreme.htm
\

http://www.annsdaricreme.com/

[ko1]

I would describe the service at Ann's as brusque but efficient. I think it's the only way they can deal with the volume they get. A chow-worthy joint in my estimation.

[JonParker]

I completely agree. I treat myself to this place about once a year -- double dog with chili, cheese, onions and mustard. And yes, the service is brusque, but that's part of the charm. They don't sit around waiting for you to dilly dally at Attman's either.

I'm shocked that they messed up an order -- in all my times there I was amazed at how they never wrote anything down and still kept up with the crowds, getting every order perfect.

[Whitemarshjohn]

Thinking back I believe I asked for two dogs with mustard and relish and got two chili dogs - seems "not writting things down" had it's disadvantages sometimes. I sat in and ate and when I finished I inquired about another diet soda and the Barking woman brusquely barked back the price of the soda (which I had no problem with - I had plenty of money in my wallet I was willing to spend) and then proceded to not bring me my soda, but rather continue to take orders and do other functions of her job. I was just shocked and had to ask again for my soda and she acted rudly and very cold towards me. I just let it all roll off my shoulders out of reverence to everyone in the place and to their restaurant, but in retrospect If I go there again and get that type of attitude I'm not going to be so nice and I'm going to really give her a loud and fast tungue lashing. The way she treated me was different then people just trying to do their job and take care of lots of people in a buisy environment. I've worked in retail/restaurants and customer service enough to know not to treat your customers like some kind of stray animal.

[kelarry]

Coldstone Creamery

[repete]

It's a chain and I'm not big on their sandwiches, but Potbelly shakes/malts will certainly do in a pinch for me -- especially the chocolate-banana malt. No a lot of competition in my area, however.