Since 1956 there’s been a line out in front of Jaxson’s Ice Cream on the Federal Highway (Route One) in Dania Beach.  For good reason.  First of all, the restaurant is in South Florida, where it is ice cream season year ‘round.  This place would never be a community landmark in Fort Kent, Maine.  It is also a people place that has a good soul.  It has a quirky nostalgic kitschy Coney Island americana feel to it that keeps you looking at all of the curios on the walls and festooning the shelves throughout the place.  There’s at least one decoration that speaks to each visitor, but every customer loves more than one flavor of ice cream.  Many reviewers say that this is the best homemade ice cream they have had anywhere.  So they wait patiently for their turn at the window…  or they can go inside to a table where every restaurant customer is served a basket of freshly made popcorn as they are seated.  If that doesn’t get your visit started off right, nothing will.

Jaxson’s is a wonderful place for kids of all ages.  There were 2 gray-haired couples on a double date at the table next to mine sharing enormous portions of homemade ice cream.  The ice cream offerings are epically portioned and elaborate.  Jaxson’s has one-upped the often seen banana split with the “Kitchen Sink”.  Bring a group if you plan to tackle that one.  (It is served in a sink – minimum 4 people, priced per person.)  They have a list of 20 different things you can put on top of more than 40 different flavors of ice cream. Jaxson’s lets you be you.  That’s a big part of their good soul.

If you’ve come for a full meal that isn’t just dessert, there are sandwiches, wraps, extraordinary hot dogs, wings, salads, and burgers galore.  I enjoyed their basic 1/2 lb. Jaxson burger, which was cooked medium rare to my request and served on a brioche style roll with a pickle and cole slaw.  It was all fresh and delicious.  If your sweet tooth is still not satisfied when you get up from the table, there’s a General Store section of the restaurant with even more candies and sweets.

Owner Linda Udell Zakheim doesn’t bother putting the countless awards she and her father, Founder Monroe Udell won over the years on their walls.  They let the line outside of their place speak to the popularity of Jaxsons.