J.P. Licks

08/24/06

Highly overrated grotty ice cream joint - avoid always

by sailorboy05 at Citysearch

What the hell is the fuss over JP Licks? Average ice cream, hideous (and I mean nausea-inducing ghastly black and red) decor and the 3 locations I have tried (because friends want to go) all have dreadful staff (surly with attitude at Brigham Circle, over-the-hill crusty/grungy types in Coolidge Corner and frankly unsanitary in Jamaica Plain). Additionally the customers can be really annoying- too-old parents with their out of control brats and horrid Birkenstocks in JP and smug, thick-rimmed eyeglass wearing wannabe pseudointellectuals and urban hipsters in Brookline. Add to that the contingent of fat frat boys and their trashy sorority chick girl friends in flip flops and sweat pants. If the staff and clientele aren't enough to put you off the ice cream try the smell of congealing dairy on the floors, mysterious sticky patches that you can only feel and not see and irritating flyers for things like "organic weave-your-own yoghurt chakra balancing tap-dancing guru therapy group". And having survived all that, you then pay a hefty whack for mediocre ice cream with silly names.

• Pros: They don't seem to be opening any more locations
• Cons: Staff, clientele, ice cream