Great place to get some amazing chocolate! I love everything about this place from their chocolate to their sorbets & gelatos. The chocolatiers are very knowledgeable and everyone is so nice. read more

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Omg they come through Roosevelt Park on the weekends and I could not be any happier with their fare! The toffee chocolate bar, mint chocolate gelato, unicorn cone, Celinas biscochito ice cream sandwich are all divine and they come to me. The owner is super friendly too. 5 stars all the way! read more

I haven't been to the shop but I just picked up some chocolates at the Albuquerque airport. My travel pleasure is dark chocolate almonds and oh my are these delicious! Went back to buy more chocolates and these are high quality chocolates for a low price. I immediately went to their websit and plan to order chocolates for gifts. Glad I found this and keep up the good work! You'll be shipping to chicago soon read more

Really friendly service and lots to look at and choose from. I bought a few small bars to try. All of their dark chocolate is 73%, so its not too bitter, but still has a hint of sweetness. They offer a variety of flavors of bars in milk and dark such as green chile, red & green chile, various salt flavors, bee pollen, blueberry, etc. There are many truffles to choose from, as well as house made gelato. Not sure where the cacao is sourced from, but I believe all the bars are made in house. Definitely worth checking out despite the oddball location! read more

This place is a diamond among the rough. Don't let the local area fool you this place is a high end wealth of chocolate. Not only do they sell the best chocolate in town, but they are personable, passionate, and knowledgeable. Both gentlemen there shared a deep passion for their profession. They turned a quick chocolate stop into an unforgettable experience. read more

This tiny shop in a small industrial strip on Juan Tabo serves up big flavors! The chocolates were delicious (chocolate/chocolate my fave) and the gelato was perfectly made. I loved the texture and consistency of the gelato. Especially good were the mango passion and red chile chocolate varieties. I highly recommend this shop for eating in, take out, taking home, or gifting chocolates or gelato. Do bring a cooler when you visit so you can keep your gelato from melting on the way to your destination. read more

Chocolate (cocoa with a crap ton of sugar) was the first addiction that sank its cruel hooks into my brain... ...probably at the tender age of 1 or 2 (I cant remember)... ...but now I like my chocolate dark... ...like midnight in a mineshaft... In my old age, all my sweet 'tooths' have fallen out. Granted I am an American who was raised on high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and doughnuts, but now I cant stand sweetness. Real or synthetic. My sugar addiction is cured... ...but Im still a junkie for chocolate... ...and not the smooth creamy milky emulsified facsimile thereof... ...but CHOCOLATE... ...like the kind Aztec priests consumed before a busy day of ripping out the hearts of enemies and/or whomever. This is one of the only places to find it. read more

I really want to write a review about their chocolate, but since I didn't end of buying any because of their service- I will write about that. I went to the Chocolate and Coffee Festival today and this was our first booth we stopped at. My 5 year old and I stopped to get a sample of the gelato, and when the man at the counter reached in to open the freezer and get the sample, my 5 year old son started to reach for the glass. Before I could tell him not to do that, the man glared at my son and without sarcasm said "DON'T EVER TOUCH THAT AGAIN!" It was so rude and really unnecessarily harsh for a 5 year old mistake. I decided that I didn't want to give my money to this business and walked away. So sad I didn't get to buy some chocolate. But also very disappointed at how this business treats children. read more

As out of town guests in Albuquerque, NM, I like to sample good chocolate. So we made a trek to this place to find out more good eats. On our way to the Sandia Resort & Casino, I made a special request to stop here. We tried the sea salted dark chocolate and the coconut dark chocolates. Very good chocolate! We bought a nice 12 piece box assortment for our hosts. So, I'm waiting to see if they like the nutty flavors. I would buy this chocolate for a special occasion or for a nice gift. We tasted many flavors of their gelato at the Los Poblanos Farm. Lemon chiffon with lavender, dark chocolate, passion fruit with mango and french vanilla. All delicious, full flavors. Much better than regular ice cream! No artificial colors or flavors...Buy their gelato in single 4 oz or the pints! read more

New Mexico is known for green chili but I think the chocolate scene is really where New Mexico shines. The Chocolate Cartel is a small amazing find in the weirdest place. Surrounded by warehouses and protected by bars on the window on the edge of the war zone you'll find a high quality chocolate shop. They have the classics and also some new twists like lavender and bee pollen. I am sneaky and get a small 4 piece box for myself and hide it in my night stand table. It's too good to share, this is mommy's secret stash to keep her sane. They do have green and red chili chocolates that are fun to give as gifts to out of town guests; and to nibble on for some sweet heat. The offerings are fewer than at other places, but they are all high quality and beautifully presented and prepared. In addition to chocolate they also offer handmade gelato in a huge variety of flavors that'll knock your socks off. They have two sizes one to be shared.... but also individual sized cups, again, that I eat in secret savoring every bite in the privacy of my car far away from anyone who wants a bite. This is why local is always best. Go and get your fix on.... and maybe your sanity back. read more

Hey I reviewed this place twice, when it was listed as Xocoatl and in Sante Fe and in Albuquerque. It's the same great product from the same owners. read more

Best Dark Chocolate covered almonds ever. I bought a small bag at Whole Foods by the check stand, was impressed, stopped by their shop a few days later to buy 2 one pound bags. I'll be back. read more

As good as it gets!!! Can't say enough good things! Staff is amazing very helpful and will guide you through any allergy maze you may have. Everyone we are in ABQ we stop here, and definatly a stop before one heads back to the airport! Amazing chocolates and the best gelato around. Worth traveling out of your way for! An EXCELLENT establishment! Tell all your friends this is where to get great chocolate in ABQ! read more

I love their small chocolates that pack a big punch of chocolate flavor. Not cheap, but not the typical over-sugared and over-paraffined varieties of chocolates. An odd location, but worth the trip. read more

These guys are cool and know chocolate. More importantly they know their product very well. Everything looks tasty as all get out. Great local outfit. When I expressed a concern about my chocolate possibly melting while it sits in my car they offered ice packs as long as I would return them. Extremely friendly. Tastes great. read more

Sketchy location but incredible chocolate. I've had a variety of their treats and none have disappointed. I love dark and bittersweet chocolate, and theirs rocks. Too many candy stores (chains usually) use super sweet chocolate as their base, which is not to my taste. One time where going small and local truly pays off in quality and craftsmanship! read more

I have never tasted as interesting and delectable chocolate as I do from Chocolate Cartel. I've been bought boxes of their amazing product for all types of special occasions and you can't go wrong. (Well you could if they don't like chocolate, but those are few and far between) This stuff is amazing. (Yes! Try the chili truffles. They are a bit spicy, but the flavors are amazing together. I never would have thought it) All you have to do is get over the outward appearance and go. read more

Every time we visit the aroma alone kicks our addiction for cartel chocolate into overdrive. Exceptional quality, amazing ingredients and variety! Consistency is key and they have a ring full! VR Bros Gelato and Sorbet.... is in the shop too, created with the same attention to detail the seasonal flavors leave you yearning for faster seasons. A chocolate sorbet? YES for all the vegans in the world finally a Mayan Chocolate Sorbet that will tempt you! (My super picky vegan wife loves it). On a final note, the staff there takes great pride with what they create, they are all proud of being NM True and that everything is made by hand. This may not be the best review so I challenge you GO! You won't be disappointed. read more

WOW what service! Great flavors and lots of options!!! Best gelato on town!

Another 90 plus degree day. I think it was day 19 or 20 in a row. We drove to this sketchy corner off Juan Tabo and north of Central. It was dimly lit, wish I had brought a flashlight to look at the gorgeous chocolates and other items for sale in the back beyond the front cases. We were in the mood for gelato. I had a fabulous strawberry/pomegranate, daughter had the red chile chocolate chunk & hubby had the double chocolate. He also bought a chocolate confection which he devoured without sharing! A table would have been nice to sit at inside but we had to go back to the car & eat them while they dissolved in the heat. Delicious gelato, very fine grained, I will be back for sure!!! There is room for a small table or two inside, get them! read more

Love, love, love this place!!! At first I thought the prices were a little steep, but after trying a few different things my mind was changed! These sweets are worth every cent. You can tell they use high quality ingredients and the staff were helpful in helping you navigate the plethora of options. My absolute favorite is the gelato, its definitely one of the best in Abq! read more

Oh. MAN. I am SO happy to have found this place. I'm always on the lookout for a good chocolatier, and I walked by this place one day and thought that I ought to get back and check it out. It took me a few months, but my wife and I finally made it through the door a few weeks ago. They are AWESOME. I didn't even realize that the Xocolatl chocolate makers I knew had started in Taos had moved down here to Albuquerque. Now that I know they're here, though, I'm doing the very best I can to get back on a regular basis. Their truffles are incredible. Good quality chocolate, inventive flavor combinations, and beautiful presentations. The Van Rixel brothers are top notch. Don't let the nondescript storefront fool you--there's GOOD chocolate in there. Buy their stuff at Whole Foods, if you prefer, but I'm gonna keep making the pilgrimage to their chocolate factory directly. So YUM. They never seem to last long when we bring them home... read more

The chocolate cartel is small specialty chocolate shop located on the eastside of Albuquerque. They have a large variety of specialty chocolates and gellato. I was greeted with awesome service and a friendly staff. The gellato was very good and what seemed like a small portion was surprisingly filling. The prices were on the higher side but I guess that's what you can expect to pay at any chocolate specialty shop. read more

OMG!! We went to Slice Parlor for pizza last week b/c they have gluten free pizza. Because Flying Star doesn't have any desserts that are gluten free, I opted to get some gluten free gelato after dinner at the Slice Parlor. I thought I had died and gone to heaven!! It was fabulous! I had the Salted Caramel Flavor and my husband opted for the chocolate. It was so rich and creamy. I was so happy to learn about this place! I live in the North Valley and am going to be making a trip to the Chocolate Cartel very soon. BTW...I'm telling all my friends... read more

I love Chocolate Cartel. Best chocolate & gelato I've ever had. I've been shopping here for over 5 years now. I have yet to find better chocolate. I even had them make the party favors for my wedding, and they pulled off that big order without a hitch. read more

Just writing this makes my mouth water. The chocolate melts in your mouth (and Your hand) with a big burst of wonderfulness. My favorite are the lemon and rasberry. They make a great gift. It is difficult not to break into the package. I live on the west side, this is worth the drive all the way across town. Oh how could I forget the red chile chocolate bars Wow. Pure joy all of it. read more