These 5 Illinois Custard Stands Serve Concretes Thick Enough To Hold The Spoon Upright
A concrete is frozen custard blended so dense that a spoon planted in the middle just stays there, standing at attention like a little flag. Illinois has a surprising number of stands that take this seriously, from walk-up windows on state highways to neighborhood shops squeezed between city storefronts.
Some churn fresh batches every hour, others have been mixing the same way since the middle of the last century. Here are five spots across the state where the treat comes out thick, cold, and loaded with whatever you point at.
1. Scooter’s Frozen Custard
Belmont Avenue traffic rumbles past a modest storefront in Chicago’s West Lakeview area, and inside, custard gets blended into concretes thick enough that the spoon has nowhere to go but straight up.
The setup here is St. Louis style: soft, smooth custard, dozens of mix-ins and toppings, and a counter where sundaes, floats, malts, parfaits, and shakes all share the board. Strawberry and coconut cream pie turn up among the menu highlights, while flavors of the day and a rotating monthly concrete give regulars a reason to keep checking back.
Families do fine here. There is a restroom, the atmosphere is casual with no table service, and the shop is listed as good for kids, with dogs welcome outside.
Takeout is the norm, so plan on carrying your cup to a bench or the car.
Hours currently run Wednesday through Friday from 2 to 9 p.m. and weekends from 1 to 9 p.m., with Mondays and Tuesdays closed, though it is smart to confirm before driving across town. Prices tend to run higher than a standard scoop shop, so budget accordingly for extra toppings.
2. Bobby’s Frozen Custard
Route 159 in Maryville carries plenty of traffic between I-70 and I-270, and a retro window-serve stand sits right in the middle of it, pulling in Madison County families all evening long.
Order at the window, because there is no dine-in service here. A drive-through handles the impatient, outdoor tables handle everyone else, and free parking makes the stop painless.
Dogs are allowed in the outdoor areas.
Concretes anchor the menu, including featured two-topping versions and the Brownie Buster, alongside sundaes, banana splits, shakes, and candy-counter extras like chocolate-covered strawberries, turtles, and caramel apples. A weekly special and salted pecans give repeat visitors something new, and the vanilla base stays dense enough to carry heavy mix-ins without going soupy.
Timing matters more than you would think. Weekend evenings, especially Sunday, Friday, and Saturday nights, draw the longest lines, while late mornings are quiet.
Posted hours run 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. most days and 10:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, though seasonal changes are common enough that a quick check ahead saves disappointment.
Treat it as a quick stop rather than a lingering one.
3. Shivers Frozen Custard & Coffee
Custard made fresh hourly is a bold promise, and it explains a lot about the texture coming out of this Godfrey shop near the Illinois side of the river country.
Doors open at 6 a.m., which is unusual for a custard stand and makes sense once you notice the coffee side of the operation. Morning commuters roll through the drive-thru for espresso drinks; afternoon crowds come for concretes loaded with pecans, caramel, and brownie bites.
The menu stretches well past the basics, with a flavor of the day, seasonal specials, chocolate chip cookies, custard cakes, chocolate frozen cups, and slushies for kids who want something lighter.
Practical details work in a parent’s favor. There is indoor seating, free wi-fi, restrooms including a gender-neutral option, free lot and street parking, and dogs are permitted inside as well as out.
Delivery and in-store pickup are both available.
Evenings on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday get busy, though the line generally moves quickly. Closing time is listed at 10 p.m. most nights and 11 p.m. on weekends, and hours can shift seasonally, so confirm before a long drive.
4. Comet Frozen Custard
Northwest suburban readers have the shortest drive of anyone on this list. Kirchoff Road in Rolling Meadows puts this stand within easy reach of Arlington Heights, Palatine, and Schaumburg, roughly a half hour northwest of Chicago depending on traffic.
Doors open at 3 p.m., which makes it an after-school or post-dinner destination rather than a lunchtime one. Sundays it stays closed entirely, so build that into any weekend plan.
The lineup is straightforward and generous: cones, sundaes with customizable toppings, shakes, malts, floats, plus soft drinks and coffee. Concretes come blended thick, and the single-topping sundae shows up as a menu highlight.
Daily rotating flavors keep regulars checking the board.
Outdoor seating for about 20 means kids can spread out without anyone worrying about drips on upholstery. A drive-thru window handles quick pickups, there is a restroom, and parking is free in the lot.
Portions run large for the price, which is part of why the small lot fills fast on warm evenings. Posted hours are Monday through Saturday, 3 to 9 p.m., and seasonal adjustments are worth verifying ahead.
5. Annie’s Frozen Custard
Lemon custard is the detail that sets this Glen Carbon shop apart. Vanilla and chocolate are the everyday standards, but the lemon gives concretes a tart edge you rarely find at a custard window.
Featured flavors rotate through regularly, and the blended creations get serious attention, with caramel cheesecake and Dubai chocolate among the versions that draw crowds from across Madison County. Ice cream, shakes, and even hot dogs round out the board for anyone who wants something savory before dessert.
Two service points keep things moving: a walk-up window and a drive-thru. Portions land on the generous side, and service is quick enough that a stop rarely eats into the rest of an evening.
Seating is available outside, dogs are welcome in those areas, and the place reads as family-friendly and good for groups. There is a restroom on site and no table service, so it functions as a quick visit.
Hours run daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., with Saturday evening the busiest stretch and weekday mornings the calmest. Seasonal changes happen, so a check ahead is wise.