Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurant
799A The Shops at Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo, CA, 92691
Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Mission Viejo for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Mission Viejo for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Mission Viejo for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
799A The Shops at Mission Viejo
Mission Viejo, CA, 92691 - Phone (949) 364-5411
- Website https://www.farrellsusa.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dessert
Parking : Garage, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Very Loud
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Drive-Thru : No
Caters : No
Categories
Burgers
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Dale A.
Sunday evening was the third or fourth time we've dropped in for ice cream and, as always, the fare and the service was outstanding. Once again, Kyle was our server and, just like last time, he was amazing. Kyle does not need to write down orders. He has this out-of-sight ability to remember orders perfectly. It's almost spooky (spooky in a good way) to watch him in action. Someday, he will be a billionaire. Mark my words.
(5)Chelsea S.
Put our name in for a 30 minute wait. Walked away for 10 and "lost our table", kept apologizing saying they called our name for ten m8nutes. We weren't even gone that long. Didn't sear us for 40 minutes. Terrible customer service
(2)Jeff S.
Fun place for birthdays and kids. So so place for adults. Loud singers and a lot of birthdays there. Good dessert. Lot of ice cream options. The food however is so so. The sandwiches are dry, a little over priced. It's a fun place to go to for a kids birthday, 6-12 would be the demographic I'd suggest. If you're going with adults, try other places. They do have beers by the glass and pitcher though
(4)Ann C.
This place is ok. I won't eat the regular food as it doesn't look appetizing and I haven't heard great things about it. I really like the ice cream sundaes, however the ice cream is ice-y and melts REALLY fast. Before I was halfway done with my sundae it was a cup of soup. Each time I'm in this restaurant there are uncleaned tables all over the place, kind of yucky to see when you're getting ready to eat. Lastly, I like exuberance but the banging of the drums and overall alarming loudness of this place is unsettling.
(3)Raul C.
The service here is pretty good. It seems like a fun place to be when you're a kid. The food, however....awful. The chicken sandwich I ordered tasted like literal rubber. The more I bit into it, the more it stretched out. It might have been the worst chicken I have EVER had. Now I felt bad not liking it because the workers here really do try, but c'mon that was just the worst. My girlfriend's sandwich was also mediocre. The ice cream was great, but once it turned time for dessert, I was not really in the mood for anything because of the horrible chicken I was served. I will probably not be returning to Farrell's.
(2)Glenn S.
It's triple chocolate brownie time! A totally unexpected song for my order (especially for a first timer) but i loved every second of it. It was a huge order of ice cream and i wasn't able to finish all of it. It was however still very delicious and the service was great too. i would definitely come back again.
(5)Maritess C.
Went here for a late lunch. Hubby wanted to try this place out. It was halfway to San Diego and decided to take a break from driving. As soon as we entered, there was a line. We probably waited for 15-20 minutes before being seated. To me this seemed like forever when you are hungry and have a 3 year old who is fussy. As soon as we were seated, the guy whose name was Hayward took our drink and food order. Very nice guy and made sure we were taken care of. I ordered chili cheese fries. Hubby had a chili dog while our daughter had mini burgers with fries. Once we placed our order, it took another 20-30 minutes. Again, seemed like an eternity given that they were super busy. On to the food. Once I took a bite of my chili cheese fries, it was just flavor of the chili and cheese with scallions on top of the waffle fries. Yum! The fries were waffle cut, so they were filling along with the chili and cheese. It tasted great. I only ate half since portions were big. Took the rest home. Hayward noticed our drinks were getting low, so he brought us new drinks. That is a plus in my book because sometimes servers forget to do that. Our server was great! To top it off, my husband got a free ice cream sundae cause his birthday is on March 23. My daughter also got ice cream with her meal. I didn't get a chance to take a photo and missed the guys singing Happy Birthday to my husband cause I was in the restroom. I had a feeling I would miss it. Oh well. Overall a good experience. I didn't like the wait but I guess they were busy for a Sunday afternoon.
(4)Marc F.
The food isn't that great, but you really don't come here for a gourmet meal. Definitely a place that's fun for the family, especially if you're celebrating a birthday. The triple brownie sundae is awesome and can feed a few people.
(4)Crystal C.
Lively place with large selections of desserts, burgers and sandwiches. Great location for birthdays and anniversaries (they will give you a free sundae!) Our server was friendly and let us know of any upcharges, which is always helpful. The grilled chicken sandwich was delicious, except the bread was more soggy than I would have liked. Luckily, it didn't ruin the sandwich, so I was pleased with that and my garlic fries. Very tasty! Delicious with ranch too. We also ordered the Caramel Apple Blossom, which was OK. I wouldn't order it again. It was basically all caramel syrup on the bottom, we ordered a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a considerable upcharge, and about 6-7 slices of a red apple. Not the best part of the meal, but it sounded promising. I'll definitely be back to try out the other desserts. The restaurant is loud with drums and loud singing for occasions being celebrated, so beware if you have a sleeping baby with you. They will most likely get woken up. Very lively restaurant staff!
(4)Francine H.
Fun place...Just like I remember from years ago when I use to take my kids when they were little. The place is bright and cheerful and clean. There was no wait, and we were immediately seated in a nice comfortable booth. I like hot fudge and marshmallow, so I ordered the black and white sundae. It was a good size with two scoops of ice cream, one vanilla and one chocolate. The quality of the ice cream is just okay. The vanilla ice cream was a little icey..the chocolate was medium boldness...however both lacked a creaminess that I love in my ice cream. The service was excellent, and our sundaes came out quickly. But, you better like noise when you come here. The servers were singing, clapping, and beating on a drum for birthdays all around us. Great place for kids and family.
(3)Allison L.
Super fun for families! We had three birthdays. So we got the zoo dessert. Feed over 10 people. Super fun and excellent staff! Great personalities.
(4)Josh B.
Honestly Chad the manager is the only thing that made the experience Worth it .. The food is amazing don't get me wrong the atmosphere was awesome for the kids.. My first and only experience was lacking due to our server can't even remeber her name we sat there for twenty minutes no menus.. Than she asked us to order which we had to remind her no menus.. Than when we order I asked for certain things not to be out in my burger cause if a deadly allergy I have .. Got the food had it on it had to eat last. Trevor not a server helped me more than her.. No refills never saw her again my wife asked for the manager now he not only made it write but covered the meal I would never bring anything up to a manager but if I ended up in the hospital someone else could of too so im giving this place three stars because the FOOD IS AMAZING and the manager CHAD IS TOO.. Im only coming back because of him.. Chad thank you for making right and taking care of us give this place a shot prices are fair and the ice cream is crazy good!!!!
(3)Allie B.
We celebrated my husbands 70th birthday here - and what a great choice!! We had 14 people from 3yrs old to 70 and everyone had a great time. We all had dinner - everything was just great and came out correctly. The desserts were spectacular!! As was the service. Looking forward to the next meal here.
(5)Oscar C.
I was here to celebrate Fathers Day, I walked in to use the Restroom before my meal and I end up stepping on poop! Yes you read right, POOP!! It would be nice if Management made it an issue to check there barrooms every 30min like many other establishment but they don't. I was not expecting a free meal but a discount should have been offers!! I spent 15min cleaning poop out of the soul of my shoe and zero staff came in to clean up or simply check the restroom. After my meal, (this was okay) I went to check the restroom and one of the sinks was clogged up! This restaurant chain is not bad but I would not recommend this location.
(1)Joe S.
Update: I received the bib I left. I cannot thank you guys enough. I will be back. We drove up from San Diego to check this place out. We loved it! The food was great and so was the ice cream. The atmosphere was my personal favorite. Every few minutes they were singing a song or doing something funny. My kids were locked on the whole time watching. I would have given 4 stars however Chad, the GM, went above and beyond to save the day and earn the 5th star. My 2 year old has a United States Marine Corps bib that was left behind. I called to let them know and within a few minutes, I got a call back from Chad. Not only did they find it, but he is going to mail it back to me. My daughter comes from a long line of Marines and it would have broken my heart to lose this bib. Chad is going to ensure that I dont. He even, without having to, thanked me for my service. That is top notch and I can assure you I will drive back up soon to personally thank him for his help and support. Go here, eat lots of food, and you will be happy. Worth the drive up from San Diego.
(5)Redondo M.
Wow. Just wow. While this place is touted as a family restaurant, it failed miserably tonight. I haven't been to a Farrell's since I was a kid, and after tonight, I will never go again. Not only was it ridiculously loud, like a blaring television that you can't turn down, way beyond what's to be expected at a kids restaurant, but the service was painfully slow. From the time we arrived to the time we left it was two hours! No one with kids wants to go to a two hour dinner. It took almost an hour from the time we ordered until our food arrived at our table.....my burger was luke warm, fries room temp, my son's grilled cheese was cold. They should spend more time cooking than running around the restaurant yelling about ice cream. Chuck E Cheese is a luxury vacation compared to this joint.
(1)Shir Y.
I love this place and love their ice creams! Great place for kids my daughter really enjoys when we come here... We will come back again soon!
(5)Sam N.
This is one of my favorite places to be. Maybe it's the ice cream? Maybe it's the people and fun atmosphere? Or maybe it's the crazy amazing things the people say, sing, and do here! I really can't give enough credit to all of the service here. Even at 4 pm the place was pretty packed and we sat at the bar. Although this was the second time I've visited this place, I found that at the bar they had a train horn!!! The whole 1.5 hour I was there was filled with laughter, good food, and plenty of songs and action. In terms of food I got the gastronomicaldelicatessenepicureans delight which was a bomb sandwich with some simple italian dressing that made it soooooo delicious. I also got a strawberry and cookie and cream ice cream soda that was sweet and delightful. Finally we finished our meal with the pot o' gold sundae that was the St. Patrick's day special sundae. It was topped with soft and fluffy whipped cream and mint chip ice cream with chocolate ice cream and fudge! This place is basically a mini disneyland for me. They create the appropriate atmosphere to have a good time! And on top of all that the food is great!
(5)Raul D.
Outstanding service. Jessica was our server. Great food and atmosphere. Haven't been to Farrell's since I was a kid. Brought my son for the first time today and was happy to see it's just as fun as I remembered. My son wants to come back and well being friends next time
(4)David C.
Decadent and great for either your kids or the kid inside you!! If you want a low calorie diet then why are you even considering this option? Go here to just enjoy yourself and be a kid! I ordered some triple stacked burger, cheese fries and an ice cream sundae!! Delicious and even if my heart was mad at me, my stomach didn't mind. The burger was TRIPLE stacked!! I know I said that already, but I felt it beaded repeating. The restaurant service was very nice. Seemed clean. It was of course LOUD as heck, but again.....for kids. Triple stacked....!
(4)Gina K.
It was a great experience! Food was great and service was even better. Michael the waiter was so wonderful!
(5)Cassandra L.
Holy shnikes this place is AMAZING!! If you come here ask for Kyle, he is the sweetest funniest server out there. He remembered my order and made our 2nd visit that much more special. He sang for my friends birthday with Max the drummer!! and has the funniest corniest jokes. Def makes this place a WOW factor with his personality. The banana split add brownies and ice cream nachos (minus the blueberries) was super delish!!
(5)Robyn O.
Farrell's is a must stop for a birthday celebration! We were on vaca from Texas and tried this new location on our way back from Anaheim. We've celebrated at the Farrell's in Buena Vista and is probably our fav location thus far. Thank you for making my son's birthday a memorable one!
(5)JB B.
Two stars for a super nice staff. Manager was very kind and helpful. Food was not good. Whole meal and drinks were comped. Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich had soggy buns because it was toasted then sat out on the plate. Fries were stale and not fresh. Some burnt and hard. I would come back to take the kids for ice cream but not for dinner.
(2)Riki D.
This place really wouldn't be as wonderful if it wasn't for the amazing service! Our little birthday guest was in a grouchy-pants mood until our waiter Kyle, along with other employees cheered him right up! Our waiter was optimistic, friendly, and 100% willing to please; something guests expect to really find only in Farrell's restaurants. Thanks to the staff for making my brother's first double-digit birthday the best!
(5)C. F.
SO disappointed! When Farrell's was in Northridge, we went there many times. My kids loved it! We took our children and THEIR children to Farrell's Mission Viejo a couple nights ago on a Saturday evening. Having made a reservation, the management knew to expect our group and staff accordingly. All of our group arrived 15 minutes early and constituted the "line". First, our table wasn't ready for our reservation although there were no customers seated at it. Then our table was hijacked as we were being escorted to it, and it took awhile for the host to straighten that out. Then it was 15 minutes before our order was taken. CORPORATE PAY ATTENTION! There aren't a couple of disgruntled customers on this website....there are MANY. Yelp reviews make and break businesses. I've had businesses plead with me to write a Yelp review so it will bring them more business. It was another 45 minutes for our food to come and it appeared to not be freshly cooked. The food had sat on the kitchen pass counter for several minutes as they gathered all the parts. The restaurant was full. All of the servers seemed to be working very hard and I didn't see any "slackers". The restroom was a disaster and needed attention. What we were experiencing was not enough staff to handle the workload. And not enough space for the staff to be able to function and do their jobs efficiently. CORPORATE ARE YOU LISTENING? The venue is *too small* for the number of customers you want to churn through there. The bottom line is you've missed the balance fulcrum. Remove some of the seats or staff up!!! Think long term! You'll lose a few dollars now, but keep the business open and flourishing! In the corporate drive to maximize the bottom dollar, you are gaining bad reviews. THESE WILL DO YOU IN. Clearly you are losing a lot of your customers who had returned because of positive experiences from before Farrell's died the last time. And now their children WON'T be back. No crystal ball required here. Social media is spreading the word much faster than word of mouth ever did. These people will not be revisiting nor going to other Farrell's due to their poor experience here. I know I won't. And that makes me sad.
(1)Robyn C.
I stumbled upon Farell's while visiting my daughter at college and looking for something fun to do for her birthday. I spent many a birthday at Farell's growing up and I was happy when I heard that they were coming back. Yes, it is noisy and super busy, but that's what I remember from when I was a kid and that is what makes it fun. Besides the ice cream sundaes and shakes/malts, they also offer soup/salads, burgers, sandwiches, and appetizers. Yes, we came for the ice cream, but the food is pretty good too. I had a French dip that was tasty and everyone else was happy with their meals as well. The ice cream is good and the sundaes are large enough to share. The shakes are thick and delicious. The staff was friendly and very attentive. Our food came out quickly and the waitress was good about refilling drinks and sure everyone had everything they needed. We told them it was our daughter's birthday and they came over, banged the drum, and everyone sang to her which was only slightly embarrassing for her. This location is located at the mall, so parking is plentiful. The bathrooms were kept fairly clean. We made reservations, so we didn't have to wait.
(4)Robyn S.
I've been here a few times, and each time has been a positive experience. The boyfriend and I came here today to use up our gift card on dinner. I must say, the dinner options are pretty good for a place that specializes in ice cream. When we first arrived, things were definitely disorganized. We thought we were on the list (the host asked us how many in our party), but the party behind us was seated first. The manager Brooke (I think?) came over around the time that party was seated, and once she realized we weren't being seated but only had two people, we were seated immediately. Even watching from where we were seating, it seemed a little bit of a mess for a while, but once there weren't a lot of people waiting, things were okay. The service was pretty good. Our server was Dana and she was nice. I'd say she checked up on us the right amount of times (not too absent, not too overbearing). I also liked that she was the right amount of casual in regards to how she was serving. For example, my boyfriend was asking what the current special flavors of ice cream were and she was commenting on how they took down the sign and joking along with us when he asked "Well you could just bring me the sign," and stuff like that. A+ on that. The food was pretty good. My boyfriend got a double dare barbecue burger and I got their fish tacos. The burger was huge and wasn't cut in half, and they don't have steak knives (reasonable for a restaurant aimed at kids, though), but the server we flagged down offered to bring it to the back and get it cut, which worked just fine. The flavor was good, but the bottom bun got soggy because of all the stuff on the burger. My fish tacos were okay, but my issue was that they were sort of Asian influenced, but not really. The menu called them "traditional" (in quotes) and did specify that they were on an Asian slaw with chipotle mayo, but they have the exact same thing with Ahi, so I wished they were more Baja style. Either way, still flavorful, the fish was cooked well, and they came with fries, which is always a plus. We also ended up getting ice cream, because why not. I got one of the classic sundaes, and my boyfriend did a build-your-own with one of the special flavors, Circus cookie. His ice cream definitely tasted like circus cookies! I also enjoyed my sundae. For those who haven't been to Farrell's before, expect it to be loud. The music that's on when they aren't celebrating a birthday is at a good level, but there are a lot of families, so a lot of loud kids. Definitely not the place to go if you're looking for somewhere quiet. Overall, great place to go, particularly for celebrations! I also want to note that they have lactose-free ice cream (I think just vanilla) and sugar-free vanilla ice cream.
(4)Andrea C.
very good ice cream sundaes and friendly service. I loved this place. recommend the triple chocolate sundae because the brownie they use for that is soooo delicious. I will be returning for sure!!!
(5)Lindsay M.
This place is poorly managed. Our waiter was nice and I don't think it's his fault that my ice cream took an hour to come out, and then it had no whipped cream bc they ran out. I think it's just overall poorly managed. I'll never go back again. I only went bc I had a coupon for a buy one get one free sundae but I want that hour of my life back. Was not worth it
(2)Mark J.
You don't come here for the service. Food and sundaes and overall experience is epic for young kids. Celebrated our sons 7th bday
(4)Craig W.
Reading through the many, many reviews of Farrell's makes me seriously question the IQs of the average Yelper. And really, must everyone amp up the Whine Machine to 11 simply because the table was a little sticky or you didn't get your extra napkin quick enough? Yes, it's going to be loud, extremely loud. So don't go if you can't handle it. They aren't going to quiet down just for you. They INTEND it to be loud. Yes, it's going to be crowded. So make a reservation. This location is on Open Table. Another thing: You don't go to Farrell's because you were out and about and just got a hankering for a club sandwich. You go for a special occasion or, more likely, a birthday (a kid's birthday, in fact). Kids like all the noise and drum beating and singing. They like the ice cream and sundaes and such. The food is a little bit on the pricey side but my patty melt was very good and I also sampled the All American Burger which was also decent. But remember, you are paying for the decor and the experience and not so much for the food. If you just want food, hopefully, you can find a Chili's or an Applebee's somewhere close by. The staff here are doing their very, very loud birthday songs about every 5 minutes (seriously) and THAT is what you come to Farrell's for. If you came for some other reason, then you are the one who made the mistake. We came to celebrate a kid's birthday and we had a great time. Most importantly, the birthday girl had a great time. Mission accomplished.
(5)Brett C.
I had never been to Farrell's before. I had never even heard of Farrell's until I moved to Ladera Ranch. Today the wife and I went to the Mission Mall to use a gift card. Conveniently we went at lunch time. The wife caught me off guard when she asked to go to Farrell's, so I agreed. I am quite happy I did. Drinks: Vanilla Milkshake: they're made with real ice cream and are delicious! Highly recommended! Food: The All American Burger: 1/2 lb fresh burger with lettuce, pickle, red onion, tomato, cheddar cheese (extra charge) and Farrell's sauce on an onion bun. I didn't get to try it, but the wife really liked it and recommended it. Old MacFarrell's Burger: 1/2 lb fresh burger topped with bacon, fried egg, American cheese and Farrell's sauce on an onion bun. This burger was pretty damn good and really shocked me. Highly recommended! Grown Up Mac and 4 Cheese: a blend of cheddar, American, mozzarella and smoked Gouda cheeses with white truffle oil. Topped with a toasted Parmesan crust. I got this to substitute my fries (3.95 charge). It was extremely underwhelming. Not recommended. Fries: very crispy and very delicious. In conclusion I really enjoyed Farrell's. I will put the disclaimer that most others have to get ready for some loudness, but it's all in great fun and the staff does a great job. Probably best birthday joint ever for a kid! It's also amazing to me that the servers at Farrell's do entertainment and their jobs better than most servers that just serve... Amazing!
(4)Jeremy C.
Second time at this location first time was a train wreck. Waited 2 hours for our order and when it arrived it was a bowl of soup. Sent it back second time ok. Manager gave us a free card for appetizers and ice cream next visit. So decided to give them another chance and today the train completely fell off the track!!!! Waiter kept telling us cheese sticks and chicken tenders were on the way 45 minutes later he says he's going home and someone else is taking over for him. After waiting another 15 minutes we asked her what's going on she said no order was put in. Frustrated we said well here is our dessert order and 15 minutes later she said they are out of chocolate ice cream so I had to order something else. It comes 1 hour and 45 minutes that we've been waiting with our appetizers and appetizers are over cooked and burnt. Ice cream again didn't last but 2 minutes like it was sitting under a heat lamp. Had enough wanted the manager again Brooke was her name she says let me see what's going on back there and never came back to check in on us. 2 hours in now waitress comes back and says my manager said your ice cream is free but appetizers aren't free. I'd had enough at this point and bid this place fucking ado. Never coming back to this location. Customer service what's that? Manager skills non existent how do you not at least try and rectify the situation again? Very disappointed
(1)Mike C.
Ok, I promised myself I wouldn't come back, but it was May again. Which means that all military gets a free sundae during the month of May. I knew coming in that it was going to be loud and you'll just have to bear with it for 30 minutes, but having a free sundae was definitely worth it. Unfortunately I made it a meal coming here, which again, I broke my promise of not eating the regular food in this ice cream establishment. But the burger wasn't totally bad. It wasn't good, but it wasn't totally bad. I'm just gonna have to take advantage of the free sundaes every May and deal with the nonsense.
(2)Milan M.
Fun place, especially for kids. The ice cream is good. The food is not that big a deal, but one really comes here for ice cream.
(4)amy h.
Our family loves it here. Friendly staff and delicious ice cream. The regular food it ok too. It's a loud restaurant so if you have a baby or younger child they may not like it.
(4)Jeff E.
Waited at the door for 5 minutes while at least 6 employees walked by without acknowledging us. While we waited, I saw one of the waiters delivering a sundae to a table while beat boxing over it the entire time...gross...the spit etc... When the lady at the register was done, she explained that it is not the employees responsibility to greet us but since she was busy with several customers, the manager should have stepped in to assist. No such luck. The lady at the register did apologize for the wait and kept a smile on but the overall vibe was 'we don't care'.... Service is very important and we didn't get that...
(1)Robert M.
We came in on Aug 7th to celebrate my mother-in-laws birthday (Lydia). She had never been to Farrell's and she was looking forward to it. We were greeted by smiles right away. We had our pick of where we wanted to sit since we came after the lunch rush. Michael was our Server that day and he made it a point to make sure that she had the best time ever. His upbeat personality and great attitude were infectious. He explained the menu well and even suggested that I add a fried hot dog to my burger and even let me add both chili and garlic to my fries. They were both awesome. Not sure why I bother to go to Red Robin when this place is so awesome. They gave the birthday girl a free dessert to go along with the huge banana split that we ordered. Michael even led the birthday song on the drums. We heard 5 different birthday songs for different tables and not one was the same. The singing embarrassed the crap out of my mother-in-law which was great for pictures. Lol. I'm sure it is only a matter of time before Disney steals Michael away, but in the meantime he is still performing at Farrell's. Thanks again Michael and Farrell's for making our time there as fun as advertised...
(5)Noah H.
My family decided to dine at Farrell's to celebrate a graduation, with about 12 people. Our waitress, Danya, did not put our order in until about 20 minutes after she took them. We then waited an hour and fifteen minutes to get our food. The food was okay, not too great. Overall a very poor experience.
(1)Celine A.
Family friendly diner with a vintage feel. Staff are super friendly and quick. It can get really loud in here, but great fun for kids. We ordered the grown up mac n cheese, Swiss mushroom burger and Old McFarrell burger. Mac n Cheese was tasty but a little heavy handed with the truffle oil, a couple dashes of Tabasco balanced it out. Burgers were delish as were the waffle fries. Got a free fudge sundae with the Yelp check in which was very very good. When the check arrived, the child meal wasn't charged because kids eat free on Wednesday - a pleasant surprise!
(4)Kristine B.
What a fun fun place with wonderful Ice Cream deserts.. What stood out to us was our server, Deme. He was awesome. He has the best attitude, to make anyone smile. He was helpful with the menu and really took care of our needs. We will be back and he's our guy! Excellent job Deme :)
(5)Laura F.
Amazing service, energy from the servers is an A+. Great food, never disappointed! Great place to bring the family, especially for a special occasion. Used to have one in the South Bay years ago, would love to have one back! Good times!
(5)Tammy L.
Cute place...the constant drum banging can get a little old after a while (for birthday songs). It's still awesome to see some of the servers be so enthusiastic about every one of those performances. The ice cream was average. I ordered a miniature version of the No. 1 Gibson Girl which was somewhat out of my comfort zone. For whatever reason, the cherry nectar from the gods really called to me. It was supposed to be 1 scoop of rainbow sherbert and 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream. Unfortunately, my ice cream was "overdress", completely drowning in the cherry nectar (which was pretty tasty, btw). I was pretty sure I got a scoop of strawberry instead of the vanilla. Because there was so much nectar, I ate all the ice cream I could and left the rest for the ice cream gnomes. There didn't seem to be very much ice cream, sadly. Hubby ordered a scoop of coconut pineapple and strawberry cheesecake, plain. He said it was "ok" and I really had to agree when I tried it. Our dining company Frank W. got a waffle cone and got pistachio and something else. The general consensus was that the ice cream was of average caliber...some of the flavors (cheesecake) were too icy to be creamy. Nice ambiance. Service was ok...we didn't need much but we didn't get checked on either. We spotted the server walking by, pausing to look at us momentarily and then walking away. Everyone was pretty friendly, though. Just wasn't sure if it was "in character" or if they were being genuine.
(3)Brooke B.
Had so much fun!!! Food was excellent and employees were so entertaining :) great location off of freeway. Will do again when visiting area. Perfect for birthdays.
(5)Robert B.
Very happy to see the return of Farrell's to Orange County. High energy awesome environment. The food is good but the desserts are the bit go to for this place. The waiting staff are all entertainers and keep the fun constant. Celebrations are always exciting at Farrell's and everyone leaves happy. Our last event was my lil ones 14th BDay and we all had a great time and left quite stuft. Thanks for being so kick hind Farrell's!
(5)Hal A.
Always loud and lively! Don't come here for birthdays unless you want the entire crew to sing their lungs out in front of your table. The ice cream menu is awesome. There has to be something satisfying for every dessert-lover out there! And btw, you can get a free luncheon ice cream sundaes with Yelp check-in... so hurry up!
(4)Nicole W.
Ice cream tastes whatevers. Not impressed. Seems like a fun atmosphere but ice cream sucks.
(2)Kelsey T.
Our experience was terrific! We had a group of 6 girls get together and our needs were met by all the staff and especially Kyle A. was the best server and catered to all of our needs, he was so accommodating to our orders and making sure we got the best service-refills, recommendations for dishes, singing, and ultimately entertaining us the entire time!
(5)Daniel L.
We've eaten here many times and usually for special occasions. We arrived today at 1pm and asked if the 2 of us could be seated in the fountain side of the restaurant (which was completely empty and had 13 tables) or if we could sit outside, which was unavailable. There were 2 tables available in the main parlour as well. We were told the 13 tables were held for people with reservations. After 10 min. we left. Today we were celebrating a bday. We came 1 month ago to celebrate 2 family bdays, arrived 5 min. late for our reservations party of 6, and were told our table was given away. Again we asked to sit outside and was told it was closed. We were given the option of sitting in the very narrow area of the fountain side and declined. Ate in the nearby food court instead. Merely suggesting that the outside be available and perhaps the front desk be more organized. There seemed to be adequate staff milling around.
(2)Michael C.
This was my second time EVER coming here & both times I was lucky enough to have Danya as my server! She is super sweet and attentive! It was also super busy today and even though she was extremely swamped she always doubled back letting us know our food was coming and asked if we needed anything. It's legitimate and sincere Workers like this that makes Farrell's a fun place and the constant noise level tolerable :)
(5)Samantha M.
Went here with my family. It was slow. A couple other families with their young kids. A lot of staff. The staff was really friendly. The food was ok. But it took a really long time for the place not being that busy. Probably won't go out of my way to come back unless accompanied by children under like 10. But overall not bad.
(4)N E.
Went here tonight for my daughters 6th bday dinner. This is the 5th year we've gone. Unfortunately this was the worst trip to Farrell's yet. The service was awful. We ordered a meal to take home, which was not the correct thing. They told us they removed it for the trouble but when the bill came it was still there. Instead of removing it the waitress argued with us saying why would we get it for free. I was very confused since we had to wait 15 minutes for them to make the correct meal. Seriously thinking of finding a new spot to go next year for her bday.
(1)Charity R.
Can be very loud! The environment is upbeat and fun. Vintage ice cream parlor. The waitress was extremely friendly. Lots of birthdays going on so lots of singing and drums... The menu offers a large variety of foods. We ordered a burger and Mac n cheese bites. The Parmesan garlic fries are amazing! Overall a fun experience!
(4)Hany D.
May 5/25/2015 ordered 1 sundae & 2 cones by the 1st lady, then 2nd lady delivered 1sundae & 2 ice creams in bowls/plats, when told her i ordered cones she went & came back with mini cones on top with the 1st lady saying our ice cream doesn't fit in cones ( ice cream restaurant & no cones even it is on the menu waffle cones? Yes sorry for that!) Few minutes later the table in front of us received ice cream in big waffles cones, when asked them again said acquired & left ( so 2 of the staff agreed to lie instead of fixing their mistake) i paid & left & i don't trust the place anymore while used to be my best ice cream & used to have birthday parties over there.
(1)Lisa W.
This place is fun and the service is always super friendly and upbeat. Farrell's is a great place for birthday parties and the servers always sing a crazy song for you if it's your birthday and make a big restaurant announcement and most of the other customers always seem to be in great spirits also. There is just a real celebratory vibe to the place. Fun times! Coming to Farrell's has become almost a tradition now seeing as my daughter has wanted to come here on her birthday for the past 3 years. With that being said.... If you want excessive desserts than this is the place to come. Some of the desserts are so decadent and enormous it's crazy! They also sell regular food here but in my opinion it's really not the star of the show the way the desserts are. They do sell a lot of retro type candy in the front of the restaurant with over sized lollipops, jawbreakers and gummy bears so that is always a fun spectacle to check out. I myself remember Farrell's as being a Willy Wonka dream come true when I was growing up so I was really excited to hear that they were starting up Farrell's again! I would definitely recommend this place if your looking for a great dessert with very friendly service and a fun atmosphere. The location is easy to get to. There is always parking and it's easily located at the front entrance of the mall. The menu also has something for everyone. The regular food menu isn't that extensive but they do have everything from caesar salads to grilled cheese sandwiches. Be careful though or expect to at least be taking home a doggie bag with you because for the most part the portions are huge!
(5)Madison J.
This place was fun! We came in for an icecream sundae but the food looked delicious also. We had the Gold Rush which was the perfect size to share with two people. It is noisy in here- but our 4 month old slept through the entire thing. We will definitely be back to try the food!
(4)Michael B.
Me and my girlfriend and her nephews and niece went there for a birthday party. It was probably one of the worst experiences that I've ever had at a restaurant. The food took forever to come out and when I did it didn't taste that great but the worst thing about it was the next day...we both got food prisoning from the burger!
(1)Koty W.
It was close to closing time already so the restaurant only had two or three tables filled with customers. We were greeted by a friendly waitress who surprised us when she asked if we were here for dessert or a meal. I didn't even know this place was for anything other than ice cream! We told her we were only here for the ice cream and then were seated in a booth. The front page of the newspaper like menu consisted of news about Farrell's and records held from eating their ice cream. There was a whole variety to choose from, but two of my friends and I decided to go with the Pig's Trough. The two others chose to go solo and one just got a scoop of vanilla ice cream, while the other got a Triple Chocolate Brownie Sundae. When the Triple Chocolate Brownie Sundae came out it was HUGE! My friend said, "I hope that's not mine. Awwwww man......," and we all just responded in laughter because he only wanted something small. The sundae was also accompanied by three workers chanting a short song and banging on a drum. Shortly after the smaller ice creams came, the pig's trough arrived. If you want to know how massive this pig's trough is just imagine huge scoops of strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate ice cream the size of a baseball, arranged Neapolitan style on a foot long metal tray. This foot long stack of ice cream is placed between two bananas that are split in half with a layer of whipped cream swirled on top. Between the ice cream and whipped cream consists of strawberries, chocolate fudge, and pineapple (I think). On top of the clouds of ice cream laid crushed nuts and three maraschino cherries. The three of us had no regards as to how many calories we were about to consume because we were ready to pig out(get it?). The ice cream taste was better than what you would find in supermarkets for sure, but still wasn't quite the ultimate ice cream. In terms of texture, it wasn't too creamy. Besides for the aesthetics of the pig's trough there isn't too much else to talk about. It was definitely a solid dessert and something I would order again with friends. Although I read on the menu that if you finish the Belly Buster you get a ribbon, I wasn't sure if that only applied to individual or group effort. To my surprise our waitress told us, without us asking, that we would receive a ribbon after the oath if we finish the pig's trough. I wanted that ribbon, so I forced my teammates to join in the crusade for the prize. After the long battle was over, our waitress stood us up to induct us into the league of people who won the battle against the pig's trough. After a minute of an embarrassing oath, we were all rewarded ribbons for being victorious against such a foe! I had a really good time bonding with my friends here, and it was certainly a great experience for anyone who hasn't been here before. There are a lot of different desserts on the menu, and the layout of the interior is much like how one would vision a modern-day ice cream parlor to look like. I'll definitely be back to conquer the other two Belly Busters and possibly take on The Zoo!
(4)Will B.
I come here about once a month, so clearly I like the place. The food and ice cream are always delicious and the place just reminds me of my childhood, going there for birthday parties. But I wanted to write a review today to praise our server Kyle, cause he was just fantastic. We were very picky and had a lot of substitutions on our orders and he made sure everything came out on time and 100% correct. So next time you go be sure to ask for Kyle!
(5)John B.
Aw, man. I really really really really really wanted to love Farrell's. It was my birthday, and I was looking forward to my free birthday sundae, plus a whole lot of old-time fun. I knew it would be loud. I knew it would be thick with children. I knew it would be WAYYYY over the top. And it was. My buddy and I ordered almost instantly upon arrival. I DID enjoy my diet coke with cherry syrup and about 5 maraschino cherries. It made me feel 6 instead of 46. Just perfect. But I did not expect it would take almost an hour to get our burgers. The waitress had told us that food was taking longer than usual (because of a large party) but a hour for a burger is too long even with a warning. My patty melt was good. Beef was flavorful and I appreciated that it was a little on the rare side (although that might've been just luck - the waitress never asked me how I like my burger...and my wife and/or son would've thought the burger was really underdone) I thought the toasted marble rye was a nice touch. My friend's french dip looked anemic. Three shreds of beef on a piece of baguette. Instead of fries, he and I both got fruit as a side. He asked specifically about what kind of fruit it would be - pineapple, melon and grapes. He's a little finicky. so he asked for more pineapple than anything else. Of course, when the fruit came - not a single piece of pineapple in either of our bowls. The waitress never told us about THAT, nor did she even acknowledge it when she brought the plates. Because of the long delay, I also didn't expect that I'd have to wolf down my sundae so I could get back to the office within the "long lunch" that I'd planned for. I DID enjoy the earsplitting Indiana Jones-style "Happy Birthday"...but I didn't expect that the ice cream itself would be so amazingly ordinary. Like Thrifty, not even Baskin Robbins. Finally, I didn't expect that two sandwiches, two drinks and a hot fudge sundae for my friend would be almost $60. It was a little like the add-ons at the airlines these days: Patty Melt: 12.99 Replace fries for fruit: 99¢ Diet Coke: $2.59 Add cherry syrup: another buck or so, i think And even with all of that, I'm not sure how two sandwiches, two drinks and a hot fudge sundae would be $57.00. My friend paid (Thanks, Rich!) and we had to runrunrun out of there, so he may not have really scoured the bill for accuracies.
(3)Chris B.
It's loud. Most people are there to celebrate their birthday. There are a lot of kids/families. And it's awesome! In particular the staff at the Mission Viejo Farrell's are top notch. Everyone is filled with energy and really seem to enjoy their job. This has been true for the last three years we've been coming here. Whomever does the hiring and training here should be commended. (Rancho Cucamonga and Buena Park are starting to get closer to atmosphere. Avoid Santa Clarita.) This is the place I come to celebrate my birthday, and I drive from Marina del Rey to do it. The sundaes are all made with care and delicious, but I hope that they look into higher quality ice cream, it's not bad, but great ice cream would put them over the top. The food is anywhere from decent to good. My personal favorite is the Buffalo Chicken sandwich, though the consistency on food could be better. But, all in all, it's 5 stars for me. I go there to have a good time and celebrate and I never leave disappointed. I'm always happy when I leave.
(5)Rebecca S.
Great food and awesome ice cream! Kyle was our waiter and did a terrific version of Queen's "We will rock you" for my friend's birthday. I suggest the French dip and the ice cream nachos.
(5)Lauren M.
This place is adorable for little kids. My baby loved it. Loud, lots of music, candy, ice cream, fun! This is a must if you have a child for a birthday dinner. They also have a little candy store attached to the side. The food is not incredible, but you go for the experience. The ice cream was pretty good as well. I loved watching my babies reaction to all the action packed fun. Great times! I will be back.
(3)David H.
Our best time ever at Farrells! Emon, our waiter, was enthusiastic, attentive, and outstanding. He continually made sure we were happy, checked back with us several times, and even called our son by name multiple times (after overhearing us say his name). I will always ask for Emon. There was great energy and excitement in the restaurant, and although we weren't celebrating an occasion it felt like we were part of one.
(5)T. W.
Fabulous crew! We had a party of 11 and our waitress was fun, energetic, and very good with the kids! She was very efficient and kept things moving. I wish I could remember her name - we were there 3/21/2015, reservation at 12:15. She had dark hair, bangs ... and talked in a funny voice (it was to be silly for the kids). The food was very decent, and ice cream outstanding! Highly recommend, especially for a birthday celebration. A lot of places are not good for larger groups, but Farrell's seems to have it pretty well mastered - at least on our visit. Thanks guys!
(5)Elvin W.
Food: We ordered the nutty nut ice cream hot fudge, 3 scoops of vallina ice cream, served with whipped cream. It was good, can't really go wrong with ice cream. Food Rating: 3.5/5 Service: Service was good, they really earn their money working in a place like this. Kudos. Service Rating: 3.5/5 Price: Expect to pay about $8-9 for their ice cream. Overall: Loud is an understatement in a place like this. This is the birthday/celebration spot.
(3)Adam S.
Attentive -clean -value . Lets keep it real why eat in food court when you can eat here. Food was pretty dam good best chocolate shake I've ever had . I don't remember my servers name he did have a beard and kudos to him great hospitality. I couldn't have asked for a better day off eating here.
(5)Jessica G.
Sloooooow. Really slow. As in, it took ages for anyone to acknowledge we were there or take our drink order. I had to finally ask that they find a server for us. We did not come on a busy night, and it seemed like our server had a case of the slows. Another odd part was that the manager seemed to hover around one table (not ours) entertaining this one large-ish party. I have to think service would have been better had he been managing more, and lingering less. Our sundaes came without sauce. C'mon. This is an ice cream place. Have a little engagement in taking a dessert order. The food was what we expected. If my kids do not specifically request to come here for their birthday, I don't plan to be back.
(2)Angel S.
This place is awesome I have been here twice my last experience was awesome we were here for my wife's birthday. Today however my experience was not like the last one brook our waitress was super cool but I think she had too many tables for herself I counted six and 3 of those tables were at least 8 people per so I can imagen the stress for her so obviously some tables are going to be forgotten but no one else step in to help her out our refills were like ten minutes late napkins never got here and quite frankly that made the experience here today a bit sour I have to say that everything else was good the food the ice cream and brook was amazing when she was able to come check on us. I have kids so the service needs to be on point because let's face it after 30 minutes or so the kids get really cranky and well you know all hell breaks loose hey maybe next time
(1)Naomi M.
I'll start by issuing a giant warning to anyone with a heart condition, adrenal problem, or dysautonomia. Stay away if you fit into any of those categories. I'll elaborate. I had no idea what this place was before my hubby and I came in here on a Saturday. We thought it was just a regular 'ol family restaurant a la Ruby's or something similar. It's actually more of a children's madhouse. Lol! I think it's amazing for kids, but since I have dysautonomia, all the banging of the drums and ear-shattering bells, whistles, and screaming at the top of their lungs that the staff do rattles my system and sends my condition into overdrive, arrhythmias and all. Unfortunately for me, literally every table around us was celebrating a birthday, which meant the noise was out of control for the majority of the time we were there. I acknowledge this is a personal problem and not the restaurant's fault, but thought I should give a fair warning to anyone who might have the same conditions as myself. So why 3 stars? The food wasn't that great. It was kind of overpriced for what it was and it took forever to reach our table. I also had kind of an awkward run in with one of the waitresses in the bathroom. I was washing my hands when she came in and collected the paper towels that someone had thrown on the floor. She proceeded to talk to me for about 5 minutes about how much she hated her job sometimes. I felt bad for her, but I'm not sure it's a good idea to express your disdain for your job to a paying customer. Maybe I looked friendly enough to say that to, I don't know, but it was a little weird for me. I guess it kind of made me wonder if my waitress hated her job too and that's why she wasn't attentive at all towards the end of our meal when we wanted to just get the check and go. I think it's a good place if you don't mind the overpriced food, a set of steel eardrums and kids!
(3)Ashley M.
As with many places, as long as you know what to expect you won't be disappointed. My husband and I came here on a Friday evening. I'm sure this is a busier time than, say, a weekday afternoon. Next time I'd probably try to pick a time that's less busy, though I expect this place is never "mellow." Because it's a popular place for birthdays, it's LOUD. There are tons of families and kids, and we heard a Birthday Song 8 times in the hour we were there. Thankfully, they have about 6 different versions of the song. The service was great too- maybe a little bit slow and we waited about 15 minutes for a table even though we had a reservation but it was sooooo busy, the delay was understandable and it wasn't excessive. Plus the servers were very friendly and didn't miss a thing! The food was amazing too. We had garlic fries as an appetizer. They were covered in tons of lightly sauteed garlic, and Parmesan. I had a side salad with bleu cheese dressing, and even the dressing was ideal, full of big chunks of bleu cheese. The Philly cheesesteak I ordered was one of the best I've ever had. My husband loved his cheeseburger as well. We also split the Gold Strike sundae. It was fantastic- who knew Spanish peanuts could be such a great addition to ice cream?! It was a great experience all-around. We always have a nice time going out to dinner but this was a lot of FUN. The atmosphere and energy of Farrels makes it easy to walk out of there smiling, not just full!
(4)Matt F.
Fun for families with kids. The food is quite good and reasonably priced. Although service is slow when the restaurant is busy.
(4)TT T.
Will never return. Only word I can think of to describe this place is: obnoxious. Service is poor, food is mediocre at best, prices are average to overpriced, and this place is full of terrible children. I can only imagine the reason I would come back to this place is if I came with somebody I really didn't want to talk to because you can't hear the person next to you talking anyway. That includes the server, who cannot hear you, even if you scream.
(2)Andrea A.
Farrell's is a fun restaurant to go too! It's decorated to be reminiscent of a more retro, kid-friendly diner, and servers are highly engaging. Came for a friend's birthday dinner, and they gave her a sticker and a free birthday sundae, while all servers were singing to her! The food is a little more on the pricey side, but definitely worth it. Garlic fries from here are amazing! Not too overwhelming in garlic taste. Had the gastro sandwich and it's always very satisfying. I tend to need to take home the other half. Their ice cream is what they're really popular for. I recently had their ice cream nachos, and shared it with a friend. It was delicious with the waffle come "chips". Overall, I would come back here again!
(5)Jister Y.
I love the positive energy amongst the staff. They seem to be an amazing group of people with genuine smiles and friendly spirits. It's definitely a place you want to be if you want a group of talented folks singing happy birthday to you (drums, dances, clapping, etc.). Five stars for the staff! I'm not a huge fan of the ice cream eating contest. Eating food to enjoy is one thing (whether or not it's good for your health). But competitive eating is entirely different IMHO. Not to be a downer but I almost gagged on my own food while everyone was cheering on a young boy eat ice cream in a record time. Maybe some people like to watch (as it's apparent in Joey Chestnut's case who ate 66 hotdogs in 12 minutes), but not everyone, including me. -_-
(3)M B.
I took my family here to celebrate Father's Day. Unfortunately, the service and product were both poor. The ice cream served to us had melted quite a bit with no toppings as advertised (we had to ask the waitress to add them). Once we received the ice cream again, we didn't see the waitress until she brought us the check. After paying the bill, I took my son to the restroom which was in a very unsanitary condition. Upon leaving, we noticed a group of employees just standing there talking to each other which is of course fine but I feel this may have been the reason we were served ice cream with such poor presentation. We won't be going back.
(1)Kendra N.
Best time ever at Farrell's ice cream parlour! First time here and I definitely plan on coming back. The service was speedy and there was lots of entertainment
(5)Lawrence P.
Way to much going on that dam drum gose off the the time and a loud horn not what i remember from when i was a kid and the food wow gross verry greasy
(1)Paul N.
We went to dinner here for a school charity event. The service was horrible, food was cold, and ice cream was freezer burned....gross!! And worst of all, they pocketed $40 towards the bill, then illegally charged us $40 additional dollars on my card after we left. We ended up paying $100 for a $60 meal...nothing but thieves!! Legal action pending!! Don't eat here.....go to another location!!
(1)Travis T.
Bring the kids, this place was so active and loud it was great. The staff was amazing we had a group of 30 people and we felt like we were at home. Don't come here looking for a quiet romantic evening this place is for FUN, FAMILIES, AND KIDS KIDS KIDS. Ohh the food.....did i mention it's for the kids....not gourmet lol.
(5)Chris W.
For some, childhood memories are of a trip to Disneyland or maybe the Zoo... But for me, Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour was something really special... Banging drums, zany waiters, player piano, a candy counter like something from Willy Wonka and of course~ Plenty of ice cream! ( And celebrations when you finished it all!) : ) I had been waiting for this day and had wistfully told friends about this special place for many years! You can imagine my excitement when I heard about the new location in Mission Viejo... But somethings missing here... I have been a couple of times now and the food is pretty decent and the ice cream is Okay. Yes, there's an "electric" player piano hidden in the corner and still plenty of ice cream... But the old-timey charm has been replaced by flat screen TVs and overly rehearsed wait staff who seem slightly embarrassed and not very enthusiastic. : ( The grand candy counter is now just a small closet sized space, more like an afterthought... A $50 "Zoo" is adorned with Made in China swizzle sticks when it used to have Animal Crackers, Candy Sticks and sprinkles... The menu offers "upgrade" options which add extra costs to the bill. (I also think it is pretty shady of waiters to ask the kids themselves about these upgrades instead of checking with adults first.) Farrell's is still Fun... but with so many other cool and unique, child friendly options out there... I'm not sure if Farrell's will have the same effect on future generations as it did for me!
(3)John M.
Just like when I was a kid, ice cream, loud and old skool candy.
(5)Christine K.
Came to Farrell's because I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE ice cream. My friend suggested we go here so we all went to the Mission Viejo location since it's the closest one to us. It's a cute place, retained that old-fashioned feel. There were 4 other parties going on so we got to see a little of the theater that Farrell's had to offer. The banging drums, the loud laughter, the crazy bells and alarms. We decided to get their signature sundaes: The Farrell's Rocky Road, The Gold Rush and the Black & White. The sundaes were pretty good, lots of toppings, good amount of ice cream, but I don't think I would pay $7-$8 for the PORTION of the sundaes. Maybe I got spoiled by the Modern American Super Large portions, but maybe that's just me. I would like to come back and bring a bunch of people to eat the signature sundaes that feed 2-10 people. I think that might be worth it.
(3)Sarah M.
I grew up going to Farrell's in the Chicagoland. This redux absolutely transported me back to being 5 years old, with my sisters and brother, eating grilled cheese without the crusts and a cherry coke and a hot fudge sundae. They got it right! Everything is right. The menu, the food, the ice cream, the uniforms, every last detail on down to the awesome ridiculous styrofoam barbershop quartet hats. You're going to wait a looooooooong time if you go this weekend. When we got our table (after 2 hours of shopping) at about 5:30, they were telling people to come back at 11. But for me it was worth it! I know it won't be for everyone but this place is so special to me. If you have great memories from here you will love it too.
(5)Daniel T.
"How many in your party? Any birthdays?" These are the first questions anyone asks around here. Farrell's is a birthday mecca for kids and kids at heart. Get your giddy on with the zoo of folks that flocks here for the experience of dining in a noisy room. The restaurant is the prime locale to hear a slew of happy birthday songs (I remember at least 5). Be prepared for a high-energy crowd. People will be standing on their chairs, dancing, drumming, and running amok. Everything is silly. If you order a ridiculously large dessert, the waiters will surround your table and call everyone's attention to you. As a bonus, if you finish the colossal treat, you'll get a second helping of accolades. If you want to avoid the maniacal goings-on, request a table outside, it's significantly less boisterous. The menu is Traditional American and food portions are generous. The Swiss Turkey Focaccia sandwich is huge and will feed two pot-bellies for dinner. Burgers are kind of boring, but you can knock yourself out by adding extra patties; the Homerun is their code for "four meat down" and, subsequently, your ticket to a night with the "john." The biggest letdown was dessert. Don't get me wrong, dessert is always worth trying, but put the kibosh on any expectation or hope of finding the grail of all sundaes. Our waiter said that none of the ice cream is homemade and that none of their desserts is made from scratch, save the brownie. That's minus a star for me. If you're gonna call yourself an ice cream parlour, you had better make your own ice cream. But go and have fun. Tell grandpa to leave his hearing aids at home. Bring earplugs if you're sensitive to noise. If anything should fail, order another round of old-fashioned soda or come up with your own concoction (they'll do it for you).
(3)Roger B.
We had a great time, excellent food, fun for the kids. If you go, plan to wait in line though. A lot of other reviewers gave lower scores due to the long line (one hour wait), but that's not the restaurant's lack of quality; it's because a lot of people like it. It's popular. I will definitely go back.
(4)Amber P.
this place is awesome!! friendly, loud, and fun and a MUST visit at least once in your lifetime :) for me, it may be a monthly adventure... who knows! everyone was so nice, even the random soda pop guys that sat at our table just to chit chat and make sure we're having a great experience. so what are you waiting for... get up and GO!!
(5)Caitlin B.
Thank you Farrell's for making my butt bigger!! My mom has been bugging me to go here so we made the 45 minute trek to South OC. There was a so-called hour wait, but it was only like 20 minutes. It was a couple days after my son's birthday so we had them sing happy birthday to him and as frightened as he was, he loved it. The Pig's Trough was AMAZING - sooo good. The ice cream is REALLY good - I was very surprised!! Yes, it's loud and the servers aren't the greatest but it's all about the awesome experience and you can't beat what you get at Farrell's.
(5)Kristin D.
Service was beyond EXCELLENT!! We had a party of 10. Got seated immediately! Food was delish and served in a timely manner! My kids had a blast! Definitely will be visiting again!
(5)Jesus Q.
Are you kidding me! This place is as good as it gets! Yea, I had to wait in line for 2 hours, but was it worth it! The kids had a great time, and Big Daddy here had the best time of all. I was worried that Mama (who has no history with Farrell's) would be disappointed. She also had a great time! The food was awesome! I had the "Talk of the Town" Burger. My wife had the hot dog. She said it was one of the best hot dogs she has ever had. The ice cream was the best! The boys ages 2 & 5 are begging to go back! As far as staying true to the original, it was just like I remember as a kid. Complete with the Belly Busters, and the kazoo's blaring away! What great fun!
(5)Danielle T.
I had never been to Farrell's before so I had no idea what to expect except that they had ice cream. I went with my family of four and my in-laws to celebrate my 7 year old getting a new belt in karate. The line was huge. It was 5:00PM on a Saturday night so I figured there would be a wait. Big negative was that you have to wait in line and can't just leave your name and nobody would give you an idea or estimate how long it would take. So after waiting some time you eventually forced to stay because, well you have been waiting so long and there is no point to leaving. Finally after 1 hour and 20 minutes we were seated. The place is lively and loud. The waiters seem to be having more fun than the waitresses though. I love the decor and the singing. Just a fun time all around. My kids even got some balloon creations. The food was decent. I ordered the buffalo chicken sandwich, my husband ordered mini sliders, my in laws split the Reuben and the kids got pizza and chicken strips. Everything was tasty. Nothing special but nothing horrible. I only ate 1/2 cause I wanted to save room for dessert. My husband, 7 year old and I split the Triple Chocolate Brownie Sundae and my in-laws got the Pig Trough. The Sundae was good, I loved the brownies and ice cream but I wish that it had more hot fudge. My in-laws finished the pig trough with help from my husband and got totally embarrassed unexpectedly in front of everyone. I told them that they would be. I am torn between giving the place a 3 or a 4. Really it is about a 3 1/2. The food is ok. The wait is horrible. The atmosphere is fun. I would definitely come back but maybe next time for a kid's birthday. The place is perfect for that.
(3)Caitlin H.
I came here for lunch on Monday with a few other mommies & kiddos. We didn't have a wait, maybe cuz it was lunchtime. The hostess was very nice and accommodating with letting us wheel our strollers in the dining area, cuz my son was still asleep and so was another baby. I was told their portions were quite big, so the mommies opted to share. I had the BLAT and it was pretty good. I substituted for waffle fries but they weren't that great. However, DO get the tomato bisque, it was SOOO good! The only complaint I have is: seems like everyone likes to celebrate birthdays at this place?! The singing, sirens & drums were a little too much, quite annoying actually... They did mess up my sundae order, I asked for no nuts and they loaded it with nuts all over and under. I guess it was lucky for my other guests cuz they got a free sundae. =)
(3)Marc L.
It's amazing what a little customer service can do. Farrell's contacted me and asked me to come back and give their restaurant another chance, after my bad review. To be honest, after three visits, I had given up. But, since the GM was so nice about it, I figured, "why not?" I walked in fearing the worst. But this time, I brought a good friend and his family to make sure I wasn't being overly picky and to ask them what they thought. I was on pins and needles. Would this experience also go down as an epic Farrell's failure? (as an aside, they had no idea who I was or that I was reviewing my experience) Our server was Jenn; a bubbly, happy and very pleasant person who seemed to really care about our food. She kept coming back checking on us and telling us when the food would be up. There were 8 of us; 4 adults, 2 teenagers and 2 "tweens." We sat at two different tables and Jenn was accommodating to all of us. The food arrived quickly. This time, it was hot and fresh. The burgers, sandwiches, pasta were very good. Jenn even made a recommendation to my friend- who changed his mind from his original order based on her recommendation- so the pressure was on. The choice was perfect and my friend was delighted with his food. Service was great: Attentive without being pushy, and personal without being uncomfortable. We all joined in conversations with our server and she checked on us repeatedly. Then came the ice cream. NO MELTED ICE CREAM! The flavor of Farrell's strawberry is really out of this world so I ordered a Straw-Ana. My friends had gold-diggers, shakes, sundaes, and a banana split (which was phenomenal- as it used to be years ago). All 8 desserts were excellent. At the end of our meal I told our server, Jenna, about our previous bad experiences. She was a bit nervous, asking how THIS experience was. I can honestly tell you folks that it was excellent. While Farrell's may not be a 5-star restaurant (it's not supposed to be), it is an excellent representation of it's genre: a homey, fun, loud, party-like place to have some good, hearty American food and finish it off with excellent ice cream creations. Good for Farrell's; Good for taking the care to ask an unhappy customer back, and good for getting their act together and standing tall in their former place of glory. Farrell's is great ice cream and a fun atmosphere (as long as you like LOUD). And that, my friends, is how it was 30 years ago, and - happily- what it remains today. I think I'm getting older because, frankly, I don't like the chaotic atmosphere like I did when I was a kid. A lot of the servers seem to be over-enthusiastic (like drama-geeks). But that's hardly a complaint. With Farrell's, you're not expecting a quiet dinner. It's loud and crazy and everybody shouts. But that's what it's there for. (I'd like to blow that freakin' siren up though.). But like I said, that's what it's supposed to be. Thanks Farrell's. You got it right this time. Keep it up, I'll be watching!
(4)Kristen S.
I think this place is fun if you have big groups or have children. It was so loud and noisy in here so if you're looking for a quiet dinner this is not the place for you. We waited in line for about 45 min. to get in. We had high hopes for the food but it was average and nothing special. Ice cream was pretty good though. Service was kind of slow but they are really busy so its probably hard to be attentive to everyone. Maybe I'll come back someday if I have kids.
(3)Laura P.
The food here is pretty aweful, I ordered a french dip and it was almost not edible. The meat was cold, the bun was soggy and to top it off the portions were small too. Moving on to dessert, we figured this being an ice-cream place that the shakes would be a easy-win but we were wrong. We didn't even finish it because it was half melted and the flavor tasted like they put too much fake strawberry in it. The only reason I am giving this place a 2-star and not a 1-star is because we were there for a child's birthday and they had a good time. If you want to torture yourself and pay high prices for garbage food for the sake of a birthday-boy/girl then this is the place... for all others, avoid this place like the plague.
(2)Saloni M.
delicious desserts!!!!
(5)Melanie S.
This place is so much fun! Definitely kid friendly. It's located right outside the food court of the mall so you really can't miss it. When we were there, the wait was 4 hours!..eeks! But, when there's a long wait, it kinda shows you what a unique and cool place it is. The staff is super friendly and sing while bringing out your ice cream to you. There's so many different sundaes and combinations to choose from. There's even a sundae with 50 scoops that's brought out with a huge rally behind it with drums and tambourines. Definitely not a quiet place. The actual restaurant is pretty large, but I noticed they don't use all the tables, probably because there's not enough staff. The food besides the ice cream menu is pretty typical, sandwiches and fries. My reuben was very tasty..but it's hard to mess up corned beef...no? If you're a lover of ice cream, this is the place for you.
(4)Pamela R.
This is a fun place but we were served with a dirty glass (lipsticks marks on it) and not even an apology the manager seemed more irritated that we said anything! Completely disgusting and rude! Don't think we'll be back!
(1)Ken L.
Just like I remember as a kid. I was here at down time, so it wasn't too obnoxious. We just came for dessert. It was excellent, like I remember. Coffe was average. No espresso drinks. It can get loud and obnoxious as every single table with a child is having a birthday or unbirthday, as the case may be. A very happy unbirthday indeed!
(4)Naa N.
Had the gold digger.. Tried the gold rush and brownie sundae. None of it is special.. Ice cream tasted cheap. I highly doubt they make their own ice cream. Wouldn't recommend to come here. Plus it is very loud.
(2)Joanna W.
With all the fun memories I have of Farrell's growing up, we decided to have my son's 3rd birthday party there to see if it was as great as I remembered. I could not have been more please with experience. First, the party planning staff were so helpful and really kept things organized so that party day was seamless. They answered all my questions in a timely manner and even followed-up the day after the party to make sure everything went off without a hitch. Upon arriving at noon on Saturday, we were cheerfully greeted by a number of staff members and led to our reserved area within a few minutes. Stephen, our party host/waiter was fabulous. He went above and beyond by anticipating our every need. He was pleasant, cheerful, and genuine. The "find the cherry in the whipped cream" game was hilarious and really got everyone in the party spirit. Food came out fast and hot... and while it's hard to rave about pizza and chicken strips. It was tasty kid party food. With so many birthday parties going on that day, there was a constant stream of whistles, drums and songs. I had a feeling that my son might be a little overwhelmed when the time came for his birthday moment, so I asked Stephen if they could due a "toned down" version of the birthday celebration song. He said it was no problem. They were so nice and when it came time, he and the other staff members got down on there knees to sing, which totally pleased my three-year-old. He totally enjoyed the spotlight and was not scared at all:) The ice cream was the perfect finale to a fantastic birthday celebration. All our guests were very impressed and so was I. Great job Farrell's... as good as I remember.
(5)stacie M.
You EXPECT the noisy, crazy, chaos at Farrell's... that's WHY you go there. I am OK with the wait... if something is great, you might have to wait. What I am NOT OK with appears to be a management issues (which, if I am not mistaken was part of the reason the original Farrells all went out of business?)... they NEED to address this and get this fixed. (Maybe hire a manager from a well-run establishment and get them to fix it). Morale seems low amongst staff... there doesn't appear to be a good system in place, they seem over-worked and irritated. The place was FILTHY when we went. Food was OK. Ice cream was yummy but SMALL servings for an exorbitant price. Overcharge me, fine... but give me a noteworthy, BIG, fun, delectable sundae, for goodness sake! Make a memory for me! I will probably be back (because it is fun and I have kids), but I will probably be grumbling about it :/
(2)June C.
I understand that the purpose of this restaurant is (a) ice cream and (b) crazy birthday party songs, but it is just so BEYOND annoying, I can't stand it. Aside from the ice cream, all of the food is mediocre and your meal is constantly interrupted by those crazy birthday party songs. And there is always a huge wait for a table. I understand there is a hype about the place, but I cannot comprehend why, it's just annoying to me.
(1)Gloria T.
3.5 stars for Farrell's. My childhood involved special occasions, namely birthdays, at Farrell's. Though the new Farrell's tries to mimic the original....it just doesn't have the same feel. To me going to Farrell's was like going back in time or being at your grandparents house. It has a certain olde time charm that is hard to capture in the Mission Viejo Mall. Ambiance - Completely chaotic. Loud. Random kids screaming. Sirens, drums and zippy songs commemorate birthday after birthday. I lost count of the number of birthdays that went on during our 1.5 hour visit. But good fun, especially if you are a kid. Food - Burgers are average. Pay the extra charge to swap out regular fries for waffle cut fries. They will also split meals for you and put them on separate plates. Service - A bit disorganized and chaotic. I think the crazy kid birthday madness swirling around around makes it challenging to work at Farrell's. Ice cream - Yum. How can you go wrong with ice cream. If you just want a small treat (in comparison to say, the "Pig's Trough") go for the luncheon ice cream special. If you purchase an entree you can get a small sundae that includes ice cream, a topping (such as hot fudge or strawberry sauce) and whipped cream for $2.99. The wait can be long....I recommend a weekday trip if at all possible. The chaos is taken down ever so slightly during the week. Farrell's is the ultimate destination for ice cream lovers, kids and birthdays!
(3)Jessica N.
I've eaten here quite a few times, both for lunch and dinner. It's great if you have tons of time, or maybe if you are celebrating a birthday, but I wouldn't recommend it for casual dining. Worst experience was when I went for lunch one time and we didn't see our waitress for 45 mins after placing our orders. Well, actually we saw her, but as she was parading around (literally) with the other staff doing their musical productions for the various celebrations of other diners. I ended up being an hour and a half late to work after all was said and done and I haven't gone back since. Food wasn't good enough to miss, but if a friend wants a party there I would still go and not have a horrible time.
(2)Violet W.
Ic Cream Sundays for the kids- a glass of wine for mommy. A great place to start a play date !
(5)Anne M.
We drove up from San Diego to this location for the nostalgia and wanted our son to experience what we remembered growing up. We had a small group of friends meet here to celebrate both boys in my life, my husband and son, and had a few newbies join in on the loud fun. We ordered the Hot Fudge Volcano which came out with sparklers. This place is great for a chaotic crowd to drown out the yells and screams of children! LOVE IT... hahaha There's a long wait if you want your group to be seated together and the servers were not rude, everyone was surprisingly polite, which always makes the experience even better.
(4)Joseph A.
I ended up here for a double birthday celebration on a Sunday afternoon. While it was great to see the homies, this wasn't really the type of place ideal for the sit down and catch up chat session. The main reason being that the energetic and boisterous staff are always "on". And thus, this makes the atmosphere much more enjoyable for the kiddies. Since this was my first meal of the day, I definitely had the munchies, so I ordered the spinach and artichoke dip as an appetizer to share, and a ham sandwich for my main event. I was saddened to find that they don't serve tortilla chips with the dip, and instead pair it with some melba toast-like breadsticks/crackers. It's a shame because the dip was primo. My ham sandwich was alright, but nothing I'd go out of my way to partake of again. With regard to dessert, I was really hoping for something on the level of a Ghirardelli's, but this did not quite measure up. We shared a Hot Fudge Volcano. Fortunately, the venue is decorated in a festive manner, and there always seems to be something going on at every corner of the restaurant. The menu features a decent selection of sandwiches, burgers, and pizzas.
(3)Angelique J.
Great atmosphere! My son and I went and had lunch. We both had the Fabulous French Dip and Ooey Gooey Cheese Sticks! Both great! Will definitely go again during the day. I don't think I would be able to handle the noise at night.
(3)Alfred E.
Super loud. Super cute. Super yummy desserts priced as a meal. Awesome for eating if you can tolerate the noise. If you want the noise then add another star. Give another for a perfect rating if you like cute newspaper menus and 'happy' staff.
(3)Elfira S.
Came here with a friend, we were super hungry walking in and super full and happy walking out. We tried the buffalo slider (* * * * *) the buffalo slider is not as spicy as regular buffalo xxxx should be, so it's ok for kids i guess. the garlic fries (* * *) the fries does not have enough garlic taste and the basil was not very fragrance. however they are not oily and crispy enough. Also they portion for the smaller order is huge, about 3.5 times of in n out fries Mocha Sunday! (* * * * ) Oh my! They are delicious and huge, although it slightly too sweet for me we split the sunday and we still could not finish it! Lemon Iced tea (?) my friend order it, i did not taste it, but it looks pretty with lemonade in the bottom and iced tea on top. oh, we spend about 25.5 for those
(4)Jeremy S.
This is the place to go if you want good food and a fun atmosphere for the kids! No dirty video games and bad pizza here! They cooked my cheeseburger perfectly. I had the BEST bacon cheeseburger in years, my wife loved her chicken sandwich, and my kids loved the huge ice cream dessert. We waited in line for 30 minutes, and would do it again. I am scared to leave such a fantastic review in fear that they get busier and the line wait becomes 1 hour, but I would probably wait that long for such a great experience for my family. Farrell's Icre Cream Parlour is fabulous. By the way, if you are a vegetarian and expect vegetarian food at an ice cream parlour and burger restaurant, then get a clue!
(5)Linda Y.
Aww look at all the sad reviews below :( Poor Farrell. I had never heard of Farrell's before until a coworker mentioned it. We initially made reservations for 8 (which is the minimum reservation requirement) and got to order in advance. Unfortunately, a bug went around the office and dropped like flies into half. They were still cool though and we got to sit down and get our food right away which is awesome because we drove all the way from Irvine during lunch! I ordered the grown up grilled cheese which has 4 different cheeses on sourdough. It wasn't too shabby. Instead of regular fries I ordered waffle chili cheese fries but when I got my food I got regular chili cheese fries :( I told them I actually ordered waffle fries and they brought out a plate... without charge! I only ended up paying $.99 more. WAFFLE FRIES WERE BOMB! The service was excellent and although the prices are a little too much for me, they ended up not charging us for drinks. It looks like I just had a lucky experience here but whatever. It was good and fun! Great for families... if you have the patience to wait in line!
(4)Darcy G.
Great place for kids birthdays!! And very nostalgic for me, since my mom took me to a Farrell's as a kid. But the lines are long and food is average. The best thing to do is to make a reservation (must have a party of 8 or more) because the wait is often well over an hour... and go for the dessert and the experience.
(3)Adam S.
In 1963 Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour opened in Portland, Oregon and enjoyed great success until 1990 when the nostalgia came to a screeching halt as nearly every store nation-wide closed. By 1996 the chain had for all purposes vanished, but today the wave of the return of one of the most more admired ice cream parlours began. Farrell's opened this afternoon in Mission Viejo, California, at the Shops at Mission Viejo (the same location of the second Microsoft retail store which opened on October 29 - Video). This is one of those places that will give you that rebel feeling as you throw all your health to the wind. It's a place that almost acts as a beacon of sanity in the organic, health obsessed community of southern California. Its very exterior touts that it's ok to indulge, that man is not meant to be deprived of the pleasure of a delicious hot fudge sundae. It's a place that offers a simple luxury, an escape from the routine and worrisome lives this recession has brought to so many of us. Here at eight25 Creative, we like places like this, that go against the grain and rub the status quo the wrong way. We like places that aren't willing to conform, and Farrell's is one of those places - a place that believes something different than the majority. We also love the fact that we can walk through the mall to the Mac store, Microsoft store, and grab some new digs along the way after we've finished scarfing down some old fashioned ice cream. eight25.com
(4)Darrin H.
In the past, Farrell's was in city of Orange. That location has been long gone, but Farrell's recently opened a new location in the Mission Viejo mall. Aiming to relive my memory and perhaps even create a new one for my son, my family shleped ourselves down to MV mall in 100 degree heat for some ice cream. What could go wrong? Plenty. While I wasn't upset at a 45 minute wait (it was 100 degrees outside), those waiting were corralled into a waiting line despite having taken names. After being called, I was unpleasantly surprised by the noise level in the place, FAR greater than the old Farrell's which saved the noise for the special occasions. Lastly, our service was so poor that our server comp'ed us 75% of the items we ordered. And perhaps I'm a bit jaded, but the desserts weren't all that great, especially given the existence of Hans' Ice Cream in Costa Mesa.
(2)P M.
I remember Farrell's since I was little, I love it. We went to Farrell's for dinner on a saturday night , no wait at this time. My kids and my boyfriend has never been there, I told the server it was my daughter b-day and it was great. She was embrasses but she had fun there. We will go back again.
(5)Mike J.
I had a problem with the service in March 2013. The company read my review and immediately responded to my review. I went there this evening with my family to celebrate my grandson's and granddaughter's birthdays. The service was excellent and everyone was very friendly. We all had a good time and the deserts were excellent. I am now a fan of Farrell's.
(5)Katie M.
I take my kids here quite often and we LOVE it! It's noisy and fun, and that's just what i was looking for in a restaurant to take my kids to. I know they are known for their ice cream, which is ALWAYS soooo good! But their regular food exceeded my expectations. The salads and burgers are excellent! Thanks Farrell's! You never disappoint! I think next time we will take part in their ice cream eating challenges!
(5)Kathleen N.
Great atmosphere for families. It is a touch loud though if you try to carry on a conversation and the ice cream is a bit overpriced. But great place for birthdays.
(4)Ann N.
This is an update to my review written on 2/28/13. I was contacted by the general manager for a follow up in less than 24 hours from our visit. The GM, Alex was professional and courteous. She apologized for our experience and offered us options to make this right. My husband & I are pleased with Alex's customer service and we may give this Farrell's another try in the future.
(2)Kate N.
Wahooo!!! This is as good as it gets! I've been searching for a ice cream Parlour with a traditional banana split for, far to long. My prayers have been answered! The awesome atmosphere and cheerful staff really makes this place go above and beyond for a Restaurant.
(4)Betty K.
My boyfriend and I have been needing to come here (not wanting, NEEDING) so we had a lot of anticipation and excitement building towards this visit. When we walked into the mall (enterance is in the mall) we were a bit disappointed and confused to see a line at 8:30 at night. We weren't sure if we were supposed to leave our name, or just wait, and it seemed like the family before us were confused as well. But after a little bit of investigation, we decided to wait in line and we waited patiently for about 12 minutes until a gentleman greeted us with a clipboard. Here's how it went. Host: "hi!" BF: "Hi!" Host: "...." BF: "... OH am I supposed to write my name or something?" Host: "Yeah I need your name." BF: "Oh.. Okay, (NAME) and we have two" Host: "Okay. Name.... Two?" BF: "Yeah Thanks" Host: -gone- BF: "awwwwkwarrrdd" I didn't exactly enjoy that encounter. The host then rudely told us to get going to the table. Eh I don't see how he's the host. But I felt bad after I noticed how nice our waiter was. He was really nice, and he kindly helped us with our order, although he was a bit confused by our request, but he tried his best to be helpful. The BF and I decided to share a Triple Scoop Hot Caramel/Fudge Sundae. It was really big and it was nice that they put the hot fudge on the side (you can choose between fudge and caramel) They already had salty nuts sprinkled on the vanilla ice cream when it came. Not superb quality ice cream, but it did the job and cost about $7. The ambiance, like other posts kindly noted, is a party-like atmosphere and there are birthday celebrations every 12-15min. This is a great and fun bday spot, but I wouldn't come back just because I feel like I can get the same ice cream experience at Cold Stone, for cheaper.
(3)Ivan B.
Service was good, but the entrees were average. For all of the build up on the ice cream and giant sundaes, I thought Breyers from Ralphs tasted better. The ice cream definitely needed more flavor.
(2)Kelly R.
Well I really have no clue where to start. Yes, it was that bad. We came here by default because the other restaurants in the mall had either a wait or we couldn't agree on the place. We have young kids so I figured we couldn't go wrong at this place or so I thought. We were seated and it took probably 10 minutes just to get water! And the water was delivered by a sympathetic waitress that wasn't ours. Our waitress finally arrives and we tell her we're ready to order we all say what we want and before we could order something besides drinks she bolts out of there and goes on a smoke break with all her friends. Ok so at least we got our food order in. 5 minutes goes by, 10 min, 20,30,40! Our kids are starting to meltdown. My husband wants to just walk out. She literally came just to take our order and was outside close to 40 min! We could see our food just sitting there in the kitchen for a good 20 minutes if not more. She was so busy socializing that the manager had to bring us our food! It was a complete disaster.
(1)Laurie B.
This is a great place to go for a midweek birthday meal for your kid (or kid at heart). Weekends are too noisy and crowded. The food is average/mediocre in general, but the asian chicken salad actually is pretty good, and large enough to share if you're planning on springing for ice cream (of course you are, that's why you're here). I've enjoyed their mint chip hot fudge sundae since I was a kid eating at the Farrell's in Staten Island, NY. Sadly, there are very few of them left and now that I have my own kids it's a birthday tradition in our family to head over to Farrell's. It's a festive atmosphere for an occasional ice cream splurge, and feels "special" for the kids.
(3)Belinda M.
Had a great time last Saturday! Took our 15 year old for her birthday dinner. This was all of our kids first time to a Farrells and they had a blast!! The service was awsome and the food was really good. Hubbys chili cheese dog was HUGE and tastey(he says), my 'grown up mac n cheese' was sooo good I had dreams about it (haha) our 15 year old had an awesome looking bacon cheeseburger (we didn't even get a taste~ she wanted to take her left overs home for breakfast!) The two little girls were permitted to split a childs chicken strip dinner at no charge for the splitting. They also split a single banana split into two cups for them at no extra charge! The sundaes we (hubby, me,15 y.o.) had were really good too. no complaints at all! The kids really loved the noise and comotion!
(5)jonathan l.
Ok I won't even talk about the food, knowing what it is. The service was horrid to say the least. Dinner with a family on a Wednesday night should not take over 2 hours. It was so slow we ordered a Banana Split which was over 20 minutes before i got up and had to ask about it. Fine they did not charge me for it but my bill was still over charged by $17 on other stuff, finally we got someone to fix it. Loud, bad food, slow service, (never checked back about the cold food), over charged. Why would I ever go back???? Yep, I won't
(1)Stacey B.
I was SO excited to find out that there was still a Farrells out there! I have so many fond childhood memories of celebrating Birthdays and special occasions at Farrells that I was overjoyed to find out that I could share the same memories with my kids. I will admit I was a little worried that the food wasnt going to be very good and that the loud environment and obnoxious sized ice cream portions that I adored as a kid would be unappealing to me as an adult but I was pleasantly surprised! The food quality is very good, the atmosphere, although loud, is downright fun, and the ice cream, well, the ice cream creations are the whole reason for going. We have been to Farrells twice and both times my family of 6 were all very happy with our experience. The staff is great, very personable and attentive. We will definitely be back.
(5)Phil V.
Let me explain my ranking of this place before I get into the details. Its new and different than most of the stuff in south orange county. So it starts with three stars. They lose a star for the wait/ reservation process. We called two weeks ago to try to get reservations, but they said they did not take them and you had to come in the day of to make reservations for that day. That fine, I guess. So we went early yesterday to be first in when they opened at 11AM. We got in and the earliest reservation they had at 8PM! The manager said they just started taking phone reservations on Monday. WTF?! That's convenient. So minus a star for that. It made up that star with the overwhelming-ness of the zoo. It looked like a hot mess, but damn. 8 POUNDS of ice cream (so we were told). Some minor details, skip the chili fries and the garlic fries. They were lack luster. Especially if you are going with the zoo, you need to save space. The service is sub par, they don't refill waters on the regular. Or ever as a matter of fact in our case. The zoo is amazing and horrible at the same time. There were seven of us. Two of us, including yours truly ate, or should I say consumed, more than half.
(3)Neil K.
We went on a Sunday evening around 5:30 for a 12 year old kid's birthday. His choice, as we do on every family member's birthday. It was a shame the mall itself closed at 6 as we had an hour and a half to kill in line. When we got in, we had a booth for 4 and a small round table set next to it for numbers 5 and 6 in our party ... not too bad, better than trying to squeeze all 6 of us into a seating for 4 as some places have done. The waiter came pretty quickly and took our drink orders, brought the drinks and took our meal orders. So far, so good. The food though was mediocre, nothing special, nor very good. My BBQ chicken salad was meh, the chicken little small cubes, no barbecue flavor to them .. more like boiled chicken. In fact, it sort of resembled what we give our dog for treats. My wife ordered a side salad with her burger ... then had to ask for an order of fries to be brought as she ordered the salad additionally, not to replace the fries. The French fries were OK, again nothing special though. The fried onion strips were mostly batter, very thin, not much onion flavor nor onion to be found. Service started out good, then went downhill once we got our food. Trying to grab someone to bring the fries took a while. It took even longer though trying to order desert. And then the desert itself ... well ... My wife and I shared a hot fudge sundae. The hot fudge was under the ice cream instead of over it as it should be. And apparently it sat on the counter a while waiting delivery as it was half melted. And I don't mean soft, I mean melted, liquid. The fudge was good, nice and thick and semi-sweet as hot fudge should be. The ice cream was nothing special, not creamy or super flavored as one might expect at an ice cream parlour. The atmosphere was good for kids. Loud, noisy, beating the drums for the over-sized ice cream concoctions ordered and for birthdays. The staff did good on birthdays, varying the routine each time rather than just singing Happy Birthday. Ice cream sundaes are a bit high priced though the food is not. Including the tip, it came to $122.00 for 6, not too bad, but not worth the quality of the food itself.
(2)Chris N.
This is a great place if you grew up going here for your birthday. Is it me or is the ice cream from Thrifty or Rite aid? The sundaes and shakes are great though. But I think it's because of the nostalgic factor. Since it just opened, go there before 5PM for a short wait. Try to get a table or booth away from the front where they make the sundaes. It's quite a noisy place.
(3)Paul R.
The ice cream may be okay but it cannot make up for the seriously lousy food. Our family tried a burger, pizza, salad, and chicken strips. Everything tasted like it was prepared well in advance and then heated up. Wait staff was also amateur- milkshake delivered after dinner was over, blaming others for the bad service, etc. The atmosphere in the restaurant is also 100% obnoxious but I suppose that is actually a draw for some.
(1)Fred K.
My wife and I shared the Ice cream nachos. It sounded a little better than it actually was, but how can you go wrong with their ice cream. Though I initially thought that the blueberries wouldn't work in this dessert, they were delicious. The place is a loud, birthday party like atmosphere and you can anticipate a bunch of yelling, banging on drums, and singing from the servers. Though it could be a fun atmosphere it might not be the place to go if you want a quiet dessert. Great for a kids birthday party though!
(3)Gina F.
I won't bore anyone with personal childhood stories about Farrell's. If you're eating here you have them...let's get on with it. I ate here today after waiting in line 45 minutes. The food was good. The service was friendly and efficient. The ice cream was as good as it was when I was 6. The ONLY thing missing from the Farrell's of yesteryear was the paper American flag toothpicks in the burgers and sandwiches. Other than that, it was like seeing and old friend.
(4)Lauren T.
Great fun for kids. We have been twice, the last time for my son's 7th birthday, he loved it. The food is okay, the ice cream okay, the entertainment and fun for kids is excellent.
(4)Areli R.
Fun, and loud place...with great creations of Ice Cream. Great place for kids and birthday parties.
(4)Julie T.
I grew up with Farrell's. I worked my husband up in to a frenzy about Farrell's and we made the road trip there. All of the excitement I remember! My three year old loved all the hoopla. The food is still great and updated. And the icecream has not changed. Oh my! I recommend the diet coke float with a scoop of sugar free vanilla ice cream. Sooo good.
(4)Jack L.
My wife, 2 children and I visited Farrell's just last week. We have been there for ice cream on a few occasion, but this has been the first time that we have had the opportunity to enjoy a meal there. Things were a little hectic that evening, so I was prepared to exercise my well conditioned patience. I was surprised at how tasty the food was, considering the fact that Farrell's is mostly known for the ice cream and fan-fare. Our sons split a cheese pizza that looked amazing. Just the right size for pre-teens to share. My wife decided to go all-out and get the old time frank. You can't go wrong with a chili cheese dog that must have weighed two pounds. She loved it, and I have to agree since I snook a bite or two. To be honest with you, the highlight of the evening was my all american burger. Oddly enough, the fact that my order came out wrong was the best part. I ordered the burger without lettuce, and you might have now guessed that when it arrived, the burger did have lettuce on it. This is not a big deal at all to me. I just do not eat the lettuce and I would prefer for the restaurants not to waste otherwise good food on me when I will simply not eat it. I am assuming that our server, Brooke, noticed the few pieces of lettuce on my otherwise bare plate when we asked for the bill because we were soon greeted by the manager, Andrew I believe. He was a little cocky, but gracious and apologized for the mishap and no matter how much I downplayed the lettuce-gate issue, he insisted on picking up our entire meal PLUS our ice cream that night. This was a very nice and unnecessary gesture, but I was only able to refuse the offer so many times without causing a scene. There was never any danger of my family NOT revisiting Farrell's. Hopefully Andrew doesn't put them out of business before our next birthday party.
(5)Liz G.
This was a first time experience for me. I have heard that Farrells was once a bigger Ice Cream shoppe/ Restaurant many years ago, and so coming to a new fangled location in Mission Viejo was exciting. We got seated pretty quick about 2-3 min wait, but sitting at our booth we waited, and waited for a server, disappointing, but Angel (yes that's her name) went out of her way to introduce herself and take our order when we were just sitting there with wondering looks on our faces. Our drinks and food came out just right and quickly after that, and our "real" server was introduced to us and she was decent after the uncomfortable wait at the table. Ice Cream was great! i had the Banana Royale Sundae and my husband had the Gold Rush Sundae....soo yummy.
(4)Caledonia H.
Farrell's offers a lively atmosphere fit for families and those who just love to be around bright colours and lots of singing and laughing. Known for it's famous ice cream and shakes, the place also offers food of all kinds and even a candy shop for those with a bad sweet tooth or want even more sugar later on in the night. The waiting service is quick and super friendly. But beware, if you don't want anyone singing to you for any reason or can't stand loud noises, this place isn't for you.
(4)Ruby M.
I found this place through Food Network channel and took my friend from NY. He is pretty gourmet. ....Not good at all. Overall none of the foods which we ordered didn't taste like NY delis'. He suggested me to try The Reuben sandwiches because this is really east coast style sandwich. To me, the taste didn't right and we noticed they forgot to add sauerkraut.....!!! We complained it to our waitress and she simply said "oh, they forgot"...... I had never tried this sandwich before so I didn't know this would come with sauerkraut, so I ate a half of the portion. Maybe that's why, but this waitress didn't even offer discount or replacement (of course we didn't ask these. We just wanted to leave from this place because we were pretty upset at this point.). She just added a brief apology message on our receipt. (I uploaded the photo.) Also, their services were extremely slow! They didn't bring silverware so we had to wait until our foods got cold. And this place was EXTREMELY noisy like a kids version club.... We were extremely disappointed at their foods and services, and will never go back for sure.
(1)Mares F.
Just reviewing on to-go service and dessert: I just had a craving for something sweet, and definitely wanted to dive in on something with ice cream. We were on the go so didn't really want to do the sit-in thing. The cashier at the front was really friendly, and said their shakes and floats were most popular. We had a cookies and cream shake and the classic root beer float. The cookies and cream shake was delicious- a nice, easy to "slurp through a straw" texture, but not watered down with extra milk either. Knowing that the Oreo cookies were already sitting in the ice cream, more additional cookie chunks would be greatly appreciated! As for the root beer float- delicious! They're pretty generous with the 1 heaping scoop of ice cream, and filled the rest of the 16oz. cup with root beer. Service went quick- we were in and out of there in 10 minutes. The location is on the back side of the mall- so it won't be visible driving by, but when your in the vicinity in the mall parking lot- you definitely won't miss it.
(3)Tina R.
Friendly Service, Awesome Atmosphere!
(4)Kate G.
I've been to Farrell's several times, but my most recent trip reminded me how incredibly awesome the place is. First, my family came to celebrate good report cards, and they managed to come up with a Farrell's Cheer to make the kids feel important. The servers are attentive and intent on keeping the fun energy in the place UP. Second, the food is unexpectedly good. In a place that serves entertainment and great desserts, barely adequate food is often tolerated, but NOT here! The Turkey Swiss Ciabatta was excellent, and if they offered a "Grown-Up" room, or at least one with a decibel level below deafening, I would probably visit much more often. Finally, the ice cream....so many choices, and each is customizable so that it becomes the perfect dessert. In all, I just love Farrell's!
(4)Katie L.
I've been here twice...the first time, waited about an hour, second time, got right in with a reservation for a big party. They only take reservation if you have more than 8 people w/min. of $10/person, including children. That was easy though since this place is not cheap, the average dish goes for around $10. First off, this is an Ice Cream Parlour so don't expect great food. Sad but yea, the reality is, do you really expect an ice cream place to have delicious entrees? No, but I expect GREAT dessert and ice cream. So for an entree...I got half order of salad (Chopstick salad), hubby got hot sandwich (reuben), now can't go too wrong with that so it tasted okay. My thing is...for the price, I'd rather go out to the food court just right outside of the restaurant, at the mall, get my food for half the price if it's just going to taste so-so. Now on to the good stuff, ice cream. Hubby went crazy and got the Pig's Trough (which is a double banana split) to eat BY HIMSELF. I'm not so greedy, so I just got their Cream Soda Chofee (chocolate cream soda with coffee ice cream). At first sip, it tasted yummy, then as I stir it and sip some more, it became too sweet for me. AND I HAVE A SWEET TOOTH! I think the cream soda can do without the chocolate syrup, which made the whole thing too sweet. It's really yummy though, I like the combo of my 2 favorite drink, Chofee! Hubby couldn't finish his ginormous ice cream, said it was not good ice cream...OR it could be that he just ate too much of it and made himself sick. Moderation is key dear! He said he still prefers his favorite ice cream joint, Stricklands!!! I would have to agree. BUT you can't beat the ambiance here...just prepare for LOUD noises all around, at all times. It is after all, a kid's place, so kids would enjoy it 10x more than adults. The plus side to all the noise is when you have a kid crying, no one's complaining! Service was excellent, waiter/waitress kept checking on us, manager came by to check on us. They were all friendly, food came out quickly and there were no mistake on our orders. Plus plus for that! Final review....skip the food, just get the dessert!
(3)Brenda K.
I went to Farrell's for my 43rd Birthday with my two brothers (46 & 59), husband (51), twins sons (18), my two sister-in-laws (30 & 58) and my four nieces 25, 9, 3 & 1. We had an Absolute blast! Our waiter Jesus was so fun as well as the rest of the waiters and waitresses everyone who worked there made it fun for our entire group! We are still talking about it the next day! Thank you Farrell's Mission Viejo for making by Birthday so memorable and fun! Brenda K. Lake Forest, CA
(5)courtney n.
This place is sooooo cute :) it's really unique and a great date place. The food is okay ?? . . . but just come here for the ice cream :) YUM. It's a little pricey but if you go here once in a while its fine :) The ice cream is good but nothing really special ?
(3)Jacklyn G.
My boyfriend suggested we try this place out to celebrate my daughter's 13th birthday. I'm so glad we did! We all had a blast! Call me lame if you want, but I never even heard of this place before. Apparently its been around for years. Very few locations. If you want an entertaining, fun, not a dull moment type of dinner, this is the place to go. We went on a Monday evening, the manager greeted us with a smile, directed us to a table, and handed my daughter a birthday sticker to wear. Unexpectedly every 10 minutes or so, all the waitors would get together and sing a variation of "happy birthday"songs to the celebrants. Even had a hip hop version. I don't think I heard the same song twice.The celebrants are asked to stand on their chair, and participate by singing along or dancing. We all joined in and cheered along. I think I smiled all night, and caught myself grooving a few times. One celebration, the entire family was involved. Singing waiters/waitresses, marching band drum, bells and whistles, full of enthusiasms, energetic waiters/waitresses. Even the manager was involved. I swear they all drank 5 hour energy's before getting to work, how else would they have soooo much energy! They also had someone come around making balloon hats. They had some pretty crazy big balloons hats. We all ordered different types of burger meals, and they were all delicious! Along with our burgers we had regular fries,garlic fries and onion rings. All delicious . My garlic fries had cut up raw garlic in them, so it's pretty strong, but very good. The onion rings were the thin mountain high type of onion rings, hard to eat with your hands since they were so thin. The batter was delcious, and my daughter ate them all up. It didn't take long for our food to come out. The only thing I noticed is we weren't offered a refill with our soda drinks. So they were a bit watered down by the end of dinner. They need to open one up in the LA area or San Diego. So if you're looking for a fun dinner, a not a dull moment, high energy place to eat, then I def recommend this place. As long as your okay with standing up in your chair, and being sang too, then this is the place to be!
(5)Shannon G.
I did not enjoy my experience at this place. The menu is very limited. The noise is unbelievable. I do not recommend this place for people who do not like children like me. We went for my grandmas birthday she liked it.
(1)Princess C.
the ice cream is really good, but the service is awful, there are just a bunch of clowns running this place and is ok, once you actually sit but the waiting is awful, the hostes lets you stand in the front for hours, never letting you know how much the wait will be and is really not accommodating for 2 people is more for big party's and is best if you make a reservation. If you want the ice cream is better to just order it to go, watch the boys that are at the bar all they do is watch the girls walk by and hardly work.
(2)Thomas C.
Don't bother calling them! the place is too noisy and always busy!!
(1)Romina S.
I love the food there! Especially the ice cream (No der)
(4)Scott R.
It didn't live up to the hype. I thought the menu was pretty basic, and the party environment wasn't much more than I have seen at any other restaurant. I remember the one in Huntington Beach being much more entertaining. We had some of the worst service that I have ever had eating out. Ordering and serving was slow, and it wasn't that crowded. Some of the food was cold and it wasn't very good. I ate light so I could go BIG on the dessert. There were 7 of us and they messed up 5 of the desserts. It was comical how they mixed up what we ordered. The waitress said she would make some adjustments on the bill for our troubles. When the bill came, everything was on there. She took it back again and took off a couple of desserts. I was deflated. Didn't seem like anything I couldn't get from a burger joint and Cold Stone. I have to wonder why people have been waiting over an hour to eat there. I realize that Farrell's is new, and that it may be going through some growing pains. I also think that our server was a big part of our poor experience. That can happen anywhere. We had a good time, but it was because we were joking about the bad service and the false hype. I don't think that's the experience they are hoping to provide. I wish them the best of luck, but they have some work to do if they are going to rise above the average diner.
(2)Oliver T.
The food there was fantastic. I enjoyed the singing and the enthusiasm of the workers. The manager Andrew stopped by at our table he was very nice polite he made sure all of our food was out and perfect. Farrell's for life!
(5)Rico A.
Loved Farrell's. It brought back childhood memories. All of the traditional shenanigans are still here (drum beating, birthday cheers, delivery of the zoo and volcano ice cream on a stretcher, etc.). Only reason I gave it three stars is because they took long to bring our food out but I'm assuming its an anomaly. I will come back but I'm hoping they open the torrance location.
(3)racheal h.
I recently went here to celebrate my husbands birthday, we went on a monday afternoon...it was very busy with birthday parties for kids. I have to say the place was great! We didnt wait long to be seated, or our food, or to be helped for that matter. The place is very clean...I will be coming here alote more! I loved when theu sang to the birthday people...it was so cool!
(5)Matthew C.
Warning: This is an incomplete review. Why? Because we were too full to even have ice cream. Yeah. The whole point of going there! So we'll have to make a special trip just for that when we aren't distracted by the food. Majority of the servers were fun and friendly; very important for a themed restaurant. I had the mozzarella sticks to start and was relieved that they weren't greasy at all. Really cool. My main dish was the buffalo chicken sandwich. Tasted good, really huge, and it had onion straws on it that were made fresh. Plus the chili fries on the side were delicious. I couldn't finish it all. I'd recommend giving it a shot. Just go to the gym afterwards because I'm sure I ate a week's worth of calories.
(4)Merrill M.
When I found out they opened a Farrell's in MV my first thought was ahhh I wonder if its like the old one we used to go to in Rosemead with the hats, American flags, loud singing, rag time piano, and the ice cream. So we got there with no reservation got in line with a total of 15 people ( 10 kids and 5 adults) We only waited about 15 mins max. There was this sign in line that said 45 min wait from this point but that didn't stop us. I convinced my 8 yr old daughter to come here for her bday instead of red robin or Chuck E Suck. The worker was talking to the kids in line which helped with the wait. We ended getting this area in front of the ice cream bar with small round tables. Worked out pretty well. Our server, i believe she was a lead or manager based on her outfit. She was really really super helpful. The food came out fast. They brought out the kids food first which for us was a blessing Hahaha. The entree servings were a pretty good size. My wife ordered somethign calle dthe top of it all burger, I think thats what it was called, but it was huge and tasted pretty darn good. I ordered the Reuben which was good it could use a bit more kraut and meat but tasted good. The bread was a soaked but was the best part. The meat was a bit salty but if it had more kraut it wouldve been just perfect. I opted for the waffle fries which was good a step above the criscut fries at Carl's Jr. My wife and everyone else got garlic fries which were really tasty but would've been better with some tiny sauteed garlic pieces in it liek the pomme frites at Disneyland's Cafe Orleans. The kids portions were huge. All the kids loved their food no complaints. So of course the best part was the ice cream. I got the Chocolate banana shake. Lets just say if I cuss after eating something it is really ******* good. The shake had real chunks of banana the chocolate ice cream was smooth and not overwhelmingly sweet but just right. It was simply icreamtastic!! All the workers get into it. I'm not sure it made a difference service wise since our server was the manager but almost every worker came by to ask how we were doing.. Dang!! The kids killed the Pig Trough and had to sing the iggy piggy song. Loved it. They sang a bday song for my daughter but did a huddle first and yelled "What time is it.. bday time" Once they broke out of the huddle they did the beat for We Will Rock You and added the bday twist to it.. As a parent when you see your kid so happy and then hear them say..THIS IS THE BEST BDAY EVER!! you cant help but tear up. Thanks Farrells for making my daughters bday such a special one. Just an awesome place.
(5)Brian M.
Who doesn't love ice cream!
(5)Marylan S.
Yes, the ice cream is nothing out of the ordinary. It is loud and overwhelming in there. But the kids love it, it's a great place for dessert, and you have to admire the servers for their ability to wait tables and sing on any given moment. I wonder if they have to audition for the job? I've been here 2 times and have been lucky in not having to wait too long. I have gone on weekdays an hour or so before closing time. The last time I went, we shared the Pig Trough between 2 adults and 3 kids. Plenty to share and yummy!
(4)mama of three g.
YUM! Ice cream is great! Never tried the food tho, but it was good taste in a cute format! The candy store in back is great! Ten cents for candy! Haha it was fun!
(4)Ngoc L.
Woooo, my dad was right about this place. I love it's fun atmosphere. Yes Im the carnival type. If you are looking for a dreamy romantic ice-cream place, this is not for you. I loveeee the ice-cream! Darn it is good! I have eaten all kind of ice-cream before from many places but Gosh, Farrell's got my heart. Im planning to come back next time with a group because I want to order their old time specialty: Pig Trough!
(5)Darren T.
I have great memories of Farrell's as a kid. spent a few birthdays there as did my wife when she was little, So when we heard that they had reopened one near by we knew we had to go. First the ambiance is as I remember it 25-30 years ago, the siren the drum, the interaction with the servers, and of course the menu. Saw the Pigs trough, the Volcano, and the Grandest of the all the Zoo. It all was great to see, and to have my nephew see it all for the first time was fun as well. Second, The Ice cream was delicious. I got the banana royale, and all of us thought our ice cream was just great. Lastly, we had not eaten dinner and when we got there I was awaiting a taste of some Americana food, Burgers fries, hot dogs, etc. We ordered three different burgers, and everyone of them were horrible. The buns were okay, the toppings were normal, The meat was flavorless, way overcooked, unseasoned, and almost as hard as a hockey puck. Now I think I remember the food as a kid, and I don't remember it being this bad. Maybe It is because I was a kid lost in the Farrell's atmosphere, awaiting my delicious Ice Cream that I didn't notice the burgers were no good. Now I can't comment on the rest of the food, but after the experience we had I won't try it. I will go back, for the Ice cream and fun, but we will go elsewhere for dinner first. *A few tips* There is usually a wait on the weekends, expect to wait for an hour or more. If you have a birthday party, you should book it in advance, if it is a big group. If you order a huge sundae, expect them to make you stand up, and sing the piggy song. Go with it, think like a kid. I don't recommend the burgers, If you eat a meal, try something else. Best to just eat elsewhwere before and come for dinner
(3)Johnny D.
I'm giving 4 stars just for the effort. I took my kids, hoping they would feel what this place was about when I was a kid. The ice cream is the same. Just know - you can never go home again!
(4)A P.
This place was horrible. We weren't so annoyed at the loudness because it was expected, but the food and ice cream were terrible. For a restaurant known for its desserts, we were sadly disappointed.
(1)Craig W.
Hey, I remember my 4th b-day party when the original Farrell's had ice cream parlors all over SoCal. And on that day, I remember looking around at all of my preschool comrades around the table as the sound of the "oogah" horn and the bass drum player and others started making a bee-line for my table. I immediately rushed under the table and stayed there while everyone sang Happy Birthday. Quite a bit shaken, I slowly emerged a slightly more worldly 4 year old young man and enjoyed a Farrell's Zoo with my classmates. Then later in high school, we'd go here on Saturday nights after dances and other hijinks. Then... Farrell's was no more. My daughter's sixth birthday came around last week. She'd already had a couple of b-day parties (!), but those were not on her big day. So, we thought hard about a special place we could take her, and I recalled hearing that Farrell's was once again serving up parties for such an occasion. We drove down to Mission Viejo to check it out. We were immediately greeted with the festive and cheesy atmosphere that once was and is again Farrell's. My wife had never been to this place but immediately got into the theme. We all really had a good time. The food was actually surprisingly good. The waitstaff were tremendously efficient and helpful. But most importantly, they made my little girl so happy and proud to be turning six. The people who work there are genuinely friendly and seem to really be having a fun time. The place was filled with parties celebrating birthdays, and for each one, there was a special celebration that pretty much went as I recalled from my own 4th B-day. "Oogah" horn goes off, the waitstaff come marching over with the bass drum, and they start singing a different song for each party. This is accompanied by a free sundae with a candle. Pretty much sums it up. Oh, and the balloon girl is quite talented and made a little hello kitty for the b-day girl and a light saber for her somewhat jaded older brother. So, this is the place to come if you have young kids, or with folks who are young at heart, and enjoy a bit of loud fun every once in a while. The food and ice cream is reasonably priced and enjoyable, the place is loud and fun, and the waitstaff are very friendly and helpful. Just know that it does get raucous.
(5)ChickaPea P.
OK I will start off by saying this, if you have a special occasion like a birthday or party, then this place is worth it for the "fun" atmosphere, however other than that, it is not worth it. I found the ice cream to be slightly above average but not great and the place is super loud. The service was great considering the crowd and was very clean considering the KIDS...but I just don't think it is worth the price. I am glad I went to "experience it all" but I doubt I will be back.
(2)Justin V.
Ice creams great, wouldn't recommend the food...
(4)Sara C.
This is such a great place to bring your kids! They will love it - however, at the end of the day, the noise is just too much for my head. We pretty much have to scream to be heard...
(3)Sherrie M.
I LOVED Farrell's as a kid and I missed it when it was gone. So, now it's back and I drove quite a ways to get there (almost an hour). I took my daughter as I wanted her to experience what I did as a child. As some people stated, there is a wait to get in. No big deal. I have waited to get in other restaurants, why complain about it? After a few minutes, we were seated in a booth and handed a menu. The menu was great! So funny and a lot of what I remembered from many years ago. We hadn't eaten, so we decided to split a cheese steak sandwich and fries and it was actually really good! My daughter is extremely picky and she commented on how much she enjoyed it. On to dessert - which is why we came in the first place. She ordered the Gold Rush and I ordered the Tin Roof. Both were delicious! There were a few things that were dissapointing and the candy shop was the biggest one. It seems as though they worked so hard trying to get the feel of the original Farrell's back, that the candy shop was an after thought. It was extremely small and wasn't anything special. Definitely not how I remember it being. And I have to agree with a few of the other reviewers here - there is something missing from the feel of the place. Not sure what it is. However, for those of you Yelpers who have complained about the parties, the noise, the singing, all the kids, etc. Are you kidding me?! That's what Farrell's is all about! If you are looking for a quiet dining experience, Farrell's is definitely not the place for you. This is a place to bring your kids to make memories that will last a lifetime. This is why so many of us who visited Farrell's as children have come back and a good reason why the wait is so long to get in. We all want to relive those fun, precious moments of childhood. I will definitely go back again as we had a great time!!!
(4)L G.
We went here for a birthday dinner and I really had no idea what I was getting into. We thought it was just a simple ice cream place. Ends up it was more of an event. Sort of like being in a Disneyland of ice cream parlors. All around you as you eat you have the servers singing and doing all sorts of silly things. If they catch you texting, they sing a song to point out how rude you are being to the rest of your table, if you order certain things they sing, etc. It is an event. It was a bit overwhelming, but the food was good. I had a simple burger (the All American), while my husband had the Laredo burger. We both really enjoyed our burgers. Our friends had the bruchetta pizza and it looked (and sounded) amazing. The birthday guest ordered two big ice creams for our group, the Zoo and the Hot Fudge volcano. While it was too much for our group, it was good. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to try one of their other sundaes. The Zoo is great for a group, but everything is in there. Overall the food was great, the atmosphere though fun was a bit overwhelming, and we had a good time. We'll be coming back, with a smaller group, and skip the zoo and volcano and check out one of the sundae's that look fantastic!
(4)Anthony J.
We celebrated our Son's birthday last Saturday and had a B L A S T!! The services was awesome and the energy level H I G H!! My son had a sword fight with Andrew, one of the Managers. Andrew was an Ambassador. He has a natural ability to make sure his customers were HAPPY. David went in the back office to get batteries for our FLIP so we could capture the staff singing Happy Birthday. Off the charts on all fronts- the food, the service and the deserts. I didn't grow up here so I was not exposed to FARRELL's. What a wonderful first experience it was!!!! I hear they're opening more stores!!
(5)James B.
This is pretty much the classic Farrell's I remember as a kid. Just not where I remember it. It is filled with all the cheesey/corny (read LOVE) nostalgia that I remember which was back on Rosemead Blvd just south of Valley View in the city of Rosemead. They do the singing and all the other gimmicks that just make you smile as a kid. I am glad my daughter even though she is only 2 years old... (soon to be 3 :-). Was able to experience this. With hopefuly many more times to come. The food wasn't bad at all. The Ice cream is obviously the highlight of the trip with the presentation being everything. Get your kid a clown sundae :-) This clearly falls into the category of things I wish I could share over and over...
(5)Becky L.
We had the best time ever! We showed up with a group of 22 and no reservations. The Manager and Host staff assured us they would do whatever they could for us. After a cancellation they were able to seat us in the party room. (pure luck) Hayward was our Server. Outstanding!! It was my son's 8th birthday and the whole staff made it so fun. We will definitely be coming back. Thank you SO much Farrell's staff!
(5)Christoph Y.
I had my 7th birthday party here....well not here but in San Jose, and a long time ago. Farrell's rules, and if you don't think so you can s**k it, and then go back to whatever toilet you came from.
(5)Tom C.
Very busy, about a 1 hour wait to sit down. Had the Chili Cheese Burger and the wife tried the Ruben. We ate the Pigs Trough and won an award. Just as I remember it when I was a kid. The food is okay, the ice cream is great!
(4)H H.
Let me start by saying I was a regular at Farrell's in the 80's, so I knew about the noise, fun, birthdays, yelling, and I totally expected to wait for a table. I'm absolutely not giving a poor review for any of those things. I was a little bummed that I couldn't have a conversation with the adults at the table, but it was balanced out by the fact that I didn't have to entertain my kids the entire meal. The servers did a good job of that. The food prices and the food itself was fine...nothing special but nothing bad either. I would come here again for food. The service on the food was pretty good too. Definitely 3.5 stars for the first part of the meal. Then came dessert. Well actually it didn't come. That's where we lost a star everyone. The dessert was highly disappointing. Part of our table waited 30 minutes for our dessert and the other part waited another 7 minutes for theirs. Our server noticed our silent, bored table about 15 minutes in and told us our dessert was coming "right now". After the second time we didn't believe her anymore. Then she went to the ice cream counter and rolled her eyes at the servers there and pointed to our table. My impression was that the service at the ice cream counter is seriously lacking, which is too bad. There were enough servers everywhere else in the restaurant. The sundaes are seriously overpriced, but OK. We ordered the black and white and the chocolate ice cream was pretty good. The vanilla nothing special. I thought it was weird that the marshmallow syrup (yes, it was syrup, not the thick stuff you'd expect) was on the vanilla and not the chocolate. After seeing the size of our seven dollar sundae, I realized that the zoo isn't such a bad deal. Our friends got a melty mocha sundae which they liked. I didn't say anything, but when I saw it I wondered if it had been sitting over on the counter for the 7 minutes. The real disappointment of the night, and here's where that last star went... was the kids chocolate chip mint shakes. For my kid to say a milk shake is bad is odd. I almost fell off my chair. We had joked earlier that we were going to a veggie restaurant and when he tasted his shake he thought there were veggies IN IT. That would be a good idea, actually. The mint "ice cream" I suspect is chocolate chip ice cream with mint syrup. That's a delicate balance folks. Try the mint shakes at any fast food restaurant and you'll see it's hard to get right. Farrell's - Really? You can't make a good mint shake? That's just sad. Maybe a little real choc chip mint ice cream at an ice cream parlor would help? Farrell's, I loved you in the eighties when I didn't have to pay for you... but I think you're going to have to step it up to stick around this time.
(2)Cat L.
I'm always glad to see an old-fashioned business still around, especially ice cream parlors, which can be hard to come by. So when Jon's brother brought us here shortly after they'd opened, I was stoked. The waiters were dressed like Vaudeville-era dandies, donned with top hats, stripes, and suspenders, and they even had a piano inside the restaurant with a small shop near the entrace that sold lollipops and salt-water taffy. I was very impressed with the effort exerted toward producing all of those little old-fashioned details. The menu, on the other hand, was not nearly as impressive but they do offer good ol' "American" staples like burgers, fries, pizza, sandwiches, and of course, ice cream. I didn't get a chance to try any of the savory stuff, as our mission that night was to stick with dessert, but judging by the wood stone pizza ovens in plain sight, their pizzas might have been promising. To be honest, though, the red filigree wallpaper was more exciting than their overall menu and prices were far from old-fashioned. After sifting through all the boring shakes, malts, and sundaes you can find just about anyplace else, I finally settled on the Gold Digger - butter pecan ice cream, banana slices, whipped cream, and warm butterscotch on the side. Not much of a deviation from the everyday chocolate fudge variety but still very good. Although I appreciate the novelty of a place like Farrell's, it wasn't as novel as I'd hoped.
(3)Eric M.
Ice Cream: 5 Stars Food: 3 Stars Service: 3 Stars Wait Time: 2 Stars I just wanted to clarify what my real opinion was about Farrell's. Its a bit of a hard review just because there are a lot different aspects to it. First off the Ice Cream, which is why most people come here. Its fantastic. I really enjoyed the "Pig Trough". Me and my lady tried to eat the whole thing, but it was just too much. I would definitely go back just for that alone. Now for the food, we split a Aloha Burger, it was good. It wasn't great and it wasn't bad, it just down the middle. It was $8 for the burger with fries, its typical of what you pay at any sit down place. The service wasn't great, the problem is that the waiters are running around constantly. They all sing and make a huge production for birthdays, and in 45 mins i saw about 8 go down. They just have way too much going on to pay as much attention to each customer as they should. The wait it the worst part, i waited 45 mins on a Tuesday night to be seated. I thought we would be safe since it was a off weeknight but i was wrong. In short, this place is pretty cool and you should definitely experience it. The staff is always singing and dancing, they treat you like they've know you forever and make it a fun environment. Overall the review for Farrell's is three stars but, i think everyone should at least try it once and pig out on some ice cream.
(3)Annie H.
If there was a zero rating I would give it Farrells. We went on Saturday Dec 5 and after waiting 45 minutes to get in we found our way to a small table. Here are some reasons for such a poor rating . Food in my daughter's chocolate milk. This was discovered before she drank it. . My husband ordered the soup which was chicken noodle. Yet they brought him tomato basil. When asked where the chicken noodle was they told him they ran out so they switched (without asking). Problem is he hates tomato soup so they switched again to chili that was watery and tasteless. . My Asian salad was not edible. The chicken tasted like it was frozen about 10 minutes prior and microwaved. It was also delivered with peanuts that were way too hot and could never compliment this dish. . On top of this the service was horrible. Our first waitress took out order and then we never saw her again. Except when she was screaming birthday songs. Our second waitress was slow and when coupled with a short staffed kitchen...our meal took about 45 minutes to arrive. . The kids wanted dessert. We expected something far better from an ice cream parlour.
(1)Nancy V.
I find Farrells to be loud and obnoxious! It was fun at first but not after a while. The food is not that good and very expensive for what it is. Two times is enough for me.... I will not be going back again.
(2)Lynn J.
Here's a place that I had great expectations for but did not deliver. The food, not so bad, the ice cream, pretty good, but when we waited over 20 minutes just to get our drinks, water and soda, I knew this was going to be bad, especially since we had 2 3 year olds with us! We had a large party, 12, and got seated right away, but I will probably never go back unless I have to. The people who work there seem to have no clue what they are doing and it literally takes forever to get anything! We arrived at 8:00pm and didn't leave until 10:00 and all we ordered was ice cream!!!
(2)D J.
Been here a few times for the nostalgia (it was better then). Service and ice cream good. Prepare yourself for long lines on the weekends!
(3)N P.
Came here at 1:30pm - no wait (On a Monday). Been waiting to go here for a while yet avoiding the post opening craziness. Was seated, then waited, and waited for someone to take our drink order. Many employees standing around talking - looked like a manager pointed to our table still no one came. Then he appeared,our drink order taker (hang on - I'll explain later)... He took our drink order and came back right away - no straws (I could care less but the others I were with wanted them)... However he then said he would be right back. Some time later a manager walked by (a different one - this is like a Dilbert episode - more managers than working employees). I asked for straws for the drinks and then inquired if taking our order was something they normally do... He seemed off guard - then shuffled off with straws and still no one to take our order - then some poor guy got handed our table and he took our order. The managers here are clueless - they know nothing of customer service (e.g. drink orders asap, order food on time, etc). Got our food order in then the original drink order taker came by and apoligized. Seemed like the waiters are assigned too many tables - yet there were still employees doing nothing. Something is amiss here. The original Farrell's glitz and noise comes across ok here - really good place to bring kids on their birthday! Food was ok and dessert was ok but it left a negative view of the place... would love the owners/corporate to respond to this review - doubt they will as that is customer service 101 -something they lack.
(3)Joe J.
It was just as I remembered it, except for the crazy wait to get a table! Great place to take your kids for their birthday, especially since the wait staff go nuts when it's time to sing!
(4)Roz Z.
I just don't get it. I've been reading through all the posts and it seems that most people who give Farrell's a bad rating don't have the nostalgic memories or childhood experience to embrace or fall back on. As a kid, next to Disneyland, this was "the happiest place on earth " for me. As for the sirens, piano, animated wait staff, bells, etc. That is what MADE Farrell's, Farrell's. It wasn't about the food, it was about three simple and basic things: fun, experience and ICE CREAM! Many reviewers have written that it seems birthday's are constantly being celebrarted. I'm sure they are! This is the way it was done years back and...and the way it should continue to be. That's the intent of Farrell's...celebrate and have fun. It's funny and sad what age does to us..."excitement" becomes "noise". A place that is known for "fun" is now viewed as "annoying", Happy Birthday wishes are now "Overkill and Overdone". And as for rating ice cream...maybe it's just our adult systems that can't tolerate the wonderfulness of ice cream. When I was 10, sitting at a table in Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, Cholesterol, Sugar Diabetes, Fat Content, Lactose Intolerance and weight were never discussed. Any Adults celebrating a birthday or feeling just a tad bit old?: Pop in the DVD "BIG", then take a drive to Farrell's and order a "Pig's Trough" . It should help and you won't feel guilty when you can admit in front of the public... I made a Pig of myself, at Farrell's!
(5)Cam M.
My mom has always talked about Farrell's and how much she loved it when she was growing up. She was very sad that they weren't really around anymore, so obviously I was always on the lookout for them to see if they would come back. My first Farrell's visit was many years ago when they had a location (the only location to my knowledge) near Magic Mountain. I honestly don't remember it being that good and neither did my mom. We never went back seeing that it was too far and not how she remembered it. Then we heard that a brand new Farrell's was opening in Mission Viejo and we were so excited. We made a trip out there and had a great time. I got the philly cheesesteak sandwhich which was the best I had ever had and sat back and enjoyed the fun atmosphere. The little candy and toy area was so cute and the waiters were a hoot. Of course we didn't leave without a sundae and I got the Goldrush I think it was, with the peanut butter and it was soooooo good!!! We have been back several times and hope that this time Farrell's is here to stay!
(5)Joyce Y.
Came to this Farrell's with a few friends and a bunch of kids. There's not a whole bunch of these restaurants anymore, but I did remember one in Rosemead or San Gabriel back in the day. Good food and super good ice cream. Located in the mall, so very convenient to eat and shop. The service is pretty slow, but there's some entertainment with all the waiters doing these crazy acts with the ice cream and drum banging. Pretty crowded for a weekday lunch time, and I don't believe there are any reservations. Small candy store located inside the restaurant that sells fun candy. Definitely an "occasion" type of place.
(3)Emilia M.
Just wanted to remark on how accommodating the manager was at Farrells. I took a nephew with cancer there and they made sure we did not have to wait as his condition is often compromised with long lines and having to wait.. They were extremely helpful and understanding.
(5)Nat B.
I have been meaning to write an update review for Farrell's. I expressed my bad experience with them months ago and I was very impressed that they were so attentive and dealt with the issue. I want to thank the manager for taking a bad situation and making it better by caring about their clients. Kudos to you and for striving to have 100% customer satisfaction!
(5)Kristine C.
I've never been to a "real" Farrell's ice cream parlor. I've only scene "give 'em a pickle" in my undergraduate studies. My husband and I are not huge "inter-active" diners, so if you would like ice cream and not be bothered, this is not the place for you. On the flip side I can see many middle aged adults re-living childhood memories and wanting to share that with their children as a tradition. Since we don't have kids and like quiet conversation it's a 3 in my book. Overall, the ice cream was good (although u feel that Gherardelli Sundaes in San Francisco tops ice cream parlors all around). The service was okay, it was our first time there and stood there like idiots until the manager came to seat us because the server was too busy balancing her till. After being seated, they were pretty friendly. Nothing spectacular like we need to go back. Been there, done it. I'm good. Too many banging drums and whistles for our liking. Very kid friendly though. I can see how parents would love this place, just not those parents with shy kids.
(3)Carol B.
I wish so much that I could give Farrell's a better review. They hold a special place in my childhood. Alas, I've tried it twice and find the food to be underwhelming. The burgers are just ok. Rubys, Red Robin and Knowlwood are better. This time I had the "Grown UP Grillcheese" which was bland and boring. A little flavored mayo - something - is desperately called for here. I hope that after all the work that went into opening this restaurant that the owners call in help to tweak the menu. You have a great location, good ice cream, and a great idea. Now, make it work!
(2)Melissa B.
VERY LOUD AND DISAPPOINTING FOOD & ICE CREAM. I was so excited to go to Farrel's and relive my childhood memories. I knew the food wouldn't be fabulous since it's an ice cream parlour. But the entire experience was rather frustrating. We waited 1-1/2 hours to get in with 3 people on a Monday night. They will not take your name and give you a buzzer, you just have to stand there in line and wait. The food was very mediorce. My burger was terrible. My husband's veggie burger was better, more moist and flavorful than mine. The garlic fries were loaded with so much fresh chopped garlic they were barely edible. Then the crowning moment was my ice cream soda. We waited at least 30 minutes after finishing our dinner before the ice cream arrived (how long does it take to scoop ice cream?) and my soda was not the one I ordered. The glass was only 2/3 full and the ice cream was almost entirely melted by the time I got it. I was so bummed at that point. Our waiter was very sweet, but he got two of our items wrong. The atmosphere is very fun, quaint and exciting, but it is SOOO loud. For a small restuarant there was just too much noise going on, with the birthday drum banging every 10 minutes, to fire engine ice cream siren, and free-for-all-children to blow the train whistle and bang on the player piano - it was just too much.
(2)Gina M.
I have had my difficulties trying to get into Tryst Nighclub in Las Vegas, but nothing compares to trying to get an ice cream sundae from Farrell's. I have attempted to eat there over 15 different times and have only dined there once due to the ridiculous wait time. It doesn't matter if you show up on a Sunday, Monday or Wednesday night, prepare yourself for over an hour wait. And, you can't eve put your name on the wait list and shop around...you have to stand in line the entire time. I did actually wait once, and to be honest, I was not all that impressed with the food or the ice cream. However, it is the only ice cream "parlour" around and it is fun to get the whole experience once in a while, but again, unless you are willing to stand in line for over an hour, you won't be eating an ice cream cone at Farrell's any time soon.
(1)tiffany e.
ok. let me start off by saying that. if i didn't love this place so much, and it didn't bring back such fond memories, i wouldn't be giving 5 stars!! we went this past sunday @11 when they opened, there was already a line! be prepared to wait!!!!!! we ended up waiting and hour and 15 minutes! service was quick and friendly! food was better than i remembered! i had a veggie burger with fruit and waffle fries. it was good! loved the ambiance! the whole stand up if you finished the "pig trough". hilarious! and when someone orders "thezoo". the big drum and siren were a hoot!! it was very loud in there, lots of screaming kids! the candy shop isn't as big as it used to be ;( and no games to play either. we were celebrating my mom's birthday (free sundae on your bday!) and everyone in our party had a blast!! even my grumpy dad!! i definitely recommend stopping in if you wanna take a trip down memory lane!!
(5)Tim N.
Overall I'm a fan of Farrell's. I had my first visit there in November 2012. Pros: + Very friendly service. The server was engaging and attentive, and had a good understanding of menu items. + Prices are reasonable. + Free sundae on your birthday... but this also has a con (below) + The Reuben sandwich was moist and flavorful with plenty of fillings, and was on a dark rye bread that was also flavorful. + The smaller sized sundaes are just the right size for two to share after a meal. + They have lactose-free ice cream for anyone lactose intolerant - I thought that was a nice touch. + It has a candy shop attached to the restaurant which has various exotic candy types to purchase as souvenirs - prices are also reasonable. Cons: - This place should really have a "kids dining room" and an "adults dining room." The main dining room was a circus of sugar high kids. - Since everyone gets a free sundae on their birthday, mysteriously every table (but ours) happened to be having a birthday. The Farrell's servers put on a loud boisterous show for every "birthday," which gets annoying pretty quick. Overall a good place, just don't go here expecting to have a quiet conversation. I'll give it another try.
(4)Troy S.
An Update: Three weeks after my Yelp review I received a kind note from Mr. Fleming of Farrell's corporate office. He apologized and offered to send me a gift certificate. But I declined his offer and asked him to simply make the management of Farrell's Mission Viejo aware of my experience and my feedback on the way they operate their restaurant. I don't want or need a gift certificate. I just want the management to try harder and train their employees to be waiters and waitresses providing a very basic level of restaurant service. Your mileage may vary.
(1)Food S.
I went here with my family. It has a very energetic and loud ambiance which can be fun and also annoying at times. The entrees are quite delicious and well portioned BUT, the main reason I go to farrell's is for the ice cream. There's so many crazy choices of ice cream from the ice cream nachos to the pig trough. I highly reccomend this place to bring your kids especially for their birthday.
(4)Mike L.
As much as our server was sweet, we waited over 45 minutes to get our food after our order was placed and then waited five more minutes for my son's burger to arrive after that. Not going to do that again unless it is for ice cream only...
(2)Laura S.
Wooorst place for ice cream!!! Do not go here!! Our server, adam, was horrible. We only ordered three ice creams and watched it sit on the counter for 15 minutes and melt. To the owner: if your going to charge 8 dollars for one ice cream, dont let it arrive to the customer as melted soup. Our waiter wandered around and we watched him pick up our order So late!!! We will never take our children here again and pay the ridiculous prices for melted ice cream. We will stick to Han's Ice Cream for our delicious ice cream.
(1)Karey R.
Anytime the kids have a celebration of any kind, they ask to come to Farrell's. They love everything from the food to the entertainment. This location is loud, but not nearly as loud or crowded at the one in Brea. They usually have reservations (for 8 people or more) available up to 3 days before the weekend. This location is part of the mall, around the back, so skip the parking structure and drive around. There are a couple things on the menu that are family favorites, which are: The BLAT, or the GasTronomiCalDeliCaTessenepiCurean's Delight and for dessert, the Hot Fudge Sundae or the Ice Cream Nachos. Keep in mind that if you order certain things, people will come to your table and sing to you and sometimes make you participate. On your birthday, they bring out a large drum and sing catchy versions of Happy Birthday. Actually, you should be prepared to hear all the versions of their Happy Birthday song whether or not you are celebrating because EVERYONE is celebrating. The balloonist makes really creative hats for the kiddos, but they have been going through some changes lately so I'm not sure if they are coming back. I really hope they do, because it's one of the kid's favorites.
(4)Richard H.
Its pretty much what I remembered it when I went there as a kid in Federal Way,WA actually glad they didnt change anything! I got a Root beer float (Would have been better with REAL root beer and not that Coke brand crap, ie Bargs) Anyway also had a Strawberry lemonade which was pretty good, and the classic burger and waffle fries, I did like those- wife had the Philly cheessteak sandwich and sea salt fries and a Ice Cream Soda Chocolate Chip, said it was ok. Its a very loud place though!
(4)Derek B.
They serve Thrifty's ice cream and have so many flavors of it. What they do with the ice cream is great and create different types of challenges. They also serve regular food and it isn't that bad. Overall the atmosphere is great. They sing and dance and have instruments and hats to go along
(4)Rana R.
Old school 'Murrica right here. I imagine this is how the restaurants were back in the day. Very busy on a Sunday but the waiters were still in high spirits. They love their songs & so do the customers. Their pizza is good but their desserts are the stars. Got the Oreo Bliss, awesome! Will def go back to try other items on the menu.
(3)Colby R.
This place is the perfect family environment. The food is great, the ice cream delicious, the staff enthusiastic and the atmosphere incredible. The whole restaurant is like a giant county fair. There's a player piano, a band, a balloon artist and every time somebody has a birthday (which happens a lot more than you think), a giant drum is banged and all of the employees sing. The food here is good, a little greasy, but still good. Of course, ice cream is their specialty and the ice cream here is the best,. Any choice will satisfy. The staff is always fun and happy to help. I've never met a waiter there who didn't seem they loved their job. Overall, Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor is the perfect place for almost any meal! I've seen everyone from little kids to elderly folks sitting and having a great time!
(5)Han D.
We came to Farrell's for the first time last Sunday at 1pm for lunch and a banana split. My son was testing out his Halloween costume, a minion. Everyone was so nice from the moment we walked in. They made us feel welcome and many of the staff high five my son commenting on his costume. We ordered the small mountain of chili cheese fries, easily enough for 4 to share $7.99. We split a patty melt which came with soup or salad, we had the minestrone soup and ordered the banana split. Everything was delish. My son commented that you'd have to be crazy no to like this place. Our total bill was about $34. We'll definitely be back to try other things.
(4)Jeff S.
Fun place to go for celebration. I like this place and the food is very good too. They sing and make sure that everyone has a great time. The ice cream is great as well and a ton of options for that. Make a reservation before going, it can be busy!
(4)Veronica H.
I had a party of 13 for my 14 year olds bday. Michael was our waiter, and he did an exceptional job! Polite, attentive, and fun!! When he needed to tend to another table, he told us that another server would be taking our ice cream order. She was super sweet. A man named Cruz, came by our table twice just to make sure we felt taken care of. The staff worked together as a team very obviously. So to the management- a job well done!! It's rare to find such good service. Continue to make this a priority, as it does not go unnoticed!!
(5)Eric B.
My fiancée and I went here last night and were immediately drawn into the place by the fun atmosphere. I loved the nostalgic candy in front, and the enthusiastic staff who sang a different birthday song for each group celebrating inside. We shared the "Son of Sundae of the Dead" (Halloween Sundae), which was very delicious, but hands down the service is what makes Farrell's special. We also ordered the garlic fries, which took 30 minutes for them to serve due to a backup of orders in the kitchen. I thought nothing of it and enjoyed the sundae while waiting, but it was our waiter who noticed the delay and immediately offered to comp the fries. This amount of care and concern for the customer is found few and far between these days, and is something I do not take for granted. Thank you Farrell's for making our experience one we'd like to enjoy over and over again!
(5)Bryan B.
Nothing but sweet memories of Farrell's as a child. The booming of the bass drum, the big candy shop, etc. Large parties serviced by an attentive and friendly wait staff. I guess it's impossible to really replicate anything from the 80's. Don't get me wrong... Our waitress was honey-dripping nice! She kinda went all out. Even asked if we were ok if she were our waitress!!! What a sweetheart. Checked on us every 3-5 mins, which seriously ended up being like 40 times. Because honestly, we were there from 2pm to 7 pm. Granted, a good amount in line... But seriously, we spend a shorter to time at Disneyland and get much more out of it. O... to the...M... to the G!!!! No exaggeration! FIVE freakin hours! Wow! I'm burying those sweet memories tonight.
(1)Robert M.
Farrell's is back baby! When people stereotype memories of the 1970s, the polyester, disco, bell bottoms, and big cars are usually what comes to mind. But what people forget is that America was going through a huge 1890's phase during the 60s and 70s, and not only Farrell's was cashing in on that, but also many restored soda fountains, Wendy's restaurant, Knott's Berry Farm, Disneyland, and the "old west looking photos" trend you used to see at every festival and fair in the 70s. Here, the staff dresses like entertainers and soda jerks from the turn of the century, and the menu is restored with print and fonts from that era. While this location isn't as big as the Farrell's I remember from my youth, the staff are enthusiastic, the siren and drums are going off every five minutes, and the songs are fun and funny. Didn't see anyone ordering the Pig Trough, though.
(4)Kim P.
Absolutely horrible service and we didn't get to a seat. Stood in line for 15 min waiting just to put our name in. No host at stand. Even after asking. Finally host come up and he Could care less he had a line of people. Asks 2 groups how many people and completely ignoring the other groups. Finally got fed up after waiting 5 more minutes and left to eat at Ruby's.
(1)Sara G.
Thank you to Farrell's for reaching out to me. I appreciate the effort and will give them another try. Any business that is willing to reach out to a customer, and that listens to customer feedback, is a business worth supporting.
(5)Audra R.
If I never set foot in a farrells again I would die with a happy sigh of relief. The noise, the singing, the balloon animals, the tweens, the crappy food, horrifying experience. Really I love greasy Americana, but none of the food here is tasty. The only ok item was the garlic fries- how could you f those up? The ice cream wasn't even that great. Not one redeemable quality unless you're a pedophile or an unabashed 12 year old girl. I guess if I had small children I might force myself to go... You also have to wonder what the shelf life is for the singing servers: either these boys 18-22 a) love young, young girls ewwww, b) become full time alcoholics or C) worse have major workplace revenge rage- each of these scenarios is very possible.
(2)Alison S.
Delicious GOOD1
(5)Evelyn N.
Food is okay. I mostly like Farrell's because of its atmosphere. The waiters are all really friendly and helpful. It's also a really great place to go if you're celebrating a birthday; it's definitely a fun experience all in all. An added plus? They sometimes have a person going around making cool balloon animals (make sure to tip well though because she works solely on tip). As for the people complaining about the loudness of the place..what did you expect??? That is basically the whole point of Farrell's. So if you want a quiet atmosphere, which is understandable because Farrell's does get extremely loud, then go somewhere else.
(4)Sunny L.
I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars. Frankly speaking, the food's your typical greasy diner food, so don't expect it to be anything under 1,000 calories. They've got ice cream, which is okay. Personally, I prefer Baskin Robbins' ice cream much better. They have balloon art, which before was based on tips, but now they charge you $3 for (I know, it's the sign of the times). The place is LOUD. Not a good date place unless you're 14 years old and new at the game. This is purely to make a horse out of yourself on your family birthday dinner, for some greasy food. Except for the employees, who seem like they obviously don't eat any of this food, everyone else who walks into this place is... well... on the larger scale. All their employees are these Laguna-Hills blonde white people, and you will never in a million years probably ever see a Mexican, Asian, Indian, or Black dude work here. Okay, maybe a really white Mexican and a good-looking black dude with some pizzaz! NEVER, a small Asian chick with Ombre in her hair, HAHA. At any rate, food's okay and it's not THAT bad. I had fish tacos yesterday and they were a lot better than I expected. It obviously had mayo, which makes everything bearable but 10 times more fattening. The kids had ice cream. Did I mention this place is ridiculously loud? The employees start yelling random things about someone or other's birthday, sing, and then try to embarrass you by telling everyone you stink and ate a big bowl of ice cream or something to that effect... anyway, you can't make out what they're saying, because the place is SUPER LOUD. Individually, each of these guys are probably the loudest people in a room, but you can hardly make it out when you're in here. At any rate, we always tip well only because we think that anyone who's willing to lose their voices at the end of their day for some waiter/waitressing job, deserve better compensation. These poor high school/college kids... If it hadn't been my P's birthday, and daddy picked out the place, you wouldn't have caught me dead in here. SO... reluctantly, 4 stars because the kids loved it.
(4)Manali K.
The food is eh.. The ice cream is okay.. Fun for kids, but not recommended in any other situation
(2)Dennis V.
Not like I remember as a child. The service was not very good, probably because they were under staffed. It was $100 for a family of four and the food was not very good. The gnats flying around raised questions about cleanliness.
(2)Caylie J.
Fantastic atmosphere for kids. The food was also great, quite surprising for restaurants such as this. But we were the most blown away by the fun, enthusiastic staff. You can tell by their genuine smiles and effort that they love the work they do, as well as give their best effort to serve you. Our waitress was Brie, and we really appreciated the way she helped celebrate our 11 year olds birthday and fill it with laughs, along with the rest of the great staff. Highly recommended for kids birthdays
(5)Christine A.
Bring your ear plugs and a purse full of downers if you make the mistake of coming here on a Friday or Saturday night. Like the majority of people, we came to celebrate a birthday and were put in the "other" room--where they jam all the children's parties. All night there were bells, whistles, fire sirens, screaming kids, shouting waiters, and people beating on the birthday drum. Our meager group, there to commemorate someone's 37th revolution around the sun, was made up of the quiet loners committed to not breathing a word to any waiters of our friend's natal anniversary (mostly due to the fact that just as we arrived, someone had ordered "The Zoo" and when we saw all the bombastic fanfare and running around the room that went with that, our friend demanded not to tell anyone, no matter how good the free sundae might sound, to save him the embarrassment). Anyway, to speak of the food--it wasn't remarkable. Actually, in the case of the mac 'n' cheese ($7), it was almost inedible. While there wasn't enough cheese, the white truffle oil that they pour on there (to the point that it's pooling under the pasta) is SOOO pungent and ruins the flavor of everything. I don't think our waiter got that I wanted it as an entree as he brought it out 15 minutes or so before everyone else's meals, yet, oddly, long after he brought out the appetizers. Chili fries were decent, though, using seasoned waffle fries. The "hill" size ($6.50) is enough for three or four people to share. But of course, when it comes to eating here, it's ALL about the desserts. It's a hedonist's paradise for overly-massive bowls of ice cream and hot fudge. If you want to keep it small while also getting something that gets more attention at the dinner table than 30 scoops of vanilla ice cream with a sparkler get the "Fake Chicken Dinner" ($4.50, photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/t-mf… ). Seriously, more cameras came out for this saucer with a single scoop of vanilla with caramel sauce, Zagnut bars, and hard mint candies than anything else, and at the same time the illusion is so convincing that people were almost disgusted thinking I was eating chicken with ice cream. All right, so I can recommend the place, but I warn you: if you're easily annoyed, this might not be the place for you; however, if you have a high tolerance for noise and excited children, "it's a hoot!"
(3)Vinny R.
We had a great time .. My grandson and my daughter really enjoy the service and enterinment. recommend the Sliders and grill cheese sandwich ..Great place for any kid or adults
(4)David B.
Family atmosphere, but the service is really slow. Lunch for us on a Saturday around noon was a 2 hour journey. Wait staff to include the manager just don't seem to care.
(1)Shannon O.
This is the perfect place for a birthday celebration! If you go late afternoon or early evening during the week, there will be no wait. However, the weekends can be extremely busy. If you have a large group, make a reservation. The food is typical diner food. It's okay. The desserts are delicious. I'd recommend going for dessert. The servers are always friendly and fun. The place is interactive, entertaining, and loud. Expect at least four to five birthday songs while you dine. They have a Check-In offer for a free sundae!
(4)Frances G.
I am one of those *older* people who remember when Farrell's was around the first time, so you can imagine how exciting it was for me when I first heard of their comeback (and depressing to think how long it's been since then). They are obviously known for their desserts, but their food is decent too. I've only tried some of their sandwiches, burgers, and appetizers, so I can't speak for the entire menu, but most of them have been okay so far. They've got some new Italian menu items right now, and recently I tried the Tuscany Chicken Sandwich - grilled chicken, lettuce, melted mozzarella (I think) cheese, sliced avocados, some Italian flared mayo/sauce on a sliced baguette + fries. Tasted like what you would expect a decent sandwich would taste like. The new items include 2 pasta dishes as well, but I don't recommend trying those. My dad ordered one of them and it was bland (I have a general rule of thumb that if it's not an Italian restaurant, don't order pasta). Although it's difficult to have a conversation in here as all you will hear are singing, drumming, and sirens (one weekend I encountered 6 birthdays and 3 zoo run-arounds in 1-1/2 hours), I enjoy it simply for the nostalgic factor. BTW, you can get a free luncheon sundae if you check in via Yelp :D
(4)live life love l.
Don't be alarmed if your ears start bleeding immediately upon entering. I've actually been here 4 times. But the last time was so ridiculously over the top I will never step foot in here again. Out of the 4 trips, my order was wrong 3 of those times. Average wait for a single sundae was literally 45 minutes, and the restaurant was about half occupied at the time!! And good luck having any type of vocal communication with anyone because this place is louder than a bunch of 12 year old girls screaming at a Justin Bieber concert. I know you may be thinking that little johnny would love to have his birthday here, but unless you are hopped up on propofol, take my advice and go anywhere else.
(2)michelle p.
Service was terrible. The waitress didn't know what she was doing. She kept asking people twice for their order because she couldn't remember who she asked first, even though she was writing this down. Then couldn't remember who had what. Then when I ordered water I had to ask her 3 times while she served others their drinks with no problem. Then I ordered a $14 salad with chicken but was served last, after people got their burgers and sandwiches. After waiting 1 hour for our food.
(1)Randy L.
Best Waitress Ever!!! Went here for my birthday, Samantha B. was our waitress. She was happy, fun and energetic. Ice cream and environment were excellent, and food was good. Only one minor problem was that we ordered the Fish Tacos and the menu didn't say it came with tomatoes; a member of our party had a tomato allergy so we had to send it back. This is a great place for families and I highly recommend coming here for your birthday!
(4)Anita L.
When Alex K suggested we try out the newly opened Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, my first reaction was -- for lunch????? Well turns out they do have regular food and not just ice cream. We arrived at noon and the place was pretty much jam packed, lots of little kids (don't they have to go to school?????) and people grabbing a bite after shopping. Their menus are cool -- looks like a newspaper -- and you get the regular stuff like salads, sandwiches, pizza -- nothing exciting -- and of course, an entire page of ice cream! Like Alex said, we ordered a bunch of stuff and we tried each other's food. My sliders were bleh -- nothing exciting -- caramelized onions helped a tad, but not much. Kate's Reuben sandwich was pretty awful. The corned beef tasted off. I don't know what kind of seasoning they used to cook the beef in but it tasted nothing like what you would get from a Jewish deli. It wasn't the meat itself that was bad, it was the seasoning and for the life of me, I couldn't quite place that weird taste! I'd say, stay away from the Reuben if you like your traditional Jewish deli Reubens.... you'll definitely be disappointed with this one! Alex's BLT was just wrong! They used julienned lettuce which just kept falling out of his sandwich whenever he took a bite from it. OK, so a BLT, how can you go wrong right? Well, by NOT using whole pieces of lettuce, you've already killed it! What I did like was the tomato basil soup. They have this gimicky name for their soup -- not Soup of the Day -- but Yesterday's Soup. This soup tasted like the one they have at Macaroni Grill.... I thought the soup was the best savory item we tried. So of course ya can't go to Farrell's without eating the ice cream right? So we split the Mocha Nut between us. I am not a dessert fan, although, I do like ice cream, but not melted ice cream. Once ice cream loses its firmness and starts softening, it turns me off and I don't want to eat it anymore. Our Mocha Nut was topped with tons of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. The sundae itself comprised of chocolate, coffee and butter pecan ice cream with chocolate sauce and Spanish peanuts. I was surprised I liked the butter pecan ice cream, it was rather tasty! If I ever come back again I would order this without the extra sauce since it just made it super sweet and a bit sickly for me. The Spanish peanuts added a nice crunch to it! Our server Krystle was super friendly and pretty attentive. She always brought me an iced tea refill whenever my glass was about 3/4 of the way done, without fail. She was patient when we weren't ready to order and even more patient when we changed our minds! This is a nice place for kids, not for adults. It is loud, there is a train bell or whistle that goes off periodically, and then a bunch of the staff will come out with with a drum whenever it's someone's birthday and they'll sing and make a ruckus. Oh, by the way, you will get a free sundae on your birthday if you come here. For me, I think I'll pass on the food itself and if I had to come for ice cream, perhaps come in the mid-afternoon when there shouldn't be as big a crowd as lunch time! 1 star for the ice cream 1 star for the service Sorry, but the food sucked!!!
(2)Shanel S.
I freaking love this place! Keep in mind that I am one of those cooky people that likes to sing, dance, make a fool of themselves and watch other people do the same. If you're not that kind of person and can't stand any of that, then get your stuff to go and eat it in the food court. That's your best bet. Now no more of the environment, let's talk ice cream! This is the scrape the bottom with your spoon, tilt the cup up and drink what's left, and lick your lips to top it off kind of ice cream. I've had their vanilla, butter pecan and oreo? You also need a side of garlic french fries. The perfect pair with any of their delicious ice creams! Keep in mind that you get a free sundae when you check in through Yelp. Can't beat free anything!
(5)David Q.
Farrell's is amazing. The owner sent me a gift card to try out another meal on the house. I did and found the food, and service to be completely different from my last experience. Amazing service, well timed for an ice cream parlor. The food tasted amazing and I love all the old school candies they have available to purchase. Thanks for changing my mind Farrell's :-)
(5)R L.
Just came for some ice cream, what a good idea to bring this back. Very kid friendly and the price is not too outrageous, but the concept is great. You feel like your back in the 60 s!
(4)Richard R.
One of the best for ice cream!!
(4)K F.
Mediocre food. Below average service. Two item ice cream order. Very very slow. Ice cream order was not complete (did not match description on menu). Waiter simply stated that this is the way that it is. However he did eventually bring the menu item. It appeared that the staff was working hard but unable to keep up with the customer demand. Nothing special about the food. Not what I remembered about this restaurant as a kid. Will not be planning a return visit.
(1)Steven T.
Friendly service, great food, great environment.
(5)Moby Y.
Had the worst experience here recently. Wanted to take my 3 year old here for the first time and we did nothing but wait. We waited for drinks, we waited for food - i am talking like we were there 45 minutes before we saw food. No apology, no comp, no tip. First time I ever left no tip.
(1)Michael H.
The best place to have an ice cream party for kids...or the best place to embarrass your adult friend for their birthday. One of the most awkward and loudest dining experience I ever had. Everything in that restaurant was made to intentionally increase the noise level. Once we were seated at our table, a loud siren sounds off and two guys run around the restaurant carrying a platform on their shoulders with a huge bowl of ice cream. A loud bell was rung almost every time an employee went through the double doors to the back and the noise when they recognize someone's birthday...I won't go any further. I kind of regret that I got the Straw Ana (That only interesting one on the menu that wouldn't be too big for my appetite and it was only one that predominantly strawberry). I probably should have gotten one of the other ones which looked more attractive as servers passed by. The Straw Ana was decent but I wouldn't consider it exceptional. The decor and theme of the restaurant does convey that old fashioned ice cream parlor with red, white, and blue colors. There's also a little shop near the exit with a bunch of retro candy and sweets. Once I finished with my ice cream, the only thing on my mind was "Where's the check? I want to leave." As much as I would like to try some of these other ice cream specialties, do I really want my ears to leave ringing and face that awkwardness again...
(2)Joel R.
Food is good. Energy in the room is unbelievable! You will feel alive here! Fantastic restaurant to bring kids too. Louds as he ll but fun for kids. Pretend one of your party is a birthday boy/gril and get a FREE sundae! Balloon artist is walking aroudn restaurant making stuff for kids. I ordered the Gastrointestinalxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (it's 100 letters long) sandwich. 2 thumbs up. Gold Rush sundae is awesome (peanut butter lovers will lick the glass clean!). Happy place with good decent food and lots of energy.
(4)Yansha Y.
This place is wonderful like seriously!!! Came here for a friend's birthday and got to witness 2 more birthdays! The service is really good and the atmosphere of the place just makes you happy to be there! The actual ice cream was pretty good too!
(5)Jason R.
Man I used to go here as a kid.....I'm glad this one is open....ice cream brings back memories. ..
(4)Amanda W.
This place is super fun! Food is great also. I had the French dip. Very tasty! The atmosphere is exciting - great place to have fun with a group or with kids! Great customer service everyone is so nice!
(5)Tony W.
There's nothing really special about Farrell's. It seems to be a good place to have birthday parties for kids but if you don't have kids, there are many other better places to go. I think this was my first and last time dining here. Unimpressed.
(3)George S.
I'm really glad to see Farrell's make a comeback as they've recently opened another shop at another local mall in the area. The last time I ate at this restaurant was more than 25 years ago on the outskirts of Los Angeles. It was nostalgic having lunch there today. The staff was rather attentive which was nice considering their food was average. I rather indecisively ordered a "Gastronomicaldelicatessenepicurean's Delight" (aka Gastro) sandwich entree. The scarily named dish brought me a robust sandwich made of corned beef, ham, roasted turkey, Swiss cheese, and fixings. My daughter enjoyed a bowl of Mac & Cheese until she eyed the french fries that came with my sandwich...bugger. While they may not be well-recognized for their food, their ice cream offerings are indeed classic. We didn't have time to order a Pig's Trough for myself to feed on, so we ended up walking away with a classic root beer float. Not too shabby topping off a lunch. I can't end this without mention of the family-friendly environment for kids. Parents should keep an eye out on the confection area, where colorful candy delight your children. They were very accommodating when I asked for a balloon not for myself, but for my daughter. And as we were leaving, I saw they had two balloon artists walking around entertaining kids with balloon magic. My daughter walked away very happy with a pink balloon animal dog. I'm not looking forward to her asking me about it a few days from now pointing at the wilted balloon.
(4)Jennifer F.
Came here to celebrate my birthday! Never been to Farrell's and never will again! Very bad service! We only saw our server once. Well twice when he dropped off our check. Worst birthday ever! Not what i expected it to be! I WILL NEVER COME HERE AGAIN!!!!!
(1)Kelley U.
The enthusiasm of the staff and manager at this Farrell's location make this a great place to celebrate. Definitely brings back great memories of my childhood. My niece visited here as a toddler but did not remember that visit so we brought her back to celebrate her 8th birthday. Free luncheon sundae with Yelp check-in and free birthday sundae for those celebrating their birthday. This was my parents first trip back to Farrell's since my sister and I have been kids. They were amazed at how much it was the same. For an interesting ice cream treat, get the "Fake Chicken Dinner" with Zagnuts as the "chicken" and vanilla ice cream with caramel syrup as the "mashed potatoes and gravy" and complete with peas and carrots candies on the plate. yelp.com/biz_photos/t-mf… Cute idea :) But if you really enjoy your ice cream, make sure you get one of their large, famous sundaes! My niece had a blast at the restaurant and in their candy store which is filled with lots of nostalgic candies and new interesting things such as a five pound gummy bear and bacon soda and peanut butter and jelly soda.
(4)Jay K.
I remember when all the neighborhood kids would pile in mom's car and go to Farrell's. The most fun eating ever. Well we went for a tiny tike's birthday party and it was as much fun as I remembered. I have nothing to add that hasn't been said, except go! Thumbs up, like a scoop of chocolate ice cream.
(3)Douglas F.
My wife and I went to Farrell's for his 3rd birthday. We didn't make a reservation, we showed up gave our name and was quoted 20 - 25 minutes @ 6:00PM. Which was perfect for us since some shopping was needed. We provided them a contact number to text us once available. 35 - 40 minutes past by and nothing...thinking I am in a mall maybe it is cause no cell service and I just missed the text. We went to the front desk thinking we will be eating shortly. At that time they quoted me again 20 - 25 minutes. I explained to them that is what I was quoted 35 - 40 minutes prior. He said a lot of people showed up and they had a large party. Well we waited again about 20 - 25 minutes...still nothing. Went up again about 7:30PM and was told I am at the top of the list. Great...multiple parties sat before me...20 minutes later we get seated. Now that we are eating after 8:00PM and my 3 year old is having fits. We set down and the waitress had so many chances to recover for the slow service. Well with her bubbly attitude she states, "what can I do for you". Not a recovery...maybe a sorry for your wait let me get you some water or drinks. No, what can I do for you. So we order a pitcher of beer to unwind...she brings it back and spills it all over the table...no sorry again, just a laugh. She then walks by several times and never cleans it up. We use our own napkins to clean it and then she just brings some new napkins and places them on the table. So we order our food and I order an appetizer salad...never comes out until all the food is sent to the table. I never touch it and ask to have it taken back...she said she will put it in a box for me to take home. I had to ask 4 times to have it refunded on my bill. The only reason I am giving a 2 star instead of a 1 star is the food was still good. The service itself was horrible.
(2)jamie l.
Took our little boy today for the first time and he had a blast. Food was good, ice cream nachos were awesome and the service from Samantha was great!
(5)Denise H.
I have great memories of going to Farrell's as a kid. I don't know how long this location has been open but I know that this is currently the only location open in Orange County. We decided to take a drive to the Mission Viejo Mall to check it out. The line was long on a Saturday night. We waited an hour for a table. We had the three cheese pizza which was pretty good. The sundae's had tons of whipped cream and a smidgen of hot fudge. I'm still rating five stars because this place is a kids paradise. What more could a kid ask for anyway? Ice cream, hamburgers, pizza, balloons, loud banging drums, waiters singing "Happy Birthday" or "You made a pig of yourself at Farrell's" every five minutes. I was a blast watching the kids have so much fun. It's so noisy that by the end of the meal we were more than ready to get out of there. The food and ice cream were on the spendy side but we were there for the kids, and the kids had a blast. Once we were seated the service was speedy and the waitress was a doll. Farrell's is a stimulation overload but great fun for the kids.
(5)Matt K.
Family dinner here, with good salads, great chili and solid appetizer pizzas. Ice cream was good, I don't know about great. It's a cool old Rag Time candy shop type theme, but I must admit its a noisy place. Truly the noisiest place in the world if a birthday party is going on (drums, sirens, shouting, etc). But I'm probably a crank that way. Our server was cool, our hostess was not (looked miserable). We were sat under a very cold rotary fan. I asked about it, and got rolling eyes and "I'll see what I can do." They reversed it and we were fine. They had a balloon guy, but he was expensive. I thought they worked for tips? Sorry, but I'm not paying $4 for a Despicable Me Minion balloon, cool as it was. Overall though, my meal was really great. But I left with a headache. I don't know, if people invite me I'll go, but I'm probably not planning to go here otherwise.
(3)Bill S.
Just like I remember it as a kid. Huge portions can easily be split by two adults with no split charge. Free sundae on your birthday. Great service. If you are surprised it is loud this must be your first time. Lots of easy nearby parking. Not fine dining so adjust food expectations accordingly.
(5)Meg P.
We went earlier today:) not only was the food awesome buuuut all the employees were awesome as well. This was our 2nd time going and it was totally worth it. My husband celebrated his birthday by polishing off their pig trough ice cream thing. I'm still shocked at the amount of ice cream. Xoxo
(5)Jay A.
If I gave a review on service, this would have been rated a 10/10! Hey it makes all the difference in the world right? And our server was really excellent...well worth the experience for a first timer.... Went here with some coworkers and from the moment we stepped foot, we were treated quite exceptionally....he just made our experience totally pleasant.... The food wasn't bad either...all american food and what not....even the desserts were tasty! The fact that they had chocolate malted crunch was kudos in itself =P I ended up grabbing one of their signature burgers and it was good....the fries weren't too shabby....not the best thing since sliced bread but for the price....it wasn't bad.... Anyhoo...I'd love to go here again....I wonder if all the servers are like the one we had....if that were the case then I think I'm in for a treat =P Oh random one of the guys looked like Chris Evan's cousin....kinda cute lol....that is all...
(5)Ryan L.
I love the Malts here, I got one mixed with oreo cookies and I'm still trying to find another place that can compare to the malts here. Went here for a friend's 32nd birthday, out of all places he wanted to go here, haha. I also tried the Gold Rush sundaes. A pretty fun place to go to if you're a kid or a kid at heart. You just have to be able to tolerate all the screaming children and loud atmosphere.
(4)Hion L.
There are really only two thoughts that will come to mind as you enter - 1. Wow what a great place to bring my kids! 2. Holy crap there is shitload of screaming kids. Now is a great time to remind myself to schedule a vasectomy so I will never have one. So depending on your perspective, you can be in heaven or hell. Unfortunately for me, it was the latter. The first thing that they do is ask if you are here to celebrate a special occasion. Umm, yes, as you can see by my lack of children I am a total loser and celebrate my own birthday at Farrell's....I politely said no, we are just here to have good ice cream. But apparently, the joke was on me as they had at least two balloon animal people walking around and every 10 min, they would blare the siren to announce it was someone's birthday. Just for fun, I think the next time I go I will tell them I am celebrating getting out of jail for murder cuz the only witness died. Try announcing that one! I actually came here b/c I had fond memories of Farrell's back in the day and thought it was so cool. I did forget that my memories were fond b/c I was only 9 years old at the time. But even back then, there was not anywhere near as much exuberance by staff members as there is here. The staff here are so amped up (on happiness and excitement you would swear it is artificially induced like some crazy Electric Daisy concert. And they look like they have at the minimum, 13 pieces of flair. But I guess it gets the kids all excited. It was funnier watching the dads at one of the tables b/c they clearly looked out of their element. They were reading the newspaper like it was the sports section and in denial that it was really Farrell's menu. I did notice their menu is a bit more updated and eclectic than during the 80's. We got the garlic fries which were palatable and nothing more. They have something called the chicken dinner for dessert that looks just like a mini chicken dinner but has ice cream, runts candies, and Zagnuts. It was what you imagine is served for dinner at Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. My wife's sundae looked good, but it is pretty clear that Farrell's has strayed away from the fad of serving quality high butterfat ice cream and stuck to the tried and true artificial ice-milky version. But when you put tons of hot fudge and nuts on, who really cares? And your kid probably won't even notice the difference. They also have gigantic banana split that is served in a pig trough which they announce to everyone in the restaurant, and when you finish with it, they make you do a song and dance calling you piggy piggy! Great guilt for Weight Watchers, very bad for Muslim customers. So if you have children, it is just a matter of time before the cruelty of Fate will bring you to Farrell's doorsteps. Or you may just want to share with your offspring the nostalgia of what is was like to have fun when there was no Playstation, Nintendo, the Internet, or iPhone. Just remember that you probably also enjoyed watching Capt Kangaroo. As for myself, I don't think I can handle coming back here just because the food is so meh, unless of course we get an unexpected surprise 9 months from now.
(2)Sidney S.
How much is nostalgia worth to you? Someone asked me if I loved Farrell's as a kid (after I visited this location). I pondered for a moment...and then really couldn't nail down any specific memory of why I liked Farrell's growing up. Was it a birthday party I went to? The noise? The vague memories of just loving Farrell's? The ice cream? Yet, for some reason, I was excited when they opened. But not too excited as it took me a year to get here. I guess us Gen X'ers love to look back... I came here with my son and his friend. Neither wanted to be signaled out for a birthday song so I was nice and didn't embarrass them. They loved the noise...the constant singing...the constant birthday celebrations (who knew so many people were born on November 11th). They got two kids meals...I got a sandwich and Banana Royale sundae...$50.00 lighter in the wallet. For what, a childhood flashback? It's basically a Chili's with better desserts and freshly scrubbed kids who probably also applied for a gig at Disneyland. Our server was a cute robotic young girl with the personality of paper. Of course, maybe it's just early onset hearing loss due to the constant drumming. Decent food, good ice cream, overpriced for what it is and in a mall environment. Your mileage may vary but it was not a place I need to see again. Except in looking back to my childhood.
(2)Jennifer F.
Beware, this is a place for kids...but it does appeal to adults too. Just be prepared for noise and chaos. That said, I could barely contain my excitement that Farrell's was open once again! When my family (2 teens, 2 adults) went there was a 2 hour wait for dinner. Once we got in, they got us a plate of garlic fries quickly. Delicious. Our order was taken quickly and we only waited about 20 minutes for it to be served. I can say that the patty melt tastes exactly like I remember from back in the day! No one had any complaints about their dinner. It's straight up Americana. Good food, quick food, filling food. Dessert? Oh myyyyyy. So good! Makes me wish I'd skipped my dinner just so I could shovel more ice cream into my face-hole! Who does butterscotch topping anymore??? Farrell's does! My dainty, skinny as a wire girl ate her entire banana split! I had to sneak my spoon onto her dish just to get a taste! Parlour's Tin Roof is filling and delish, as well. Both male child and I are noise sensitive people. The atmosphere is so friendly and upbeat that we were able to put aside our deep dislike of chaos and loudness. It's pretty great all in all.
(4)Elena M.
Fun place to throw a birthday party! Farrell's Zoo ice cream mix is definitely not for adults though - if you're throwing a party for mainly adults, stick to one flavor :)
(4)Wing C.
Fun place but it can get pretty loud (especially if there are a lot of birthdays). Ice cream is alright, but doesn't seem like anything special to me. Waiters are very friendly and energetic. Seems more like a good place to bring kids.
(3)Kristin Leigh M.
I was a little weary of Farrell's at first. I've always gone to Ruby's in the Shops at Mission Viejo for a burger and a 'diner' aspect. The first time I saw Farrell's, I remember thinking "who are these people trying to copy a 'restaurant of the past' feel?" Well, I can say that my mind has been changed completely. Went in to Farrell's on a weeknight for dinner and was not disappointed. Sure, some of the things they do are a bit 'cheesey' - but I think that's all a part of the fun. The host chap tried to crack some (not) funny joke with us... but I commend him for trying. If you're a child and it's your birthday, they will definitely make you feel like a star. I liked how - even though whilst I was there, there were 3 birthdays - they sang different songs to all of the children; helps them feel unique. All of the kids in the restaurant really seemed to be enjoying themselves!! Our server was very attentive and very on the spot! In fact - from what I could tell - all of the servers were on the ball. My fiancé and I both had burgers - I had a typical cheeseburger where he had something covered in BBQ sauce. Both were fabulous! What I do like is they give you the option for sides - you're not just stuck with friend or a salad. For example, I had the onion strings. I absolutely ADORE onion strings, so I was very pleased to see these offered. Since we had a starter (the cheese sticks), we sadly didn't indulge in dessert. Next time - for sure. And there definitely will be a next time!
(5)Luiza W.
Awesome atmosphere, even for adults. Im 26 and went theor with my husband and we had a fun time. Servers are super energetic
(4)RT F.
Prepare to meet your doom. Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour Restaurant is the place that you think you would enjoy greatly when you are walking by or driving by the Downtown Brea district. I don't blame you for thinking that, because I thought so too, until I went in there and experienced myself. I have always wanted to come in here and see what's the crowd is about. Finally I got my chance when I went to Bruxie's near by but they closed early so my friend and I decided to give Farrell's a try. The wait wasn't too shabby that day I went with my friend. But to be honest and fair, I gave it 2 stars because they have good services and the waiters/waitresses will help you to their best abilities. The food they served is decent but it's rather expensive, so I rather go somewhere else for the food. I came here originally cause I was looking forward to getting their famous ice cream sundae, but seeing many people's review and tips about how their ice cream is expensive and it's nothing but Thrifty, I turned down and canceled my order. Looking around, the place is vibrant and lively. Yes, lively. By lively I mean extremely loud. It's everyone's smotherfudging birthday here. In the short time of 45 minutes, I probably heard the birthday crew 30 times. I guess Farrell's didn't meet my expectation, and it fell even shorter after learning how loud this place can get. This would be the worst place to take a date because you can not hear a thing.
(2)Michellea D.
I love Farrell's. We go for everyone's birthday and sometimes just for fun. I always split my plate with my hubby then get the ice cream. I like the pesto turkey sandwich and the tin roof sundae. It is crazy loud. So bring your ear plugs.
(4)Val H.
Overrated. I've been wanting to come here ever since certain family members have been telling me how "fun" the atmosphere is and how "delicious" the ice cream is. So, why not give it a try? Why not , you ask? Because this place is ridiculously loud with mediocre customer service. And not to mention super long wait times for overly priced desert. I hate to sound like a grandma here (I'm in my twenties)... but OMG I couldn't wait for the "experience" to be over. Sirens, bells, whistles, drums, screaming, singing, trains- I could barely hear myself think let alone enjoy my ice cream sundae (which in itself was just okay). UGH I'm getting annoyed just thinking about it. So unless you wish to develop a migraine during your dining experience or enjoy LOUD noises... don't waste your time or money here. Oh, and note to self, don't take recommendations from family members anymore.
(2)michelle k.
I didn't like how you can't "reserve" a certain area/space for birthdays here but they are quite an entertaining group of employees. For the hour I was in the restaurant, there must have been 10 birthday celebrations going on and they had a different song for every kid. Busting out a drum to keep it lively as well. It was so much better than hearing the typical birthday songs from whatever restaurants you're at. They were polite enough to even play a few beats so my kid could dance and allowed her to make a few beats w/ their drum as well. Their hospitality was amazing and I enjoyed my experience w/ Farrell's. I didn't order any food, we only had ice cream and the kids seemed rather happy. $2.79 for a single scoop of ice cream in a cone & cup. Well worth the price for the size. I'll definitely be back.
(4)Krystal K.
My friends and I stumbled upon this place after a nice day of whale watching. I remember going to Farrell's, in Rosemead which is no longer there :(, as a little girl. I always loved the candy store and getting a big scoop of ice cream. The restaurant itself was very cute and did remind me of an updated version of an old ice cream parlour. We waited a few minutes before we were seated. All I saw was balloon animals and ice cream. All I heard was singing and laughing. I knew this was going to be fun. I ordered a banana royal and my friends ordered a chicken dinner, which consisted of butterfingers for the chicken, and the black and white. The chicken dinner was the most impressive because it was made-up of vanilla ice cream for the mashed potatoes, caramel for the gravy, and green and orange candy for the peas and carrots. The banana royal was good and so was the black and white. But watching what came out of the ice cream parlour is what makes me want to come back. There ice cream dishes on fire, in salad bowls, on wood planks, and of course with tons of whipped cream. The enthusiasm of the waiters and waitresses filled the room and I caught myself smiling and laughing at all of the clever song they sang. I definitely want to come back and can't wait for the Brea location to open. This a place to have to take kids at least once. They will totally love it.
(5)Dru C.
The last time I sat in this restaurant space, I was eating at a seafood restaurant called Oceans 33 (strangely, the website is still active, go ahead and look it up), from which I actually enjoyed the food. But that restaurant shuttered, and fast forward a few years, and I discovered that Farrell's was taking over the spot. I had never heard of Farrell's, what is it, I asked? I received a variety of replies, most of which fall into this category: "They serve a lot of ice cream... they bang loudly on drums... they sing to you... only go on your birthday..." Grand opening came and went, and we would pop in once in a while to ask how long for a table. We would hear at least and hour plus wait. Forget that, wait until the hoopla dies down a bit. So recently, we checked it out for my wife's and sister-in-law's birthday. We went somewhat early, around 430 on a Friday, and I was surprised at how busy the place was already. The minute we sat down, we started hearing the racket. The whirling, the buzzing, the shouting, the banging, the screaming, I could go on and on. My ears were ringing, and I hadn't even ordered food yet. I knew that the food isn't anything to write home about. Mostly everyone had sandwiches and fries, while I had the fish tacos. It wasn't horrible, just pedestrian food that any home cook can whip up at half the price. We were all looking forward to the dessert, and whatever birthday jingles the workers had up their sleeve. After all, that was the only reason we came to Farrell's. Before we knew it, a group of workers came over and did their thang. Repeat the whirling, the buzzing, the shouting, the banging, and the screaming. The birthday ladies were each given a personal sundae topped off with a lighted candle, while the rest of us shared a banana strawberry sundae. We clapped and cheered, the usual. The dessert tasted okay, of course any 5-year old kid can make the same thing at home. We came, we saw, we left. Ah, peace and quiet once again.
(3)Marcus M.
I was in the area with my family and decided to have lunch at Farrells. My sister and I are both vegetarian so she ordered the adult grilled cheese sandwich & I specifically asked my server to substitute the portabella mushroom patty for the laredo burger beef patty. And the server sounding very surprised going, "Wow, no one's ever ordered that before! You'll have to let me know how that came out!" And I didn't think much of it, just a typical veg substitution. First blunder was a separate server spilling a full glass of water on the edge of our table. Soaked my nephew's pizza. What was strange, as the server was trying to dry the mess, she didn't immediately offer to order another pizza right away. I kept asking my brother-in-law, "Should we ask her to order another pizza?" Stuff happens in this business and I get that. I was just surprised the server didn't immediately order a replacement until after hearing my comments. Maybe she was going to? Second blunder was instead of substituting the mushroom patty for the beef patty for the laredo burger. What happened was they placed the mushroom patty on TOP of a beef patty. Basically, the laredo beef burger with a mushroom patty on top of that. After eating about a 1/4 of the burger, I happen to realize there's a damn beef patty underneath there! I try to tell my server. "Look, I'm not trying to be an a**hole about this, I'm not. It's just that I've been vegetarian 19 yrs. I don't eat meat." My only contention is I shouldn't have to inspect my food, if the order's done correctly. What if I was allergic to peanuts or something like that? My father went back and forth with the manger. After threatening to complain to their corporate office, not to get into details, I'll just say we we're accommodated. All I"m kindly asking Farrells is when someone vegetarian asks to substitute a veg patty over a beef one, please be more careful. No joke. It makes us ill.
(2)Edwin D.
Had a lot of fun with the family! The staff are very upbeat and zany. The ice cream was much better than I expected.
(4)Rachel R.
I really like Farrell's! The wait sucks though. You have to wait in a line, you can't put your name in and go find a seat like most restaurants. I actually did not enjoy the food. The mac and cheese is actually KRAFT mac and cheese... not so bad except you have to pay extra to get it instead of fries. My fries were cold. The burger was nothing special. Not an impressive meal. Now let's get to the ice cream!!! So good! I've tried the birthday sundae and the pig trough. The ice cream is rich creamy cold goodness. You want more when you are done. Yum!
(3)J T.
Even my six year old hated this place!!! Loud and average food. Overpriced!
(1)André E.
WOW! If you are looking for quiet low key meal you better run away from this place as fast as your little legs can carry you. You will be inundated with movement and noise over the course of your time here which you should be able to figure out if you have to stand in line waiting for a table. I can't comment on the food because we only had some very mediocre dessert: ice cream nachos - nothing special, you can't scoop the ice cream with the waffle cone and though the toppings and waffle pieces were tasty, the ice cream was very meh for an ice cream place :( pineapple ice cream soda - after we had a waiter switch, the new waiter asked if he could make us one of a different flavor because apparently no one likes pineapple ones. I thought the pineapple was alright but I really appreciated the offer and thought it showed some great customer service on his part and I can't hold it against the first guy because I don't need a waiter questioning my order. caramel apple blossom - mmmmm LOTS of caramel I had a pretty good time here but you are definitely paying for atmosphere and entertainment. You'd surely be the all-time hero of any kid who got their birthday party here; sadly unless you have kids or are one you may not enjoy this place that much. Would have only given it 2 stars based on the food, 3 adding in the fun atmosphere, but the attitude and customer service shown by every one of their employees earned them the 4th.
(4)Mike L.
Wow! I havent seen or been to a Farrell's since i was a kid. Which was about 25 years ago in Phoenix. My wife found out that there was still a few still around so i searched to find the closest one. We drove all the way out here to just come here and will make the drive again. its just as good as i remember as a kid and thats hard to do. Most things dont live up to it. Usually places like this have great ice cream but the food sucks. That wasnt the case. I ordered the Gastro sandwich and got it hot and it was great. I would never order it cold after having the first one hot. I also got a cherry cream soda and it was great also. My family spilt the oreo madness and you guessed it, it was great. We cant wait to go back. Its also a mall that has some great stores.
(5)Kent H.
This place is all about birthdays. If you don't like loud noises and screaming everywhere this is not the place for you. There were birthday songs going every 5 minutes. The wait was long, about 40 minutes. The food didn't take too long to come. I had the mushroom swiss which was an average burger. I had them double the patties. You could go up to 4 patties, but there would be no way to bite it all at once. While I didn't try it, I was told that the vanilla shake is pretty good. They would point out to the restaurant anyone that was texting. It was funny in the beginning, but after it happened a few times it just wasn't that funny anymore.
(3)Heidi S.
Food is meh....and the atmosphere is deafeningly loud. But the ice cream sundays are amazing!!!!
(2)Carlos B.
Great place for the fan to celebrate Bdays. Ice Cream Sundays are amazing. It's a step back in time, with a laugh.
(5)Timmy S.
It's noisy with banging drums, a non-stop player piano, sirens, train whistles, servers yelling and singing, and lots of children celebrating. It's a place where middle aged adults can come and be nostalgic about when they went to Farrell's as a kid or to bring their own children to celebrate a birthday. This place is about having a fun time, not about an amazing culinary experience or getting a good deal. My All American Burger was good (not bad, not superb) and my friend's grilled cheese was darn good. Her salad was fresh and really quite tasty but my fries were lukewarm (a big no-no in my book). But really this place is all about the ice cream. I had the Caramel Nugget, several scoops of vanilla and chocolate ice cream covered with caramel sauce, hot fudge, and spanish peanuts. My friend had the Straw-Ana, strawberry & vanilla ice cream covered with strawberries and banana slices. We left full and happy. On evenings and weekends there does seem to be a perpetual 45 minute wait for parties larger than 2. We - being only two people - only had to wait 15 minutes. Once inside the servers seemed to be on the ball despite having all the other wacky duties they must perform. Our server was quick and very friendly - my straw hat is off to all of the folks who work there.
(4)L H.
The franchise and how they operate is awesome. This review is on this specific location. The entire staff was awesome but our waitress sucked. She is why I'm giving 3 stars. I was celebrating my kid's birthday and had a large group. A lot of us needed a refill shortly after the food arrived and didn't get it until we finished our meals. And that's only because someone got up and tracked her down. Besides the waitress though, everything else was excellent. We enjoyed watching the staff sing happy birthday at the other tables as well as at ours. It's very energetic in there and very loud. Just as loud as our kids are. Our kids had a blast. Even the adults loved it. The food is in large portions. I give the food 3.5-4 stars. The cherry coke was delicious. I didn't like the onion rings on the appetizers menu. They sucked. Garlic fries were really good. The kids loved the personal pizzas from the kids menu. And all the different ice creams were great. Overall. This is a great place for a child's birthday party.
(3)Cathy D.
Welcome Back Farrells!!! Great Memories!
(5)Melissa P.
I am only rating this one star because it is the lowest rating yelp will allow me to give. I tried to go here on my birthday, and stood at the door waiting for a table for 10 minutes before I had to flag down one of the many unoccupied servers to seat my table of 3. Five minutes later, we were finally seated. We had menus, but no server. We waited another half hour and weren't ever even acknowledged by the wait staff. No one ever took our drink order. It's clear Farrell's is only interested in parties of ten or over and won't even serve small tables. We left and no one cared. If you want to eat go to p. f. Changs across the way. If you want to go to a massive kids party where the noise would send chuck e. cheese screaming out of his mouse hole and into the parking lot, Farrell's is your place. Horrible. Never ever go to this place.
(1)Marisa M.
With all the mad hype about this place, I had to check it out. We cruised by around 2 PM after a so-so weekday shopping trip. The colorful decor and exuberant servers (did I see "flare"?!?) lured us in. There was no wait (thank-you), and were quickly seated. The menu was large, with plenty of appetizers, entrees and desserts to choose from. We went with the Hot Fudge Cookie, essentially a hot fudge sundae on a chocolate chip cookie (oink, oink). The wait for the ice cream was a little long, but that just added to the anticipation. It arrived, we took a bite, and... disappointment. The ice cream tasted ordinary, and the cookie was almost stale. If the wait is over 20 minutes, walk on. Maybe it's growing pains, but I'd rather consume the 800 calories somewhere more deserving (Farrell's growing pains, not mine - my growing is not longer up, but out, especially after eating here!).
(3)Ahmad K.
....the only thing I will say about this place is that it is annoyingly loud.... ...apparently everyone is in on the secret that if you say it's your birthday, then you get a free shake or something. But that shake is accompanied by the staff running around the restaurant yelling and screaming while banging drums and ringing loud bells...all while singing and putting on skits... ...don't get me wrong if was fun to see the first 3-4 times in a span of 5 minutes....but when it happens to be someone's Bday at every single table on the same evening...then it can get a little overwhelming.... .....great place for kids....and for the adults who never wanted to grow up...otherwise bring your earmuffs when you come....
(3)Andre A.
Great for kids parties, the food was good.
(4)Leonard L.
Farrell's Shops of Mission Viejo July 4th Four Stars. On America's 234th Birthday, we did the American thing by shopping at the mall and eating ice cream at a good old fashion quasi-chain restaurant and "ice cream parlour." Surprisingly the wait staff was extremely friendly especially for working on a day where everyone else is drinking and barbequing at the beach. The waiter was fine with us merely splitting the mocha sundae. It came in an old ice cream sundae glass. On bottom, a scoop of chocolate, then a scoop of butter pecan, topped with whole peanuts and hot fudge, then a scoop of coffee ice cream, whipped cream, and a maraschino cherry. Overall, it was a very all American experience.
(4)Chloe K.
I had the pizza with spinach and chicken and it was really delicious. The ice cream on the other hand... I had a scoop of ice cream with brownies and whipped cream. The brownies sucked. Next time i'll try the banana split. They sing happy birthday all night to people so if you don't like loud noises don't come here.
(3)William B.
A pretty busy place which adjoins the food court. There's a tethered section for the line that leads out of this place where a sign at the end says the wait is 45 minutes. And they were exactly on for the amount of time we waited to enter here. Still, it's been forever since I went to one and it's no small drive to here for me, so I was okay with the wait this one time. But while waiting, I got to press my nose to the window and look inside and see the ice cream bar where all the goods were being made up. Bottles of all kinds of syrup and ice cream dishes lined the window along with wine bottles?? When did they start serving wine & beer at Farrell's? Granted, I was a young teen when I came to one last, but that was an eye opener. Well, when we made it it, we got seated in the middle of a loud and wild place where it seemed like we saw at least 5 birthdays being celebrated, complete with the servers banging drums, singing, running around the place with the big ice cream creations, and getting people to cheer for whomever was being celebrated at that moment. At times, an electronic player piano in the corner would play some ear-piercing notes (thing was seriously loud!). We got chili cheese criss-cut fries which were decent. They actually had green onion cuts on them, unlike the fraidy cat Taco Bell that doesn't put them on Mexican pizzas anymore. Oops, slight rant there. Back to the review! I got a chocolate Coke (bleh) and a Gold-Digger Sundae (mmmm! as good as I remember) . We also got a nice looking Oreo Bliss Sundae and a Banana Royale (mmmm!...yeah, I had some of that too!). I was lightly disappointed that they didn't have the oblong pewter(?) dish for my Gold-Digger that I loved scrapping the bottom of for the last bit of butterscotch, but I got over it in a fairly normal bowl and helped lay that memory to rest with some of the Banana Royale. Got a nice brain freeze & sugar rush combo to hit me after that; combined with all loud noise, I was feeling it good later. I took off a star for a couple of reasons; one was when we came into the restaurant, we were pointed to the door that goes inside the mall where the actual line to get in was in a manner that told me the cashier felt she had better things to do. The other was that the candy store selection that used to have no peer in the older days (and where I'd buy all my Kiss cards from) is now just a small little corner and nothing much to get excited about. Still, a good time here over all and we all enjoyed it, so thanks for coming back Farrells! Now, open some more places! Oh, one other thing. I saw a family sitting in the food court area getting packaged up sundaes delivered to them from a Farrells server, so maybe it's worth a shot to see about getting an order "to go". Prices were under $10 if you just got a sundae, but you'll easily hit over that if you go with food and ice cream.
(3)Douglas L.
Wanted to share that I received a very kind and sincere note of apology from Mr. Fleming, Farrell's CEO, in response to my review. I'll plan another visit soon, and will update my comments then. In the meantime, kudos for their skill in demonstrating genuine concern in providing a good guest experience.
(3)Michael M.
By far the worst me not just for me but my 5 year old son as well stay away.
(1)Alex K.
So after all the hype of this place opening, etc etc I made the drive with two of my fellow Yelpers to review this place on the day of the grand opening. Um... and what's the big deal exactly? Ok so we actually ordered food. I ordered a halfsie, a half BLT or TLT, soup or salad, and fries. All for $6.50. Bargain for lunch. The toast was pretty greasy, the lettuce was shredded and messy, and you really can't screw up tomatoes and bacon. The fries were waffle fries, like the kind you get at Chick-fil-A. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. The soup was a tomato basil. Had bits of basil and tomato chunks. Better than canned. Simple, nothing fancy. My first partner in Yelp Kate ordered a Reuben and garlic fries. Something tasted really funky in the meat. I can't put my finger on it. I think it was the preparation, and not how it was cooked. Not enough kraut as well. The bread held up well. I can't find a lot of places where the bread doesn't fall apart as you're eating the sandwich. Garlic fries are same waffle fries with garlic salt and articificial flavoring. My second partner Anita ordered the sliders. The bread was burnt on my bottom bun. The meat was nothing to write home about. Premade frozen patty. Comes with waffle fries. So this is an ice cream place. We split a mocha nut. Butter pecan, coffee, chocolate, Spanish peanuts, whipped cream, and I think fudge. Decadadent, maybe didn't need the fudge since it was already very sweet already. Very good. Was it worth the trip? Maybe if I have a really hard sweet tooth that can't be fixed with any other kind of dessert. Service was very good. Attentive and friendly. This is not a great place to have a conversation. Every 5 minutes there were bells and train whistles going off and a drums going off for people's birthday.
(3)Tanksta W.
First time at Farrell's. Came here for ice cream and got a triple chocolate sunday and added peanut butter. So good! Yum! Server was Michael Skolos.. super funny and excellent server. Give this guy a raise!
(5)Robert M.
4 stars because the kids had a lot of fun. We had a 1-year-old, 4-year-old, and a 7-year-old, and they were delighted by the honking and the ringing and yelling and the singing. They loved the ice cream; the waitress interacted with the kids well; they loved their spider and flower-ring balloons. The lunch food I'd give more like 2-3 stars. The chicken doodles or whatever they're called were over-fried; some bits tasted more like southern-fried chicken jerky. The sliders were not bad, but nothing particularly special, either. A handsome portion of American cheese per each made a big difference: without it they would have been dry and far less enjoyable. My Black and White sundae was definitely tasty, although sadly the hot fudge was cold fudge by the time it got out to us. I imagine that's a difficult proposition in general unless they were to wait until the sundae was at the table to pour hot fudge on it. I don't know how enjoyable this place would be for a few adult-types just trying to have a decent time, though they do seller pitchers of beer, but for the delight that the kids get out of it, it's worth the visit.
(4)Cari C.
Great place for family birthdays. Yes, it's loud - yes, there are drums - yes, almost every table has a birthday. Get over it folks ... that's what Farrell's is all about. You don't come here for quiet conversation or culinary delights - you come here for ice cream (and maybe some food before dessert) and celebrations that cater to kids. We come here for many of our birthdays - I even came for my birthday, because I knew my elementary-school age kids would have a fun time - and when my kids are happy, I'm happy. This is a special occasion (i.e. birthdays or other child events) place. We do often order food, and it's usually just fine. Their ice cream creations are good - there aren't that many "old fashioned ice cream parlors" around these days - so we find this place to be a gem for special nights. We're even having our 9 year old's birthday party here this year ... can't wait! I know my daughter and her friends will have a blast, and that's all I expect.
(4)Thuy N.
We had our niece birthday dinner here today , it was packed ! On a Tuesday night with reservations ! The service was slow because the are so busy . The hamburgers we had was dry and well done ! Complained to the manager and her explanation was because they catered to kids menu and everything has to be cooked at once , therefore they only cook it one way . That's too bad :( service were good but the food is a thumbs down . In the end kids are happy with ice cream and balloons in hand . Fun experience but probably won't be back .
(3)Lisa E.
Went with a group of 10. We all had fun watching the staff sing all the songs. We all got fun desserts. We even got the fake chicken dinner to share. If you LOVE sugar. Get it,but you really need to share it,trust me.
(3)Gregg D.
I admit I stopped here based on my childhood memories. Still remember the sirens, bells, troughs, and ICE CREAM as if it were 1970 all over again! As an adult with no children, I have not developed the kid-tolerance one needs to truly enjoy this place now. Obviously kid friendly, watch out or you will have a seriously sugared up kid to deal with when the "crash" happens. Awesome goodness is the best way to describe the sweet treats on the menu.Oh so good. I cannot wait to visit again. I think I must make this a mandatory stop on each of my Los Angeles to San Diego trips. Go! Go now, be a kid again. Get chocolate all over your face...and love every second of it. Life is short, get some Farell's. P.S. Who knew they had regular food too?
(4)George U.
This was hands down, the craziest place I've ever been to. I'm talking about, I've never had a dining experience like this and I've eaten at some crazy places. Now, I know you see my star rating as, "Meh," but let me preface it by saying, I didn't have little kids with me. This place screams kids. I walked in and there were servers yelling about story time, dudes coming up to my table and asking if I wanted a balloon animal (and I laughed when he said, "I can make you a snake!"), and the overall high pitch of children screaming. I came here for the ice cream, I left thinking, I would dine at another place.
(2)Veronica B.
Very disappointing! We went there for my nieces 5th birthday. Just four adults and two kids. The two stars are for the fact that they still sing songs and make a big deal for your special day. If it weren't for that I would have given them less! The food is awful and overpriced!! They charged us $2 for a side of ranch for my nieces chicken strips! Not EXTRA ranch mind you! Guess we should have been happy with the free ketchup! The French fries were cold and none of us were impressed with the food. Now let's get to the ice cream...for as much as you pay you would think it would have been dreamy! NOT! I've had better Albertsons brand ice cream. As for the gift shop, everything is overpriced in there too! One of those Styrofoam fake straw hats was $8! Definitely not what I remembered as a kid. I was looking forward to the new store in Brea opening...not anymore:(
(2)Shelley M.
I gave Farrell's a second try at a less crowded time and it was MUCH better!! The food was great, our sundae's were perfect and the service very friendly and way more efficient. Thanks!!
(4)Janette R.
My daughter & I went here to celebrate Barbie's 53rd birthday the other day. It was such a great idea to put excitement in my 3-year-olds life - Pros: great idea on Farrell's part, and they followed through with giving my little girl a very pink sundae for free because she brought her Barbie in with her. Cons: absolutely worst service I've had in a long time, anywhere. We were there at 2:30 pm on Friday, there were about 3-4 other tables filled, out of the 20 or more in the main restaurant. Our waitress took our drink order, brought our drinks promptly then disappeared. And I don't just mean took a really long time to come back...I mean literally disappeared. After flagging down another employee to find our waitress, he said "I don't know what happened to her." He took our order, our food came out in a reasonable amount if time (which tasted good for what it was), then back to feeling completely ignored...again. Another 1/2 hour went by, after we finished our lunch for our newly appointed waiter to come by to take our dessert order. The ice cream was very tasty! I'd give 4 stars for that. I never did see our original waitress again in the 1 hr 45 min visit we had, hope she's ok? I'm not one to typically complain, but service is a really big part of my experience when out and I really expect good service at places like this since it's such a "rah rah" kind of place. I'm hoping it was a fluke because I know from previous visits we've had good service. So, for a quick birthday celebration - I felt like the S.S. Minnow on a 3-hour tour. Better luck next time...
(3)Ben C.
Had a chicken sandwich that was solid. Brother's burger was good and kids' chicken fingers did the job. Ice cream for dessert was great! Atmosphere was loud and especially great for kids. Service was good. Yo Yo
(4)Chop S.
My husband and I have been dying to come here since it opened to relive childhood memories. We were both disappointed. We drove the 50 minutes from G Town with 3 teenagers. The place looked full. I was wondering how long the wait would be. The hostess, unfortunately, just looked at us and smiled. Didn't ask us anything, just looked, and smiled. I said, "5 people." She said, "5 people?" I said, "Yes." She looked at me and smiled. After almost a minute, she looked around, then back at me and smiled. I was getting creeped out. She said, "Will you be needing children's menus?" Smile. I said, "I don't think so." She looked at me, smiling, for awhile, then grabbed 5 menus. She looked at me and smiled some more, then took us to a table. She was strange. This whole process took 10 minutes. After the long ride, the kids were starving. The food was meh. Definitely not worth the prices they charged. This was the first visit for the kids. I had the Choffee cream soda, a chocolate cream soda with coffee ice cream. It was very delicious. After lunch, however, two of the boys were too full to eat ice cream. They all thought it was noisy, but pretty neat. One thought it was the bomb. My husband and I thought it lost it's charm and cosiness. It felt rather cafeteria-y. The player piano used to play ragtime music. This time there was The Beatles and Bob Dylan [WTF?]. Ok, it's old for the kids, but it doesn't quite give the same vibe, ya know what I mean? We had two waiters. They gave clear explanations of the menu items and were friendly and efficient. I used to look forward to the candy store section with it's colorful jars of jaw breakers and Swedish fish. This candy section looked like an after thought somebody threw into the corner. I bought some candy for the kids for the ride back. I was the only one at the counter--nobody standing behind me-- and there were 5 people at the register talking to each other. It took someone awhile to notice me and then I got rung up with the attitude like I was disturbing them. Sheesh. No likee.
(3)Jane La Trace I.
Farrell's is obviously the best choice for an ice cream treat! The menu is filled with delectable concoctions of ice cream sundaes and ice cream novelties! The service is okay-considering there are majority of teenage seeming/young adults running the show, yet their cheerful attitudes definitely compensate for the lack of timing in food delivery and follow up.
(4)Kris D.
Love bringing my kids here. We always have a great time! Good food and service. Love that they are so family friendly.
(4)Stephanie S.
The ice cream products are pretty good, the food is lackluster and overpriced. But, hey, you're going for the kids' sake, so suck it up!
(2)Tom H.
I had never heard of this place when I was a kid, but my wife had an aching to go once she heard this place was reopening again. I guess she spent a couple bday's at the old Torrance location as a kid. We came on a Saturday afternoon and they have a first come-first serve line out front of the place with signs placed throughout the line guessing how much longer you're wait will be. The back of the line was at the 45 minute point but it ended up being only like a 20 minute wait. The place is all about the atmosphere here. The staff seemed like they missed their morning dose of Ritalin cause they were all just a little too happy to work here. But come to think of it, for a family place specializing in kids bday's it's something you don't see at the local ChuckECheese. The food was okay, kind of reminded me of Bob's Big Boy type diner food. I tried the Classic Burger and Chili Fries, my wife had the Grilled Chicken Sandwich, both were okay, not a home run but not too shabby either. We ended up getting the Hot Fudge Cookie Sundae for desert. The ice cream was excellent, but for $6 the Sundae was a little on the small side. This place is loud, and with people ordering the daily special ice cream tub that is a huge production of drums and horns to bring to each table and all the bday singing going on, don't expect a lot of conversation in your party. On a side note, our waitress was great. Quick Food, pleasant attitude, great service. I'd go back in the distant future when the hype dies down a little and the crowds disperse but with it lacking entertainment (video games etc..) I don't see my kids having a traditional bday party here.
(3)Anthony A.
Consider me unimpressed; I just don't get the big deal about this place. A couple nights after it opened my friend and I went here to eat, but we promptly left when the server outside told us the wait for a table was 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Hours! We returned on a less-crowded Monday afternoon, and got seated after waiting in line for about 20 min. We were seated near the ice cream bar at a table the size of a matchbook. Our server was a nice enough kid. I got the Black & Blue burger, which was decent. It was virtually indistinguishable from any other generic burger, but it went down easy enough. The accompanying waffle fries were a little greasy, but otherwise tasted good. We both got an add-on sundae which, for an inc cream-centric parlor, wasn't all the impressive. Plus, it came with nuts on it though the menu didn't mention this. I hate nuts in my desserts. Here's where this place gets annoying: kids and parties. For starters, everyone who comes here on their birthday gets a big sing-along from the crew. And these get old. Fast. Even worse, when someone orders a ginormous tub of ice cream so large it has to be carried in on a stretcher, another server rings a siren on the wall. Between the throngs of screaming brats, singing hosts and wailing sirens I couldn't wait to get out of here. With the food as mediocre as it is and the ice cream kinda "meh", I think I won't be back here too often. Though I do still need to get one of their signature desserts before I write them off completely.
(2)Kirsten D.
The food is okay, the ice cream is good and the service is awful. I've been here 3 times and felt this way every time, but won't be back after my last visit. The floor at this place is filthy and my cute favorite pair of flats were covered in who knows what. It was so disgusting! It looked like mashed potatoes but I don't think they have mashed potatoes on the menu. Kids are the majority that eat at this place and are bound to drop food or throw it under the tables. They really need to make a habit of cleaning under the tables after each guest. Last visit our food was served quickly but it took 45 minutes after to get our ice cream. Half of our party received their ice cream but the waitress forgot to put in all the orders. Waitress then blamed it on the guys making ice cream but it clearly was all her fault. We could see the guys at the ice cream bar standing there doing nothing. The guys at the ice cream bar couldn't start making our sundaes until they had an order for it. Then after we brought it up and after waiting 20+ minutes for our ice cream we saw her go and put the order in, but it's their fault right? We spoke to the manager about it and while he took care of it all, he acted as if he really didn't want to hear our problem. The service is just extremely lousy and not worth waiting 45 minutes to eat here.
(1)Don B.
My wife wants to eat here though I am not a big fan of Ice Cream Parlours. We were greeted by a very enthusiastic server. Had some suggestions and I decided to take have a Philly Cheese Steak. The description was "Oooozing" cheese coming up. It did not disappoint me. It was good. My wife went straight to the desert and so is my daughter. Very good too. Service was excellent. Atmosphere is good for family with kids and teen. Would definitely go back to try out some of the food in the menus.
(4)Julie Y.
My 6 year old son and I attended his friend's birthday party. We sat in the birthday room with two other birthday parties. My only complaint is the noise. LOUD!!! I could not hear the person sitting next to me who had the same issue. The kids sat at there own table and did coloring on the table which kept them very busy. Our party had three waiters who were very attentive to all of the children and parents with drink orders. The food was definitely "comfort food" i.e. chicken tenders, onion rings, cheeseburgers, salads, etc. The food was delicious but I probably gained a good 5 lbs! This is a great place for kids but absolutely NOT for people who dont like small children, sub par food or a noisy enviroment. If you fall into that category, its best to stay away. As much as I hated the noise, I AM taking my son to Farrell's for his 7th birthday party. Why? Because I want him to have the same great memories like I had when I was his age at Farrell's in Washington State. Not to mention my memories of my dear mom who smiled ear to ear with with her fingers in her ears. Enough said.
(4)Tango T.
It was my first time here and because it was a warm day, I thought it would be a great idea to get ice cream. I ordered the $8 ice cream nachos (one scoop each of the mint & chip, malted chocolate and vanilla ice cream) and was very disappointed. The ice cream was mediocre and sub-par and obviously, instead of nacho chips, they used waffle cone pieces. But that's what it was... a waffle cone that was smashed in small SMALL bits and pieces to a point where I couldn't scoop the ice cream with the waffle cone pieces. In terms of venue, I enjoyed the music that was played but this is definitely a place for the young at heart on their birthdays. It was a Saturday afternoon and the place was PACKED with families and screaming kids. The staff did a great job in announcing bdays and singing to the whole restaurant, which all the kids very much enjoyed.
(2)Michael B.
Can not give the place anything but 5 Stars, it is exacly as it should be. Farrels "Zoo" is one of my best childhood memories. Mission Viejo's redo was spot on. Took my 8 year old neice and a party of 10 there on a couple hours notice. It was what I expected, good sandwich style foods and over the top presented sundaes. Ticket times were good,the meal was quality and the servers (hired for their Outstanding Charactor, i assume) did what they were hired for. I thank you. My neice will remember you years from now. The day I was there was Monday 2/18, in case you throw a pat on the back to your staff. See you again soon for lunch when I'm in the area, no birthday, just because a little farrels fun ince in a while would be welcome
(5)Yuka N.
I've been wanting 2 go here since the one in rosemead closed down many years ago. Thought it wuz going 2 b nostalgic like the days i went there as a child. Not so much! Cute decor, good service, but expensive! Thought this wuz supposed 2 b an affordable, family place??? My nephew got a kids meal ($6.99) & that didnt even include ice cream!!! My daughter & i got burgers & hot fudge sundae. Total came out 2 almost $50!!! That wuz during lunch!!! Ridiculous!!!
(3)Juvi G.
If you've never been to Farrell's, then you haven't done everything you should before leaving this life. I don't know about the food they serve here, (though I'm sure it's delicious). But their sundaes are to die for, (and I might just mean that literally). They serve the biggest and most decadent sundaes I have ever laid eyes on; with the most outrageous toppings and syrups. The last time I went, I had the Ghiradelli Brownie Sundae, drizzled with chocolate sauce, and real Ghiradelli brownie pieces on the inside. You might go into a food coma when eating here, but I guarantee it is worth it. Oh, but be prepared to wait in line for a couple of minutes, no matter the time of day. Unfortunately, this place is no secret.
(5)Misskay Z.
Good burgers, my kids loved the variety of ice cream and cool sundaes....I spent waaay more than I felt it was worth, but my kids loved it so oooh well!
(3)Elizabeth M.
I just recently went to Farrell's for a birthday and it was terrific! I used to go to one at Serramonte (CA) before it closed. I thought Farrell's were all shut down and was ecstatic to know that there were a few still in existence and I was pleased with everything. I was like a little kid waiting for Disneyland I was so excited. I remember this being THE PLACE to be for a kid having a birthday. The singing, the bells ringing, the fun servers, the atmosphere is all so awesome. The burger I had was delicious as were the fries and we had a great time posing for the camera with our fake moustaches that you can buy in the gift shop. I ate only half of the burger because I knew I couldn't leave without dessert. My dessert was even better than I had imagined. I had the Nutty Nutty Hot Caramel Sundae. I love nuts and the combination was so delicious! It hit the spot! It was a winner for my family as well as this was their first time. We will definitely visit here again next time we are visiting the area.
(5)Rona M.
This place is LOADS and LOADS of fun!! If you hate loud places, I wouldn't suggest going here. If you're not a fun, jumpy, dancing-around-all-over-the-place kind of person, don't come here. The staff here is amazing at keeping up their energy! They're singing Happy Birthday almost every ten minutes.. and it doesn't ever get boring because they always do something different every time! Great place to bring kids, or if you're just a kid at heart :) They're famous for their ice cream stuff so I'd suggest sharing a plate for lunch/dinner or ordering something light then going all out for dessert!
(4)Jen M.
Fun fun fun! I had a great time, food not so great though. It's all about the atmosphere here. Came with 3 friends and we decided to share some sliders and their "mountain" of chili cheese fries then we each got a sundae. The sliders are average little burgers on a bun, the chili cheese fries taste all right. It's diner food, not gourmet zagat rated dining. Don't go in with crazy expectations for the food. Unfortunately, the sundaes didn't fare so well either but we still left very happy. Between all the drumming, calling out people for using their cell phone, birthday singing, sundae announcing etc. you get caught up in the hilarity of it all and feel like a kid again. I could see your kids having a lot of fun, go if you're a family and if you're in a group with friends looking to have a silly good time. Don't take yourself so seriously here, laugh it up and be realistic. :)
(3)Samantha N.
Growing up in San Diego meant I am well-versed in the world of Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour. There was nothing better than going there for a hot dog and a Green River with my dad. So you can imagine my excitement when I heard there was one being built an hour away. It was a drive, but I was willing. Ice cream on the horizon is worth over-priced gas any day. I was sadly disappointed. The atmosphere was like I remembered, with the self-playing piano, the lively servers, and the BIG drum. But the front of house service was crap to say the least. They were far too busy gossiping amongst themselves to pay attention to the clearly antsy customers and projected an hour wait when there was clearly about twenty open tables in the joint. Ok. Fine. No big deal. Give me my trip to memory lane via my taste buds. Nope. I ordered a Green River (which was delicious), garlic fries (cold, and hard as rocks), and a cup of chili (good, but not grand). My dad, however, ordered a chili dog, which was served cold. Like, sub zero levels. It had once been hot, as the cheese was melted, but it had since been left to the heat lamps. We spoke to the manager about our displeasure (my dad knew the owner, and Farrell's always had a pretty high standard), and he comped us, so no big deal on the whole. All in all though, Farrell's is a great place for kids and birthday parties, but I think the time for nostalgia has passed for me.
(2)Minzi T.
Excited to have a Farrells open. Many good memories from childhood. I think things are always 'over built' in your head from distorted childhood memories, BUT.... Its very similar to how it used to be. The candy store section is not the same. You used to have to walk through it to pay the bill and it was bigger, but its ok, I'm not 10 - and I don't need candy. I think Farrells is expensive. The food is ok. Its not bad, not great. The ice cream is good. Its always good. I think the service is really good but to eat food there, its not something I would do all the time. I think this place is priced like Vegas or Disneyland as far as food goes. About 25-30% higher than it should be ( In Disneylands case 100% sometimes ... LOL ) so I think this is a 'novelty' place, for nostalgia / parties. IDK. I've been 2x. The 1st time Kobe Bryant was there at a kids bday party with his daughters. Interesting as Mr Kobe is super hot. 2nd time was just a regular trip. Great service. Its clean, bathrooms clean, just a little $$ to me.
(3)Wolf O. C.
I am sad to report that Farrell's does not live up to my childhood memories. The crazy sundaes with all the noise are still there, but the fun vibe is gone. The waiters seem to be a bit bored with what they are doing. Our waiter was terrible. We had to ask him 4 times to bring our daughter her drink. I don't think he ever came back to ask if there was anything else we wanted. Each time, we had to flag him down or get someone else to help us. The food was also just so so. I had the BLAT (Bacon Lettuce Avocado and Tomato), which was overly covered in their sauce -- i.e. Thousand Island. The waffle fries came cold. I am giving them three stars because I still have fond childhood memories and the clown sundae put a smile on my daughter's face. Otherwise, I think that Ruby's sandwiches put this place to shame -- even the shake at Ruby's is better. Sorry Farrell's, I'm sure that I will be forced back for various kid's birthday parties, but I will not be going voluntarily.
(3)Justin A.
This is going to be an odd review. As an adult who enjoys good food, but is not a dessert hound, this is a 1.5 star place if you take the desserts out of the equation. As a parent of two young girls, seeing their delight in all the loud festivities going on all over the place, as well as the HUGE desserts, well, this bumps it up a few notches. I will spare you the blow-by-blow, and cut right to the chase: Adult, non-dessert food: 1.5 stars Kids non-dessert food: 3.5 stars Desserts: 4 stars Service: 3 stars Atmosphere (adults): 1 star Atmosphere (kids): 5 stars Price: 2.5 stars Bottom line - Go here for your kids, they'll have a blast. If you don't have kids, only go here if you love giant desserts and can tolerate tons of kids and very loud in-house "Entertainment". Tips: - Eat your non-dessert food elsewhere! - The coleslaw literally tastes like it was in a dumpster in the sun for days - was spoiled! Avoid at all costs. - Their take on onion rings includes pickled red onion. Interesting at first, nauseating later. - The kids Grilled Cheese was actually pretty good - Take plenty of aspirin before going - Either bring plenty of cash, or be prepared for whining - their is a marketing blitz aimed at kids involving toys and candy at the only entrance\exit. I am sure I will be back in the future for my girls, but I will be followiing the tips I outlined above to keep me as sane as I am....
(3)Stephanie P.
I recomend to go for your birthday and just go for the ice cream. the food is not so great.
(4)Don J.
Very long wait tonight to get food.....With 3 small kids this was not good almost 2 hours. They did keep saying there was a back up in the kitchen and did keep letting us know. But way to long.
(3)Melanie J.
Re-lived some childhood memories but wasn't the same. Our waiter was great, she had lots of energy, the food was good but it was EXPENSIVE. $7.00 for 2 scoop Sundae, it was more whipped cream than Ice cream. Our sandwiches were good, again expensive. Total bill for 2 was $34.60! I would expect to pay that for dinner, not for lunch. I was disappointed with the birthday's, they made a loud production but that's it...it was just loud. I was use to a TON OF PEOPLE coming out of the wood work to sing to you, what I saw here was 4 people who sang the birthday song and then IMMEDIATELY disappeared (no hats, no balloons, just a song). The overall experience was ok but it wasn't what I remember when I worked there years ago.
(3)Rob W.
Listen, if your not in the mood to relax and celebrate - Stay Away from Farrell's. That's what it's all about. They do a great job of serving up the "Celebrate." The food quality and prices are good. Service was really good and friendly. It's better than the original Farrell's I have been to many years ago. Seriously. If you come out of Farrell's without a smile on your face and thinking you need to leave a bad yelp review than you must have a cold heart and a dead soul!! Seriously!!
(5)Shanna K.
One of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. We decided to eat here because my mothers first job was at a Farrell's many years ago. She recalled the atmosphere as being one of fun and the service as being held to a high standard. I had never eaten here before and took her word that we would have a great lunch. We arrived on Thursday at about 1pm. we were seated quickly as there were only 4 other tables in the restaurant. About 10 minutes later our server walked by our table to say he would be right with us. It took several minutes for him to return. Because of the amount of time we waited we were ready to order right when he got to us. After taking our order he moved to the hostess area to, I assume, put our order into the system. He was at the computer for several minutes talking to the hostess and a man I would later discover was the "manager" while putting in our order. It was 1:20 before our drinks even got to our table. We waited for another 35 minutes for lunch, after about 20 my mom noticed both of our sandwiches sitting under the heat lamps in the kitchen. Our food was finally brought to our table and as the food runner passed out our food he actually poured my sons $7 mac and cheese lunch out of the microwave bag and into the bowl at our table. I was appalled. I took the first bite of a french fry to find that it was still frozen in the middle. My moms french fries were no warmer. Our sandwiches had been sitting in the window for so long that the bottom bread of the french dip was inedible. and the mac and cheese just luke warm. All during our meal the "manager" was hanging out and wandering through the restaurant with little regard for the guests but much more interest was paid to screaming bird noises at his employees. The only time I saw personality or any real concern from any of the employees was when they got to bang their drum loudly and sing for birthdays. On our way out I noticed there were comment cards. I started to fill one out when I noticed a sign that stated something about if we weren't going to give high marks to let a manager know. At that time, I asked to speak to the "manager". He was apologetic about the experience, but stated in our conversation that he knew their service was sub-par and that he was aware of the speed and quality of the food. He said that now, with my comment card, he had ammunition to do something about it. RIDICULOUS! If you know people are doing a bad job, TRAIN THEM! If you know service is suffering, HELP! If you see unhappy guests, DO SOMETHING!! I was offered a coupon for a free ice cream on my next visit, which I turned down. There will be no next visit. I refuse to patronize an establishment that charges so much for mediocre food and terrible service. Especially when they are aware of it. We had planned on getting dessert when we arrived, but after our lunch was done no one at the table wanted to wait any longer, or give this restaurant any more money. If you are going for just dessert I cannot comment on whether or not it is good, but if you are going for a meal, DON'T! Turn around and eat at the P.F. Changs behind you or even the food court. The food is better and it wont take 2 hours.
(1)Stu W.
First, let me say that I loved Farrell's when i was a kid, which was a long time ago. Let's just say there were only four tv channels back then, and leave it at that. It was a special treat for me and my family to eat there. I still remember the din of families, turn of the century music (though I didn't know that back then), sirens, bells and various other noisemaking devices. So that was not altogether unexpected. As any run of the mill restaurant, this location in Mission Viejo is ok. The service was pretty fast, and friendly. The food was not too bad. I had a chili burger, which was good, but the onion sticks (deep fried onions) were soggy and too greasy. My companion had a Hawaiian pizza, which was actually not bad. It had a very thin crust, which is my preference, and tasty toppings. We also shared some garlic fries, which were a huge disappointment.. The fries were obviously not freshly made, but rather had been sitting around a while. The garlic was not fresh, but from a jar. They just didn't pack the flavor punch that garlic fries should. For just the food and service, I think 3 stars would have been in order. However, this is not just any restaurant, this is Farrell's. So they're not just selling food, they're selling an image, an idea. I hate to be maudlin about it, but they are really selling nostalgia. And on that point, they just are not up to par. I used to love Farrell's. I loved the music, the costumes, the kitsch, the huge candy store. And this place delivers a semblance of it. Close, but no cigar. The look of the place is pretty close. The costumes aren't too bad. The music is right. But when they did their schtick for birthday celebrations (of which there were many in the hour I was there), it was anachronistic. Sometimes the music was more modern (why?). The guys playing the marching bass drums could just bang on the things, a steady uncomplicated rhythm of some kind. But no. What do they do? They choose to express their artistic sides. Because it was merely a stroke of bad luck that instead of laying a downbeat for Justin Timberlake these guys are working at Farrell's. Give it a rest. Please. And one other note about the food. I got the chili burger because I had fond memories of it as a kid. It was a classic dish at Farrell's. It was served open faced, smothered with so much chili it had to be eaten with a fork and knife. The only hint of vegetation was some diced onions. The new fangled chili burger at Farrell's is pretty good, but it is not what I wanted when I ordered it. So I guess I would say, as far as Farrell's is concerned, don't come here expecting the same old place. It is not, though it has a lot of the trappings. Therefore, you have to judge it like any other restaurant, and if that's so, there are lots of better places to choose from.
(2)Jim H.
I have many fond memories of Farrell's as a kid, and our visit recent visit was not a disappointment. While we were there, we experienced the running of a zoo, a couple of presentations of pig trough ribbons, and a couple of birthday celebrations. Our ice cream dishes were tasty and well prepared, and they were prepared and served very quickly. Our server was very personable, and he worked hard to ensure we had everything we needed and that we had a fun experience. Here's the thing... Farrell's isn't for everyone, so you should know what you're getting before you go, otherwise you WILL be disappointed. It could almost be like heading to Chuck E Cheese and being disappointed that you didn't have a fine Italian dining experience. It is what it is, it does it well, and it doesn't try to cater to every taste. Here's what you need to know in advance: * Farrell's is an ice cream parlor, and their specialty is ice cream. True, they have other food, but the other food is not their area of strenth. If you're looking for a great meal, there are undoubtably lots of better choices. The best bet is to eat your meal elsewhere and stop by afterwards for dessert. * It's intentionally got an old-time feel: expect servers wearing old-time straw hats and rag-time piano music. If this isn't your thing, look somewhere else. * It caters to groups and kids: expect lots of noise and silliness. There will be waiters running around the room when a group orders a "zoo". There will be lots of announcements and loud interactive songs for birthdays and accomplishments. There will be buzzers, banging drums, and waiters yelling for everyone's attention. If you're looking for a quiet place where you can spend uninterrupted time together, this isn't your place. * The ice cream concoctions are tasty and look wonderful, but they're not cheap. You ARE paying for the atmosphere. If you're wanting a nice dish of ice cream for $4 or $5 dollars, head over to Coldstone. * If you're looking for something healthy, don't even consider it. Their ice cream concoctions go from large to enormous, and they are loaded with calories. If you're counting calories or trying to solve America's obesity problems, stay far far away! * It's a popular place, they don't take reservations, and they don't rush people, so there will probably be a wait. If you're in a hurry during prime business hours, you need to explore other options. If you can read through this review and think, "I like those kinds of places," Farrell's should be an excellent choice!
(5)Shylah K.
My boyfriend and I were driving around looking for something sweet before seeing a movie. We didn't have a lot of time so when we saw the line to get into this place we were a little hesitant. Just as we were deciding it might not be worth it a giant ice cream went by with the staff and someone with a drum.... we thought why not and got into the huge line. The wait was short. We were seated very quickly and given menus by a very happy hostess. Our waitress came by very soon after and took our drink order. We had never been there and asked about the ice cream sundaes they had and what was the most popular. She ran down a quick list and was very friendly but also poked a little fun at us. It was interesting and definitely not what we were expecting. We ordered our ice cream and she came to the table to tell us they were out of brownies (my boyfriend ordered something giant that had brownie in it) he teased her a bit and asked for another menu. When she came back she said she was joking, someone had lied to her about the brownies and she was sorry for the mistake. My boyfriend jokingly said he would take one of the big glasses they served the ice cream in as an apology. This girl could dish out some funny comments right back at my smart ass boyfriend. Our ice cream came and she teasingly said she made sure the glass his ice cream came in didn't have a logo and also, they were out of the sundae spoons and she gave us short spoons instead. The ice cream itself was fairly good. We were both disappointed in the amount of hot fudge we received and when our waitress came back we asked for a small side. She came back with a huge cup... She told my boyfriend it better be gone when she gets back or she would make him drink it. I cannot believe how funny and interactive the staff is!!! During our time there we saw quite a bunch of different interactions with staff and customers. All of which was comical. We enjoyed ourselves very much. Thank you Farrell's!
(5)B R.
Good place to go once. The food was okay, the dessert was delish, the ambiance was very noisy as everyone was celebrating their birthday there. Be that as it may I still enjoyed seeing the big smile on the faces of the kids as everyone sing happy birthday. We went here with our family including sisters, bro-in-laws, grandma, nieces, nephews and our boys. It was a fun experience but I won't be repeating it again.
(3)Josephine S.
Wait was kind of long. Food was really good, way better than a Chili's or Applebees. The tomato soup was amazing and so was the BLT. My husband also liked his food. Service was just OK. Not great. After a while the noise does get a little annoying but hey I knew what I was getting myself into when I got here. My son liked it. Ice cream was amazing! Probably the best I've ever had. Overall a pretty good experience.
(4)Sean Y.
Well...as expected, most of the reviews for this joint start off with the warm, nostalgic vibe of Farrell's. Unfortunately for me, this joint regurgitates (wack pun intended) memories of me projectile vomiting due to the completely insane amounts of dairy products that my young body was not used to. Fortunately, this experience was not repeated the other day when my extended fam celebrated a bunch of b-days here. Yeah the line was long, but so is the Pirates of the Guddamned Caribbean ride, but that doesn't stop you, does it? Stop bitching. Also, let me say that the food was surprisingly good. As much as I hold the prolific Anita L and her reviews and opinions to a very high level of credibility, I found the Reuben to be very delicious, satisfying and worthy of a repeat. It obviously wasn't a Langer's #88, but it was darn good. I can't really speak for everyone else's grinds as I was too immersed in my own Man Vs. Food type frenzy to care, but I heard no complaints, except for the missus telling me to "slow down...you're making a scene". The servers and hosts were all adept and very enthusiastic with their songs and routines. Hey, in a day and age of monotone restaurant b-day chants by angsty teenagers, this place definitely took that part to the next level. The apps and entrees were all served in a timely fashion and our beverages were always refilled. The birthday peeps in the group were all treated to comped HF sundaes and we ordered a few banana splits for all to share...not too much and not too little... I just can't bitch, folks. So, in conclusion, I will say that my experience here was more than positive but I will also say that I will never come here on my birthday...all that unwanted attention embarrasses me and we wouldn't want that...unless they have Xanax sprinkles to top my sundae...then I might consider it.
(4)Thomas B.
Having kids, this place is great. ADD, was thought out when bringing this childhood icon back. This is the place to do your child party. It is never a dull moment or even quiet for that matter. Highly recommend going back in time to this forgotten treasure. If you are older and want peace and quiet then don't bother. It is a highly charged atmosphere that kids will love.
(5)Mariam Z.
Well, well, well. I didn't expect different people contacting me about this review, but it happened. Honestly, it was so impressive how concerned the CEO, President and General Manger all were about our service to Ferrell's I have to top off this review with the final fifth star (Not because I was whiny and complain-y about the service, but they wanted to make sure we actually received our award. Once again, the place is great, I loved the food -if ice cream is even considered a "food"- and it was just plain fun to be around). But to my surprise, I received a package in the mail today! A wonderful note, two $5 coupons, a fun newspaper menu, a package of sugar button candies and the illusive Belly Buster AWARD! I was instructed to shout out "Girls and guys, put down your fries and turn your eyes.." while I gave my excited husband his ribbon. Now all we have to do is go back and work on the other two Belly Busters to become part of Ferrell history. Thanks again, Guys! This was very special and made our day :)
(5)RF G.
Most of the time, but not all the time, the crowds have it wrong. Here we go again. Farrell's came in to Mission Viejo Mall with a good dose of excitement - a fancy Ice Cream parlor that did a good job of publicizing a "coming soon" atmosphere, and drumming up excitement, particularly that it was replacing a failed less-than-exciting restaurant. As soon as it opened, people were in by the droves. As much as I know for certain that crowds often get it wrong, it's not easy to level off curiosity. Finally over the weekend, I got a chance to see for myself what it is all about, without having to risk waiting a long time in line only to get disappointed - we've all experienced that before. Late on a weekend night, there was no wait, so we just walked in and got a table. As always, I come in with an open mind wanting to discover something new and exciting - the crowds are known to be right once in a while, after all. This ambiance is very nice, they put a lot of money into this space, making the place look and feel lively. After about half an hour or so into it, it seems every other table was celebrating a birthday and the staff and customers appear to make a big ruckus over every one of them. It's not really all that hard to discern that it's an overdone idea - we were there for less than an hour, and between the screaming from 3 different birthdays around, this got old pretty quickly. The ice cream was no big deal. Toss a few scoops together and put a little caramel or hot fudge on it ... there is nothing extraordinary about it at all, except that this is one place that would actually pile dozens of scoops into a container and serve it. Service did not suck, but it's below average. As it was late in the day, it was pretty obvious that the server was tired from the daily show, and the fact that I wasn't buying into the quackery, the service, which started with "Hi! Welcome to Farrell's!" became pretty lame by the time it was all over, no more smiling. I guess it's enjoyable for kids. But if you're a grown up that has had enough of crowd mania and less-than-genuine birthday celebrations, this is definitely not your place.
(2)A K.
The ambiance is fun, but the food is only okay. Their mushroom burger was nothing to write home about and the ice cream in the sundae tasted icy.
(2)Julie S.
Farrells and me go way back. I grew up near one and would only go on a very rare occasion because my parents did not have much money. However, it was ALWAYS such a treat when i would go. Therefore, it brings back great memories....many of the menu items are the same. I would highly recommend it...it will leave a lasting impression, especially if you have small kids.
(4)Tim W.
I have some foggy memories of going to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour as a kid. I remember ice cream.. .tons of ice cream, the candy store and the waiters running around the restaurant screaming and yelling and banging drums. Flash forward 30 years and I just had that same experience at this new Farrell's. Talk about deja vu!! We took our nephew to Farrell's to celebrate his 9th birthday last week. We called to try and get a reservation, but no luck for the night we wanted. We decided to go early and got there at 5pm on Wednesday. No wait for our party of 9. This place is definitely all about the birthdays! We had a great time. The food was actually good and not too overly priced. The food servers were very friendly, fun and entertaining. Definitely a lot of yelling and singing at this place. I don't know how a kid couldn't/wouldn't love it! Adults need to relax and let the kids enjoy...... especially the adults taking this place WAY TOO SERIOUS on yelp! (1 star reviews?? really? Let's give em a bad review because it's busy and we had to wait in line.) The place definitely is trying to be what it was back in the old days. They seem to be trying hard and in my opinion they are succeeding! Good job! We all ordered separate ice cream desserts! All were delicious and good sized. If anything, the ice cream is overpriced compared to the food pricing. But still for our party of 9 the bill was right at a $100 which is a killer deal for a b-day party. If you have a large party, make a reservation, but you must do it in advance to get the day/time you want. One of my favorite things was the way they called out the customers who were texting or on their cell phones at the table and then the whole restaurant would "boo" them. AWESOME! Put down your phones for one whole hour if possible and try to enjoy some time with your family or friends. It's not that hard.
(5)David S.
Back in the day (late 70's) I never thought I had my birthday unless my parents took me to Farrell's. The last time I ate at a Farrell's I ordered off the kid menu. First the bad. The food is disgusting. There, I said it. Absolutely horrible. The food for our party of 4 came out in (no kidding) 4 minutes. I know they pride themselves on how speedy the service is, but seriously. I get sick just thinking of the amount of pre-cooked slop sitting in the kitchen waiting to be shoveled onto a plate and delivered in record time. Will never eat anything but dessert here....ever. The good. Still has that energetic feel I remember as a kid. If you have kids, great place for birthdays. If you are not a kid and still feel the need to have strangers wish you 'Happy Birthday', bring your sad self to Farrell's where you can fill up on junk food and pretend the wait staff are your friends. Final thoughts. Price was a bit steep for the quality. They still have a candy shop by the exit but I waited 5 minutes at the register to buy a couple of suckers for my kids before leaving them on the counter and walking out. During this time about 6 employees walked by but none asked if I needed help. Could have sworn they saw the suckers in one hand and cash in the other. Will not go back unless the kids beg.
(3)Kathy Y.
We received a gift card here so thought we would go for my husband's birthday. We came on a Thursday at 6:30pm and walked right in. We asked for a booth and had no problems at all. The server was super nice and attentive and the food came out at lightning speed. My husband said he didn't want to be sung to but I told him he had no choice. I wanted his FREE ice cream. :) YUM! My husband had fond memories of Farrell's as a kid. He got invited to his friend's birthday a couple of times at Farrell's up in Los Angeles and all he could remember was the mountain of ice cream they got. What a tremendous treat for a little kid. As an adult your experience may be more jaded but through a kid's eyes, it's a memory that will stay with them. Every 10-15 minutes, a bunch of servers would come out and sing all sorts of variations of "happy birthday". It's quite entertaining and our toddler had a great time watching and clapping along. We were able to eat in peace while our daughter looked around and happily ate her food. A balloon twister came around and made balloon hats and animals for the kids. He was so cheerful and detailed in making his elaborate creations. My daughter got an Ariel from the Little Mermaid complete with little purple clam shells. We also asked for a balloon hat with a flower and he happily obliged. We tipped him a few bucks for his efforts. I ordered the Harvest Salad but asked for Crispy Chicken on top so I can share with our toddler. It was quite tasty and the price is comparable to say Red Robin (about $12-$13). My husband got the Talk of the Town burger and said it was delish ($10-$11). The Cherry Coke was topped with 5-6 cherries. He refilled it with a Vanilla Coke and that was tasty too. Overall, if you have kids, you should try Farrell's at least once. It's a fun lively place for a birthday of any age. It's loud, festive and your kids can make as much noise as they want and you don't have to worry about keeping them quiet. Win-win.
(5)Leticia M.
This is a great place! Nice atmosphere! We went for dessert only but will definitely go back to try the food. Our waitress, Lindsey, was great. She droppedone of our desserts on the floor before coming to the table, but it was quickly replaced. Also, at the beginning of the meal, we were informed by Angel, that Lindsey was in training. We were impressed that Angel came and told us this at the beginning of the meal. There is a line to get in, but we went after the lunch rush during the week so only like a 10-15 min wait to be seated. They only do reservations for parties of 8 or more. Family fun atmosphere!
(5)Kyla K.
You want a place where your kids can be themselves, run around like crazy and yell like the dickens? This is the place. I liked it. Very noisy. Here's the kick... they serve wine. Hello! Go here. Candy store, tasty food, ice cream out the wazoo... nice! If you're looking for an ice cream fix only, go to Pinkberry.
(4)Jeffrey S.
Fun atmosphere! Good food! Great desserts! Be prepared for LOTS of noise! If you aren't expecting it, it won't be an enjoyable visit. Not for those who want a peaceful dinner. Great for my family. My daughters LOVED watching all the birthday celebrations around us. Very attentive wait staff!
(3)Nona L.
My guy loved his trip down memory lane at Farrell's. I was pretty lukewarm about this place, but I can see why people love it. I would give it 3.5 stars, and I'll round up to 4 because it made my guy so happy. First, this place is LOUD. Like, REALLY, REALLY LOUD. Every five minutes there is a drum, shout, song...something that is LOUD. The tile floors do not help. But the decor is fun! They have a candy store in the back! There's a player piano! It's fun! My food was pretty good. I had the grown-up grilled cheese and the tomato soup. Both were acceptable. No complaints. I loved getting a Green River soda. I haven't had one since Ed Debevic's closed. We didn't eat any ice cream (I know, I know) because we just couldn't take the noise anymore. This place is not for adults, it is for children. And it is fun and cute and I think your kids would probably love it. The best part are the menus. The menus look like newspapers, so when you look around you can see little kids studiously reading the evening paper - so funny!
(4)Jessica C.
To be fair, if I were 10 and reviewing this place, I'd probably be giving it a 5. But 10 year old's are stupid. We waited in line for this place for TWO AND A HALF FREAKING HOURS. There is no sane reason a person would wait this long to eat at a restaurant, unless you are accompanied by small children who ONLY want to eat here. The wait time is just completely unreasonable. A while ago, someone smart invented something called a buzzer. Why this restaurant does not employ their use, I will never know. Instead, they make you WAIT IN A LINE in A MALL for god knows how long. It's completely insane and unreasonable. If you can prevent your kids from knowing about this place, you must. Once you get INSIDE, well... that's another fun story. INCREDIBLY LOUD. Obviously. Apparently this is a long standing tradition with this place, and so it is to be expected. It's easy to see why kids think this place is fun, but for that same reason parents be warned -- KIDS think this place is fun. So chances are if you are hanging on to what is left of your sanity then you will die a slow death once inside this clamoring restaurant where each way you turn you might trip over a small child or bump into an employee charging forward with literally 50 pounds of ice cream. This brings me to my next point. WHO is eating all this ice cream? I understand some of their larger concoctions are meant to be eaten by a lot of people, but it seems that there is no way anyone should be eating this much ice cream. As for the food itself, it is on par with Denny's. Denny's is fine, obviously, if you are going to Denny's, but this place charges you steeply for the "experience" and then some. The ice cream too isn't amazing, and frankly you could save yourself a lot of trouble if you just go to the market and buy a few gallons of ice cream and dump it in your bathtub.
(2)Ed B.
Ice cream was not that great, Baskin Robbins is better. The big bowl they bring our is mixed with like 10 different flavors, making for a WTF flavor ice cream. Service was not good. My table was dirty with the last peoples leftovers for 15 minutes until cleaned. Kids only outlet is to run around the restaurant in circles (not sure how other people think about that but at least do something like McDonalds and have a mini playground so they can expel all that sugar energy). Overall my first visit was not that great. BTW we have 3 kids.
(2)Jane B.
Having grown up with a Farrell's in my hometown, I've been excited to share this one of a kind dining experience with friends whenever we can. We recently visited with our baseball team and parents. In total we were a party of 45. I made the reservation and was asked to leave a deposit on my credit card due to the size of our party which was totally acceptable. There was no mention made at time of reservation or upon arriving at Farrell's that we would also be charged 18% gratuity AND 18% service charge. These items clearly should have been presented to us up front. For my family of three, bill for lunch and dessert came to $73 I was shocked to find that there was one server assigned to our party of 45. Our server did not appear to be getting the support from his managment . Our parents were on the verge of jumping in and helping the server just so we could speed things up. Our lunch and dessert service took FOUR HOURS!! Half of our party was still eating lunch as others were finishing their desserts, while others were patiently waiting to pay their bills. We probably would return for the experience of going to Farrell's but NEVER again with a large party. Very disappointing for us.
(1)Allen N.
Been going this Farrell's for the past 2 years now and the family loves going here. Fun, Loud, and Exciting are a few words to explain this place. The line to get in is sometimes lengthy but worth it. Love the Ice Cream, Philly Cheese Steak, and Burgers. Great Service!
(4)Jana M.
Very friendly but the first time I was here my food was cold especially my fries and on my second trip it was the same, cold fries. The food is nt fresh and ice cream was okay
(3)j s.
If you grew up in the late 70's you may remember the original Farrell's, that's a shame. It seems like things aren't the same anymore. I don't recall walking in and facing a 90 minute line to get in for a table or to place an order. The ice cream is still good, but it's nothing special. It was an experience to take my kids, but they didn't seem to feel the greatness of the place, like we once did when we were kids. I wouldn't advise you to avoid this place, but if you're looking for something really good for dessert, this place isn't it. It is a fun little environment though, with a candy shop with some of the vintage candy, that's hard to find.
(3)Bill M.
Click your heels together, and harken back to the 70's, and imagine a cross between Rocky Horror and Willy Wonka, or maybe Vaudeville meets Heavy Metal! Opening day--11am, Wednesday, a crowd of 25 or so 40 somethings like myself lined up, seeking a return to those thrilling days of yester-year (to quote the Lone Ranger!). Food served promptly, excitement all around, my Philly Cheese Steak and fries came out hot and tasty! I only ate half of it since I was there for the ice cream--! I was the first to try out their cool digital player piano, choosing All Shook Up and Brown Eyed Girl as the first two songs! I then ordered the Gold Digger, a delightful blend of butterscotch and bananas and whip cream! To finish it off, a trip further down memory lane, the candy store, for Pop Rocks, Razzles (First, it's a candy, then, it's a gum!), and of course, a strip of Zotz! Great fun with family, birthday parties--you can't beat it! Not fast food cheap, but slow food fun, served quickly, and in most cases, with a cherry on top! Open late, worth the wait! Enjoy it!
(5)Francis A.
Mostly this place is all about the show. There are servers always running around with some ice cream special, banging drums, ringing bells, sounding the siren, and yelling all day long. Generally the service is pretty good. The servers and host were helpful and very polite. But as for the food... ehh. Their burgers and sandwich are nothing spectacular. You can get the stuff they have here and any red robin or ruby's. The only thing that I believe is worth coming for are their GIGANTIC ice cream specials. The one's that serve 10 people or more. I've had the small ice cream choices like the Farrell's Rocky Road and The Gold Rush. Nothing that'll wow you. But if you love ice cream, and have a bunch of friends or family that love ice cream, come here and get the big ice cream specials. I got the Ferrell's Zoo with a bunch of people and it was delcious. Different ice creams and sorbets topped with nuts, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, sprinkles, bananas, strawberry sauce, and cherries. SO BOMB!!! Bottom line: this place is good for big groups wanting ice cream who are not bothered by a lot of noise, and basically the rest of the menu is average.
(3)Jennifer A.
O THANK YOU FOR BRINGING MY CHILDHOOD BACK!!!!! So I invited a gaggle of friends to celebrate my bday this past Saturday @ the new Farrell's in Mission Viejo. I have been waiting for this since I heard about it back in October? on NPR. Everything is just as I remembered-LOUD and drowning in ice cream. A must for celebrating a birthday especially for a small child or those that have the mentality of a small child *raises hand*. The wait, sad to say, was almost 2 hours and we were there @ 3 pm ish. We found out it was because there were several large parties (8+) waiting to be seated. I hate to see how long the parties we saw in line when we left had to wait. It was 7 pm and the line had doubled in size! So if your going to brave the crowds send someone ahead to get in line. Now when I called to make a reservation for our large group I was told " we don't take reservations" but while standing in line there were signs up stating "call ahead for groups of 8+"...something they obviously need to get figured out. Make sure you do not eat at least 5-6 hours before you head out to Farells. Not for the food serving size but for the dessert! But wait let me start with the meal....food is a tad overpriced (average is around $9 a plate) but I figure it is because of the rent they have to pay for the location. However food came out all together, warm and everyone enjoyed the quality and quantity of what they ordered. Next came the main event-DESSERT!! Now since there were 9 of us we decided to go with The Volcano- a hot fudge sundae made of 30 scoops of vanilla ice cream with nuts,cherries and whip cream with a firecracker affixed on top($50.00,serves 1-10). Our server was nice enough to get us brownies in each of our serving bowls to go with our Volcano, which only added $3 to our our bill. Tried as we might we were unable to finish it all. ; ( So make sure to visit Farrells but if you are prone to headaches bring lots of aspirin because every 10 minutes there is a siren or drum going off to celebrate a birthday, run around a Zoo or deliver a Volcano. Plus there is a boat horn and bells to ring near the back of the restaurant and a sound track playing overhead. Watch little ones to make sure they are not in the walk way when a ginormous dessert is delivered or snagging sweets out of the barrels from the candy shop on the side. PS- You can reserve the birthday table in back but it is only for 1 - 1.5 hrs. at $12 per person. Not sure what comes with it but make sure to call ahead because they were booked a month in advance when I checked. PSS- They can split checks for large parties, a definite plus!
(5)Lela n Morgan B.
If you are going here for great food, romance, or just a quiet meal youre at the wrong place. This place does a great job of what it aims to do, make you feel like your 8 years old. The cherry and vanilla coke are made the old fashion way with syrup and they still sell the soda water for .02$. Our maiden voyage to the MV location was with a party of ~20 for a friends Bday. The service was shaky at best but when you have 1 person trying to manage a group of 20 what do you expect? Food wasnt special, but there were no complaints. Friend got the grill cheese and garlic fries and he liked the food. Garlic fries would have been better with a olive oil to coat so the garlic stuck better to them, but again.. this places niche isnt details on the food. Wife had a cream soda which she loved (vanilla). As a group we had a pig trough and a zoo...fresh with the old school bells and whistles (literally). The staff does the old schtick with enthusiasm. When the pig trough was finished the ribbon came out along with the yelling about 6 scoops of ice cream, 6 toppings, and anything else they can find on the parlor floor. Ice cream is good, not the best you'll find around but has good flavor. It has a decent amount of air in it (not a Thrifty level but more than Hagen Daz) so it will melt fairly quickly. If you have kids, they will love this place. Its a family place for fun, and for that it does a fantastic job.
(4)Sheila P.
We came here for my boyfriends birthday. Obviously if you love ice cream than this is the place for you. The atmosphere is cute but can get a bit annoying after awhile. Trying to bring the "old fashioned" ice cream parlor feel doesn't sit that well inside of a mall. Not for me at least.
(2)Jodi J.
Took the fam here one evening...We were told the wait would be about an hour and 45 minutes..So were like cool lets eat dinner at cheesecake and have dessert at Farrell's...Plan worked out perfectly However Farrell's has some growing up to do...I wish they would just go reservation only until business dies down. b\ecause I think all the upset people hanging out by the door really kills it. I also think its the epitome of insanity to not have an area just for dessert seeking people and people who would like to dine in. Seriously they pretty much were turning away huge parties of people willing to throw fistfulls of money at them and redirecting us to all the other restaraunts at the Shops at Mission Viejo. Fine by me instead of the 60 bucks I would have spent there i got out of there for around 15 bucks Now on to review ...My party of three shared the Pig Trough...which is a ginormous banana split... the ice cream is quite delicious...I havent had real ice cream in Orange County in years my body might have gone through a couple seconds of shock because it wasn't f!@king frozen yogurt (South OC peeps you know its true). I can say it was pretty good...That being said I wish I had gotten a hot fudge sundae ...Then I wouldn't have had to share it with the broads I was with..Just kidding not so much... So Overall Farrell's is worth going to...but It is not worth waiting 2 hours for...I will return when they have died down or have figured out a way to better serve the community they are catering to.
(2)Nicholas B.
What can I say a late sat night craving frozen sugary madness we head over to Farrell's for a quite night !! To our surprise the staff was singing n dancing at every table wether it was ur bday or not ! The entire staff rocked the house !!! The brownie rap was our themed dessert n it was huge n totally gangstar!!! No fish tale by far the biggest n best sundae experience I have ever encountered !we had a ball thanks again ,bonus points on totally friendly staff from start to finish!!! We came at 915 pm n the staff was still rocking the house !!! Standing applause !!! Curtain call!! Tu for a joyful evening !!!
(5)M A.
The 5 stars is for their service. I came with a very large group of adults and kids. They let us reserve the side room without having to order a set meal and allowed each of us to have individual checks. The service was fast and cheerful, despite the fact that we were such a chaotic group!
(5)Alexandra S.
Expensive....just get Ben and jerrys...and the people working there are profoundly annoying. Don't scream at me! The constant smiling is very fake! The outfits ate cute but the food and ice cream is expemsive...they are getting so much profit plus I have to tip 20 percemt... The creator is a genious
(1)Jennifer M.
Came here for the first time with my friend for lunch . We brought our toddlers. Definitely get here during the week at 11 when they open. No one is here and the noise level is low. There were three birthdays so that got a little loud but overall it was nice. Check in on yelp at lunch and you get a free sundae . I had the mozzarella sticks which were really good . I then had the patty melt with chili fries. Both very good. On the weekends this place is loud and the wait is long. I'm talking an hour or longer. Would come back again but definitely during the week for lunch at opening time.
(4)Yenni C.
Maybe we came in a bad day... (Memorial Day), long wait, wrong order twice, no brownie on brownie sundae, and ice cream is not much better than Thrifty's ice cream. Wasted my time & money.
(1)Michael V.
Took the girls there and afterwards I was torn between 2 stars and 3 stars. I went with 3 stars because Farrell's is obviously a unique restaurant, and the "experience" is probably available only here. BUT, the service BLOWS! There really seems to be too few servers for the amount of people who visit the restaurant. They were slow, and when they did come to your table they acted extremely rushed. Not good. Will I be back? Maybe, and only for a birthday party for the girls.
(3)Darren H.
What a place indeed. I took one for the team as I had told them it was my birthday so my wife wouldn't be sung to and now of course I want to come here for my birthday in May..Ha-ha! The place is loud, but only because they are creating quite the special atmosphere with the singing and overall jubilation! The staff is awesome and I can tell (at least with our waiter) they put their heart's into the experience and appreciate when people let loose and have a great time. I had the Son of Sundae of the Dead and the ice cream alone is what won me over. It wasn't overly sweet and it felt quite light which I didn't expect. The toppings were a nice addition of course, but I'd have been fine with just plain ol' scoops which is crazy to put out there. I did peer out at the actual food and it did seem reasonable on the wallet for portions that are meant to share for sure. All in all a wonderful establishment and it shows in the care and love dealt out within it's walls!
(5)Michelle T.
I remember back in the 80s when there was a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour in the front of the Stonewood shopping center in Downey. It has since been converted into a lackluster mall and Farrell's has been M.I.A. for more than 20 years. But wait, they have several new locations throughout southern California! I was super stoked to try out the Mission Viejo location. So, I gassed up my vehicle and hopped on the 5 South only to arrive at a place that brought back childhood memories. It is true that he wait time is crazy, even when the lines are short. However, you can still see employees running past you with that big ol' drum as they get ready to serenade the birthday folks. What I liked was that they have different renditions of birthday songs vs the generic happy birthday song. They jazz it up a bit for you! The food is not superb but it's better than that mess that they serve at Chuck E Cheese! I enjoyed my meal and my hot fudge sundae was pretty decent. It's not a large restaurant but it's big enough. Now that I know that I can make reservations, I'll follow through with that next time. The best part about this location is that if you are into shopping and sauntering through the mall, you can burn off some of those calories from your meal by exploring the shopping center.
(4)Lanake P.
Walked in today to celebrate a birthday. Got greeted with a big ol' welcome. Our server Bryce was awesome! They sang us not one but two songs. Food was great...ice cream was even better. Had the Ghiradelli sundae. We LOVE this place. Customer service here rocks!!!
(5)Matt H.
Farrell's is awesome very energetic staff that makes it fun the food is pretty good the ice cream puts everyone else's to shame and they have a claw machine!
(5)Alan N.
First visit to Farrell's. Definitely not a place to go if you would like to have a normal conversation with your dining partner and not have to yell - it is extremely noisy with loud talking and singing from the staff for what seemed every 5 minutes (for birthdays, etc). To top the singing off, drums, horns and all kinds of racket makers were used. Honestly, not a fan - not my kind of atmosphere and found it rather annoying. I could not wait to get the hell out of there. So, as for the entire dining experience, this is how it breaks down for me on a scale of 0-10: 1. Atmosphere - minus 0 2. Service - 7 (would be a 9, but was difficult to hear the server and again, it involved yelling to hear each other) 3. Food from dinner menu - 6-7; was good but have definitely had better. 4. Dessert - 10 So for me, next time I will go have a nice relaxing dinner at one of my favorite spots, then go to Farrell's for dessert....getting it to go so I can eat it while walking around the mall or something.
(3)Chris M.
Love the enthusiasm of each employee. The date is Nov. 8th and all employees on staff at 4:00pm are awesome!
(4)Andy N.
This place is full of fun! It has the old school vibe with celebration of ice cream all around. The cool thing is they also serve food as well. I came here on a Friday night and it was pretty crowded. Lots of happy kids and awesome service. The servers here know how to have fun and also work hard. Much appreciation to seeing service like this. They have a fun menu with lots of ice cream sundae's in different forms. All big and will pack on calories, but hey I'm not trying to eat ice cream to lose weight. I had the ice cream nachos. A sundae of mint chip, malted chocolate, and vanilla ice cream as the base. It had whipped cream, a cherry on top, nuts , and fudge. I can't forget the broken cones they use to call it the nacho chips. My three favorite ice cream flavors in one! I can't lose! The fun aspect of ordering the item with the happy service really made it a memorable one. I'll be back for the food! Recommendation : Ice cream nachos
(4)Mema L.
This place was SO fun. We were just stopping in randomly to grab a quick bite and ending up staying over an hour. The atmosphere is priceless. The employees (Nick especially and Demi, German, Hayword) were exceptionally great!!! Thank you for the awesome service and SMILES!
(5)Brittany A.
First time here and I took my daughter to celebrate her birthday today. She enjoyed it at age 5 and so did I. We had an amazing time and because of her birthday they gave her a free sundae and sang to her which cheered her up. Since we returned home she has not stopped talking about it. We only went in for ice cream which was good but it is a great atmosphere for any age.
(5)John P.
If you are looking for a gastronomic food experience don't waste your money. The food has one common theme-horrible, all of it. Your safe bet is the ice cream-that's what they are known for. Hate to say it, but you're better off at McDonalds both for the food and ice cream.
(1)Arturo S.
We stopped here for lunch and it was seriously unbelievable. My girlfriend ordered the build your own lunch combo and she picked the side Caesar salad and the grown up mac'n'cheese and I ordered the weekday lunch special. After the server brought out the salad he said it would be a couple more minutes for the mac'n'cheese to come out. My burger came out and I was waiting for my girlfriend to get the rest of her food. She just told me to eat because they were taking too long. Not exaggerating one bit, 40 minutes after the server told us it was cooking a manager came out and let us know that it was barely brought to his attention that the noodles were not being cooked and if we would like something else. The place was completely empty before more groups started to come in. We didn't realize that we ordered the most complicated order on the menu. Honesty how long does it take to boil noodles. The manager then notified us that he would not charge us for whatever else my girlfriend was going to order however the salad that came with the grown up mac'n'cheese would be charged. They gave us two coupons for free ice cream cones. We told the server we wanted to use them and then 10 minutes later they brought out a bowl and one of them was the wrong flavor. We asked for the check after being there for almost two hours in total, they charged us for the ice cream. Great customer service overall! -.-
(1)Janelle W.
Oh my is it loud in here. I joined a huge group for a 13 year olds birthday party on a Thursday night. Everyone was having a birthday and the staff sang a song it seemed every 10 minutes with drums and clapping and insanity. The staff wowed me as the got our orders exact, and managed to keep drinks filled, check on us for sides, and sing happy birthday all night. Wow, well done. The food too amazed me. Delicious garlic fries, everything hot and better than described. I just give it four stars cuz it was louder than any restaurant Iv been too in years.
(4)Michelle R.
We have been to this Farrell's location multiple times. This had been the worst service ever. Waitress came dropped off food and disappeared outside. No refills, and ice cream literally took like 20 minutes to arrive at the table. Will rethink coming back to this location!
(2)Patti B.
A friend of mine just asked how we enjoyed Farrell's Ice cream last weekend. And after thinking about it I realized the ice cream was great however the services was kind of a bummer... These super energetic staff members were into all the signing and things but we waited for at least 30 minutes after sitting down for even waters. We obviously left happy because the kids were full of ice cream and sugar... but the experience was a bit overwhelming and loud. I'm sure we will be back but only if we feel like having an evening of some chaos!!
(3)Tragedy D.
I guess I should have read the reviews that it was a very 'kid' friendly place. Of course, at the time I was extremely hungry and jumped on Yelp for a quick, around the block burger joint. The host who seated us placed us right in the middle of the chaos. Lol...but thank goodness that he felt our shrinking vibe and happily showed us the quiet outdoor patio tables. Whew! What a relief. He and our really spirited server, Samantha, were very understanding of the kid situation. They even pointed out that it wasn't even their busiest time. We ordered the Laredo Burger (Home run) which is 4 patties, folks. And also The Talk of the Town burger. Garlic fries and waffle fries on the side. Raspberry ice tea and Coca-cola vanilla ice cream float. All of it was absolutely delicious. The Laredo's last few bites weren't as delectable as the first though. Samantha was real excited to order the Laredo home run because she hadn't served a guest with one yet. Aside from the children, this restaurant has earned themselves a thumbs up on my food quality and service scale. I hope to visit again and try their dessert. P.S. I will be careful to actually read if the next restaurant nearby is completely filled floor to ceiling with children.
(4)Krystle E.
We love Farrell's!! Food is always yummy & the ice cream is always the best! I recommend the ice cream nachos :) My son always has a great time since he can be loud & rowdy since it is usually quite loud in there with the music they play. Reminds me of Disneyland for some reason.
(5)Courtney K.
We always get spectacular customer service here! Kennedy had her first birthday party here & we have also attended lots of other friends parties here. Never a let down! Kids eat free on Wednesday with purchase of adult meal! It's busy on weekends and it can get really loud but it keeps the kids entertained. We come here sometimes just because we know we will get great food & customer service!
(5)Ronnie G.
You better not be sensitive to noise if you're coming because it's loud. The food is just ok but ice cream is awesome. What's intriguing to me is how involved the staff is. They all seem to care about what's going on and make sure the customers are satisfied. Good job on this part alone Farrell's.
(4)Wally P.
Soon after I wrote this review the CEO of Farrell's contacted me here, apologized for the poor service, and offered for me to return at his expense. He stated they were trying to improve their service levels and wanted to contact me. So I gave him my contact details, but have not heard from him in three months.
(1)Craig B.
My wife and I grew up loving Farrell's for special occasions. We took our kids out for dessert and had a blast. It was on a Monday night and it was just as uptempo as if it were a Saturday night. We were there with our 10yr old, 13yr old and 21yr old twins, guess who had the most fun? The older kids! Still great after all these years...
(4)Sharon T.
Great tasting food, festive atmosphere, awesome desserts and an old-timey candy store! How can anyone not love this place?! We made a planned stop here on our way to San Diego for our 4th of July vacation. We originally made reservations for 11:30 but arrived early and we were seated immediately. Our server went above and beyond to make our first experience here a memorable one. Since we officially started our vacation we didn't hold back and started off with a mountain of chili cheese fries made with waffle fries. Sandwiches come with regular fries but for a small fee you have the option of upgrading to garlic fries, waffle fries or onion strings. Unfortunatelly we didn't have room for dessert but I did allow the kids to order milkshakes to go and they're determined to go back for more.
(3)J C.
Cool ice cream parlor atmosphere. Ice cream itself is kinda mediocre, but some of the toppings make it better. Kids will love this place. I didnt try any of the food, but it's not any better than Han's ice cream in Santa Ana. I've been to the Santa Clarita location also, and this was perhaps a bit nicer experience. Our server was cool and let us hang out for a bit after closing, so it can be good for casual meetings.. It's also on the expensive side for what you get.
(3)Dia R.
Farrell's is one of the best places to go get Ice cream :) I love coming here! They have great food ! I suggest you try the mushroom veggie burger it's great! My favorite thing to get when I go is the grown up grilled cheese sandwich it's really good:) the ice cream they have is just amazing, they have a good amount of selections to choose from too and even a lactose free ice cream for those lactose free people. I love bringing my sisters here for a scoop or two of ice cream. If you come for your birthday and let them know it's your day they will sing you a special "loud" happy birthday song. So if you don't like loud noises don't go or say it's your birthday because it's usually a loud place, But it's great! (It's very kid friendly) They have a fun vibe and the people who work at this location are nice ! Also make sure to check out the candy store on the side of the restaurant they have some yummy goodies :) & don't forget to play the clawMachine on the way out !
(5)Izzy R.
First of all If it weren't for Diane and Matt then I would have never had this deliciousness chocolate malt with caramel. We had a free coupon to get it. It is a funtastic place that both your friends and your family you are treated with kindness and people that work there always make u laugh and I love the balloons and the entertainment! My only complant is the very long line to get in but I guess that's the price u pay to go to a splendid restaurant!!!!!
(5)Elena M.
While perusing some tourist brochures during a recent visit to So Cal, my husband was VERY excited to come across one for Farrell's. Farrell's, to him, is a sweet memory from childhood. He grew up near Seattle and, at that time, there were several Farrell's locations in the area. He estimates the last one closed some time in the early eighties and it had been that long -- more than 30 years -- since he last had a Farrell's sundae. So, driving back from a day trip to San Diego to our hotel in Anaheim, we stopped at the Mission Viejo location for some nostalgia and dessert. I, at the time, was a Farrell's virgin. (The last shop in the Pacific NW closed about seven years before I arrived.) So, I had no expectations, but was hoping for a yummy sundae. My husband was also hoping for that, but even more so, was hoping to find the Farrell's of his youth. Neither of us was disappointed. I found: The yummy sundae I craved, lots of happy co-customers, and VERY friendly and enthusiastic servers. He found: All that, and much of the Farrell's he remembered: The "newspaper" menus, the 2ï¿ soda waters, the olde ice cream parlour feel. This was most definitely a happy stop on our vacation. He commented that he wished Farrell's would return to the Seattle area. Truthfully, it is probably better for our waistlines if they do not. (Though, you'd not see me out there complaining if they opted to do so.) And, we'll definitely stop in again next time life brings us to (or close to) a Farrell's city.
(4)Diana D.
In love with their vanilla ice cream! Came in and was seated in 3 minutes. Their menu's were in forms of newspapers. At first it was hard to focus on where to read first but then once you grasp Ordered a root-beer float and you obviously can't go wrong with that. Vanilla ice cream was creamy and delicious with the refreshing taste of root-beer. Definitely loved it. I also got the caramel nugget and the gold rush. Both were pretty good. Wished they crushed their peanuts though instead of throwing chunks of them on. Overall wonderful experience!
(4)Ed P.
come back to san diego please, we need you now!
(5)Honest O.
Waited at the door for over 10 minutes and then was finally acknowledged. I was told a table was getting cleaned and it would take about 10 minutes. 5 minutes later the employee returned and says "I am going to clean the bathroom and the table will be ready by the time I come back so if any one gets in line tell them your first" WHAT???..waited another 15 minutes and he never came back. Total waste of 30+ minutes. As we got seated next door at PF Changs less than 5 minutes later...I see the employee outside on his cell phone..WOW!
(1)Banana H.
Maybe if this place made a Mommy Xanax Sundae I'd up my review. I came here for a 4 yr old birthday party and the service was beyond lousy. The place was loud, filthy and unorganized. I know, I know. What'd I expect? Well how about some silverware. Or having a crayon for my daughter to color with? Or maybe wiping off the sticky ice cream and stake potato chip off my seat? Our poor birthday girl waited so long to get her sundae when they finally came she CRIED. Good times.
(1)Lee S.
Let me start off with the staff and decor here are easily above 3 star, and despite the place being busy all the time, and loud, they are always in good spirits and go out the way to make you happy but my reviews are focused on one component and that is FOOD. I ordered a Hawaiian chicken burger but swapped the Chicken for a beef patty. While the beef patty was very large the flavor did not share that quality. The pineapple was practically nonexistent but when there was some, it was just about the best part of the burger. If you are a fan of cheese, Swiss came standard on this and was very plentiful, and covered the oversize patty well. The fries took a dive, below what you can get at any dive bar and ketchup was necessary to make them edible but even then they hardly were a side I'd set aside. The highlight was the dessert, and this is what Farrell's is known for! A little brightness from an otherwise disappointing meal we ordered the "ICE CREAM NACHOS" and while the ice cream was literally Thrifty's aka rite aid ice cream but dressed up appropriately with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, almonds, and blueberry. The Nachos part were waffle cone pieces which you could dip into vanilla, mint chip or chocolate malted crunch. Overall the Farrell's experience isn't anything to rave about but if you are to go here get the ice cream and just come for dessert because there isn't anything great about their Entree's, and I don't just mean burgers..
(3)Denice Y.
I need to give them ZERO stars 1st of all! We were there for our 1st visit ever & celebrating my son's Track & Field race. ...after ordering we waited 35 minutes & our server came by telling us that there was a 15 person order in front of us ...so we decided to still wait ...until she came by again & said "Just putting finishing touches on"... there were only 3 of us & all I ordered was a salad! We told her nevermind & we left. It was very disappointing. We won't be back.
(1)Lori R.
Fun place to relax. Great place to go for ice cream, service was fast and staff so friendly
(5)Tez W.
Great place!!!!!!!!
(4)Kris K.
I haven't been to Farrell's in years. Took my 3 year old niece and my 9 year old nephew. It was there 1st time at Farrell's. We celebrated my godkids birthday for ice cream. Even though it is loud, it is a fun place. Will have to go back to enjoy the rest of the menu.
(4)Lynne N.
It took over 30 mins to get dinner after getting a waiter to find out where our food is. Our waiter didn't bother to check the status until AFTER we asked about it. This place was not that busy we saw many wait staff so there should have been no reason why we had to wait as long as we did.
(1)Daryl C.
Baby's Birthday Big 7 years old now. Drove all the way from El Segundo down to here, because it had the better reviews of the Farrell's that I found. Ordered my 7 year old a pigs trough - comes with 6 scoops of ice cream, toppings, whip cream & cherries. She requested, no strawberry ice cream though (mint chocolate chip instead) and to have only chocolate topping. First one out - just as described in the menu... Told the guy that she wanted something different & re-explained it. Second one out - still had strawberry ice cream, but at least it only had chocolate topping. Decided not to try for a third. Obviously, there is a reason he isn't working somewhere else. Anyway, you should have seen those little eyes, when that much ice cream hit the table, priceless. Ordered an adult cheese sandwich & chili fries for myself. They weren't that great, but we came for the ice cream, anyway. Well, she finished the pigs trough. Got the happy birthday song & the eat like a pig song too. She was totally embarrassed by the time it was time to leave. The only downside for me, was that we they only had 1 of 6 tables full at 1pm on a Thursday. The place was too quite. It is always more fun when the siren and bells are going off on a regular basis. The place I remember was always controlled chaos, all in a good way. Will have to go back on a Saturday.
(4)Steven R.
Awesome place to eat. By far one of my favorite restaurants. Great atmosphere. It is loud intentionally. Kids and families will love this place. Plenty of food, ice cream, announcements, music, all American spirit. A lot of red, white, and blue. Any request can be made and they'll go above and beyond in their service.
(5)chris h.
Took our daughter and several of her friends there to celebrate her 13th birthday. It was Saturday evening and we didn't have reservations so we stood in line and waited. It took almost an hour for us to be seated but was definitely worth it. The food was good. The service was excellent. The Volcano ice cream and song and dance was a hit! Everyone had a blast! This place really delivered! Many great memories were made that night.
(5)Jerry W.
I had a great memory of going to this place as a kid back in the day. Now going as an adult its still ok but have to say I prefer baskin robins ice cream. Still great for a noisy fun environment to take the kids
(3)Brian W.
Brooke was our server and took care of my girls requests with enthusiasm and great suggestions. She helped make our ice cream outing a fun experience. #goodservice #farrells
(5)david p.
This place is great for kids, it's like a never ending birthday party with all the singing and dancing, keeps kids entertained. The food and ice cream are good and you get plenty of it. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because the service is pretty slow.
(4)Nui N.
Phenomenal service by our waiter Stephen. As soon as we sat we were already greeted by our server to get drinks. Drinks were brought to our table quick. He then asked us if we had any birthdays and we did, then we ordered food came out in a timely manner. Within10-15 minutes with all of my order being correct and all condiments asked for while ordering brought out to my table with no questions asked by myself. Then it was time for dessert and they also singed happy birthday to my daughter. Anyway over all I give this place a 10/10 food was also great. Thanks to stephon for making me and my families first experience one to remember. We live in San Diego and recommend this Farrell's to anyone who is looking for great food and great service
(5)Erynn K.
I am extremely happy with the service. My server Brie was SO FREAKING NICE. She complimented me. She felt like a friend. They were all very into what they do. Yes it is very loud but it's supposed to be. I don't live in the area but I would like to. I would go again. Food was great! Great place for kids! Or even to go for desert!
(5)Angie M.
Fun place, but bring your patience and your acceptance for LOUD noises! We went here for my birthday dinner... which I think as an adult is slightly rare, ha ha. I am in my upper 30's and I was the only adult with a birthday the entire time we were there, but its ok, Im a kid at heart! They bang a drum, and sound a siren and yell and hollar and sing you happy birthday. Its pretty consistent as well, at least the night we were there was. I stood up and was a good sport for my birthday song. They have guys who make balloon items for kids, too. The only complaint I had, was our service was SO slow. Our waitress was really nice, but after we were done our dinner, it was over a half hour until we got our ice cream... and the food came out pretty slow also. The Reuben sandwich was delicious and the garlic fries are amazing!
(4)Renee S.
A pretty noisy environment but was entertaining for a short time. The food took a very long time to come to our table however, was better then I had expected it to be. We cam here for the 50th Anniversary because they here offering three types of sundae's for the same cost as in the 1950's. $.60 cents for a sundae and $.75 for a banana split! Regular size too! I probably wouldn't return but it seemed like the children were enjoying all the buzz around the restaurant.
(3)Jimmy H.
How these servers act the way they do for 8 hours a day a few times a week boggles the mind but they do it and do it well. Had my kid's birthday here and the staff was excellent and kept a great attitude the whole time. Food is good and prices are decent as well.
(5)