Harbour Bar in Scarborough

Popped in after a very cold morning on the coast in January 2025 - this café/dessert shop seemed to be one of the few places open during the quiet season. Had the BLT sandwich, and it was excellent! Would be happy to go back next time I'm in Scarbados.

Always a real treat and fantastic experience to eat at The Harbour Bar. The best ice cream anywhere 😋

Updating a previously glowing review, just because the prices have become silly. A sundae used to cost £6.50 during COVID, and went up a bit last year. Visited today (Jane 2025) and it's £10.95! Mad. Greed. Previous review: This is the main reason we come to Scarborough. Chocolata sundae made with chocolate ice cream is a must. Always clean, staff are always lovely.

Been here on many occasions over the years. Ice cream is always nice and the sundaes look great. Cannot comment on food or drinks as we always come for ice cream. Eton mess and chocolata are amazing. Fresh ingredients, ice cream is nice but not a super strong flavour if that's what you prefer. Great 50's theming inside. Reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that it can be extremely busy and there is no organization to getting a table, you just have to grab a seat when you can find one. Maybe a queue for seating if needed, or better opening the upstairs seating when it's busy as this never seems to be open, even when people are searching for seats. Maybe a suggestion of table ordering as people also trying to eat around the bar, but others queing and huddling behind trying to order. Also service can be hit and miss, been served by some very kind polite staff, but also not even a hello or an answer or thank you back at others. Price of ice cream is ok but a little pricey.

proper old school Scarborough. A cold day so ovaltine and bovril. Both made well and heated us up.

Went into the restaurant yesterday nice decor fresh and bright but ran out of everything or didn't have it I wanted, I asked a lady at the window who was serving takeaway ice-cream can I get two scoops of ice cream in a tub to eat in no problem she said so went to place my order at the counter can I get two scoops of banana and lemon ice-cream or we haven't got it today 🤔 then she looks over to the lady serving from the window we haven't got banana or lemon ice-cream have we ? Okay give me two different ones peach Melba and strawberry we haven't got any today 🙄 so I looked up at the wall and it was £9.99 for Knickerbocker glory there's absolutely no chance paying for that too expensive I got irritated with them in the end and left went down the road to Flamingo bay they had everything in stock I've uploaded a photo from Flamingo bay I got looked after and had a table looking over Scarborough seafront 🙄🦩 Strange pictures on the website from the management Who wants to see 500 litre ice cream plants and big freezers 🙄

Would not answer messages requesting allergy info prior to our trip.messaged 3 times which they saw and didn’t respond to.

El lugar es un refugio regular para mi familia cuando visitamos Scarborough y he estado entrando por más de 50 años. Es atemporal y la calidad del helado y las bebidas siguen siendo tan buenas como siempre. El lugar está impecable. Tomé un helado y un Chocolate Horlicks y me llevó directamente a los viejos tiempos. Que esta institución continúe. Es la joya de la corona de Scarborough para mí.

Dueño cuestionó “estuvimos en el lugar correcto” Después de haber visitado su establecimiento durante muchos años, creo que sabemos dónde está. Sugiero que pregunte a su personal por qué la heladería fue cerrada el día que visitamos y en el momento en que visitamos. Gracias por su respuesta flipante no podría importar menos.

I've been coming to the Harbour Bar for 50 years. It hasn't changed much and that's a good thing. The ice cream is as delicious as it was when I was a kid and it's still a treat to go there.

All their ice cream is made onsite to an original recipe. It tastes amazing, nothing like the cheap stuff sold everywhere else. The bar itself is like stepping back into the 50's. Not hard to see why it's always packed. Well worth the wait.

Very rude serving staff!!!!! Won’t go again

Rude counter staff with bad attitude.Had a far better milk shake I' McDonald's for a third of the price.Best avoided.

Genial helado. El miserable miembro del personal Kay no lo era. Es un trabajo duro sonriente. No puedo entender por qué alguien tiene que ser así cuando eres perfectamente agradable para ellos

Ordered 2 vanilla milkshakes and two 7up drinks. Very good service.

One of the Scarborough go-tos. Tasty ice creams, favourites are the knickerbocker glory and the lemon twist ice cream. Nice place to get out of any harsh coastal winds for a coffee or to refresh with something cold on a hot day.

The best ice cream parlour in Scarborough.

Wow what a place man, I thought I'd gone back in time. Amazing selection of sundaes & waffles & toasties etc. Great vibe l loved it.

Wow what a place man, I thought I'd gone back in time. Amazing selection of sundaes & waffles & toasties etc. Great vibe l loved it.

Great place and atmosphere. Perfect service. Delicious two-flavor ice cream. And many other interesting desserts. I recommend this place and I will definitely go back there

Great place and atmosphere. Perfect service. Delicious two-flavor ice cream. And many other interesting desserts. I recommend this place and I will definitely go back there

Visited yesterday(31/8/24)it was fantastic, great ice cream sundaes , very polite staff and such a clean and inviting place love it. The team all work so well together helping each other out .

Friendly staff Tastey ice creams ! Good value for money.

Lovely surroundings and a luxurious dessert very enjoyable 😋

We have been to this ice cream parlour a few times and always had a nice time. It is themed on an older ice cream parlour and dine very nicely. The menu was good with enough choice for most people in my view. Smaller options as well as large options.

Been 4 or 5 times and it’s always fantastic food at a fair price. What really makes it stand out though is the service. About 2 months ago I left something on my table and didn’t realise till I’d drive 2 hours home. When I returned today, they safely stored it for me.

Had a Traffic light ice cream sundae. Delicious as always. Love to sit at the bar to watch all the ice cream sundae's being made. Been an important part of Scarborough since August 1945.

What a rip off! £2.45 for a Diet Pepsi, which came out of a 330ml can, costing about 50p from a supermarket. However, the chocolate sundae was excellent.

Bang on place, looks the part, decent priced ice cream and tastes amazing. Staff were friendly and fast considering how busy they were. 100% will be back next time where is Scarborough 👍

Bit expensive but you get top quality! Absolutely spoilt for choice and can make substitutions, no problem! Busy but efficient!

This place is amazing, the food is really good and the ice cream is so good it makes you want more. the place looks fantastic its like going back in time, the staff are very polite and helpful what a great first experience I very highly recommend everyone trying this place

Love this place and a must place to visit every time we go to Scarborough. Main cafe was closed so we had ice cream cones. The lemon top was to die for.

Great old fashioned ice cream parlour serving fab sundaes.

Great place and a real throw back to my childhood. Outstanding ice cream, the banana milkshakes are really the best.

Great selection of food and they taste great. Staff were very polite, helpful, tidy, and well dressed, and gave service with a smile. I would recommend perching yourself at the bar, then you get to enjoy watching make the sundaes.

Been coming Here for years love this place The best ice cream ever. Plenty of options and great staff

Amazing!! Superb service, amazing ice creams and milkshakes. As good as it was when I was a child. I loved bringing my children here for treats!

Nice place to grab an ice cream, not a van of their coffees

Great place to stop for a little refreshment. Great service

WOW what a amazing place they have a amazing and tasty selection of ice creams and milkshakes available. I had a banana top icecream and it was lovely best ice cream i have ever had. We wanted to eat in but unfortunately it was a busy Saturday. It looks like a 50s American diner inside and the staff are dress in the old 50s amercian diner clothing it was great to see. Also The staff are brilliant smiling and very talkative to the public which is lovely to see also. Best place to get ice cream in scarbourgh without a doubt

Been waiting years to come here & I was not disappointed. Some people say they're pricey but not at all for what you get (HUGE) along with the fabulous service not to mention the whole setting- I won't wait so long to come back, we only tried the bananarama & the Cheri amour so I need to try a few more & we are here for a week

Best ice cream in Yorkshire in my opinion A must 🍦🍦🍦

What a trip back in time, its all set like an American diner. The staff are brilliant, happy and eager to help. The choice of so many different classic ice creams will amaze you. I was one of 6 all family and we each had something different. I went with the knickerbocker glory and it was scrumptious took me back to my childhood. Would definitely recommend a visit.

Amazing ice cream Millie who served us was really nice and friendly and smiley can’t wait to visit here again

A very busy ice cream parlour on Scarborough seafront. I had a Horlicks....delicious. the ice creams were made at the counter and looked amazing.

AMAZING ice cream parlour, incredible desserts, great staff and love the vintage theme

The best ice cream parlour in North Yorkshire . Great to sit in at the counter and watch all the sundaes and waffles being made while eating. This last visit was with my daughter and some friends, we all had different things which were all delicious. Highly recommend a visit when you're in Scarborough. The staff are really friendly with great service and it's always spotlessly clean

Always love coming for the icecream. A treat when we come to Scarborough. The prices have gone up quite alot. But it's the best icecream around.

Fantastic 50’s style diner, vast selection of ice creams and desserts! I definitely recommend the banana split & the milkshakes!

What a great ice cream place! Fabulous selection of treats. I had the banana split and omg was it worth the money. Generous serving of smooth delicious ice-cream. Good service and such a step back in time.

The best Ice cream Scarborough has to offer! Would highly recommend

Looks, feels and smells the same as it always does. I come in The Harbour Bar every time I visit Scarborough, the quality is always high and service is quick. Knickerbockerglory may be available elsewhere but for my sisters and me this is the ONLY PLACE to enjoy them. We had our first family trip here in about 50 years and it was a real trip down memory lane ☺️ Service was quick and efficient, the sundae was as good as ever. Couldn't ask for more.

One of the best ice-cream places

Great service, friendly atmosphere and great breakfast!

Best ice cream parlour in Scarborough! Not so good for your waistline!!

While planning our day in scarborough, the Harbour bar cropped up in so many conversations that we had to go. Famed for their ice cream and numerous dessert sundae concoctions mid afternoon we found a table in their bustling shop. Classic attire and a shop that could be taken out of 'Back to the Future' it was clean and well kept with staff that were friendly and professional. I partook in their famous Knickerboker Glory sundae while my mum stuck with her Mr Whippy 99. The sundae was made with expertise and looked so professional.

Quite simply the best sundaes on the planet. The place looks like a throwback to the 50s because it is. All mirrors' Yellow formica & matching uniforms. Totally authentic they don't do Cappuccinos but will suggest a far more original milky coffee!

This place is a gem. Quality quality quality. A massive asset for Scarborough. Very clean and alot of pride put into the establishment.

If you're in Scarborough, don't go anywhere else for ice cream. The Harbour Bar is the best and so reasonably priced as well. The lemon twist is a personal favourite but the jelly delight is a lovely treat.

They were friendly and all smiled worth visiting from Leeds

We had a banana split & coffee & it was the best icecream ever....absolutely delicious & service was very good....loved it ...... Cant wait to go again....

Great diner style experience on the front in Scarborough. Had amazing old style coke floats and milkshakes, and the staff were super helpful. Busy and a nice buzz to the place, would recommend for anyone.

Needs better seating, and digital ordering would be amazing 👍

The worse attitude of a member of staff. The potion size for the price what a rip off

Amazing ice cream. Place is like stepping back in time.

Really great ice-cream, the bubblegum whippy was incredible. Sadly the waffles are not freshly made, just heated on site. Would advise not visiting late in the day as once it reached 5pm the doors were locked and it was difficult to leave the place.

Amazing ice cream, really good value and ideally located in close proximity to the harbour and beach. We can’t wait to go back - four stars.

The best ice cream I have ever had in the UK, by far. Polite and cheerful staff too!

Our first visit this year to Scarborough, and once again we headed for the Harbour Bar for our ice cream, we never go any where else as this is easily the best in Scarborough. It's a shame they've stopped the Raspberry twist as that was my favourite, so I went for my second choice the Lemon twist, absolutely delicious.

Overprice. £9 for a small sundae glass that was filled with tinned fruit and cheap nasty vanilla icecream. Staff didn’t even come back and check we were ok. Contacted owner who was just as disinterested. It maybe that we picked badly but lack of customer service will mean we will never return.

By far one of the best desert/ice cream places we have visited. Portion sizes are generous and the prices are very reasonable for what you get. Staff are cheerful and friendly and add to the wonderful atmosphere.

Atmosphere good and lively on a wet school holiday afternoon. Prices were high but as a one off we decided on a treat with sundaes. Minimal fruit. Very sweet and content as stated on menus. Waitresses quick and efficient but don't plan to go there after 5.30! They were cleaning up around us as we were last ones there. Good but wouldn't go back

I'm dairy free. Only dairy free here is sorbet. Really disappointed as so many dairy free alternatives nowadays. Didn't buy anything

Alonzi’s Harbour Bar continues to be not only the jewel in the crown from an ice cream perspective, but also a tried and tested favourite element of our holidays. Initially I was disappointed to see that the raspberry twist had been replaced with orange twist - until I tried it….. absolutely gorgeous! Of course, I’d like both but one can never complain about the choice here, it’s just fabulous. Special mentions to Caitlin and Phoebe who were both so lovely, friendly, smiley, obliging and wonderful with our young children. Everything running smoothly as ever under Jackie’s leadership. Immaculately clean as always, and we were lucky enough to be able to dine in on each of the 3 occasions we visited over our 3 day short break in Scarborough. See you in May, can’t wait!

A must for any visit to Scarborough!

Got ice creams to take away today. My son is allergic to nuts. We opted for whippy ice cream in a tub for him.The assistant put on fresh gloves, got a tub from a new box and even opened a fresh pack of spoons to avoid cross contamination. Very impressed. Will be our place to go to in Scarborough. Thank you.

Timeless institution. Old fashioned ice cream sundaes. Can't recommend it highly enough.

We will never go for ice-cream anywhere else when in Scarborough. The ice cream is so tasty and creamy. You have to cue but that shows just how nice the ice cream is.

Love this place. Alway pop in when in Scsrborough but this time the tables were dirty and the prices have shot through the roof. Cost of living blah blah blah but the sundaes have gone up by £2 and 3 quid for just a single cone. Bye bye harbour bar

Incredible, best ice cream place in scarborough, slightly on the expensive side but worth it for the quality!

Lovely retro place, coffee and milkshakes are very nice

We stopped in for lunch on a Sunday lunchtime. The place was packed with lots of kids so it was hard to find seating. We had BLT and a Tuna toastie, strawberry shake and the Chocolata. The 50's design was fun.

Not changed since I was a kid but always great. Hot drinks to warm you through on a cold winter's day and super sundaes with gorgeous creamy ice cream.

It's a bit pricey (expensive really) but it's definitely top quality and a must do when in Scarborough! The staff are always very friendly and it's spotlessly clean. It's a must visit if you're in town!

Absolutely love this gem of a place! We had to stop by for old times sake! The menu is packed with flavour, literally! Highly recommended!

Food is usually good here but as for most of the miserable faces of some staff it's enough to put us off going again, yes it's Christmas and they've had to work but we've all been there and when you're serving the public at least pretend you're happy to see them. Just one young lady was very smiley so well done to her. Won't be rushing back.

Shocking. We use to come here every Sunday morning so decided to take the kids on boxing day morning. We arrived 9.40 stood at the counter to order for 10 minutes ordered a waffle a milkshake a tea and a coffee to be told ten minutes later they stopped serving waffles at 10 even though we were stood there before 10am. We then tried to order a sundae which is what they are known for again don't serve after 10am. It was wasn't particularly busy all they were offering was drinks with alcohol In them. Won't be going again . Very poor.

A must visit when in Scarborough. Quirky retro American ice cream parlour on the sea front with amazing ice creams, sundaes as well as other tasty snack options. If you have a small appetite and want something savoury and sweet I find the kid's sandwich and milkshake combo delightful.

The best place to get a light lunch followed by a scrumptious ice cream! If you haven’t already tried, you definitely should give it a go!

Lemon top ice cream is a must on a visit to Scarborough and this the best out there! Lovely chatty young lady serving from the kiosk. Brilliant.

Good old fashioned 50s style cafe bar. Great atmosphere, very well situated.

A busy afternoon, we found seats at the bar and service was really quick. I loved the milky coffee, just like my Mum makes :-) Great retro surroundings and staff uniforms.

Best ice cream in town well worth several visits

If giant ice creams are your thing, this is the place! A huge, traditional Knickerbocker Glory, very nice ice cream and (tinned) fruit. A real treat.

Oh my God!! If you love ice cream then this place is heaven!! Lovely creamy whipped ice cream in a variety of flavours. Try the bubblegum - you won’t be disappointed 👍

Visited the Harbour Bar with my sister for my birthday. We were debating beforehand if the knickerbocker glories would be as big as when we were kids - or it was just because we were small. They are bigger than ever and totally amazing with a wider range of flavours these days. If you are in Scarborough and looking for a treat, visit the Harbour Bar.

I have been coming here for at least 55 years for her Horlicks and toasted teacake . And my children are doing the same . Best cafe in Yorkshire keep up the good work 👍😎🥰

Awesome place, staff were all friendly and helpful. Desserts were huge and very good

Been amazing since I was a child and still is. 100% the highlight of the trip. Amazing place .

Absolutely lovely ice cream & desserts ( sorry, didn't try anything else ) with a vast choice of flavours ! Enjoyed it so much we went several times during our stay. Pleasant staff. Would definitely recommend !!