An all-American classic, milkshakes are the perfect sweet and creamy accompaniment to diner favorites like burgers and fries. Whether you're a fan of towering, dessert-like freakshakes heavy with toppings or prefer a simple vanilla shake, we've found the best milkshakes across the US – each one is well worth a try.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover where to find the most mouthwatering milkshake in every US state.

Humungous freakshakes are the order of the day at K&J's Elegant Pastries, a bright dessert shop whose pastel pink décor is as delightfully sugary as its sweet treats. The gigantic shakes are works of art, piled high with biscuits, chocolate, fruit, and even entire chunks of cake. A favorite is Cotton Candy, a rainbow milkshake doused in whipped cream and finished with cotton candy, a swirling lollipop, and a bright cupcake.

Laid-back Snow City Cafe wins rave reviews for its menu of Big Thick Shakes, which are simple yet perfectly executed. They come in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mocha, and espresso flavors, all topped with a swirl of cream. Look out for the monthly special shakes, such as pralines and cream with vanilla ice cream, praline and vanilla syrups, cream, and candied pralines. 

This charming Phoenix ice cream shop takes its milkshakes very seriously. The house-made ice cream is prepared with the finest ingredients and without additives, preservatives, or stabilizers. You can choose any of the ice creams to make a shake, but fans say you really can’t beat the Madagascar vanilla as the base. Then it’s time to pile on your toppings of choice – think butterscotch chips, crushed Oreos, peanuts, and gummy bears.

The Purple Cow Restaurant is a kitsch diner-style joint with multiple locations around the Little Rock area. Everything is purple here, from the restaurant's name to its booths and bar seats and, of course, its signature milkshake. This bright and beautiful concoction is made from vanilla ice cream, and it's a perennial favorite.

Established in 1953, Mitchell’s Ice Cream is a San Francisco favorite. Locals praise the friendly staff and the expansive menu offerings. As for the milkshakes, some say they’re the best in the city. You can choose from 40 delicious flavors of ice cream for the base of your shake, but most agree you can’t beat the classic banana, which features real bananas. Once blended, the drink is served topped with house-made whipped cream.

Set up in 1919, Fosselman’s Ice Cream Company has been delighting the Alhambra community with its irresistible ice cream blends ever since. Customers can mix and match from a variety of flavors, but locals say you really can’t beat the classic vanilla option. The shakes are rich, creamy, and incredibly thick – so thick that they’re served with a straw and a spoon. 

This family-owned spot in Denver has been making old-school, house-made ice cream since 2014, and has garnered quite the loyal following. Fans love that Nuggs Ice Cream has all the nostalgia of a classic parlor, with a striking red patio out front and cozy stools and counters inside. There’s a host of tempting flavors to choose from, but locals say you really can’t beat the thick chocolate shake, especially when it’s topped with fresh whipped cream and a cherry garnish.

As its name suggests, this joint in Connecticut focuses on a fast food triple threat: burgers, fries, and shakes, and it does all of them brilliantly well. When it comes to milkshakes, the flavor choices are classic – think strawberry, salted caramel, and a huge customer favorite, chocolate. The latter is a thick, indulgent, topping-free treat that'll kick those sweet cravings to the curb.

Customers love the milkshakes at Dairy Palace in New Castle, a family-operated spot that has been doling out ice cream and shakes since 1956. There's an array of tasty options to choose from, but regulars rave about the classic vanilla-chocolate combo milkshake, which is so thick and creamy it's served with a spoon as well as a straw.

Bocas House, on the outskirts of Miami, serves Latin American–inspired dishes from ceviche to steak, but it's the head-turning milkshakes that really steal the show. Its photo-worthy creations are heavy on the toppings – think cookies, rainbow sprinkles, salted caramel, and more. The fan favorite is the Tres Leches Milkshake: vanilla ice cream, cinnamon, and condensed milk, topped with a vanilla ice cream cone and a slice of tres leches cake.

This pretty pink paradise is as photo-worthy as it comes, from the pink and white interior to the beautifully presented sundaes, scoops, and shakes. The latter are available in a host of flavors, including butter pecan, mint chocolate chip, and vanilla. But, keeping with the pink theme, many diners say you can’t beat the pastel-colored strawberry shake finished with whipped cream and a cherry.

You'll have to go off menu to get the best milkshake in the Hostess City of the South. Leopold's Ice Cream is a Savannah institution, known for its smartly uniformed waitstaff and its inviting neon sign. While no shake on the menu will disappoint, die-hard chocolate-lovers should ask for their shake Savannah Dan-style. It's a sweet explosion made with chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrup.

There's an impressive list of milkshakes on offer at Kono's, a popular brunch spot with several locations across Hawaii. You'll find everything from coconut cream to Key lime, but the standout shake is Kono's signature Mud Pie, made with top-notch vanilla ice cream, coffee, Oreos, and a drizzle of caramel. This relaxed joint also wins rave reviews for its burritos.

All-American classic diner The Hangout might be renowned in Cottonwood for serving excellent burgers, but you need to save space for the mouthwatering selection of milkshakes, too. This place serves creamy classic flavors including vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate, as well as more unique creations such as toffee and cookie dough. Customers praise the friendly service, too.

Jo Jo's Shake Bar serves up an impressive array of freakshakes, and one of the most popular is the Girl Scout (pictured). A mint chocolate shake topped with toasted marshmallow, chocolate pretzels, a chocolate s'more, and double chocolate cookie, it's a dessert lover's dream. The spot also serves diner food in a fun, 1980s-style atmosphere.

The Extreme Shakes at Just Cream Ice Cream Boutique – a cute and colorful ice cream parlor in Fort Wayne – are as eye-catching as they are delicious. There are also regular specials, such as the Super Bowl (pictured), a towering creation featuring a chocolate milkshake topped with a football cupcake, cookies, and M&M'S.

From the tongue-in-cheek names for its menu items to the zombie-themed artwork, everything this fast food joint does is loud, proud, and fun. That includes the milkshakes, which are creative, colorful, and crowned with all manner of curious toppings. A customer favorite is the Zombie Unicorn, which combines vanilla ice cream, marshmallow cream, and a Fruity Pebbles topping.

Milkfloat's scratch-made milkshakes change with the seasons, but its mouthwatering caramel-based options are a firm customer favorite. From caramel butter pecan shakes to this Salted Caramel Pretzel Shake, the syrupy offerings are well worth the sugar rush. Customers also rate the service and friendly atmosphere.

If you're looking for a great milkshake, a chicken shop might not be the first place that springs to mind. But at Royals Hot Chicken, you'll find the best shakes in Kentucky. There's vanilla, chocolate, a mix of the two, and a tasty Please & Thank You Chocolate Chip Cookie Shake on the regular menu, but keep an eye out for the specials, too.

Strawberry Cheesecake, Cookie Monster, and Mint Chip Brownie all feature on the monster menu at the Legendairy Milkshake Bar in New Orleans, which wins rave reviews for its decadent drinks and fun atmosphere. All shakes come piled high with toppings such as cupcakes, cookies, pretzels, donuts, and marshmallows. There are equally delicious vegan and gluten-free options, too.

Po' boys – the classic NOLA sandwich – are the mainstay of this trendy Portland spot, but its milkshakes come highly praised, too. There are oodles of tempting flavors, from vanilla custard and salted caramel to Mexican hot chocolate, but loyal fans rave about the Key lime pie. The creamy milkshake is the Floridian classic distilled, and it's a refreshing, citrussy accompaniment to the joint's killer sandwiches.

Fresh-from-the-farm ice cream is transformed into the creamiest, most mouthwatering milkshake creations at South Mountain Creamery in Frederick. Stick to the classic shakes – which see ice cream blended with a choice of regular or chocolate milk and topped with whipped cream and a cherry – and you won’t be disappointed. Look out for the regular specials, too, as these are always wow-worthy.

A Somerville institution, this old-school joint has been serving classic American dishes with an Indian influence for decades. As well tempting bites such as butter chicken pot pie and masala chai French toast, fans of Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar especially love the perfectly thick and creamy vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry milkshakes topped with cream and sprinkles. There's also a mango lassi on the menu that’s well worth trying.

There's a huge array of flavors available at Blank Slate Creamery, which has two outposts in Ann Arbor and one in Brighton, but it's the white chocolate raspberry chip milkshake that customers love the most. Featuring melted Guittard white chocolate, a fresh raspberry swirl, and chocolate chips, it disappeared from the menu for a while but was brought back by popular demand.

Trendy Milkjam, an ice cream parlor in the Twin Cities, has a whole roster of creative milkshakes and the best one of all is the signature Salted Caramel Crunch. It's made with the joint's house-made ice cream – a blend of caramelized goats' milk, cows' milk, and sweetened condensed milk – and finished with salted caramel sauce, caramelized Rice Krispies, and a swirl of caramel whip. Other flavors include strawberry jam, peanut butter, and cookies and cream.

Milkshakes don't come much more decadent than this. The teetering Peanut Butter Brownie Bliss is the brainchild of The Yard Milkshake Bar, a mini-chain known for its eye-popping sweet creations. Blended brownie batter ice cream is poured into a peanut butter–dipped mason jar and crowned with cream, fudge, chocolate, and a peanut butter drizzle, plus an entire brownie.

Ted Drewes' famous Concrete shakes are so thick that staff flip them upside down, just to prove how deliciously dense they are. There are plenty of mouthwatering combos, but the Southern Delight is a sure bet. It's a blend of praline pecans and butterscotch, generously finished with your choice of toppings (think Graham crackers, hot fudge, and marshmallows). 

Norm's Soda Fountain has been a Flathead Valley tradition since 1938, so it's perfectly practiced at mixing up delectable shakes. The motto here is 'Eat Dessert First,' and that's very tempting indeed when you see the list of shakes and malts on offer. Plump for a huckleberry shake: this sweet lilac creation is whizzed up with Montana's signature fruit.

The handcrafted shakes at Angus Burgers & Shakes are the best in the area, all served in bell jars and topped with whipped cream. There are several inventive flavors to choose from, including customer favorite, The King, with vanilla ice cream, peanut butter, banana, and chocolate syrup. The brownie shake topped with brownie pieces and syrup comes highly recommended, too. 

All the CrazyShakes at Black Tap were made for the camera. This quirky spot at Sin City's Venetian Resort is an offshoot of the popular New York City SoHo shop – and there's no better place for such elaborate creations than Vegas. All the options are glorious and gravity-defying, but The Cakeshake is the best of all. It's made with cake batter ice cream and topped with an entire hunk of funfetti cake, plus sprinkles, whipped cream, and a cherry.

This modern joint in Portsmouth offers a winning selection of creamy milkshakes to complement its popular burgers and brunch dishes. Many of the shakes are highly praised, but the crowd favorite is the crushed Oreo and chocolate flavor, which has Oreo pieces blended throughout. The Nutella, marshmallow, and Graham crackers option also comes highly recommended.

The crazy offerings at Coney Waffle have a reputation that reaches far beyond New Jersey, where there are six outposts of the funky dessert shop. You can opt for fan favorites such as the Cinnabon Twirl, made with a vanilla base, cinnamon swirl, and Cinnabon pieces – or you can go for over-the-top creations like the one pictured. They're a popular choice for sharing (though we won't judge if you want one all to yourself).

For a classic diner milkshake, it’s worth checking out 66 Diner. This Albuquerque hotspot originally opened in 1987 and continues to be a family-run favorite. Order one of the deluxe shakes, from the Very Berry to Black Forest, and slurp it while sat at one of the classic counter-style stools. Pair your drink alongside an order of the 66 Fries (fries smothered with house-made queso and chopped green chile) for the ultimate experience. 

'Burgers, Shakes and Good Times, The Harlem way' – that's what's promised at this diner-style spot right in the middle of Harlem, New York City. Its signature shake, The Harlem Shake, is what keeps punters pouring back. The organic red velvet flavor is made with ice cream from Blue Marble, a Brooklyn-founded parlor and vendor.

Inspired by old-school soda fountain spots, Brooklyn Farmacy opened its delightfully retro doors in 2010. Pull up a pew at the counter and choose between an ice cream float, sundae, or milkshake. The Black & White is a crowd favorite shake, featuring a classic fountain glass filled with a thick vanilla shake and finished with swirls of Farmacy hot fudge.

The deluxe shakes on offer at The Hop win rave reviews from customers who love the sheer variety of concoctions available. The shake can be any flavor from the selection of classic and seasonal ice creams on offer, plus one sauce, topping, whip, and cherry. Pictured is a blend of purple sweet potato ice cream, butterscotch, and chocolate chips. If you fancy something with a kick, try the Jitterbug, a mix of cold brew, whip, and cherry.

There's no place like a diner to sip a first-rate milkshake, and Kroll's in Fargo gets them just right. A variety of thick, hand-scooped ice cream flavors are available on the menu, with the option to add on toppings or turn it into a malt. Popular choices continue to be the classics like chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla, but there's plenty of opportunity to get experimental, if you wish.

This nostalgic ice cream parlor gives all the retro feels while delivering the most amazing sweet treats you’ve ever tasted, including its signature shakes. The site has been serving Cincinnatians mouthwatering shakes in both traditional flavors and seasonal specials for years, with locals raving about the decadent chocolate and strawberry concoctions. 

Can't decide between a sundae and a shake? S&B's Over The Tops – deliciously thick and elaborate shakes – fall somewhere in between. Customers can't get enough of the Space Cake, a bold and bright chocolate-peanut butter creation that's finished with cosmic brownies, chocolate frosting, and M&M'S.

There are shakes, and then there are 'Quakes,' described as 'next-level milkshakes' and offered at this cheerful Portland shop. Each one sees tasty soft-serve decadently finished with creative toppings and sauces. House favorite Crater Lake (named after the natural wonder in southwest Oregon) is made with vanilla soft-serve and decorated with crushed Oreos, chocolate syrup, and chocolate chips. 

Located in historic Reading Terminal Market, Bassetts was established back in 1861 and is said to be the oldest ice cream company in the country. The spot – now with sixth-generation owners – whizzes up the best milkshakes around (all made with Bassetts' own ice cream, of course). Stick with a classic chocolate shake, finished with a generous dollop of whipped cream. These days, you can find Bassetts ice cream sold in stores, delis, and cafés across Pennsylvania and beyond.

Known for its smooth, house-made ice cream, Three Sisters has been satisfying those with a sweet tooth since 2006. There's a host of shake options here, including the Banana Split Shake. This tempting choice features vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream blended with a banana, hot fudge, and pineapple and finished with whipped cream. It’s worth sampling a Freester, too; this unusual shake combines your choice of ice cream flavor with iced coffee.

An Oreo milkshake is always a good idea, and this one from Charleston Creamery – a friendly, modern parlor just west of Charleston – is done particularly well. 'Twice the Oreo goodness' is promised, and it's pictured here with a drizzle of caramel for good measure. Other flavors include banana pudding, espresso, and mint choc chip. 

Phillips Avenue Diner is a Sioux Falls staple and, along with the kitsch, old-school décor and the stellar diner grub, the milkshakes pull in the punters. The retro setting calls for a retro dessert, so opt for classic strawberry. It's served in standard fashion: with whipped cream and a cherry on top. We love the butterscotch shake, too. 

The Grilled Cheeserie has garnered attention from big-name TV shows like Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives – and while tasty cheese toasties are its namesake, the restaurant does a tip-top milkshake, too. There's an inviting list to choose from (including specials and vegan options), but The Peanut Butter Cup comes out on top. It features chocolate ice cream, peanut butter, and salted caramel, all finished off with chocolate sprinkles and a peanut butter cup crumble.

This popular shake bar delivers the goods and was awarded the title of 'Best Milkshake in Texas' by USA Today. Delicious and filling fan favorites range from the Cookie Monster, with cookies, cream, ice cream, chocolate syrup, and an Oreo on top, to Birthday Cake, featuring cake-flavored ice cream, chocolate icing, chocolate cake chunks, and sprinkles.

Sometimes simple is best, and that’s certainly the case with Buddy’s Burger’s shakes. Locals agree it’s the best spot in Austin to get a milkshake and say that the creamy Mexican Vanilla option is a classic for a reason. Other mouthwatering flavors include Oreo, chocolate, and coffee. The burgers here are also said to be unbeatable. 

If you like your shakes extra thick, this small southwestern chain is the place for you. It's got a history dating back to the 1960s and has served shakes from the very beginning, so its super-thick creations are expertly blended. The signature is the Reese's Shake, a delectable blend of vanilla ice cream with chopped Reese's.

Where better to savor a creamy shake than the home of Ben & Jerry's itself? You can get the brand's famous ice cream blended into a shake at the flagship Waterbury scoop shop. Choose from familiar flavors like Cookie Dough and Chocolate Fudge Brownie – but Half Baked, a blend of the two, is the best of them all.

Holy Cow, a gourmet burger spot in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood, serves up all the classics, from Chocolate! Chocolate! to Very Vanilla – but its seasonal 'Shake of the Moment' is always something special. A recurring favorite is the Samoas Girl Scout Cookie flavor, which sees vanilla ice cream mixed up with Samoas cookies and drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauce.

A name like Hot Cakes is guaranteed to draw in the crowds – and, happily, the molten desserts and milkshakes here sell just like hot cakes. Keep things simple with the irresistible vanilla option. It's thick, creamy, and extremely delicious. Look out for the regular monthly specials, too, as these are always crowd-pleasers.

Take a trip back to the 1950s when you visit The Corner Shop, a retro joint in Bramwell. The spot is famous for its classic diner-style menu, packed out with burgers and soda fountain favorites, but the milkshakes also keep residents very happy. Choose from an array of flavors, including strawberry, butter pecan, and banana pudding. Each shake is finished with house-made whipped cream and a sweet cherry.

This Milwaukee area mainstay promises 'burger and custard heaven,' and it delivers on milkshake bliss, too. The joint has been dishing out sweet treats since the 1950s, and although the seasonal shakes are imaginative, regulars swear by the staples. Try a classic chocolate in regular or thick and we think you'll agree.

This small chain, with a location in Jackson, proudly announces that 'milkshakes aren't just for kids.' Expect a host of tasty flavors to choose from including the irresistible Oreo shake finished with crushed cookie pieces and a sweet cherry on top, and the Nutella and Graham cracker style, complete with swirls of the dreamy hazelnut spread and crushed crackers.

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Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.