My Grape Gatsby ice was delicious! The guy working there was nice and friendly. The lady who checked us out was a little serious but nice too. We sat outside and it was really hot but it was nice to go inside to order and there was air conditioning in the store (there is no seating inside but outside is nice). The soundtrack was nice too. Lots of families sitting outside with kids enjoying the day! The only reason I gave 4 stars and not 5 is because at the end I ordered some butter popcorn and it was good but it could have used some salt and it wasnt as crunchy as I expected, but the ice was really good. Will be going back as the place was clean, the seating area outside was clean and tidy (smelled nice, like cleaner), and the workers were polite.

Do you see the pecans staring at you through the window? Begging to get munched on. Oh my goodness, this butter pecan popcorn is my current weakness. The water ice was delicious but the popcorn will have you coming back. Must stop spot whenever I am in Detroit.

Best popcorn Ive ever had, the cheese Louise! Also recommend the Motown mash! The gentleman working there was very nice!

Sister found a hair about halfway through her ice, and asked for a replacement for just the remaining portion, nothing extra. We only wanted the loss of the hair. The manager said that thats like eating half of a meal and complaining it got cold. This logic makes no sense. Cooling is a natural function of warm foods. Hair is not. There was no way to see it in the beginning, unless the manager genuinely anticipated certain servings to have a homogenous mix of body hair distributed throughout. We just dont want hair in our ice cream. We do understand how entropy works for foods that are not at equilibrium with ambient air. However, we are puzzled at how it is relevant. Id recommend laying out the ice flat and checking for hair, since this intelligent manager seems to think that hair=natural heat loss of warm food. The ice itself was very good. The manager seems bitter.

DeliciousIf you like lemon meringue pie you should try lemon water ice with Motown mash .Nice place. There were kind staff members and not so kind staff members .I’ve noticed many people complaining about cyst service on the reviews. I definitely see what they’re talking about. Other than the passive aggressive staff I truly enjoyed the sweet treat.

Everything I’ve had here is delicious! Love the water ice with soft serve. Love the chocolate peanut butter and the mango water ice. Tried the bubble waffle for the first time today and it’s amazing. As others have mentioned, there is a lady there taking orders that is very terrifying, and generally I’d avoid going to a business where I was petrified to follow the instructions on the sign to “Ask us about our toppings!”, but there’s only one Detroit Water Ice Co., so I just cross my fingers and hope I don’t get beaten to death with a bubble waffle iron for asking if cinnamon is a topping or an ice cream flavor. 🤞🏼

Although the cashier was rude to my mother and I for no absolute reason, and was giving me and her dirty looks. the owner was friendly and welcoming, explained everything to us with a smile. the shaved ice was delicious.just won’t return until staffing is fixed .

Honestly, customer service is going to ruin this buisness. Such rude people working there. Ice cream was great.

Authentic Philly Italian Water-Ice.Nothing like it! Frozen Confectionery Dessert!Incredible Flavor! Delicious 😋

This place was much better then I was expecting! I had the chocolate mint water ice and it was so good! I wish they had this on e the west side of the state where I live. I would want to visit often. 😁

Overall decent water ice. Had no lids when I went to order pints which was inconvenient. Water ice couldve used real fruit pieces.

Very yummy and the service is great. Will come back and do recommend!

The male manager that always wear that red mask is very rude, i don’t even know how he is working here. i ask a question he answers rudely. snacks were sloppy, I think this store has poor training, communication and etc. I will never come back here again. I feel threatened by the way he rolled his eyes at me and talked to me. I wouldn’t recommend it. And it was a BIRD in there

This place is so yummy! I go every time I’m in Detroit even if it’s cold! I like to get the blue raspberry and strawberry ice blended with soft serve. The only other place I’ve had this type of frozen ice is in Hawaii! Don’t miss out!

Beyond disappointed, popcorn is usually great, but I bought a bag Friday and the popcorn was stale. The staff weren’t welcoming and talking amongst each other, another staff member was on their phone at the front counter, just a mess.

My family and I have been there numerous times within the last 2 months, and every time we say we are never coming back. THE PRODUCTS ARE AMAZING, however, the staff, the one women in particular with glasses and frizzy hair, she needs to learn how to talk to people, instead of screaming and being rude. No we don’t have that, no we can’t make that today ... we’re just a few things she decided to yell, not talk, yell at us.I get it l, we live in a world with face mask and it can be hard to hear, but the way you yell rather than talk loud and the way it comes out is very different. I even felt sorry for the workers she was working with because they seem to get all the back lash. Bring the old crew back, much more friendly.Again, the products were amazing, but unfortunately we won’t be going back due to the one woman.

This place is wonderful. We had never had this type of ic d beverage before but it was very good. Thank you!

Really good flavors and has nice staff.

This place us great on a hot summers day. The interior of this place is quite small but their outdoor seating is great! The woman at the counter was really friendly and offered samples right away.I ended up getting the Mango and Strawberry lemonade (ice?). The smallest portion they offer is really generous and its quite filling in my opinon. The flavors are all full of sugar so if you are looking for something light, this isnt it. They do soft serve mixed with the Ice and all sorts of other combinations.Overall, I liked it and will return especially on those extremely hot days! This a good alternative if youre not an ice cream fan!

They are so friendly and quick! The bubble waffle takes about 5 mins but it is so good with the Motown mash and strawberries! Its my new favorite!

Staff was rude. Came in with my family asked for the smallest size for myself bc I had surgery and cant hardly eat. They refused to sell me a Jr size. All other food and icecream shops have accommodated me and helped keep me on track by letting me order smaller portions but this shop rudly refused. Wont be going back. :( was excited about going in before that.

Absolutely the best! The majority of the water ice is vegan. The service is superb! So many wonderful flavors to choose from. Kids love it! They love the kids, too! Some times youll see Mitch Albom behind the counter, too.

Good and quick customer service. Good variety of different ice cream.

Best cheese corn around. Too bad that for EIGHT DOLLARS you now get a half full bag with a couple of ounces. The two dozen kernels were delicious.

A mess! The two women working had a terrible attitude because it was so busy. My fiancé ordered the bubble cone thing....THEY HAD NONE OF THE AVAILABLE TOPPINGS! But didn’t tell him this until he had them make the cone. It was spilling all over the place so he asked if he could have some napkins and you guessed it. They had none. Will never be returning.

At first i didn’t want to have ice cream at first but when I find out it have no diary and it is fat free I took an chance it was delicious. I came straight out of NJ.

Finest spot to eat something when in a hurry. The service is prompt, rates are reasonable, excellent character. Will visit here again, I recommend Detroit Water Ice Factory .

Love it- very refreshing - tastes like real fruit

This place was pretty cool! I got the Motown Swirl, which is a layer of ice cream on the bottom, then a layer flavored ice, and topped of with more soft serve ice cream. The deserts were pretty expensive (which makes sense considering its location) and the actual frozen ice wasnt very flavorful. The addition of soft serve definitely makes it taste better!

Bring the other crew back. The hospitality, ice and popcorn were much better.

Yummy and refreshing. Love the concept. Bravo.

First run, will review more in the future in hopes of improvement...Service set a low bar, even for Detroit. As we walked into a storefront with painfully loud music, the server greeted me but not my girl. And proceeded to give me no explanation as to what I was getting or how the process worked. Basically I got a cup full of topping... When I wanted ice cream. Luckily she got soft serve so after we left together we made a delicious dessert. #relationshipgoals...Im looking forward to going back to this place because I have heard good things and I know that Mitch Albom is doing good work, but the staff is really dragging this location down.Try it, hopefully you have better luck!Update: Didnt even finish... To the trash

I first visited the popcorn store in Somerset, which is Detroit Water Ices sister store. The lady working had excellent customer service and gave us samples to try!I believe it was the same person working in Detroit, and I appreciate how sweet she is a lot. I came in with 2 of my friends, and she kindly answered all the questions we had about flavors and such. All the water ice is dairy-free, which is a win for our lactose intolerance. My friend got swedish fish and banana. I got motown mash and banana. Neither of us like banana flavored foods but oh my god. It was so good!! I should note- Motown Mash was described to us like whipped cream with chocolate chip cookies mixed in, so probably not dairy free, but it was heavenly- with the cookie chunks and the marshmallow-fluff-like consistency, Im salivating just talking about it haha. Its awesome its in downtown Detroit, but not so awesome that its so out of the way for me. Ill still be coming back down with my friends for sure!! Ill sure miss this a lot when I move to California.(They also have flavored hot chocolate, which I have yet to try but I know I got to :)

One of my favorite non dairy treats along with Carmel corn. You cant go wrong . Motown Mash with mint my odd mix but it works. Stop in a create your own blend

The young woman that serving me ice cream was very passive aggressive to me for no reason and the ice cream wasn’t even that good.

I fell in love with this establishment since the moment I walked in. much Alvin truly created a gem. The staff, the shop itself, the staff, and the icecream are amazing. I loved their mint ice cream and their marshmallow treat and the work this business does for the community. I cant wait to come back here and try their hot chocolate.

Im not sure why they serve Philly Pretzels in the D. You could stand a spoon in the coffee. The staff is nice. Great location. The popcorn was tasty.

I love the mango ice. This place is great and friendly.

The ice cream Motown Twist is very good. This was my first time at Detroit Water Ice Factory its very nice.

Visted here last year for the first time, completely out of curiosity- turned out to be a super great choice! Ive never had anything like this before, its like a cross between slushie and ice-cream! Its smooth, chilly, and yummy for those hot summer days!

Visited today while downtown. The GM is so helpful and amazing.

I first visited the popcorn store in Somerset, which is Detroit Water Ices sister store. The lady working had excellent customer service and gave us samples to try!I believe it was the same person working in Detroit, and I appreciate how sweet she is a lot. I came in with 2 of my friends, and she kindly answered all the questions we had about flavors and such. All the water ice is dairy-free, which is a win for our lactose intolerance.My friend got swedish fish and banana. I got motown mash and banana. Neither of us like banana flavored foods but oh my god. It was so good!! I should note- Motown Mash was described to us like whipped cream with chocolate chip cookies mixed in, so probably not dairy free, but it was heavenly- with the cookie chunks and the marshmallow-fluff-like consistency, Im salivating just talking about it haha. I was concerned if the motown mash would taste weird with fruit flavors, but nope! The manager told us that people love it with any flavor!I also appreciated the fact that it doesnt melt like normal ice cream, I know its super cold (Janurary) but I had mine in my car for HOURS until it completely melted. (I did eat the top part of the cup before I started driving just in case). Next time Ill be bringing some home for my family.Its awesome its in downtown Detroit, but not so awesome that its so out of the way for me. Ill still be coming back down with my friends for sure!! Ill sure miss this a lot when I move to California.(They also have flavored hot chocolate, which I have yet to try but I know I got to :)

Just kind of stumbled in here fell in love with it. Really cool atmosphere, tasty treats, and a very friendly and helpful staff. Its now a must visit for my future trips into the city.

All of them on here lying, go get some detroit water ice 🔥

Tried something new in downtown Detroit in search of the perfect slush. Nice clean friendly atmosphere, and the slush was okay.

Stop by the Detroit Water Ice Factory while strolling down Woodward. Before a game or after dinner it is all good. You may even catch owner Mitch Albom working behind the counter some day. Located between Campus Martius and the Hudson site it is the place to be.

I LOVE this place. Its hard to describe, but I guess you could say its a mix between a snow cone and ice cream. The flavors are amazing and delicious. Today I had the blue raspberry, my mom had the black cherry (which had actual cherry chunks in it), and my daughter had the Motown mash. We were all very pleased! I would highly recommend trying this place out if you are downtown.

Delicious, refreshing and vegan friendly.

Great stop for a refreshing cool down. Like a mix between Italian ice and Hawaiian shaved ice. Fantastic!

Youve got to try the stuff at Detroit Water Ice Factory. Its not ice cream (though they have soft serve if thats your thing), its not gelato, or italian ice. Sort of like a more solid version of an icee is all I could come up with. Just go try it. Besides the tasty water ice, 100% of the profits go to nonprofit S.A.Y. Detroit. Thats a winner!

This was our first and last visit. The place was a mess with boxes, cardboard and pallets strewn about. The clerk was berating the customer in front of us when he asked a question. He turned to m eand said he hasnt felt that way since high school. I came to try the rice pudding but they didnt have any. Bad customer service and a place that was a mess. Left a bad taste in my mouth and I wont be back.

Cool place with a cool atmosphere. Yummy cool treats!

Over priced and bad service

Awesome place. Tasty snack offered at affordable prices. Did I mention they give back to the less fortunate? Go check em out, youll like it.

The ice is pretty good but the custard part was okay.

Terrible service. Terrible management. Zero stars.

Great business for the Detroit area. Gives back to the community and also is very tasty! Tried their wide selection of whipped ice and popcorn, definitely will return.

I love this place they have wonderful icecream

My family and I went here, we will definitely come back! Amazing staff and food! It’s variety is just right and we love the area.

Bubble Waffle was amazing!

Idea stolen from a Snoopy Snow Cone Machine! Flavors tasty and refreshing-but left with a chemical aftertaste in my mouth from the flavoring syrup. Would be nice if they used actual fruit for flavoring! Staff was pleasant at The Franklin Cider Mill location. Fun for kids but not something I’m completely interested in as an adult. At least the profits go to charity!!!

Ive actually never been to a place like this before, and was surprised when I walked in to discover what it was, but I was pleasantly surprised. Its essentially a sort of Italian ice, and it was delicious. I got the peach flavor and it was delicious. It was one of the most lovely surprises.

Delicious 😋 and it last longer than a melting popsicle 😉😂

Its a neat little place to try. It was the perfect option for a summer Saturday night in Detroit. The taste was different. Not in a bad way, but I did have to get use to it. Its definitely a place I would try again since they were out of a few items.

Unique spot for a snack while wandering downtown. The pretzels are very good and inexpensive. The mustard is tasty. The water ice is a treat I have never had and was refreshing. The staff were friendly as well.

They have wonderful service and awesome staff! They were really helpful, since it was only my first time there. The ice cream and Italian ice was DELICIOUS! Definitely a five star.

Chloe and the rest of the staff were really nice. The shop was really nice considering they were closing. I work in customer service and understand how annoying it can be when people come in right before closing time. Also the ice flavors are really good!

I really wish we had gotten ice instead of the Mud concoction. Dont get me wrong it was good just the sugar content could be tasted with every bite and many people do like that me, no so much!Great outside setting in a beautiful active location. You have some shopping right across the street and down a block.

I was not expecting this place to be as good as it was! I really thought the water ice would be like a slushie but its much creamier and way more delicious. The guy at the counter let me try a few flavors and gave me his personal recommendations. I loved the strawberry lemonade flavor I tried and so did my friends! If I ever end up in Detroit again Ill try my best to come here another time!

Love, love, love.The staff is so friendly and professional, allowed me to try a few of the flavors, and I got a lot for what I paid for. The guy that was there recommend a few flavors and added his own twist to it. Theres also and outdoor seating area, which is really convenient. Anyone visiting Downtown Detroit should absolutely stop here. You wont be disappointed, I promise!

Very good refreshing ice treat.. Not slush...not ice cream...but delicious none the less...be careful not get hooked on a flavor...theyre always adding something new. Prices are okay...they also have mouthwatering popcorn...almost as delicious as Garretts...right here at home! They also have ice cream and other tasty treats. Staff pretty knowledgeable and patient...during the season...they are sometimes at Franklin cider mill. Dont forget to ask for samples before finishing

Had the saddleback brownie sundae. Its a huge helping but amazing.!! Will definitely be back to try more sundaes.

Nice people and reasonable prices. The ice is good but a little weak in flavor. Still really nice for a summer treat.

Nice, cozy spot. Great location. The water ice is a unique experience that our family enjoyed. It may not be an authentic water ice experience to add toppings to the soft serve or water ice, but that could be a fun touch for kids and adults alike.

Different

Best Italian ice ever, and they make it fresh there. Great fun for the family. Lemon is the best flavor...

Get the Detroit Mash! Its Amazing!

Get the Motown Mash! Trust me! You wont be disappointed. Love this place.

Detroit water and Ice is amazing. Their selection of flavors are exceptional. The texture of the ice is really creamy, almost like ice cream... you should definitely get the root beer with soft serve, best Root Beer float you will ever have.The other day when I stopped in they were serving breakfast... various flavors of rice pudding along with a special french toast.

The popcorn smells amazing and draws you in from the sidewalk! Fun family stop as you stroll down town detroit! Great flavor selection. Try the popcorn as well!!

Yummy place to grab a cold treat or even some popcorn. My kids loved it. Its like ice cream meets snow cone.

Delicious!This place has so many delicious flavors to choose from. It’s basically sorbet, but they do have some other options. I have been there twice and never disappointed. The only problem I have with them is that there aren’t many sizes to choose from, although the prices are reasonable so it’s hard to complain.

Great concept, fun place ....but. The popcorn wasnt as tasty as I thought it was going to be and the ice treats were kinda well tasteless but pretty to look at.. The place is full of life and the staff is awesome wish the treats met the standards of everything else. Ill return only because it goes to charity.

Great ice cream & variety.

The young lady was very nice the ice was really good. My family really enjoyed ourselves today.

This was so good. Employees there were really nice and did a great job with recommendations. A little pricey but definitely a unique treat. Fully recommend getting a Motown twist!

Absolutely love this place. A little taste of Philly in the D. If youve never experienced wooter ice, make your day and grab some! Super tasty, incredibly refreshing on a hot day, truly a treat! Also, 100 % of the profits go to Charity!

Im from Philadelphia so when I saw this I turned into a kid in a candy store. Now its not a Freds or Tranzillis. But it was delicious, it has great consistency, pretty cool flavors. The only thing that I didnt like was that they put the pretzel i ordered in coconut oil. But when my Philly crew comes to visit I will definitely bring them here.

I stopped by the temporary location at the Franklin cider mill. Ive never had this frozen treat b4 but the staff let me try a few flavors & it was really quite good! + I was happy to see the profits go to charity too.I ended up getting the watermelon & lemon & I totally loved both flavors! I didnt try the other flavors but I honestly dont think that this type of dessert would be very good in flavors like mint chocolate or peanut butter or really any thing other than a fruity flavor...but I suppose that some people do like them or they wouldnt continue to sell them! But for me personally, I expect I will stick to the fruit flavors.☆But you definitely have a new customer here & Im looking forward to checking out this location next time Im downtown.*& I cant wait to bring my hubby with me too, since he is lactose intolerant & cant really enjoy ice cream very often 🙁; but this is not dairy based, so he WILL be able to enjoy this frozen treat 😋!!

Great staff, offered samples. They were patient while us Gen Xers figured out the menu. Excellent water ice

Much like ice cream but its ICE! Unbelievably delicious! The flavors are just as good as their names. Chet Lemon!Always friendly service, and the proceeds go to charity! Double win!

Their dessert(the Motown Twist or Twister) is not just good tasting, but its the best that I ever had. Really, there is no other dessert that taste better. And that goes for the many different types of cake, cookies, candy bars, milk shakes, and etc. that Ive indulged in. So I can give Detroit Ice no better compliment than that, but their product does have a fault to it which is they melt too fast. So hurry up & eat the top half of one before some spills on the ground, or on you, or on the table.

This place is amazing. Definitely my new spot. Unique desert and friendly staff.

A neat little place where the profits go to charity. It’s more than just “ice”. It has more of a milky taste to it. The watermelon flavor tastes like banana.

The service was really good and Joshua went above and beyond to meet our expectations. The ice and popcorn were also excellent. Great experience, right near Q-Line and Campus Martius also. Highly recommend.

Treats are different than those you can find elsewhere. Its less frozen than Italian ice, smoother than a snow cone. Get the ice with the real cherries in it--absolutely the best quality and so good for you!

The STAFF is PROFESSIONAL and KIND, things we dont see in most young people. But this is worth the trip Downtown. (A+)

Went here with a friend and the staff were nice. The place was clean and my friend and I got the mint chocolate chip. I personally didnt like it that much but my friend liked it. Would go again, just would get something different.

Awesome place wish there was one with a parking lot but worth it.

Very smooth and tasty water ice. We liked the grape and orange cream