Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurant
1625 Watt Ave, Sacramento, CA, 95864
Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurant Menu
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Address :
1625 Watt Ave
Sacramento, CA, 95864 - Phone (916) 972-8000
- Website https://www.farrellsusa.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dessert
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Very Loud
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Kim V.
This place is cute, slightly ridiculous, but I think that is the point. I ordered the Black and White Sundae and it was definitely good, but really nothing that I couldn't make at home, and it was pretty expensive... wah wahhh....
(3)SKiiieS G.
Went there last night with my hubby ,had a good time. The food is great, you can't beat half pound burgers! the off pitch singing was fun also. It's a good place to bring your family if you don't mind the entertainment.
(4)Carrie F.
Great fun! Silly songs and tasty ice cream. Waaaay better than Leatherby's. The staff is sweet and omg they work so hard! Great place for both kids and non kids. Instead of being deterred or scared off by the crowds, it's way more fun to go when it's packed then when it's dead if you think about it.
(5)Eura E.
We enter at 910, sat at 915, and still didn't have out two ice cream by 950 when we left.
(1)Brandon D.
The food was average. The ice cream was tasty. However, the major problems were: it took way too long to actually get our food (not the server's fault--she-Koriann-was great) the quantity of flies and I found a large, at least 1 1/2", cockroach under my table. I found it a bit difficult to enjoy the visit after all of that. I never saw or heard from the manager.
(1)Stacy G.
Farrell's: It's Leatherby's meets Joe's Crab Shack. Read: Enormous amounts of mediocre food and ice cream, super noisy ambiance, AND they will embarrass your friends and family for their birthdays and special celebrations! The Aloha Chicken sandwich was actually not bad, and the ice cream was fine (no Vic's or Gunther's though). The songs they sing for people's birthdays are pretty entertaining. That is all.
(3)Sean Air O.
Horrible service today. We waited for over and hour for our food. It was not even crowded at all. Our server came back to us - maybe twice before our food came out. Slow Slow Slow. If you want to waste time this is the place to go. The food was ok. The service was horrible. I see I am not the only one that has experience this. Management needs to read these post and change the program for sure. If I was the owner - I would be pissed. And sh$t would change for sure. Sad. I was hoping for a good experience so I would go back. Nope - First impressions are everything. And Service is number one in my book. I would pay more for service than anything. This place may not last if they don't get it together. A major dislike.
(1)Matt R.
I'm hoping this was an off night but the place is empty at 630 and we waited for ever for every thing . food was over cooked, for being our first time here I'm a little disappointed
(1)Edison C.
Nice try at the re-boot but it is just not working. All our orders were confused. Some of them arrived with a few things missing and much the wait staff seemed confused by the entire process.
(2)Ka M.
Had the homerun burger with egg bacon 4 patties and the hotdog. Finished it in 18 minutes. I am super satisfied. The milkshakes here were really good and fresh. Great place to take a date! It was Monday and still packed though :(
(3)Brian S.
Childhood memories of the daily city location brought me here. Brought the wife to show her what it was all about. Plus I was feeling out this location for a company party location.... It was a busy Sunday afternoon (12:50p) so we asked the hostess if the bar seating was fastest. She said yes. Sits us down, forgets the menus but returns within 2 or 3 min with them... We sit for over 28 minutes at the bar waiting for service... Not even an acknowledgement from one person. I finally ask one of the 6 people behind the bar making ice cream cones if we can have a server take our order.. But that was pretty much the end of our day there. 35 min drive there 30 min wait to order food. Wasted time, gas, and an experience for the wife. Glad I tested the waters before making the commitment to choose this place as my company venue. Bullet dodged. You figure $8.99 for two scoops of ice cream, they'd have enough margin to be staffed up.
(1)Laura M.
Today at 3:45 leaving the home and Garden Show my husband and I decided to visit Farrell's. It being a childhood favorite of both of us, we drove right past the always delicious Leatherbys to eat there. Arriving at 4 pm, we were quoted a wait time of 15-20 minutes for 2 people. There were people waiting all over the place and only three chairs inside with which to sit, all of which were taken. We were finally escorted to our table 45 minutes later. As we sat I noticed that we walked by 4 empty tables (none of them dirty mind you) and spotted 4 more empty booths on the wall in the distance. I also glanced up to notice that the entire room behind my husband containing approx 15 tables or so was also empty. So the reason for our having to wait 45 minutes was???? It's not like they were busy. Mind you, it wasn't that there weren't any servers as the entire time we stood waiting there were anywhere from 4-8 young female servers behind the hostess station talking. When my husband questioned the server about all the empty tables (because he had noticed they had been empty the entire time we had been waiting), we were told that they were saved for reservations. Mind you, when you call to make reservations, they tell you that they don't make them. They also had a bar that is apparently "open seating" which was empty too, that NO ONE told us about...or we would have sat there from the very beginning. Our waitress was attentive, prompt and sweet which was the only good thing I have to say about the whole experience. When we got up to leave at 5:20 the room behind us and 80% of the tables were still empty, waitresses and bussers standing around, an absolute CROWD of people standing both inside and outside and the manager completely oblivious to the whole situation. Do yourselves a favor and just go to Leatherbys! The ice cream is better anyway!
(1)Jeremy G.
Came for a birthday, waited forever to order (literally 45 mins) was informed we couldn't split the check... no apologies or solutions just excuses... stay away from this horrible establishment.
(1)Megan P.
I had some high hopes going into this place. My first 45 minutes I loved the atmosphere, the decor and the concept. But things went downhill from there. We sat and sat and sat waiting for our food. We came pretty early and the place was not very busy. The waitress told us that she herself cannot touch our food but she could see it in the window and that these food runner people were backed up. We sat and sat and sat. By the time it made it to us all our overpriced food was ice cold. Nothing tasted good, our request for ranch etc were ignored by multiple people the food was replaced, wrong again like the first time and semi cold. Our food was given to us free by the manager but we made the big mistake of staying for ice cream and not high tailing it to Leatherbys. The manager said our ice cream would be front of the line. Oh no we sat, and sat again watching dozen of Farrell's employees running around like chickens with their heads off accomplishing nothing! Finally the Ice cream came, our sundaes were like shakes melted and gross. Remember they use THRIFTY brand ice cream and none of the toppings are homemade. I mean really?? I can't believe the food delivery system, the amount of employees doing nothing, the lack of training, management that forgets you, ice cream you can buy for a dollar at Rite Aid, canned chili they are passing off as something special and the feeling of being stuck in a Twilight Zone movie where no one can see you. Run, run I wanted to tell the massive amount of people waiting in line. And prior to what I read they did NOT make my daughter feel extra special on her birthday, instead she was asleep in the booth out of boredom and being ignored by every employee in the place. Good luck staying open Farrell's . One positive I now realize how wonderful the ice cream, food and service is at Leatherby's.
(1)C T.
Just went here to see what all of the fuss was about... what a let down. It took about 15 mins before anyone even asked us what our drinks were let alone to order. Our waiter, seemed more interested in singing happy birthday to every other customer than to wait on his own. We ordered two burgers and a shake. The burger was out in recorded time. As far as the burger goes it was ok but not that great. For $11 I was expecting something more comparable to Skips down the street. The fries just ehhh. We waited for over an hour for our shake. I had canceled because after finishing our food we were just over it and did not want it, yet it came out and ended up paying for a less than sub par shake after I had canceled it. It is insanely LOUD!!!! We literally had some girl screaming in our ears as we were trying to enjoy our food... not ok. I expect this from Joes but even they are better, quieter and not so intrusive. I am not sure how the older folks held up with the screaming and the war drums. All and all $30 for two burgers and a shake that was over an hour late while having people screaming ehhh i think ill pass. For the future Skips for the burgers and Leatherbys for desert.
(1)Robert K.
Horrible experience from a server named Eboni. First, I realize mistakes do happen, and I respect that. When Eboni was bringing our beverages she literally dumped the tray all over the lower part of my wife's shirt and her lap. My wife was soaked. (My wife handled it pretty well, and Eboni did apologize several times, so as far as we were concerned, no problem). Well, apparently that was just the beginning. As busy as Farrel's was, we didn't expect lightning fast service, but it took a while to get our food. Once again, no problem. When the food finally arrived, Eboni asked if I would like a refill on my chocolate Coke, I said yes. Time went by, we finished our meals, and still no beverages, or anything for that matter. I was pretty disappointed. She kept asking if were going to order dessert, but when I was ready to order she was nowhere to be found. I saw her taking care of other tables, bringing them beverages, but she did not come over to our table. After a while, my wife was getting antsy, as she had to go to work, so I said I will pay the bill while she gets the car. We waited twenty minutes before someone asked if everything was okay, at which point I requested a manager. Right before the manager approached, Eboni came up to ask how things were going. I was honest, told her I requested the manager, and that we understand mistakes happen, but we figured after the drinks were spilled on my wife, that she would ensure the rest of our stay went a little bitter. Quite the contrary, they went worse. I asked for the check, she came up with it, and to my surprise the entire meal was charged. I didn't expect anything for free, but I did expect that my wife shouldn't have had to pay for her drink. Guess again, we were charged for everything. As I was filling out the bill, the manager (I wish I would have taken his name, he was very professional) came up and discussed the situation with me. I was pretty upset at this point. He was the winner in this scenario, as he did offer to comp our food, but I refused it (I wanted to emphasize that it wasn't free food we are looking for, it was a good experience). Hopefully he took me seriously and addresses the service issues with Eboni. Like I said, the drink issue is easily overlooked, we all make mistakes, but the subsequent poor service completely destroyed our time. I hope the management sees this comment and addresses this, as the food was good, and this seems like a great place, but being so new, there are some obvious training issues that need to be identified and rectified.
(1)Laura R.
First time to Farrell's, I decided to host my 10 year old's birthday party at the ice cream shop thinking we would have a unique, fun time. I called the restaurant more than two weeks prior to the birthday celebration date. No one ever picked up the phone so I left a voicemail message with my contact information, the event and the date of the birthday. I received a call back from a gentleman, we arranged the date, time, and number of guests for the birthday reservation. He said I would receive an email confirmation. I received a confirmation form and an order form for additional party favors. I wasn't interested in additional party favor add-ons, just the birthday package which is priced for food per guest. I emailed back the confirmation form, confirming again the guests, date and providing my contact information and assumed all was fine. I showed up the required 15 min. prior to the party time only to find that the staff were confused. They seated us in what I later learned was not the birthday celebration room. They couldn't find a record of my birthday reservation. I had to fill out a new party reservation form so they could prepare the food for the guests. After that, I asked to speak to a manager. The gentleman who came over was completely clueless. I explained the whole situation to him and all he said was, "huh". He asked me if I sent the confirmation back to them. I assured him I did and pulled up the emails on my phone. Then he asked me who I emailed them to. I told him the address on the confirmation page. At that point I had been away from my daughter and guests for 10 minutes and it was quite clear that I was getting no help from "management". I returned to the table to salvage what I could of the day. After about 5 minutes an older female staffer came over to me at the table to explain that they didn't receive the emailed confirmation page back from me and that's why there was a mix up. Wow, thanks for interrupting me at the table in the middle of my guests to try and put this on me. If she had spoken to the "manager" she would have known I had already shown him confirmation emails on my phone. About 15 minutes after, a very nice young man came over to the table and apologized for the mix up and asked if we needed anything else. At this point we had already eaten so no, at this point there wasn't anything else. We finished our desserts and received the bill. Astoundingly after all of their screw ups they still charged me full price for the party package. I paid it and tipped our waitress generously, none of this was her fault. Please do not entrust an important event to Farrell's on Watt.
(1)Dan O.
Went there to celebrate a birthday party for a friend on a Sunday afternoon. At arriving, was told there was going to be a 2 hr wait and we were told we would need to have patience with a party of 8. After waiting for an hour and 15 minutes, we saw someone in a party of 5 who arrived after us get seated. We went and checked on the status of our seating only to find out that they crossed us off the list in error and showed no remorse. They said we were next to be seated, but that had sat several other people before us still. One of their managers was VERY rude and completely unprofessional. Spoke to the manager about the situation and he apologized, but did NOTHING else to right the situation. We had ordered the famous zoo, which served 1-10 ppl as well as drinks and fries. When ordering the zoo, we had asked our server what was in it and should could not tell us. While handing out plates at the table, mine had some food still on it. I have no plans to ever return to a Farrells. We all were very disappointed with the way things were handled.
(1)Jennifer K.
It is with great regret I write this. Keep in mind they are fairly new and have many kinks to work out. I wanted to go here SO badly, fueled by sweet childhood memories... I decided to read the YELP reviews before coming. Like a co-dependent relationship, I thought the bad reviews were perhaps unfounded. Not MY Farrell's! Unfortunately, the horror that was the service was worse than most reviews. We arrived just after 7:00pm, as per my Facebook status excitedly announcing, "Treating my family to a surprise - FARRELL'S!!" We checked in and were told it would be an hour wait. I was expecting that so we decided to go inside and honk some pigs, drool at candy, and use the cute restroom. About an hour later a family of five (our size party) walked up and got seated. What? I asked about it and apparently they called our name while I was in the restroom about five minutes after we arrived. They seated us and after about fifteen minutes our waitress came to take our order. Still smiling, taking pictures, posting them on Facebook, reminiscing. Then, an hour later our dinner comes. No refills on drinks. Can't flag down the waitress. Everyone in the middle of the restaurant seems to be having fun, but those of us on the outskirts are ignored. No balloon animals for MY children. Have to beg for silverware. Still no refills on our drinks as 9:00pm rolls by. But, we order dessert because THAT is why we come to Farrell's, yes? I knew about the noise and the shtick and I was down with it. We finally ordered the Triple Brownie Sundae at 9pm and asked about balloons and refills. "Oh sure - I'll get right on it!" replied the waitress... but nothing. At 9:50pm, the waitress comes by to say that they're OUT OF GLASSES for the Sundae. We say, "Forget it - check please!" A manager is walking by and we flag her down to tell her everything. Thankfully they comp - but we didn't mind paying if the service were good. We weren't looking for something for nothing. The waitress starts blaming the kitchen (really? For refills?). Disgusting. They need a manager makeover. Being a waitress was not this gal's gift. First time in my life I didn't leave a tip.
(1)Dylan C.
Last night was the Firefighter Benefit and exclusive soft opening for Farrell's! My wife had been to them as a kid in the Bay Area, the one in Sac had burned down before I was born. Walking into this shoppe is like taking a stroll down Mainstreet in Disneyland. The turn of the century theme is pervasive and effective. The place is noisy and fun. Cast members sing ice cream songs, Ragtime and other carnival songs are played non stop, and a drum is constantly banging around. This place is not subtle but my family and kids (6 yo twins and 17) loved it. The food menu includes many old time favorites and has alcohol for the grown ups. There is a large selection of food, much more and better quality than Leatherbys. The ice cream is not quite as good as Leatherbys though. The sauces in particular are much better at the latter. The variety of ice cream, including the legendary 30 scooper zoo is way beyond expectations. I am giving them as pass on the service as it was literally the first night they were open to the public, if only as a charity reservation. Suffice to say that the wait was long and the service very rough. My review does not factor in this variable.
(4)Slackerov S.
I was hoping to relive my childhood memories of Farrell's at lunch, so my friends and I decided to check it out. Our waiter was very friendly. I ordered the Talk of the Town burger medium well. 1st they brought out the wrong burger to a friend and gave me his burger that was medium at best. They then brought out my burger which was very red inside. I asked to have it cooked medium well, and the next burger came out very quickly. It was also very red inside. So I asked our waiter again and he came back with the same burger and said that it was medium well. Would I like them to cook one for me well done? I understand medium well has a little pink in it, but this was red. So I said yes to a well done burger. My friends were done eating by the time I got my burger which was just ok. The whole time we're waiting on my burger, my friend was waiting on his vanilla shake. When our food 1st came out, he inquired about it and the guy who brought the food said our server would check on it. Our server stopped by to check on us and my friend asked him about his shake. The server said someone from the ice cream area would bring it out. When my second burger came, the same guy who was asked first about the shake was asked again about it. He said he'd check with our server. When my 3rd burger came out, my friend asked again about his shake. The guy apologized and asked who our server was? We didn't remember his name and the guy said he'd check. Finally we were done eating and the server came back. My friend asked about his shake again and the server finally walked over to check. My friend asked for it to go by now as we were ready to leave. Another 5 minutes or more goes by and finally his shake comes out. he said it wasn't much better than a McDonald shake, which is pretty sad for a place that specializes in ice cream. Finally our bill came. I figured for sure we wouldn't get charged for the shake and maybe some sort of a discount on my burger. Nope! $50 for just OK food. And the employees walk around yelling the whole time. Very irritating! If this is how the original Farrell's was, its no wonder they went out of business. We may go back, but it will be after the first of the year if they last that long.
(1)Tiffany M.
This place is a crazy town circus. The food and ice cream are mediocre. The atmosphere is enough to give anyone a headache and an anxiety attack. They are constantly singing and banging on the drums, which could be why our party of 3 was there for 2.5 hours. Most of that time we spent waiting for service and food/dessert. I will stick with Leatherbys.
(1)Matt W.
I was very nostalgic to go back to Farrell's. We waited an hour and got a table in the back. Our server was less than helpful and friendly. She was attentive and forgot our requests for water and dessert several times. We ended up getting the best help from the person busing our table. In the end, the food was "okay" but the service was just terrible. The manager came to our table twice to apologize they lost our order (on a computer system) when the food took over an hour. I would suggest that the owner TRAIN the staff.
(1)Dave K.
Wow! Lots of reviews for this place an it's only a month old. Most of us want to go there because of the nostalgia. We remember the place from our childhood. The banging of the drum, the piano playing songs on its own, the siren each time an announcement was made! I don't remember ever going there for the food, in fact, I don't think I ever ate actual food there as a kid. This time I was going to try the food. I ordered a bbq burger. Was it good? I think it was okay. Now I'm also judging it against Gatsby's down the street that makes an exceptional burger! My 5 year old loved the grilled cheese. Now the ice cream. We ordered the Oreo Bliss! It was almost the size of my kids head! His eyes lit up just like mine did some 30-something years ago. It was worth it just for that! Now my complaint: I called in that day and asked the reservation desk what time would be the best to find the shortest line. She let me know it was only a half hour at that time. She said it would probably be the same at 3:00 or 4:00 that afternoon. So we showed up at 3:30. I was told it would take a half hour. An hour later my kid was losing his patience. That was yesterday. Today I heard a friend say they have to get their front operations up to par. They made reservations for a birthday party and had to wait an hour! If this place wants to be successful they need to get better than some young adults not being able to sit people on time! I forgot to mention that while we were waiting there was plenty of open tables and for 15 minutes they kept announcing a family of 7 who weren't responding. COME ON FARRELL'S! This place is huge and they need to get the kinks out. Step up management! Of course if you don't mind sitting at the bar you can probably sneak in there if you only have two or three!!!!
(4)Angela A.
I have been waiting for Farrell's to open so I could re-live my childhood memories of going to Farrell's in Hayward. We got there last night at 4:45 and got seated right away (to my surprise, expected to be waiting a while). As we walked to our table a waiter holding a tray of full glasses of water gave my son a high five, my husband thought he would also give the waiter a high five and did so, so hard that the waiter spilled the entire tray on the floor, the hostess and some on us......totally my husbands fault. They immediately broke out into song, skits and jokes to clean up the water and it was fun and entertaining. Service was really good, somebody was always coming by. Food was better than expected, but my daughter did not like the onion bun on the burger. Ice cream flavor selection was limited but they had my favorite chocolate malted crunch. In the end, we were there for almost two hours but it did not feel like we were there that long. The singing, service and atmosphere made the time fly. This is definitely a party, something to celebrate place, not a want to grab a quick bite or just a sundae.
(4)Janelle T.
Finally got in, no reservation! Given it was 9:45pm on a Friday night, worked out well! My daughter got the fake chicken dinner, highly recommended!
(5)Bonnie C.
In general, this is a fun and festive place (with decent food) to bring kids, but on our second visit, we were met with atrocious service. We arrived at 4:15pm on a Saturday afternoon and waited 45 minutes for a table. This was fine, since we were expecting a wait, and we were coming from the county fair at the Cal Expo. However, once we were seated, the servers completely ignored us for 45 minutes. No one came to bring water or take our order. Finally we got up and informed a manager and a waitress came, apologizing profusely. She forgot that she was assigned to our table. After our order was finally placed, the dinner entrees took another 45 minutes to come out. The waitress pressed us to order ice cream, saying it would be on the house, due to the inconvenience we experienced. By the time the ice cream arrived (which involved another 45 minute wait), the kids in our party were melting down, as they had sat in the restaurant for over three hours! Most of the ice cream was uneaten because we had to take the kids outside, as they were getting stir crazy. When we received the bill, the desserts were not on the house as promised, but one of the kids' ice cream (valued at $3) was on the house. We spoke to the manager again, and he agreed to give more of a discount. While the waitress and manager were very apologetic and understanding, the overall result was a disastrous and disappointing dinner experience. We were looking forward to giving the kids a treat by having dinner at Farrell's, but unfortunately the kids now associate the restaurant with an unreasonably long dinner experience and have no desire to return. My advice is if you plan on coming here, don't come after a full day at another event, such as the county fair. Come with well rested kids who have plenty of patience! And allocate at least four hours if you plan to eat both dinner and ice cream.
(1)John L.
I wanted to like this place. I really did. I heard great things about the ice cream and the fun environment. Unfortunately, I didn't hear about the incredibly slow and incompetent service. I came here with a group of 5 other friends and we were seated fairly promptly. The waitress was friendly and took our orders quickly. We ordered three sundaes. One of which was specifically requested to have no nuts because my friend has a severe nut allergy (the eat-nuts-and-die kinda allergy). After this, it all went downhill. It took approximately 25 minutes for two sundaes to arrive. The third one (for my friend with the nut allergy) came out shortly after, but it had nuts sprinkled on it. Strike one. The server apologized and said they would make a new one. Another 25 minutes pass, and the sundae finally arrives...and it's three scoops of vanilla (it was supposed to be coffee, mint, and vanilla). Strike two. The server looks annoyed and says that he'll make it again. 15 minutes pass, and the server comes out and says they have no more coffee ice cream from containers that are open and that he would have to open a new container to get coffee. soooooo???? Open up a new container! It's not like the ice cream is going to go rotten by the next day! Frustrated, we say just put two scoops of mint ice cream on. Strike three. The sundae finally comes out another ten minutes later. We were expecting to be in an out within an hour. We were at Farrell's for 2 hours! To top it off, our waitress never once checked back up on us after she took our initial order. The manager asked us if things were okay because we looked visibly unhappy, and we explained the situation to him expecting for him to provide some explanation for the terrible and ridiculously slow service, and to offer to take the last sundae off of the bill. He gives a short apology, and walks away. We receive our bill...and yup...you guessed it, the last sundae is still there. The service was terrible, it took forever just to receive our sundaes, the manager was unhelpful, and the ice cream was only average. Do yourself a favor and avoid this place. There is no chance I'll be going back to this place unless they hire a new manager and properly train the staff.
(1)Penney M.
Our Children took us out for Our 33rd Anniversary. We had an outstanding server named Alexander. By the way who has a very good singing voice. He was very prompt and made sure we didn't even have to ask for anything. HE kept us informed as to when our meal was coming. The atmosphere was just like when my Husband and I remembered. We grew up going there in our younger years. We were very happy when they came back. Our family had a wonderful time and will be back to enjoy it again.
(5)Jason C.
Ah nostalgia... that's really what this place is all about. Where I grew up we had Swenson's and Roaring 20's, but for a generation of Sacramentans, happy childhood memories were built around visits to Farrell's. This was definitely the case for my wife, and so we decided to check it out a mere three days after their soft opening. You can tell from the outside that this place is going to be different, but from the moment you step inside you can feel the excitement and energy of the place. They have done a fantastic job recreating an 1890's style ice cream parlour here and they have made the very large space seem very comfortable. The menu goes a bit beyond the standard sandwiches and includes some soups and salads. The ice cream menu is also quite extensive. Were we asking for trouble going just a few days after they opened? Well, we knew the service would be uneven, and it certainly was. We were seated much more quickly than the advertised 30 minute wait, but then we did wait another 20 minutes before we were able to flag down a server to take our order. The food took a little while to arrive, and was good but not anything extraordinary but the portions were quite large for the price. You could tell they have a lot of new staff of varying levels of experience, most of them doing their best to keep up with the crowd. There was a mistake on our bill, but the manager took care of it on the spot. We unfortunately had to leave before we could get dessert, but we will just have to come back (maybe in a month or so). Once the initial start-up wrinkles get ironed out, this is going to be a fantastic place to come and celebrate your special events and (for many of us) to take a stroll down memory lane.
(4)Vern W.
My family and my sister's family went to this place over the holiday weekend. I can only conclude that it hates its customers. Both my son and daughter had the runs for the next day, apparently from the very cheap ice cream that Farrell's serves. Everyone waited for more than an hour for their ice cream. They weren't the only ones--the people one table over simply got up and left after an hour of waiting, and numerous other tables waited at least an hour. The wait staff was unbelievably rude and bizarre--they made, for example, jokes about excrement and snot while serving the food. Another announced that she was going to "hang our" near the table until she felt like leaving it. This, while many customers sat waiting. The restaurant has this weird interior strobe light that goes off from time to time; if you're an epileptic, it will likely induce a seizure. It was shining right into my brother-in-law's eyes, and blinded him every time it went off. My wife commented that if there is a hell, it will involve a required visit to this place. Recommend this place to your very worst enemies. Otherwise, for your health, both physical and mental, best to stay very far away.
(1)Matthew V.
Great servers doesn't hide slow service. Kind of pricey for the small amount. Limited flavors. Leatherbys over Farrels any day.
(3)Melissa L.
My mom invited me to Farrell's, I was very skeptical with the extremely high wait times plus I read the reviews and we would be arriving around 9:30pm with a 3 year old. When we arrived our party was still waiting outside. My mom advised they were waiting since 6:30 and just told us to arrive at 9 so that we wouldn't have to wait too long with me being prego and a 3 year old. At this point we were a little surprised by the atmosphere, it was bright, cheerful and fun!!! As you walk in there is a little candy store if you blink you missed it. We went to a large table because we were now a party of 14. I must say, the garlic fries were super garlic, if you need to keep the vampires away, then please order these!!! They are super yummy!!! But they are huge, so sharing is caring! My hubby had Philly cheese steak sandwich, which every where we go if we go to a new restaurant he has to order it to try it out. It was not the best, but it was so yummy, yes I had some of his food too. We also ordered a mountain of ice cream it was delicious!! Through out the entire experience our waiter was amazing! Very entertaining!!!! There were a few times that I questioned the wait staff, drinks came out after my fries and and then my hubby's food then all of the ice cream. As a reminder, we had a larger party and he ordered the food first then our drinks because food would take longer with a large party. My over all experience was amazing!!! I will defiantly go back!!! Our 3 year old had a blast with the loud atmosphere and cheerful wait staff. I am glad we took our family out, I will defiantly go back! Alex did a great job!!! Also if you have iPhone you can me messaged that your table is ready so that you don't have to be right outside waiting for 3 hours.
(5)Sharon S.
Great service considering it was opening day, brought back many happy memories of days (and nights) spent at Farrell's in Los Angeles, where I grew up. Our waitperson Blane (hope I spelled that right!) was courteous, checked in with us regularly to see if we needed anything, and was a fountain of history for the previous Farrell's Sacramento that burned down. It was everything we remembered, and more!
(5)Shahnaz F.
Great Family Atmosphere, a little loud but fun. The food was delicious and served on time. Will be back for my dessert.
(4)Levacy D.
i tried making reservations online and it was pretty much impossible... i called and they refused to work with me... i just wanted to make sure that my mom who is in a wheelchair had a place that she wouldn't be in the way and we wouldn't have to wait an hour for a table... i got there before my parents and the kids and they told us an hour to an hour and a half... i was fine with that... my parents decided to go to the store instead of sitting there for an hour minimum... again, totally fine... apparently they had been telling people the same ridiculously long wait time and a lot of people left... 10 minutes after my parents left, our table was ready... they put us in one that my mom would be blocking an entire aisle in... i told the hostess twice when we gave her our names but they seemed to know nothing of it... i wish that was the worst of it... by the time we finally got properly situated, the service was so ridiculously slow that we ended up being there for over 3 hours... sandwiches and a little ice cream shouldn't take that long.... it was ok food... i asked for chocolate ice cream for the kids and got vanilla... idk how you screw up ice cream but honestly, the homemade sundaes with walmart great value ice cream we had for my daughter's birthday were much better... the ice cream had melted so badly that my mom was using a straw to drink it... i had to ask for my daughter's birthday sticker 3 times before we got one and i noticed the waitress would go to all of her other tables at least twice before coming back to us even though we were there way before everyone... she even had a guy helping her with the drinks but they were ignored... i would have liked to have gotten home at a decent time... not going back on a saturday or at dinner time again... especially with the screwy reservation system they have... idk if that would have helped... i like the novelty of making a big deal about a kid's birthday but it's not worth the irritation... 3 hours of that horrible drumming and sirens is too much for anyone... we are so done...
(2)Annie S.
Just tried this place last night. Boy, is it an experience! We came an hour before they closed on a sat night and surprisingly the wait was only 10-15 mins compared to the hour I'd been reading about. It is bright, loud and just a lot of fun here. The servers run around, yell, sing songs, and entertain. I hope they're paid well because they put the most effort into a restaurant job than I have ever seen. We got the triple chocolate brownie sundae ( which also came with a song ). It was really tasty. The ice cream is reasonably priced, comparable to Leatherby's and Fenton's costs. Not sure I'd wait more than 20 mins to get in but I'll have to come back and try their food offerings.
(4)Rachel B.
OMG! Is this place NOISY! Constantly! Our group of 7 arrived 1pm on a Sunday and had to wait 30 - 40 minutes to get in. It's so LOUD you can hardly talk to the person next to you. I had the "Adult Grilled Cheese sandwich" for around $9.00. I was expecting something MUCH better than the bland almost cold thing I got. Not only where the corners of the sandwich sticking up but the cheese inside wasn't even melted all the way. No Bam, no Wow bite. Just Meh!I I make a better GC at home! AND the fries were barely warm. Just like the others said, all the ice cream I saw coming out of the kitchen, we were right by it, had streaks down the sides of the bowls/glasses. This place is like a place on speed! Too Loud Too chaotic Too Phoney Happy! TOO MUCH!! This was my first and last time at Farrell's. While I disliked going to Chucky Cheese for all those BD parties when my kids were young, I found this place Sooo loud and so much worse. I would never celebrate anything there. There are MUCH better places to have some birthday party ice cream.
(1)Hi- D.
This is review of the ice cream only. The ice cream was okay, not what I expected from an ice cream parlor. Ice cream was reminiscent of a good brand grocery ice cream. Service was excellent and atmosphere was energetic. Will consider coming giving Farrell's a second chance.
(3)Erina L.
Love this restaurant. I've been three times so far without a complaint. Sometimes the wait can be long but the entertainment inside keeps one occupied. I've never waited longer than 45 minutes for a table although I was initially told it would be longer. Servers, fountain, food runners, hostesses, all of them made us feel welcomed and like our table was the most important. Garlic fries are de-lish as are the strawana, triple chocolate brownie, the classic sundae, banana split. I'll be returning again and again and again.
(5)H R.
Love the nostalgia...having grown up going to Farrell's in the Bay Area, but the wait is RIDICULOUS! 1 hour to get in, 20 minutes for drinks, 20 more minutes for food, 15 minutes for boxes to take leftovers home. 25 minutes for ice cream...and another 20 for the bill. Waiting around for this long with kids is TOO much! The food was good, large sandwiches. If they get the timing issues worked out it might be a great place!!
(2)Mark M.
Utterly horrible service. Came in not knowing what to expect. When I was seated my waitress was marginally attentive. So she takes my order and while waiting for my food other parties that came in after myself got served their meal first. I'm patient so I wait a little longer until I'm 45 minutes in. So I decided to ask the hostess where my order is because my waitress was m.i.a . When I walk back to my seat, my food just arrived. We'll by that point I'm done with the place and tell my waitress to take the food back. She asks my why. And I tell her it took way too long and parties that came in way after my self were served first. She leaves with my order and a couple minutes later the manager comes back with my plate and tries to apologize saying, sorry it took so long to get your food. We make the food in order we get it. Ok that doesn't make any sense to me because if that was the case I wouldn't have waited 45 minutes and the other parties wouldn't have gotten served first. If I could give no stars I would , but I can't so they get one. In conclusion come here if you have lots of time to kill.
(1)Amber V.
Amazing ice cream with lactose intolerant options! Plus side is that me and my fiancée were able to enjoy the rest of our gift without a tummy ache. But beware the wait is long and will be for now. However, we came 10 minutes before closing so we did not wait long. This was by far the loudest craziest restaurant I've ever been in, and shockingly so still at 10pm. The place was a zoo but entertaining! We had the lactose free orea sundae, fabulous. We will be back!
(5)Amanda K.
I live nearby and saw the building as it was coming together and couldn't wait to try it. I had heard great things about the place from its early days. I came in with my fiance on a Monday night at 9:15pm, thinking we would just come in for a quick dessert. They told us it would be a wait for a table, so we decided to be seated at the bar area. Little did I know this was a horrible decision, as the next 45 minutes consisted of listening the staff yell back and forth at each other over the fountain counter. At first, I tried to be patient, knowing that they've only been open for two weeks. The waitress was friendly enough, but between the constant beating of drums (seriously) and obnoxious singing it was enough to make me want to leave. My fiance wanted to stay, trying to give this new local business the benefit of the doubt. After about 30 minutes, we finally got our order (one sundae). What made me give this business a one star was the incredibly poor management. I don't know if the guy was having a bad day, but berating your staff in front of customers multiple times is NOT the way to get my business. "Ben" screamed at the three guys making ice cream to get the orders out faster (there should have been six of them, they were so busy) and literally pounded his fists on the counter right in front of where we were, not even noticing us. Unless you have a couple hours to kill, and earplugs, I suggest you support Leatherby's instead.
(1)Melody V.
This place was okay. Chili cheese fries (hill $7.99) It was a good amount for two but not enough chili. The chili was dump in the middle instead of spreading it around. The fries tasted funny... It tasted burnt . Oreo Bliss ($8.25) Comes in a big fancy cup, vanilla ice cream, crumble Oreo, top with whip cream (a lotttttt of whip cream) , Oreo and cherry. It was okayy. Way too much whip cream They seated us way too close to another family. It was kind of .... awkward . Felt like we were having dinner with them too. Haha! Cute little place & nice people. Great for kids
(3)Helen S.
Brought my friend here for her birthday. I was really impress with the decor and the style-like parlor they were aiming for was really on point. We order and split their chicken pizza and my friend got a free ice cream sundae. They even sung her a little bday song. The staff was friendly but our waitress didnt seem to know her ice cream flavors yet. Plus our ice cream came before our food. Also when it was time to pay, their hostess couldnt cash us out when their was a register right in front of her. Even though our pizza and ice cream was really tasty the experience was decent.
(3)Ralph G.
You know the ice cream is great, as it should be. I would have expected with the atmosphere surrounding Farrells, you would have more over the top service. Something that celebrates the atmosphere, like a Disneyland type of experience for the guest or maybe more smiles from the staff, everybody looked off. And it's a afternoon what's the attitude at night I wonder. I don't know maybe I will come back and find out.
(3)Tricia F.
After a long day working in the CA heat, we decided to grab friends and go out for ice cream. Being new to the area, they suggested Farrell's! We had no idea Farrell's still existed! The outside looked very familiar. Once inside the walls were covered with memorabilia from older days. The front entrance is filled with a mélange of candy from the past ~ including the large jawbreakers! Right away we heard the familiar Farrell's drum, siren and bell. Someone ordered the Pig Trough. We were waiting for the waiters to run through the restaurant carrying the stretcher that holds the huge silver bowl filled to the rim with ice cream and cool whip. To our disappointment the waiters walked the Pig Trough to the table while another carried the stretcher under his arm. Say what?! They had the customers kids walk the dish around using the stretcher. Time changes everything. So sad. We ordered the waffle fries as an appetizer. Crisp, lightly seasoned and hot. Delicious. On to the ice cream ~ after looking over the menu the hubster ordered the Straw`Ana. Strawberry and vanilla ice cream, banana, strawberry syrup (no real strawberries!) with a topping of whip cream and a cherry. I ordered the Mocha Nut ~ scoops of chocolate, butter pecan, and coffee ice cream, with coffee, chocolate and butterscotch toppings, whipped cream, peanuts, almonds, and a cherry on top BUT with a few changes. I deleted the butterscotch topping and changed out the butter pecan for chocolate nut fudge and requested the coffee syrup and chocolate syrup be mixed and poured over the top. The sundae was covered with spanish peanuts. Sadly no almonds! However, I enjoyed every bite. It reminded me of one of my favorite ice cream treats ~ a 23 skiddoo
(4)Kristen B.
I was first "introduced" to Farrell's when I was listening to a radio station who was holding a fundraiser there. Unfortunately, I couldn't go that day, but I did Yelp the place, and wanted to try it out. The radio made them sound SUPER cool, but unfortunately, I think Farrell's is overhyped. You're paying for the ambience. Farrell's used to be Black Angus YEARS ago. I didn't even know they closed. Oh well. The venue is SUPER cute. Old-fashioned and quaint. You walk in and the first thing you see are candies! Kind of a small selection, but they have very strange items you wouldn't find at a regular store. We were seated at a table, surrounded by families who all were celebrating birthdays! This part kind of got annoying, but I'll get back to that later. Our server was super friendly and upbeat. Kinda have to keep up if you're gonna work there. I ended up getting the Old McFarrell's Burger and my bf got the Gastonomical....whatever. While we were waiting for our food, the staff came to sing to the people with the birthdays....and more singing....and more singing. It's like they sing for EVERYTHING! Birthdays, an item on the menu, by being there! It was cute and fun at first, but after the 2nd one, you just go like....AGAIN???!!! I know the staff must hate it as well. When our food came, I guess the Gastro...whatever also comes with a song. So they sang to my bf LMAO so embarrassing! My burger...was...on...POINT! The juices from the meat (medium rare is a must for any meat!) just came gushing out of the burger. The fact it came with a fried egg was an extra bonus! Overall, my meal was good! HIGHLY recommend it! Unfortunately, the Gastro...sandwich didn't live up to its name. Regular sized sandwich, but loaded with meat. I guess that's where the Gastro part comes from. It was mediocre. Both meals came with fries, and...sadly, the fries weren't that tasty. They forgot to put my bf's fries as garlic fries, so they gave him another plate of garlic fries. I only got like maybe 10 pieces of fries. Not what I had expected. That's even less than a handful. Whatever. People don't come here for their food anyways. They come here for their ice cream! After dinner, we ordered dessert-I got single scoop vanilla with pop rocks and my bf got oreo milkshake. I'm not gonna do a milkshake at an ice cream parlor. Psh! I LOVED my combo of a simple ice cream flavor but a kick with the pop rocks! It was interesting but in a good way. The milkshake was...like his meal, was okay. So small for the price you pay for. Again, I would have to compare this place to Vic's, and, sorry, but Farrell's doesn't amount to Vic's. Milkshake was runny and not enough oreo. Ice cream selection was minimal. Food was mediocre, except for my burger. The burger was good! You're just paying for the ambience, which, after the first 2 songs, can get SUPER annoying. I'm sorry for the workers who gotta sing every minute for the whole day. I give you props!
(3)Molly S.
Good food! Amaaaaaaazing ice cream!! A little pricey but the dessert is what you are here for!! Yum!!! Pretty decent portions. There were 4 birthdays while I was there and they all got a different song. The staff is probably one of the most energetic and fun that I've seen yet!!
(5)Eric C.
I lost a little faith in my beloved Farrell's last night. In August 2013, after a highly anticipated return to Sacramento, I was among the crowds of people waiting over an hour to get inside Farrell's. It was a magical moment. This place was very familiar to me because it was an experience I witnessed many times as a kid. If not for my birthday parties, it was for someone else's. If not for a celebration after a soccer game, it was a celebration after a little league game. Regardless, it was a one of a kind experience you never forget. The last time I was at a Farrell's was probably in the early 80's at the Sunrise Mall. That first time back in August of 2013 was magical! It was booming, it was loud, and it was downright epic! I returned for my Birthday the following December and they gave me a fantastic birthday celebration (I'll spare you my age). Farrell's was back!!! Last night I came here with a party of eight. The energy I witnessed was a bit subdued. It was a Monday though, and the place wasn't too busy, so I'm chalking it up to that for the reason why. Never the less, we were excited to be at Farrell's! We had a reservation for 6pm, and we were seated 10 minutes later, which I thought was odd because it wasn't that busy at all. We sat down and our waitress was friendly and upbeat and took our dinner order. Half of us were holding out just for dessert, so the dinner order was literally, fish tacos, a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon, tomato soup and a hill of garlic fries. That's it. After fifteen minutes our waitress did the standard walk-by and told us that our food would be out shortly. An hour later, we tracked her down and she gave us the same answer -- and we called her out on the standard brush-off response. She then went into the kitchen to address the issue. She then came back to the table and explained that there were large volume orders were going through and that things got confused, and she assured us that our orders were coming right out. Within ten minutes, our orders finally got to our table and the waitress took full responsibility for the mishap and sincerely apologized. We ate our food and ordered some ice cream and sundaes. Thank gawd it didn't take as long for that to get to our table. We had two birthday girls (well, women...) at the table so the staff dedication song was just a bit "uncomfy," but it was still cool. I had the Gold Rush Sundae. It's a scoop of Chocolate ice cream, a scoop of vanilla, and it is covered with hot fudge, peanut butter, peanuts, and topped with whipped cream and a bright red cherry. So good! Our waitress dropped off our bill and took $10 off and "comped" our sodas for the inconvenience. She again apologized, and held herself accountable, and asked us to please come back -- not let her actions punish the restaurant for our patronage. I was impressed with her sincerity. She owned it, regardless of fault, and that was classy. Three stars! I am sure I can easily improve that rating on my next visit. We will be back. It's Farrell's! I love Farrell's, and so does everyone else I spent the evening with last night. Oh, I should also mention... They sell bacon soda and peanut better and jelly soda there, among other random stuff in the candy staore. Parking is is somewhat limited during peak times. That is all... Enjoy!
(3)W G.
If I could give no stars I would! Horrible customer service and honestly I feel like all their employees are on drugs. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Don't waste your money or time here!
(1)Johnna S.
Guess what I'm thinking about at 1:43am on a Friday night. I'll give you a hint. It begins with I and ends with M. No I will not tell you how many words! I have to say, I just don't really like this place. I mean I practically live at Vic's and I try to stay off of Watt Avenue. Every time I have to run an errand on Watt it ends up taking over an hour and time is money. Though I have said that I don't like this place, twice now, you might assume that I would give this clown house 1-2 stars and never go back. Well, you are wrong. I go to plenty of places that I do not like. Most of them are my daughter's favorite haunts. (LOLLL) So I can't say truthfully that I have experienced better than Farrells, because my daughter is young and thinks this is a lot of fun because of all of the mayhem, circus antics and the candy store on the way out. Oh and do not forget the balloon animal guy. Though she is picky about whom she'll let make her a balloon. She prefers her balloon sculptures made by someone over 50 who lacks teeth. I basically save this as a treat for when I have to work at home and she does a good job of entertaining herself in the meantime. Plus it is close to Dimple, so really, the whole thing is rather self-serving. There are a lot of weird things that they do but I am old and not young at heart so I remember little about the ruckus except to say I was very annoyed. I do remember being annoyed. The ice cream? Well, there's no shade of Ice Cream I do not like so... Ya it is good. Gunther's is way better, and my favorite ice cream is at Vic's which I can see from my kitchen window. I even prefer Leatherby's to Farrells. Maybe if they all took a tranquilizer I'd like it better. Seriously. Or maybe I should take the tranquilizer. Meh, I think I'll just go to Vic's. But you should try it. If you like Joe's Crab Shack, then you will love this. But for myself it is pricey, time consuming, and annoying because it is too loud.
(3)Melanie A.
Slow service and generic ice cream. The server didn't even know the menu. Ordered a strawberry ice cream soda - ok.... Nothing special. And the Banana Royal was so small and bland vanilla hardly any fudge for $7.49... What a rip off. I'm glad I never went here when it first opened up and would've waited hours for this.... Baskin Robbins has better ice cream and Gunthers and Vic's is not even comparable.... Sorry Farrell's we are never returning and not surprising you only have 3 stars. I see this place going out of business soon.
(1)Ben C.
Service was ok. Food was horrible. Found a bug in our fruit, they brought out one salad that was missing most of the main ingredients (such as the chicken) and completely forgot another main course salad. We had to argue with the manager to give us a discount and she was unnecessarily rude. We had been 3X's in the past and had good experiences, but this last visit will be our last. We never leave reviews...this place was that bad!
(1)Sonia C.
I had the BBQ bacon sandwich with onion strings and a side of garlic fries, it was all sooo good. My dad and I shared the gold digger sundae which was also good and not huge but a good serving for 2 people. This was my 2nd time going there and each time there was good and friendly service. There's a lot of chanting and signing there so if you want a more quiet place this isn't the place for you. lol Great Place! It has much more food options and variety than Leatherbys.
(5)Karen K.
We came here on a Thursday around 1130 AM. What brought us here was an 8.00 coupon off our tab from the 2015 Z Best book. I thought they only do burgers and ice cream but no they also do salads as well! When we first walked in we were greeted with an enthusiastic hostess! OMGosh that's terrific bc that can really boost your mood! She seated us right away and of course they ask you if anyone is celebrating a birthday. I said I wish!!! We were seated in a booth away from another group in another separate room who were celebrating a birthday bc they came out blazing playing the drums, singing happy birthday with their sundae and candles!!! I thought how cool is that?!! My HB had the BBQ chicken salad and I had the Chicken Cobb salad. These servings were ginormous and unexpected! My HB's salad looked pretty tasty topped with fried skinny onion rings with BBQ sauce, olives, cheese, bell pepper, grilled chicken and ranch dressing on the side. He thoroughly enjoyed his salad as he ate it so fast w/o me getting a pic of it!!! My Cobb salad consists of lettuce, tomato, avocado, boiled egg, bacon, grilled chicken, American cheese, blue cheese, and dressing on the side. Each item was separatedly displayed and it's hilarious as I like to eat each item separately anyway. Must have read my mind! I wanted ice cream later so I only ate a third of my salad. It was really nice and cold plus a decent sized portion. Our waitress was really attentive and on point. I probably confused her half the time as I was stopping to eat to make some necessary phone calls. She was young and so pleasant. Felt really lucky to have her as our server. I know we will be back! Got to hang around and maybe shop for candy in their little gift shop store! Plus add another star with an updated review!!! Oh yeah their bathrooms are good to use too. Lol.
(4)Jacob C.
Free sundaes on your birthday, how could I resist! This place was pretty cool! We went when it was slow. My son loved it! He said it reminded him of a food place at Disneyland! They sang happy birthday to my son and the song was super creative! Alex ( server and host) was amazing! I must of heard four birthday songs while I was there and all of them were different! The ice cream was pretty good as well! I hear their food is off the hook! We definitely come back and try that in the future!
(4)Denny T.
Came in the other night for birthday dinner. Friendly greeted at the entrance. We went to the table that was already seated. Menus are out and I would say staff took about 10 minutes from there to get started and allow others to show up for water. Water came in three different trips with a five to ten minute gap. Food order is taken for the group including children. Food takes about 30-45 minutes later. Something strange to how the food shows up. Adults and some complete meals show up. Again all orders come in third segments. Some adults meals are complete. Some adult meals are half complete. Some orders have not arrived including the children's meal. For those meals that arrive first including my order of the chicken pesto focaccia with fries. Chicken, turkey, mixed spring vegetables, jack cheese and pesto on large focaccia. The chicken was cooked through. The pesto seeped throughout the bread. The vegetable blend and turkey was plenty filling. Sandwich in whole was okay taste wise. Seemed a little cold overall. The fries accompanied the dish were cold and tasted of freezer burn. Others at the table ordered a burger (all medium well). The burgers were definitely well. Could almost get confused for a large lump of coal. The fries did not show up for about 10 minutes into consumption. Instead of figuring out where the fries went to, staff decided to just place them on the table wherever it may land. The kids ordered meals showed up about 30 minutes into meal. Some of the table could not consume the burgers ordered due to the over cooked nature. Which he had requests to speak with a manager. Manager provided he could give a discount. Strange to give a discount for a burger that couldn't be consumed. Second half fries again were cold or had an old freezer burn taste. Various staff at this point were checking in on table. A fair amount of beverages were low including my own (typically I don't get through my water). Had to request for the recharge. A good time before staff refill. I would have poured my own cup at this point seeing an empty pitcher sitting at the wait staff station. In between all this, we had some spilled items from the children at our table. Staff said they would get to it. I actually had to get up and grab napkins. It was fifteen minutes from the point of asking for something to clean it up before staff showed up. Waitress covering the table at this point takes dessert order. Again a mismatch to the orders serving some at a time and others 10 minutes after. Adults before kids. Not enough utensils to table at this poi t went up to grab some. That wasn't really my last issue at this point. Ordered a mocha with nuts something a rather. This is an ice cream parlour. One should expect that ice cream will define this place. It did no justice to ice cream. Flavors were not distinct. Ice cream was full of freezer burn and ice crystals. In one part there was straight up ice chunks. Not cream, flavor. Just ice. Caramel sauce wasn't remotely edible. The walnuts and peanuts were the only fresh elements on the ice cream. I've had better ice cream at Denny's or Baskin Robbins. Again during this point another spilled drink. I got up to clean the mess up. No staff in sight or they were too busy singing and playing games. Staff came around some point after to get the check and bill settled. The staff was quick to get that moving. One of the few highlights. Other notes. Bathroom needed maintenance. An accident and lawsuit waiting to happen if it hasn't happened yet. Floor was completely drenched from the sink to the door. Should have a mat to collect water or better placement of trash cans. Good: quick settled bill. Cheerful was the staff. Bad: ice cream, food, taste, execution. Oddly bad in every which way to when it matters. Surprised this place can stay open.
(1)Cato Takho K.
Over hyped....sadly you're paying for the environment and ambiance rather than the food and creamy delights that they are selling. First time here for a date night and it was more ehh than wow. The food was sub par and creamy treats were a dissapointment and they sing every 5 min because it is always someone celebrating a birthday or special occasion. The first few times it is cute and you kind of join in, and then it just keeps happening and you just want them to stop. The sandwich I ordered came with fries and....a song/public announcement made by the server. First of all, I don't like someone announcing my food to the world so they know what I got, second, it was not listed that it came a song and third, I REALLY dont like them yelling and singing in front of my food right before I'm about to eat it. You're yelling, which means particles from your mouth and saliva mist is surrounding my food. Only real plus side was my girlfriend for a fried egg on her burger and that was tasty. And her ice cream she added pop rocks, so that was cool. My oreo shake was watery and bland. Also we had a happy, enthusiastic server, Elisha, she was cool on recommending items to get. So there was that. Overall, unless it is a super special occasion, make sure to eat else where and get ice cream there. Be prepared for a lot of singkng, running aroimd and drum banging. The ice cream is decent and try it with vanilla and pop rocks. My girlfriend discovered that and it was spectacular.
(3)Rebekah C.
Alex was our waiter tonight he was awesome! Fast curtious and thorough our son has egg and nut allergies and alex was very helpful and knowledgeable of the food on the menu he was very helpful and made our son safety his priority we had a fantastic time enjoyed every minute thanks again Alex
(5)Natalie M.
I came here tonight and I thank my cousin for bringing me here. Absolutely loved this place , the coolest and friendliest staff that I had ever seen. I don't see why this place only has 3 stars when it's great. This place is loud so if your boring and get annoyed over loud singing and bell ringing then this place is not for you. Go eat your ice cream at Baskin Robbins then. Can't wait to come back, keep up the good work guys !!
(5)Carol P.
For a first impression, they made a good one. Found a parking spot in the front, no one waiting outside for a table (and only 1 party waiting inside), greeted as soon as I walked in, and placed my to-go order. The hostess/cashier was very friendly and also said it was a great idea to order takeout because my food would come out faster than if I were to dine in. She wasn't lying. I barely had enough time to scan the little lobby of vintage candies and knick knacks when she handed me my plastic bag. They put napkins and a spoon in a separate little brown paper bag, sealed with a cute sticker (kind of a waste, but I guess that's how they do their brand packaging). The $10 banana split stayed intact on it's 3 minute journey home and was quickly demolished when it reached it's final destination. It was a deliciously sweet treat. So if you just want some good old fashioned ice cream sundaes, without all the hoopla (or waiting) that you normally get at Farrell's, I definitely recommend takeout.
(4)Raul F.
Came here last weekend on Saturday. The wait was ridiculously long and it didn't even look packed. The waiter tried his best to keep us happy but we felt sequestered. Got there around 1:45 PM and didn't leave until almost 4 o'clock. It was dreadful. The food was OK. we were starving and part of me said, "maybe I shouldn't come here when I'm really hungry." Now that I think about it, I believe that's the whole point of going out to eat is when you're hungry. This place is overrated and the music part wasn't even all that great. Unfortunately, we heard the same song for our other child who had a birthday there just a few months ago. The only difference was that this time it was saying with a little less enthusiasm. This place is definitely overrated. I hope never to have to go to a birthday party there again.
(1)Latice B.
Are server Brandon awesome and don't forget about Selena so cool the this place.. scoops So will be back
(5)Daisy G.
I've been here twice and loved it! Only had ice cream so that is all I will review. The parlor is lively with waiters who sing and bells ringing every time and order is up. It really is a unique place, specially for children. My first time I had a sundae with brownie bites and two scoops of ice cream. The whipped cream and cherry are free. When the sundae arrived, the brownie bites weren't bites, they were huge brownie pieces. Score!!! At the bottom of the receipt they ask you to complete a survey, so I did. I received a $5 coupon for my next visit. The next time I went with 3 friends and used my amazing coupon. We were all happy with our creations.
(5)Alejandro O.
Got the Philly cheesesteak with recommendation from Natasha to put on Pepper Jack cheese and aced it! It was delicious! Took the kids here so they can literally wallout and be in company of others that are wallinout lol great upbeat vibe just be prepared for it and ask for Natasha she will provide you with excellent service
(4)Anne W.
Much more interesting and entertaining to go to than Leatherby's. The ice cream is pretty good and there are lots of options to make your own customized sundae.
(3)Go C.
Disappointed!!! It took forever to be served. If you have young children that kind of service is asking too much especially on a week night. By the way, it doesn't have the energy of the original.
(2)Coleen M.
Went to Farrell's tonight and had a good time. The service is great and they always do a great job with the birthday songs. We don't go often because they are pricy for what you get.
(4)Olivia D.
First time here and it was great! The highlight of the evening, besides the great food, delicious ice cream and very clean establishment was the service of course. Everyone was very entertaining and we had the pleasure of being seated with the super server Alex. Thanks for a birthday we're sure to keep talking about until our next visit! Great job Ferrall's team in Sac.
(5)Darci K.
I grew up going to Farrell's. I was excited to relive my childhood. I've missed the red bordello walls, and black leather seats. Fifty shades of ice cream The food and ice cream aren't the greatest. It's thriftys ice cream. Limited flavors, and nine anything to run out and have. It's over priced ice cream. If you're wanting good ice cream, Leatherbys. Hands down. Our waiter was a doll. Attentive and happy. If you go... Go because leatherbys is crowded.
(2)Tianna W.
Spilt plate ... Pretty good esp after mayo held and so ordered pesto, ranch and red onions to go on the turkey club! The fries could have used more chili and cheese. Did the birthday sundae get smaller? We'll for me it was the perfect size and not too much sugar. The entertainment was great!
(3)Sasha B.
My mom took my daughter and I here to try it for the first time. The place was clean and the people were polite. Our waitress was slow, the food was average, and it just got annoying after about 15 mins with all the birthday songs. Literally every 10-20 mins they were blowing a horn or beating a drum for someone's birthday. My mom order a glass a red wine and it took a while to get it, then later she asked for another and we didn't get it until we were leaving. We won't be back to this place. The only reason it gets 2 stars is because the manager comped our dessert which was the least she could do. The staff is mainly young people idk if that was part of the issue or what but it was bad.
(2)Lyrics W.
Even though I didn't have a great experience for my daughters party Saleena truly went out of her way to make my daughter happy today I went to the mailbox and there was a package full of goodies for my daughter. When she came home from school she had the biggest smile when she opened it, I was extremely pleased and happy that the company cared enough to go out of there way to put smiles on our faces.
(4)Jill D.
Came in here as a group of 20 something's. For the record. OK bomb food and delicious ice cream. Ridiculous delicious portions! For sure better than leatherbys quality. And i love how this place is like candy heaven, they sell taffies and other candies you thought you'd forgot about. Nostalgic and cool vibe.. But what is up with the cracked out loud mouth servers who literally yell at you? I get it, the vibe is kids themed. It's a silly environment. But I mean for our group it was only kinda funny and got super weird. But I also thought it was a bit unnecessary and annoying for the server to yell at us so much Lol. Our server was Alex and he was being joke-y for the sake of entertaining his tables. But it was over the top irritating... Don't know if I'll be back as I don't like being disturbed during dining experiences. Haha.
(3)Mark L.
Very disappointed in everything this place had to offer. Service needs attention, servers chatting about FB while we're waiting for coffee (our server was Michaela ) waited 20 minutes for a cup of coffee and it wasn't even busy. No goodbye as we were leaving, thank you for coming in, nothing! Very poor costumer service in general. Now the food, grilled cheese was poor. Cold cheese, limp and soggy fries and no ketchup in the restaurant? ??? Really??????? Ice cream sundae was lame too. 90 cents for a tablespoon of hot fudge. Blahhhh!!! Fentons blows you guys away..we won't be back!!!!!!
(1)Johnny S.
Great service, the food was really good. Call ahead to find out how long the wait is first. Its awesome for kids.. all the birthdays, ballons and such. There's a bar and a candy shop in the front. Adults, kids... i recommend this place for everyone
(4)Michelle M.
It is with a heavy heart that I write this review! I was really hoping for a fun trip down memory lane! I was looking forward to a heaping helping of nostalgia with my vat of hot fudge and tureen of homemade ice cream...unfortunately none of that happened!! We were greeted and seated pretty promptly...but we got stuck in a back corner on community row! I really despise the community row seating and typically I will request to be shown to a private table. But I figured it was busy and didn't want to be out too late. But once we were seated I noticed there were plenty of other tables, but again, decided to just stay put. Our server was Ron, he was a bit salty...but I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he was keeping in character with his pirate persona...he was fun and definitely worked hard, but he probably could've dialed it down a couple notches. What used to set Farrell's apart was their Mardi gras style atmosphere...complete with jazzy music and quartet style singing and the constant jubilee!!! Now it's just kind of crazy and chaotic! All the servers trying to be funny and entertaining...but so much of it really falls flat! Now to the ice cream...honestly it was average at best. Toppings lacking and order wasn't even completed correctly! Ron really tried to make everything right and did a good job trying...but again just really lack luster! Seriously...I will be surprised if they last a year...Leatherbys is so much better and definitely a better value! But if they do..it will be because of 2 things: #1 their crazy, "jumped the shark" niche. Like the Rocky Horror picture show...they may gather their own cultish following. Or #2 they will go because it will be the only place they can get a beer or wine while they take their kids for a trough of "not so great, seriously average, over priced" ice cream! Maybe with a couple drinks in them the fact that everything is subpar will be a lot less obvious! Sorry Farrell's...the 80's called...they want their ice cream parlour back!
(2)Cynthia C.
Love the mountain of fries and the friendly staff. We went in during a weekday so it wasn't busy. The waiter was nice and he kept checking up on us. Prices are a little high for ice cream but I'm willing to pay more for good food and large portions. The amount is generous and leaves you enough to take home! Will be back and with friends next time.
(5)Svetlana K.
Wow, well this place wasn't what I expected at all. The minute you walk in you realize you're not at any usual restaurant. Its decorated to look very old-timey, and the employees are dressed to look like from that time era. But it is anything but old, or dated in here. Its a fun, fun, fun atmosphere!!! Great place to take your kids to be sung Happy Birthday! Everyone has had some type of theatre or musical background. So the singing is the best I've heard around. And they all seem so happy to be there! I loved the atmosphere and the decor. The food is just okay. I can't rave about it, but that really isn't the main reason we come here. Wonderful service and great experience! If you have a kid in your life, you have to come down here at least once for a dining experience. And you might end up buying some candy on your way out because that's just what you do when you're at Farrell's!!!
(4)Kurt C.
I think Farrell's is slightly better than Leatherby's. I like both, but this place has got to take the cake for fun atmosphere and celebratory dining. So many special occasions are celebrated here by young and old. The noise level doesn't quite turn down with unique birthday songs sang every ten minutes or so. You also see balloon makers entertaining the kids with their inflated balloon animals. I can't imagine a sad employee working here. The ambiance is ever so festive and lively. I haven't gotten the chance to order any of their hot food yet, but I have tasted a few of their desserts. One, in particular, that sticks out was their Fake Chicken Dinner -- caramel "chicken gravy", mint "peas", orange "carrots", and vanilla "mash potatoes". So trippy! Definitely a little kid's dream dessert plate. Very creative and fun item, although I wouldn't get it again because it doesn't quite hit the spot like their loaded sundaes. Great ice cream, awesome service, and energetic environment. A very ideal restaurant to celebrate birthdays or simply to take your kids out.
(4)No W.
For a first time experience, we had a TERRIBLE time. It took an unusually long time to get our food on a Saturday afternoon. Our server told us after ignoring our empty glasses and repeatedly walking by the she "was doing a birthday party elsewhere," and would be with us as soon as she could? I don't imagine the tab reflects any change or lack in service, nor the expectations for quiet, patient guests to do anything other than unwillingly share the burden of a busy server. I was very sad not to have a more pleasant experience from an establishment that looks SO enticing.
(1)Alyssa Mae C.
It's fun and playful, but it also makes you want to hurry up and leave. Maybe the birthday groups should be seated in a designated area of the restaurant. It's big enough to separate the people who want the whole party package, and the people who actually want hear their conversations without getting interrupted every few minutes. Our order took pretty long, and it's probably because our server was being pulled left and right for songs and stuff. Sacramento can be a hot place, but unless you're celebrating a little kid's birthday, I wouldn't recommend cooling down here.
(2)Lydia B.
We celebrated my friends birthday here and it was a fun time. The waiters were nice and sang songs which was awesome. The food and ice cream was great and the prices were very reasonable here. Its very easy to make a reservation and come with a large group which is a plus. That being said, the service was very slow, they forgot to give me my side salad, and the noise level is pretty high. Also none of our drinks were refilled, which was disappointing. Overall, a fun place to go.
(4)Michele P.
I have fond memories of visiting my grandparents and going to the Farrell's that used to be out by the Sacramento Metro Airport. When I found out they were going to reopen a store in Sacramento, I knew I would want to take my gidgets there and relive some of those fond memories with them. This past Sunday we finally had some time and of course a couple of great reasons to celebrate. We had approximately 20-25 people in our group and arrived around 6:45-7 pm. Unfortunately there was a bit of a wait to seat us due to some sort of confusion. After waiting about 20-25 minutes for them to prep seating for us, we were escorted to our table by a very flamboyant, yet funny waitstaff. We were promptly handed menus and our drink order taken. It actually wound up being two different waiters assisting us due to the size of our party. After some consideration of their sizable menu, we opted to get two Zoos. The set up and the singing was comical and the portions large enough for everyone to get their fill and still take home about 2 pints of leftovers. Not too bad for the money there. A couple of things I observed that will probably keep us from making Farrell's our regular go to spot for ice cream/dessert run. One was that it is definitely noisy and conversation was very difficult as a result. In addition, albeit the portions are good sized and the ice cream was not bad, but it was not great either. Maybe I am spoiled by made the old fashioned way or homestyle ice cream like we have gotten at smaller establishments. I am not sure. I would probably put the quality on par with Dreyer's but then there is a difference in the texture and flavor of made at the restaurant ice cream versus mass produced ice cream....at least to me. Service was great in my opinion, even with the snafu as they definitely made it up to us on the back end. Our wait staff was funny and engaging. Overall quality was ok. We probably will come back should we want to take a large group of teens out for some ice cream and giggles. But for those quieter family or adult only moments, probably will not be our first choice.
(3)Jeff M.
I must be fair.....I thought the place was pretty good. I actually expected less. The kids working here were far better than I expected. You can tell they must have a rigorous proceedure to get hired. They work hard to earn their money. Food and ice cream your typical. Portion sizes are on the large side but then so are the prices. I would go back. It seems like t he place has settled and are operating with a little normalcy now than when they first opened. It was fun. Go and enjoy yourselves.
(3)Brandee B.
Terrible service. We were here for a birthday party and the birthday boy received no attention. The drinks took more than 30 minutes to come out and ice cream more than 30 minutes after we ordered it. Chili cheese fries were good. It is too loud in here!!!!!! If I could give this no stars I would. Last but not least, a dirty wine glass was brought out with a persons lipstick on it. Disgusting
(1)Dee S.
I had an experience that I ended up reporting to a manager. I had hoped for a response that would let me feel like the problem would be addressed but instead, she acted like she knew the issue existed and wasn't really that concerned. The restaurant was packed, so we sat at the bar since there was no wait. There is a glass shield partition between the customer and the work area where they are preparing ice cream items. On the side of the glass that they work in, they had several employee drinks and a plate of fries that 2 of the 4 employees were eating and drinking while working on orders. They had 4 cartons of heavy whipping cream that sat on the counter for the hour we were sitting there. It should have been in the refrigerator because its not safe to let dairy product sit at room temp for extended periods of time. They had a bucket of bleach water or some sort of cleaning solution sitting on the counter near the food also. When I told the manager, her response was that they forget that customers can see them. If its out in the open like that, what happens in the kitchen? As far as the food is concerned, it was just "OK" at best and for the price, I certainly expected better.
(1)Shannon M.
So I decided to try Farrell's tonight because Leatherby's (my usual ice cream spot) was closed. When my boyfriend and I arrived at the restaurant it seemed really nicely decorated. It was all lit up and old fashioned looking, creating the old timey atmosphere that they were trying to go for. We were seated quickly and the service was average at best. When I looked at the ground and was shocked at what I saw: there were used napkins, silverware, crayons, trash, and crumbs under the table, on the seats and surrounding us (as you can see on the pictures that I posted). My boyfriend is a busser at a restaurant and he kept telling me that his restaurant would never allow for this kind of mess. At one point, a manager came by and saw some of the silverware/trash next to our table and picked it up, but left the food and the trash underneath the tables that were out of reach. The worst part is that he saw the mess but didn't even apologize for it. After seeing the floors, my stomach was unsettled, leaving me unable to eat the ice cream once it arrived. However, my boyfriend did eat the ice cream and told me that it was good (but definitely not as good as Leatherbys). Before receiving your ice cream, the servers come and sing a loud song for you and the rest of the restaurant to hear, which is entertaining if you like being at the center of everyone's attention. Bottom-line for me is if your restaurant is not clean I am not coming back.
(1)Cristin K.
Trying this place for the first time, and not during peak ice cream season. Once I got there all I could think about was that part in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" when Deacon took Napoleon to the ice cream parlor and they ate that massive bowl of ice cream. This place is just like that scene! Loud and amazingly entertaining! I will be definitely be coming back with more people to try their pig troth, which is basically the same thing from that scene. And maybe order more than just ice cream.
(5)Isabella Y.
THIS PLACE IS GOING DOWN HILL, I used to love going here with my friends to get the gibson girl, or pigs trough, really good ice-cream. When the place opened almost 2 years ago it was awesome great servers and food. About a year ago, my friend and I came here to celebrate my birthday, they forgot about us and I was really upset. I decided maybe it was just the day, but NO time and time again i'd get forgotten about or treated with disrespect. My most recent visit, was on Saturday May 2nd, around 3pm, (when restaurants are at the slow time). I came with my younger brother to celebrate his 11th birthday. We got there, all of the hosts were completely ignoring us.. finally I walked up to the hostess stand and interrupted there conversation, "Hi?? can we get helped here?" It took a min for them to reply, they told us it'd be 20 mins or so and we were fine with that, ( EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS SO MANY EMPTY TABLES EVERYWHERE AND SERVERS DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING) We wait, people who get there after us get SEATED before us, like come on we are 2 people!! Finally we get sat at the worlds smallest table, and a matter a fact it was a dirty table the lady sat us at. There is no comfort for us so I added the other table to make the birthday boy more comfortable. The older host she's probably around her 40/50s I didn't catch her name, but she came rushing to our table "You can't do that you were sat at this table!!" i said, "Well if were "NOT" allowed to do that can we sit at the bigger table so we can be more comfortable?" she replied to me with major attitude "no, because someone who has 4 people might need to sit there." Really lady?! We have waited at least 35 mins for a table, when your restaurant is practically empty? Then she game me dirty looks. I'm extremely upset, especially because my younger brother was like "wow, why is she talking down to us" IT WAS HIS BIRTHDAY TOOO. I'm not sure if it's because my age because she sure made it seem like thats what was wrong, like i was to poor to be there like please don't disrespect me just because I'm younger than you. anyways, we left without anything, my brother upset because the OLDER lady was so awful to us. I maybe you should treat me with respect, like you should be to a paying costumer.
(1)Raquel H.
This is my 4th time here. I'm kind of mixed in my review about this restaurant / ice cream parlour. I LOVE the food and the ice-cream. But the wait times are horrendous (both to be seated and also once placing your order.) Not sure if there is not enough staff in the kitchen?? There seems to be plenty of staff walking around and entertaining, singing b-day and hoorah jigs to customers. I ended up ordering the Philly Cheesesteak and I have to say I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of meat and the size. My kids ordered the sliders that they shared. We went with the Banana Split and it was gone in under 5min. If I did a side by side comparison to Leatherby's Banana split and Farrell's the Leatherby's one is larger but I also think you pay a buck and some change more.
(4)Ashley B.
I've come here on a few separate occasions, always received top notch service and bomb food. The atmosphere is Spongebob's "Goofy Goobers ice cream parlor" coming to life with the classic parlour decor, music, employee attire, menu, and entertainment that Ferrels offers. Between the fun songs, player's piano, miniature base drum, and acting that the employees offer there's never a dull moment. One of the best things about this place is an employee named Katelyn, she's friendly, detail oriented, energetic, cute as could be, and attentive. She took our order promptly with no mistake or mishap. Always ready for refills, clean uniform, awesome pin collection and attitude to match, didn't care for the hostess to much cherry or kary or something obviously someone not worth remembering her attitude was poor and she seemed kinda bossy,but overall I loved everything. Will definitely be going again and again.
(5)Port P.
Horrible service, cold food, way to slow and way overpriced. Destroyed my fond memories of this chain.
(1)Micki M.
I give Farrell's Four stars! It's a great place to celebrate, not just birthdays either. We've celebrated my daughter's 18th birthday and just before that, a relative came here for a visit from Japan and we figured this would be a great place for her to experience American culture. The staff here sang my cousin a song and let the restaurant know that she's here on a visit and they even shouted out "Irashaimase! (Welcome)", pretty cool! She was embarrassed and elated. For my daughter's birthday, they brought out the drums and sang, "Rocket Robin!" For the entertainment aspect, the place is phenomenal! I don't think anyone could leave here without a smile on their face! If you do, boo! The food is pretty good, too. I like the fact that there is a wide variety of hot and cold foods to choose from, mainly sandwiches, salads and burgers. We've ordered an array of different foods here, they've all been decent. Our only complaint was on our last visit, hub's waffle fries were too darn greasy. Also, the adult mac n' cheese which I substituted my fries for an extra $3.29 was so, not worthy. Now for the ice cream, the ice cream is like ice cream anywhere else. But, the way they decorate it depending on what you order is the star of the show! We've been fortunate enough to sit where they make these frozen cream concoctions. We've seen them make these massive scoops of ice cream in a giant bowl filled with various toppings, topped with whipped cream and cherries. I'm not sure what the names of those dishes were, but they're a dessert lover's dream. Overall, it's good food, fantastic ice cream, and great entertainment!
(4)Nicole B.
Came here for lunch and it was amazing! Obviously they are known for their Ice cream and let me tell you it was out of this WORLD! The food was great, staff was authentic and fun and the environment was so great! I will definitely come here again!
(5)Celine Y.
First impression: Not so impressed. When I first got there I literally stood around for a good 5 minutes wondering where to go or how to be seated because well there's people and kids everywhere looking at candy, then there was also no staff member at the desk to help guide you, so you kind of feel overwhelmed and lost. Personally, this is a great place to bring kids, a party of people or just a place to hangout with friends. The atmosphere is more for kids or teens and there is a bunch of noise everywhere. I personally don't think the staff looks as happy as they are hired to be, everyone just kind of look like they hated their job but with strained smiles on their faces (I don't know, maybe it was just me). Lastly, I ordered the chicken sandwich with fries, I asked the waiter first about the meal and how popular it was but she just said "it's really popular" like in a way where she didn't want to have to explain it so she gave me an answer I wanted to hear. When I got the sandwich it tasted like a hotdog so I had someone try it for me and they said the same thing, but I kept eating it to give it a chance. I only ended up eating half of it but the moment I left I had stomach problems, I actually had stomach issues the rest of the night. I probably would not return due to a horrible first experience and stomach problems, it's too bad cause I was really excited to try out this place and try the ice cream.
(1)Amy B.
Whatever you do, don't come here to eat a meal. Stick to ice cream. Their food is HORRIBLE. My chicken pesto sandwich was served with black burnt chicken on dry bread with wilted slimy greens. My boyfriend ordered a chicken salad and his chicken was just as burnt. If I was the server, I would have never let that leave the kitchen. Stick to ice cream Farrell's.
(2)Pamela H.
My family and I have been to Farrell's many times. My family used to own one in Albuquerque. Farrell's is fun! The food is scrumptious and the ice cream divine. However their cooking times are long, sometimes the ice cream time is too but not lately as their novelty is calming down. They have been faster and the wait not as long lately. Waiters are sometimes playful and positive. Manager is kind. It is a great fun place for birthdays!!
(5)Anamarie W.
Horibble service. Food was good after and hour wait. Then the ice cream was good too after 40 minute wait. I set my timer. 3hour burger and ice cream is not how I want to spend my Tuesday night for my birthday. It was too late to go bowling. Then drove 80 miles home. The manager tried to make me happy by comp"img the my cold food and ice cream in which showed good customer service its just unfortunate I will not be back.
(1)G M.
Pretty weak experience. Wait is long. Ice cream is ordinary. Basically the wait is long because the kids are more interested in performing and playing than serving. Where is the adult manager keeping things together? See my pic. It's pretty frustrating looking at empty tables while waiting. There were at least 3 empty tables/booths for at least 20 minutes. I'm thinking its a tactic. The one redeeming quality is the awesome balloon twister. She's fun and entertaining and guaranteed to bring a smile to your kids face.
(2)Megan F.
This is based on my first and only trip here so far! My parents secretly planned a family outing to celebrate my birthday here. I had never been before so I had no idea what to expect, but I was told they have awesome dessert. We only went to order dessert, so that's all I can really speak for. My birthday was the 25th of February and it was quite busy for being a Tuesday night. I could see it being that busy on a weekend, but man!! My mom decided The Zoo would be the best for our large group, and I agreed it would surely feed all of us, however one little thing was the issue - I'm lactose intolerant! Poor mom had no idea and felt bad. I was a bit disappointed to see they didn't offer other desserts that were not ice cream. By the way, The Zoo is like 7 pounds of different ice cream with a buttload of toppings...and the birthday girl is lactose intolerant. I still went #YOLO (totally kidding on that, haha) and had a bit of ice cream anyway. By the way, good ice cream! It was QUITE the show when they brought it out on a STRETCHER! I was waiting for Adam of Man V. Food to appear any minute. They sang their version of a Justin Bieber song (meh, really? I'm 23, guys. No.) and I turned the shade of the maraschino cherries. Just seeing the other birthday celebrators have them sing to them gave me a great deal of anxiety. I must say, they have very talented people. Very upbeat and hyper lol. Then came the HBD sung to me and I just wanted it to be over. Every time I would hear the drum or kazoo, which meant they were coming to your table and stirring up the energy in the place, I couldn't help but cringe. I hate being embarrassed. Well, my party got a kick out of it and got it alllll on camera. All in all, it was a great time despite not being able to eat much of what was ordered and getting embarrassed to the max! Basically, they sure know how to party at Farrell's and I would be down to try the menu in the future. Next time, without the Bieber songs... ;)
(5)Sheena C.
Ice cream is really good. Food isn't bad but definitely not memorable. The ice cream, when it got to our table, I already saw it melted on the bottom. I was like, why is the bottom of my ice cream watery. My only gripe....they really need to do something about all the flies flying around in here. Like every second a fly comes near my face, on top of my head, near my food. That isn't good for business when it's indoors. If this was on outdoor place etc, they it's understandable. I feel itchy now because of all these damned flies. Management, you really need to address this somehow. Fly just flew on my hand and my head again. It's quite a turn off honestly.
(3)Ed P.
The ice cream was pretty standard, but the environment is high energy - a great place to bring kids! I had the cookie dough ice cream and I'd say it tasted like it came out of my freezer... nothing special. The real value appeared to be in the sundae that my brother ordered. It had a ridiculously good brownie under it, with chocolate syrup to boot. Service was great, and kids were having a blast so I see no reason not to come back if you're a family person. Oh, and be advised - they're going to bang on drums and sing ridiculous songs, and very likely your child will be coerced into joining in.
(3)Stephanie A.
Came here on a Sunday night with some friends and friends' 3-year old daughter. It was a very fun atmosphere. Very LOUD environment however. If you're not in the mood for loud birthday singing every few minutes, I don't recommend coming here. My friend got a little annoyed because of the loud singing while trying to concentrate on reading the menu. I didn't mind the noise and thought it was fun and great for the kids. We got a "hill" size of fries and an ice cream dessert for each of us. I got the ice cream 'nachos' which came with 3 scoops of vanilla, chocolate, and mint chip ice cream and a few pieces of freshly made crispy waffles which was supposed to be the 'nacho' part of it. The best part of the dish was the waffle but I was disappointed in the amount of little waffle pieces that came with the order. It was way too little for the amount of ice cream that was in the order. Since the menu said to dip the waffle in the ice cream like nachos... I was expecting way more waffles. When I asked for more, they were going to charge extra and the I would have to wait longer than the 30 minutes it took to make the fresh waffles for the order the first time. So I passed on it. The ice cream tastes very good. Only complaint: portion/ratio. Service was EXCELLENT. Our server was very outgoing, friendly, and attentive.
(4)Jaben B.
Really poor service. Came in with a reservation for a birthday at 7:15. 4 adults and 4 kids. The restaurant was only about half full yet it took 35 minutes to get a table. We ordered within 5 minutes of seating. Since we were in only for ice cream we anticipated quick device but again we waited. After an hour and a half still no ice cream. Just ice cream.....that's all. What a joke!!!
(1)Julie S.
Food and ice cream is average. I would probably come here for a special occasion but never to just eat. Came here when it first opened and they would sing songs about everything. I went recently over the weekend for a friend's birthday and they just sang a birthday song. I thought they would sing a song for me ordering a Triple Chocolate Brownie Sundae but they didn't. I was kinda bummed lol And the brownie was pretty dry but vanilla ice cream was good. It was about $65 for 9 people but we only got dessert. Price isn't too bad if you want to come here to celebrate your birthday and just get dessert.
(3)Jeff W.
My daughter turned nine and this was her first choice for the family get together for her bday. Farrell's is fun. It's an old school creamery where they sing loud and make it fun. The ice cream is really good and depending on what you order, it might come with a song. My daughter got an awesome One Direction parody song for her bday. It's just a fun place to go. We did not have anything from the menu other than ice cream and be warned, it's loud. Otherwise, make a reservation and have fun!!
(4)Michelle B.
Service sucks..asked the server to start the $80 ice cream treat for our party when we got food since that took so long. We had several tired children and she insisted it would not take long at all. Well four toddler meltdowns later we still have no $80 ice cream. Won't be back!
(2)Tricia M.
Sorry, Farrell's, but you've got to pick up the pace. We had lunch here this week - the place was NOT busy by any stretch of the imagination. Just about 4 other tables with retired people - hardly any kids in the place except ours. Food took forever to arrive and then my BLAT was cold. Then it took another stretch of forever to get dessert. Lunch took over an hour. I haven't been here for nearly a year - and I remember that the food was good. Not sure why the food and service is slipping, but not sure I would bother coming back.
(2)Michael H.
Very disappointed. We had reservations for my 5 year old sons birthday. We arrived 10 minutes before our reservation time and the hostess said they just needed to set the table. Waited 20 minutes and she said we were the next group on the "reservation list" and we would be seated next. 20 minutes later she said she was sorry and it would be just a couple more minutes. About 15 minutes later we were finally led to a room that was almost completely empty. The waitress came in about 10 minutes later and we finally ordered Ice cream. Keep in mind that we have been here waiting with a group of children now for more than an hour past our reservation time. Now we wait for ice cream, and we wait. and we wait. Another hour passes. When the ice cream finally arrives the waitresses start there song but, the kids aren't even at the table. The waitress makes a snarky comment about the birthday boy not being at the table just as the kids come running to the table. They sing their song, they set two sundaes in front of my 5 year old and several other sundaes around the table. A couple of the orders are wrong and the waitress takes care of the problems relatively quickly. I ask who the second sunday sitting in front of my son is for and she says oh, that's his free birthday sunday. Really? you couldn't have mentioned that when I ordered for him? The ice cream was good. But, not worth a 2 hour wait, good. On the other hand, once the ice cream arrived, the kids were happy. Especially my 5 year old who ate 2 sundaes. The adults - not so much. We will not return.
(1)Malika H.
Definitely a boisterous family establishment! Fun, festive and clean! I have been here twice now, the first time just for a simple sundae. It was good, but I would have been satisfied with a sundae from Dairy Queen just the same. I think if you are going to order dessert here, order a specialized menu item. The second time I tried the ice cream nachos. It was smaller than I expected and didn't come with as many "chips" (broken waffle cone pieces) as I would have liked. It was three scoops of ice cream with I believe some blueberry syrup topping and a cherry. I enjoyed it just the same, as I always have and will enjoy ice cream of any sort! I will be attempting the belly buster challenges at some point, too! To drink I had ordered a chocolate Coke: the sweet Coke taste with a hint of chocolate. Our waiter was friendly and helpful when we inquired about some menu items. With the amount of energy the staff here has to put out, I imagine they must be pretty beat at the end of the day. It's a little loud for a first date, with all the drum beating, announcements and singing for certain menu items (such as the triple brownie sundae) but still a fun place to come enjoy some ice cream, and the food looks pretty tasty too!
(4)Harry M.
When I was growing up in Portland in the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was almost nothing I liked doing more than going to Farrell's for hamburgers, ice cream, and noisy birthday celebrations.We left Portland for Boston in 1974, shortly after the Marriott Corporation bought the parlours, and I never set foot inside a Farrell's again. As far as I can tell, Marriott mismanaged the chain in quick order. Its glory days were soon over, and by 1990, it was nearly moribund. In recent years, Farrell's has been slowly springing back to life. I recently learned that there was a new location in Sacramento. Yesterday, I convinced my very understanding wife, who'd never been to Farrell's, to make the two hour trek from San Francisco. This new Farrell's seems to be a success: It was hard to find parking, and we had to wait about 20 minutes for our booth. And I was startled by the diligence with which the new Farrell's recreates the old experience. The 1890s feel of the interior is largely preserved. The employees still wear straw hats. The menu is still in the form of a newspaper, and still silly. Many of the old dishes, including the Zoo, Trough, and other items are back. There's still an area with old-timey candies for sale up front. The logo with a drawing by Charles Dana Gibson is still the logo. And of course, there's a lot of loud, frantic celebration including employees singing, banging drums, and carrying ice cream around on stretchers. There are some concessions to the 21st century. The portions have gotten much larger and there are now something like ten different variants on french fries, served in portions that looked a little grotesque to me. I don't remember beer and wine at the original Farrell's, either. And my Straw-ana sundae cost ten times what it did in 1971. Overall, though our lunch was one of the most satisfyingly proustian experiences I've ever had. I don't know what I'd make of this place if I never knew Farrell's in the old days--but I'm awfully glad I got to go to one just once more in my life.
(4)Tonya G.
AMAZING!!!!! Been here twice now. My son loved it so much wanted to go on his birthday so we took him today. Alex was an amazing waiter. Made my husband and I laugh the whole night watching him entertain our son. It's a Lil pricey but worth every penny with the service and laughs. Food and dessert was amazing. So many dessert choices. I defiantly want to go back for my birthday lol.
(5)Michael C.
Worst dining experience I've ever had. It was 4:45pm on a Friday, no line at the door, but was made to wait 10 minutes while the girls at the front desk chatted it up. I ordered a sundae for my daughter( I had requested a cherry and hot fudge on top) my order arrived incorrectly, really you can't remember a single item?? The bill was dropped off at my table and I quickly deposited the money into the bill folder, the waiter walked away like he didn't seen me pay. After waiting approximately 10 minutes I took the bill to the front desk,and I was told that I pay with my waiter at my table. A young man at the desk had the audacity to ask me if it was all there, as though I was going to dine and dash. I will go to Leatherbys from now on, while they don't sing and dance as much they still prevail as the better restaurant with better tasting Ice cream and far superior service.
(1)Brandon L.
Farrell's is one crazy place. Every staff member at Farrell's is energetic because they entertain everyone. If it's your birthday, be prepared for singing, drums, and the alarm. After all the embarrassment you do get a free sundae as a treat. Farrell's is always packed during the rush hours. The wait for a table can take a while so to kill some time they have a candy section in the restaurant where you look and purchase some. We decided to sit at the ice cream station where they have some stools because we didn't want to wait for a table. The trade off for no wait time.... average service. Because of how busy the place was, servers concentrated on customers at the tables more frequently than the bar area. I ordered the Old MacFarrell's Burger which came with an egg, bacon, cheese, and a pickle on the side. It was good and I would order it again. What is Farrell's known for? The ice cream! I ordered the Black & White and it was a good combination of chocolate and vanilla ice cream. It comes with marshmallow topping, nuts, hot fudge, and a cherry. Food rating: 3 stars Ice cream rating: 4 stars Service rating: 3 stars Overall rating 3.5 stars.
(3)Laura L.
The food is great. Icecream like 1930's style but a restaurant. A lot of singing for good entertainment. They also have a candy shop in front with 1lb sugar daddys and stuff.
(5)Harkirat N.
My Girlfriend told me about Farrell's so after assessing the yelp reviews & when I say reviews I mean photos I knew I had to try this place. Lucky for me I was Prego so all the guilt was left at the front door. First lets talk decor & ambiance. It's a happening place & very retro reminding you of a period in time where you could still get an ice cream for a quarter. The waiters are all dressed up in their cute uniforms & very friendly. It's loud & when I say that I'm not exaggerating they have a drum & a song for when a patron orders a specific dessert. The food is where I get lost I ordered the club with fries, the bread was very dry and the food was luke warm. The food in my opinion was a bit overpriced for the quality and amount that you are getting. The Ice cream is pretty delicious but really who can go wrong with ice cream?! We tried the brownie sundae and the ice cream nachos. Out of the both I favored the ice cream nachos because I love love love waffle cones! I do appreciate the military discount that they offer for their Active Duty members that's always a bonus! Overall we enjoy Farrell's not a place that we would go on a regular basis but more as an indulgent treat for dessert, we decided we might just do lunch/dinner elsewhere and stop in for dessert next time! All in all a decent place to satisfy your sweet tooth!
(3)Alicia M.
This place never disappoints. The ability to take care of large parties as well as a 2-top can really speak to the strength of a server. Brandon NAILED IT. I not once had to ask for refills or anything else I needed. With the support of the manager Celina our visit for our friend's birthday was epic! I highly recommend you come here at least once in life! Thank you Farrell's ...and Brandon and Celina!
(5)Lynne P.
Never been here before and had to try it out for my middle son's 8th birthday. Heard they make a big scene for the birthday boy/girl with loud instruments and a song. My middle son hates any sorts of attention on him so I had to take him there! True to what everyone said, the "birthday crew" did an AWESOME job with the birthday son. Even he was impressed! He got his own free birthday sundae and enjoyed every bite of it! We had The Pigs Trough and it was good. Our server told us we could write on the trough which I did so! I love how lively and loud the place was! the servers were nice and always checked on us. Kids loved listening to other kids getting serenaded by the birthday crew . The best part of Farrell's, according to my sons was the candy shop!
(4)Marina M.
Went here for the first time. It was super busy Friday night! We sat in bar stools so we didn't have to wait which was nice! I liked their French dip but not the Mac n cheese. It was watered down and I couldn't taste any cheese in it! Also sandwich my husband ordered what's too dry and his garlic French fries was soggy and we could not taste garlic in it! What!? Ice cream was good! Come another day then Friday night for more quiet time
(4)Rob G.
This was our second time making reservations for a large birthday party. Last year the service was good and the wait wasn't too long. I don't know what has happened within the last year but everything has gone downhill. We made reservations and were on time with the correct amount of attendees. The reservation was made over a week in advance. The service was horrible. Very understaffed, inattentive employees, long wait times just to to get our waters. Then the drink order took 20 minutes before it got to us. Food was another 30 minutes. Then ice cream was another 30. That's a long time to wait per each order. Then a party twice our size was served before us, and also sung happy birthday before our little birthday boy. When we talked to the manager her was rude and got frustrated. There was a trainer from corporate there who was nice but it was too late by the time she stepped in. All in all, we are going to stick to the local Leatherby's, which has been around since we all were kids. Sorry Ferrels, you failed us.
(1)Tina I.
We TRIED to go on my sons birthday at 19 minutes to 10 pm on a Tuesday, and they had the doors locked already. Yelp said they were open. If their hours are incorrect on the website, then the business should get it corrected. Otherwise, they locked their doors early. We now have a very disappointed 8 year old :(
(1)RJ O.
Been here a couple of times. The first time we were just driving by on Friday night and happen to see the bright lights. It's a fun place for family and kids but the food is only mediocre. I ended up coming a second time because I wanted to try their ice cream which is ok but in my opinion not as good as leatherby.
(3)Ash A.
4 stars because they offer 20% discount to military and my kids loved it. They also offer free sundaes on your birthday. I really enjoyed my burger - Ol Mac Farrel, my kids split an adult grilled cheese with bacon and truffle fries and loved it, husband got a club. I'd like to note that the kids meals don't find with sides so I thought this worked out better. For dessert husband got the nacho thing (ice cream on waffles), I ordered the caramel tin sundae and kids got regular sundaes that looked like clowns. I didn't like the set up of my sundae, with the caramel on the bottom, I had to dig under for it. My husband loved his and so did the kids. We also bought balloons. The lady made the wrong thing for our daughter than what she ordered. I hate balloons popping and that lady was popping balloons aaaaalllll night, so I put in ear plugs that I had in my car. Fun atmosphere for kids. Pricey but good for a birthday. I still prefer other ice cream parlors like Fenton's but this food was better which I appreciate.
(4)Vince L.
The food was good, I had the Swiss mushroom truffle burger, but was really disappointed with the service. I don't blame the waitress because she was really nice and courteous, but overwhelmed. The restaurant was not busy and it took a really long time. Like we were there 2.5 hours long. Our order got messed up, couldn't get a refill on soda and they forgot a couple of things. Our poor waitress had to cover like 6 tables, she was clearly hustling her but off. But what irks me is that there are at least 6 people standing around doing nothing. Where is the management?
(3)Kandy F.
My friends and I came here for dessert. I hadn't been here in over 30 years. It was quite entertaining!! The employees here really work for their $$$ here. They smiled from ear to ear and banged on drums and sang their heart out. Every other table had some kind of excitement. Loved the ice cream and the laughs!! Great entertainment. Ooooh...the had the old time candy that brought memories!! :-)
(4)Nga P.
I came to this ice cream parlor instead of my usual because me and my two friends wanted to give this place a try. Walked in and I was surprised by the atmosphere. Old fashion like old sac. Candy to my right, which I loved. Host to the front, and paintings and cool signs all over the wall. The host was really welcoming and friendly. It was our birthday, and we all got a free Sunday. However coming from dinner already, we didn't need that much sundae, so we only took one. Tony our server was a fine gentleman. Very polite, considerate, and understandable. My friend was drunk, and the loud singing was giving her a headache. We told him pleaseeeeee don't sing to us, and he totally understood. He also relit our candle while my friend was in the ladies room taking what seem like forever. I'm just a little disappointed about the selection of flavors on ice cream and that there was soooo much cream on too of my sundae. Allll cream no ice cream :/
(3)May A.
Fun atmosphere! Came here on a Saturday evening around 9:20p (closing time was 11:00p on Fri's and Sat's, otherwise they closed at 10p). We were told that it would be a 20-25 min wait. The estimate wait time was about right as people came and went. It was a full house that night, probably every weekend evenings?. It was my first time here at this location since it opened summer of 2013. Thought it would be wise to wait till all the hype died down. But if the craziness is like what I experienced last Saturday then I was wrong. This ice-cream place is very much popular and patrons will come and go to celebrate anything! The servers were great and friendly. We originally had planned to come here for some ice-cream after an event we attended at the Cal Expo in Sacramento and it was just like I remembered during my visits to the location in San Jose CA inside Eastridge Mall (this location has closed since and is now a part of Farrell's Historic Locations). We didn't really have an occasion to celebrate and the next birthday would be my 11-yr old daughter's which was not until two weeks out but one server (she goes around with a notepad) came to our table and asked us if there was an occasion that brought us to Farrell's that night... we said just the ice-cream and asked the little one when her birthday was, we told her and she said "that's close enough!". They came with a drum and plenty of fun, music and energy as the five servers in 1890s costumes danced, sang their version of " What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction and entertained us while serving our huge portions of ice cream treats. The little one had an early birthday blast. She was fascinated with the classic old-fashioned atmosphere and fun entertainment only Farrell's is known for. Oh yeah, about the ice cream sundaes... I ordered the "Mocha Nut" and it immediately became a favorite! It included chocolate, butter pecan, and coffee ice cream scoops, with coffee, chocolate and butterscotch toppings, whipped cream, peanuts, almonds, and a cherry. Yum!!! Have not tried the meals here yet... their menu is packed with a variety of burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads and also a beer and wine menu.
(4)Kristen G.
My mom and I were in the area and decided to try out Farrell's, both of us hearing such great things about it. I was super pumped to go here because I love anything sweet, especially a huge ice-cream sundae! So my mom and I walk into the place, and apparently it brought back some childhood memories for my mom, she wouldn't stop talking about how similar it looked to the "Farrell's" restaurant where she had her birthday party ages ago. I acted annoyed, but I loved seeing my mom in such a good mood! This place is a feel-good, happy scene for sure! Anyways we sat down, shared the bacon burger with fries, which was pretty bomb! Of course after we scarfed that down we ordered desert, the brownie sundae! Not only did we get an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G sundae, but it also came with a song! I loved it and enjoyed my time at this little place! Definitely a great place for the Fam! :)
(4)Sunny F.
This place is a lot of fun! Took one of my gal pals here to celebrate her birthday. It was a ton of laughs and the food was awesome! I had heard a lot of the hype and excitement from people when it was about to open, and I was not disappointed. They sing, they dance, they have balloon animals. I'll be going back for sure.
(5)Monique H.
My first time here tonight. I'd have to say, the only main reason I would come back is because of their employee. I want to say his name was jostin or joshtin. I feel bad that I can't remember, but he was outstanding. He was the main entertainer and I hope he gets paid well for the job that he does. He was always smiling, and you can tell that he's a very hard worker. I hope that Farrells ice cream parlor looks at yelp reviews, prints them out and posts them on employee bulletin boards in staff rooms. He deserves to know that we recognize people like him. My whole family and I agreed to come back soon for another one of our birthday dinners.
(5)Laura W.
After reading the reviews, I was apprehensive about eating here, but my father-in-law was treating, and I'm never one to turn down a free meal. The wait time for a table was a bit ridiculous, and if I didn't have my back pillow with me, I wouldn't have survived it on that hard bench. I was dying of thirst by the time we made it inside, but once in, we had large glasses of cool water to down. Our waitress, Blake, was great. She said she worked at the original Farrel's when she was 16 and her experience showed. She was on top of drink refills and checked on our party of 8 regularly. She was friendly and fun without being annoying. My root beer was full of sweet delicious flavor -- a small thing, but it's refreshing when you're used to watered-down sodas at chains. The menu wasn't impressive, and if you're lactose intolerant like me or have a true gluten intolerance like my husband (and are not just on some stupid fad diet) the options are pretty limited. I went with the BLAT (BLT with avocado) and hubby ordered the same, but wrapped in lettuce. Good, but for the price I thought the portions would be bigger. The house sauce was bland, but a bit of mustard added the needed flavor. With all the entertainment, the wait time for the food wasn't too bad. FIL sprung for balloon animals, and the balloon artist puts on quite the show. The kids at the next table were in awe of his fast-twisting skills. He makes more than what's on the menu, too. SIL got a jet pack! I got the fish on a pole, which is way huge and impractical to have while you're eating, but it just added to the silliness of it all. For the grande finale, we had "the zoo," which comes out to much pomp and circumstance. A young boy's jaw just about dropped to the floor when he saw it on our table. Being lactose intolerant, I thought I would be skipping dessert, but lo and behold, they had lactose-free vanilla. The strawberry toppings I requested were way over the top for such a small scoop of ice cream, though. Our table was either laughing or chowing down the whole time. We walked away full and with smiles on our faces. I'm sure the bill was ginormous, but it wasn't mine to pay!
(4)Marcus C.
I kno that this place is known for its family orientated atmosphere but damn it's too loud n here! Take it dwn a couple notches. The pastrami sandwich was ok...the ice cream is so so (I'd rather go to Leatherby's). BUT the butterscotch shake is fire!
(1)Adam B.
I was at farrels for my grad night, horrible service, I was horribly offended when the waiter took multiple shoots at my and the crew. Over all it was like D. Deez nuts. Ice cream
(1)Dave N.
Went here w/the family after an outing to Cal Expo on a Sunday afternoon. Despite it being lunch time, we were fortunate enough to be seated right away. That must have been just luck of the draw since shortly after parties started showing up in droves & had to begin waiting to be seated. We were lucky enough to have Tony as our server. He was very personable, great with our kids, and definitely lifted the enjoyment of the visit. The food got great reviews from the kids, and my wife's burger was highly spoken of by her. I went w/the Rueben sandwich which wasn't quite as flavorful for what I've come to expect of a dish with sauerkraut and pastrami on it. But, they can't all be grand slams and the menu here is pretty vast. On to the important stuff- the ice cream was fabulous. Definitely seemed homemade w/great flavor & creaminess. Before we even left, the kids were plotting to return for their birthdays and any other occasion they could think of...And I'm sure my wife & I would agree with them. For any Sacramento natives with nostalgic memories of Farrell's of old - this one brought back fond memories. The decor is brighter than what I remember of 70's Farrell's w/dark walls (I could be wrong on this, but whatever..), but the overall experience was what I remember - employees putting on a show, a vaudeville/carnival atmosphere (minus the toothless carnies on parole that is), and ice cream to die for.
(4)Yvette L.
Entered establishment for the first time to "HAVE THE EXPERIENCE" so many rave about! NEVER was greeted with a welcome! Being that it was our first time as mentioned, we srood there for 3 minutes! Then decided to looked at the items that they have there for sale hoping that someone would realize that we hoped to to be seated. Meanewhile thinking when does the experience start?? It was later someone asked if we needed help over that time we must have looked as if we were unsure of what to do?? So by this time I was asking about the menu items and what flavors of ice cream do they serve still with no menu in hand . Proceeded to go over the flavors and I ask them do they make their ice cream as does Leatherby's and they responded no we get ice cream from Rite Aid serious Rite Aid and they charge you how many times over?? Maybe it's an experience that I never experienced that they're charging for. Just to amuse myself I ordered a scoop of pistachio nut and I believe it was coffee, ordered it to go drove down to Rite Aid proceeded to buy 2 more scoops the same ice cream and holy wow Rite Aid ice cream it is! Seriously.. Ha!
(1)Breanna M.
I've seen this place many times but never been until I heard about them on the radio and that it's a Disneyland experience. I was a little skeptical but had to check it out. We showed up an hour before they closed so you know the waiters were exhausted from entertaining guests all day but our waiter "Hey Guy" was a total blast. I was laughing the majority of the time. The ice cream was delicious but for me it was all about the experience. I will definitely be returning!!!
(5)Nikki G.
I have only been to this location twice but each time had a pretty similar experience. The only reason I even knew they opened a location in Sacramento was because my mom was constantly bragging about how fun of an experience it is; therefore, I wanted to try it myself. Food: I cant really speak for myself on how the food is here but from what I hear its kind of mixed reviews. Honestly though I think the majority of people are here for the ice cream! I love the different types of sundaes that have and the options for the build your own. Although I have to say in comparison to other ice cream parlors, they are a little pricey for the amount you get. Despite the price, I love their vanilla but was kind of shocked to learn they used rite aid brand ice cream. I mean theres nothing wrong with the quality of the ice cream, its more of the fact of how much they mark the price up. Not to mention, they seem to be kind of stingy on the amounts of hot fudge they give you. I couldnt even find the hot fudge on my sundae until I reached the bottom of my bowl and saw a small spoonful of it. Service: The service is the reason I wouldnt give this place at least four stars. Coming here mid week It wasnt busy at all but they seemed to be well over staffed which made me think service would be great! Our first waiter was very helpful with the menu but was kind of forgetful of our orders. He kept forgetting to bring our drinks and place in our orders. Working in the food industry for so long I wasn't that upset about it because I know how it is but still waiting an hour for ice cream was a little disappointing. The next visit was the one that pissed me off and drove this rating down. I dont like letting one employee destroy a whole review but it kind of did. Me and my husband decided to take the kids this time to experience this place. It is kind of a magical place I don't know I just love the atmosphere. It was my sons birthday and I thought it would be a perfect place with all the singing and shows the employees put on. Usually the waiters are always so charismatic but ours didn't seem too happy to be there. I told her it was his birthday and she brought out the sundae. Immediately she said " I don't feel like singing right now there's too many other birthdays today to deal with but here you go." It was rude especially because he's only four and I wanted him to feel special on that day. As an adult I wouldn't care about the singing but to do that to a kid is messed up. I was not expecting that from a place like farrells. The rest of the visit after bringing the ice cream, she didn't bother to check in with us or get refills but to only drop the check off without a word. It's worth giving this place another shot in the future and hopefully the service will meet expectations
(3)Chris M.
Great food but this location has horrible service. Our waiter didn't take our order when we were ready he walked off and didn't come back for 10 minutes. When we got here, we were told the wait was 45 minutes. TWO HOURS later we still hadn't sat. We asked a few times how far down the list we were. One answer was 5 tables ahead, then it was 2 tables, then it was 4 tables ahead of us. After 7 more parties had been called we were FINALLY sat......2 and a half hours wait.
(2)Brittany C.
Came here for my mothers birthday and with the stories I've heard about this place, my excitement for it went through the roof! Please keep in mind that the wait is from 1-2hrs long if you have a huge group with you, plan accordingly/make reservations. In the lobby area they have old fashion candy that you can purchase, Farrells apparel, keychains, jaw breakers, and old fashion soda pop. The waitress was very nice and upbeat, although being here for 2.5 hrs the kitchen messed up 2 of our orders and 1 dessert. Being there on a sat afternoon it was like a zoo in there! People running around singing crazy birthday songs to delivering a "zoo" on a strecher. ( Make sure you read the menu on that before ordering) The burgers were pretty dry and the dessert was A-OK. Great place to have a birthday! and the experience is something else I must say....
(3)Juan M.
First is first the food is super delicious and the ice cream as well. I got the laredo double dog dare burger it was really good. The service by our waiter was spectacular made sure to leave a good tip. The wait for us on a sunday (which i consider family day ) was about 20 minutes not bad at all for it being super busy. All in all great place to eat and bring kids to.
(4)Joann P.
Came here after dinner around 10ish. Very different indeed! The workers here are funny and they can sing! Ordered the Mocha Nut. It was yummy but way too much for one person. Shared it and still had a lot left over. It reminded me of Chuck E. Cheese but with better food!
(3)Tabatha W.
Waited 1.5 hours for a table, another 45 to get order taken. Was there for 4 hours!! Food wasn't that great and staff obnoxious.
(1)Jessica C.
Went to Farrell's for my son's 1st birthday dinner, he loved every minute. Especially when they sang to him , he was at awe the whole time! Their Reuben Sandwich was super tasty, also the garlic fries. Definitely need to go back! Kid and adult friendly!
(5)Patrick N.
Food was fair, ice cream came all melted... Waited way too long for food then finally got the kids ice cream. There are much better places to go for ice cream ....
(2)Kristopher W.
This place was great, our server Brandon was very attentive, the manager Celina came by to check up on us, which is rare and appriciated, and the general atmosphere was lively and enjoyable. The food was served in healthy portions and cooked to order. Will come back again, bringing friends.
(5)Scarlett J.
Went there for the first time for my granddaughters birthday. What amazing ice cream and staff. They sang her a song based on the movie Frozen. "Do you want a sundae_" Food was great and staff was very entertaining! Planning another trip there this week!
(5)Mei W.
I came here with family after dinner one Friday evening for the first time and this place is mediocre. We arrived with a party of 6 (3 adults and 3 kids). There were plenty of seating available, but we still had to wait a good 15 minutes before the host brought us to our table. We occupied ourselves by browsing through the candy shop where the kids decided what candy they will each get after dessert (yes MORE sugar for them!). This place has a really cute 50's theme. For $4, you are able to purchase a balloon animal for the kids. If you're here celebrating a birthday or a special occasion, there will be a marching band that comes around and sings to your party! Quite entertaining! :) Once we were seated, our waiter who was super energetic and friendly, with a hint of goofiness brought us all "aqua" before we ordered. (Apparently, the word "water" is not used there but rather aqua or H20.... according to the waiter.) I ordered their Straw-ana - combination of strawberry and vanilla ice cream topped with strawberry topping, bananas, whip cream and a cherry! For the price I was paying of $7.69, I was expecting a huge sundae ...you know, like the size Leatherby's! Boy was I wrong!! It was only a two scoop sundae served in a small tin bowl. Considering strawberry and vanilla are two of my favorites, the flavors definitely lacked in creaminess and quality. I expected chunks of strawberries on my topping but it was nothing but super sweet syrup. All in all, I think this will be last my time here as I will be going back to Leatherby's for their ice cream sundaes!! I think I would recommend Leatherby's right down the street where they have more of a variety of flavors and better quality of ice cream. :)
(2)Annie C.
too bad theres no way to give no stars. went with the husband and five friends. out of four sundaes, three came out perfect. the last one took an hour and was still incorrect. since my husband is allergic to nuts, we said no nuts on the brownie sundae. and wanted mint chip, coffee, and vanilla ice cream. first one we received was correct but had nuts. so we specified NO nuts again. about twenty minutes later, another one came out. this one had no nuts, BUT didnt have the ice cream flavors that were ordered. so after another twenty minutes, the guy scooping came out and said, i just need one scoop of ice cream to complete it the sundae, but for some reason he wasnt suppose to open the coffee one, so we just asked him to put two scoops of mint chip. so, of course the manager, luke (?) came by, prob heard us complaining or the guy scooping sundaes for the same group for an hour (and why does it take 20+ mins to make one sundae?!). he asked whats wrong, and from the look on our faces you could tell something was wrong. we told him what happened and thought maybe he would take that sundae off the bill but he just apologized.... what. so then we finally got our check and hoped that they were only gonna charge us three sundaes but alas, all four were on there. so i guess they didnt understand us or something. so my husband had to take the bill up and ASK for that sundae to be removed. as we were waiting for him to get back, one of the waitresses asked how our experience was, we said eh. her reply was, oh its cuz we are in training still but when you come back again, it'll be 110%. what. still in training? well, after that experience, we most likely wont be going back.
(1)Marah H.
My girlfriend and BFF took me here for my birthday and it was AWESOME! Excellent service and such a fun atmosphere! Brittany was our server and she was so knowledgable and funny and just all around great! She definitely made the experience unforgettable. They always sing when it's your birthday and she came up with a special song just for me to the tune of Santa Baby! Plus I got a free sundae (whhhhaaaatt?!) I cannot wait to go back :D
(5)Christa B.
Make a reservation in advance!!! Look up menu and know what to order so you can as soon as you arrive. Kids loved it!
(4)Sarah C.
So, after my last review I received a letter and gift certificate from the corporate office inviting us to try their restaurant again. There was a night and day difference this time around. Lindsay was our server and she was amazing. The food came out nice and warm and delicious and the ice cream was very good. We had absolutely no complaints. We will return to this location. :-)
(5)Michael H.
It had great food and ice cream but the service was horrible. Had 4 adults and 2 children and 3 of them weren't even total of what we ordered after telling the server what exactly we wanted 2 times and asked for a refill twice and nothing but where sure fast to give us the bill
(1)nick d.
i went to the old farrells' as a young child and have fond memories of it. i wanted to build new memories of it with our daughter. This was our second visit. our first visit was good. this visit was horrible. we arrived at 9pm to order take out on 8-19-13. the time on our receipt showed 9:07pm. we ordered a 2 scoop and 3 scoop sundae. 30 minutes later i have to go sit in the car with our daughter because she is getting tired. my wife sits inside and finally i call the store from the parking lot on my cell phone to complain. if course the manager isn't available but will call me back. a few minutes later woman (not the manager) calls back to say she can't help me but wants to apologize but that's it. she's nice but provides zero help. so now i go inside and switch places with the wife so she can go sit with our daughter. The manager "Ben" is busy comping another party's check so when he gets done i tell him i'm upset and that i want my money back and my ice cream asap. its now 9:45 (order was placed at 9:07). he takes my check and runs away to see another customer. this irritates me further. i continue to stand patiently and wait for him to re-appear. he doesn't. now its 9:50 and the place isn't even busy and no manager, no ice cream, and no refund. so i finally see him in a far away corner of the restaurant and confront him. he walks me to the register and voids my transaction. so now i have a refund but still no ice cream. then he tells me the reason its taking so long is because the gave our order to someone else! he offers me free candy but still can't produce my ice cream. i think their management structure is seriously flawed. the employees don't seem to pay any attention to orders from the manager. he raises his voice to them and they laugh at him. one of them even picked him up and bear hugged him while he was trying to give orders. whomever trained these people should be fired. i've never seen a manager deal so poorly with a customer. if an employee fails a customer it is the manager's ability to make it right. no excuses, just make it right. fail, fail, fail. at 9:57, yes 50 minutes later i walked our with ice cream. a side note- the bad they handed me had 2 cups with lids, one of which wasn't on right so we had a plastic bag full of ice cream with whipped cream..basically a mess. thank you Farrell's for ruining a fond memory i had as a child. you still owe me for the 50 minutes we had to sit in the truck and run the air conditioner to keep our daughter cool. We will NEVER be coming back. PPS - you screwed up our to go order. FAIL again.
(1)Paul I.
I Remember having a couple of birthday party's at Ferrells when I was kid in Fremont. It was one of the coolest place to go for a party. This Ferrells on Arden has been decked out nicely as an old-time ice cream parlor, but the old-fashioned ice cream parlor scene has been crushed by trying to make It appeal to the hip-hop few. If you go get ready for a long wait and annoying raps for birthday songs. I give it zero stars the service was terrible, the atmosphere Is neat but they've ruined it with rap.
(1)J L.
Terrible service. The server skipped my order and didn't even ask if I wanted ice cream, so she started off on the wrong foot. Since she came by my table every 10 minutes, I didn't want to flag her down to ask for another sundae, which was already taking a while. As my group of 4 waited over 30 minutes for 2 sundaes, we received constant apologies for why it was late with no other type of suggestion or offer to accommodate us (eg, didn't even refill our water). After the long wait, she gave us the wrong ice cream and we had to point it out. This was followed by yet another apology, which didn't seem sincere. The table next to us got a giant hair in their ice cream, which convinced me to not finish the one I was sharing. I asked to speak to the manager about the poor service, who was very understanding and comped the ice cream. The place is very loud and great for kids. Don't go if you want a quiet evening. This place is a mix between a Tim Burton film, a circus, and a Dr. Seuss story. Ice cream itself was very plain and mediocre at best. Next time I will drive a mile down the road to the better and more established ice cream restaurant.
(1)Patty M.
My husband, daughter and I went early on Friday evening to beat the crowds. We were seated immediately, which was good. Downhill from there -- my husband ordered an All American burger, sent back because it was raw! When we ordered our ice cream, my husband ordered a Rocky Road, only to be told they had run out of marshmallow topping...on a Friday night??!??!?!? I ordered a Banana Royale, only to find there was NO BANANA IN IT! So, a total of 3 entrees and 3 icreams -- 6 orders, 3 fails. A 50% accuracy for ANY restaurant is absolutely unacceptable. Will go to Leatherby's or drive to Vacaville to Fenton's!!! Won't be giving my money to this place ever again!
(1)Ashleina R.
This place would be cool if you wanted to watch people sing and dance in crazy outfits. But if you want to order any food or ice cream, expect to wait a VERY long time. All gimmick, no service. The only reason you should go here is to be reminded how much better leatherby's is.
(1)Alex T.
I know this place is new, and that one star is harsh, but I believe that everyone is entitled to at least good customer service and that companies appreciate honest feedback. I wish I could give this place 1.5 stars but it's not an option. I may re-evaluate this place in six months. Which will probably be how long it takes to iron out the kinks, I would suggest you wait that long as well, for a better dining experience. I came here with my girlfriend just for the ice cream. I saw how many people where here and decided better to just get it to go rather than wait around forever. It's kinda confusing but you order ice cream to go in the candy store, which is just a small area to the right of the entrance. Someone outside told us where to go. There is only one cashier there and so we had to wait around for a while just to get menus from her. After that I wasn't sure if we were to order from her and she said yes, she then told me there was a line, which there obviously wasn't, just a swamp of people looking at candy, maybe they need a sign that says Line starts here, cuz it is so disorganized. We ordered and paid for our ice cream and after we pay she says it will be a 30-40 minute wait. I was shocked. If I had known the wait for "to-go" orders was gonna be 40 mins, I would have just gone to Safeway and gotten some ice cream there. I figured fine, we are here, let's wait at least 30 minutes if not I will ask for my money back. We waited for about 25 minutes and she came and apologized and said she would check on it. She came back with a very melted milkshake, with the consistency of chocolate milk, and a sunday in a small container, without the lid closed, Apparently they don't have any bigger containers, and they put so much in it that they couldn't close it. I think this is kinda impractical as the ice cream can melt and fall all over the car on the way home. The atmosphere is pretty chaotic. A bunch of teenagers work there so it's pretty rambunctious. They all gather around the ice cream bar and mess around. One guy in a green shirt with a vest was yelling at the top of his voice and being loud and obnoxious, you could tell he wasn't really working, rather just messing around with his buddies, Singing (actually more like chanting at the top of their lungs) and unrhythmically banging a drum. I think this dude was on cocaine. The balloon "animals" were a nice touch, pretty cool to see, maybe they should make one for people waiting in line. My advice, wait at least six months before you go. Ambiance: loud/rambunctious/obnoxious Food: Kinda gross (which is weird because how an ice cream be gross) Price: overpriced for the quality you get. Customer Service: lacking. although she did try and make up for it in the end.
(1)Joey V.
So this place is an utter failure. Now I don't only write bad reviews I just write the truth. Furthermore, the food is good don't get me wrong. But you know what the say about a gorgeous girl can look ugly by having a bad attitude? Well... The service is so bad that the food just didn't taste that good. It took an hour to get hour order and another hour for food and another to get the bill. No wonder it seems like it so busy. The server we had her name was CHANDLER. She honestly avoided us. I waved and looked dead at her and she stuck her hand out to tell me to hold on. Really?? Look if you want good food with horrible service go ahead and come here. All I can say is its not worth the hassle folks.
(1)Scott K.
Took my daughter here for her 8th birthday, It was a Sunday and there were a little busy, When we arrived they told us it would be an 1 1/2 hour wait, which it was, Get inside and it was everything I rememberd as a Kid, Loud and fun. There is always something going on to get your attention, Which is a good thing becouse it takes forever to get anything. For dinner we all ordered our food and drinks, took about 10 minutes to get drinks becouse our waiter, who we nicknamed Andre 3000, was to busy going to every other table to do his song and dance. Finally about 45 minutes later our food arrived, Food was good and tasty, we ate our food and enjoed the entainment. Keep in mind we arrived at the resteraunt at around 6 were sitted around 7:30, so by the time we were done with dinnner it was close to 9 pm. sat around waited for about 15 minutes and finally got our Ice Cream order in, Remember my daughter is 8 and quickly getting tired, so 20 minutes goes by and Andre 3000 comes to our table and says they dropped my sundae and they were remaking it, I called him out on this because when we were first seated I over heard him give the table next to us the same excuse. So another 20 minutes or so goes by and they finaly bring our ice cream, By now my daughter is about falling asleep and not impressed at all with there song and dance. Here is the kicker. I am diabetic and specifically asked for No Sugar added ice cream, I got a regular scoop of vanilla not the NSA ice cream. Good thing I keep good control on my diabetes as this dude could of killed me. They covered the cost of our ice cream since it took so long and he nearly killed me. New management is a must. There is no reason for these long of wait time to get in and to expidite once you are in. I'll given them another chance in a few months.
(1)T L.
like Alex and Belle I found this place less than stellar! They have horrible hygiene and sanitation! first the host failed to tell us the ice cream counter is open seating. i asked and instead of waiting in the candy store for ice cream to go we sat down. my friend ordered the chocolate fudge brownie which resulted in a song (very funny by the way!) one of the people singing accidentally swiped her ice cream with his hand and he took it back to be remade. no problem accidents happen. We were actually sitting at the ice cream bar and I saw him explain what happened. he left to do another song and we WATCHed the short guy with the mustache and silver vest just add whip cream on it and put it back on the counter. the singer returned to get it and when he tried to serve it we sent it back! they served it to someone else and then made her a new one. GROSS.
(2)Suzanne R.
First of all I give the wait staff a 5 Star & VERY loud atmosphere a 5 Star. Of course I went here as a child and had every young birthday I can remember there, so I was excited to go in and see how they have re-created it all. I loved walking in and having "that" feeling. I have been here twice now and I waiver back and forth from being just "Ok" to "I'm a fan" The review for "ok" comes for food and prices and ridiculous waiting time (on the weekends you can end up waiting for 2 hours!) waiting time never seems to be less than an hour or so during meal times. Menu wise: It's nice to get a little bit more of a verity than "the other" ice cream parlour down the road, but the food is just ok. Nothing too impressive. The prices are too high, especially for the ice cream. I do love that they use the old Thrify's ice cream though. Chocolate Malted Crunch is my favorite. But, unless you are going here for childhood nostalgia or a specific event (birthday, reunion, etc.) I think I will stick to the "other" ice cream parlour down the street. Sorry Farrell's, I wanted so badly to give a "WooHoo" review.
(3)Jeff G.
Took the family to Farrell's to have a good old fashioned birthday lunch celebration. Interesting that they make the five star Yelp request on a sign at the table. Sorry, but five stars are for the best of the best. Improve the food a little, lower the prices a bit and improve the service and a five-star review is on the way. The Good: * Ice Cream Sundays are super-dooper! Big-n-tasty. * Our waiter was excellent. It took a while to get him, but once onboard, he was great. * Management was quite apologetic for the long wait to get in (with reservation) and also to get a waiter. They even brought over some free appetizers. * The birthday celebrations are second to none. The Bad: * Food was fair. * Nothing extraordinary. * Overpriced. The Ugly: * We had a confirmed 1pm reservation. Didn't sit down until 1:35. * Another 10-15 minutes for a waiter to offer us drinks! * Four bucks for the balloon gal??? Most places make them operate on tip only.
(2)Michelle J.
I was a bit nervous after reading the negative reviews here but was very pleased that Farrell's was exactly the same as I remembered it as a kid in Fremont. We went around 11:30 on a Sunday morning, so it wasn't crowded. We had prompt, attentive service and the atmosphere was fun. We just went with our kids, so we didn't have any special occasion, but enjoyed the singing for the birthdays around us. Our lunches were good. My husband had a burger and I had a salad and we both enjoyed our meals. I'd call it a step up from Red Robin. Kids had grilled cheese and it was prepared normal (which can be a problem at other restaurants, which try to fancy up kids meals and make it so ours won't touch it). Just plain white bread with melted cheddar cheese. One note: If you have picky eaters, ask that they don't include the pickle on the plate with the kids meal. Our experience was a positive one and we'll make the trek back from Roseville again. Hoping they eventually open up in the kid hub of Roseville, too. Seems like a perfect fit for our city.
(5)Dan C.
Thought waiting staff was great food was alright prices a little high sundae had brownie was very dry.
(3)Frank B.
Always liked Farrell's in So Cal when I was younger so was excited to try it with our kids. Looked forward to it all week. Just seeing the building as we were trying to park was stirring the excitement. Noticed there seemed to be a lot of people outside (should have been the 1st red flag). Put our name in and was told it would be 1& 1/2 half hours for a table. "EXCUSEME" I coughed. Never have I waited 1 1/2 hours to eat! Told myself, it's Farrell's and its new, be patient. We grabbed the few chairs in the lobby and just reminisced about our childhood visited there. We were given a sticker for our grand baby as he wa having his 1st bday. At about an hour and 15 we were seated. Admittedly the lonnnnnggg wait had diminished some of my earlier excitement. Most everything that happened from here was completely ridiculous and classless, not to mention disappointing. Lemons were never brought for our water (gave up after 3rd reminders to Makayla), one of us waited 15 min for her ice tea drink, fries and onion rings that we requested to be first came
(2)Kato L.
Well, to start off with, ignore all these negative reviews! We went for lunch today, and we had 6 senior citizens with us all expecting this to be just dreadful. I grew up with Farrell's in the 70's and this was just exactly what we remembered from childhood. We had a 45 minute wait which only ended up as 30 minutes, then we were seated at a large and nice table. Tonisha was our waitress and she was very very pleasant and thorough with everything. The food was very large servings, FRESH, and hot! It was very well priced for the sizes served. I ordered the chopsticks spicy chicken salad, also one of many dishes was the French dip, BLAT (bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado) sandwich, along with 6 others. Everyone needs to realize that this is a new place, BUT.......it was worth every bit. We all had sundaes (which were well priced) and drinks and the bill was only $85, and for feeding 8, That was great. It was so much fun, loud and tons of excitement, will definitely go back soon!
(5)Marya L.
Loved the one in Mission Viejo. Not sure how I feel about the Sacramento location yet. The food was pretty good, it was just super busy and crowded.
(4)James C.
The ice cream was decent, but the atmostphere was soo amazing that I kept laughing because it was soo unusual. 3-stars mainly given because of the unique style. And I personally wouldn't say the ice cream compares to Leatherby's.
(3)Austin M.
I have not been back since the critical review I originally wrote after my family's first and very disappointing visit here. We went to celebrate mom and dad's 60th anniversary. I want everyone to know I received a very kind letter of apology from the CEO OF Farrell's. Class act. I'm going to give it another try.
(5)Anthony I.
My friends and I went to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour on suggestion of our mutual coworker. (Thanks Joel!) Our visit began at 8pm Thursday September 5th, 2013. The store was crisp & clean. They do not accept reservations for parties of 8 or less, we were a party of 3, and had to wait in line. We were told the wait would be about 15-20 minutes. After waiting roughly 9 minutes, we were called and promptly seated at a booth. Either people were trying to get away with free ice cream, or EVERYONE in Sacramento decided to celebrate their birthday here, because we heard a billion different birthday songs throughout the course of our meal. We liked that it wasn't the same lame song over and over, they would change it up, had special songs for military birthdays, etc. I will admit the noise level would be high at times, yet I do not understand how you could expect any less from a place like Farrell's. Their whole goal, and claim to fame, is to be over-the-top and provide you with a show, and if that's not your thing then why go there and then complain about it on Yelp? Anyway, food shows up. Food was hot and fresh when it arrives. Personally did not like the garlic fries, but that's a minute detail. My friend John did his best to embarrass me by telling our waiter it was my birthday. To my horror, he wasn't bluffing. I told the waiter that it was NOT my birthday. Luckily I was able to escape painful embarrassment, and in turn had them sing for him when his desert came, or so I thought. After singing about the Triple Chocolate Brownie Sundae, our waiter playfully added "Happy fake Birthday." Delightful fun. Speaking of desert... It was good, but not mind blowing. It was just "meh". Lukewarm if you will. (Figurative, not literal.) I am not a wordsmith, and nothing I could write would do our server Macy and her performance justice. Suffice to say Macy was the underlying highlight of our enjoyment here. She was wholesome, friendly, witty, efficient, pleasant, and an exceptional human being. She treated us as if we were royalty visiting in her own home. She embodies the notion of true customer service. For what it's worth, we gladly left her with a $40 tip, just to show our utmost appreciation. Thank You Macy! We left at 9:40, and our total bill was $77 bucks and change which seems a little steep, but when you remove the beers, specialty drinks, and upgraded fries, it was about $20 a person. Out the door we spent $117, but again recall $40 went to our awesome waiter. I plan on finding a reason to visit again in the near future, to purchase the 30-scoop Hot Fudge Volcano.
(4)Mike C.
BRINGS BACK THE GOOD OLD DAY,! Birthday Party Was great! Great Service, kids luv it, and the food was good!!
(3)Cindy M.
Note - this is a copy of the letter that I sent to Farrells. So far I have not received a reply from them. My husband and I visited your Sacramento location today and had a horrible experience For starters when we arrived the place was half empty yet we were told we would have to wait for 5 minutes for our table to be prepared. All of the empty tables were already set with silverware and napkins, I'm not sure what their "ready" meant. The table that we were sat at was in between two service doors, with a constant stream of your cast members going in and out. Our waitress was very low key and barely smiled, we were looking for that Farrell's exuberance, but could only see it in a couple of the other cast members walking around, it certainly wasn't in our cast member. I ordered the soup and salad. The salad looked terrible, it had clearly been frozen, many of the pieces of lettuce were wilted and some even translucent. The cucumbers were also still frozen. When the waitress came to check on us, I pointed it out, she took it back to get me another salad. As she went through the door of the service area, next to our table, I could hear her yell "we need to get this customer a salad that isn't frozen." This was not the first time that we were able to hear your cast members loudly talking about customers or yelling at each other in the service area, not something that I want to listen to as I try to eat. The next salad that came was in the same shape, so I tried to pick out the bad pieces of lettuce and eat the rest, I did not want to risk sending it back a second time. I have a picture of the salad, but do not know how to upload the picture here. In the meantime, one of the many cast members walking past us managed to drop a whole try of dirty dishes on the floor right behind my chair. Myself and the table across from us were all sprayed with liquids. When the waitress finally came over she talked to the other table, but not ours, she did get the manager and again he spoke with the other table, but did not address us at all. The only time it was acknowledged that I was effected was when the cast member was wiping up the floor under and next to my chair and he apologized. While this server was trying to clean up, there was a gathering of several servers, not really helping, just standing around there telling the poor kid what he did wrong and instructing him on how to do it right. To top it off, other cast members were still walking through there getting in the way. Frankly, I did not expect to have to listen to your cast members berate and pick on a co-worker as I ate. When our waitress came to clear the table, I again showed her the bad food and asked her to make sure she showed the manager and whoever was in charge of the food so that other people do not get the same thing. I am not pleased that after the dropped tray, liquid on my back, frozen lettuce making for an inedible salad that the manager could not take a moment to walk over and at least talk to us. Furthermore, when he was talking to the table behind us after the tray was dropped; I also found it hard to believe that he would not look over and address my table. I was really excited to visit this Farrell's and relive old memories; sadly, I am so dissatisfied that I most likely will never return. A couple of things that need to be addressed is the quality of the salads, the cast members talking so loud in the service area (by the drink dispensing area) that customers can hear, especially when they are talking about customers and consistency among the cast members. It is not the happy place that you purport it to be.
(1)T C.
This is not exactly the Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour I remember of my youth. I had a salad and my guest had the BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avacado, tomato). We asked for it without avocado and it arrived with Avacado. When I pointed it out to the waitress she didn't offer to do anything about it and just said that she was sorry, and that she did tell them no avacado. She was clearly barely trained, new, and a nervous wreck anyway.. I thought the food would be great at least for the prices they're charging, and it wasn't great at all. Wrong order on the sandwich that when eaten anyway, tasted bad, and a salad with bitter lettuce. Between the wait for the food and the wait to get in for lunch on a Sunday, we were there for over 3 hours. For a sandwich and salad! The ice cream sundae tasted great but took longer than the food to arrive. Oh and they should train their staff to clear dishes as available so we're not up to our elbows in empty plates at our tiny table. By the way...this place is EXTREMELY loud and lively. Not saying it's good or bad, but just be prepared.
(1)R Y.
Loved the original Farrell's when I was a kid. Very disappointed now. Went on their second day of being open, arrived around 8:30 pm. Waited 45 minutes to sit and another 45 minutes for the ice cream we ordered, which was more like chunky soup than ice cream. It was extremely loud and warmer then I expected for an ice cream parlor. The courteousness of the wait staff is the only thing that prevented a one star rating.
(2)Annie L.
Stopped bu here at least 3 times just to try it each time was a 3+ hour wait. So finally one night We had 4 people and our wait was about 45 minutes so we decided to stay. Entertainment is you average teenage kids being sgupid and goofy. Very loud and movement. Great for kids birthday parties but not if you want to enjoy your meal in peace.
(2)Miriam S.
Our experience at Farrell's was extremely disappointing. We arrived shortly before 10:00 and were very happily surprised to be seated immediately. Unfortunately, it took over 40 minutes for my table to get served and 2 of the orders were wrong; the server also had to be reminded to bring my friend's drink. The kitchen decided to "substitute" chocolate chip ice cream with cookies and cream because they had run out. The server also in accurately described my ice cream, which was disappointing. The scoop sizes were not consistent in size with some servings coming out considerably less generous (although none were very large) than others. The kitchen was also out of coffee--at 10 p.m. they certainly could have offered to make another pot--how hard is that??? Our server was most inattentive and we were surprised that there was no noticeable manager with whom we could express our concerns upon leaving. On a positive note--the hot fudge was very good. All of us had been so excited about Farrell's opening in the neighborhood, but I doubt any of us will ever come back.
(1)Neneng Ray A.
WARNING! DO NOT GO! LOWER THAN 1 STAR! Gave the place a chance but they failed! Please DO NOT GO! You will be very sadly disappointed. You would be better off with Chucky Cheese's. PLEASE READ! Managers also aided the situation but still FAILED miserably: Had went for my birthday. We were a small party of 4. We went on a Sunday in November with no reservations. It was an hour wait and that was understandable for how packed they were, so we waited. It was very busy when they finally sat us down. It was noisy but fun and entertaining seeing people get sung to and awarded! It took a little over 20 minutes till our waitress got our order. When she got it. It took even longer, over an hour long for the food to come around. I have a 5 year who was becoming restless and hungry. Our waitress was nice to give my son some fries to hold him over. I wasn't that upset about the wait because I saw a couple of people who seem to wait even longer. When you get seated and celebrating for a birthday you get a sticker it's your birthday. The waitress even engaged in conversation about my birthday. They are known for embarrassing the hell out of you on your birthday by song. Was expecting it...nothing! My husband was pisssed and spoke to a manager. They were shocked to hear this. So the manager adjusted our bill and told us how sorry they were and wanted us back. The manager told us to make a reservations and ask for Kristy the manager. We gave them another chance. We went last weekend with my husband's family and we had a bigger party of 8 and it was for my mother in law's bday. My inlaws remember Farrells from their childhood and we thought this would be idea place to be. We made reservations and asked for Kristy. We had special treatment status. It wasnt as busy like before. Food and taking our order took awhile but less the time the first time around. It look like they were redeeming themselves. Ordered some ice cream and I ordered the Gibson Girl. My husband verified 3xs that it was his mother's bday! NOTHING! I finished my ice cream my mother in law got no special greeting. No bells, no whistles, no songs! AGAIN!!!! the one thing that this restaurant is known for and didn't deliver. We are never going back! And hope you overlook this place.
(1)Laura R.
I may be biased because of the nostalgic aspect, but I had a great time at Farrell's. It was everything I remember, and then some! Our waiter was Victor, a ham and a half lol. But we had a birthday girl with us, and he made her day. It was crazy busy, but he was attentive and warm. That said, a few cautionary notes... They don't take reservations (except for parties) so come off-peak or be prepared to wait. Saturdays and Sundays are a ZOO. But that is part of the ambiance for me. Secondly, it is LOUD. As we move through the years, our patience for such things sometimes diminishes. Did I mention it was a ZOO lol?! Kids running about all hyped up on sugar. Adults too lol. Again, part of the ambiance but I think it's worth mentioning. Lastly, I've seen some complaints about service. I didn't have any issues, but would likely have written them off to the fact they have not been open long. All in all, it was a great day. Totally worth the drive from San Jose in my book!
(5)Dylan S.
Fun and loud!! The ice cream is awesome. The burger was alright. The garlic fries were good though. A super fun place for kids.
(4)Jai M.
$17.95 for beer and the glass had lipstick on it. That's just gross! Then the glass was left on our table and not taken away. The lady that makes balloons said she was coming right after the other table, promised us she would... Two tables later she shows up when we were leaving and had a bad attitude because now we don't want the ballon junk. It was my sons birthday and balloons when the night is over??? Really!
(1)Zsuzsa M.
This place is so much fun! I highly recommend visiting this restaurant contrary to what others have said. The wait is going to be long. This was a very popular restaurant that has since come back to the area. My parents loved it when they were children. If the wait is long it means the restaurant is worth checking out. I'd recommend going on a Sunday because it was only a 45 minute wait for my family and I as opposed to two hours. You can always call to see how long the wait is as well. The restaurant is going to be loud. It's an exciting and lively place to be. They sell the "Farrell's Zoo" for God's sake! It comes with a show! There are also a lot of people that love to celebrate their birthday's here. This will include loud singing. The food is excellent and your stay will be unforgettable. It literally feels like you are in Disneyland! If you don't like the wait or the noise, go to Baskin Robbins and experience nothing special.
(5)G C.
I LOVE Farrell's!! My sister, cousins and I grew up having birthdays way back when it was in San Francisco. Now, we get to enjoy bring our kids. We had 19 people in our group with the kids out numbering the adults, of course. The staff was very accommodating and friendly. Our kids really enjoyed their interaction. The atmosphere is fun, the service is excellent and the food is good. You can't go wrong with celebrating your "anything" here!! I just wish there was one a little closer to me.
(5)Julianna H.
Yay for Farrell's re-opening in Sac! We went for my daughter's 9th birthday. About a 45 min wait on a Monday at 5:00pm, so not too bad. Took my cell # and they sent me a text when table was ready. Fun, fun place! Tons of energy by the staff, and they really made my daughter feel special that it was her bday, even though they are celebrating something at almost every table. Dinner was slow to arrive. We were a party of 10, so that might have been part of it, but they still need to work out these issues. The food was pretty good, when it got there. The mac and cheese was rated amazing by the teenager and the burgers, salads and fries were all very good. Then time for the ice cream...again a long wait. The ice cream was good, and believe me, we didn't leave any! But for just the ice cream itself, I prefer Leatherby's. That being said...the entire experience at Farrell's is just awesome. We all had a great time and my daughter was loving it!
(4)Nicole S.
Only one word comes to mind after visiting this place tonight...OK... 2 words....FREAKIN AWESOME!!!! Our girl Ailyah was soooo funny! The food aka dessert was delicious and the entertainment was hysterical! Loved this place and will definitely be back!
(5)Mikey P.
Sad to say the negative reviews are true. I can understand how people experience long wait times to be seated because the place is busy, but an hour wait for food is a little ridiculous. Food was good but hard to mess up bread, tomatoes, turkey, lettuce, and bacon. Seems like their focus is on the gimmicks and terrible singing of the waiters rather than efficiency of the restaurant. Gunthers is still the best ice cream in Sacramento and they actually make their own.
(2)Nicole M.
I only gave them one star because I couldn't give them zero. Went here last night for the first time and it was a horrible experience. When we first arrived we walked in and gave them our name and were told it would be 5-10 mins ok no problem however you pretty much have to wait outside because there is no where to sit and wait inside. We had our 3 month old and it was hot outside so we were forced to stand by the bussing station where everyone was walking so basically we were in the way. The hostess said our booth was ready and walked us over. When we got to the booth I was dumbfounded it looked like the floor under the table hadn't been swept all day. There were napkins, French fries, ketchup packets, crayons I mean c'mon at least sweep under the table. The sad part is that the hostess even saw it and said nothing just ignored it. When I went to sit down there was food all over the seat and the table was super sticky. What did they just get one party out and seat the next without cleaning. My husband and I both looked at one another and got up and walked out. If that's what their dining room looks like I don't want to see what their kitchen looks like!! I called and spoke to the manager who was nice and offered us to come back on them. Not even a free meal will make us go back. We will never try this place again. I don't recommend it to anyone. Go to leatherby's instead they may not sing or whatever it is that this place does but at least it's clean when you are seated. Bad bad bad!
(1)Robin T.
What an awesome experience. Took me back to my childhood. Our server Tyler was very interactive and made it a GREAT meal!!!
(5)M H.
This is a great, fun place if you love ice cream and fairly good food. It's not cheap (same prices as Leatherby's but not the quality of it). For a newer restaurant expect the unexpected: longer wait times (1.15 hrs), a little longer to get your food and orders not quite right (1 out of 11 was messed up). Give them time to hone their new waitstaff. If you do NOT like a loud atmosphere, this is not the place for you. It's loud, busy and crazy. But so much fun! We were celebrating 5 birthdays out of the 11 of us. The waitstaff had us dance to the macarena! And one of the staff serenaded one of the girls at another table with a drum. He was quite good. The staff is super nice and friendly even with the absolute insanity of the place at times. It was a fun experience but not perfect. But then again, what in life is?
(4)Kaity F.
Decided the best time to come would probably be lunch time since they always seem to have an hour/two hour wait. Got here about 15 minutes after they opened and sat right away. I was shocked at how many people were already seated. We ordered the Cockadoodle dippers ($8.29), four chicken strips...that was it. Kinda ridiculously priced but still tasted good! Out server Laura was awesome, she was always checking up making sure we had full drinks and didn't keep us waiting when we wanted to order. We all ordered sundaes and they were really yummy! We had the gold rush and the triple chocolate brownie! The only thing that wasn't all that great was the noise level, but that's to be expected from a place like this. They sing at random times, and for special sundaes and birthdays. In the end everything was pretty great it's just more of a every once in a blue moon or for a special occasion kinda place. (I would give it a 3 and a half but I can't)
(3)a.k t.
I was here on August 29th with a group of 8. I understand it's a new place and all so I'm ok with the long wait time and the noise. But my god, the organization and how they handle things was horrendous. I ordered the Swiss Turkey Focaccia and the Banana Royale with lactose free vanilla. Apparently, my co worker ordered the same banana royale but in regular vanilla. I think something was wrong with my turkey sandwich. Half way through I started to feel a bit wierd, so I didn't finish my sandwich. When they brought out the ice cream, they weren't sure which one was the lactose free vanilla as they were no identifier. I figure it wasn't that big of a deal as I have had regular ice cream before and didn't have that much of an issue. They also wasn't sure if my other coworker got the ice cream she ordered. So product knowledge is horrible and execution was horrible. With the combination of the bad sandwich and lactose layden ice cream, I felt sick for two days. Get your act together Farrell's!
(1)Judith M.
A cheery and enthusiastic "We are gonna celebrate that SO MUCH" was the response we got to sharing that today is my parents' 35 wedding anniversary. The staff are so full of energy and personality. The experience was great and incredibly entertaining. It's party time all the time at Farrell's!!
(4)P. T.
Up until now I only know of Farrell's through my wife, as a small ice cream junkie in the '70s she would go to one in the Fremont, CA area. Now that the Sacramento location has opened we had to go. Fun, just plain fun, the burger I had was built to order, almost perfect. The patty melt wifey-poo had was just as wonderful. When you order the onion rings they are kind like onion strings, damn good put on the burger. It's loud, it's super friendly, great service. If you want quick ice cream go to the frigin' window at DQ, if you want a fun little experience go to Farrell's. We went at lunch on Friday and were seated within minutes, a surprise was that the patrons were mostly adults, not that many kids. Well when your there I guess we're all kids.
(5)Tim C.
What a disappointment. Brought the kids to experience what I had as a kid. I am sitting here still waiting for a salad for over an hour. The ice cream is not worth the wait. Do not go to this place.
(1)Evan E.
Loud and slow. A wide variety of ice cream desserts, but not a place to come if you're in a hurry or want to hear a conversation at your table.
(3)Randal N.
Very good service, food and ice cream. The environment is a bit loud for me, but I'm sure it is fine with for most people.
(4)Brenna N.
Went to Farrell's tonight to celebrate my son's 2nd birthday and we were pleasantly surprised by the awesomeness of Farrell's. It has an old school Downtown Disneyland vibe to me. Alex was our server and he was amazing! We were a party of 9 and our drinks, food and ice cream arrived in a decent amount of time. I was a little worried since some of the other reviewers complained about the food taking an unusually long time. This could have been because we went at 5. I imagine it gets busier on weekends and later in the evenings. The food, ice cream and most of all songs were great! I recommend the chicken sandwich and white truffle fries (OMG amazing!). The server told me they make their focaccia in-house so I think I will have to give that a whirl on my next visit. I liked that the songs were different and customized at every table. It's a great place to take young kids because it's nice and loud. My son was thoroughly entertained for (most) of dinner. We will definitely be back!
(5)Shelah G.
I couldn't wipe the smile off my face almost the whole time I was there! The staff very friendly and accommodating. Full of energy and enthusiasm. I would not suggest this place if you are looking to having a quite intimate dining experience. THIS IS NOT THE PLACE!! If you are looking for a fun, exciting dining experience, I say go to Farrell's!! They are not your typically Ice Cream Parlor eatery. Farrell's offers an experience you can only get there. I love the uniqueness of the restaurant as well as their staff. Looking to live a little =)... and eat A LOT (Big prtions) this is the place. Enjoy!
(5)Shannon C.
Not very impressed. Adult grilled cheese was worse tasting than the kids grilled cheese and cost 849. Yeah! Service left something to be desired. For being a party place. There is nothing for kids to do. Not planning on coming back anytime soon. Kids sundae is nice and enough a parent can have plenty
(3)Mark R.
OK here is the scoop " This is not the same old boring place we eat at all the time " its FUN! it is an experience to be enjoyed! and its NEW so give then a brake. I'm glad Sacramento has a place like this.
(5)Madeline W.
I wen't to Farrel's yesterday with my Mom and we loved it! She had been to a Farrel's Ice Cream before as a kid. We wanted a snack and a big sundae. So we ordered the cobb salad and garlic fries. Our server Jenn was so nice! She split our salad perfectly in half on two plates and happily catered to Mom's vegetarian needs. We sure got our moneys worth! For dessert we ordered the Chocolate Brownie Sundae with chocolate malted crunch. It was the best ice cream sundae we have ever had! Thank you Jenn :)
(5)Carrie T.
Wonderfully fun, tasty lunch and ice cream treat with the girlfriends! Our server was a delightful and friendly young Jedi named "Michael". We got there before opening, so the restaurant was not too busy yet. (They open at 11 am on Fridays BTW.) I had "The Club" Sandwich (Turkey, Bacon, mayo, lett, tomato). Pretty screamin' bunch of flavor. I thought the fries that came with it had too much salt though. My friends got "The French Dip" and "Grown-Up Grilled Cheese" , both looked good and were thumbs up from my peeps, but the grilled cheese for being more mature was still kid-sized both my friend and I thought. I realize that they mean "Grown-up" because of the plethora of cheeses on it, but the size was too small. I believe it has Smoked Gouda, American, Swiss, and Sharp Cheddar on it. After lunch... of course we got ice cream. I ordered the "Gold Digger". It was pecan ice cream topped with bananas, whipped cream, and a cherry. Delicious Butterscotch Sauce comes on the side. Definite win, I loved it! My friends got the Tin Roof Sundae and some peanut butter sundae I don't remember the name of. Both looked super scrumpy! I will be back!
(4)Calloway C.
4.5 Stars!!! "Triple Chocolate Brownie"! We visited Friday afternoon and waited about 20 minutes to be seated. We ordered the Grilled Cheese, Club Sandwich, and BBQ Bacon Burger. Everything was deliciously fresh, tasty, and nice portions (took food to go). The workers and the environment is what makes this place exciting and fun! We all enjoyed this experience and can't wait to return. It's loud, lively, fun, and you even learn a few songs and dances! The Triple Chocolate Brownie Sundae made my Daughter very happy and we all LOVED the song! I had the Straw-Ana and it was good. My Husband had a Hot Fudge Sundae with Lactose free Ice Cream, which he didn't too much care for. Other then that, we had a wonderful time and will definitely return. Perfect place for a Party!!!
(4)Daniel Y.
Basically, Farrell's has changed the way I think of moderately priced dining. Yeah, the food is good and all that, but the real point of the place is the pizzaz! I don't know what the servers are being paid, but I can assure anyone that it's not enough. The servers run the place. Without the crew of peppy young adults, this place would only deserve 3 or 3 and a half stars. My server, Hannah, for example may be one of the spunkiest people on the planet. She sang loudly and excitedly. She made me laugh. She made me cry. She made my dining experience the 5 star experience that it was. What's more, I have the feeling that she truly loves her job. It takes a special kind of person to handle others' food, and it takes an incredible person to do it with so much 'hoozah'! My hat goes off to Hannah and all of the Farrell's servers. I could not do your job.
(5)R C.
I've dined here three times since it has been open and have made a few other separate trips to just the candy store. The candy store is awesome!! So many brands of yummy candy that you can't find elsewhere. Our first trip there was just okay. For starters, we were there to celebrate my brother's retirement from the military. The host asked us if we wanted their Farrell's celebration song and dance number. My brother didn't want any song and dance number as he's embarrassed by that kind of stuff. So they didn't give him one, but that apparently meant that he wasn't entitled to the free sundae that comes with the song and dance celebration, either. We all felt that that was very petty for them to not honor him with even just a free sundae all because he didn't want the song and dance number. He just served his country for 20 years, for crying out loud! They also forgot to put the toppings on my mother's sundae. It was just ice cream and whipped topping. I know everyone makes mistakes, but that's a rather dumb one to make. Kind of like serving someone a hamburger and forgetting to put the patty in in the bun. The other two times I've visited have been much better with customer service and food orders. The ice cream is just okay, as it's Thrifty's brand ice cream, which you can pick up at Rite Aid and have at home. The food is better than one would think it would be at a place that's known for ice cream. If you don't like the noise level, I recommend trying to dine in the big room off to the side. Much quieter in there.
(3)Michelle G.
our server was Lindsey who was, in my opinion, the best server I have ever had. I was in the restaurant business for twenty years and she was simply the best. She is energetic, attentive, polite, wonderfully nice, and an awesome singer and server!!!! I would totally recommend her to all my friends! That girl should be employee of the year!!!!
(5)BoGordon F.
I appreciate the historical value of this place. Like many other "new" places this will take some time to work out all of the little quirks but all in all a great place.
(4)Billie H.
My daughter-in-law, sister, aunt and myself went to Farrell's for a birthday lunch on 4/25/14. The service could not have been worse. It took 40 minutes for our food to arrive after we ordered. We had to ask another waitress for refills on coffee and we had just ordered sandwiches. The restaurant was almost empty as it was about 11:30 a.m. We had our lunch and ordered sundays. One sunday was served correctly and three were completely wrong. I'm not sure how an ice cream parlor gets "hot fudge sundays" wrong but it happened. Not only were they wrong but again, it took almost 20 minutes for them to arrive correctly. When my aunt paid with cash, it took another 20 + minutes for her to get her change and she needed to use the restroom. We finally left Farrell's at almost 2:30 p.m. We were beyond livid and we promise to NEVER go there again. TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE SERVICE and the food wasn't all that great either. B.H.
(1)Bob M.
Fun Place...I remember this as a kid, the Zoo the Trough, if you want the best waitness/server ask for KRISTI!! She rocks
(5)Mynette B.
I went for my 49th birthday because I remembered Farrell's from many visits in my childhood years. My entire family came also with nieces and nephews. Yes it is loud but that is what Farrell's is all about. The staff were amazing!!! Singing a different bday song for each guest. The food was good! Garlic Fries had plenty of garlic and onion loaf was amazing. Sandwiches and wedge salad and burgers were all good. Then came the ice cream with that home made taste. YUM! They were light on the toppings but the ice cream was so good! The staff sang, told jokes and really made us smile!! And yes the food came slow due to a party of 79 people. But it was Saturday night! It gave us more time to hear all of the bday songs, witness the ZOO! And other Farrell's fun! Every table had a kid's bday party too. Fun place to go!
(5)Sheryl S.
First my food bbq bacon burger very good more than I could eat, my daughters club awesome. Ice cream was great, asked for substitutions, almonds instead of peanuts and no problem (no I'm not allergic). The staff was great!!!!!!!!!!!! Our waitress was so personable!!!!!!! I was saddened to hear others didn't like it, my 2ne trip back, yes it's loud, entertaining and you can tell they really enjoy it! I was afraid from when I was a kid it wouldn't compare, but it does and to the person who commented their just like "Glee" no Glee is like them and actually not as good as them, they do this day after day with a smile and song, kudos!! So if you don't like noise, Don't Go!. oh and price wise very comparable, in fact I feel maybe a little less than some places, Sheryl
(5)Annabella I.
We've been here twice and really liked it. It was super loud but GREAT for the kids, The servers are funny, very animated and really get into the whole "party" thing. The food is actually really good. Our party had burgers, salads, and a club and a French dip and no one had a single bad thing to say. The service is really great for all they do- I don't know how they keep up but they do. Our server Patrick was exceptionally helpful, patient and funny. Good job Farrell's-I'm glad we can bring our kids here and have them enjoy it like we did when we were kids!
(4)Jim C.
We took our little grandson to Farrell's today, we all LOVED it! We had a hamburger with bleu cheese, a chili dog, and a grilled cheese. Everything was good. And of course the Ice Cream sundaes were Outta Site! I remember going to Farrell's in San Mateo, and Hayward as a kid myself. We always had a good time. Now I can take my grandson to the NEW Farrell's just opened in Sacramento. The service was excellent too, thanks to Jenn our waitress. If you've never been to Farrell's you gotta try it!!!
(5)Lea D.
A walk back in time. Sort of. This is the place that kids sugar dreams are made of. We arrived at 3:30 on Friday. We were seated in 20 minutes- not bad at all. Greeted by an awesome, attentive and on-point server, Erik. He was friendly, helpful and patient. We ordered 3 meals (hamburgers). Erik checked on us several times and assured us that our food would be served shortly. 25 minutes after ordering our food was served. 2 meals actually. 1 of the meals came 10 minutes later! NOT ok. Eric was trying to get the last meal to the table. He tried. As I looked around, I saw that most if not all tables were served in the same manner. Some of the meals came out at one time and literally 15 minutes later the last meal came. People were looking around lost! The kitchen needs to get better at timing. It is a must! Serve everyone or serve no one. Ordered 3 amazing ice cream desserts. All were served at the same time. Whew. Because the tables on both sides of us had their ice-cream served up to 10 minutes apart (at the same table!) . At one table, one customer had finished her ice cream when the other ice cream finally showed up. Again..... ice-cream makers..... serve all orders from the same table at the same time! I would love to return to experience the over the top energy and sincere hard working servers. And at that time, I hope to give it a 5 star. We also had a lot of fun and appreciate Natasha coming to check on us and keep us informed. She was awesome, too. The serving staff is remarkable and really trying to keep everyone happy. It would make their job a lot easier and make the customer happier if the kitchen could get it together a bit more. Oh!!! I must say that the Patty Melt is one of the best that I have had. I highly recommend. Fries were barely warm. Not good. Ice-cream was spectacular. We will wait awhile and give it a try again to see if the kitchen worked out the kinks. Lots of fun and thanks Farrell's for the walk back in time. Also, plan on a 2-3 hour timeframe here. Speed is NOT high on their list!!!! Way too long to sit here for a burger and ice-cream. Management or owners MUST get more involved in the running of the kitchen to make this place work. One last thought...... it wouldn't hurt if the managers tried to stop by the tables to see how things are going and get input from the customers. It may help to get things fixed quicker.
(3)Kylie M.
I went to Farrell's today, 9/9/2013, with my hubby and 2 year old. We arrived 10 minutes to 11, which was when they opened. The hostess, Tyra, let us in early, got us seated (with a high chair!) and was so friendly and attentive. Our server came, took our order and came back multiple times throughout the meal to check on us. Basically, the service and the food and Ice cream, were fantastic. It wasn't anywhere near as busy as in the evenings, which was very nice. My 2 year old got a balloon hat and everything! We also picked out and purchased the cute little oinking piggy. Anyways, I can't stop saying how great Tyra and her team were. I will be coming back time and time again.
(5)Nick S.
My party of 4 went here on a Saturday afternoon and only had to wait 3 minutes to be seated. The server Alexander was loud and overly excited, but that's what I was expecting coming here, so I was pleased. It was my girlfriend's birthday and a perfect chance to embarrass her a little bit with their over the top birthday songs. They ended up singing some crazy hip hop birthday song to her and made her dance to it haha. To my surprise they made me dance with her too, but again I knew what I was getting myself into. My burger was good! Nothing amazing, but it was better than most places. I also got the mac n cheese as my side, which was rich and delicious. Her friend's sandwich was huge! Dessert was amazing! My girlfriend had her free birthday sundae and added a brownie to it. I got the Triple Brownie Sundae thing...it was great, but HUGE. I eat a lot, but could only finish half of it (And was pushing myself to try and finish it haha) before I gave up. Next time I think my girlfriend and I will split a meal and dessert. Interesting place, but I definitely liked it!
(4)John M.
We drove too Farrell's from Elk Grove to take my girlfriend's family to experience what I had grown up experiencing... the greatness of Farrell's ice cream!! When I got there I was told that the wait was 1.5 to 2.5 hours long, but we were told that we could give out number and get a text when our table was ready. What I wasn't told over the phone, before we drove all the way out there was that the texting feature was for a party of 8 or more. With that I went inside and asked to speak to a manager to discuss this. Gus was introduced to me, and was very understanding of my frustration. He immediately got my party a table and apologized for the misinformation I had received over the phone. Kudos to Gus for customer satisfaction!!! Our server was Kayla M. She was a pure delight and very attentive to our needs. Great job Kayla!!! The food and Ice cream was only bested by the customer service we received. And my girlfriend and her family got to experience the full Farrell's enjoyment I had such fond memories of as a child. Thanks!!!
(5)Robert R.
I was so excited to be apart of helping build this new location. Me and my crew worked hard and diligent to help make this new location a success. Now its time to pay the bill for are work and Farrell's owner is refusing to pay. So next time you think of eating here please keep us in mind during the Christmas season when we cant buy are kids Christmas gifts because of big companies taking advantage of the little guy. I always thought they where a family based company.
(1)Miranda B.
Loud, loud and loud. They are clearly and understandably working out kinks. We put our name down at 630 and was told wait for a table was 2 hours we were seated in 1 hour. Food was served timely and as ordered. Staff was very friendly. Ice cream took about 40 minutes to get however the manager came over after 20 to apologize and let us know ice cream was on the house. We will definitely return....with earplugs.
(4)Erick S.
Ice cream was wonderful and very tasty, service was very good, the regular type food was sub par though. It is a fun place if you like it loud, or want to go someplace family friendly to celebrate. I would go there again. but only for the ice cream.
(4)Jon M.
Went for a family adventure for dinner and ice cream and although the wait was pretty long... The excitement and singing and watching my little brothers eat a pig trough was worth it. They even got the blue ribbon for finishing it. Fun place.
(5)Stephen E.
First time at Farrel's and it was horrible. We just left to get ice cream at leatherby's. We arrived at Farrel's at about 8:30 even though a ton of tables were open it took about 8 min to get seated. Ordered garlic fries, and shake about 5 minutes ahead of my burger. Burger arrived first, tasted like it had been frozen at some point, and the patty was so well done it could have been mistaken for charcoal. After another 5 min or so the fries and shake arrived. The shake was OK about par with a bask in and Robbins, the garlic fries were very under whelming. Ask for more then one cup of water because your server wont come to refill it. The best part of this place is the candy store in front. Unless you have kids to keep entertained don't waste your money. Writing this from leatherby's time to get a table 30 seconds, ordered and had ice cream in another 5.....just saying
(1)Angelina R.
I came in there a couple days ago, nervous about the bad reviews. First off, the lady who said that they use reddi-wip obviously didn't see the Fountain. That's where they make the sundaes and I saw them make the whip themselves. Even asked about the process. Second, it's going to be a long wait. It's crazy busy and they can't just magically make tables appear. Also families tend to eat longer. Overall I loved it and so did my family!! I think people judged it too harshly.
(5)tom C.
The food was less than stellar but the issue is the slow service.
(2)Robert G.
I remember coming to Farrell's as a kid and just visited the new (or relatively new) parlor on Watt Avenue and boy did it bring back memories. We had already had dinner at another nearby restaurant so we only stopped for desert. We were not disappointed. We did have to wait a while although not as long as they told us. We were told an hour but only had to wait 35 minutes. Once they called our name they called for a party of six but we told them that we had seven. No problem they said and they pulled another table over to make room for us all. We did have a bit of a wait once we ordered our desert but there was plenty going on to entertain. It does get a but loud but the servers are so entertaining and enthusiastic that it tends to be catchy. Desert was amazing and our server very helpful and funny. She even told us a few corny jokes at the end. They brought back all the favorites....The Zoo, The Pigs Trough The Straw Hats and more. They have really done it right. I really enjoyed our visit and will be back for sure.
(4)Stephanie Y.
Beware: it is very loud in there! So be prepared and probably not a good place for infants (whom I assume would be more sensitive to the extreme loudness). Service was good; a bit slow but extremely friendly and enthusiastic. Food: waaay overpriced! About $8 for 3 small scoops of ice cream and I had or search for the hot fudge and caramel. Felt like a rip off compared to leatherbys. The kids meal (grilled cheese with French fries and a small sundae) seemed worth it though. The French fries were really good. There's a lot to look at in the entryway but it's crowded and makes it difficult to look at everything. I did like that they told us 20 min wait but it was actually only about 5 min. I hate it when restaurants tell you a shorter wait time than they know it will be. Overall it's a bit overwhelming and overpriced, but it's a one of a kind experience you should check out at least once.
(3)Douglas Y.
So I haven't been to a Farrell's since I was ten years old or so, back then we couldn't afford ice cream so I was fortunate to have a friend invite me to his B-day party and boy it was a blast. Two guys came out carrying what looked like a stretcher with a huge container of ice cream. There was crazy music playing and they ran around the whole room acting crazy before delivering the magical "Zoo" filled with plastic animals that you dug out of the ice cream and took home. Guess what the "Zoo" is still on the menu! Farrell's has been was missing from the ice cream scene for the last 20 years or so, but they now have one location here in Sac Town. Maybe Swensen's Ice Cream will come back too LOL. Located inside the old Black Angus building on the corner of Arden and Watt the location is very large with multiple rooms and tables for large parties. The parking lot looks small but there is an additional lot in back as well. The menu boasts sammies, burgers, salads, crazy types of french fries and of course ice cream. We tried a BBQ Burger and a Gastro-something sammie. The food is decent here, better than Leatherby's food by a mile, but prices are high just like Leatherby's. The burger and sammie were both in the $13 dollar range but they did come with fries. We tried a mocha nut sundae $7.50 and it was fair. So here is the thing, the food is better here, but the ice cream is better at Leatherby's! Make your decision accordingly! One note this place is really set up for large Birthday parties and your kids will have a amazeballs time, but your bill is gonna be hefty! There is all sorts of silly kid oriented stuff going on in this place and there is even a candy store in the entry area.
(3)Kate F.
Great server named Cherry - super enthusiastic and attentive. The BEST fried pickles I have EVER eaten...breaded with panko breadcrumbs! You can't go wrong with any of their desserts. All desserts are rather large so order accordingly. The our downside of the evening...their registers went down as we were leaving. Had to wait an additional 20 minutes near the exit to simply pay our bill...one table was tired of waiting and simply walked out. I'm thinking that a coupon for next time or a even a small discount on our bill would have been appropriate (and appreciated).
(4)Kendrick W.
I love this place. I grew up in the Farrell's life in Daly City. Recently I enjoyed my daughters birthday here in Sacramento to continue tradition because Farrells is a part of my heart. The food is pretty scrumptious for fast american diner type stuff, lets just say that the good eats don't get in the way of the reason we all really go there and that is ice cream overload! The joy and music and festivities are unique and everyone must experience the ride. Today I was a bit disappointed because I went their for no occasion just trying to soak up some good cheer and the table I sat at near the window was being bombarded by flies. Although I noticed myself waving a fly away on the way to my seat , I also noticed that the flies only seemed to attack our table. I really think this was an anomaly but I was thoroughly disappointed that no one seemed to offer us relief. When we mentioned it to our server I felt bad for her because she saw the problem but really didn't know how to handle it. She was very sweet and tried to get us another table but by then it was too late i was beaten by the flies. I think perhaps the table was not cleaned from an earlier ice cream spill??? I don't know but unfortunately i felt bad enough about it to write semi-negatively about the place I love. Yes, I will give them another try in 6 months. I want Farrells to be in my neighborhood and in my life. When I return, there will be no flies and I will be singing loudly for some strangers birthday.
(3)Jeb B.
Garlic Fries never come out how the picture shows on yelp. The Onion Strings tasted better. Reuben sandwich sucks. They use pastrami (smoked) instead of corned beef (brined) Had to ask for a side of Thousand island just to try to save it from disaster.. It's a place for Kids. I only go here because I'm forced to for family events. I hate ordering Ice cream since they have to sing a song every time. At least they serve Beer and "cherry Cokes" with hecka cherries.
(3)Sandy L.
Farrell's is a nostalgic place for me. Growing up in Southern California, we went to Farrell's for birthdays because they sang really loud and it's really festive. This new Farrell's re-creates that memory pretty well!! We had dinner and ice cream. Basic ice cream parlour fare (burgers, etc). One star off because the food wasn't that great.. except the burger. THAT looked amazing. Another star off because they were out of my of the flavors we wanted. I'd come back if i were in the area, but the trek from Berkeley is a bit far.
(3)Marilyn S.
Waaay too loud. Sirens and drums and singing. No thanks! The food was meh. The servers were very personable, however. I won't go back.
(2)Yer T.
Arrived at 5:20pm on a Sunday n was seated right away. Food arrived at a timely manner and the ppl were kind. The reviews were right the place is rlly loud however it was a very cheerful/ happy environment. Great for kids. The only thing that kind of annoyed me was the fact that we had to check out with our server n she didn't come to the table so we went up front to pay n they wouldn't let us so we had to go bac to our table n wait for our server. We were also not greeted when we arrived. Other than that it was a nice experience.
(4)Alexandra E.
So, I am a frequent customer here and I really didn't want to have to write this but I had to. My boyfriend and I usually get really freaking awesome service here and tonight it was so bad I almost don't want to go back. Bethany was our waitress and I saw her a total of three times in two hours. We sat down after a reasonable 10 mins of waiting and then waited another 10 mins for her to show up to our table. We already knew what we wanted because we found what we really liked over the past few months of going there and don't want to mess with a good thing. After she took our order we got our food almost half an hour later. Food was amazing like it always is. However, it was hard for my boyfriend an I to enjoy it without drinks (she did not offer us a refill and was no where to be seen for us to ask)(actually we did see her but she was on the other side of the restaurant talking with her coworkers). After being done with our food for 20 mins she then comes over and offers us ice cream, which we accepted like we always do. After we ate the ice cream it took her another 15 mins to bring us the check and at this point we were pretty upset because we had now been there for almost 2 hours and wanted to go home. Once she finally brought us our check we immediately put a 50 on the check indicating we were ready to check out but she walked away. She passed our table three times after that. Still she didn't grab our check. At this point my boyfriend was almost livid and being in the food industry myself I tried to make excuses for her but she ignored us the whole night and I'm pissed. We ended up having to take our check up front and had a manager check us out. Bottom line, if you go in ask not to be seated with Bethany.
(1)Jessica G.
We had a great time here! They even sang us a special song for our Girl's Night! Our server Katelyn was great! She was very familiar with the menu & offered some great suggestions! Cant wait to come back!
(5)Tiana G.
This place is super loud and full of kids having birthday parties. We ordered fries and the Mac n' cheese which weren't the worst food I've had, but I would never order them again. This place is only good for ice cream in my opinion. I had the Oreo sundae and it was fantastic. I like the old fashioned decor but over all its so loud it would have to be a special occasion for someone else for me to want to stay and enjoy my sundae. I highly recommend getting your sundaes to go if your an adult looking for a sweet treat.
(3)Tom H.
It is pretty much illegal to have this much amount of fun in one visit. Lol. Animal balloons, birthday parties, fun ice cream, fun employees. I love this place. Everyone should go here at least once or ten times. We glad we made it out today because not only that we love ice cream, we also love the craziness. I think I'm going to make excuses to come here just for shits and giggles.
(5)Margarita T.
My family and I had a wonderful time at Farrell's. We loved all of songs the waiters sang for birthdays and ice cream challenges. The food and service was phenomenal, I highly recommend you try it.
(5)Stephen L.
Last year several friends said we had to try this place. Raved about it and how good it was. Well my family and I finally got a chance to stop by today after a long day at the California State Fair. We thought it would be a nice break from eating in the heat and have a nice cool place to relax before heading home. Our first impression was great. The hostess greeted us warmly. The vibe was cool. Reminded me of the Toy Story 3D game at Disneyland. It wasn't busy at all and we were seated within 5 minutes. Our waitress was very friendly and came to our table promptly offering us beverages and appetizers. She gave us a few minutes to decide on our entrees and did not make us wait any unneeded time. So what occurs next still bewilders me. My son had ordered their equivalent of chicken strips with the sauce on the side. My wife ordered a salad and I had a burger and fries. Basic order with no major substitutions other than my son wanted his buffalo sauce on the side. Our order took about 20 minutes to arrive which was strange to me since the restaurant was slow. In the meantime, our water glasses were empty. The waitress walked by and asked if we wanted more water. Yes, please. 5 minutes later without getting our water refilled, she walked by again and asks if we would like more water. Why, yes, the answer is still yes. She was very friendly yet no water was to be had. Our food arrived after about 20 minutes. I immediately notice the sauce on my son's chicken was mixed in. Well the food runner addresses the situation immediately. Sir, I apologize, we are going to re-make your chicken because the sauce was mixed in but feel free to enjoy these in the meantime. He says, "At Farrell's, We make it right". Why, Thank you. We appreciate that. No fries with my burger. Again he addresses the issue before I could say anything. "Sir, we have fresh fries on the way. We had some fries but they were not fresh and at Farrell's, we don't serve fries that aren't fresh" He tells us the rest of our items will be out in a few minutes. On a side note, the lettuce on my wife's salad looked slightly wilted and the avocado had brown spots. Not the best presentation but edible and my wife was hungry so didn't complain. 15 minutes later, the chicken has been consumed but the re-make never arrived. My burger has disappeared into my belly but no fries ever arrived. My son requested a side of ranch dressing 3 times with no luck. Each time the server was very friendly and assured she would be right back only to see her walk by several times empty handed. We eventually got my fries for my burger well after the completion of my meal. The corrected order of chicken strips arrived at the same time. Still no side of ranch dressing. We did eventually get water while we were having our dessert. The waitress simply asked if she could just leave the pitcher with us. The staff was very friendly. Just incompetent. The food was very mediocre. The ice cream was tasty but by the time it arrived at our table, it was quite melted. Would I recommend Farrell's in Sacramento? I would not. Would I return? Sad to say, I probably would not.
(2)Zack H.
Pleasantly surprised. My dad worked there when he was my age so we went in for his nostalgia. He said the food would be as bad as it was when he worked there, but he was wrong. The three of us ordered a mushroom burger, bbq burger, and a farmers burger with egg. All three of us remarked on how delicious the burgers were. Mine was cooked perfectly medium rare, just as I ordered. The food was so good and filling we didn't have room for the ice cream nachos for dessert. We are definitely returning to try the various ice cream dishes. It was very clean inside and there service was excellent. Our waitress, Eliza, was very attentive without being bothersome, and she was very sweet. I am looking forward to returning and telling my friends.
(5)Alexandria M.
Holy crap this place is loud. But the food is better than leatherby's and the ice cream ain't bad either. Try the macaroni and cheese with truffle oil.. mmmhmhmhmhmhmmmm..
(4)Sherry L.
Due to a an overwhelming sense of nostalgia, I decided to drive all the way from Oakland to Sacramento in order to revisit my childhood at Farrell's. Despite the loud music and antics, I was left feeling very underwhelmed and disappointed. I ordered the Grown-Up Grilled Cheese sandwich with onion strings on the side, which I actually enjoyed. For dessert, I ordered the Oreo Bliss, which looked nothing like I expected. Although it cost $7.99, it did not seem that there were two actual scoops of ice cream. The hot fudge was minimal and the sundae did not feature the three pieces of Oreo cookies as pictured on Yelp. They just sprinkled Oreo crumbs on top. So, I asked the waitress about the missing cookies and it took her twenty minutes to tell me that they ran out of whole Oreo cookies. Speaking of the server, that's a whole other story. The dingbat server takes our drink order as well my friend's entree order. She then walks away without asking what I would like to order. I had to remind her that I also planned to eat my own separate meal. When our food finally came out, the server asked us every three minutes if we were ready to order dessert. I had barely finished the first half of my sandwich and was irritated with her persistence. She did the same thing to the customers at the adjacent table and I could see that they were also feeling frustrated. Finally after the sixth time, we were finally ready to order dessert. I should also mention that the ice cream that Farrell's supplies is from Rite Aid (aka Thrifty). It's alright, but you might as well just stop by your local Rite Aid and buy a cylindrical scoop for $1.50 without all the chaos and banging drums.
(2)Tricia M.
3.5-4 stars for this updated review. After a less than stellar first visit and review, I was invited back by Ferrell's regional director with a gift certificate towards another meal. I was impressed and decided it best to give the place a few months to settle into itself before going back and checking it out again. The first time I visited, we had a large, I mean very large party and it was less than a month after the grand opening, so to be fair they were at an unfair advantage that first night. Tonight I decided to take my son in for a little bit of one on one grub time and use my gift certificate. We walked in and were greeted with a smile and seated immediately. The hostess showed us to our table and left us with our menus. After about a 10 minute wait our server came to our table and introduced his self. DaVaughn was his name and he was a nice kid with a warm demeanor. He asked us if we were celebrating any special occasion and after we said NO he took our drink order. Being we sat for quite a few minutes before he came to the table, we already knew what we wanted and ordered right away. 2 Laredo burgers with chili fries. He immediately brought us our drinks and said our meals would be right up, boy he wasn't joking. I think we waited longer at our table after our hostess seated us than we waited for our food. It was fast, almost too fast, like fast food fast. Food tasted good, so I let my worries that the patties and fries were just sitting back there under a warmer waiting for the next order. Chili fries were good, typical but still good. Onion burger bun was cold, but all in all, burger tasted good. After dinner we ordered the ice cream nachos to share and they were good too. 3 scoops of ice cream on top of busted waffle cones. One scoop of chocolate malted crunch, one vanilla and one mint chip topped with blueberry topping, hot fudge and carmel sauce, whip, almonds and a cherry. My kid hates nuts, so the almonds were on the side for me. It was good, very rich and good. Now as for the ice cream alone, it is alright. I wouldn't say it is extra special, but good. All in all good food and ice cream. We received great service and good food, so I really have no complaints, except....wait for it....the restrooms. No seat covers, filthy toilets (like haven't been wiped down and cleaned in a couple days and dirty, I mean dirty floors. Before I left I spoke to shift manager and told her what condition the restrooms were in and she assured me she would have someone on it right away. I hope she did. Bottom line: Ferrell's seems to have worked out all of the kinks that I experienced on my first visit. Decent food, OK ice cream and good service. Prices are a bit high, but at a place like Ferrell's you pay for the experience as well as product. If you are celebrating a birthday (free sundae) or any occasion and want a fun place to do so, Ferrell's may be the place for you. Enjoy!
(4)Jamie H.
First time coming here and the waters were great!!! But the service..I could say otherwise. We waited 15 minutes and noone came to take our orders. I asked another employee if they knew who our server was and that we didn't get to order yet and all she said was "Oh.. So and so is your server" and that was it. We waited another 5 minutes hoping to get served, but noone showed up. We got up and decided to head out. I was excited to try this place, but left upset. I'm glad leatherbys was around the corner!
(1)Christina M.
Expensive and slow/bad service. Leatherbys is WAY better! On a Monday night we had to wait 15 mins for a table... There were plenty of empty tables? The server was distracted, unorganized and forgot almost everything.. Multiple times. The bill was $67 for 3 people. My son and I shared the BLAT (blt with avocado) and an order of Mac and cheese. The Mac and cheese was terrible.. Runny bland sauce at the bottom of dry noodles. My sons girlfriend had the kids menu chicken strips. We each had a small sundae.. And the bill was still almost $70. The ice cream was ok but not as good as leatherbys. This place is very loud and gimmicky.. Almost to the point of off putting.
(2)Jenny H.
One star for the atmosphere but the service was horrible. We were excited to try this place and decided to finally go in and get a sundae. We walked in and were seated and given waters but that was about it. 10 minutes passed and no server in sight. My sister went to ask about our server and the girl just told her the name of the server and turned back around to what she was doing. No one went to go find our server and no one returned to tell us anything. We decided to wait a little longer but finally gave up. We waited 20 minutes in all and did not get served. Thanks for the waters. We will not be returning, it was such a disappointment.
(1)Ryan B.
I decided to check out Farrell's Ice Cream parlour in Sacramento because there use to be one in Eastridge Mall back in San Jose (which is now a Red Robin's) and I heard that Farrell's was awesome. Pro's: The atmosphere is lovely and unique. it's basically 1890s carnival themed ice cream parlor. They give delicious food in huge portions. They serve garlic fries. One of the servers there is super entertaining and funny. Con's: Food is super expensive. For my chili cheese dog, they charged $8.99 for the hot dog and bun and 99 cents for the chili and the cheese. Lemonade is $3.95. It does get very noisy every five minutes because they're either singing some original version of the happy birthday song and banging on drums or acting like someone broke the hand rails, which break on purpose. Overall, I recommend going there only if you have children and/or it's your birthday because it is expensive and does get noisy, especially with the occasional siren sound they play if someone orders the super huge ice cream sundae aka the belly buster, banging on drums, or singing some version of the happy birthday song.
(3)Michael H.
I worked here 36 years ago and wanted to see Farrell's 2.0. We arrived at 11am and entrance was a mess with trash. Inside was nice and clean and a nice update of the gay 90's theme. Servers were friendly and the food- which was always adequate at best- was actually delicious. I ordered farmers hamburger medium rare - it was cooked medium rare and served on onion roll with a medium cooked fried egg. I couldn't finish. Will have to come back for the ice cream. A little pricey ($12) for a burger, but it was yummy.
(3)Amber N.
Ok, so here's the deal... My family came into town, there were 32 of us altogether and we called early on Sunday to make a reservation for the evening. 5:45 was the time. This was MY first time here but a few people from in town had been before, so they gave us the scoop; Farrell's is fun, food and ice cream is great, but it can get pretty wild(due to being busy and that they allow kids to have fun). Well, we came in and that's exactly what happened. It was loud and hectic. No biggie, because my kids contributed to that. Our server, or hostess as she said, was fantastic. Her name was Omani, and poor Omani had not only our table but two or three other large parties. While she was certainly busy between the three parties she still made an effort to check on us frequently enough, when it came time to order our food she was very well organized and ensured every person had what they needed, and not everyone was staying in their seat, so that wasn't easy to do. With a bunch of people pulling her in all directions she kept her composure and was incredibly helpful, kind, and didn't seem to be overwhelmed, even though chances are she was-she had a lot going on! We had a birthday girl in our party and my family made sure to let Omani know this. Sure enough, when the ice cream came out so did Omani with a group of others and they had my cousin and a few others from my group up and doing the Macarena. It was hilarious, fun, and the performance by the cast was . Now, here's the thing that some people weren't pleased with, the dinner took three hours. I worked as a server for a few years and I've had large parties, and even worse, multiple large parties. I didn't blink an eye. Three hours is about right, unless the party preorders or the party and server have an understanding from the get-go that this is to be a quick experience. Even then it is still longer than other situations. Having said that, I think perhaps the restaurant could have used one or two more people on the clock to help as it did seem to get a little overwhelming for them. They always kept their composure though, and given the situation they were very efficient. 32 people ordered, they didn't all sit still, many had subs with their food, and the food was delivered by multiple people, in order for the food to be moved out fast, which is how it has to be done with these situations. Unfortunate because of this, and because some of us couldn't exactly remember what we ordered or didn't understand what was being brought out, a few of us accidentally took the wrong items. I will say that one of the food runners(I don't know if he was an expo or just helping) did keep announcing the wrong thing when he came out. Not ideal, but didn't ruin our trip. And when Omani realized that this happened she did what she could to remedy the situation. All-in-all I had a great time, as did a majority of our party. I can't speak for everybody, but hey, we are a large family and have differing points of views. Thanks for Omani for giving her best to our party. My husband and I definitely will be bringing our kids out again soon!!!
(5)Taylor P.
The food is decent and ice cream is pretty good. But that God Damn air raid siren is horrible. As a Marine vet the siren gives me a headache and they refuse to stop using it. They think it's a nonstop party but it is hard to enjoy a simple dinner.
(1)Kellie S.
I came to Farrell's to celebrate my graduation from community college, it was sort of a big thing that deserved ice cream. And a pair of binoculars, but that's aside the point. I'd heard things about this fabled place. It used to be in Sacramento long ago, my parents used to go to the old establishment back in the day. My boyfriend went to Farrell's without me (!!) before we could go together, and he said it was loud and crowded. He's not fond of crowds... and he also went with a large group of people. On a Saturday. But when I went for MY celebration, it wasn't crowded at all. There were customers enjoying themselves, but nothing like the madhouse I was expecting. I was pretty much bracing myself for a mix between a crowded Outback Steakhouse and Disneyland. Much less Outback, more Disneyland. I had the French Dip sandwich. I tried horseradish for the first time, and it was divine. The bread was fresh, the dipping jus was great. GARLIC FRENCH FRIES. Yum. Then the ice cream came. I had the hot tin roof. I wasn't expecting so many Spanish peanuts, it was actually the first time I had peanuts on my ice cream save maybe a frozen Snickers. I can imagine that there is a lot of comparison to Leatherby's. I'd have to say that Farrell's gives Leatherby's a run for its money. Farrell's has much better non-ice-cream dishes, but no one can top the caramel that Leatherby's sells. Or the whipped cream. Their ice cream is also quite creamy.They're both my guilty pleasures, though. My sweet tooth is going to love/hate me.
(4)Veronica L.
Took my boys 23 and 12.... it was a good experience for my 12yr old. Everyone is very out going and entertaining. However I think the noise level is worse than chuck e cheese. The burger and fries were amazing. My banana split was small compared to leatherbys and the price was the same. The other ice cream selections my sons got were pretty well sized. It's a little pricey but you are paying for the atmosphere so it's worth it if you want to go let the kids be loud and have fun. Would of gave 5 stars if my split would of been bigger and had more toppings
(4)Cari L.
The four stars are for Alex. I can't honestly review the crew as a whole, but Alex is the man. My girlfriend has told me horror stories from her days as a server at a different location, so to see the genuine happiness and energy spewing from Alex everytime I come in (which is often since I have a four year old son) means the world. He goes above and beyond to put a smile on everyones' faces. And while many employees appear only to serve food or song songs, Alex practically lives on the floor sharing jokes with all of his tables. So protip: next time you go to Farrell's, ask to be seated in Alex's section.
(4)Ryan H.
Excellent burgers and the chili cheese fries are amazing! Both times we have been the service has been very slow. They have a large party room in the back of the restaurant. This is a loud family place with lots of kids running around so if you don't like that kind of atmosphere this isn't the place for you.
(4)Melody M.
Fun times. Good food even better dessert!!! Plan ahead & make a reservation otherwise depending upon how many people you have you'll definitely have a little bit of a wait.
(4)David O.
Probably Sacramento's premier maniacal ice cream experience! Usually I don't first visit review, but I get the gist of this place. I really do. I went with Johnna S because Johnna S likes ice cream. As we approached she asked me if I've been to Joe's Crab Shack. This seemed like a major tangent at the time. I didn't read the Yelp reviews before venturing out and I'm used to nonsense in our conversations. I didn't really connect the dots. Holy cow! This place left such an impression on my I could probably write one of those reviews that Yelp won't let you post because it's too long. I'll keep it short because what you really need to know is my circus animal and birthday cake waffle cone hit the spot and that you'd probably dig it when you are 3-8 years old and so excited about ice cream you don't notice how maniacal Farrell's is. Farrell's is LOUD. It's like if LowBrau (Sac's loud leader) and Joe's Crab Shack had an old time ice cream parlour love child. Highlights included constant happy piano pumping out of Farrell's sound system the likes of iconic ice cream song "The Entertainer" and less ice cream relevant "Freebird", servers getting down to a brownie-centric Run DMC "Tricky" cover, and servers banging drums. Yes, drums. If your child cries in a forest full of Farrell's servers banging drums and everyone is around, no one will know what sound your child makes. If your child needs overstimulation and a bunch of sugar this is probably your best bet. Extras like toppings or balloon hats can add up I'd imagine, but maybe your kid is inspired to take up piano and start playing overly happy high cord versions of classic rock hits.
(4)Chemistry S.
Been here twice, both times great experience. Love the old western feel to this place and the sweet aroma you immediately encounter after you step in the door. The service is just excellent both times. Very prompt and the servers are very attentive, always making sure everything is good and the coffee is refilled. I had the gastro sandwich - best I've ever had!!! Ice cream is fantastic as always. Great place to entertain guests and host gatherings.
(5)Amanda K.
The food overall was good. However, the service sucked. I asked for garlic fries, I didn't get them. I also asked 3 separate occasions for lemon, and I didn't get it until we were finished with our meal. So for that I knocked off a star. But the real issue was how disgusting the bathrooms were. It makes me not want to go back after seeing them! It's too bad that I probably won't go back. The food was pretty good like I said.
(2)Jeremy W.
Came here for a birthday and for the fun atmosphere . Staff is engaging and try to keep things fun. However the speed of service is horrible. Took over 20 minutes to get drink refills and my total experience was over 3 hours. You can only stand the fun so much before it becomes annoying because all you do is wait. Not to mention the 2 hour wait to get a seat. Not worth it. However they do have thrift ice cream and chocolate malted crunch!
(2)Julianne A.
My boyfriend and I heard of Farrell's through a group of friends and decided to try it out for ourselves. When we arrived we were warmly greeted by the hostess. She directed us to our table and informed us that our waitress "Celina" would be with us shortly. After 10 minutes had passed, we noticed our server had not yet greeted us. Seeing this, the hostess that sat us originally, came back and took our drink orders. We looked around for our server and noticed the server was preoccupied with another table. The specific table she was tending to had already ordered their main courses, "we know this because we sat 1 table away from the couple." After another 10-15 minutes passed our waitress Celina finally arrives to our table. "Mind you this is about 1:30 PM on a Wednesday afternoon. It was a very slow lunch." She takes our order down & returns later with our ice cream. Not long into eating our meal, Celina then returns with a bill pad and our tab inside of it. She communicates, "I'll leave this here with you, whenever you're ready, thank you." She did not bother to ask if we needed anything else, how or meal went or if we needed to-go boxes. I then proceeded to open the bill tab and inside was a copy of our bill. Not only did she completely neglect us from the very beginning of our meal and until the end, she had the audacity to include a gratuity percentage on our bill. "Like your poor service even deserves a tip?!" After dropping off the bill, Celina was nowhere to be found. We began to wonder if she was going to come back to take care of the tab. 10 minutes go by and I grew tired of waiting so I went to the front to pay for our tab. The hostess in the front "same one that sat us" was even kind enough to ask us if we needed any containers for our ice cream. Of course we said yes because we had left overs. Overall, we felt like Celina neglected us because we looked like teenagers who wouldn't leave a nice tip. Her attitude and demeanor was awful to start with. Shows her right, we tipped her 23%. We didn't want to stoop to her level and not leave her anything, but I did however, leave a note on the receipt that read "poor service by the waitress, excellent service by the hostess." I mean the hostess practically did all of the servers job!! I know most of you reading this think we're bitter, you couldn't be anymore wrong. We're both servers and this kind of services is inexcusable by any kind of restaurant. If we return, we'll make sure not to be serviced by her again.
(2)Ester A.
If you don't like noise I recommend not going here. It gets loud. They sing when selected items are brought to tables and for any special occasions. We were seated immediately and the service was great. Kids would definitely enjoy this place. However, I didn't like the pricing too much. It seemed a bit pricey especially for the amount of food and ice cream we were given.
(3)Thelma L.
First time visit with two kids ages 10&12. Cute nostalgia theme. Ordered two kids meals and wife and I shared gastrodeli w fries. Kids meals ok. Ours was a disappointment with cold fries and cold bun. How do you make melted cheese and hot sandwich eighth cold limp buns? ??? Eeeek. After 2 kids meals, 1 sandwich, 1 kid sundae and 1 regular sundae ....$44 plus tip we're not likely to come back! Novelty. The "happy" atmosphere by the staff was a nice try, but they need to get some caffeine first to actually pull off the smiley fun atmosphere? Tried once and that's it.
(1)Joshua C.
I was a huge fan of Farrell's when there was a location at Sunrise Mall 30 years ago. Of course, I was 9 years old but never forgot and was ecstatic when I heard a new location opened in Sacramento. I've been to this new location three times so far and they have not disappointed. The atmosphere is exactly how I remembered it down to the felt walls, newspaper menus, etc. I could go on and on but if you remember the Farrell's from long ago... this is like walking into a time machine. The food has been really good. The "adult" grilled cheese with bacon is yummy. I think the ice cream may be that brand that Thrifty's used to carry because I recognized "Chocolate Malt Crunch" when I ordered my "ice cream nachos" which is one of my all time fav flavors of ice cream. I spent my birthday there where I got a slightly more adult experience but still keeping it family appropriate. I took my 5 year old there for his birthday and I don't think he could have had a better time. Our server "Alex" gave a 5 star performance easily on the level of some of the best Disneyland cast members. He was 100% attentive throughout the entire meal, thoroughly entertaining in a natural and fun way and he made sure Otto had a very special experience for his birthday. He went above and beyond anything I expected. They have a "fake chicken dinner" there which is fun to order to mess with younger kids. It looks like chicken, peas, mashed potatoes and gravy but is actually zagnut, candies and ice cream with caramel. It looked so real my little guy started to get pretty upset I ordered him that instead of ice cream... until I let him in on the joke. Anyway, I can't recommend this place enough. For a fun birthday experience I recommend going on a weekend night because that's when it's the loudest and the funnest. If that's not for you then maybe try going at an off time during the week. I am very very happy this place is back!! Hallelujah! Here are some moments from Otto's birthday at Farrell's youtube.com/watch?v=vBTW…
(5)Rachel H.
My husband and I had a horrible experience here! We were sat next to the extremely loud dishwasher, then asked to move, so they then sat us in the loud parlor... Our server only spoke to us 3 or 4 times... Screwed up our ice cream we'd asked for to go... We saw the staff complain loudly about it and then just dump our ice cream into the to go container... I'd ordered a sundae with hot fudge and when I got home... I had one measly little drop... I paid extra for the hot fudge and because they'd screwed up our order all the hot fudge I'd paid for must've been stored properly in the dish at the restaurant after they dumped the remaining into the to go container... On top of that horrible experience... The extremely loud "songbird aka SCREAMING" waiter in the section next to ours loudly proclaimed that 2 men were celebrating a special event...having learned to go potty finally... Then he sang "if you're potty trained and you know it, clap your hands" while my husband and I tried to eat... Wtf! Needless to say that's the last time we'll ever eat there... Leatherby's is just around the corner!
(1)Megan O.
Great food and great service. I was very happy with everything and Davaughn, our waiter, was great. Will definitely be coming back here.
(5)Mark W.
I've been to this Farrells several times and I can honestly say this location is really going down hill. I've been here enough times to earn all three ice cream ribbons (red white and blue) so I can honestly say I was a big fan of Farrells. My last (bad) experience was Tuesday night 3/31. The restaurant was not full but we still had to wait to be greeted. We had to wait 15 minutes for a table. Our waiter was too busy to take our order so another server came over to take our order. The restaurant was 3/4ths full so the poor service and the wait for a table in a restaurant that was not full appears to be a management/staffing issue. Our food was slow in arriving. Our waiter said the kitchen was behind because of a large party in front of us. If our waiter was busy with a large party why didn't the hostess seat us with a waiter who could give us good service? The entire wait staff seem frazzled and over worked. Again, another management/staffing issue. Once our food came it was not good. My son ordered a triple burger, med rare. Two of the patties were cooked through (well done) and the third was mostly pink like he requested. The fries were bland and not crisp. I noticed the other food arriving for other customers wasn't any better. A friend of mine happened to be there that night with their family and they ordered a Zoo. The Zoo arrived, but the ice cream was too melted. It was almost a soup. Rite Aid/Thrifty's ice cream is good ice cream, but you can mess up any food with bad handling and presentation. Overall the entire staff seemed tired and over worked. They look like they once had a lot of joy on their face but it was no longer there. The food was mediocre at best. And the worst part... when the staff sang birthday songs they seemed to be going through the motions. One staff member who appeared to be a floater/floor manger showed up in the middle of a birthday song but all she did was some half-hearted clapping. This person later stopped by our table to see how our food was but stayed too long at our table (I didn't come here to talk to the staff) and appeared to be killing time with customers instead of helping out the over-worked staff. Overall I doubt I will return any time soon. It appears to me Management is cutting too many corners with regard to food quality and staffing. .
(1)Kara B.
Daniela is an amazing server! Very attentive to your needs and sweet. Friendly and was nice to my nephew, made him feel special when celebrating his birthday and did a fun Indiana Jones themed birthday song. Definitely will be returning and asking for her!
(4)Greg F.
I took my family here to celebrate two birthdays. We came on a Saturday, even through it was busy, our party of 7 was seated within 10 minutes. The decor was just liked I experienced 35 years ago in Fresno. Our waitress "Chelsea" was awesome and we got our food with 15 minutes after we ordered it. The nose level is perfect with so many people, I have eaten at BJ's at Arden, with the drunks or even without, the noise level there was totally ridiculous compared to Farrells'. Our food was great and "The Zoo" was the highlight of our visit. I would recommend highly, Sunday through Thursday's are the time to come without the high volume of people. Thanks for the memory.
(5)Laurel A.
I remember Farrell's from long, LONG ago. In fact they were something new back when I was in high school, and I have fond memories of myself and my girlfriends and our boyfriends at the time, deciding we would all get dressed up rather fancy, just for fun, and go out together to the one in St Paul, MN for dinner and ice cream. It had closed long ago, and I didn't think they existed any longer so was surprised when I heard one had recently opened in Sacramento. For nostalgia, my husband and I decide to go there and give them a try. What can you say about Farrell's except it's boisterous with an atmosphere that appeals to young children. We found the ice cream to be very good as was the service, but I thought the food prices were very high for a place that caters to families and large groups of children. It seems like more of a destination place for parties, or if it's your birthday and you want to partake of the free ice cream they offer on one's special day, but it's wouldn't be somewhere I would make a habit of going to on a regular basis. Besides the high prices, I think all the bad singing and drum banging would get annoying fast since I'm not of grade school age.
(3)Debra M.
What a great experience from the hostesses to the young man who brought us our food. I would recommend Farrell's to all my friends and family. The manager even asked all servers not to sound off the birthday siren due to my daughters sensitive ears while we were there. Thank you again for making my daughters birthday dinner a special one.
(5)Vicki V.
I love the noise because I'm from a big family so it's what I'm used to. There's singing throughout the night and good for bday celebrations. From observations, if you order a banana split then you will get a song. Haha. I like the food quality more than Leatherby's.
(4)Rebeka M.
Very friendly and welcoming place! The staff are always very cheery and happy. Birthdays are a must have here. Lots of different choices of sundaes to choose from. The mango sorbet is delish here. They need to make more than one Farrell's here in Sac.
(4)Marcus M.
Very fun experience. There used to be a place like this in San Jose, at Eastridge mall, but I think closed after the plane crash through it years ago. We just went in for dessert. We ordered the triple brownie, and a song. The service was very good. We got our food right away and they were very friendly. Excellent place. Would definitely go back again.
(5)Sandra D.
Food unacceptable. Service was deplorable! Had a 6:30 reservation. We waited 15 minutes before we a table. Waited another few minutes - longer than should have - for someone to ask what we wanted to drink. It took him more than 5 minutes to bring the beverages. Then it took him awhile to come back for our order. The food took awhile. EVERYTHING took awhile. We never got our beverages refreshed until we asked for them ... then they refilled the glasses about every 5 minutes. Overdone! Just keep an eye on your tables Waiters and Bussers. Not Hard.
(2)Lorri S.
I haven't been to Farrell's in Sacramento since it used to be on Freeport Blvd when I was a child. We went to the new Farrell's on Watt Avenue celebrating a friend's birthday and had a blast! Great place to celebrate a birthday! Great energy, great staff and great ice cream. Fun, fun, fun....for all ages. It also reminded us of Main Street Disney!
(5)Don K.
Plus - delish ice cream, old school candies, and friendly staff. Minus - so so loud. Definitely good for kid birthday parties, but not a place to go for adult conversation. Overall it's fun for young families.
(3)Jerry B.
If you want a loud and singing environment, this is your place. A waiter will ask if you're celebrating an occasion. If you are, you get a free sundae, plus a song. Food and ice cream here is average. Service was never a problem. My children love this place. Its geared for them. Ice cream, entertainment, loud atmosphere, and flashing lights, its all norm here. But, the $8 price for a child's meal is ludicrous. I am willing to spend the money, BUT I've seen better portions and quality of food for the charged $8 price. Heck, I've seen $1 menu items that are way better than what my children had here. Next time, I won't order from the kids menu for my children...
(3)Lina S.
The first few times my family has come to this restaurant we've only come for dessert - which has been wonderful! The last time we went we also decided to have dinner - it was just okay. My hopes were pretty high as I thought it would be on par with the desserts, but it was actually more on par with a generic restaurant chain. The dessert get 5 STARS and the food gets 3 STARS so I met in the middle and gave it 4 STARS. I've noticed many people giving the restaurant bad reviews due to the noise level and I'd like to comment that it is loud - but it is SUPPOSED to be as the staff are singing and banging drums intermittently as birthday parties happen and people eat entire HUGE dessert dishes and get awards and ribbons. I think it's really fun and a super good time. I just wish the food was a little better. Still a GREAT place for fun. :)
(4)Meghan L.
So as a late night desert place, we wanted to try out Farrell's ice cream parlor. We got here and it was a cute fun place. Had candy in the front. Just like an old fashion candy store. I was really disappointed here. I heard many things from this place especially when it was by the airport. The menu was different and creative. We ordered our food and was not happy. First the "mountain" regular fries are the same amount as the garlic fries and they are salty. They have big portions like leatherbys but I think leatherbys has more variety. The ice cream was disappointing. It wasn't creamy and my friend got a Hugh block of ice in his ice cream. Now you know it's not made here. The service was good although it's a bit much. This is more of a family place and they sing songs that are creative for their ice cream and birthdays. But it kept going and going. They need to calm the interactions down a little.
(2)ERIN M.
Trying to recreate an experience from over 40 years ago is no small undertaking. Farrell's absolutely nailed it! There are many original fares on the menu, plus some added healthy choices. We had a large party and 3 of the guests were firemen. So, if you know anything about firemen, they like to cook and eat! The food was great. The service was a bit slow, but it was also very busy so based on the volume of customers, it was right on par with what we expected. The staff is charismatic and the atmosphere is awesome. An excellent modern interpretation of a classic restaurant that enchanted decades of children. The children LOVED everything about the place and cannot wait to go back. Note to self and others: if you want to attempt the Pig Trough, skip the dinner and drinks and just go for it. I tackled 4 of the 6 scoops, so I didn't get my ribbon, but I will be back to try again!
(5)Malayna K.
I always give out five star reviews, but I wasn't totally happy with this place, for a first timer. I made a online reservation, got there on time. Was greeted when we walked up. Sat us at our table, waiter took our drink order. Place was crazy busy, which is GREAT for them. Means they are doing something right. Our waiter, didn't seem to focus on what we ordered. My boyfriend and I both ordered Garlic Fires...we never got them. We went here for my son's 6th birthday dinner. We saw a lot of other people getting sang to for their birthdays as well. We waited for a while for them to come over to sing to my son, well if you have a child that is around that age, you know that little kids do not do great at watching other people getting sing to on their birthday and not them. I kept looking at the man who was making the ice cream, he knew I wasn't totally happy. Finally it was my son's turn. Yay He was totally happy. I think the next time we come here we will not eat here just come in for the ice cream and the signing. Takes too long for them to come around when your eating dinner and then desert. overall, great place for having birthdays!
(3)Carol M.
Definitely better experience and food than most of the ice cream spots in Sacramento.
(3)Justen T.
Update on my previous review I called the next day talk to the manager and he made it right he apologized for the way his employees acted and the way we were treated and we had lunch on them had a very good experience food was good ice cream was good
(3)Kesha J.
Being able to go back in time for a dining experience is the most awesome thing ever. Farrell's captures the nostalgia of yesterday with its 1920's decor equipped with an ice cream Parlour that would make Willy Wonka jealous. While Ferrell's in not new to Sacramento, it's new to me and I must admit the skeptic in me wanted to not like this place despite its awesome display of childhood fantasies. My husband and I decided to dine here for his birthday. The menu is short, sweet and very American. He ordered the buffalo chicken burger with the waffle fries and I ordered the grown-up grilled cheese sandwich with the fried onion skins. We both enjoyed our sandwiches tremendously but the fries and the onion skins were cold and a little too greasy for my liking. However, their in house barbecue sauce more than made up for it as we fought to dip our cold sides into it to satisfy our hunger. Being that is was my husband's birthday we has the pleasure of the staff singing happy birthday off key and at the top of their lungs while banging on drums, table tops and clanging glasses! It was awesome! Overall we enjoyed ourselves but for the prices they charge for subpar food I wouldn't go there often... Just for special occasions and that would be on as a secondary option. However, if you've never been I would suggest checking out this place just once for the experience. KJ
(3)Cindy L.
Food: Excellent burger (I had the mushroom Swiss with a fried egg) and onion strings. Ice cream is alright. Best in sac is Gunther's, then Leatherby's, then Farrell's. Environment: A lot different than other restaurants. Fun place but can get loud and a little crazy which I didn't like. Ohh, and they make animal balloons for $4! Service: My party of 4 waited for about 1 hour on a Sunday evening. They told us it would be 1h15m-1h30m wait. Waited for about 30 min for our food, which is pretty average considering how busy they were (and probably always are). The hosts and servers are really friendly and always wears a smile like they're glad to serve you. Made us feel more welcomed and giddy about the place. :)
(4)Jacob Y.
The longest wait ever, and Too loud. The service stinks. They Took almost an hour for our drinks. Very unprofessional
(1)Michaela R.
It was myself, my son and husband 1st trip here. I drive by this place many times before and have seen/heard this particular restaurant on t.v. and radio. So tonight I decided to treat my family here. Driving up to the parking lot I knew it would be a challenge to park close to the restuarant, luckily the parking lot extended not to far from the place. Walking in the building was a little intense. They played music, lots of yelling, birthday singing every 5 mins, it was a very fun atmosphere. We had to wait about 30-45 mins to be seated. I mean, go figure, on a Saturday night what place wouldnt be busy around 630ish. So as we were seated we were greeted by our waitress who brought out our drinks promptly. Looking at the menu was like reading a news paper, well thats the "theme" of the menu, a newspaper layout. I must say there was alot of items choose off the menu. So I got their philly cheesesteak with sea salt fries. It took about 10 minutes for my food to brought out, but the one thing that didnt make me all hyped up, anticipating scarfing down my food, was that the employees always kept us updated on the status of our order. That was greatly appreciated. So, when my food was brought out, it was hot and fresh as if they just literally got done making it and not mildly cold and it was sitting there for 10 mins. I am very happy and impressed on the service, the food, the cleanliness, the prompt attention from the employees and the happy and loud atmosphere. I will definitely be making my way back here soon. Oh, btw the price of the food was not bad at all!
(5)Judi V.
Nota happy customer! First off that place is to expensive for what we got. The grown up grilled cheese... Really $9.50. Not worth it. Burgers were suppose to be med-well.... They were under cooked. Fries came 10 mins later and 1 was wrong..... Parmesan Truffle Fries---- fries with Parmesan cheese thrown on top ( what's truffle about that?). And this on our 1st visit for my sons 12th birthday! Sad!!!!!
(2)Martin N.
Reminds me of being young and my parents taking me and bro to places like this. Now I get to enjoy taking my daughters. Food is awesome, and the atmosphere is fun.
(5)Ann M.
Wow... how disappointing. Growing up with Farrell's in San Mateo being our "go to" place for birthday parties and celebrations, this experience was far from expected. After treating my daughter and her friend to the movies, I wanted to REALLY treat them to a visit to one of my favorite places growing up. This is by far, NOT the Farrell's I remember. We ordered lunch at 2:02, a child's pizza and mac and cheese. It took 15 minutes to get our drinks and my daughter didn't get her pizza for another 30 minutes, and her friend got his mac and cheese 10 minutes later when she was already done eating. The food was very mediocre. The pizza had to be previously frozen and the mac and cheese looked exactly like Kraft. Prior to getting our meal, I requested the manager. Ten minutes later he showed up and said there was a mistake and mistakes happen. I get that, but 45-55 minutes to get a meal when it's not even busy? Nor was I the only patron not pleased with their service. 20 minutes after the mac and cheese was eaten, still waiting on the check we requested, we were told "it was taken care of". I'd rather pay $20 than sit and be completely frustrated like this. The silver lining? I was going to book my daughters birthday party for 30 there next month. Sorry, Bob Farrell. Wherever you are, your legacy has gone to the dogs.
(1)Yvette G.
What the heck people?!?! This place definitely does not deserve a 1 or 2 star rating based off opening week. This past Friday my friends and I came for dinner and waited about an hour before we were seated. It was a nice evening so it was great for us to stand outside and chat. Once inside I felt like I was at Main Street in Disneyland. The employees (also known as cast members) are SUPER energetic. There was always someone singing a song throughout our entire dinner. Our server, Blake was very knowledgeable, nice, and attentive. My friends and I decided to share several appetizers for dinner. We had the mac and cheese, garlic fries, buffalo chicken sliders, and the chicken, spinach, and white sauce pizza. The pizza and the garlic fries were my favorite. They were both super delicious. The sliders and mac and cheese were decent. I liked the sliders better than the mac and cheese, but neither one were anything to brag about. For dessert I had the Black and White. This includes a scoop of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, marshmallow topping, hot fudge, whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry. I thought my ice cream was a little on the pricey side for the portion size, but it was still yummy. My friends shared the triple chocolate brownie sundae. This sundae is amazingly good! The brownies are not super sweet so it balances out the sweetness from the ice cream and fudge. It's definitely a "sharing" dessert.
(4)Melissa F.
Waited over 45 minutes to get in. One suggestion, please put seats in the lobby area. There is no where to sit when you are waiting! We came for the ice cream and yes it was good but wow was it noisy in there! If I come here again, I'll bring earplugs!
(3)Steve V.
Wow! Another ice cream parlor in sac town. I used to go to the old Farrell on Howe Ave back in the 70's. The ice cream is still great and the service is more upbeat. The food selection is so so. But, who cares, it's about the ambiance and the ice cream.
(4)Amber V.
My bro rave and rave about this place so I thought, "...why not..." I don't care to write review unless I love or hate a place... Mediocres, u r safe Waiting - 1/5. I had a party of 9: 4 teeners, 4 immature and poor college students, and me who foot the bill (I believe in karma) Anyway, we were told waiting period 45 min. But actually waited almost two hours. Even the group ahead of us had reservation had to wait an hour extra longer. And we were there on a weekday! Service - 4/5 - the waitress was very pleasant and made me forget how awfully long we waited. we had time to figure out what we want while waiting n placed our order as soon as our tushes touched the chair. Amazingly, the foods came out within 10 min. Food - 4/5. The mountain garlic fries and chilly cheese fries did justice to feed 9 hungry mouths. (WARNING-the fries portions are overly generous and both are yummy.) Everything else we had is an average 4/5.
(3)Jeannine C.
It was my boyfriend and my first time here at Farrells tonight. We decided to end our Veterans Day here with dessert. I loved it right when I walked up to the door way. I'm that kinda weirdo that loves old vintage stuff but this also has a modern touch to it. Ice cream was delicious! I had a sundae with strawberry syrup. I'm not very keen on strawberry syrup but this was soooo yummy!! Service was amazing. They do their best to attend to all customers that were there and also do their entertainment. People just need to understand how the restaurant business is and if there is a problem they should speak up. Anyway, if you don't mind fun, loud entertain this is a place to go. Kids will especially love this place; kids at heart too like me. :-)
(5)L C.
If you are going for ice cream , you have come up the right place Triple brownie chocolate fudge is our favorite! You can pick your own three different scoop if you like . Their coffee almond fudge is good too ! Food is not bad but I feel like the portion are really small !! Been there three times and received good service all three times. Fun place to go !
(4)Jason F.
This place is good a must try. I love their Reuben it's great a bit pricey tho but hey it's great for the children.
(4)Timothy J.
Definitely recommend this place; next to Disney land this has got to be the happiest place I know! The food is really good too!!
(4)MS W.
Today I had an opportunity to try this place out for an office luncheon and I've got to say, originally I was not thrilled about the idea, however after a good meal and some ice cream I will definitely come back! The food isn't ideal for weekly consumption if you count calories or eat "clean" a majority of the time like myself, but this is a great place for a family outing once a month. I plan to return for a post race meal indulgence. The service was great and venue was clean. I shared the Cobb Salad with a friend and it was delicious! For my sweet treat I enjoyed the Caramel Nugget and substituted the peanuts with almonds...delish!
(4)Alexis N.
I love Farrell's! Excellent service by Brandon and quality singing! I will definitely be coming back very soon!
(5)Lauren G.
Decided to finally they Farrells tonight. We just wanted ice cream and it seemed a little less crowded then usual so we went for it. My impression after standing around for a few minutes was we just found the Chuck E. Cheese of the ice cream world. Was hoping our ice cream would make it worth it but I found it a bit mediocre. Leatherbys down the street has the better ice cream for your buck and a quieter atmosphere. On the plus side the staff was very curious and it was very clean.
(3)Van D.
We were sooo excited to try this place, and all we wanted was an ice cream sundae! We waited over half an hour to get seated, took forever to get our orders, and another half hour to get our order of generic cheap tasting ice cream in all three flavors. So disappointed. The only thing they were on top of was the obnoxiously loud birthday marches and constant drumming. The lady sitting next to us was so displeased with all her orders her kids didn't even touch them. We spent $10 bucks for an awful time.
(1)Lucky O.
This place has a ton of pep and is great for embarrassing people on their birthday! Tons of cheering, horn blowing, balloon animals, and singing. I got the Oreo Bliss Sundae - 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, crushed oreos, with whipped cream, 3 Oreo cookies, and a cherry on top! It was really yummy, but it hardly had any hot fudge. My standard for sundaes has been Leatherby's, who serves homemade hot fudge and big portions with just two scoops! I was left feeling disappointed by the portion (sorry, I love ice cream!) and wanted more hot fudge (I'm honestly not sure if it was in there at all). Also, the sundae was about 1/4 melted by the time it gets to us, which happens at Leatherby's too, but it is usually because the sundae dish is still hot, but the Farrell's dish wasn't warm. :/ When I looked it up on Yelp, it said that the place is closed on Sunday, but it's definitely open! So don't try to skip out on account of Yelp (this has happened to me before)! I know this place just opened a couple of weeks ago, but the wait can be pretty lengthy. We showed up right after 5pm and the wait was 2-2.5 hours for a group of 4-6, and 1.5 hours for just two. Be warned that the hostess isn't the best at guessing - one group got in in half the time and another in double the time they were told, so it can really vary. They don't have a ton of space for waiting, so I would suggest staying cool by going to nearby Safeway or OSH. One of the big perks of this place is speedy service. We were seated and out in under 40 minutes - not bad considering some of the complaints in other reviews. Well, the obvious perk of this place is the fun atmosphere - makes the place extremely loud (at one point our waitress was literally shouting at us), but there is a ton of singing going on - clever, silly, and pretty good singing. I love the enthusiasm! It is worth trying out, especially if you want a free sundae for your birthday! I'm looking forward to trying their nest of onions rings - reminiscent of those delicious TGI Friday's thin onion rings!
(3)Steve C.
The workers are obnoxious. They seem like a bunch of out of work actors. They're more interested in playing a role and harassing patrons or singing happy birthday than they are with serving you. The food is pretty bad. They serve warm milk shakes. I'm never going again.
(1)Ulysses J.
This place is definitely different! Circus themed! The ice cream is crazy delish. So if you have the money (place is pricey) this is the place to gain that weight :)
(4)Kim C.
I visited this place on three seperate occasions. The first time was my idea because it was new and I was curious, second time was my boyfriend's idea which I broke down and agreed to, and last visit was an idea settled on by a couple others we were spending the evening with. My experiences with Farrell's has detioriated with each new visit. I understand that it's not the place to go to if you're easily annoyed and enjoy relaxing with comfort food in hand, but there is a point of intrusive behavior and noise that should definitely not be exceeded, regardless of the environment. Our first visit was somewhat decent. The food and icecream orders weren't anything special, our waitress was pleasant, even though she could talk your ear off and we were seated in a quieter area of the building so that a lot of the commotion didn't reach us. Overall, it was 3.5 star experience. During our second visit, my boyfriend and I were seated in the front room behind the register and directly beside an agonizingly loud, blood-curdling siren. The darn thing went off what seemed like at least once every couple minutes and every time it did, all the other noise in the building became like a muffled lullaby in comparison to the screams of this hellish device. Our ears were ringing after we left and I had a pounding headache. Our waitress was spot on and very likeable, but the food items were still just okay. Overall, it was a 2.5 star experience. The last time we went, December 31st, we were seated in a far, quieter corner. Instead of being intruded on by the siren though, the employee who seated us took on the job of insufferable invasiveness. As our party was settling in, I was in communication with my sister, who was not there, via text message about some personal matters. The employee noticed that my attention was on my phone and began loudly lecturing me, so that the rest of the room to hear, about how I should put it away and appreciate the company of those whom I was with. I told him that it was a personal matter, yet he refused to walk away and proceeded to stare and tap his foot. The others in our party were giving eachother awkward "is this guy really serious?" looks and he again demanded that I put my phone away. I wouldn't oblige though, and he stormed off while ranting and raving about how rude I was. Whatever dude...I hate texting as well but I needed to take care of my business. Onto the rest of the service, we were only one of the very few groups in a building otherwise crowded with employees, but it took nearly an hour and a half to get just beverages and icecream. Two people ordered hot chocolates, one ordered a soda and the rest just had waters. The hot chocolate was undrinkable and nothing more than luke warm water with a bit of instant cocoa powder floating about the top. None of the other drinks were refilled. The icecream dishes were, as usual, just okay. Overall, it was a 1 star experience. The only way I'll return is if I'm hog-tied and dragged there with promise of free icecream nachos.
(2)Kerri W.
Came here with a big party for my mothers birthday. We had reservations at 6:45 and finally got seated a bit after 7. Everybody was there at 6:45 though! We all placed and our server did a great job recapping it exactly how we ordered it. Within a totally reasonable amount of time, our food started showing up. They delivered food to about 1/3 of our party. About 10 minutes later another 1/3 of our party. Finally, 20 minutes later the rest of our family was served. Literally 30 minutes went by from the first plate being set down to the last one. And the last one was just Macaroni and Cheese!!! The staff was very obnoxious. If they literally played around less, the I bet the service would be so much better. All that matters is my mother had a good time, however, we will never be back.
(1)Traci A.
Finally got around to visiting the new Farrell's. We used to go to the one at Sunrise Mall in the 70's, so this was a real blast from the past. We went on a Saturday afternoon, so we expected it to be busy. It was a 40-45 minute wait, so we wandered around Big 5 for a while before taking a seat on a bench outside. We were seated in the area immediately to the right, which was fairly quiet. Our server, Eliza, was great. Even though we had to wait a while to get our food and our ice cream, she always came by to give us an update on when we could expect our order. She was pleasant but not over-the-top (you know how those Farrell's servers can be). A girl came around making balloon animals, which thrilled my 4-year-old. When one of the balloons popped, she came back over to repair it. :) The food was good but nothing special, and the ice cream sundaes were tasty. I give this place 3 stars, because the wait times were long (to be seated and to be served), the food was ok, the service was good, and the atmosphere is fun. I think we will go back on a weeknight when it's not as busy.
(3)Kevin C.
Had a great time with the family here. Omani and Celina took great care of us. We will definitely be back.
(4)Jeff R.
After working half a day in the sun, my friend said "let's go to Farrell's for a sundae." It was my first time visiting. I got the hot fudge sundae. The thing was massive. Like, two meals except it was a dessert. We also got the waffle fries. Everything was great, the sundae to die for. Loved the staff singing and putting on a show every time they brought out a huge ice cream bowl called "The Zoo." A fun experience to be sure. After filling up on fries & ice cream, it was tough to get back to work, though, lol. ;)
(4)Lolly G.
Came in and received horrible service from a server named Jenn B. Our ice cream took over 20 minutes to arrive, we didn't get water or beverages while waiting. We parked in what must have been the employee parking area. When we left, we saw our server, Jenn B, smoking what appeared to be a marijuana cigarette in her car. That explains why the sundaes took so long. We will not be back to Farrell's. They serve Thrify's brand ice cream and the service is poor.
(1)Lora P.
Just had great service by Brandon!!! Food was great. Good job celina for training him so well!! I will be back!!
(5)Aaron S.
Loved loved loved this place on Fulton Avenue in the 1970's. I am glad that it was brought back. However, it lacks the charm it once had. Food is less than average. Go for the experience and ice cream, but eat beforehand.
(2)Kurt K.
I haven't been to a Farrell's since I was a kid living in southern California so I was excited when they built this one in Sacramento. This place is a true old fashion ice cream parlor in every sense. The staff is friendly, the food is awesome, and the atmosphere exciting. This is my second visit and my goal is to eventually try every sundae on their menu. This place is a treat!
(5)Michael H.
Did you ever ask, "I wonder what an ice cream parlor would be like if everyone involved was coked out of their heads?" If so, your answer is waiting for you at Arden and Watt. Insanely loud. A food delivery system that seems to have been designed by a demented chimpanzee. Wait times that boggle the mind. Staff who believe their schtick is funnier if shouted at the top of their lungs. Drum banging. Random screaming from hoarse employees whose only role seems to be "entertaining" customers. Here's how you have the Farrell's experience at a fraction of the cost: bring home a tub of Dreyer's from Safeway. Wait outside your house for two hours before going in to eat it. Pay the neighbor's kids $5 to scream in your face throughout the experience. Enjoy.
(1)Dewey D.
I loved this place. Had some really neat birthday songs loud and fun. Great for all ages
(5)Kimmy N.
I was real excited to try out this place since I heard it was more fun than leatherbys and I've always went to leatherbys my whole life. This place is always packed when I drive by from day and night. I thought the atmosphere was real cool, had that old fashioned look to it and everyone was real friendly and energetic which is what this place is known for. Fun, energetic, more of a party type of place. I do have to give this place a 3 star only because of a few things. The timing isn't so great, I expected more customer service, and when the food came out, it was kind of weird. First of all, we order food which went by smoothly. Food took maybe 25 minutes to come out which I expected because there were maybe 12 of us. I even see a table of around 10 sitting in front of me and they haven't eaten either. Anyways, our food comes out, we finish it in maybe 5 minutes because we all partnered up and split our burgers which I thought was really yummy! However, when we were done eating, we asked to order ice cream and they said sure, let's clear up the table. I was hoping they'd take the order and place it so they can get our ice cream while they clean. Our ice cream took maybe 40 minutes to come out. As we got our ice cream, I finally see the table in front of me get their ice cream as well. I give props to that table for waiting almost an hour for their food lol. Second, I expected more Customer service because these people are great entertainers. But not once did our drinks get refilled. We're drinking out of each others waters and we were never checked up on after they served our food. Third, I don't understand how the food came out. They split our burgers in half and if we put the Burger together as a full burger, it is not even a full sized burger. Did we get jipped a few bites? Plus, my burger had cheese on it, and the one I shared my burger with had no cheese on it which was weird but whatever. My 2 baby nephews had Mac n cheese with fries. Why did one Mac n cheese come out with fries and the other Mac n cheese came out a few minutes later with no fries? We had to keep asking where the fries were. Maybe they were running out but they didn't say anything to us. Anyways... This whole thing was for my nephews birthday and he had fun. Had animal balloons, lots of funny singing. But the hype of this place was average for me. I expected a lot more. I will come back but hopefully on a not so busy night. I do think the food was real good! The ice cream was regular. Nothing too special. I think I rather eat here for the food but leatherbys for the ice cream.
(3)L S.
2 hour wait for a establishment that doesn't even make their own ice cream?? Why is this place such a big deal??? There were literally 50 to 60 people waiting outside to get in. The line of people was wrapping around the building! The restaurant itself was extremely loud and while we were attempting to sign in there were 3 people angrily demanding to speak with a manager. In the end we decided to take our business elsewhere. There are plenty of well established, independent ice cream parlors in the area to choose from (Leatherby's, Gunthers, Vic's). I will gladly take my money to one of those than waste 2 hours of my time here.
(1)casey m.
We only went here for ice cream and man, did I choose wrong. I got some caramel nutty sundae and it was awful. I expected nuts, but there was more whipped cream and nuts on this than there was ice cream. It was barely edible. Even after I tried to get rid of most of the nuts it still tasted super salty (and I am someone who LOVES salted caramel, but ew). Also, the constant singing for birthdays, finishing troughs of ice cream, etc was a little excessive- and there were only a handful if tables full. I can't imagine being here when it's crowded! Next time I'll just go to leatherbys!
(2)Tyffani N.
This place is like a leatherby's on crack!!!! The wait time is suuuper long.. but it is understandable... It is a family restaurant, so it takes families longer to eat. So don't get mad that you come in without a rsvp and have to wait an hour.... When entering, you get a small dose of a small candy shop where you can buy merchandise and taffy....and that's pretty awesome. The food is also pretty good, we had ordered a few different items and they were all yummy with pretty big portions. Must try the galic fries!!! They are bomb!! The best part is the entertainment. There are guys making balloon animals and singing amazing birthday songs mimicking top hits!!!! All of the servers are super friendly. The restroom is clean (its new!) Remember it is a family restaurant, therefore, there will be babies crying, kids screaming, and parents yelling after them.. lol DO NOT GO HERE IF YOUR'RE LOOKING FOR A ROMANTIC DINNER DATE!! haha
(4)Maricela M.
If you are under the age of 6, you will have the time of your life. I, as a 23 year old hated it. I sat near the darn alarm that rung EVERY FLIPPIN FLAPPIN FIVE MINUTES...the food was horrible I couldnt even finish my chicken tenders it's like everything is cooked in a big broth of salt and the ice cream was not even as good as an expired gallon of dryers...over all I'm not quite sure why I am giving this place even two stars, but I mean if I had a couple 5 year old kids, I would bring them hear. GREAT kids place, HORRIBLE adult place.
(2)Brittaney H.
Loved this place! Very fun atmosphere perfect if you need a stress reliever. Careful on what you order if your shy haha they are gonna sing to you! :) My boyfriend took me here and SWORE the ice cream I was ordering wasnt a song dish..... LIES lol No, but the song was great. Very catchy and I loved their brownies :)
(5)Dane C.
They're new, I get that there are going to be kinks to iron out, but 2 hours from arriving to leaving, is just silly. I also understand that since they're new, they were going to be busy, but the staff member taking names, needs to be reminded how to listen to her customers, their questions and requests. Once we were finally seated, our server introduced herself and was never seen again, which meant that I had to interrupt the conversation of a different server and ask for a new one. To be fair to them, the burger was pretty darn good....once it arrived. (It's why I gave two stars) The sundae wasn't bad either, but did take a stupid amount of time to arrive. After lunch we asked to speak to the manager and told him of our concerns. He seemed to be VERY receptive and thanked us for the feedback (We were sure to give props to our new server who was busy with his own tables, but was always seeing if we were "doing ok"), and gave us the general manager's phone number and asked us to call him directly. Will I go back? Yes, but I am going to give it a while so that they can get their act a bit better sorted out.
(2)Sarah Y.
First of all if you're in a hurry or are expecting fast service because you are "only getting ice cream" then don't bother. Maybe wait until they've been open for long than a week, or maybe don't come at all, all your complaining was annoying. As for me, I read all the yelp reviews before I came and I've worked in the restaurant industry for almost 10 years, sooo maybe I'm a little more understanding. I came early just to put my name down, we had a party of 7 and I heard it could take up to 2 hours for a table. So we arrived a little after 5:30 on a Wednesday, we were told 45 minutes, we only waited a little over 20 minutes. I explained to them that half of my party was meeting us later for ice cream, but the rest of us wanted to have dinner and ice cream and they were very understanding and accommodating. Our server, Alex, seemed friendly enough, but he also seemed very rushed and flustered. Maybe he's never been a server before this, or maybe he has but never to this capacity (this place is huge and crazy busy), but he wasn't a very good server. He kept rushing us to order, then once we did he only came back (multiple times) to tell us "your food will be out shortly", it took almost 40 minutes for our food. I wasn't really upset about the wait time for food, but don't tell us 3 times that it will be out shortly when that's clearly not the case. He never refilled our drinks and when I asked him to buss our plates because we wanted to order ice cream he had a look on his face like, "that's not my job" and only took two plates and left the rest. Thankfully everyone else we dealt with were very warm and happy to help us with what we needed. Drinks were refilled and plates were bussed, it just took longer than you would hope since we called over different people. The food was good. Was it the best thing I ever ate? No, but it was good ol burgers and sandwiches. No one had any complaints and everyone ate everything on their plate. I had the rueben, corned beef was sliced very thin with lots of melted swiss cheese, saurkraut and their "secret" sauce, I think there could have been a little more sauce though. Everyone else had burgers, and they said they were pretty good. Their ice cream sundaes are HUGE and delicious! Supposedly they use thrifty ice cream, which some people apparently have a problem with, I actually find this to be great!!! I LOVE thrifty ice cream, I grew up loving to go to thrifty's so I could get a 25 cent square scoop of ice cream. Maybe it's nostalgia or maybe it's because they really do have good ice cream, either way enjoying thrifty ice cream between a split banana with hot fudge, whipped cream, nuts, and cherry on top was a wonderful birthday treat for me. :) I would not come here frequently, Farrell's is a fun place for a birthday or some kind of celebration. They sing a song if it's you're celebrating something, and if you're not they'll sing a funny song about the sundae you order. I chose this place for my birthday because I'm a big kid and the thought of a goofy song led with a drummer for my birthday sounded fantastic. I even requested one of the drummers cause I liked his style, Regan said he would do something special for me when it was my turn. Apparently our server didn't let him know when our ice cream came out, so when they served the ice cream Alex just said, "Oh, uh, I dunno where the drummer is, sorry." And walked away. Now I just turned 31 I'm not gonna cry that someone didn't sing happy birthday to me, but uh isn't this the whole point of coming here? LOL No worries though Regan came to our table, saw we had our ice cream and asked if they sang happy birthday with out him, I told him no one did anything. He was surprised and looked a little irritated with what I had said, so he went ahead and did a big fun song ALL BY HIMSELF for me. None of his co-workers sang with him or anything, which is what they usually do. So REGAN, "Thank you for making my day and letting me celebrate my 31st first birthday like it was my 10th. It was definitely memorable :)"
(4)Brad G.
Came here towards closing for some ice cream and we had Alexander for our waiter and he was straight awesome and enthusiastic. Unfortunately his shift was ending so Esther took over for him she was quite nice and made sure one of the sundaes didn't have nuts being that my mom has a nut allergy. Sad to say it took an hour for our ice cream showed up even though it wasn't that busy as usual but to make up for it Esther got the manager Christine to take off 50% off our bill and then later Christine came out herself and just made it 100% off and apologized for the inconvenience. That definitely made my experience very enjoyable.
(4)Danny H.
We were excited to try this place with our boys for the first time after all the hype from the news. We went early to avoid a rush, yet there was still a long wait. It was very confusing when we arrived as I went inside to put our name on the list, but was quickly told to go back outside and find the a person with a paper to take down my name (Where was she to start with). I was OK with the 25 minutes or so wait outside on a Saturday morning, as the weather was nice. I loved the inside decorations, wallpaper, paint, etc. It was very nice and clean. It felt very patriotic. I was quiet annoyed with the menu. For a restaurant that JUST opened its doors the same week, I would expect them to have a menu that isn't outdated. The front page of the newspaper style menu had a main story for an ice cream eating contest that ended the month prior, the month before this restaurant even opened. I even heard customers around me excited about the contest only to realize it had passed. Nonetheless, on to the prices. I recognize that places like this jack the food prices up, but really! The food was not worth the price. It wasn't organic, local, or fresh. Just over priced food. Let me specifically talk about the $7 Kids mac and cheese, that our waiter clearly explained to us was just store bought craft mac and cheese, the cheap stuff. But for a few dollars more we could get the adult version that was made there with better ingredients. While I am on the kids menu, lets talk about kids. This place clearly caters to kids, as it features ice cream, birthday parties, candy and toys. For a new development that caters to kids, why not go ahead and cater to them, by offering kid size toilets and urinals and sinks kids can reach to wash their hands? On to the issues...As we oh so patiently waited for our food, we could have had at least 3 different meals. The guys that deliver the food (They were all guys for some reason), they couldn't seem to find the right table. No one know which table was which. Table 88 to be exact. They were so confused. I encountered this kind of thing at another new place I visited a couple weeks ago. Why can't businesses provide better training for its employees before opening the doors. The same with the waiter knowing the menu and what comes with what. Although the food was just meh, the ice cream was good, yet over priced as I would expect. I ordered the ice cream nachos which sounded unique. It offered waffle chips and three different flavors of ice cream with different toppings. I expected a better executed dish. Regardless of the ice cream being slightly melted due to the waiters speed, the blueberries were shriveled up looking frozen ones. For a city like Sacramento who loves its farmer's markets, you have to do better than that. Also, how hard would it be to make actual triangle waffle "chips" to serve with something called Ice Cream Nachos? It was just the broken pieces of waffle cones that resembled noting of a chip. I will give you another try someday Farrell's, but you can't change first impressions! Better luck with another customer.
(2)Theresa I.
Don't go on Halloween around 7pm. This was my first time at Farrell's. We had to wait about 10 mins to be seated even though there were plenty of empty tables in one area. We waited about 20 - 30 mins until we got someone to take our order. We waited about another 20-30 mins before we got our ice cream orders. There were a few people who came by once each-- but they never came back a second time. Like the person who made the different balloon creations gave us a card that showed us what he could make. He never came back to our table. Or the person who said she would come back with a list of all the different ice cream flavors available. She didn't come back. One person did apologize because they did not anticipate the number people coming, so they didn't ask enough people to come to work. I don't know whether I would want to try a second time. The ice cream dish that I ordered was just ok.
(1)Huy N.
This place was by far the greatest ice cream experience I've ever had. Why? Well, the fun experience along with the good food just made a boring Wednesday night an awesome Wednesday night. Although I wasn't too happy that my group of friends were left waiting outside for about an hour, and I saw them seating customers that came in after us, the whole experience altogether was more than enough to compensate for the long wait. Our AWESOME waiter, Alexander, along with the rest of the Farrell's staff were always at our booth singing to us and telling us hilarious jokes. To be honest, I think we were their favorite table. The ice cream was alright. I mean, it's regular ice cream. But I believe that their food is what sets this place apart from Leatherby's. Their food was really good. I just ordered the garlic fries which was pretty good, and sampled some of my friends' food. The sum things up, I had a lot of fun. Even though my table was still there 2-3 hours past the closing time, the staff still came to us, singing all sorts of songs and dancing and just showing us a good time. They treated us more as if we were friends than customers. By the time we actually got ready to leave, the whole entire store said goodbye to us. I'm coming back.
(5)Gene F.
The crowds in the evenings sometimes overwhelm the invariably friendly staff. Expect 20 to 40 minute waits for a table. There's usually no wait for seats at the bar. The ice cream servings are very large. This new Farrell's is a reminder of the original but not a completely faithful reincarnation. It doesn't have the kitsch, the arcade or the completely, over-the-top theatrics when presenting the most humongous creations. Maybe it will develop a personality of it's own over time.
(3)Robert C.
burger are great, Ice Cream is outstanding. The noise level of the place could stand to be decreased. For kids under 13 this is a great small party celebration destination. For some reason this quote floated to the top of my thoughts "Now, you know it's up to you whether or not you want to just do the bare minimum. Or uh...well, like Brian, for example, has thirty seven pieces of flair, okay. And a terrific smile" - Office Space
(4)Ken F.
We went to Farrell's with our family of five and each of our three kids brought a friend for an end of the school year ice cream celebration. The service and atmosphere was as good as I remember if from 35 years ago but The Zoo was not as I remembered it. The Zoo cam out with all the fanfare which was awesome and the kids loved it. Then we noticed that although they are 8 of us, there are only 6 banana pieces and cherries. I think they could have put 2 more of each on so each member of our party could have some. Then when I attempted to scoop some out, the icecream was frozen hard as a rock and all compacted into the bottom of the bowl. I had to wait a few minutes before I could even get any out. The toppings were incredibly sparse also and all on the very top of the ice cream. The zoo was a premade, frozen solid dissapointment. I warn you now, dont order. Just bite the bullet and let everyone order what they want.
(3)My N.
Really bad case of flys. most of them are outside. however, the amount that landed on me. never again.
(1)Beth B.
I am surprised to see these negative reviews. We were very excited to see this place open. I had been there as a kid and had fond memories. They said the wait would be up to an hour but for us, a part of two, it was less than 10 minutes. The place is big and beautiful, and very lively and fun. The staff was really going the extra effort to make it a special place, just like I remember in the olden days. Our food was delish and was served by a great waitress that used to work at the old Farrells when she was 16 years old. Our Ice Cream choice was not the best, we got the brownie sunday. My boyfriend enjoyed it, but I wish we would have tried something different. We will return to this very unique place and enjoy the revival of some of Sacramentos history. And come on folks, don't hate...appreciate : )
(5)Brian H.
We had a blast , really good service with excellent ice cream menu . The Ambiance really made my daughters birthday a little more special . The ice cream was really good, the singing and the drums .. Really a good time . Good food . We will definately be back ...
(5)leisureman k.
Loved this place as a kid, love it now as an adult. Ambiance is as expected and should be...fun! Ice cream is very good. Not sure why reviewers want to compare non-ice cream reviews with Leatherby's; two totally different experiences. Service is the same for both; if it's crowded, you'll wait longer. If it's hot, your ice cream will melt. Get over it! Both are good, and we're lucky to have both!
(5)Roop D.
I had their classic sundae and it was delicious!! The place had a really cool and upbeat vibe.
(4)Milton G.
Came here on a Saturday about noon. As expected, the place was busy. The last time I was at a Farrell's was 35+ years ago back when I was a kid. It was just as noisy and fun as I remembered. The hostesses were very cordial and the wait staff were great and always in high spirits. I ordered the Swiss Mushroom burger and shared one of the holiday sundaes with my son. The portions were large, the burger tasted great. My son loved the sundae, as for me I was okay with it, but that's a personal preference, as I knew that the Christmas holiday sundae had peppermint ice cream, of which I'm not a peppermint fan. I've seen some prior review of this Farrell's that weren't very flattering, but it seems as though they have righted the ship since their opening.
(4)Courtney B.
The food was pretty good. My boyfriend and I split a chicken sandwich and asked if we could put truffle oil in it. It turned out pretty good. The ice cream was good. The only thing that I MUST complain about is the service. I put in a reservation a couple of days before and arrived a bit early to check in. We were seated 45 minutes after the time reserved, which was very disappointing. After we were seated and given our drinks, our waiter took about 30 mintutes to come back and take our orders. We tried to flag him down countless times, but he barley glanced at our area. After we ordered, our appetizers came out. They came out with a mountain instead of a hill of onion rings. They waited told us he would only charge us for a hill. Then out food came out, which was not too far off from our appetizers. We ordered our ice creams and it took 45 minutes just for our ice cream to arrive. When we received the check, they did charge us for the mountain. Of course we got that corrected. The atmosphere was great. I wish I could say the same for the service.
(2)Jason S.
Not normally a fan of chain restaurants but their are very few true Ice Cream parlors around, and this is one of them. Fun atmosphere, pretty good food for a ice cream parlor and lots and lots of Ice Cream. If you're looking for healthy options on the menu... I'd have to ask why you're in a Ice Cream Parlor! The energy here is fantastic and the 1920 ish style wall paper and 1930 top hats the employee wear provide more than a bit of humor not to mention the noise, bells, whistle and the singing is awesome especially if its your Birth Day! But this location just opened so will see if they keep it up.
(5)Robert G.
Today I decided to take my girlfriend out for ice cream. This was our first time visiting Farrell's and we were both surprised to see the vintage parlor styled theme with all the employees & decor(they had bacon cotton candy..). After being seated I noticed that there was a food section on the menu and I honestly wasn't expecting to get real food at an ice cream place.. So I ordered the "Old MacFarrell's Burger"(ithadfriedegg&baconsoihadtoo)& my lady ordered the "Swiss Mushroom Truffle" both burgers were very tasty and satisfying to our liking. The service here is great & the employees have a lot of character.(not sure why dude yelled a compliment across the way.. About my girlfriends hat being cool but we laughed) This establishment is meant for normal people with a sense of humor that don't mind noise. Get the Ice Cream Nachos if you have room!! Thanks Farrell's
(4)China Doll B.
Can you say "OMG!" I can. When it comes to this places it's very unusual. But in a very good way. The atmosphere is very fiesta with an old time flip to it. It looks like something out of the "Music Man." They sing different tunes to happy birthday but the bad thing about that ...well, you're famous songs such as "We Will Rock You,' " The Adam Family" and a few other classic songs go through that grinder. The ice cream creations are awesome with mind blowing taste. The banana split was exactly what I remembered from my younger years. We also decided on the Brownie Ice Cream Creation. Both desserts were the talk of the table. The French Dip Sandwich looked great and I had a bite of it from my son's plate. Yes, the French fries were golden crunch and every bit as lovely as the ice cream. ( The only down side is that we did order a side order of French Fries and we had to remind our waiter-who played it off like it's coming up. But I know it takes seven minutes approximately to fry those-it took about that long for our extra fries to arrive.) We come to the Pièce de résistance was the sarsaparilla. It's a wonderful drink. If you didn't know what it is- It was made from the root of the sarsaparilla plant, and it tasted much like today's root beer. A carbonated beverage called sarsaparilla is still manufactured, but its taste is largely the result of artificial flavorings. I believe that Farrell's uses the carbonated beverage. Oh, before I forget-word to the wise go after 3 p.m. and before 4:30 p.m. on the weekdays. Weekends and evenings are when you will find yourself in long wait to get in.
(5)Gerry D.
Since this location is still pretty new, the service took very long, our order was messed up, and once you get your food, there pretty much was no follow up (we were asked if we wanted a refill when we were about to leave). The waitress said that the loud noises in the restaurant messed her up that's why she messed up our order. This place is loud! Screaming, drumming, bells, and workers acting like they're on an acid trip. I wouldn't suggest this place if kids are sensitive to loud noises.The food was okay and you can definitely get better ice cream elsewhere. Was this place worth it after an hour wait (some people waited 2 hours)? I guess it's up to you on how you want to experience this place.My daughter had a blast and its what made the trip worth it. Would probably go back again once the hype dies down. Be prepared to spend extra money on balloon animals, souvenirs and candy.
(2)Cynthia Z.
Ice cream was good but they sat us right by a huge loud horn scared my baby so bad that she wouldn't not stop crying.. It's extremely loud and not a place for small children..
(2)Keena V.
Beware! They just opened. The wait for a table is long (we went at 8pm and the wait was supposed to be 1.5hrs) and the wait for food is long (I think we got our food in about an hour - just 2 Oreo blisses). Don't go there hungry, you'll be hungry by the time you get your food. The wait staff is entertaining enough (jokes, songs, etc.) and I felt the food was reasonably priced compared to any other restaurant (themed or not) in the area. I'm definitely going back when all the hype has gone down. Our waitress Chandler was awesome and helped pass the time of waiting for our food by conversating, joking, and making sure we had everything we needed.
(4)Craig B.
Farrell's is loud!!!! It is also fun, a lot of fun!! You don't come to Farrell's for a quick bite or just ice cream to go. Farrell's caters to families, couples and people in general who enjoy positive energy and stuffed bellies. On a diet? Not a place for you but you could try. Service is wonderful!! Songs, jokes, and attentive smiles, even by the guy who cleans up your table. The food is good and the ice cream is better. If you order a cheeseburger, you will be satisfied. It's not MacDonald's but its not Burger N' Brew either but I don't expect it to be. The creative creations of ice cream is why you come to Farrell's, that and a big bass drum. Get used to it and embrace it. You are not taking your Aunt Vera to Marie Callender's. You are taking her to Farrell's! So sing a song and so will Aunt Vera. Oh, and don't get caught with your nose attached to your cell phone.
(5)Jade S.
Rude hostesses.. Very, very slow service. Tables stay dirty, obviously they don't have staff that cares. Food was alright.. Nothing special. I wouldn't recommend!
(1)Raiden E.
I know it's new and has been opened for only a week. They could improve on some things. First off, I see a lot of employees just walking around or hanging out at the front counter. They're a lot of tables that are empty with people waiting for tables! Our milkshake took about 45 minutes to get to us but our server was nice to not charge us. I wanted a sundae but did not want to wait, so I didn't order one. If they can work out the "kinks", it would be a great place to eat. Very family oriented and I like the ambiance. I will go back but not for a while.
(3)Jon M.
I had the Reuben it was great everyone at the table enjoyed their meal as well. Still a great place for a birthday party! Oh yes, they have Ice Cream!
(4)James H.
Portion sizes are large and prices are reasonable. It is loud because this place is a birthday party magnet and the staff is constantly singing happy birthday... Nostalgic interior, music and uniforms it is definitely a good place to take the family. However, I was disappointed when the award for finishing one of the Belly Buster's Challenge meals I ordered and completed by myself was not presented to me as mentioned on their menu. Its a small thing, and with it being my son's birthday I wasn't going to make a big deal of it. Perhaps a little more organization would solve the chaos.
(3)Crystal L.
Going here further solidifies my leatherbys review as 5 stars. This place is just ok. Staff was very friendly but food was just ok as was the ice cream. Everything cost more then leatherbys and wasn't anywhere near as good. They have less then half the Ice cream flavors of leatherbys and their chocolate sauce is about as good as Smuckers in a jar. Save yourself and just go to leatherbys.
(3)John C.
We came here (party of 4 adults, a 3 year old and a baby) before they opened for the Firefighter Burn Institute fundraiser. There were no lines, and the place was not full at all. Our server was friendly, and the food was decent, albeit, slightly overpriced based on the menu prices (we paid $20.00 a ticket and all the proceeds went to the FBI). However, some of our orders were incorrect--they did fix it, though. The two things that stand out that just irritated me to no end: During the course of our meal, several workers CONSTANTLY asked if they could clear any plates from our table..and I am not exaggerating when I say we had three people ask in less than five minutes. Why can't you just let me enjoy my meal and clear it when we're done? We didn't have an overflow of plates on our table. My 3 year old is allergic to peanuts. For our ice cream, I told them this, and asked that they use a clean scoop and scoop his ice cream first (a banana split sundae with nuts on the side). Now--in all my life, a sundae usually comes with crushed almonds. We get them on the side because one of us liked them, one did not--not because my son is allergic. Out comes our ice cream, with a bowl of peanuts on the side that they put on our table. seriously? I'll give it another chance, but the workers need to get over their nervousness, stop asking CONSTANTLY about silverware (but please, ask me if I need a refill on my beverage), and PLEASE be more mindful of the peanut allergy issue.
(3)Megan W.
I was home in Sacramento and my Mom insisted we go to Farrell's, as she had remembered it being amazing growing up. We waited a decent amount of time(maybe 30-40 minutes around 1pm on a Saturday), but for anyone who eats non-exclusively at drive thrus, places of food service are ALWAYS busy on weekends/peak meal times. Anyway, we got our table and ordered a cheesesteak to share. It was pretty loud and the service was that sort of joking, obnoxious service you'd get at a Joe's Crab Shack sort of place, but it was expected. Cheesesteak was really good and I love that their Cherry Coke is cherry syrup. It was a pretty long dining experience, but again it was busy and it's a new restaurant. I'll go back when I'm in town!
(3)Kathy B.
My granddaughter's first birthday party was held there yesterday and I was so pleased with how everything was handled. The service was awesome. Our waiter was Captain Ron. We ordered The Zoo which was suppose to feed 1-10. We had 12 people there to celebrate my granddaughter's birthday. There was more than enough ice cream for everyone to take home after the party. Captain Ron was awesome when it came to handling the little ones. He knows how loud noises scare them so the singing and bringing in "The Zoo" was kept at a low tone. He had my granddaughter laughing throughout the party. I highly recommend Farrell's for a good time whether it's a party or not!!!!
(5)Sarah K.
Went there at 4:30 on a Sunday afternoon to celebrate our anniversary. Showed up and checked in. We asked how long the wait was and were told there was a 2 and a half hour wait. Two and a half hours??? Seriously?? And the worst part, she wasn't even gonna TELL us how long the wait was until we asked. Um, if thats how long the wait is you should be telling them as soon as they walk up. We were so upset we left and called them back. They said if we were a party of 6 or more they would call us when the table was ready and if we were a party of 8 or more we could make reservations. We asked "So you really expect us to wait for 2.5 hours out in the sun?". They responded with "Well, we don't expect you to do anything." Super lame. Who the heck has time to wait 2.5 hours for freaking ice cream? These people obviously don't know how to run a business. If the wait is 2.5 hours then you need to change how you run the system. Let people make reservations, or something! I don't care how good the ice cream is, this is terrible. Thanks for ruining my anniversary, jerks.
(1)Karina R.
We had two in our party. The wait was quoted 25 mins but we were sat in 10. For lunch I ordered a bacon cheeseburger, cooked perfectly but a lot of bread. It was alright. Then for dessert we shared a brownie sundae, the brownie was warm & soft but not enough hot fudge on the sundae. The server swiftly brought us an extra side of hot fudge. It was definitely big enough for two. Our server was hilarious and fun. He took great care of us. I liked all the songs the workers sing. It was a good time!
(4)Kyle B.
I have been 2 times now, once with the family & once on date night. Both times were the same experience. Very loud & energetic atmosphere, enthusiastic staff, great ice cream. The food lacked basis seasoning, price is OK, not great. My kids want to go every time we drive by.
(3)Jessie S.
It is not like any other place I have been before. Most of the servers are really on it and they work very hard for there money. I thought it was owned by Disney at first that's what the atmosphere felt like to me. The food was good but the ice cream was a lot better. I have given Farrell's a fine star rating because the sever we had his name was Alex, or Hey Guy he was on it and he gave us an incredible time.
(5)Liana B.
Love the atmosphere and the interior decoration! Staff was extremely friendly, but of course we got stuck with a waiter who was no where to be found when we needed something. However the other waiters and busboys who were around were nice and helpful. As for the ice cream, it's okay.. It's not anything ridiculously good.. But overall, I would go back just because the atmosphere is super fun and laid back.
(3)Diane Y.
My first and last experience at Farrell's was disappointing and horrible. I was craving ice cream so my boyfriend and I decided to try out this place. We would have gone to the usual leatherbys but decided to try out this place instead. Big Mistake. I'm a server and have worked in restaurant business for some time so I'm usually lenient and not critical when it comes to restaurants and service because hey things happen, but this was unacceptable. We walked in around 9pm and the place seemed pretty empty. We waited by the door to get seated or even greeted by the workers but nothing. At least 6 workers walked by us and another couple waiting to get seated before us (who knows how long they waited). The workers were talking to each other, playing around, laughing with another, but not one came up to us to seat or or let alone greet us. I kept making eye contact with the workers but all of them would look, and then go back to doing their own thing (messing around with the piano talking to each other). Another worker literally was standing right by us talking to the other worker above us on the staircase about something irrelevant to work. Finally, one of the workers had to come up to one of the workers who were messing around with the piano to seat us. Being totally shocked about what just happened, we took our seats and looked through the menu. The server did not come to us until at least 20 mins to take our order. My boyfriend ordered a hamburger and a strawberry/vanilla milkshake and I ordered a salad and banana royale. The hamburger was alright, nothing really special about it and my salad was super dry. The lettuce was not fresh at all. Then the server brought out the milkshake for my boyfriend, dropped it off, and walked away. I looked at the milkshake and told my boyfriend that it was just a plain vanilla milkshake, he agreed and did not touch it and we waited for the server to come back. The server was not seen anywhere and it took us 10 mins to track her down (there were no other servers to be seen). We tell her the problem and that he ordered a strawberry/vanilla milkshake. She apologized but went on telling us that they only use vanilla ice cream and strawberry sauce to make the strawberry milkshake at Farrell's. Confused my boyfriend told her that he just wanted vanilla and strawberry ice cream to be mixed together. After repeating this multiple times to the server, she finally caught on and said okay. It seemed like she just wanted us to add the strawberry sauce to the already made vanilla milkshake and drink it. The worst part was when my banana royale came out. Our seats were right next to the parlour area where the food and desserts comes out so we could see when my banana royal came out. It's about 9:40, getting close to closing time, so we wanted to hurry up and eat it so we could leave for them to close. I look around for our server but again, she's nowhere to be found. 10 mins pass by and the server is still m.i.a and I can see that my ice cream is melting. And then I see one of the other servers walk up to the area where my ice cream was sent out to and started talking to the other worker working behind the parlour bar area. They talk and look at each other and both look at the ice cream, laugh, and continue to talk. By this time, I was annoyed. I finally make eye contact with the worker who was standing there and then she looks back and starts talking again to the other worker. A few minutes later, she decides to bring the ice cream to the table. The ice cream was melted. The two scoops of ice cream were basically watery, leaving only a couple bites on top. I did not enjoy it at all. The server finally shows up later with the bill, then leaves once again. I put my card in the tab and place it on the table. We wanted to pay and leave since we weren't enjoying anything here. Surprise surprise, it took us another 15 mins before we saw our server again to take our bill. As soon as we got it, we paid tip, and left. Awful experience. Honestly, the foods not bad and even the ice cream would have been okay if it weren't all melted, but the service and staff .. no thank you. Maybe if the workers paid more attention to the customers instead of messing around with each other, talking and playing, then the restaurant would start getting better reviews.
(1)Lee W.
Brandon was our waiter and he was the BEST - full of enthusiasm and fun...when we saw him. We mostly had a great time entertaining ourselves. We came in for ice cream only and it took us over two hours to order, wait and eat. He brought out waters for everyone, some of us ordered coffee, some decaf. The regular coffee took about 20 minutes. The decaf showed up as we were finishing our ice cream. No one ever came around to refill water or coffee once we got it. Half of our group ordered a zoo and the other half ordered individual sundaes. The sundaes were served 15 minutes before the zoo arrived, so those that had the sundaes were done with them before the zoo arrived. You cant really be polite and wait for everyone else to get their order, when the sundae you are paying $9 for is melting into a puddle. The entertainment, atmosphere, and ice cream were great. The service was AWFUL. I don't know if you need more servers, cooks, preppers, floaters or what, but the service has to improve or no one will visit the Sacramento Farrells a second time, especially when they can go to Leatherbys down the road and maybe not enjoy such a festive atmosphere, but be able to order and eat without taking up an entire afternoon.
(2)Ameshia A.
I went here for the first time 6/18/14, i know it has a very long history in Sacramento but i never knew it existed. So anyhow I went in with a very large group. I walked in and it is so cute with an old school ice cream parlor theme and the "gift shop" area looks like a cute little candy store. We were put in our section and the waitress was attentive and patient and fast! It was so loud every other second there was a song and someone banging on a drum and I loved it!! I was dancing and smiling through my sunday. I must admit, it is over priced. It is not outrageous but you are definetly paying for your experience. But i plan to go back and take my kids, seeing them have all the fun i know they will have is worth a $4 scoop of ice cream.
(3)Angela G.
Alright. This place is good for you if your high energy loud and in everyones face kind of person. The food was good Ice cream was good the noise level makes it tough to have any conversation. Only 4 people can be on one check. Staff is thoroughly confused. Every server has a specific job.... We asked the food server for a water refill and he was confused. Sent the water server over. Just chaos. If I was drunk it would have been a blast. But they only have beer lol. Coffee and banana split was great!!
(3)Jessica P.
We decided to visit the newly opened Farrell's on 8/16 a Friday night at 5:45PM. We were told it was a 2 1/2 hour wait. We waited 45 minutes and my party of 3 adults and 2 children (7 an 6) were seated and I must say, despite the wait outside in the heat (ice water was provided) and the wait, we had a great time! Yes the atmosphere is LOUD but the experience was great, the food was good and our girls had a great time and that's all that mattered. Considering this place just opened, you are are going to read about these unhappy people that no matter how hard you try, will never be satisfied. My advice is go for yourself and see how you rate the place!
(4)Craig T.
Took 45 minutes to get 2 classic sundaes. One of them was the wrong flavor and the waitress argued that we were wrong. She then brought out a scoop of the correct flavor and CHARGED us for it. Ice cream came out melted so I couldn't tell you how the quality was. They are still new and probably learning how to operate.
(1)Sarah H.
If It wasn't for their delicious creamy ice cream, this place would get 2 or less stars. I love their creative and fun Ice cream concoctions and atmosphere. However, to go with my I've cream, I decided to get a side order of fries with cheese on top. They were cold, stale, and completely unappetizing and unfulfilling. So I decided to get some "Ooey Gooey" mozzarella sticks. They were extremely falsely named and a total letdown. When they came they were cold string cheese covered in lukewarm breading. GROSS. I had the waiter take them back and remove them from our bill. He didn't even apologize or offer to fix the order.
(3)Derek L.
Finally got the chance to try this place out with a buddy of mine. Ordered a Philly cheese steak and my buddy ordered a burger. Lets just say...the menu definitely over exaggerates the entree a bit. Their service is good and the entertainment is hilarious and definitely fun to watch. Then I got a chance to try a sundae with a brownie because the triple fudge brownie sundae was definitely too overwhelming. Then I asked the waitress if "Farrells made their own ice cream?" She then stated "thrifty makes their recipe ice cream" so technically I had Rite Aid ice cream which is totally fine....but I could have just went to Rite Aid and got it for a lot cheaper. This place is definitely a place where you can say its safe to try it once just to see how it's like.
(3)Jennet D.
This is my second time here and I just had to write a review but really only because this time we had an amazingly bubbly, easy to talk to, very pleasant waitress! TYRA! =) Tyra made the second experience awesome so if we could just rate on the waitress alone 5 stars! We had a grumpy waitress the first time but decided to give it another go because of the ice cream lol.The food is alright it's nothing spectacular just fun fancy names for the menu items. The Oreo ice cream is the only one I've tried so far but I like it! The end.
(4)Jessica S.
Went here for my birthday, with some friends. The waitress came and sang me a song but I didn't get my free birthday ice cream. I was so disappointed. Waiting outside we were attacked by annoying flies.
(3)R M.
Pretty much the epitome of three stars- not great, not terrible, just okay. The atmosphere was cool, and I did end up walking out with some candy from the lobby, but the food was pretty forgettable (chicken strips, fries, and cheese sticks). Was surprised at how tasteless the chocolate mint shake was...will be back to Leatherby's before I ever head back to this place.
(3)Tracy M.
Great place for the kids...big and small! It's really noisy (ship bell and kazoo noisy!) but totally worth it if you're ok with loud and crazy.
(4)Shannon P.
Yes, it's loud. Yes, there is a long wait. Yes, it is crazy busy. That said, the food is better than Leatherbys, the price is comparable, it's a new experience and it's a fun environment. Also, I am not sure why there are so many complaints on the wait, there is only so much seating inside and they seemed to be cleaning the tables as fast as they could. The only way to shorten the wait is to hurry people along which is a far more negative experience IMO. I took my son on a Saturday evening. We checked in at 5pm, by 5:45 we were seated and by 6 our food was on the table. Our waiter (Alexander) was training another server and both were as accommodating as could be. They were friendly, made jokes with us and were helpful with menu recommendations. The dinner food (a BLAT for me! kids hot dog for the kid) was far better than the lukewarm soggy sandwiches at Leatherbys and the ice cream creations were unique. It came out hot and quickly, especially given how busy they were. We split the nachos ice cream and it was good. The ice cream is a little better at Leatherbys but it was still a very good treat. We will definitely be back!
(5)Bill M.
We went for my nephews Birthday. Go for the Ice cream not the dinner. and do not mind the overpriced mediocre food if you do. first we got copy's of the menu that were hard to read and cut off at spots. After about 15 minutes the waitress came and said that the prices on the menu were wrong, all the price went up. She asked if I wanted to see a menu with the correct prices and I said yes, later she came and said see could not find one. I was like are you kidding. ( they did say they would just charges us the prices on the menu) but it was crazy that they could not tell me the real price. Half of our water and tea glasses were chip a little at the tops. the food was below average. Service was good but not great. Then it took 15 to 20 minutes to get our ice cream and the birthday song and event. now that part was good. So skip the food and do the desert.
(2)Sean D.
I don't understand the hype. The food is expensive and not that good and the icecream is from Thrifty. You can go get a double scope at Rite Aid for less than a buck. The singing and lightshow stuff is different but too much is actually distracting. I guess I just don't get it.. I hope they do well though... I have come 2 times and both visits were underwhelming.
(2)Kevin F.
I went there w/my son and was told it would be a 20 minute wait or we could sit at the counter and get served immediately. I was given an adult menu and a kids menu w/crayons. We sat at the counter for 15 minutes w/no service what so ever and finally decided to leave and handed the menus and crayons to the 5 hostesses at the front who seemed to have little to do. I'll stick with Vicks Ice cream in Land Park.
(1)Joel J.
Growing up in the Bay Area, one of my pastimes as a kid was going to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor in the Serramonte Shopping Center. I was so EXCITED to know that there was one coming to Sacramento. The food here is actually very good. The burgers tasted fresh, serving sizes were plentiful, and the garlic fries are really "garlicy" good. Unfortunately, the one thing I came here for didn't meet my expectations at all... the ice cream. The ice cream was just okay. Nothing special about it at all. I'm pretty sure my opinion of their ice cream has much to do with the amazingly delicious ice cream I've had down the street at Leatherby's. There is absolutely NO COMPARISON when judging just the ice cream of these two establishments. Leatherby's easily blows them away and sets the bar way high. To be fair, the food at Farrell's is much better than anything Leatherby's can offer. The birthday celebrations are a bit over the top for my liking. The servers were obnoxiously loud trying to hype up the crowd to join in celebration. Constant drumming and screaming was exciting at first, but got old and disruptive real fast. The old familiar birthday siren from the ol Serramonte location during my childhood is also here in Sacramento, but about 4x louder (which got very annoying). It was very difficult to hold a conversation here with all the noise. I suppose it would be more acceptable if we actually went here to celebrate a birthday. Sadly though.. i don't think that's gonna happen. We'd likely go to Leatherby's.
(2)Robbie R.
Went here yesterday. The wait time was a little long but the service made up for it. The food was good for the price and the ice cream was awesome. A short while into our meal the manager Zachariah tried to get our table to assist him in pranking our server Alex. Alex caught on and turned the tables, which resulted in a free desert and a great experience. Will definitely go back for more ice cream.
(5)Ken K.
Be ready for an extremely loud environment, over the top loud. A lot of fun for birthday parties etc... I've been about 5 times since they opened last fall. Some of the wait and server staff are really good, others should probably find a different job. Overall the service is just average. The food is fair. The ice cream is good but I prefer Leatherby's, Vic's or Gunther's. You should also be ready for an hour or more wait on most days. On weekends the wait can be up to two hours. The managers are nice, concerned and try hard to make up for bad situations.
(3)Ashley S.
Pretty gross to watch the kitchen staff and what appeared to be the manager eat food and not wash their hands all while handling food orders. Would rather have Leatherby's any day! We will not be back.
(1)Mellisa C.
I thought this place looked nice but the food was cold and nasty we didn't even get our hole meal at once our gets came back after we had our hamburgers. Our waitress I think her name was Britney seemed like she didn't even want to be there. I did not even leave a tip. Will not be ever going back there. Total waist of money and time. The only good thing about it is the looks
(1)Jane D.
I wish I could give a better review. The service was VERY poor. Starting with our drinks. Not only did they serve the wrong drinks, they then replaced our incorrect order with another incorrect order . There were only 4 of us. It can't be that difficult. Next problem was that it took over 45 minutes to get our burgers after they took our order. Top it all off with the fact that the girl who finally delivered our meals was less than friendly. She more or less shoved them at us without even a word. No smile or even an apology for the delay or to say "Enjoy your meal". I would not recommend coming here. I feel bad for the few (very few) employees that try to give good service. Guess I'll scratch this place off of my list of places to return to. Wish I could scratch it off my list of places to go to.
(1)Analecia L.
Came here with my family and waited forever ! I was hoping the Ice cream would make up for the wait but it didn't . Shared the Pig Trough thing with my Bf & was definitely disappointed ! Majority was whipped cream and banana. And the ice cream tasted generic ! No flavor ! Should've gone to Leatherby's Or bought some from the store. Wasted my time and money ! Servers were friendly and atmosphere was cool but I come for quality ice cream and portions . Never went back and don't plan to . I'll stick to Leatherby's .
(1)Jerry J.
the food was great.. I really like my philly cheese steak sandwich.. the garlic fries are very tasty and not greasy.. I will come here again. the servers are also very good.
(3)Judy K.
Come for the FUN, Ice Cream and Garlic Fries, Welcome back Farrell's. What a delight, to come for a birthday, especially if you come with kids, and it's dads birthday. The kids had a blast watching their good sport father be embarrassed. All in good fun. Watch out for the Zoo being raced around. The energy in this place by employees, it incredible and outrageous. Actually we had sandwiches too, that were really good. I didn't remember Farrell's having good food. We'll be back
(4)Gris G.
I've been going to Leatherby's forever, but decided to try this place and am I glad?!! Great ice cream, bigger menu and great service. They have a nice waiting area/candy store. Really enjoyed their banana split!
(4)Wendy B.
Was there on a Saturday night.. Party of 12 and was taken right back to a table. Food was good.. Ice cream was good.. There was so much singing going on.. It was so much fun and the kids loved all the singing.
(5)Amanda W.
We went there for my son's birthday, just the two of us, because we'd had the big party the weekend before. I realized after dinner but pre-ice cream that I had left my phone in my car and let the waitress know that I was going to go out and get it. My care was parked right in front, so it only took about three minutes, and I took my son with me, because he is 5 and I am a single mom and have to. We purposely left our food, our drinks, and a new book I had just bought him on the table. We left, were back literally in two-three minutes, and found our table had been bussed! They had thrown away not only our half eaten dinners, but his expensive book fair shark book! Seriously?! I asked to see a manager and ultimately he comped the meal. But it's kind of scary to think a busser doesn't know that he should put books/toys he finds at tables in lost and found at least; they had to dig my son's book out of the garbage! I am giving Farrell's three stars because the waitress and manager were both nice about it and they comped the meal, but it was not a good experience and my son was really upset about his book. Shout out to the single parents out there who forget something in the car! Be careful at Farrell's, it's not enough to tell the waitress!
(3)Steve R.
This place was fun! Haven't been to a Farrell's in ages but it was rockin!! Tip - do not come here if your hungover or if you have a headache..... Or if your face will crack if you smile.
(5)Lance G.
Buffalo chicken sandwich was OK. Not bad, not great. Needed more buffalo sauce. French Dip was Terrible - Bread and meat with a flavorless Au Jus. Arby's is better - that's not a rip on arbys - it's fast food so my expectations are not that high. Horse radish was more like mayonnaise with a dash of horse radish flavor. Completely bland. Kids meals were a bit pricey for what was provided. The Chicken one had very limited fries and wasn't enough for a 3 year old who doesn't each that much. Maybe there were 12 fries. I think you can chalk some of this up to being a new place that was slammed with customers. I can only give partial credit though - if you're too busy to provide good service, offer up a small discount. Don't charge me full price and then The wait staff/performers were very friendly and funny and the kids (i have 5) enjoyed the whole experience except for the long, long wait. The balloon makers were fantastic - sounds funny but seriously the team were great and when my 3 year old popped part of hers, the repairs were free and quick.
(3)Margo J.
Sat at the counter. Old dishes and glasses were never cleared. Had to ask for water. Didn't get utensils when sundae arrived. Had to go get my own napkins from another table. Sundae was lousy; ice cream tasted like faux ice cream, hot fudge was grocery store quality. Glad we tried it, now back to our favorite homemade ice cream shop LEATHERBY'S!!!
(1)Christina W.
Home from a fun time tonight. First let me say that I will not recommend Farrell's restaurant to anyone! We arrived at 6 pm and were told the wait was 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes. A wait was to be expected, so I was not concerned. We finally got seated 2 hours later. But wait there is more . . . Our party of 10 was finally seated at tables that only had 9 chairs (they were still looking to find one more so someone didn't have to stand). Yep you read that right. But wait there is more . . . Our table was only set with knives. I asked the waitress for forks. She said that they we would get them out as soon as they could, the dishwasher was behind. But wait there is more . . . The waitress came over after about 10 minutes and we said we were ready to order. She took our orders and left. 20 minutes later we had to find the manager to get our drinks. We didn't even have water on the table. But wait there is more . . . The food started to come out, only people got theirs. The waitress said that she couldn't fit the whole order on one ticket, so she had to place two orders. So the rest would be out soon. At this time I told her that the side salad I ordered hadn't come out yet. She said she knew that it would be out soon. I told her I didn't want my salad with my dinner, the point of it is to have the salad early. But wait there is more . . . All but two meals had finally been delivered, mine and one that Kelly and Debbie were sharing. The manager stopped back and went back and got mine then had to ask what Kelly and Debbie were sharing since no other order was pending. He had theirs made quickly. But wait there is more . . . The ice cream order was wrong, people who did not want nuts, got nuts. One sundae barely had a scoop of ice cream, one barely had any hot fudge. On the positive side, we laughed A LOT!!! I have the strange feeling that my stomach will hurt tomorrow from laughing so much. Nothing like watching Terry nearly be blinded from the strobe lights, almost spit food out of my mouth it was so funny. I will also give credit to the hostess staff, despite the challenges they were so nice. Even rescued a toddler who was headed for the door unaccompanied.
(1)Joe R.
Judging from service alone. Walked in at 9pm and there was a man and his daughter ahead of us waiting. Meanwhile, its like a party inside amongst 8-10 employees having fun, laughing and playing on this fake piano. We made eye contact with each one and not one employee greeted us. Minutes go by while employees walked right by us and the other customer and did not say a single word. Finally, this lady comes and asks the employees if anyone of them helped us. One man said no and he came and finally asked the two people ahead of us "how many?". This meaning that they havn't greeted these people either. We finally got sat... Meanwhile, 15min later, I still haven't ordered. I had plenty of time to check in and make a review.
(1)Chris C.
Poor Service, Poor Food, and failed to remind me of the fun times of my childhood!!!
(1)Lara K.
Went to Farrell's today for the first time in over 30 years. I was worried that it wouldn't be quite the experience I remembered. It was even better than I had hoped. The wait was way less than they told us, the staff served cups of water to the people waiting outside to be called (very nice touch, I thought). When we were seated, our server very enthusiastically greeted us. He took our orders when we were ready, patiently answering all of my son's questions about his favorite toys. Even though my birthday had already passed, he insisted that I get my free birthday sundae and that they sing to me. I was thrilled. It was AWESOME. The server came back every few minutes while we waited for our food and gave us a timeframe when our food would arrive. He even came back and sang a second song to another person at our table when we were eating our ice cream. The experience was just wonderful and I highly recommend Farrell's to anyone looking for a fun, delicious place to eat. The entire staff was friendly and fun, and I loved the guys with the handle bar mustaches!
(5)Geenuh N.
OUR FOOD WAS AWESOME...... A W E S O M E.... but it was pretty expensive! 13 bucks for a sandwich, but it was worth it. The Ice cream was ok. I got the black and white, but I prefer Leatherby's black and white, without contest. We went in with our 3 young children (all under 5), and we somehow managed to get a set RIGHT NEXT TO THEIR STUPID SIRENS. So the siren was going off every 3 minutes or so, and my kids were a little bothered by the loudness. One of my sons kept ducking down and covering his ears. It was really LOUD. It might have been more enjoyable if we had gotten a seat somewhere else. The people and the songs were ridiculous, but super funny! If we are ever in the area we would probably go get some food there. Basically, cute place, great food, mediocre ice cream, super loud, but we will probably be back here again someday.....
(3)Vincent P.
Decided to finally come here with my best friend because i've been dying to try out this place. Walked in with a huge crowd of people waiting to be seated and we got seated probably in about 10 minutes. We were seated in the middle isle which i felt a bit awkward but we got over it. The ambiance of this place is lively and i must say they were chanting and singing like every minute. We looked at the menu and decided to get the Triple Chocolate Brownie and once it came out, being the person I am I was taking pictures and the employees came along our way. What I had thought was they were going to sing to the table next to us because i overheard it was the daughters birthday. They asked us what time it was and me being oblivious I said 4:29 and then BAM they started singing "its triple chocolate brownie time!!!" and both of us started to crack up and laugh. Ice cream was also delicious as well, the fudge, ice cream, and brownie complimented each other so well and the temperature of the brownie was just perfect for it to melt in my mouth with each bite. It was a great experience overall and I would definitely come back!!!
(5)David S.
Place is awesome and the workers and management are on the floor watching orders and the fountain employees making banana splits, ice cream sundaes and other ice cream dishes are working there butts off ...A little wait to get a table but well worth the wait. A great place for a birthday party.
(4)Ashley W.
Amazing service and great memories. Our waitress named Esther was very helpful and enthusiastic!
(5)Terra J.
This place gives me anxiety....
(3)Kalid A.
This place is a great place to take your family for birthday parties or any other occasions. Their classic burgers are the best burger I have tasted. Great customer service and great family restaurant. Their ice creams are good too.
(5)Cj M.
Great atmosphere! This would be a great place to have inside a Disneyland. Very upbeat, lots of things going on. Never a dull moment. Definitely recommend for children's birthdays. Food is pretty good and Ice cream come in HUGE servings.
(5)Mark W.
Absolutely THE BEST place for ice-cream, especially for a special occasion. I grew up going to Farrell's in San Jose and I have to say the new Farrell's in Sacramento is even better! Obviously management knows how to hire talented "cast members" and it shows. Well done Farrell's. You knocked it right out of the park!!!
(5)Amiel A.
My girlfriend and I stopped here for dinner and dessert! We had a long weekend and a long day, we wanted ice cream! We stepped inside and wow like all decorative and loud, which honestly I don't mind because I have a large family and they are very loud, anyways we ordered a small dinner and dessert. We had the grown up mac and cheese, and the French Dip. It was pretty tasty and the dessert was awesome. I also have to make a shout out to our waiter Justin T who was funny, kind and patient with us as it was our first time at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour. In conclusion if you like Dave and Busters, B-dubs, and Chuckie-e Cheese this is the place for you. Perfect family setting! Try the Mt. St Helen it was rather tasty and awesome!
(5)Jim B.
Nice new front, great parking, greeted at front door. Service and food was great!
(5)Beverly E.
Forgot to say that this trip I had the Laredo Burger.....wowowowoweeee! It was fantastic and not too spicy, but extremely flavorful. I'm not a French fry fan...so I had it with salad. I've also had the French dip and Reuben (my usual favorite when I'm having a sandwich out)...all were outstanding and in the $11.95 price range, but, huge and delicious.
(5)J M.
So first time here. Had to wait about 15-20 minutes to get a table, which I was surprised about. After we got to table we ordered the Banana Split. It took quite a while to get it. The waitress apologized for the long wait. The Split was awesome. The best part is they gave us the split free because it took so long. I will be taking my family there the next time.
(4)Gary F.
What is up with people giving poor reviews on opening day for "service"? Did you expect it to be perfect? Really? The place has been packed and huge line out the door all day long. I'm impressed they handled it as well as they did. To those of you who took it upon yourself to give bad reviews based on service to a brand new staff working their butts off on the busiest day they'll probably ever see in their lives... ummm, why didn't you wait a few days for a more normal day? Get a freakin clue. Sacramento has been missing Farrell's for what, 30 years or something? There's a lot of people like me who fondly remember eating at one or more of the old ones. Glad to see it back finally. I had a dessert towards the end of the day, and the staff I were full of energy and entertaining the guests well after closing time. Frankly, they had to be running on fumes, but I thought they were doing fine after what must have been a very very long day. It sounded like the siren was hurting more than they were.
(4)Kim P.
Ok, so maybe it's because it's New Year's Day but, I don't plan on going back. Place was not too busy...we only waited about 7 mins for a table (by the kitchen) ... And maybe it's my fault, I ordered food at an ice cream parlor ... Food was mediocre at best...sliders, chili cheese fries, adult Mac n cheese - really how bad can it be?? Well, pretty "dee-not-lish". With the ice cream nachos, yes that's right ice cream nachos...bill was $45! Service, kind of dee-not-lightful too... "Sorry for the wait, We had a back up in the ice cream station". Really? Isn't this an ice cream parlor?? Oh, and the nachos consisted of one crushed up waffle cone, and 3 small scoops of ice cream with a smidge of sauce and whipped cream....$8.99. So that's 2 hours and 20 mins I'll never get back. We shoulda just went to BJ's for dinner and dessert - it would have been $$$ better spent. Sorry Farrell's. :-(
(1)Sandy B.
I'm in-between 3 and 4 stars because the restaurant is new so I don't want to judge the "new restaurant glitches" My family (party of eight) went to Farrell's on a Sat. night at 6:00 for dinner and dessert. We arrived to a 3 hr. wait so we put our name on the list and headed down the road to Woody's for dinner. At about 2 1/2 hr into the wait we received a text that our table was ready. Luckily we were finished with dinner. We jumped into the car and headed to Farrell's. The restaurant is just as remembered from the past - lively and fun with servers who I am sure have worked at a theme park during their career. It took almost 2 hours for us to order (sundae's only), receive our food and pay the bill. I ordered the Tin Roof Sundae which I was anticipating as a "spilling over the top" creation, but it was not. For the $9.something I was charged it was actually small. My husband ordered a hot fudge creation that came with a tiny ramekin of fudge. My husband thought it was an extra serving but it was the only fudge for the sundae and had to be added by him on top of the whipped cream cherry and nuts - kind of weird. The other sundaes at the table followed suit and were just OK. Leatherby's are much bigger and he ice cream is better. I have to say the food that passed by us as we waited for our order looked delicious. We had lots of time to people watch and everyone who received food looked to be throughly enjoying every bite. I look forward to returning to Farrell's for dinner sometime after the 1st of the year when business hopefully will calm down a bit. The servers work so hard and were all very friendly. They sang, danced and ran about in overdrive. They certainly earn their keep. I wish Farrell's good luck in the Sacramento area but they have competition with Leatherby's. They may not sing and dance at Leatherby's but they make a mean sundae and the food is good too.
(3)John K.
I have great memories of Farrell's as a kid and was really glad they finally re-opened the Sacramento location. We went there on a Thursday evening about 6:30p to celebrate my daughter's 10th birthday. The place was packed! We were told it would be a 1-1/2 hour wait for a table!! I can only imagine what it must be like on a weekend. We were finally seated after about an hour wait. It was just as I remember. Crazy, noisy and fun!! As other reviewers have mentioned, if you're in a hurry don't come here. Service was really slow and it probably took at least 30 minutes after we sat down before we were eating. The food was surprisingly good. I ordered the spinach salad and it was excellent. We, of course, ordered dessert. My 17 year old son nearly polished off the Pig's Trough by himself! Overall, it was a great, memorable experience for both the adults and kids. Only reason I didn't give it a full 5 star rating was because of the extremely slow service and long wait to get seated.
(4)Vanessa V.
Very great atmosphere. I came after the hype was over and during the week so the wait wasn't long at all. The food was great a tad bit over priced but nothing too outrageous. Their ice cream is delicious! And I can't believe the employees can remember so many songs, they did a great job.
(5)Christian B.
My girlfriend and our friends and family came here to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday. We made a reservation before arriving and still waited over 20 minutes to be seated. Our waitress, Esther, came out timely and promptly and gave us her clever spiel on the menu. And after that it was all down hill. After receiving our food, our waitress did not return once to ask how things were or so much as refill a drink. When we finished our food, Esther briefly returned to take the dessert order (a volcano). After 15 minutes or so, she sang a humorous song for my girlfriend and set the volcano down at the table, neglecting to provide us with utensils, or hot fudge. After another ten minutes, the spoons arrived still no hot fudge. After yet another ten minutes(and ice cream beginning to melt), the hot fudge arrived only to be scarfed within minutes. We quickly asked for some more hot fudge, which we never received. We asked, once more, for some hot fudge "to go" before we left and left no extra tip other than the 18% they take automatically for large parties. Pros: great food great atmosphere Cons: very poor customer service and lack of the classic Farrel's pizzaz This is our second experience at the "new" Farrel's. The first one was better, but this was outrageous. UPDATE: Shortly after this review we were offered a reimbursement and second attempt at a great birthday party. We received the excellent customer service that Farrel's so proudly advertises.
(4)Cat M.
They should not qualify for a star at all. Go to leatherbees at least they have knowledgeable managers that know aboit health and safety regulations. We walked into the ferrals dump last night and were served glasses with chipped edges. We spoke to manager she said I can look for a less chipped glass. We then walked out and said that is sickening. Their food is overpriced. Their ice cream is not even made on site. Leatherbees is around the corner. Better staff, food and ice cream with no chipped glasses. !!
(1)Monkeygirl L.
We woke up this morning with a text from a friend that said "Meet us at Farrell's at noon". I wasn't sure if we would go because it was 11:25 we were still in bed and I had heard very mixed reviews of Farrell's. But we decided to go anyways, since it's not that far and we wanted to see our friends. I'm glad we did. It was a very fun atmosphere, definitely not for everyone as it was loud and boisterous, definitely a good birthday place. I'm mainly giving this a 4 star review due to the fun atmosphere, good service, and menu selection. Unfortunately we were all to full for ice cream after our meals. If I could give it 3 1/2 stars I would because both my husband and I thought our food was a bit bland, he got the burger, which he said was dry and could have used some seasoning, and I got the turkey focaccia with avocado, swiss and pesto, which although sounded good was also a bit bland. I did eat his shoestring onions which were REALLY REALLY good! I also thought the prices were a bit on the high side, I think it was $12 for my sandwich,but I guess we were paying for the fun atmosphere too. We will definitely go back to try the ice cream, but we will make sure to do it on an empty stomach, as I looked around and saw some great sundays! Definitely a fun Sunday family place, just needs a little more seasoning and don't come with a headache!
(4)Rachael F.
Farrell's was a huge let down for me. I have always been a faithful Leatherby's customer and decided to try out Farrell's because I heard good things about it. My boyfriend and I came in for the first time and as I usually get at Leatherby's is a bowl of chili and a hot fudge sundae, so that's what I got here at Farrell's. He got a bacon cheeseburger and a chocolate brownie sundae. I was very pleased with their chili, I actually prefer it over any other place, it was very good, my boyfriends burger was good, nothing special, but good. Now for the ice cream, the whole point of going there, it was awful. Very disappointing. How do you mess up a hot fudge sundae? Well this is how they did: 1) About half of the cup was whipped cream (Reddi-wip) out of a can. 2) The ice cream tasted like water, it was very icy, and did not taste like ice cream at all. 3) Hardly any hot fudge! Maybe about 3 teaspoons! 4) Expensive for hardly any ice cream or hot fudge! Our waitress we had was very nice and upbeat, she checked on us a few times, made sure we had water, nothing bad to say about her. If you like the crazy atmosphere then check it out, but it was wayyyy to obnoxious and loud for me, all the servers were very fake, but that's their job to be like that, it is definitely a place to take the kids. I would absolutely not recommend Farrell's if you want quality ice cream, there are better places to go that you get your money's worth for.
(2)Pomy G.
I absolutely hate the fact I'm spending that much for RITE AID Thrifty Ice Cream dressed up. The environment is super fun and high energy. The staff is friendly and great. The food is really decent. Overall A+ on atmosphere but I just can't seem to bring myself back to this place knowing they serve Thrifty Rite Aid Ice Cream. Dont get me wrong, I love Thriftys ice cream, grew up on it, but If they can at least serve Gunther's and put their own swing on it I would be game for that.
(3)Beverly P.
I really wanted to give this place 5 stars too. This place is a lot of fun to celebrate a kids birthday. They have a balloonist who entertained our kids with the balloon animals, nice. The place is loud, but that makes it fun. Staff is happy and smiling from ear to ear. The food, I've had better. I had a club sandwich and my bread was a little too hard, my friend had a Philly cheese steak it just didn't look good. Not sure if it was because the cuts of meat were too big, or too much Mayo? Her husband's order arrived later because they forgot to bring it to him, we had to flag down another waiter to get ours because ours was MIA. We ordered garlic fries, lots of garlic but they were dry? Like not enough oil? We ordered dessert, and my son got a free sundae because it was his birthday. I ordered a banana royale instead of a banana split, but the royale was just like a split just smaller. the point was to give my son a good birthday dinner, and job done. But, if your looking for quality food, you will be disappointed. Spent 104.00 for 2 adults 2 kids, 2 orders of mountain fries and dessert for 2. P.s. coke is not a refillable drink :-(
(3)Becky H.
The experience we had here will not bring us back. I was totally fine with the 45 minute wait for a table. We waited, it was fine. Then we sat down at our table. Waited another 45 for our waiter to take our order. He acted offended when we asked for refills on our water. Kids never got their drinks that were included in their meal price. After being at farrels for 2 hours and 15 minutes we finally got our food. It was cold, the buns were stale and the burger was burnt. We opted not to order ice cream, paid the bill and went to leatherbys. It was sad, we were so excited to finally try farrels, and we were greatly disappointed by the service.
(1)Amanda W.
Our first trip to the new Farrell's was just what I expected - singing waiters, a player piano, and lots of people celebrating birthdays. What I didn't expect was to be so impressed by the food. The pesto turkey sandwich is absolutely delicious and was the main reason I returned in just over a week. Then I tried the Gibson Girl sundae and the earth stood still -- this was absolutely the best ice cream sundae I've ever had, EVER! In my LIFE! Really! The menu listed it as being featured on The Food Network's show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate", and it truly was. I will not embarrass myself and admit how many times we have returned since then because of that sundae, but suffice to say it has ruined any hope of dieting any time soon! The bacon cheeseburger is also very tasty with a well seasoned patty and good bacon.- better than many specialty burger places I've tried. So many people have commented that the wait is long and the atmosphere is loud, but that is what Farrell's is and always has been; a place where you go to celebrate a special occasion, eat ice cream and be entertained. If you are looking for a secluded, romantic hideaway with dim lights and quiet music, this is not the place. But if you are wanting an experience and an entertaining and tasty meal with a boisterous, joke-cracking wait staff and old world charm, Farrell's is still the place to go. (Oh, and did I mention the Gibson Girl sundae is incredible?)
(5)Walter J.
Went to Farrells Ice Cream Parlor last night to celebrate my nephews preschool graduation, and my niece 7th birthday. Our African American family was roughly a party of 8, we had to wait 40 minutes for a table because we were told the place was busy. When we finally got a table, we were seated in a secluded area of Farrells, I like to call it the "color only section"! There were no other patrons seated in our area, so I am not sure why we had to wait 40 minutes. Our food took over an hour to arrive, our appetizer order of onion strings, and garlic fries were cold so we sent them back. The birthday girl ordered chicken tenders with a side of macaroni and cheese. The macaroni and cheese order arrived after everyone had eaten around 9pm, mind you we ordered a little after 7pm. Our waitress was a trainee so I knew we would have issues, she forgot about us for most of the night which is inexcusable. This is clearly a place that lacks organization, and old school customer service, I will never visit another Farrells Ice Cream Parlor chain, this place is clearly not suited for African American patrons! Leatherby's has no need to worry about competition, this place won't be around long mark my words.
(1)Sahar K.
It's my first time here ! Our server was Matt he is SSSSOOOOO FUNNY ! He's very considerate about the people he's serving and you can't stop smiling or laughing because of him. If you want to be in a happy mood go here and ask for him. I was laughing so hard he knows how to get down. It's a loud environment so don't come here if you want peace and calm. Definitely a party feel atmosphere with all the energy singing and dancing ! Very entertaining and exciting with ice cream ! Can't beat that
(5)Ron B.
Brings back childhood memories back when they had one in Daly City CA. A great server always makes the experience much better. Our server Alexander, was awesome. He Always makes our visit a great one. I wish he would be our server every time we dine at Farrell's.
(5)Stephanie H.
This was my first time here. I LOVE how it is decorated and the whole old-time vibe to it. The servers were really nice and I can see that the restaurant was packed to capacity. I was told that it would be a 40 minute wait but we ended up waiting almost two hours. We ordered when we sat down and the food came out in a timely manner. We got the hill size garlic fries and chili cheese fries. They were both really big portions. I thought they were typical in taste. I got the mocha nut ice cream and it was REALLY sweet. It was mainly syrup at the bottom. My ice cream melted really fast so it was like ice cream soup.. I like the decor and atmosphere but as for the food and ice cream? Id go to leatherbys.
(3)Tran D.
This place is extremely lively! It's so cute, they have lots of songs, like if you order a big sundae or whatever, they will sing to you. Haha, my friend was so embarrassed, but it's pretty entertaining :-) they're really creative with the music too, love the drums. Besides the noise of the entertainment, there was a long line...but luckily it was only a friend and I, so we were quickly seated to the bar. The menus are these cute, vintage looking newspapers! Something that I haven't experienced. Waiting for the food took a while...I mean, they are very packed, but still. I saw my sundae being made right in front of me and it took the waiter like 5-10 minutes to deliver it -__- (no, he wasn't busy either). Haven't tried the food, but the ice cream is alright. I prefer Leatherby's :P BUT, definitely come here if you don't mind a lot of loud music and singing with your food/dessert!
(3)Susan M.
This is a fun entertaining place for kids. I ordered the chicken sandwich. It was good. They have a person that goes around to make balloon shapes. Cute selections for $2 or $3. Service was good. We ordered a sundae and I guess it comes with a song. A group of staff will come over and sing you a fun tune with the drum. We will bring the kids back again.
(3)Mariah L.
The food was good but our waitress was so rude to us. At first, I thought she was going to be the most down to earth sweetest person ever! I don't know what happened? She all of a sudden was giving us attitude and started rushing us. We would ask her a question and we received a sarcastic answer. I don't have time for rude waitresses. So then it was time to pay oh my gosh! Tell me why she snatched my card!? Maybe she was having a bad day or she hates her job?
(2)Lisa F.
We were so excited to see Farrell's reopen in Sacramento, and have been quarterly patrons. We've watched enthusiastic timely service go downhill until it's just no longer tolerable. At our most recent visit we waited AN HOUR for our food in a not full restaurant, and one meal was cold on arrival. One meal trailed behind by ten minutes, which was just unacceptable. We're out.
(1)Sun K.
I feel like I walked into the circus tent from the Disney movie Dumbo! I came here with a group of friends on a whim and lord I thought I walked in the wrong restaurant until I got waved over by my maniac friends. I love the atmosphere and it's a bit intimidating because I didn't know how the staff had so much energy! They were carrying loads of ice cream creations, jumping around, singing birthday remixes, and just being all around silly. These people are probably theater majors or something! The ice is very creamy but it tasted a little too heavy for me and I got a single scoop. One couple got a burger and my eyes almost popped outta my head because that thing was HUGE! and it came with fries! Over all, Im a little too old to be coming to this place because its noisy and a bit annoying hearing people screaming happy birthday songs off key and banging drums every 10-15 minutes. Itd be a great place to bring kids!
(4)Jaime B.
Not impressed. When we first walked up, there were two employees standing outside talking to one another and completely ignored us. We walked inside and there were 3 more employees standing around talking, but not to customers. The entrance has all sorts of things to buy and fixtures so it was very confusing. By the time we made it to the hostess stand, the girl there informed us that we had to put out name on the wait list that the employees outside had. X-I I knew it was going to be loud based on the reviews, but I had no idea just HOW loud! They had a drum beating, everyone working there was yelling and singing and a siren kept going off. Not my thing, but some people enjoyed it. Our waiter was very nice. He was named Anthony. I felt bad for him though because he kept getting pulled to different areas of the restaurant to sing and he kept apologizing because it took a long time for him to be able to bring our food and drinks/refills (we got Shirley Temples and they were so yummy w/3 cherries per refill!). Totally not his fault, he was very nice which is why I gave a star. The food runner was also very friendly and made some nice small conversation. The food is the reason for the other star. I got a French Dip sandwich and substituted adult Mac and cheese ($3.29 to sub... Not worth it!) instead of the fries and my boyfriend got a Mocha something or other sundae. The sandwich, especially the roast beef, was quite delicious but since our waiter kept getting pulled to do other tasks it was a little soggy. My boyfriend said that the scoop of butter pecan ice cream in his sundae was the best he's had for that particular flavor. Overall, the young and somewhat obnoxious staff (save for a few normal and friendly employees) is not appealing to me. I will not return here. Leatherby's is a much better atmosphere. (And less expensive!!!)
(2)Inara A.
This place is so amazing. It's loud, it's fun, it's exciting, the food is great and ice creams are Delish. Everytime I go I get a good laugh.
(5)Ree L.
They need a warning on the door about how loud this place is, our whole group left with headaches. The servers were great, very funny, and the onion strings were delicious. Two of us split the reuben and it was good. The sliders were good according to the teenager. The pizza got an "ok" from another kid. The ice cream was not great, if you're looking for sundaes in Sacramento, Leatherby's might be a better choice-- more sauce and better tasting ice cream.
(2)A B.
I visited Farrell's tonight (it's a Wed). I've never been to a Farrell's before. It was kind of a nightmare there and I didn't enjoy the experience. I wouldn't go back unless I had to. Leatherby's is infinitely better in both product and service. The place was slammed and parking was difficult, which was unexpected on a weekday - but good for them. The wait for 2 would've been 15 minutes so I asked to sit at the bar. That ultimately didn't speed up the process. No one came to take our order until I went and asked who was supposed to do it after at least 15 minutes. All in all, we only had ice cream but it took over an hour to be served and get out. The review about the staff screaming all the time is hilarious but true. It's not just the b-day singing - which I get; it's random screaming/singing over random things, including a sandwich. It's super loud and obnoxious all the time. I realize it's a birthday party place and I wasn't expecting quiet. But it was way more than I ever expected. My son, who is 8, said immediately upon hearing the first b-day song, that he did not want to celebrate his b-day there. You have to really like to be the center of attention. But, I will say that the staff are all very happy and energetic and the guys making the ice cream work their assess off. Our waitress was ultimately very nice but not particularly attentive. She never came back to check on us after we got our sundaes and I had to find her to tell her that the one my son got didn't have hot fudge on it as indicated. And it took forever to get served. The sundaes were just okay. It's Thrifty ice cream, and it's no where near as good as the ice cream at Leatherby's. The portions are way smaller than Leatherby's also for the same kind of price. And really chintzy on the hot fudge, which Leatherby's has overflowing. Leatherby's wins hands down.
(2)Chad M.
Is it worth it? This place is good ice cream, but the atmosphere is extremely annoying. Every 3 and a half minutes there is a loud siren or drum pounding in your ear. And the employees won't shut up. Yelling across the place and singing (very badly) stupid rewritten pop songs. Its over priced and not worth it. So not coming back here...
(2)Mrs. E.
I was so excited to see if it was the same as when I was a kid when I went for my birthday and had a zoo and a secret admirer sent our a frisbee full of candy! IT WAS!!!!!! How fun lights, bells, drums and song , oh yes and balloons! Fun night, fun food !!!!! Lots of smiles and good fun.
(4)Christina W.
Very loud experience, with lots and lots of yelling, drumming, and singing by the waiters; spending $9.00 for a small bowl of ice cream - I think I must be getting old. It wasn't nearly as fun as when I was a kid!
(1)Rachel T.
Went here for my mom's birthday and it was a great experience. She remembers from when she was a kid and was like a kid in a carnival lol. We had the sweetest waiter who kept checking on us and they all sang happy birthday and gave her a free ice cream. It is loud but the vibe is so happy and cheerful which I'll take any day over some uptight restaurant. It was around $100 for 6 people with dessert/ meal and $20 tip which the waiter definitely deserved.
(4)L M.
Loud and crowded. It was hard to find parking. We had no server and a random server notice and said he doesn't know who our server was but that he would help us and he did . Service was alright. My husband said he would prob try this place again, but I think it's too pricey and I wouldn't come back
(3)Aliya T.
I went here last night for a night out with my two closest friends. Place was great as usual! Our server Meagan was super nice and funny and engaging. She made sure our orders were good and even replaced my drink because it was tasting right! I ordered the fish tacos which were bomb, my friend had the all American and garlic fries! All was deliscious, highly reccomend this place! Also shout out to Olivia for ringing us up and giving us great customer service. And calling over Meagan with my soda to go! Thanks ladies!
(4)Jenneye V.
With all the hype about this place, I decided to take my friend's kids to check out this place. I thought it would be more kid friendly than other ice cream parlors. The atmosphere was family friendly. The noise level was pretty high. Most of the employees seemed to have energy. The decor is very circus-like. The mirrors have mustaches on them. Gave us some time to kill while we waited forever to be seated! Our waitress took forever come take our order even though we were already ready to order before we even sat down. Her "be right back" was more of a "be back later." We ordered the banana split with our preferred flavors and fries to go with it. As we waited, we saw why our waitress took forever to come back. They have to perform songs to whomever ordered any sort of ice cream. Although it's part of their duties, it should be a smaller area that they only need to cater to. When she finally came back with our dessert and fries, we were happy campers again. Then WE got sang to. I wasn't ready for it. Nope. Our table was the first to be sang to from probably 5 others. It was a little cheesy and funny but also nerve wrecking as we didn't know what was going on until they went on to the next table. Applaud to the drummer, though. We was awesome. And cute haha The food is just as comparable as other ice cream parlors, but with a few more different selections. If you have the extra hour to wait for seating, then be my guest and enjoy the time here. If you want to be seated and get your ice cream in a timely matter, I suggest leatherby's which is only about a 5-10 minute drive from there. Saves some time. Parking was also very hard to find. Ohh.. And they messed up and gave us extra fries. Why thank ya very much! 3.5 stars
(3)Susan M.
Went here for my sisters 51 B-Day celebration! It was a blast! It reminded us of childhood visits at Farrell's ! Staff was happy, friendly and very accommodating. Watching those around us enjoying too! Service was just a little slow, but when you see all they have to do and the food was Excellent. Used to always just get sweets! We all had the French Dips, loads of meat and perfect toasted roll! I hope everyone gets a chance to come here! Either for the 1st time or to relive Shenanigans Again :)
(4)Elisabeth P.
Don't go here if you want to leave with your hearing in tact. It is the loudest place we have ever been. If you have unruly children, this is the place to go because no one will hear them over the music/drums/horns and obnoxious staff singing.... I could have got over the noise if the food had been good, but the server messed up 3 of our orders, and it took an eternity to get. Then we made the mistake of ordering icecream.... Food taking 45 minutes to come is one thing, but icecream shouldn't take 30 minutes! It's icecream! It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes... Sure it was busy but there were lots of staff and the restaurant wasn't even full....
(1)Thor S.
It was super loud and expensive. I ordered a mllk shake which was tasted good and was pretty large. Luckily, it didn't give me diarrhea all night so that's a plus too. Come here to celebrate some special occasion once in your life then you never have to come back.
(3)Dorothy M.
I call this my PTSD ice-cream place. You always have to wait regardless the day or time for a seat, while 6 wait staffs were just standing around doing nothing with loads of empty booths. The drums come out every 5 minutes for someone's birthday song. Last time there was siren and wait staffs were running through the restaurant... It is definitely an ice-cream and a show, but not a place I want to be to relax with a bowl of ice-cream and have a conversation.
(1)Monica W.
Fun place to visit with kids. Took my daughter for her 5th birthday. The singing and overall atmosphere made her day. But the food was bland and ice cream was, unfortunately, disappointing. My husbands sundae was completely melted and runny. The others were no match for how they're hyped up to be on the menu. But the servers were friendly and fun. Overall good experience.
(3)Suzanne C.
I went there last night with my family to celebrate my nephew's birthday. it's a fun place with songs everywhere since most people like to celebrate their birthday there. Both hubby and I had the Old Farrell's burger which was very yummy. I also shared the nacho ice cream which is 3 scoops of ice cream with waffle cone chips and hot fudge, blueberry topping and caramel. very delicious! I wish that the waffle cone chips were more fresher since they were stale.
(4)Nici D.
If you're looking for Leatherby's size portions or quality ice cream this is NOT your place. If you're looking for a playful atmosphere then they offer that 100%. Personally I go for taste and portion when looking for a quality ice cream parlor. Ferrels is just another chain quality restaurant masked as an "ice cream parlor". One plus was the manager was very attentive though.
(2)Rufina M.
This past Sunday was my son's birthday. A last minute decision was made to go to Farrell's to celebrate. I live in San Jose, 1 1/2 hours from Sacramento. To ensure we wouldn't have a long wait, reservations were made. The earliest reservation available was 9 pm. I was perfectly fine with that. My family (there were 9 of us) arrived at 9 p.m. We were seated at 9:10. A waitress, Esther S., came by to ask for our drink orders around 10 minutes later. I asked for water and she said she would be right back. We waited. And waited. And waited. In the meantime, the table that was next to us and seated AFTER we were, also with at least 9 guests, had received their drinks and their server had taken their order. Additionally, I sat there stunned as I watched our waitress run around the restuarant, singing happy birthday and other Farrell's tunes to other tables, not once stopping to say she would be right with us. I flagged down who I believe was a manager and he finally got someone to bring us our water. By this time it was past 9:30. About 5 minutes later, our waitress came to take our orders, apologizing because they had her "running around" - blah blah blah. I need to point out that there were other Farrell's employees, more than 3, who were also participating in the siging. She couldn't excuse herself to take our order? To me, this is extremely poor customer service. We finally received our food, which was OK. But that's not really what we were there for. We came for the ice cream. It was my son's birthday. I specifically asked her NOT to sing to him, nor to do anything that would bring attention to him. He has anxiety and I wanted his birthday to be enjoyable. I assumed she would honor my request. She did not. Our ice cream was brought to the table. She left and came back with another employee and proceeded to sing, stating "I'm not here to sing happy birthday. I'm here to sing about your mom's banana split." Sure, it was a cute song and she did a good job, but that caused my son to get up and leave the table. When she left, my son returned to the table to finish his ice cream. The waitress came back AGAIN and started to sing to him. This time my son left the restaurant and went to sit inside the car. And if that's not enough, I ordered a banana split. A few bites into the banana split I realized something very important was missing. There was no bananana!!!!!! The excuse I got was "The ice cream team was on auto pilot and it's kind of late and they had seen a lot of ice cream that day.They forgot the banana." She said she would fix the situation. What did she do? She went to the ice cream counter and came back with a banana on a plate. Totally totally unacceptable. What she should have done is either taken the ice cream and returned with a correct banana split or just given us another banana split. By the time we were done, it was 11 p.m. Two hours!!! I am SOOOOOOOOO unhappy with the experience there. I cannot believe how poor the customer service was and how your staff completely disregarded my VERY DIRECT request to not sing to my son on his birthday. I know that adding gratuity for large parties is standard, and I paid the $18.73 that Esther automatically added to my bill, but I am not pleased with the service. I give this 1 star based on the HORRIBLE service. If it was based on the ice cream, I'd give it 3.
(2)Michael L.
Only gets three stars, seated quickly but food slow to come out, very loud too much drum banging as well but food was tasty, ice cream slow to come out and they ran out of clean spoons, ice cream was average and over priced for basic taste, came here to try because of what I read on a yelp discussion but was disappointed at best, pretty sure I won't be back.
(3)Elizabeth T.
This restaurant currently has a 3 star rating and that seems about right. It's just "ok". I've only been once, but it wasn't memorable. The wait time was awful and not really worth it in the end. Apparently they were understaffed that night (this was on valentine's day). I like the idea of all the commotion and excitement because it's not a common occurrence when you dine out, however, the awful out-of-tune singing completely turned me off to it. One girl in particular, you could tell, really wanted the attention on her, but sang so badly. If I want to hear singing that bad, I'll watch the first few episodes of American Idol. If singing is one of the gimmicks of this place, I believe the people hiring should make a better attempt at hiring people who can at least carry a tune. Lastly, their ice cream doesn't compare to the taste and quality of Leatherby's, so everything considered, I don't plan on going back anytime soon...if at all.
(3)Daniel C.
We waited ages to be seated. We were ignored all evening by our server. We spent two and a half hours there, total, and we spent no more than thirty-five or forty minutes actually eating. By time we were finished, I was dying to get out of there, and never return. Our inattentive server never brought the soup I ordered, although she did manage to charge us for it. She made it sound as if the sodas she offered the kids were the ones that are included with the kids meals, but then they showed up as extras on the bill. Fortunately the manager removed those charges, but I frankly resent the hell out of having to ask to have them removed in the first place. If you want to be annoyed, ignored, embarrassed, and overcharged on your birthday, and do not mind overpriced mediocre food, then Farrell's is your place. Otherwise, I cannot recommend it, even if your little kids love lots of noise and distraction. Just save your money and sit under the approach at the end of the runway, at a major airport.
(1)Mari L.
This was my first time trying Farrell's so I was not sure what to expect. It felt like I was in Willy Wonka Candy Factory which is fine for some but for my boyfriend and I it was a bit much. I was craving some good ice cream so I opted for the Banana Royale my boyfriend had a chocolate shake. We both enjoyed our ice cream, good sized serving and service was prompt. What this place is not good for is if you are sensitive to loud noise I had to literally plug my ears with the beating drums that seem to surround our table for every birthday that was being celebrated. Great place if you have kids but a bit to much high energy for my likening.
(3)Ian C.
I took my daughter and grandson here a couple weeks ago. The food and the ice team are very good. I remember the old Farrells and had some good times there as a kid. Part of the atmosphere is supposed to be energetic and they are definitely that. The energy was over the top and pretty much awkward. We overheard one particular comment from a staff member who was bringing a chocolate ice cream to a little black girl, stating she looked like a chocolate kind of girl. The parents looked at each other like WTF and we all did too. I'll go back, just hope they do some fine tuning on the staff energy and reducing the over the top weirdness.
(3)Leah D.
I've wanted to try this place out since they started building the restaurant. But based on reviews the wait was long, so I waited. I came here last Tuesday on one of our few rainy November evenings. I figured with this weather it shouldn't be sooo busy. To my surprise it was still busy. The parking lot is limited and we ended up parking closer to OSH. I put my party's name on the list and they said it would be 15 minutes. This place is a stimulus overload, but super fun for anyone under 10 years old. To the right of the waiting area is a mini candy store. To the left hanging on the wall are mustache novelty items. I stopped by the ladies room and looked around briefly when we were called to be seated. When we were seated the hostess asked if we were celebrating a special occasion, which we weren't. But everyone in the entire restaurant was there for a birthday. I knew because the staff is required to bring out a huge drumline drum and pound the hell out of it. If I were a youngin I would get a kick out of it, but I was hungry and all I wanted was to eat. Instead we heard about 12 birthday chants. Luckily the staff has a wide repertoire of songs. I have to admit the song for turning 10 years old was cute. Birthdays ranged from 1st to 17th. Do not come here if you get headaches easily. Do not come here if you are hungry. It took 30 minutes for our food to come out. All we ordered was a burger and a half order of salad. The burger was properly cooked with some pink. I got the burger with green chilies. It was ok it need a tad bit of seasoning. It wasn't worth $12. The fries were good. My eating buddy ordered the spinach salad and it looked delicious. Our waitress was not very attentive during our stay. But she did recommend a super tasty dessert that was not on the menu. Double scoop of peppermint ice cream with brownies and hot fudge with almonds. But we never got the almonds. The brownie was very fresh and the ice cream was creamy but not overpowering. I would not return unless I was ordering the dessert to go just because of the pure noise level of the place. I'd rather go to Leatherby's and enjoy their mediocre food options in a quiet environment. But if a parent asked me where to go for their kid's birthday I would definitely recommend it.
(3)Noelle W.
We went on November 12th for my son's birthday, and it ended with Chinese food leftovers and a hallway of lit candles. The service wasn't any better than the food. When we got to the restaurant, it looks like a campy, All American carnival. Charming rag time player piano tunes sour from charming to grating after the first six plays through, if the sirens, screaming waiters around the restaurant, and the mad dash carrying their signature sundae (The Zoo, $59.99) around the restaurant on it's own little stretcher don't get you first. (There is only beer and wine to numb the pain.) It started off poorly from the get go- our waiter was barely alive, and sullenly wished my darling little girl happy Birthday. Never mind that my 2 year old son's name is not a name that is androgynous, or that his T shirt said "I am a little gentleman." We ordered our drinks, (2 adult waters with lemon, 1 kid's water , 2 sodas, and a coffee) and he came back about 10 minutes later with the adult waters (sans lemon) and the coffee, and iced tea in place of sodas. He laughed at his mistake after trying to hand them over, and 10 minutes after that, he brought the sodas. It was another 5 minutes before the kids water came. It took 3 tries to get lemons to the table for water. We ordered our food without too much incident, but when it came out, they had added an adult mac and cheese side to my son's food instead of fries (we let the mistake stand without saying anything because the burger looked terrible), and we had received the wrong adult burger. Now for the food: The mozzarella sticks were edible- bland and chewy but not unpleasant. The second adult burger (to replace the wrong one), was brought out by the chef herself, and was burnt. (It was a plain burger- nothing fancy that would have produced what came next for that diner!) My son's cheese burger was on par with 3 hour old, reheated McDonalds, and their Mac n Cheese- that they make from scratch every morning, was inedible. (I'd be lying if I said I am not I am a mac n cheese snob- I love The Rind in midtown, but kraft mac n cheese does occupy considerable cabinet real estate in my house. Everyone at the table, including the kraft lovers, would rather have eaten Kraft vs their "artisan" Mac after tasting it. Their philly cheesesteak was, again, edible, but not enjoyable. I hate about a 3rd of it before deciding I wasn't starving enough to suffer through the sandwich, and laid it aside. The same thing happened with my parents and their French dips- the meat was incredibly chewy and dry. My son wouldn't eat anything but the french fries. We were brought several boxes for our half eaten meals, but only the chicken tenders were boxed. Next came dessert, which was a free ice cream sundae for my son's birthday, a two scoop sundae for my significant other, and a banana split for the rest of us that wanted it. The ice cream was good, but it's ice cream. It tasted like the large tubs they used to sell at Costco. It's really, very hard to screw up ice cream, unless you make it yourself. The manager came over to ask how everything had been, and she asked how everything had been. Our table was littered with empty soda cups, and half eaten food that hadn't been cleared away completely before dessert came out. She took away the empties, and only brought a refill for one person who needed it, and washed her hands of the situation. The waiter never returned, except to drop of the check and scamper away again. We thought that that would be the end, and we headed back the the cars. I'd intended to stop at the grocery store on the way home, but we never made it. We raced home on the freeway, and one member of our party ran for the bathroom. His stomach, like a garbage disposal, can conquer anything- the more processed, the better. He had finished all of his food because he had been starving. That was a mistake. After an hour in the bathroom, with window flung wide open, there was actual cause for clothing to be changed (due to the stench) thanks to the Farrell's food storm that had run through his body. During that hour, my son woefully explained to me that he was hungry. We ended up eating leftover Chinese food and building block towers. After the bathroom fiasco, a candlelight vigil of scented floral candles was erected in the hall, mourning the loss of an evening and trying desperately to keep the smell contained to the opposite side of the house. When they sang to my son, they sang "Now W here, he doesn't like baloney, which is good because we don't have any here" Sir, you are wrong. You are full of baloney, and we will never return. It was $104.00 for five stomach aches and a lost evening- such a WASTE of money.
(1)Monalisa T.
It was horrible getting charged for someone else's meal. Got a bill for the amount only to be charged another price. This was our first time visiting this restaurant and this will be the last. Total charge when they got through was 101.00. Food was great but this experience was horrid. Have never experienced this before in my life. Service could have been a bit better. Was told by one of their employees that this is only done once a month. Smdh if I knew this place was this unorganized I wouldn't have never bothered to drive so far for such a disappointment.
(2)Susan R.
Went here tonight for a birthday. It was not crowded but service was very slow. I ordered a bbq bacon burger which was okay but had barely any bbq sauce on it. The sea salt fries tasted like they had no salt and they were lukewarm. The server was nice but slow, they sang a nice birthday song but it took forever for them to finally do the song and serve the ice cream. It's pricey and I would probably go only once a year maybe just for dessert next time.
(2)Ashely W.
So I got suckered into going to this place for my friend's birthday... The food was good, not the best meal I've ever had, but good. I had the french dip +swiss, bf had the Nathan's chili cheese dog which was huge and he liked it. Friends had the garlic fries (good), a chicken sandwich (she thought it was only ok) and the gastro (which was well liked). The butterscotch milkshake was amazing! Banana royal was nothing special, but good. So here comes the bad part...the service. I understand that people go here for the loud singing and entertainment, but the servers are not capable of providing good service and entertainment. We had about 14 people, which looked to be the norm for party size there. Two of our peeps got their food about 20 mins before everyone else. They got their meals before their appetizer and their drinks. About 7 mins after their meal was delivered we see a huge tray of food heading our way but it veered off to the table next to us, who were seated and ordered AFTER we were. Then another 10 mins later everyone else's food arrived. Drinks (other than waters) were delivered at the same time our meals were. When asking for more water the waitress had us raise our hands if we wanted more...really?! We had to get up and go to the server's area to grab more napkins, we had to pass out silverware to everyone at our table and then in the end we had to go stand in line at the server area to get our receipts and pay. The server was good with the singing, but horrible with the serving. I might go back for ice cream only in the ice cream parlor area, but for a full service meal I will not return. They seriously need to have the servers only serve and the singers/entertainers only entertain. The person we had was obviously not capable of doing both.
(2)Nelly T.
Took my daughter for her third birthday. Everything was going well and the food came out quick. We had a party of 22. There were at least five other birthday parties, so at the end of our meal we had to wait FOREVER to get our cake from the back. Overall just ok.
(3)Steven L.
Best chocolate ice cream we have ever had. Burgers and sandwiches looked great as well, will try next time.
(4)Jen Y.
I would go very far out of my way for good food, and even further for good ice cream. This just isn't the place. I was here during their grand opening, and I came back with a different group just a few weeks ago. The service, while energetic and friendly, is still super...super...super...slow. Like, why would my husband's french dip and fries take so much less time than my single scoop sundae? They've got an army back there with ice cream scoops and yet nothing's coming out. The food itself is a bummer. Weak coffee, soggy bread, tough meat, unimpressive ice cream. Even the caramel sauce was a letdown. I'd rather go to Leatherby's, or even Coldstone. Extra star for the lively staff and fun atmosphere. I'm a sucker for mustaches and pigs.
(2)Sheri O.
I have very fond memories of going to Farrell's as a kid, so I was excited to hear they were coming back to town. We've been twice since they returned. The experience is still pretty much the same. One surprise is how good the food (non-dessert) is. Both times our meals were fabulous. However, their ice cream is just okay. It's such a disappointment when I think of Farrell's as an ice cream place. (It is part of their name!) The ice cream is quite expensive and very average in taste. Also, the music is way too loud. Both times we were unable to carry on conversations with anyone sitting more than one arm's length away.
(3)Patrick R.
We went there for our daughters 5 birthday, lot's of fun. I used to go to Farrell's as a kid so I was curious how well they're preserved the original vibe. Pros: * The place is almost brand new so it's super clean and nice. * Fun, friendly environment. The décor was true to the original restaurants. * Super easy to make a reservation online * My son has a peanut allergy and they were very conscious of food allergies. * Service was good * Food was good although we played it safe with burgers and grilled cheese Cons: * Expensive. We paid over $60 for two adults and two kids and we didn't even get desert! Still worth it for the kids birthday, maybe next time we'll just get ice cream :-)
(4)Frankie P.
You scream, I scream, the staff screams all the time for ice cream. I've been to Farrell's twice and each time the ice cream was amazing. Okay, that's not true. The ice cream is good, but not great. Their creations are amazing though and I'll keep coming back no matter how many times they scream at us. The thing that sets Farrell's apart from other ice cream shops is the in-store "entertainment." The staff sings, dances and yells through out the shop the entire time you are eating. It is loud and annoying but I can put up with it for the duration of my Sundae. And oh how I love the Oreo Cookie Sundae. Three scoops of ice cream, I get chocolate, hot fudge, Oreo cookie crumbles, fresh, real whipped cream and toasted almonds. The best part is the way they layer everything together. The cookie crumbs act like a buffer between the hot fudge and ice cream so it doesn't melt right away. Pure magic. The ice cream is good but not as good as Gunther's. However, all the toppings make up for it and it is the best Sundae I have ever had. The tin roof Sundae is also really good. Honestly, I've never had a bad scoop here. The wait time can be long and getting your check can take even longer. But if you come prepared to put up with the wait time, and yelling, you'll be okay. The ice cream makes it all better.
(3)Elizabeth L.
I'm a hardcore Leatherby's fan and wasn't expecting Farrell's to compare, but the sundae I had was DELICIOUS. I'll definitely be coming back.
(4)Lisa H.
I remember Farrell's fondly from my childhood and was very excited to hear that it was reopening in the Sacramento area. My oldest son's birthday was about a month after the opening, so I knew that would be the perfect opportunity to check the place out. I had heard about the large crowds, so we came early on a Tuesday night hoping to get in without too much wait. When we drove in the whole front and rear parking lot was full. I ended up having to park over on the side near a vacant lot. Thankfully when we got inside we only had to wait a few minutes to be seated. They gave the birthday boy a large sticker with his name on it to wear and they got a highchair for my youngest and crayons and coloring sheets to keep them busy. My husband was running a bit late and thankfully our waitress was pretty patient with us waiting for him, but allowed us to order drinks while we waited. Once my husband arrived we ordered dinner: kids pizzas with a side of fresh fruit for the boys, burgers and fries for my mom and husband and I ordered a "grown up grilled cheese" which was four cheese and I added bacon and tomatoes. We had a bit of a wait between ordering and the food arriving. Luckily we filled that time with opening presents and they have a contract company that make balloon animals for the kids. You do have to pay for the balloons (about $4 with tax, tips accepted) but they are very nice and allow you to customize based on the about 15 designs to choose from. For example, my oldest wanted a penguin and she asked if he wanted black and white or another color. My son is a Hulk fanatic, so she made a green penguin with purple feet. It was really cute and he loved it. She made a Blue from Blue's Clues puppy for my younger son. The cost comes with one replacement if your kids pop their balloon too. When our food finally came the burgers and kids pizzas were generously sized. The regular fries were hot, but my mother's waffle fries were cold and they forgot my tomato on my sandwich. My sandwich still tasted okay, but it would have been better with tomato. My boys absolutely devoured their pizzas and picked their favorite fruits (including watermelon) out of the fruit cup. Then we ordered ice cream. If it is your birthday you get a free sundae, so my oldest was set, we got a scoop of chocolate for my youngest, my mom and I both ordered the Nutty Hot Fudge Sundaes and my husband ordered a banana split. We also waited a while for those to come out. All through dinner there were tons of birthdays all around us and each time the servers make a very big deal. They start a flashing light going by your table, come out banging on a drum and sing different songs (we heard Rockin' Robin, Tricky, The Addams Family and many more). They also sing songs for different ice cream orders occasionally and if someone orders one of the giant sundaes (meant for up to 10 people) they put it on a stretcher and run around with sirens going off. This is not a place to have a quiet meal. I saw older folks cringing every time the drum came out. Don't come here if you don't have a slightly goofy sense of humor or if you are prone to migranes. When it was my son's turn they came out and sang his song to the tune of We Will Rock You. He loved it and they even allowed my younger son to bang on the drum with his hand a couple of times. The birthday boy's eyes were wide and he said "WOW!" when they set down his rather large sundae. The adult's ice creams were not so great. Under the mounds of whipped cream we soon realized that all three of us were completely sauceless. No hot fudge on our hot fudge sundaes and absolutely none of the three sauces meant to be on a banana split. Are you kidding me? We had to wait a while to flag down our waitress while our ice cream melted. I even made it to the bathroom and back before my mom informed her of our sauce problem. By then my husband had eaten almost his whole banana split. She brought out a small side of hot fudge each for my mom and I and apologized but did not offer to comp anything. To top it all off, my husband found banana peel at the bottom of his sundae. Yuck! The prices were about comperable to Fenton's in Vacaville (slightly expensive), although the food and ice cream there is better. I think the food is slightly better than Leatherby's but their ice cream is not nearly as good and is not made in-house like the other two. The one thing that Farrell's does really well is make a hullabaloo out of a birthday celebration. Even though we were there for hours my kids had a fantastic time. In fact, my oldest told me I had gone the wrong way and to take him back when we pulled into our garage. So, in conclusion come here to have fun for kids or adults who act like kids, but be aware that there may be some issues with food and/or service.
(3)Jordan S.
This place is INSANE. (not in the good way that insane can be used) I literally wanted to run out of the restaurant at several different times because of multiple reasons. First is the music... ragtime... all the time... never-ending. I went into the bathroom to get away from it and it was playing in the bathroom the LOUDEST of all the places. Next reason for wanting to run away was the decor. I understand it is a kickback to old time Americana, but holy hell... my eyes could not sit still and it almost caused me to have seizures multiple times. I could go on about the craziness that is Farrell's ambiance, but I digress. Now onto why I gave them a decent 3 star rating. First I will say that it is a good place to bring children... well... I will also state that it may be the cause of autism and ADD/ADHD in today's children, but hey.... the kids seem to enjoy the place. Secondly, the food was surprisingly a-ok. I got the chili bowl and was satisfied. I can't complain for a little over $4.50 on the menu. My friends genuinely seemed to enjoy their sandwiches as well. I will say... if you do not live in the area and are going through, I would highly suggest stopping in here just for the shear shock factor. We came upon this place by complete chance and we look at it as a blessing and a curse. If I lived there, I would go there once a year or maybe a lot more if I ate ice cream as they have what looked like an awesome Ice Cream Parlour. Enjoy! Oh and I have NO IDEA how the people who work there do it. Kudos to them... I would have killed myself long ago. You are better humans than I.
(3)Sarah F.
Posting a little late. Came here on mother's day, noticed the place driving by....stopped in for ice cream....best experience ever!!!!! Great customer service, great waitress, she even knew sign language! Loved the atmosphere and the ice cream, it was to die for! Definitely going there again!
(5)Fred M.
Farrell's is definitely a trip down memory lane. And the food and ice cream has been as tasty as I remember. But the last two times my wife and I have been there the service has been sub-par. Our server will come by relatively fast for a drink order, but once we order our meal, the server seems to disappear. It's next to impossible to get a soda refill. The server only seems to show up again when it's time to order ice cream or pay the check. If the service improved, I'd have no problem giving Farrell's 5 stars
(3)Shaunta R.
Victor was an outstanding server!! Food delish fun outgoing staff!! Lots of fun!! Not too long of a wait but a fun filled adventures always something going on.
(4)Sean W.
Crazy loud place. Lots of fun things happening around us. Food was good! This was our second time here. First time was not so good! Sent a letter to corporate and they sent us $50 gift certificate! Second time they got one order wrong but was fast to fix it and took it off the bill and made a new one for lunch tomorrow.
(4)Kenda S.
Oh, how I wanted this to be a great experience! I came in hoping to relive a part of my own childhood and share it with my two children. However, since we were not celebrating anything, our service was lousy. Our server was nice, but she constantly had to run off to sing at other tables. It took 45 minutes to get our food (two kids meals and one burger) and then another 15 minutes to get ranch dressing as a side. We never got the chance to order the ice cream because I didn't want to wait another 45 minutes to get it! We never had our water/drinks refilled. The french fries were cold. Our server asked how things went and I told her not well and why. Then another employee came by immediately and asked how things were, so I told her too. She said, "Oh, well I can refill your water..." Granted, I was thirsty and the burger was stuck in my throat, but I had no idea how long it would take, so I opted to not get the refill. She then said, "Well, you know they only just opened, so you shouldn't expect a lot." I said, "Well, maybe the server could have some help to wait on the tables while she has to go sing to someone. Then at least there is a great experience for your birthday patrons and still get hot food in a timely manner - not to mention a water refill." She didn't know how to take my constructive advice and said, "Uh, yeah - well have a nice day." As I already stated, I wanted this to be a great experience - but I want to offer advice to those who may be wanting to go here. 1. Go if you are celebrating something because then the really loud and blaring horn that blasts the patrons eardrums every few minutes will seam more festive. (I saw more than one child - and adult - visibly jump in their chair when this air horn was sounded!) 2. Don't expect fast service 3. Don't expect hot food 4. Be sure to tip the balloon guy 5. Make sure you make a reservation - we waited for an hour on a Saturday at 11:30 am. 6. If you startle easily - don't sit by the air horn! (Don't seat Grandma in this area either unless she can turn the batteries way down on her hearing aide...) 7. Enjoy this for what it is meant to be - a kids place. 8. Expect to shout to your fellow table mates during your conversation - did I mention that it is loud? Sadly, I do not plan to go back. I can get a much better experience at Leatherby's Family Creamery and support a local business instead of a large corporate scooper that really didn't care about my pooper of an experience. Oh, and for the record, I did write to the corporate office and there has been no reply - it has been a week. I'm not full of sour grapes and wanted to share this with hopes that if you decide to go - you will be better prepared!
(1)Vince Y.
I remember Farrell's as a kid having a couple bdays at the long gone location in Daly City. Well, I came by with my fam and parents to give it a shot again on my bday. You get a classic sundae for free. It was decent but not really cold. 4-5 workers came and sang a song and did the cool b-day jingle. They did a good job. I remember when they were hiring for this location that they auditioned for energetic and fun servers. They def. seemed like they made hires on the best of the ones applying for a job. We did not order food but the fries we saw pass by and the food dishes looked HUGE! Gonna go back sometime for the food for sure. It wasn't busy at all on the 4th of July when we went, but I'm sure they get busy other times/days. BTW, this is the ONLY Nor Cal Farrell's as the rest are all in So. Cal.
(4)Lexi R.
So...this over hyped restaurant just opened right next door to my house. Its ALWAYS packed so I decided to see what the big deal. I went, ate. Still have no idea why its always packed. Im guessing maybe for the kids enjoyment of loud music. The food isnt bad but its not wonderful either. Just based on the fact that I dont like too much commotion around my meal...I dont know when I will visit again.
(3)Christi C.
We took the kids and we had a great time. The staff was friendly and the presentation was fun. The food sounded better on the menu than in actuality but we enjoyed our experience for the most part
(3)Julie C.
Booked a birthday party for 20 people one month in advance in hopes of having a fun experience. I confirmed several times that we could arrive 15 minutes early to put tablecloths on the tables and decorate even had proof in writing. This was a surprise party so I had all of my guest arrive at the time of the reservation, only to arrive with the birthday guest 10 minutes after said reservation and find all 20 of the party goers outside in the rain. Needless to say, 1 hour after the scheduled reservation time, we were still outside. Thank goodness the birthday party was for an adult as I could not imagine having a children's party with such result!! The manager tried to take half off the bill if we agreed to wait LONGER however I refused at that point to give them any of my money. Moved the party to another location, paid half the price of what the expensive and unorganized Farrell's was charging and I think we had a better time anyway. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND FARRELL'S!!!! Especially for large gatherings or parties.
(1)Cindy F.
I went to my friends daughter's 1st birthday and they didn't have the right table ready, tried to squeeze a large group into one booth. The place is overpriced for what you get IMO but all I ate was some ice cream so their food might be great but overall the atmosphere is hectic and crazy, and crazy and hectic. To be fair, the staff were really nice but kept forgetting everything (bacon on a burger someone ordered, napkins, drinks, forks, spoons, bowls). But I think that's because it's understaffed....
(1)John B.
First time visiting there.... Finally. I thought the food was great, excellent service, even with the staff entertaining the patrons. The staff were very friendly. I thought the place was a lot of fun.
(5)Monica M.
Crowed Sunday night , wait time was forty-five mins and turned into a hour and half wait. Having a niece who is impatient and tired wait that long was not a fun experience . Finally got to sit and order our food and ice cream . Not only did our food take long to come out , our waiter had body order like you wouldn't believe . My family couldn't even eat, the smell lingered . What a waste to eat you're meal on your way home . Food was great just a bad experience all around . That's why you are only awarded two stars !
(2)Bill B.
My name is Bill, and I wanted to find a good ice cream parlor in the Sac' area, so Farrels looked good and I tried it. Unfortunately, it was a very bad experience based on the service, and the quality. I e -mailed my disappointing experience to the home office, but received no response. I was hopeing for some kind of explanation, and possibly a refund for our orders-which, mine was wrong-but as I said, they had no interest. When I visit Sacramento to see my family, I will certainly seek another place to enjoy good ice cream. I appreciate this opportunity to express my feelings, and experience. Bill B.
(1)Amanda N.
Came here for the first time tonight and let's just say if I can give this place a negative ZERO I would! We ordered the garlic fries and my friends ordered the ka ka doodle chicken strip or whatever it was called and when we got it, it was COLD! We told our server RYAN and he said he'll see what he can do about it, but he didn't did anything! My friends and I made a joke saying "watch the ice cream come out and it's all melted" and what do you know, our ice cream was half melted when we got it like a bowl of soup! Our server never came around that time to ask how was our ice cream. We were so disappointed. I came here for ice cream not freakin' ice cream soup!! Workers here are too busy singing and joking their asses off than actually serving their customers with good non cold/melted meals. RITE AID ICE CREAM is better!!
(1)Auntie J.
I would give this place a shriveling star if I could!!! Loud, chaotic, obnoxious, unprofessional and in NO WAY like it used to be!!! I was greatly disappointed in my experience here. At one point my friend said to me "there's a guy over there with the same expression on his face as yours"(like...WTF?!?). Some staff were "hanging out" with friends and a busboy was even sitting down, drinking a soda while telling a table of friends of how the waiters don't tip him. A couple of times the manager took a girl's purse, which looked like a guitar and he started strumming it like he was Jimmy Hendrix. I ordered coffee which was tepid and when the waitress brought over my friend's cup of coffee, she said "be careful, it's hot." So my friend took a sip carefully and it was disappointingly tepid also. Ugh!!! It was like an out of control party was happening at a house while the parents were away! I wanted to bring my 6 year old niece here, but not anymore!!! Someone up at corporate really needs to hire new staff or retrain most of the people there. I'm sure there are a few who are great and really try their best, but it's the other bad ones which are over shadowing them. Don't waste your time or money...not worth the agony!!!! Go to Leatherby's, where I'll be taking my niece!!!
(1)Melanie W.
We loved it! Yes, it's a birthday magnet. Yes, it's loud. It's not the style of place you go for a quiet lunch. It's an experience! Be light hearted and have fun. Laugh and clap and sing! I recommend this to anyone with kids or is a kid at heart! Will be back!
(5)