Blaine DQ Follow up and New Coon Rapids Review

I went back to the Blaine DQ on HWY 65 because it is in the running for best DQ in the Twin Cities Metro Area.  The small cone is $1.19, which is more expensive than the White Bear Lake DQ at $1.09, but the aggregate cost is still less.

My cone was a bit mal-formed, but delicious, just the right blend of icy and marshmellowy.  


The small cone was average sized, so, no points lost or gained.

Later in the day I went to the DQ on Coon Rapids Blvd in Coon Rapids with my parents.  Small cones here are Free!  Actually, my dad paid, which is very cool.

Small vanilla cone: $1.59

Medium: $1.99

Large: $2.39

Peanut Buster Parfait: $3.79 (Though they are on sale this month for $2.49!)

My cone was on the small-to average size, not very impressive.  My mom ordered a chocolate dipped cone, but got a chocolate ice cream cone instead--there may have been some confusion in the ordering--but they made everything right by giving her a new cone and not charging her the increase in price.

My dad had a banana cream pie Blizzard and was a bit surprised that it came with whipped cream.  Both said their ice cream delights were good.  Mine was good, too.  I just was not impressed with the volume of ice cream in a small cone.

The Coon Rapids Dairy Queen is one of those old barn-style DQ's, which I totally dig for my Brazier stores. The interior had those really tacky duck paintings on the  wall, which I really think is inexcusable for any type of decor.  Anywhere.

Blaine DQ

Coon Rapids DQ

An interesting thing to note is that both the Blaine and Coon Rapids DQs have  similar signs.  One point goes out farther than the other.  There are differences, as you can see--one is a solid color, and one has a white edge--but they are similar enough that I think it is an exciting coincidence.

Also, if you have not seen your local DQ reviewed here, please let me know,  I want to review your DQ, but have hit almost all the ones I find and I go about my life.  I also welcome quest reviews--just be sure to get the prices for sm/med/large cones and a PBP.  Thanks for your continued interest and support. - Mike

Forest Lake DQ - Hwy 61 - Sm Cone $1.49

Forest Lake DQ

My grandparents lived in Forest Lake, so there was no extended visit that took place without a trip to the DQ about a mile south of their home.  I remember this being a tiny DQ that had a wooden porch or something in from of it.  Perhaps it did 35 years ago, or I am combining this memory with the porch in front of the house where Navin Johnson lived before he made his way in the world in The Jerk.

This was a big DQ, large enough to accommodate a softball team or two.  It's a Brazier store, which I like more than Grill and Chills.  Grill and Chills seem too much like a Burger King to me.

My done was a good size, a bit taller than average.  It was icey, but well within the acceptable range of the Icey/Marshmellow Continuum.  

My wife, Sally, is a bit sick of DQ, and she requested some non-DQ ice cream before we left town.  There was a tiny, fancy looking ice cream shop a bit closer to DT Forest Lake, but it was closed.  Also, the relatively new and fancy ice cream shop next to the lake in the center of town is out of business--making way for a Snap Fitness of all things.  I only hope that it was put out of business by DQ.  This other ice cream shop was the site of Skateland, the roller rink my grandparents owed.

Anyways, please keep ice cream alive in Forest Lake and shop at the DQ.

Small Vanilla Cone: $1.49

Medium: $1.99

Large: $2.39

Peanut Buster Parfait: $3.79

(And for the family who might be reading...the grandparents' home, cottage, and even GG's home is gone and landscaped over.  There is no sign of the old place.  It's rather sad).

White Bear Lake DQ - Hwy 61- Small Cone $1.09

Can anyone beat a $1.09 Small Dairy Queen Cone?

That's right!  $1.09 for a small DQ cone.  And look at the size of that cone.  It looks as big as their sign.  It's not really, but it is easily as tall as some medium or even large cones in the Twin Cities metro area.  It was a bit overly fluffed, not quite the right moisture content, but if the 2nd and 3rd visits give me a cone that has a bit more ice content, then this is a good contender for best cone in the DQ system for the price.

Small Vanilla Cone: $1.09

Medium: $1.59

Large: $1.99

Peanut Buster Parfait: $3.79

(Did you know that during August, the PBP is only $2.49 at all stores?)

I like this store, in part, because when you drive up is it surrounded by tall white tanks used for some unknown purpose.  You'll see what I mean when you go there.

The White Bear Lake Dairy Queen also offers an individual sized DQ Cake which they call a cupcake.  $2.99 for this one and is the same as their full sized cake, but to scale.

If this is your DQ of choice, I'd be interested in your feedback as to whether or not this should be the best DQ in the system,  Was it just an off day that my cone was too fluffy?

New Brighton - 4th St and Old HWY 8 - Scam Alert

No photo with this post because I don't want this store to get any additional sales from having an attractive image on my blog.  I ordered the small cone for $1.39 - an excellent price- except that THEY GAVE ME A KID'S CONE INSTEAD!!!!!!

It was a good sized cone, but they used the smaller and narrower cone.  I felt cheated.  I don't know if the cones are one step too small up the line, but if you live near to this store, make a trip down Hwy 8 to St. Anthony for a much better DQ experience.

Kid's Cone (small):  $1.39

Medium: $1.69

Large: $1.99

Peanut Buster Parfait: $3.49

U of M DQ - Washington and Oak St. - $1.69

If I was going to the University of Minnesota, I'd eat my meals at Bona Vietnamese, and have dessert at DQ a block away on Washington.  For those who cannot tell, I like the DQ.

This is a no frills DQ--just a place to stand to give your order, maybe one or two tables, and that's about it.  When I ordered, The music was loud and appropriately alternative, most likely channeling The Current.  The workers were cleaning stuff up and took a few moments before they noticed me.  In the meantime, I noticed that they served personal-sized DQ cakes.  This is a magical idea.  Keep the gel frosting off it and I'm buying one regularly.

I ordered my usual small cone ($1.69) and watched the server lady make my cone.  The cone machine sputtered out white fluff.  My cone ended up being the oddest shape:

The Cone Artist asked if I wanted my mal-formed cone or if she could try again.  I took the mal-formed cone because it was funny looking and wanted to take a picture.  It was a pretty bad cone--too fluffy.  In talking to my father about my reviews, he said he doesn't like when the ice cream doesn't seem cold--that's what was going on here.  There was not enough moisture content for the appropriate chill.  I don't know why this happens, but I'd prefer it didn't.

Still, If I were a U of M student, I'd give them a second chance to do things right.

Small vanilla cone: $1.69

Medium: $1.99

Large: $2.29

DQ on HWY 55 near HWY169 - $1.79

Hwy 55 East of Hwy 169 in Golden Valley

Maybe because it was a seriously hot day, or maybe because it was a weekend and I really like weekends, but The Dairy Queen on Hwy 55 in Golden Valley in the little strip mall near the Pancheros and the Starbucks had some excellent ice cream cones.  Both Wife Sally and I commented how it may have been the best cone we've had.

I've reviewed 19 stores since May, and sometimes I go to DQ just for fun and not review at all.  It takes a really good cone for me to say, "This is a really good cone."

What made it so good? I don't know because I don't know how they are made.  But it was dense--something I appreciate on a hot day.  It wasn't too marshmellowy nor icey.  I was a good enough size to not feel cheated.

I have not been to any strip mall DQs before.  I know there is one by the U of M, but that review is coming later.  I like how they look.  Lots of metal and white walls.  Some DQ's, like the Crystal Grill and Chill, go for a nostalgia with old photos of old DQs.  The metal and white layout is a nice change of pace and gives me the chance to pretend that I am having a small vanilla cone in the future, but far enough in the future that its retro design gives the feel of 2008.

Small Vanilla Cone: $1.79 (Ouch.  A little pricey)

Medium: $2.09

Large: $2.39

Peanut Buster Parfait: $4.09

$10.36 Aggregate cost

And When you are done with your cone, head down the road a couple blocks to the National Camera Exchange.  You won't be sorry for long!

DQ Double Post: Fridley and Excelsior/Hwy 100 - $1.69

(Read the end of this post for follow up reviews for the Heights Theatre and W 7th St in St. Paul)

Both the Fridley and the Excelsior Ave DQ stores have the same price for their core items:

Small vanilla cone: $1.69
Medium: $2.19
Large: $2.59
Peanut Buster Parfait: $4.19
Aggregate: $10.66

Both of these stores are also the fancy DQ Grill and Chills. I went to Fridley first. This store is on Osborne Road between East River Rd and Central Ave. The main thing it has going for it is that all of the outside picnic tables are in the shade in a grassy area--That's how you want to eat your Dairy Queen cone!

The prices are a bit high, but I am now expecting that from my Grill and Chills (Though you should still notice that the most expensive DQ reviewed so far is the stand-alone shop in Robbinsdale).

The cone was average, which is to say "Excellent."  but there was nothing remarkable about it.  It wasn't too small or too large, too icy or to fluffy.  Just a good ice cream cone.

The Excelsior Ave (Hwy 3) Store is next to the strip mall just East of Hwy 100.  It's a fancy Grill and Chill.  It seems fancier than some of the others.  Their outside area was in a fenced off section of the parking lot, which is fine, but picnic tables in the grass is better, no?

They had a huge line the whole time I was there.  They must be doing something right.

I broke with my tradition of getting a small cone and instead got a chocolate sundae. Wife Sally got the caramel sundae.  Do you people have any idea how sweet a caramel sundae is?   I could not tolerate it.  The chocolate sundae was good and had a base of fine quality ice cream.

At this point I have been eating enough DQ cones now that I know when a cone meets or fails to meet the standard for DQ cones (as determined by me).  I love DQ cones and am usually quite pleased with what is served to me.  

I also know that there are a lot of factors which go into making a good cone.  Watch for future posts with a former DQ employee for the inside scoop.  I also know that any store can have an off day.

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For instance, the highly rated W 7th St. Paul DQ received high marks this spring for their awesome cone; this weekend, my cone there was much too soft and they would have received low marks this time around.

For another instance, The pooooorrrrrlllyy rate Heights DQ on Central Ave previously served me a cone that barely meet the criteria for being a cone, it was so mushy, let alone the criteria for a DQ cone.  But this weekend they served my up an excellent cone with friendly service to me and the people in front of me.

Highland Park-Ford Parkway - $1.69 sm cone

This DQ Grill and Chill is pretty new. It used to be a really skanky Burger King where I once got sick off a bad Whopper Jr. Now, it is a beautiful Dairy Queen store. It even has a flat screen TV showing the baseball game. They have the Orange Julius here, too. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, and it has a drive-thru. Off to a good start, but then they stumble.

The place where you order, and the place where you pick up your order is, basically, the same corner of the restaurant. People stand around wondering if they are in line or if they are hanging out with the people waiting for their orders. A simple velvet rope to keep people to one side when they come in would help.

Also, the kitchen seemed too small for the number of people in it. They should do something about that, too.

Small vanilla cone: $1.69

medium: $2.19

Large: $2.59

Peanut Buster Parfait: $4.19

Chocolate soft serve? Yes

Aggregate Cost: $10.66 

Cone size was average--just like the picture on the wall of the small cone, actually. Fine. I'll accept an average cone, but the whole idea behind this blog is to find the best deals. Highland Park DQ is not it.

The cone had good flavor, nicely balanced between icy and marshmellowy. When I finished eating I felt it was a satisfying cone experience.

What I suggest you do when here, and every DQ, is see if they have the 2for$3/3 for $4/4 for $5 meal specials, which are great if you are making your own combo meal, but even better if two or more of you are there for an ice cream cone.

I forgot to get the price of the small chocolate dipped cone, but I am sure it was at least $2.09. With the 2 for $3 special, you can save over $.50 on each cone.

2612 Hwy 88 - St. Anthony Village DQ

Hwy 88 DQ on my phone

This review was a special request from one of my readers, and I am glad to say that this DQ was a good find.  Mainly because it is an interesting looking Dairy Queen.   It is in the middle of a stripmall parking lot and has a concrete fence around its own patio area forming a little DQ oasis.  There are plenty of tables and seems to get plenty of business.

Small Vanilla Cone: $1.39

Medium: $1.89

Large: $2.19

Peanut Buster Parfait: $3.79

Aggregate: $9.26

Chocolate Ice cream? Yes

Prices for the small and large cone are better than average.  The medium cone is average in price, as is the PBP.  The cone had the good marshmellowy taste that I look for and was the normal size.

Service was a bit odd.  They had a lot of staff working--because it is a busy place--by since they are all teenagers, there was a bit of dickin around when hey should have been taking orders.  Amusing to watch, but service could have been faster.

A new thing I am making note of is whether or not the Dairy Queen has chocolate soft serve. Wife Sally loves it.  I think it takes like the shakes they offered as a lunch alternative at my high school.  The Hwy 88 St. Anthony DQ DOES have chocolate soft serve, and that's good to know.

(Don't confuse this DQ with 409 Old Hwy 8, review to come)

Lexington and University - St. Paul

Such sadness and disappointment.  I was saving my review of this St. Paul store since it has always been one of my favorites.  When I worked in St. Paul, I went there all the time.  It is, after all, across the street from White Castle.

I was one friendly terms with the owner who knew of my love of chocolate dipped cones.  Prices were good and it was never as busy as the Snelling Ave DQ.  I bet that in the 4 years since I've worked near there, the store is owned by someone else.

The two teenagers working the store were tattooed and pierced (not that I have anything against that).  And they had the attitude.  After waiting at the window for 5 minutes, I poked my head in and one of them snarked, "I'm making somethin', I'll be right with you."  The other girl was just standing there.  Maybe she didn't even work there.  I can't say.

Also, I saw this totally blinged out dude who let me cut in line,  He was wearing a fake Rolex that was so cheap it didn't even have a back on it.  It was fabulous!

Topping it off, the cone was crappy like the Heights DQ was crappy.  It was extra whipped, too fluffy and could barely support itself under its own weight.  It melted immediately and nearly totally.  I had to scarf it down before it dripped away.  Sure, it is 80 degrees out today, but it is no excuse!  Make a good cone, dang it.

Small Vanilla Cone: $1.49

medium: $1.89

Large: $2.29

PBP:$3.49

Skip this one.  No need to have a bad DQ experience.