Kingston●○○○

Devon House Ice Cream

Name: Devon House Ice Cream
Address: 26 Hope Rd, Kingston Jamaica, AW
Price range: Cheap Eats
Rating: 4.5

★★★★½4.5 out of 5 · 1,134 reviews

casual

desserts

Photo: © TripAdvisor contributor via TripAdvisor

Devon House Ice Cream is a $ desserts casual restaurant in Kingston rated 4.5/5 by 1,134 TripAdvisor reviewers; walk-ins welcome.

About

Devon House Ice Cream is in Kingston, on the grounds of Devon House mansion on Hope Road. It's technically a restaurant in the listings, but really it's an ice cream shop with a permanent line — over a thousand reviews and a 4.6 food rating say people keep coming back for the scoops. The flavors lean tropical and local: soursop, Devon stout, coconut, guava — nothing frozen-aisle about it. They do straight classics too, but the Caribbean ones are why you're here. It's cheap eats, which means a cone or cup won't set you back much, and the value rating at 4.3 tracks with that. The grounds around it are nice for sitting with kids, which people do. Service can drag when the place is slammed, but the 4.1 rating there is still solid given the volume they push. Cash speeds things up if you have it. Go midweek if you can — weekends the wait stretches.

At a glance

Area: Kingston
Vibe: casual
Price: ●○○○
Reservation required: –
Kid friendly: ✓
Cuisine: desserts
Dietary options: —

Make a day of it

Tours & things to do nearby

Eventuality Tours

Eventuality Tours runs small-group cultural and historical tours out of Kingston, mostly focused on the music and political history that shaped modern Jamaica. The 5/5 rating comes from six reviews, which is a small sample but suggests they're doing something consistently right with whoever books. The Kingston base matters here — this isn't beach tourism, it's capital-city context: Bob Marley Museum visits, downtown walks through Trench Town, sometimes stops at Devon House or the National Gallery depending on the itinerary. What stands out is the local guide angle. These aren't scripted bus loops; the tours lean on Kingston insiders who can explain why certain corners matter or how sound system culture actually worked. It's a better fit for travelers who want to understand Jamaica beyond the resort corridor, and who don't mind spending a day in the city's heat and traffic to get there.

Book on Viator →

Bikram Yoga Jamaica

Bikram Yoga Jamaica runs a studio in Kingston, and the 5-star rating comes from a small sample—two reviews total—so treat that as early feedback rather than settled consensus. What you're getting is traditional Bikram: 90 minutes, 26 postures and two breathing exercises, room heated to around 105 degrees. It's a specific, regimented format, so if you've done Bikram elsewhere, you know what you're walking into. The studio caters to both locals and visitors who want to maintain their practice while in Kingston. Classes run on a schedule, so check ahead rather than dropping in blind. Expect the usual prep advice—hydrate heavily beforehand, bring a towel, expect to sweat more than you think possible. The location on Latham Avenue is residential and relatively easy to reach if you're staying uptown.

Book on Viator →

Private Arrival Transfer: Kingston International Airport to Hotels Across Jamaica

This is a private car service from Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston to hotels anywhere on the island. One booking means one vehicle — sedan, SUV, or van depending on your group size — with a driver who meets you at arrivals and handles the logistics while you decompress after landing. The 5/5 comes from a single review, so take it as one data point, but the model makes sense for people who'd rather not negotiate a taxi or coordinate a rental pickup when they're tired. Kingston to Montego Bay is roughly three hours; Kingston to Ocho Rios is two. If you're staying on the north coast and flying into Kingston, factor that drive time into your first day. The transfer works both directions, so you can book the return leg at the same time if your departure is also through Kingston.

Book on Viator →

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Photos

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Recent Pulse

What travelers are saying.

Steady

Low confidence

Travelers say Devon House ice cream draws long lines for good reason—local flavors like rum raisin, Devon stout, grapenut, and soursop earn repeat visits, with generous scoops that melt fast in Kingston heat. Most praise the variety and taste, calling it the island's best, though a vocal minority finds it overpriced at around $12–14 USD for two scoops or thinks consistency falls short of European gelato. Service is hit-or-miss: the queue system moves quickly when it works, but some report staff indifference, limited napkins, and no flexibility on substitutions. Go midweek or at night to dodge weekend crowds—90-minute waits have been reported—and eat your cone fast.

Standing out

Rum raisin, Devon stout, grapenut, and soursop flavors stand out as unique local draws
18 mentions
“Stout with rum and raisin tasted amazing, nothing like what you find in supermarkets”
Scoops are generous—one is often enough, melts quickly in heat
12 mentions
“Two scoops gave me over 40 licks, way more than expected for the price”
Queue system is well-organized and moves quickly despite crowds
9 mentions
“Flow from entry to cashier to pickup was coordinated, no delays even when packed”
Spacious grounds with outdoor seating and handwash stations make it family-friendly
8 mentions
“Nice park area with shade trees for picnics, plus wash facilities so kids aren't sticky”

Watch-outs

Two scoops cost $12–14 USD, which some find steep compared to Italian gelato or local supermarket options
8 mentions
“Eighteen euros for two cones felt like robbery, especially when the cone itself seems overpriced”
Service can be indifferent or slow—staff sometimes point at menus, refuse substitutions, or ration napkins
6 mentions
“Wanted to swap cone for cup but got told to rejoin the line, then no lid for the cup”
Weekend waits stretch to 90 minutes, with cars lining the road to enter the grounds
5 mentions
“First night cars queued on the street, second night we waited an hour and a half in line”

Tips from travelers

Come midweek or at night to avoid 90-minute weekend lines and slower melting
Order a cup instead of a cone in the heat—one scoop is often enough
Bring cash to speed up payment and check flavor availability before paying
Try rum raisin, Devon stout, grapenut, or soursop for the local experience

Maybe skip if: Skip if you expect European-style gelato consistency or find $12–14 USD for two scoops unreasonable—several travelers felt the hype exceeded the product.

Similar restaurants

Kingston●○○○© TripAdvisor contributor via TripAdvisor

Devon House Bakery

Devon House Bakery sits on the grounds of the Devon House estate in Kingston, which is worth mentioning because the setting makes it feel like less of a bakery run and more of a reason to actually go to Hope Road. The 4.4 rating holds across food and atmosphere, and the cheap-eats pricing makes sense when you see what you're getting — Jamaican patties, hard dough bread, plantain tarts, the kind of counter fare that doesn't need to justify itself. Lines form during lunch and weekends, which speaks to both the quality and the fact that it's one of the few places in the area where you can grab something fast without sitting down. Kids are common. The service moves. If you're already at Devon House for the ice cream or the house tour, this is the practical stop — but plenty of people skip the rest and come straight here for a patty and a ginger beer to go.

casual

bakery

Inside Usain Bolt's Tracks and Records Kingston

Usain Bolt's Tracks & Records

Usain Bolt's Tracks & Records is on Constant Spring Road in Kingston, and yes, it's exactly what it sounds like—track memorabilia on the walls, a menu built around comfort food, and a sports-bar energy that works whether you're watching a game or just here for wings. The space scores highest for atmosphere among the subratings, which tracks: it's loud, casual, and popular with families and groups looking for something easy. The food is a mix of Caribbean, American, and international plates—jerk, burgers, pasta—and it lands solidly in the mid-range both on price and execution. The 3.9 overall rating across 600-plus reviews suggests consistency more than innovation, and the value rating of 3.6 tells you not to expect bargains. Service is fine. If you want a lively spot in Kingston where kids are welcome and you don't need a reservation, it does the job.

casual

caribbean

Tastee Patties

Tastee Patties is a Kingston institution at the corner of Constant Spring and Hagley Park Roads, and the 346 reviews hold steady at 4.3 stars for a reason: the food is consistent, and the value rating of 4.5 speaks for itself. This is Jamaican fast food done right — beef, chicken, vegetable patties straight from the warmer, plus a rotating menu of bun-and-cheese, coco bread, and whatever else came out of the kitchen that morning. It's cheap eats with no pretense; you order at the counter, grab a napkin, and find a seat if one's open. The atmosphere and service scores are lower because this isn't a place you linger — it's quick turnover, sometimes a line during lunch rush, and staff moving fast. Families stop in after school; workers grab patties on the way home. You'll see why Tastee has lasted as long as it has: the patty crust flakes, the filling is hot, and you're out the door in five minutes with change in your pocket.

casual

caribbean

Torn between this and somewhere else? Settle it →

Stay nearby

Kingston

S Hotel Kingston

S Hotel Kingston sits on St. Lucia Avenue in New Kingston, Jamaica's business district. It's built for work trips and short stays, not beach lounging — the 4.5-star property runs a shuttle to the coast, but most guests are here for meetings, not sand. The 4.8 service rating and 4.8 cleanliness score make sense given the boutique setup and 125 rooms; staff can actually remember faces. Rooms and sleep quality both score 4.7, which tracks for a modern urban hotel where noise control and bed quality matter more than ocean views. The 4.5 value rating is reasonable at around $400 a night in Kingston, where inventory tilts corporate. Location scores 4.7 because New Kingston puts you near offices, restaurants, and the financial corridor — walkability is decent for errands and dinner. This isn't an all-inclusive resort. It's a polished city hotel that works if your Jamaica trip includes Kingston for business or culture, and you'd rather sleep somewhere competent than chase a beach fantasy in the capital.

Kingston

AC Hotel Kingston, Jamaica

AC Hotel sits on Lady Musgrave Road in uptown Kingston, a few blocks from Emancipation Park and New Kingston's business district. It's a modern Marriott property that pulls high marks across the board — rooms and cleanliness both score 4.9, and nearly twelve hundred reviews keep the overall at 4.8. The location rating makes sense if you're here for meetings, medical appointments at the University Hospital, or exploring Kingston proper rather than chasing beaches. The sleep quality and service scores suggest they've nailed the basics: functional rooms, reliable staff, AC that works. The value rating at 4.7 is solid for Kingston, where hotel options tilt either budget guesthouse or corporate high-rise with little middle ground. This one leans corporate but apparently without the usual markup pain. It's not a resort in the Montego Bay sense — no swim-up bar, no animation team. It's a city hotel that happens to be in Jamaica's capital, and if that's what you need, the numbers say it delivers.

Source: TripAdvisor · view on TripAdvisor →

Photos by individual contributors as credited above.

Review summaries are AI-paraphrased from public traveler reviews.

Devon House Ice Cream