Farrell"s Ice Cream Parlour
Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour was a local family favorite in Sacramento for decades until a tragic accident shuttered its doors in 1972. This popular restaurant and ice creamery is now back in town – and business is booming.
About Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour
If you’re a fan of Leatherby’s, you’ll certainly love Farrell’s. This ice cream parlor is 8700 square feet and can seat up to 300 hungry guests at one time.
Part of a chain that began in 1963, Farrell’s once had over 130 locations but went bankrupt in the 1990s. The first franchise re-opened in Orange County a few years ago, and its return to Sacramento marks the eighth location available to the public.
When you walk through the bright red building reminiscent of old-time America, you’ll enter into a vintage world including an all-American menu of meals, generous ice cream creations and old-time candy that made the chain famous and memorable in its 40+ year absence from the region. Servers dress in pin-striped vests and know 22 different birthday songs – making Farrell’s a perfect birthday getaway for anyone young or old.
Farrell’s Plane Crash
In September of 1972, an F86 Sabre jet crashed into Farrell’s at its original location on Freeport Blvd. 22 people were killed, including children. 24 others were injured. At the Golden West Sport Aviation Air Show, spectators admired the restored Korean War jet at Sacramento Executive Airport. Shortly after takeoff, due allegedly to pilot error, the plane hit a car and killed two people.
It proceeded to crash into the large front window of Farrell’s, killing dozens of customers including 12 children. One more final casualty came from a grandmother who ran outside and was struck by a car.
Immediately following the crash, Farrell’s closed down in Sacramento.
Visiting a Classic
Since the Farrell’s plane crash is still considered to be fairly recent history in Sacramento, much hype surrounded the opening of the new location. The menu is diverse and the décor as whimsical as the former restaurant site. This new Farrell’s in Sacramento is located on Watt and Arden at a bustling intersection which has made opening month reservations impossible. Reservations will be accepted starting in September 2013, and the average weekday wait for a table is an hour. Get your name on the list by having one member of your party request it in person, and then you will receive a text message from a hostess when your table is ready.
Hours are Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday & Saturday 11am-11pm.
What to Order
Definitely go to Farrell’s on your birthday – an ice cream sundae is on the house, no purchase required. For the other 364 days of the year, Farrell’s offers a diverse menu ranging from salads to full entrees to impressive desserts.
Start off with burger sliders, mini pizza or grown up mac and cheese for an appetizer. The Cock-a-Doodle Dippers are also a favorite – putting other chicken strips to shame in name alone. Check out “Yesterday’s Soup” – where the Soup of the Day is always available tomorrow. Salads include the Chopsticks Chicken Salad and the Harvest Salad, both great as a side or meal.
For your main entrée, try the GasTronomiCalDeliCaTessenepiCurean’s Delight. You can order it by its nickname, the Gastro. This sandwich includes corned beef, stacked ham, turkey breast, Swiss cheese and all the dressings on a parmesan roll. Choose to have it served hot or cold. Other favorites include the fish tacos, chili cheese frank or buffalo chicken sandwich.
Farrell’s carries a full line of burgers as well as many other sandwiches.
Delightful Desserts
Farrell’s is obviously known for its impressive array of desserts, including the famous Farrell’s Zoo. This has been around since the first Farrell’s of the 1960s and continues to delight at birthday parties. Included in the “zoo” are four flavors of ice cream, three fruit sherbets, four toppings, whipped cream, cherries and bananas. It also comes with toy zoo figurines to top it all off. It doesn’t come cheap, but serves 10 people, so many believe it’s worth the high price tag to say you’ve eaten part of one.
Other desserts include “belly busters” that serve a few different people – creative concoctions include the Hot Fudge Volcano and The Pig’s Trough. No. 1 Gibson Girl, another belly busting favorite, was featured on a Food Network program.
It is possible to also order a single scoop of ice cream at Farrell’s – but what’s the fun in that?
Farrell’s is located at 1625 Watt Avenue in Sacramento.
About Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour
If you’re a fan of Leatherby’s, you’ll certainly love Farrell’s. This ice cream parlor is 8700 square feet and can seat up to 300 hungry guests at one time.
Part of a chain that began in 1963, Farrell’s once had over 130 locations but went bankrupt in the 1990s. The first franchise re-opened in Orange County a few years ago, and its return to Sacramento marks the eighth location available to the public.
When you walk through the bright red building reminiscent of old-time America, you’ll enter into a vintage world including an all-American menu of meals, generous ice cream creations and old-time candy that made the chain famous and memorable in its 40+ year absence from the region. Servers dress in pin-striped vests and know 22 different birthday songs – making Farrell’s a perfect birthday getaway for anyone young or old.
Farrell’s Plane Crash
In September of 1972, an F86 Sabre jet crashed into Farrell’s at its original location on Freeport Blvd. 22 people were killed, including children. 24 others were injured. At the Golden West Sport Aviation Air Show, spectators admired the restored Korean War jet at Sacramento Executive Airport. Shortly after takeoff, due allegedly to pilot error, the plane hit a car and killed two people.
It proceeded to crash into the large front window of Farrell’s, killing dozens of customers including 12 children. One more final casualty came from a grandmother who ran outside and was struck by a car.
Immediately following the crash, Farrell’s closed down in Sacramento.
Visiting a Classic
Since the Farrell’s plane crash is still considered to be fairly recent history in Sacramento, much hype surrounded the opening of the new location. The menu is diverse and the décor as whimsical as the former restaurant site. This new Farrell’s in Sacramento is located on Watt and Arden at a bustling intersection which has made opening month reservations impossible. Reservations will be accepted starting in September 2013, and the average weekday wait for a table is an hour. Get your name on the list by having one member of your party request it in person, and then you will receive a text message from a hostess when your table is ready.
Hours are Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday & Saturday 11am-11pm.
What to Order
Definitely go to Farrell’s on your birthday – an ice cream sundae is on the house, no purchase required. For the other 364 days of the year, Farrell’s offers a diverse menu ranging from salads to full entrees to impressive desserts.
Start off with burger sliders, mini pizza or grown up mac and cheese for an appetizer. The Cock-a-Doodle Dippers are also a favorite – putting other chicken strips to shame in name alone. Check out “Yesterday’s Soup” – where the Soup of the Day is always available tomorrow. Salads include the Chopsticks Chicken Salad and the Harvest Salad, both great as a side or meal.
For your main entrée, try the GasTronomiCalDeliCaTessenepiCurean’s Delight. You can order it by its nickname, the Gastro. This sandwich includes corned beef, stacked ham, turkey breast, Swiss cheese and all the dressings on a parmesan roll. Choose to have it served hot or cold. Other favorites include the fish tacos, chili cheese frank or buffalo chicken sandwich.
Farrell’s carries a full line of burgers as well as many other sandwiches.
Delightful Desserts
Farrell’s is obviously known for its impressive array of desserts, including the famous Farrell’s Zoo. This has been around since the first Farrell’s of the 1960s and continues to delight at birthday parties. Included in the “zoo” are four flavors of ice cream, three fruit sherbets, four toppings, whipped cream, cherries and bananas. It also comes with toy zoo figurines to top it all off. It doesn’t come cheap, but serves 10 people, so many believe it’s worth the high price tag to say you’ve eaten part of one.
Other desserts include “belly busters” that serve a few different people – creative concoctions include the Hot Fudge Volcano and The Pig’s Trough. No. 1 Gibson Girl, another belly busting favorite, was featured on a Food Network program.
It is possible to also order a single scoop of ice cream at Farrell’s – but what’s the fun in that?
Farrell’s is located at 1625 Watt Avenue in Sacramento.
