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Soda fountains are beacons of nostalgia in the United States. In these social hubs that also doubled as drug stores, soda-jerks would craft fizzy drinks with syrups and serve ice cream treats. Around the world, an American soda fountain represents a romanticized version of the 1950s: teenagers sipping milkshakes on chrome stools while a jukebox plays in the background.
Malt powder, which is made with malted barley, wheat flour, and evaporated milk, was created in the 19th century as a health supplement to treat weakness and frailty in children and the elderly. By the early 1900s, soda jerks were mixing malted milk powder with ice cream, creating what would become one of the defining sweet treats of Americana: the malt.
Traditionally served in a tall glass topped with whipped cream, the ice cream and milk are blended with malt powder for added richness and a subtle toasted sweetness. The remainder is usually served in a chilled stainless steel mixing cup, just like in the old days. Drinking a malt feels extra satisfying on a sweltering summer day.
Something I learned while searching for the best malts is that just because a diner evokes strong feelings of nostalgia doesn’t mean its malts are good. I included them at the end of this post.
Granted, it’s not every day that people come in asking for malts or shakes, so it’s understandable that some of these places don’t have the recipe quite right. Although I think that at an ice cream parlor or a diner, shakes should also be a priority.
Matthew, co-owner of Sonny’s Handcrafted Ice Cream in Sherman Oaks, said that many places use excessive amounts of syrup to mask the poor quality of their ice cream. While some places proudly disclose their brand of ice cream they use, others keep it hush-hush. A touch of syrup is supposed to enhance and balance the malt. Too much syrup, and all you have is sweet chocolate sauce mixed with ice cream.
Sadly, Frosty Queen in Granada Hills was one of the best places to get a malt in LA. They had so many flavors, including cherry and banana. I went twice in 2023. They closed their doors in early 2024.
Before I moved to LA from Madrid 11 years ago, I enjoyed going to diners decked up in Americana. Albeit not bad, the milkshakes didn’t come close to the old-fashioned milkshakes in the United States.
After a year of research and multiple return visits, these are the best spots in LA for an old-fashioned malt or milkshake. It turns out there are still quite a few no-frills ice cream parlors in Los Angeles, and I hope we continue to preserve them. I will have to make a trip to the Midwest, where there’s still a significant number of soda fountains.
Some of the malted shakes I did not take a picture of because they were served in tall white cups.
Bob’s Big Boy
4211 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505
Bob’s Big Boy is synonym with vintage cars and old Los Angeles, but it’s also synonym with the late director David Lynch.
For seven years, David Lynch went to Bob’s Big Boy at 2:30 pm and ordered a coffee and a chocolate milkshake. David shared in one of his last interviews that during his 2,500 visits, he only got three perfect milkshakes.
“The ice cream came out of a Taylor machine and it swirls into this silver goblet cup that they keep in a refrigerator. So when they come out of the refrigerator they’re cold, and then the Taylor machine puts out this softer ice cream in a swirl, brings it up to a point, and they bring it to you and set it on your table.”
“The mixture of the Taylor machine comes out of a thing that looks like a milk carton – and there’s chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. They pour this liquid in, and the tailor machine cools it. It’s got to get cool to get a thickness on the curl of the ice cream. During lunch they make many of them, so it never has time to cool down. I would go at 2:30, so lunch is well over and I could get a chance for the perfect shake.”
He then went into great detail on what makes the perfect shake:
“The silver goblet is frosted when it arrives at the table. There’s still frost on it. The ice cream is like cold butter. It’s almost solid and it has specks of chocolate in it. It even gets a little bit of a frost on it when it arrives. That’s a perfect shake. I only got three in the seven years.”
David recalls casually going through the dumpster one day and finding the empty carton of the liquid they pour on the Taylor machine, only to discover a long list of ingredients in a language he could not read. Combined with the lack of natural ingredients, it was then that he decided to end his daily milkshake ritual.
Did they watch David’s video? I’m only asking because this was one of the best chocolate milkshake’s I’ve ever had. I requested it malted. The ice cream was so cold and creamy that I had to pace myself to avoid a brain freeze, which you could tell by the well-frosted silver goblet.
The consistency was perfect, and the chocolate flavor was off the charts – every sip satisfyingly rich. I also liked the fact that they used only a faint amount of chocolate syrup, allowing the ice cream and malt to shine through. I came back a few months later, and the milkshake was just as good as the first time: thick, cold, and rich. Someone said: “I’m just here for a coffee and a chocolate milkshake”. Sip it at the counter and if you’re feeling extra nostalgic, order a cup of coffee just like David would have.
I could not catch a glimpse of how the shake was made, but do we think they still use a Taylor machine?
Bob’s Big Boy: Website and Instagram
Ken’s Ice Cream Parlor
18511 Avalon Blvd, Carson, CA 90746
Ken’s Ice Cream Parlor feels deeply nostalgic, with white tubs of ice cream, vintage ice cream drawings, photographs of Ms. Wanda — the original owner — with government officials from Long Beach and Carson, and a decorative sign reading, “Hand Churned Ice Cream Served Daily.”
The shop is now run by Ms. Wanda’s grandson, Keaton. When he was featured on the local news two years ago, the video segment was titled, “Customer service is generational wealth.” After visiting, it’s easy to understand why. Keaton greeted everyone who walked in with a level of warmth and kindness that feels rare these days.
“Do you want it to be too chocolaty or not too much?” I said not too much. He proceeded to pour a big scoop of vanilla and chocolate ice cream into the blender with a bit of chocolate syrup. After three minutes, he poured it in the cup and asked me if it was good or if I wanted more malt to come through. Additionally, he asked me if I wanted the remainder in another cup.
Ken’s is one of the few places in LA that not only knows how to make a proper malt, but an exceptional one. It was thick, not too chocolatey, with delicious hints of vanilla and a slight nuttiness from the malt.
The ice cream shop is quite a drive from Central LA, but it’s absolutely worth the trip if you’re looking for an old-fashioned malt. I’m sure David Lynch would have loved the chocolate shakes here. As Ken’s Ice Cream’s website proudly states, they have been “serving old-fashioned ice cream and shakes since 1980.”
Ken’s Ice Cream Parlor: Website and Instagram
J’s Ice Cream Parlor
8427 Rosemead Blvd, Pico Rivera, CA 90660
This longstanding institution in Pico Rivera is a soda fountain dream: malts, sundaes, banana splits, Italian ice, and vintage signs. I tried looking for more information about its background, but all I could find was that it’s been owned by an Asian family for a long time.
The owner, a middle-aged woman, seemed to be taking inventory and jotting down notes in a notebook.
I ordered a chocolate malt. When I paid at the walk-up window, I spotted a Taylor machine, where she dispensed the soft serve into a tall Coca-Cola cup nestled inside a chilly silver goblet. This chocolate malt was also made the same way as Ken’s, with vanilla ice cream as a base to let the malt shine, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Most places use a scoop of chocolate to mix with the malt, but after doing some research, chocolate malts actually used to be made with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup.
It was perfect: the rich dairy and vanilla notes blended seamlessly with the balanced chocolate, while the subtle toastiness of the malt powder came through from the very first sip – a sign that the malt was very well made!
J’s Ice Cream Parlor is another place I recommend going out of your way to visit for an authentic old-fashioned malt.
J’s Ice Cream Parlor: Yelp
Dale’s Diner
4339 E Carson St, Long Beach, CA 90808
Every time I go to Long Beach, it feels like I’m stepping back in time: wide streets, open skies, laid-back atmosphere, and vintage business signage.
Voted the best diner in Long Beach, Dale’s Diner is not just a cutesy diner. It originally opened in 1988 as simply Dale’s, serving American diner fare and classic soda fountain treats, from ice cream sodas and egg creams to floats. The chocolate malt was so good, and what better way to sip my malt than surrounded by kitschy Americana?
dSkotopia wrote: “As a European, I finally got to try a real American hamburger and milkshake. The food was absolutely delicious and the service top-notch.”
Dale’s Diner: Instagram
Sonny’s Handcrafted Ice Cream
15030 Ventura Blvd #17, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Matthew, a former teacher from Brooklyn, NY, is an ice cream aficionado. He’s co-owned the shop Sonny’s since 2016 with his partner Sindy Habib.
Back in the fall of 2022, I was there weekly, eager to try Matt’s latest ice cream creations. To this day, he offers a whopping 55 different flavors, and he puts as much detail and care into the ice cream as he does with the shakes and malts.
This vanilla malt was everything you could ask for: creamy, nostalgic and perfectly balanced. Matt told me that he actually preferred vanilla over chocolate because you could better appreciate the malt, whereas chocolate’s stronger flavor can overpower it – especially when made with chocolate ice cream rather than vanilla ice cream mixed with chocolate syrup.
Being at Sonny’s feels like stepping into an old-school soda fountain, where Matt’s outstanding customer service and palpable passion for nostalgic American treats are just as memorable as his delectable frozen treats. The offerings go far beyond a scoop of ice cream: sundaes, banana splits, Italian ice, floats, affogatos, ice cream sandwiches, and even poffertjes.
Sonny’s Handcrafted Ice Cream: Website and Instagram
Connal’s
1505 E Washington Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91104
Connal’s has been a fast-food fixture in Pasadena since 1958. Their old-school diner fare features sandwiches, pancakes, steak plates, and one of the best malts in the city, specifically the vanilla, although the chocolate is also a favorite. Even if you decide to drink your malt inside, all the shakes are served in a tall white cup.
I asked one of the guys working there what ice cream they used to make the shakes but it looked like he was afraid to disclose it.
Connal’s: Website and Instagram
Beeps Diner
16063 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91406
Another relic from the past! Beeps opened in 1956 and is still standing at the same location. Their nostalgic diner offerings feature signature Angus beef burgers and fries, but they’re also famous for their malts and milkshakes, which come in 17 flavors, including Rocky Road, banana, Nutella, and pistachio.
When I went there, most people who took their orders to go were carrying armloads of milkshakes. One person left with a bag and three banana shakes, while another left with two cups of strawberry.
I ordered the chocolate malt. When I asked, the cashier told me they use Thrifty ice cream. It was the perfect way to end a beautiful Saturday — driving around the San Fernando Valley beneath an idyllic California sunset.
In 2016, Beeps opened a second location in Simi Valley (Ventura County).
Beeps Diner: Website and Instagram
The Oinkster
2005 Colorado Blvd, Eagle Rock, CA 90041
In 2006, now retired restaurateur and chef Andre Guerrero opened one of the defining restaurants of Eagle Rock: The Oinkster.
With its iconic Googie-style roadside sign, The Oinkster is known for its American “slow fast food,” aptly named because everything is made from scratch. The milkshakes — available as malts, too — come in vanilla, chocolate, and the signature ube, made with real purple yam.
Andre moved to the U.S. in the late 1950s. In 2017, LA Weekly did a write-up about his delicious ube shake, an ode to his Filipino heritage. If this is not enough, The Oinkster was also featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Guy Fieri’s hit show, for its famous pastrami sandwich.
The ube malt was fantastic: sweet, earthy, and incredibly cooling on a warm day. Root beer floats are also available!
The Oinkster: Website and Instagram
Handel’s
Multiple locations
I remember when I first moved to LA in 2015, when the only Handel’s location was in Redondo Beach – opened in 2010. Sixteen years later, they have expanded into multiple locations across the LA area. Besides the towering scoops of ice cream, Handel’s also proudly makes old-fashioned milkshakes and malts. I always go for the classics and they never disappoint.
One thing I should mention is that the malts can vary by location. During my last visit to the Handel’s in Glendora, my malt wasn’t blended thoroughly, but every other Handel’s I’ve visited has been consistently great. In LA, most people seem to gravitate toward Salt & Straw or Jenni’s, but I never got the hype. Give me Handel’s old-fashioned American ice cream any day.
Handel’s: Website and Instagram
Route 66 Classic Grill
18730 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91351
On one of my hiking trips to Santa Clarita, I found out about Route 66 Classic Grill, a nostalgic retro diner with 50s themed-decor. Watch for the car show events and live music! My chocolate malt was excellent both times I’ve been. The fries are also really good!
Route 66 Classic Grill: Website and Instagram
Outside of LA
Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe
17143 N D St, Victorville, CA 92394
Sometimes, on my way to Joshua Tree, I make a detour off I-10 and drive up I-15 to Emma Jean’s Holland Burger in Victorville. Then, after a hearty meal, I drive down to Joshua Tree on Old Woman Springs Road, an idyllic two-lane highway that connects Apple Valley and Yucca Valley.
I already raved about Emma Jean’s Holland Burger in my 2023 post. This American roadside dream was also featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: burgers, chrome diner bar stools, and old-fashioned milkshakes.
Their shakes are amazing, but their malts especially so!
Every time I come here, I feel like I’m in a Cars movie. I wish I could have their cobbler of the day, but I can’t not order a shake when I’m there – which is already a dessert on its own.
Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe: Website and Instagram
Mojave Freeze
57533 29 Palms Hwy #4, Yucca Valley, CA 92284
I’m so happy there’s finally a place in the Joshua Tree area to indulge in frozen treats. The girl at the register that took my order both days I went there couldn’t have been any nicer helping navigate the menu. If you want ice cream, they sell out every day from multiple flavors, so try to go early!
For the chocolate malt, they use Dutch chocolate ice cream, which is very rich, but the milk and the malt balanced it very nicely. It was so well done — I watched her make it as she carefully poured in the malt powder. This was the perfect treat on a hot summer afternoon. I was in a rush to get to an outdoor concert, so I completely forgot to take a picture.
Mojave Freeze: Website and Instagram
Great Shakes
160 S Palm Canyon Dr A, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Palm Springs is best known for its date shakes, which harken back to the 1930s and became a signature of the Coachella Valley. Today, you can find it at a handful of places, but if you’re looking for old-school shakes and malts, the place to go is Great Shakes in downtown Palm Springs.
Great Shakes: Websites and Instagram
On the other hand, here’s a list of the not-so-great malts I tried.
For a place that has the best old-school pancakes in the city, I can’t believe how utterly disappointing this was. The ice cream was drowned in syrup and was so runny I left most of it. The malt wasn’t properly blended either. The fact that it wasn’t even on the menu already spoke volumes. Just look at that sad, floppy cherry. 🙁
I don’t know what Swingers mixes their ice cream with, but the chocolate malt I ordered was cloyingly sweet. At Fosselman’s, the chocolate flavor was so intense that it drowned out the creaminess of the ice cream and its distinctive malt flavor. I also ordered a vanilla malt from Foster’s Freeze in Eagle Rock, but it tasted overly milky, and I got an upset stomach.
I tried my luck at Fred 62 in Los Feliz, but there was too much syrup and the ice cream had a faint chocolate flavor.
Pono Burger (Santa Monica)
I visited Pono in June of last year. Not only was there too much syrup, but they also added small bits of chocolate that were so hard they kept getting stuck in the straw. After a 10-year run, Pono Burger closed early this year. On the Westside, I also tried Cafe 50’s, but I wasn’t impressed.
Cobian’s Restaurants (Cypress, Orange County)
I found this place after someone on a Facebook forum asked where to find the best old-fashioned milkshakes in LA. One commenter recommended Cobian’s for their old-fashioned chocolate malt, but how much syrup can you pour into one shake? And why was the whipped cream already melted? Not worth the hour-and-a-half drive on a Friday after work. 😭😭
Overall, if a place goes heavy on the syrup, run!
I hope you enjoyed this post and will make a trip to one of these places to indulge in a delicious old-fashioned milkshake. 🥤🍦🍒
