Someone just brought me the following two things from this place: (1) 99% dark chocolate piece (2) Sea salted chocolate with caramel No words. Just, yum. Brilliant chocolates. Beautifully crafted. I think there must be a trained sculptor in the back shaping each one for hours to perfection as extreme, painstaking care seems to have been taken with each one. Handmade at its finest. I think I just fell in love (with chocolate) all over again. Hey, it happens. :-) read more

In a move that inexplicably made me feel like a jerk, my mom sent me chocolate for Mother's Day. Yeah. I am not a mother. I have a mother. Who gave me chocolate. For Mother's Day. In all fairness, I also sent her chocolate. We're Swiss, so chocolate is like life's blood to us. Sweet, delicious life's blood. Apparently the owner of Chocolate Maya is also Swiss, so you know she knows her stuff. The little box my mother sent me included gorgeous little chocolates such as rose shaped delight with distinct natural floral highlights. My favorites were the caramel and the coconut - so fresh and clearly homemade, without artificial flavors. Perfect for an unexpected, if somewhat guilt inducing, gift. read more

From 0 stars to 5. I shall explain. I received an email from the owner Maya explaining that the employee who previously was very rude had been let go. She invited my wife and I to stop by the next time we were in Santa Barbara. Not one to hold a grudge we decided to do so. Well let me tell you, the chocolate is wonderful. There is a wide variety of tastes, The buddha infused jasmine tea chocolate was delectable. Giant ball of cinnamon and other spices was delicious. Salted chocolate yum. Maya herself is wonderful. She is very knowledgeable about her chocolate and a sweetheart as well. If you are looking to find excellent chocolate in Santa Barbara, Chocolate Maya is the place to go. read more

If really, really, REALLY good chocolate is what you go for then you'll want to stop in here and pick a few pieces and bars up. The selection here is pretty amazing - they have bars that I've never seen before, that clearly are small batch. The beautiful truffles have some very interesting mixes of tastes: Dark Chocolate with Rosemary Dark Chocolate with Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate with Pomegranate Dark Chocolate Dipped Mango, with pepper and herbs There's a chocolate bar that has ghost peppers in it that, when I laughed at the cool drawing of a screaming face on the label, the salesgirl got a serious look on her face and warned me about the potency of the peppers in that bar. I put it down and stepped away. But maybe you won't. read more

So after lunch on State Street I was in the mood for something sweet. Luckily Chocolate Maya was on the route back to the hotel. The boyfriend and I stopped in a looked at their chocolates. Very cute, nice selection, but nothing too mind-blowing. Or so I thought. We both ordered a carmel sea-salt truffle. $2/each. Eh, whatev we're on vacation. So I handed over my $4 and the woman handed me my chocolates with the advice of putting the whole piece in my mouth at the same time. We went outside, unwrapped the confections and popped 'em in. (dramatic pause) holy crap this is the most amazing chocolate I've ever had! Seriously. They say chocolate is better than sex. I've never thought so, until this! I savored every last morsel. Thank god she told us about eating at all at once because the caramel inside was like liquid - liquid gold, IMO. And the chocolate with the salt - OMG! It was amazing, simply amazing. I can't believe I didn't go back and buy a dozen more. If their other chocolates re as good as that, this place is the best place on earth. And even if that's the only good piece of chocolate, it's the best place in Santa Barbara! read more

Beautiful chocolates and very tasty. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The chocolates are delicate and unique. Really nice place to get something sweet. read more

No samples, and highly overpriced chocolate pieces that weren't anything special. Give me my money back! Skip this place.

You absolutely feel transported to another place and time when you step inside Chocolate Maya. This cozy atmosphere is perfect for any occasion. The store has a wide variety of chocolate and for those who can't have chocolate (like my mom) they even have marzipan! Here are some of my pro tips! 1) Park in the public parking lot directly next to the shop. If you stay less than two hours, the parking is free. 2) Don't leave without trying one of their hot chocolates! My favorite one is called "The Sacrifice" and is a dark hot chocolate with cayenne pepper! 3) Enjoy your chocolate and/or marzipan in the back room where there is intimate seating and you may even catch a glimpse of a chocolatier creating the next batch of sweets! I've been coming here for the past 3 years and will continue to come here every time I am in Santa Barbara! This place always puts me in the best mood! If you are already a lover of chocolate or haven't found the right one yet, Chocolate Maya is the place for you! Oh, and if you're wondering, I've asked, the store isn't named after the store in the movie Chocolat. The store is name after the owner Maya! read more

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I was super excited to visit this shop. I found it on Yelp. It was on my list of things to do on my vacation. So being excited and prepared left me horribly disappointed by the rude girl working up front who could care less about helping me. The expression on her face was that of a teenager asked to take out the trash. The prices are high, which wouldn't have felt as bad had the "chocolatier" been pleasant and happy to help. Really they deserve a 1 star. I only gave a 2 because the shop was cute and the chocolates are interesting and unique. read more

Delicious & beautiful. Love the Mushroom chocolates. A bit pricey but worth it. read more

Chocolate Maya - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Very nice staff and very helpful. I wasn't crazy about the chocolates but they were well prepared and that was more just my taste. My husband liked them though. The peanut butter and chocolate was good and their caramel chocolate had real caramel in it. They have unique flavors that involve different spices, maple syrup, and various fruits. I did get one of their hot chocolates which isn't a traditional hot chocolate you might be used to but instead is the melted chocolate. While it's very rich, it's extremely tasty and well worth getting. They have a very cute little sitting area and have ample parking in the parking lot right beside them. They have a few items for sale such as drinking chocolate and teas. read more

Chocolate Maya - Liquid chocolate with some chocolates including: peanut butter and chocolate, cappuccino, one with maple syrup, one with orange etc. - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This is a great shop! Their chocolate is procured responsibly and it's just fantastic tasting! The service is wonderful and the gift wrapping is understated and tasteful. If you're looking for high quality chocolate as a gift, you can do no better in Santa Barbara. Be sure to enjoy their hot drinks too. If you've never had hot chocolate made with care, you haven't lived! read more

I've been wanting to try Chocolate Maya for a long time. I met up with some friends for hot chocolate. We looked at the menu and there were three drinks offered - eurococoa, spicy sacrifice and ozzie mayan cocoa. A friend asked to know more about the ozzie cocoa. All the lady said was that it wasn't available since they didn't have any. They were also out of biscotti. Some of us were worried about the spiciness of the spicy sacrifice. They offered us samples and also offered to blend half eurococoa and spicy sacrifice. That was very considerate. I ordered the spicy alone. They had the cocoa in thermal carafes, no idea when they were made. The cups looked like they could hold no more than 8 ounces of liquid and they weren't filled to the top. So, for $3.75, you get about 6 ounces of hot chocolate. I'm not a fancy hot chocolate consumer, but that felt a bit too pricey for something that came from a carafe sitting on the counter. Anything over $3 and I would have liked a bit of a show or a larger pour. As we exited, some of us were tempted to buy some individual chocolates. I bought a box of four for $9. I was more impressed with the packaging than the flavors. When you combine unique flavors with chocolate, there should be a cohesion of flavor but, for all of the pieces I tried, it felt like I was eating a preliminary test batch that combined random flavors. After both experiences, I have to hands-down recommend Chocolats du Calibressan (http://www.yelp.com/biz/chocolats-du-calibressan-santa-barbara) over Chocolate Maya. read more

Chocolate Maya - Spicy Sacrifice hot chocolate - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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The chocolates here are absolutely beautiful. I almost felt bad eating them but the person working there assured me I had to enjoy them (they taste great). Take them to go or pull up a seat and people watch from their very nice sitting area, it's up to you! read more

Chocolate Maya - a fancy foursome - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This is one of the best chocolate retailers I know of. They have maybe 30-40 bars, arranged by % for both dark and milk chocolates, so you can hone in on your preferred range and pick to your heart's content. Some excellent bars are offered -- Pralus is a standout. Prices are standard for high end chocolates, where $7 a bar is typical for a high % dark, with some higher and some lower. They also have a range of prepared confections. I've only had a few, as I prefer straight chocolate, but they are, so far, excellent. read more

I don't get it, I really don't - is it good chocolate? yes. Is it worth the price? Not so sure. Chocolate Maya is a cute little chocolate shop located on State Street (closer to the pier). They have chocolate from all over the world as well as chocolate that they make themselves. I was shocked to see that some of the chocolate bars from around the world cost upwards of $8 a bar! The chocolate that you can get by the piece... you're looking at AT LEAST $2 per piece... but hey, don't get me wrong - it's good stuff... just don't know if it's THAT great... then again, we had 3 pieces (hey... when on vacation, WHY NOT!) read more

Upon walking in here, I thought I died and went to chocolately goodness heaven! Absolutely devine gourmet chocolates. From the jasmine infused Buddha to the cookies n creme to the mint chocolate, I reveled in the sweet taste of each chocolate I tried. Even the packaging was pleasing to the senses. I have yet to stock up on more of these delicate goodies and I can't wait! read more

I loved this place while I was in town. Every day after I found it, I would take my daughter in the stroller through the back door and let her pick out a chocolate. Everything I tried was delicious. Sure, it's all expensive ($2 for a small chocolate, and upwards to $10 for the bigger stuff like chocolate bars, bags of chocolate covered candied ginger, etc). But this is the real deal of chocolate, and a $2 treat every day was totally worth it to me. Service was very nice -- even with a sometimes fussy 2-year old waking up from a nap and deciding what she wanted, the owner or worker was patient and even let us try a few samples. They would get the door for me when I came and left with the stroller. Everything was wrapped nicely and overall it was simply professional. I look forward to coming back here again when I visit Santa Barbara. I repeat, it's expensive, but worth it. read more

I love this place, the chocolate is as good as it looks. Love gifting to family and friends, not a piece is ever left. I am not a person who cares much for very sweet foods. This chocolate is actually flavorful, you can taste everything that it has. This place is very unique, they also have hot chocolate which is great. They have marzipan, chocolate dipped orange, mango slices. Give this place a try, the pictures are wonderful to look at which are all around the store, and the service is excellent. read more

Chocolate Maya is the best chocolate shop in the world. I realize this seems like hyperbole, but I have sampled the work of many of the finest chocolatiers of Europe, North America, and Asia. I have literally had to be dragged away from the Grand-Place de Bruxelles. As great as those chocolate masters may be, Chocolate Maya is still at the top of my list. The care and effort with which they select the best sources of chocolate and all ingredients, the inventiveness of the recipes, the artistry of their hand crafted creations combine to make this a must for anyone in, traveling through, or passing within 500 miles of Santa Barbara. I have sent many folks to Chocolate Maya over the years. None have been disappointed. My last cross country visit was a month ago and I was relieved and delighted to see how well they adapted to and survived the covid year. I will return! read more

Wow! Dark chocolate has always given me a headache so when I stopped by Chocolate Maya with a friend, I thought I wouldn't find anything I liked. Boy was I wrong! They've got an amazing selection of specialty chocolates like white chocolate with passion fruit and dark chocolate with chili. I got the passion fruit chocolate and was amazed. It's a wee bit expensive, once piece was $2.50 but more than worth it! If you're a chocoholic, I highly recommend you stop by! read more

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Get white chocolate truffle with passion fruit filling. It explodes over your palate. Strawberry dipped with choco is not really strawberry filling, which tastes a bit weird... The Buddha truffle is gorgeous but has no scent of jasmine as labeled (and I'm a fairly sensitive taster). If you eat in, all truffles are served on a cute sushi plate. Service is totally awesome and chilled. Self served lime water inside. Menu of chocolate tastings that offers some pretty decent deals. Hippie friendly decor~ read more

So tasty. First time in and I figured I'd do a tasting and try a drink. Absolutely worth it. read more

Chocolate Maya - The Marie Antoinette drink (it's more like a teacup but that's the prefect amount) relaxed me and filled me with utter happiness. - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Maya sells their own confections along with chocolate bars from other chocolatiers. The confections vary and the selection of bars has a unique quirkiness towards more untraditional producers. As a chocolate snob and not easily seduced, I generally walk-in, sniff (and don't like what I smell), look around (and don't like what I see), and then leave. I did this at a chocolate shop further north on State Street before. So the fact that I stuck around and bought chocolate is a favorable nod for Maya. But, I wasn't completely sold because its selection and prices are not that inviting. For example, the Francois Pralus bars are $9.50 each. That's $43 per pound. It's a sign that I can't afford the Santa Barbara lifestyle. read more

There are a number of chocolate joints around town, so make this one your first stop. It smells good, perfectly lit and the staff is nice, which is greatly appreciated in all business's. If you can't totally pronounce the name of a chocolate they'll know what you meant too. My favorite piece is a white chocolate ball with a fruity dust on the outside, and a smooth finish on the inside. I love you Chocolate Maya :) read more

The chocolate is delicious! i bought 7 bars for my coworkers and 4 individual chocolate pieces for myself to try, and they did not disappoint. Customer Service was excellent and very friendly. They have very good quality of cacao here. read more

Such fancy chocolates on display. There so many different flavor I could not decide. Love how challenging some of these flavors were. It's like a candy store for adults that appreciate the cacao. We tried the cookies n cream milk chocolate. It was shaped like an ice cream on a cone. So cute! Perfect for gifts. read more

Chocolate Maya - Cookies and cream $3.50 - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We (Santa Barbarians) are so blessed to have Chocolate Maya. She is world-class and her shop proves it. There are so many delicacies I have my eye on and will try them one at a time forever. I just about fainted when I popped the salted caramel chocolate truffle into my mouth. It is ridiculously delicious and I will get one whenever I drive by which is too often. You can taste the love and passion Maya has for quality chocolate in every bite. You must try the sipping chocolate while visiting. It's not to be missed. Chocolate Maya is a must-stop shop when visiting our beautiful town. read more

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A great place to visit if you love chocolate or love someone who does. Tasted some wonderful treats (my chocolate kiss profile pic is one of them) but the most rewarding part of the experience was the conversation with the young woman assisting us. She was incredibly knowledgeable and generous about sharing her knowledge and samples of various chocolates. read more

Really amazing and I don't say that often. Make sure to get one of the hot drinks. I get the Marie Antoinette. Gives you tons of energy too. I'd go there every day if it wasn't so expensive. read more

Four dollars for a piece of delicious divine chocolate. I'll pay it! It was absolutely delightful once it hit my mouth! read more

Chocolate Maya - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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There is no chocolate confectionery anywhere on the West Coast along the Pacific ocean that has better tasting chocolate than Santa Barbara's famous Chocolate Maya. Next door to D'Angelo's Bread and the Santa Barbara Roasting Company, Chocolate Maya provides every guest with an extraordinary experience combining creativity, color, art with home made truffles, an international collection with a variety of chocolate bars produced around the planet, travel history of chocolate, hand made menus, chocolate fermentation, roasting of the beans, drying with a kitchen where guests can watch chefs prepare the best tasting chocolate for the locals in Santa Barbara that demand the top tastes at their table. read more

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This place is yummy. I feel like I've gained 20 lbs just by walking into the store! They make the ones in the case there and they also have a good selection of chocolates from around the world and exotic flavors like lavender, earl grey and cinnamon. Yum! the woman who, I think, is the owner was nice and friendly. definitely a great stop if you're going to be in SB. read more

I love perusing this cozy little boutique for their selection of delicious goodness. I'm a huge fan of hazelnut chocolates and they have a nice selection here. I've never been let down and always enjoy myself. I prefer this place to sees or godiva. My favorite part of this place is the little witty sayings they leave outside on the chalk board. They never fail to put a smile on my face. The staff is friendly and I always enjoy coming here when I want to indulge. read more

My partner is an enthusiastic choco-holic, but every time we walked by this place (we were on vacation and were staying nearby), it was after store hours. In a moment of desperation, he almost caved and bought a Hershey's bar from the 7-11. I persuaded him not to and promised we would come back the next day. I'm so glad we did. We're no chocolate connoisseurs, but we were quite impressed (after all, we only give in to Hershey's when making s'mores). The chocolate here is really, really good. We tried a couple truffles and bought a fig-fennel-almond chocolate bar for the road. There's a good selection of different grades of chocolate, different flavors, and lots of interesting truffles (we tried the rosemary, for example). The prices are reasonable considering the quality of the product. read more

Truffles that tempt and test your tastebuds. The lime thyme will send you on a veritable journey of flavor. The earl grey perfectly combines bergamot caramel with dark chocolate. And don't dare leave without a cup of sipping chocolate. Divine. read more

Beautiful place! The first time I came here I had the best experience. They let me sample the hot chocolate! The vibes were incredible! Second time was a little less friendly, but still pleasant! Chocolates are definitely pricey but divine! I wish they would keep one sample on hand if you're buying! We bought 24 but might have bought more if we could have tried a tiny piece first... They get less expensive the more you buy. You don't overdo it because they are so rich and decadent that one chocolate is worth the splurge. read more

Chocolate Maya - Nutella Mouse - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Excellent chocolate. Excellent staff. I was having a conversation with the chocolatier/owner about a 99% cocoa chocolate I had bought elswhere that tasted pretty bad. She walked over near the window, brought down a decorative box, opened it up and broke of a sample of top notch 99% cocoa for me. What a difference! She told me how to let it sit on my tongue and absorb all the flavor slowly, etc...etc. Anyway, really nice of here to do that and i appreciate her patience. We bought a few chocolates while there and they were really good. read more

Heavenly explosions of succulence in the mouth! An absolute must for all who walk the earth. Taste buds be like (!!!!!)

Amazing chocolates shaped like art. Eyes roll back in your head good. Found this place yesterday returned today