WEST LOOP — When Sean McGuire offers you a pint of Guinness, it comes with a spoon.
That’s because the “pints” are served at Cone, McGuire’s Irish-themed gourmet ice cream shop at 1051 W. Madison St.
After moving to the West Loop four years ago, McGuire, a 40-year-old general contractor, said there was a conspicuous lack of quality ice cream joints in the area.
Cone, which opened late last month, was born to feed that need. He also now has two young sons who just happen to be big ice cream fans.
“That’s the story of my life. I’ve always taken chances on different things,” the native of Ireland said.
And Cone definitely has a few options you won’t find at Baskin Robbins.
The shop’s “Hair of the Dog” sundae is just that; a trio of Guinness, Bailey’s and Jameson-flavored ice cream with chocolate syrup, homemade whipped cream and sprinkles of Chocolate Flake, an Irish candy bar with an airy crunch.
But it’s the soft-serve ice cream — which includes plenty of nonalcoholic choices — that has been the big hit, manager Trevor Kuenn said.
To celebrate the Blackhawks' championship, Cone offered “Blackhawk” and “Stanley” soft-serve flavors. The latter, a salted caramel and vanilla swirl combo, has been one of the most popular combos.
“Everybody loved that, so we stuck with it. We have people coming in now still asking for them, and it’s not even on our menu,” he said.
For $2.25, you get a straight soft-serve cone, but for $2.50 that same ice cream gets dipped in Irish chocolate, and $3 lands you a Chocolate Flake bar stuck right into the side of your cone.
The shop’s hours are noon to 9 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekends. A walk-up window is open to 10 p.m. daily.
In the winter, McGuire said the shop will shift its focus to coffee and homemade scones and cupcakes, but will also continue to sell ice cream.
