Salt & Straw

Have been a loyalist to Salt and Straw since my early days being in LA, from trying their Abbot Kinney location, until visiting their outlet when recently opened in Brentwood and this Culver Steps one is my go-to being the most accessible. Not a gigantic store but surely have constant huge crowd throughout the day. The service was always speedy though regardless the business and I always love the idea of being able to sample the flavors before placing my order. My options are typically splurging over the gigantic multi-flavored scoops or even simple single scoop treat but going for 2 flavors. The portion is always super generous but worth the calories spent. My top flavor picks will certainly be their Salted Malted Choc Chip Cookie Dough, Choc Gooey Brownie, and Peanut Butter Brittle. N

One of the great Salt & Straw locations. Service is friendly and efficient, and you can sample as many flavors as you’d like before deciding. The ice cream is delicious — I always recommend getting the waffle cone, it really elevates the experience. I’d skip the whipped cream though; I expected it to be freshly made, but it came from a spray can. Parking in the area is quite convenient — there are public parking garages nearby where the first 90 minutes are free, and it’s only a few dollars per hour after that. Street parking is available too, though a bit trickier and metered depending on the time of day.

A favorite ice cream spot! They serve decadent ice cream that feels homemade. Have ice cream your way here - in a cup, in a waffle cone, as a milkshake, as a sundae with whipped cream, split your scoops, even try a flight! You can get a treat for your pup and your kid for a different price than scoops for adults. The sprinkles are super vibrant in color. You’re welcome to try as many flavors as you’d like and the place smells like waffle cones freshly made. At the Culver City location, they have plenty of seating areas outside. Take your sweet treat to the steps and enjoy the view of the famous Culver Hotel.

I love not feeling shame for trying different flavors. I usually keep it to two at a time even though there's a giant sign on the wall that says to try all of them. Pear and Bleu Cheese was a weird one for me, even though I'm usually a fan of the cheese. Anyway, I tried their S&S x Taco Bell collab: Tacolate. The sauce packets were a fun twist, but I still prefer a choco taco.

I wanted to like this place, but the flavors are just weird. They have standard flavors like coffee nuts, which was my favorite, and not very sweet, but a bit too salty. The strawberry balsamic sounded good, but was overly sweet. The caramel was too salty. They do make a thick, creamy ice cream. It's great if you like "interesting" flavors, like chocolate covered crickets or black pepper, and lots of salt. There was a very long line. But I prefer more traditionally balanced flavors.