The decision of where to get ice cream in Georgetown is already a complicated one, with Thomas Sweet, Van Leeuwen, Häagen-Dazs and Pasha Castle already open within about half a mile of campus. But Ice Cream Jubilee’s disappointing scoop sizes and high prices make the decision much easier for students.

The nine-time best ice cream in Washington D.C. winner has just opened on M Street, the closest scoop shop to campus yet. First opening in 2014 after founder Victoria Lai left her job as a government lawyer, Ice Cream Jubilee intends to bring its unique flavors and clean ice cream brand to Georgetown.

Ice Cream Jubilee boasts seasonal and classic flavors made with local dairy products, and offerings rotate every few weeks. Local to the DMV area, with two other locations and four more on the way, the company’s current limited flavor, Cherry Blossom Cheesecake, is “an ode to DC’s cherry blossom season.” Other seasonal flavors have included Red Bean Almond Cookie for the Lunar New Year, Peppermint Patty for Christmas and Apple Butter Oatmeal Cookie for fall.

As somewhat of an ice cream connoisseur myself and someone always in dire need of a sweet treat, I was personally very excited when I heard Ice Cream Jubilee was joining the collection of ice cream shops near campus. Knowing I could only sample and order so many flavors in one visit, I brought my roommates along to try it out with me.

The shop, which occupies the former District Doughnut space on the corner of M Street and Bank Alley, is certainly small but has no shortage of options. Visitors can order single to triple scoops, a tasting flight with five flavors, milkshakes, curated sundaes or ice cream cookie sandwiches.

During my visit, there were no vegan options, but by the shop’s grand opening on March 21, they will be adding chocolate and peanut butter dairy-free soft serve made from bananas and with no added sugar.

Once inside, the team allowed us to sample as many flavors as we desired. Always taking advantage of an opportunity to test out a limited-time flavor, I first tried –– and was subsequently let down by –– Cherry Blossom Cheesecake. I like my ice cream to be smooth and creamy, but this had more of an icy texture to it. 

Ultimately, I purchased Banana Bourbon Caramel topped with whipped cream and a cherry (because treat yo’ self). Made with hints of real Tennessee bourbon, ripe bananas and caramel swirl, I liked the texture far more than Cherry Blossom Cheesecake. The flavor itself was subtle, with the bananas coming through the strongest. I had a difficult time tasting the caramel, but that might have been the nature of my scoop. The whipped cream, however, was a bit watery and unfortunately not homemade, which would have been a great touch at a local ice cream shop.

Most of my friends ordered Cookies and Cookie Dough, the shop’s bestseller. I tried a bite of it and wasn’t blown away. The flavor appeared to be a vanilla base with specks of chocolate cookies and cookie dough chunks. To me, it tasted like standard cookie dough, but with a fake, plasticky flavor to it. Granted, the cookie dough is eggless, which may have contributed to its unappealing taste.

Ice Cream Jubilee offers no shortage of toppings, available for an additional cost. In addition to the classics like whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles, you can get peanut brittle, strawberry crumbs, chile crunch and more. Their hot fudge in particular was bland. So much for hot fudge — it was more lukewarm and lightly drizzled on top, preventing an eater from substantively detecting the fudge’s presence on their scoop. It may be a personal preference, but if I’m paying extra for a topping, I want to be able to taste it. 

Like most stores in Georgetown, Ice Cream Jubilee is also incredibly expensive for the amount of ice cream they give you. A single scoop came out to $5.95 and toppings ranged from 75 cents to $1.25 each. Unlike some ice cream shops in town that pack a lot into one scoop, Ice Cream Jubilee’s scoops appeared meager in comparison.

The only respite from their small scoops and high prices is their loyalty program. Visitors can put in their phone number at the checkout to earn one point for every $1 spent at Ice Cream Jubilee. Rack up 40 points and you can get a free single scoop, or 80 points for a free pint.

Overall, I was less than impressed with Ice Cream Jubilee. I went in expecting to have a new favorite ice cream parlor, but instead I left disappointed and wishing I had spent my money elsewhere. At least the neighborhood has so many other options.