Crank & Boom Ice Cream Lounge

Amazing ice cream! Really cool atmosphere! If you’re in the middle of an industrial park you’re in the right place. We almost went right past it. Try the salted caramel ice cream, even if you don’t like caramel. It’s that good. We had the big Kahana, plan on sharing it or come with plenty of room. Highly recommended!!!

Want real ice cream made with actual local ingredients? You have hit the right spot in the Bluegrass. While some people may not like how creamy (or heavy as some say) their ice cream is. To me, it is what makes it this place so great and should I say, authentic. The ice cream is on point, especially bourbon and honey, salted caramel, and coffee stout. Like root beer floats, look no further than their excellent float with craft root beer and be sure to get it with bourbon and honey ice cream.
Their cocktails are wonderful, especially anything with bourbon cream. And whatever else they decide to whip up that day is the special item, you can’t go wrong with either.
I’m glad to see Lexington embracing the local movement and to its fullest. You will love the ice cream and the industrial décor all in an area rapidly being revitalized. Keep up the good work!

The reviews don’t lie, this place is LEGIT!
On a work trip to Lexington, my travel companion and I decided it was time for a late night dessert run. We were staying at the 21c and I found Crank and Boom on Unilocal,and with such raving reviews I decided I absolutely had to come feast upon the goodness.
As we walked through heaven’s gates (the front door) my friend and I simultaneously said, «Oh my God,» in response to the smell that was filling our nostrils. I mean seriously, this heavenly aroma is unprecedented.
Make sure you try a few samples before committing to a flavor, because you do NOT want to miss out on your perfect flavor match. Hint: The maple bacon is definitely worth a taste!
We eventually decided on the salted carmel brownie sundae extravaganza. We got the one that’s a shareable size and it was the perfect amount. It was hands down the best sundae I’ve ever had. I would highly suggest it to anyone!
Can’t wait to come back on our next visit!

Decided to try it out while we were in town visiting family. They had several parties going on. My mother got the chocolate truffle. I got the Blackberry and buttermilk in a homemade waffle cone! It was delicious!

Wow this is delicious, thick, spoon-​breaking ice cream! All made with in-​house ingredients. One scoop for $ 4 and two scoops for $ 5. Ask for a sample to help you decided. Spike coffees, alcoholic floats, milkshakes, and sundaes are also on the menu. A must-​try spot in Lexington.

When did Lexington become so cool?! Since when do we have places like Crank & Boom?! I’m obsessed!!!
This is located in such a cute, hip little area, surrounded by a bar, brewery, and restaurant. The inside is just as cool and hip. It has two levels, including a «selfie booth» upstairs, filled with so many costume options. They have so many different ways of serving you ice cream — you’ve got to just check them out! I personally shared a flight of four ice creams with a few friends. Only $ 12! We sampled the blackberry buttermilk, raspberry sorbet, dark chocolate truffle, and salted caramel. The raspberry sorbet and dark chocolate truffle were my absolute favorites!
The sorbet was so light and flavorful. The dark chocolate truffle was so creamy and rich and beautiful. The blackberry buttermilk is super unique, but definitely worth trying! I did enjoy it, but it’s not something I can eat a ton of. Salted caramel was way too rich for me, but my friends really loved it!
Located in an up and coming area of Lexington, I so highly recommend you come check this place out.

Yum! Stopped in after hearing great things about this place. Tried the blackberry buttermilk, Bourbon Honey, and salted caramel. All delicious! Decided on a waffle cone with the first two and reminded me of pancakes! The waffle cone alone is to die for (and they make them right there).

Omg– I thought we were lost when Unilocal routed us here and literally the best few hours of our trip to Lexington. Awesome concept for an upscale, trendy, unique dessert bar– literally with any drink or cocktail you can imagine. Perfect way to put some icing on a great day! Friendly staff, asked where we were from and made us feel welcome.

I loved this place because there’s lots of choice, from the regular to the seasonal offerings. I recommend getting a flight of ice cream. Don’t be like me: I got two scoops and then had ice cream envy for what my sister ordered. Next time – and there WILL be a next time – I’ll try flights and be able to sample everything. It’s also a nice place to sit and chill.

Ok the chocolate truffle and fresh strawberry ice cream are amazing. Love the set up and how this is an ice cream lounge with a little bit of everything. I cannot wait to get go back.

Crank and Boom. Not a name I’d typically affiliate with good ice cream, but this isn’t a typical ice cream parlor. It’s more like an adult ice cream parlor. Not like THAT. But in a casual, cocktail kind of way. Such a smart concept! Entrepreneurs are getting wise and are finally conceptualizing new and exciting businesses. and I’ll take it!
You’ve already heard about the cool, trendy flavors served here so I won’t bore you. I did like so many of them, but I really love the wall of paying it forward. It’s on the left as you walk in. It was inspiring to read the giving people of the community’s notes. I left a couple scoops for a baseball catcher. Ya never know. Johnny Bench may drift in someday…

While in Lexington this weekend, I had to try some local ice cream. This place was adorable. The inside is a tiny, but there is an upstairs for private parties and a fantastic patio. Apparently it is in a location that use to be empty warehouse buildings, but now the city has made it into a bunch of places to eat, hang out on patios on nice days and great venues for music. There is even a little creek that runs behind all the buildings.
The reason I enjoyed this ice cream place so much is that the flavors were anything but traditional. There was nothing vanilla or plain chocolate here. I had a scoop of coconut with a scoop of dark chocolate truffle — together it tasted like an almond joy. I was able to try the mango sorbet which tasted exactly like a mango. I loved it. The strawberry was excellent; I am not even a fan of strawberry. The superfudge was SUPER fudge and probably a little too rich for me, but my husband (a massive sweets fan) loved it. I also asked to taste the bourbon + honey ice cream. It was phenomenal. Like I said, these weren’t cookie-​cutter flavors.
This was a perfect spot to enjoy an after meal treat on a sunny spring morning.

Amazing! What an incredible treat. We visited from out of town and love eating at new places that we find on Unilocal.
At C & B, time seemed to stand still. The atmosphere was unique and inviting. The music was enjoyable. The staff was helpful and they said, «we encourage tasting!» as we asked about the different flavors.
I landed on the BFF sundae, as I was there with my BFF. She had the blackberry buttermilk. We loved our treats.
I wish I lived closer. (:

Crank and Boom has definitely transformed itself from an ice cream shop to a full dessert bar. This was initially supposed to be a 4-​star review but after my last visit to C&B, I have come to the realization that they deserve all 5 stars.
Over the last few months, they went from a place serving 6 – 8 flavors of ice cream and sundaes to a place that allows you to taste their ice cream in every possible way. Ice cream sundaes? Check! Ice cream cookies? Check! Espresso plus ice cream? Check! Bourbon plus ice cream??? Check!!! Slice of cake with a scoop of your favorite ice cream??? Check!!! I think you got the idea. They have expanded their list of flavors so you are more than likely to find more than a single flavor to make your dessert dreams come true.
To this day, my favorite flavors of ice cream flavors they have had are honey bourbon and blueberry lime cheesecake. The location is in the heart of the newly booming pepper district, right next to middle fork restaurant and the ethereal brewery. Inside is cozy and has two levels of seating. Upstairs, you can find a selfie room with lots of props for all your selfie needs! The service has always been good and the staff are ready to give you suggestions if you need some help navigating your way around their menu. This place is definitely a must-​visit for someone who wants a unique ice cream-​based dessert… and all locally handcrafted too!

Super friendly service. Awesome ice cream. The building is very neat. I wish I were from around here. I would definitely come back.

Awesome, creative flavors and a soft gooeyness to the ice cream I have not seen before. It works.
Great, attentive team.

I admittedly didn’t really understand Crank & Boom the first time we went there. What is that texture? Why is it so thick and creamy? This isn’t ice cream, it’s freezing ice mousse!
All of that has changed and I now understand the gloriousness of the ice mousse. It’s thick and magical and delicious. The small flavor selection is always changing, but the Super Fudge remains my favorite. Also that one time they had Lucky Charms ice cream because holy throwback batman.
I recommend getting a flight so you can try lots of flavors. And also how cool is it that you can get an even get ice cream flight?

I love it here. What can I say. The process that goes into making this sinfully delicious ice cream. The quality and flavor is well worth the price. The ambiance is great and the staff is always friendly.

Best ice cream around! Blackberry buttermilk is my favorite! The lounge is in a great spot too.

friends i have very urgent news to deliver.
BOURBON AND HONEY is a real thing and it comes on this BOMB ASS WAFFLE CONE that has like cinnamon in it or something and OH MY GOD after a couple beers at ethereal or the breakroom it’s pretty much magic. the folks at c&b are practitioners of the DARK ARTS of ice cream and they will OWN YOUR SOUL.
as you were.

Crank & Boom is an amazing establishment! If you’ve tried their ice cream from the frozen section of your supermarket, you MUST try it in person at the store. It is so much creamier and fresher! My only complaint about the store is that the lines are quite long at times (weekends/​evenings) with people trying samples and holding up the line. I wish there was a way to help the next person and keep the line going. The space complete with a photo booth and upstairs is decorated in a very minimalist/​hip way and it feels good to eat here, knowing we’re supporting homegrown businesses. The Bourbon & Honey is simply divine. My husband swears by one of their chocolate varieties and my mother can’t get enough of the Blackberry Buttermilk. Glad this place is a little off my beaten path or I would consume entirely too much ice cream!

Great freaking ice cream, but a bit pricey. It is a very hipster/​industrial feel of the building here. Lots of wood, concrete, and metal. It fits in well in the Salt & Pepper District off Manchester Street.
I skipped lunch the day I visited here so don’t judge me. I figured I would just order my sandwich here. The lady behind the counter was funny and obviously enjoyed her job. I proceeded to order the best thing on the menu that I saw. A Chocolate Chip Cookie Bourbon Honey Ice Cream Sandwich With Bacon And Brownie Bits Topped With Carmel, Chocolate, & Whip Cream. So freaking good. Even though the girl behind the counter forgot my bacon when she made it. I think I was distracting her with my wit, charm, and humor or obnoxious drunkinness if you will. Which ever.
Needless to say, the yummy sandwich was so damn good. I ended up sharing it with a friend. Kind of worth the $ 7 I paid for it.
After we ate, we proceeded to sneak upstairs to look around. there we found a selfie booth. It had lots of hats and props to take fun pictures with which we sure as hell did.
Good times. Have fun. Eat Ice Cream.

This is my new favorite dessert place. Super good and super affordable.
I ordered a float that involved vanilla ice cream (they were out of salted caramel), hard cider and caramel. It was awesome. My wife, son, father and step mother all loved their ice cream as well. I paid for everyone and it was just under $ 16 I believe.
They have several items like cookies and brownies that you can order and just put your ice cream on if you like. They also have a couple heavier desserts if you’re up for it.
It’s in a very interesting building/​location where you might accidentally drive by it and have to double back as the entrance to the parking lot isn’t very clear.

So at $ 4 a pop this ice cream better be my ticket to heaven. But something was missing here. Here’s the lowdown on their top flavors: The blackberry buttermilk flavor was terrific and if you order the bourbon and honey take note that you must love bourbon. Tremendously tried and true notes of bourbon here!
About the service. When I walked in the server asked if I was here for the waffle bar. ‘What’s that?’ I asked. I guess my question stupefied her. She looked at me like I was an alien. I explained, ‘No really, I was just popping in for some ice cream but I guess you have a special spread going on today or something?’ Still gave me a quizzical look. Maybe she was a young girl still socializing her way through college but I couldn’t have felt more alienated. How could I just DARE to be ignorant of their FABulous brunch!?! Well, the menu actually looked great and all but I already had a full stomach and just needed an ice cream fix. So I sampled a few flavors and got sticker shot at the $ 4 price tag. Walked out. Sorry! Cute concept but didn’t get a big ‘boom’ from this place like I had hoped.

I generally stuck to Graeters when I wanted ice cream, but ended up here a couple of times. Their stuff was good but I wasn’t crazy about it or anything, that is until I had the Kentucky Blackberry & Buttermilk. It is so incredibly smooth and tastes just like eating a pancake, only in frozen squishy form. I stopped in and got a pint and now that I know what it is like to have it in my home whenever I want I have a feeling that it is going to take up a permanent place in my freezer.

This place was awesome! Order the double chocolate on their waffle cone. The cone itself was delicious let alone the ice cream. I got to sample some sorbet and I’m not a fan but overall it’s a great new hip spot to me. I’ll definitely be coming back here!

We’ve had C&B ice cream at Saul Good; C&B developed a signature flavor for them which we like a lot. Our experience tonight was disappointing.
Sari had a scoop of their Stout flavor and she described the texture as «gummy.» I had the Bourbon Ball Sundae. My ice cream was seriously soupy when it was served and obviously it continued to melt from there. The bourbon-​honey flavor was OK but mostly vanilla; I could taste the honey but not the bourbon. The texture was grainy like it had melted and refrozen. To not top it off, there wasn’t any whipped cream on my sundae which the menu says there should have been.
$ 4 for a scoop of ice cream and $ 6 for a scoop with a little bit of topping is pricey. That’s OK if the product is great, but it wasn’t.

First time visit. The two people behind the counter were so nice. They also were proud of what they do which made the experience even better.
We each ordered a bacon ice cream sandwich. Since we ordered the same thing the guy made them a little different so we could share and try something different.
A little pricey but overall a great experience.

This is the type of ice cream shop all others should aspire to be. I can’t say enough about how great this place is; I’ll try to keep the review shorter than a novel.
The location of Crank & Boom seems odd when you’re on your way there via Google Maps. Once you get there, though, it’s one of the more unique parts of Lexington. This spot on Manchester St seems to be in the middle of an old warehouse district and these businesses are bringing the area to life. There’s a distillery, coffee shop, little biker bar looking thing, a nice restaurant, and of course this ice cream shop. It looks like hipster central here and I love it.
Now let’s get to the ice cream. I had bourbon & honey and my friend had the blackberry buttermilk. WOW. Some of the creamiest ice cream out there. And it’s just bursting with flavor! I wish I could have it for dessert every night. And dinner. Probably breakfast and lunch even.
The staff was super friendly and helpful when I couldn’t make a decision on what to order (so many good choices!). The inside has two floors, lots of outlets, and there’s wifi. I’d imagine I would come here to do homework if I was in school in Lexington.
I’ll definitely be back next time I’m in town!

When it comes to giving you a unique ice cream experience, Crank & Boom is going to be a hard option to beat.
First off, their location and style are super trendy. Going into the Salt & Pepper Campus makes you feel cool just for being there.
Secondly, their ice cream flavors are always delicious, and there’s always something new to try! Personally, I have trouble choosing between their Coffee Stout, Bourbon & Honey, Oaxacan Chocolate, and anything else that might catch my eye. Thank goodness you can order multiple flavors or event a flight of ice creams if you get too desperate!
Thirdly, I appreciate this company’s willingness to partner with other local companies to bring you something truly unique, like West Sixth Brewing (the Coffee Stout flavor), North Lime (for the bacon ice cream sandwich!), and Gent’s Old Fashioned Soda (for unique floats!)
Last but not least, this is a place not afraid to experiment with new flavors. Last visit, they offered us a bite of mango sorbet with some Tajin (chili-​lime spice for the uninformed). The flavor punch in this bite was unheard of! It made me almost weep that we had already picked out our flavors of choice.
But, I mean, all the choices are good. Who am I to complain?

This is the rare winning combination of great food, great service, a winning atmosphere, and a group of people that cares deeply about their community. Go upstairs and snap a pic in the selfie vault!

You come here for the specialty items on the menu and the atmosphere. If you walk in and just have a single scoop of plain vanilla or strawberry ice cream you’ll probably say it was just okay and a bit pricey for what you get because you did it wrong and missed the BOOM!
Step out of your comfort zone and try something new like, Bourbon Honey or Kentucky Blackberry & Buttermilk. Another reviewer said «its one of those places where you are already thinking about what you will order next time» and I couldn’t agree more!

Cool layout, interesting flavors. It was ok, but not worth the 12 bucks we spent on it. I actually gave mine away when we went over to the break room.
Its a nice addition to the overall area, and worth checking out.
A friend said tbey likes the strawberry shortcake type thing with balsamic. I probably wouldn’t make a return trip, but check it out for yourself!

I heard a ton of hype about this new location recently, so I had to try this place out. This joint is located of Manchester St. in the Pepper Campus aka Hipster Headquarters. This area had some cool stuff going on (brewery, restaurant, bar, coffee, distillery, and hipsters roughing it outside on a Thursday afternoon after work or waking up from a nap)
This layout of this place is nice, but I can see how it would get congested on a busy day. As I arrived, I gazed at the menu until a «what do you want?» echoed in the air. I inquired more about this doughnut sandwich (as North Lime is amazing) and decided to give it a go.
$ 7 was the total for the sandwich, plus a $ 1 for bacon and $ 1 for a small Nate’s coffee. I sat at the bar and finished this thing down. It was good. The ice cream had hints of Bourbon and Honey, as indicated in the title. The donut was good, but still not like a hot, fresh donut from North Lime itself. I really enjoyed the Nate’s coffee though. It’s a steal for $ 1.
Overall, this place is good. They have great ice cream and lots of fun, wacky creations. But be prepared to pay. I can see how a family of four would seldom visit this place, as a trip here could easily total over $ 30 for this hypothetical family. I don’t want to bash this place, as they have a lot going on and I was satisfied in the end. Just make sure your bank account is far from the red.