Best Place to Get a Shake in Every State

The milkshake got its name because, back before electric milkshake-makers or blenders were invented, it was made the same way some cocktails are — shaken in a covered vessel. The first blenders date from the 1920s, and those ubiquitous Hamilton Beach milkshake machines appeared in the late ’30s, but milkshakes (or “milk shakes”) were being enjoyed as early as the 1880s.

Milkshakes, of course, are basically liquified desserts — mixtures of milk, ice cream (or sometimes frozen yogurt or sorbet), and usually syrup of some kind, typically topped with whipped cream and maybe a crowning maraschino cherry. These days, they’re also often made with add-ins like crumbled cookies, chopped candy bars, and berries or bananas, and there’s a trend in some places towards piling all sorts of confections above the rim of the glass or cup they’re served in. Oh, and there’s always the possibility of spiking them with alcohol. (A malt is just a milkshake with malted milk powder — made from condensed milk, malted barley, and wheat flour — stirred in.)

However they’re made, they’re an indulgence, probably better enjoyed as an occasional treat than a daily pleasure — so if you’re going to order one and calories be damned, you’ll likely want to make sure that you’re getting the most delicious possible example. (Here, though, are 19 milkshakes with more calories than entire meals.)

With that in mind, 24/7 Tempo has assembled a list of the best places in every state to get a shake, drawing on reviews and ratings from numerous crowd-sourced platforms, including Yelp, Tripadvisor, and Foursquare, as well as a range of local and regional websites.

Even with their modern-day elaborations, there’s something appealingly old-fashioned about milkshakes, so it’s not surprising that many places on this list are old-school diners or ice cream parlors. The classic shakes are, like the classic ice cream flavors, chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla, but as the sample shakes mentioned here suggest, there is an immense variety of possibilities.

Scroll down to see the best place to get a shake in every state.

Alabama: Oscar Moon’s

Source: Courtesy of Anthony L. via Yelp

• Location: Huntsville
• Sample shake: Alabama peach pie

Alaska: Lucky Wishbone

Source: Courtesy of Tiffany J. via Yelp

• Location: Anchorage
• Sample shake: Hot fudge

Arizona: The Stand Arcadia Burger Shoppe

Source: Courtesy of Monica O. via Yelp

• Location: Phoenix
• Sample shake: Chocolate chile

Arkansas: The Original ScoopDog

Source: Courtesy of Stephen S. via Yelp

• Location: North Little Rock
• Sample shake: Cherry

California: Shields Date Garden

Source:

• Location: Indio
• Sample shake: Date

Colorado: Milkbox Ice Creamery

Source: Courtesy of Ellen M. via Yelp

• Location: Denver
• Sample shake: Rum-Drenched Churro Boozey Shake

Connecticut: A.C. Petersen Farms

Source: Courtesy of Sho R. via Yelp

• Location: West Hartford
• Sample shake: Victus Coffee cold brew

Delaware: Farmer & the Cow

Source: Courtesy of Craig D. via Yelp

• Location: Wilmington
• Sample shake: You’re Killing Me Smalls (marshmallow, graham crackers, and chocolate, with optional Plantation Rum)

Florida: Cousteau’s Waffle & Milkshake Bar

Source: Courtesy of Susan P. via Yelp

• Location: St. Augustine (2 locations)
• Sample shake: Electric Jellyfish (vanilla with homemade fresh blueberry compote)

Georgia: Leopold’s Ice Cream

Source: Courtesy of Duo D. via Yelp

• Location: Savannah (3 locations)
• Sample shake: Honey almond and cream

Hawaii: Rock Island Café

Source: Courtesy of Ted A. via Yelp

• Location: Honolulu
• Sample shake: Coca-Cola

Idaho: Fanci Freez

Source: Courtesy of StaciLei T. via Yelp

• Location: Boise and Meridian
• Sample shake: Watermelon

Illinois: Edzo’s Burger Shop

Source: Courtesy of Arthur M. via Yelp

• Location: Evanston and Chicago
• Sample shake: Nutella

Indiana: Gordon’s Milkshake Bar

Source: Courtesy of Shelby B. via Yelp

• Location: Indianapolis
• Sample shake: Honey-roasted peanut butter

Iowa: Hamburg Inn No. 2

Source: Courtesy of Kayla Y. via Yelp

• Location: Iowa City
• Sample shake: Wilson’s Dutch Apple Pieshake

Kansas: Cookee’s Drive-In

Source: Courtesy of Cookees D. via Yelp

• Location: Pleasanton
• Sample shake: Pineapple

Kentucky: Tolly Ho

Source: Courtesy of Katie M. via Yelp

• Location: Lexington
• Sample shake: Banana pudding

Louisiana: Original Dearman’s Soda Shop

Source: Courtesy of Darren H. via Yelp

• Location: Baton Rouge
• Sample shake: Dreamsicle

Maine: Red’s Dairy Freeze

Source: Courtesy of Mike C. via Yelp

• Location: South Portland
• Sample shake: Licorice

Maryland: Papermoon Diner

Source: Courtesy of Ruth L. via Yelp

• Location: Baltimore
• Sample shake: Captain Krunch

Massachusetts: Cabot’s

Source: Courtesy of Marlana Y. via Yelp

• Location: Newton
• Sample shake: Tropical fruit frappe

Michigan: Brome Modern Eatery

Source: Courtesy of Angela B. via Yelp

• Location: Dearborn
• Sample shake: European cookie butter

Minnesota: The Malt Shop

• Location: Minneapolis
• Sample shake: Fig

Mississippi: Brent’s Drugs

Source: Courtesy of Shercole K. via Yelp

• Location: Jackson
• Sample shake: Ginger Finger (Butterfingers, ginger syrup, vanilla ice cream)

Missouri: Crown Candy Kitchen

• Location: St. Louis
• Sample shake: Johnny Rabbit Special (banana malt with whipped cream, nuts, and nutmeg)

Montana: Huck’s Grill at St. Regis Travel Center

Source:

• Location: St. Regis
• Sample shake: Huckleberry

Nebraska: Angus Burgers & Shakes

Source: Courtesy of Nichole S. via Yelp

• Location: Omaha
• Sample shake: Toasted marshmallow

Nevada: Beefy’s

Source: Courtesy of Mike K. via Yelp

• Location: Reno
• Sample shake: Lavender chai

New Hampshire: Brgr Bar

Source: Courtesy of Matt F. via Yelp

• Location: Portsmouth
• Sample shake: The Dude (vanilla ice cream, Kahlúa, and vanilla vodka)

New Jersey: Holsten’s

• Location: Bloomfield
• Sample shake: Maple walnut

New Mexico: Shake Foundation

Source: Courtesy of Justine F. via Yelp

• Location: Santa Fe
• Sample shake: Mexican chocolate Adobe Mud

New York: Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream

Source: Getty Images / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

• Location: New York City and Brooklyn
• Sample shake: Ginger Grape Nut

North Carolina: Tony’s Ice Cream

Source: Courtesy of Nate H. via Yelp

• Location: Gastonia
• Sample shake: Black walnut

North Dakota: The White Maid

Source: Choe Hyeonsu / Shutterstock.com

• Location: Napoleon
• Sample shake: Cotton candy (blue or pink)

Ohio: Tommy’s

Source: Courtesy of Nina K. via Yelp

• Location: Cleveland Heights
• Sample shake: Root beer

Oklahoma: Burger Punk

• Location: Oklahoma City (2 locations)
• Sample shake: Punk Shake (vanilla bean soft-serve, miso caramel, and choice of Butterfinger or Oreo topping)

Oregon: Fields Station

Source: Courtesy of Ruth S. via Yelp

• Location: Fields Station
• Sample shake: English toffee

Pennsylvania: Flip City Shakes

Source: Courtesy of Gerald S. via Yelp

• Location: Southampton and Quakertown
• Sample shake: Apple pie

Rhode Island: Harry’s Bar & Burger

• Location: Providence (2 locations)
• Sample shake: The Bam Bam (Fruity Pebbles, strawberry syrup, vanilla ice cream)

South Carolina: Kaminsky’s Dessert Café

Source: Courtesy of Mateo M. via Yelp

• Location: Charleston and Columbia
• Sample shake: Mint Chocolate Chip

South Dakota: Phillips Avenue Diner

Source: Courtesy of Cathy S. via Yelp

• Location: Sioux Falls
• Sample shake: Butterscotch

Tennessee: Franklin Milkshake Bar in Fork of the South

Source: Courtesy of Kristine M. via Yelp

• Location: Franklin
• Sample shake: Peaches N Cream

Texas: Chill Milkshake & Waffle Bar

Source: Courtesy of Vlbha P. via Yelp

• Location: Spring and Magnolia
• Sample shake: Chocolate chip banana bread

Utah: Dairy Keen

Source: Courtesy of Stacie A. via Yelp

• Location: Heber City
• Sample shake: Heath Bar

Vermont: The Scoop

Source: Courtesy of Nicole G. via Yelp

• Location: Shelburne
• Sample shake: Malted milk ball

Virginia: Pop’s Ice Cream & Soda Bar

Source: Courtesy of J D. via Yelp

• Location: Roanoke
• Sample shake: Cracker Jill (salted caramel ice cream with butter-toasted peanuts)

Washington: Shake Shake Shake

Source: Courtesy of Char M. via Yelp

Banana Brûlée shake at Shake Shake Shake in Tacoma, Washington (Courtesy of Char M. via Yelp)

• Location: Tacoma
• Sample shake: Banana Brûlée

West Virginia: Bramwell Corner Shop & Soda Fountain

Source: Courtesy of Christina D. via Yelp

• Location: Bramwell
• Sample shake: Lemon

Wisconsin: Babcock Dairy Store

Source: Courtesy of Sherwin C. via Yelp

• Location: Madison
• Sample shake: Blueberry Swirl

Wyoming: Johnny J’s Diner

Source: Courtesy of Kim O. via Yelp

• Location: Casper
• and Sample shake: Chocolate banana pineapple