This review needs updating. I am now confident in saying that these ice cream bars ARE the best in the world and would love to be proven wrong (hey, IF a better ice cream bar exists it would have to be mind-blowingly good). It starts by them using quality ingredients. They use Marianne's vanilla ice cream, and Valrhona chocolate (a French chocolate used by gourmet chefs). You can choose milk chocolate or dark. They have a bunch of options for what you can include in your bar, including chopped almonds, caramel, and marshmallow. My favorite is #4: dark chocolate with caramel and marshmallow. It is insanely good. After each bite I am thinking "oh my god this is good." Frankly I am glad it is in Santa Cruz (and not in my town) or I might be 50 lbs heavier. I just had one yesterday and the experience is still vivid. Oh, and their chocolates (which also use Valrhona chocolate) are also damn good. And if you like brownies they've got you covered too. The guys running this place could not be nicer, which makes this place a joy to visit. This is really an exceptional place to come to and we are lucky to have it in our area. I am now a regular almost every time I am in Santa Cruz (and I come here often). read more

Small shop with no tables for enjoying your sweets after purchase, but that part didn't bug me too much since I got mine to go. A bit on the pricey side for sure, but holy cow was it delicious! My wife and I both had to be careful not to eat it all in one go. We wanted to spread out the joy of eating it. Incredible chocolate, local business, somewhat pricey. Definitely worth checking out! read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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This place is amazing, which is a family owned business and amazing different chocolate experience. Freshly made chocolates. Very down to earth family. They also started selling Dubai Chocolate, which I felt amazing because they are all out. Have to comeback again to try that. The brownie and Milk chocolate ice-creams are must try (#9 and #10). Dark Chocolate must try are #1 and #2. Parking is behind the chocolate store and is easy to park. The service is quick and very helpful with the suggestions. read more

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The ice cream bars are really amazing. You can tell everything is handmade. Service was so friendly. It's a nice little stop and great to support local. The chocolates we got were very delicious read more

Donnelly was super nice and friendly. He opened the store in 1988! The ice cream bars are truly the best like the sign says. Marriane's vanilla ice cream pairs so well with the dark chocolate hazelnut toffee. The cacao nibs dark chocolate bar was good as well. The shop also offers brownies, truffles, toffees, and fruit jellies are coming back next month in Feb! read more

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Chocolate was good but... while I was munching I found a hair embedded in the chocolate. So sad read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - Coconut chocolate - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Highly recommend, buy a few things when you visit. Found this store randomly on vacation, omggg it was soooooo good. I was given some samples to try. The chocolates had an amazing balanced taste. Got a brownie and definitely regret only buying one. Lordd, that brownie w/ caramel and marshmallow on top was so delicious. The staff was very nice telling me other businesses to visit as well. read more

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Although the chocolate is good, the service is poor. I went to order chocolate for my aunt at great expense. The person who served me handled all the chocolate without using a glove. This surprised me since it will be ingested by yet another human who probably doesn't wish to have someone's hands on it.. It seems like the basic rules of hygiene were not honored at this establishment. read more

The ice cream sandwiches are AMAZING. The milk chocolate is so rich and the ice cream just tastes fresh. Everything in the store looked handmade and the people were so kind. read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - #12: milk chocolate Carmel marshmallow ice cream sandwich - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Nice chocolate shop that has unique combinations of flavors and nuts. I was able to find a little something for everyone I had in mind. Also gives full size samples. read more

My sis lives here and told me I had to try it and boy am I glad I squeezed it in (and it was worth being late to dinner for.) I was offered to sample the dark chocolate passionfruit truffle and Dubai bar as I waited which made the experience better. The owner was very professional about his art while also such a pleasant man to talk to and get to know. The shop itself could use an inside upgrade in look and the parking situation is little confusing but honestly that's kind of what made me trust it even more. No frills, all quality! I ended buying two Dubai bars and two bags of truffles as gifts for friends...on top of the milk chocolate caramel ice cream bar I was there for! Best chocolate I've ever had in my life. My only regret was not taking more to go! read more

Must try if you want a local tasty and authentic treat!! (And good customer service) We went to Donnelly's for their loaded brownie, and shortly after coming in we were offered a very tasty sample of their homemade chocolate after being asked our preference between milk or dark chocolate! After waiting a short while, our brownie came out and I was thrilled to see homemade marshmallow fluff with vanilla beans inside--not to mention the other delicious house made additions of salted caramel and fudge inside. Overall, it was a very nice place to go to try something new! read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - Stuffed brownie with fudge, caramel and marshmallow - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Stopped in while passing through - I've been wanting to try this place for years. It did not disappoint! Tried several single chocolates and a couple of their marshmallow bars. All were delicious and the flavors taste very clean and natural. I'll be back! read more

Came here due to great reviews. I was surprised when we walked in because there is no seating to enjoy sweets. There are tables setup with packaged chocolates. There was no fudge at noon. I didn't asked why. If you're coming for that, better to call ahead. We ordered 3 ice cream chocolate bars from the friendly staff. The chocolate on the bars was thick and delicious. The ice cream bars are a bit pricey at $10 each, but it was fun to check it out while visiting Santa Cruz. read more

Long time business here in SC that has a stellar reputation for quality of their products and kindness from their staff. You can't go wrong with their chocolate treats or with their ice cream read more

This place is frickin amazing. A bit pricey but well worth it. The salted caramel ice cream bar covered in chocolate is amazing a must try and absolutely delicious. Can't wait to go back and have another one. Everyone was friendly super basic store at the front of their factory in the back. read more

Service: When I peeked into the shop on my way to dinner the seller looked enthusiastic and nice with the people they were helping, so I decided I would try it on my way back. I did not receive that same service when I visited. My friend described it as "intense" as it was aggressively straightforward. Inconsistent service sucks. Food: I tried the ice cream bar because the advertising. It was good - rich and smooth. The almonds did not taste salted though, so I wish I tried the other add-ons for some sweetness and flavor. The shop is along a very busy street with somewhat chaotic, but available parking areas nearby. read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - Dark Chocolate Almond Ice Cream Bar. If you want any sweetness/flavor get the add ons. - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I found Donnelly's to be just fine, nothing exceptional, nothing terrible. I got a caramel stuffed brownie and I was kindly offered a sample of their marshmallow filled dark chocolate. What worked: -- I appreciate that they have fun fillings for their brownies! -- the caramel in the brownie was very smooth and the browned butter flavor was nice and strong -- I appreciate being offered a sample or chocolate! -- good variety in terms of the type of chocolate and treats they have What didn't work: -- the brownie wasn't all that impressive. It was on the dry side and overly sweet. I wish it had been more fudgey, had a stronger chocolate flavor, and had a little more salt to balance out the sugar -- it's a little on the pricey side. The brownie was $7.50 which I feel is a bit much Overall, I wasn't blown away by any of their products but if all you need is chocolate, this is definitely the place to go. read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - Caramel stuffed brownie - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

All I have to say is the hazelnut ice cream was hands-down the best. The owner was nice and explained a lot about the chocolate.

If you are looking for a nice treat while down in Santa Cruz and like chocolate and ice cream this is the spot. We went into the shop and was met by the owner who offered a sample of his chocolate then told us which versions of ice cream were available. Ended up getting one for each of the kids and one for the adults to share. This is like a high end ice cream bar with really good chocolate on the outside. If you think something like godiva or magunum is good this is like 10x better. The chocolate is like high end eating chocolate and has good texture and flavor. Highly recommended stopping by if in the area and you like chocolate. While there I noticed signs about the store being world famous and top 10 in the world and low and behold it shows up on a National Geographic list. Also found plenty of other articles talking about the shop and how the owner started making chocolates. While the ice cream bars aren't famous since they are made in house and only sold in the shop, the chocolate is and it's worth the trip. read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - Sea salt caramel with caramel on top - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I didn't think I really needed to update my previous review, because it pretty much sums up what our experience is like each time we come here. I really enjoy tasting the free samples when you enter! The owners are always easy going and friendly. This shop is probably one of the few businesses that make us regulars when ever we vacation in Santa Cruz. On this most recent visit, we encouraged our friend to come with us. Apparently, he is not that fond of ice cream! But he was open into joining us in consuming some salted caramel ice cream bars covered with nuts. After his first few bites, well, I think we converted him into an ice cream lover! Who would have thought that would be a thing? Anyway, this was his first time at this chocolate shop and never paid much attention to it before! Now, I think he will be a new customer in the near future! Go for the delicious chocolates, but don't forget to leave with their "world famous, handmade ice cream"! read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Donnelly is a quaint shop that has stuck to its small-town, small batch roots. The quality of their desserts is certainly top notch, but the organization of the shop feels very mom and pop. The shopkeep was extremely friendly and even offered free samples to give us an idea of what were looking at! His guidance through the offerings of the shop helped to add a warm touch to the place. There's a wide variety of artisanal chocolates, ranging from chocolate covered sweet treats, to cream bars, and more traditional chocolate bars scattered around the interior walls with prices on small cards. We settled on ice cream bars, some brownie cookies, and chocolate covered ginger pieces. Instead of caramel inside of the bar, the shopkeeper also offered us to have a spread of caramel on top, since he had run out of the ones with caramel inside. This turned out to be a nice alternative that I personally favor. ==Ice Cream Bars [5/5]== My brother settled on a Milk chocolate sea salt caramel, Whereas I went for A dark chocolate almond caramel sea salt. Having the spread of caramel on top was quite since it gave a softer texture. The ice cream was a smidge icy, but all the other flavors made up for it. The whole bar was positively popping between the almond crunch, caramel, sea salt, and vanilla. Definitely not as sweet as most other dessert shops are, but certainly not lacking in oomph. ==Brownie cookie 4.5/5== These were quite decadent despite being a sale item (we were strictly told to eat them today) They were pretty smooth and ended up being an excellent desert to finish off our trip. The cookie was definitely at the end of its life as it was a smidge dry in some places, but still luxuriously rich as a whole. ==Chocolate ginger candies [4/5]== These had a very nice sweet and moist bite to them, which made for a nice snack the day after. I would have preferred a thicker layer of the chocolate, as the ginger did overpower that flavor. I'd personally nab a different item on my next visit, but nice to have tried it. read more

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Best hot chocolate - dark spicy and thick. The guy is so nice and friendly and listens to customize your order

Delicious ice cream bars and chocolate. Very friendly and helpful. Definitely recommended.

Excellent chocolates. I especially enjoyed the pistachio filled morsels, and the brandy filled dark C truffles.

In hindsight, I must admit that I should have asked them for recommendations instead of going solely with my own selections. That said ... The alcohol filled chocolates were good but were straight up alcohol inside, as opposed to truffles or a creamy filling that is laced with it. It felt pretty strong and some may prefer exactly this, however it fell short of the mark for me. The bars with fruits or nuts pasted did not play well together. They were not discordant either. The constituents merely played solo, and felt like I was eating nuts and chocolate with no infusion or blending of flavours. The hazelnut bar had its namesake sprinkled on it whole, but did not lend itself to the rest of the chocolate bar. The same with the fruit and nuts bar --- there was a large dried apricot and a mixture of nuts, but none of their flavours or aroma were infused into the chocolate itself. In my opinion, the salted chocolate bar was the best of the lot. The folks running the place were really nice, and had me try two different chocolates, without even asking, one oh which was the almond marzipan dark chocolate --- this was simply delicious (disclaimer: I love marzipan). My favourite would be a tossup between that, and the pistachio marzipan filled dark chocolate that I purchased. Personally, it barely lived up to my elevated expectations. I may have made the mistake of: a) not asking which were their signature chocolates and, b) having my expectations raised sky high by the other reviews, and the accolades bestowed upon it by well known publications. I would go back at least one more time, and ask them to recommended a few. read more

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Yummy chocolates and custom ice cream bars! There are homemade chocolates, truffles, ice cream bars, and other yummy treats. Love this place! read more

Overall: 8/10 It's a hot day and it's a perfect day for some ice cream! They recommended the almond caramel sea salt chocolate ice cream bar and it's sooooo good! The Marianne's ice cream, the homemade caramel, and the homemade chocolate shell makes an amazing ice cream bar and I will definately come back when I am here next! read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - Caramel Almond Chocolate Ice Cream - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

They ran out of marshmallow when my wife and I went, so I went with the hazelnut crunch one that they had. Tasted like a Ferrero rocher wrapped around vanilla ice cream. Absolutely delightful. Nice people too. Old school environment but it was nice. read more

These ice cream bars are amazing and we look forward to them every year after the wharf to wharf. We get the vanilla, caramel, chocolate, almond and sea salt. read more

Great customer service- they always offer you a sample and even let you choose which sample. The selection of chocolates is great, and they even make and sell ice cream bars. The one with marshmallow and caramel is deadly. One thing I'd recommend is that they do a store re-vamp to update the appearance. Would likely bring in more customers. Your team is doing great, keep it up :-) read more

Don't let the look of the shop turn you away! The chocolates are amazing and the staff is very friendly and helpful! I tried some milk chocolate, milk chocolate covered Oreo's, and milk chocolate peanut butter. They were all delicious. I will be stopping by whenever I'm in Santa Cruz. read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - The front window - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Looking for the perfect gift? Look no further than Donnelly's Fine Chocolates. I first noticed their bright yellow sign on my way to Half Moon Bay, finally crossing off my bucket list of driving on the Pacific 1 Highway. I was in town to celebrate my sister's bday and I told myself to stop by after my road trip up to get something for my chocolate loving sister. I am glad I did. She absolutely loved her chocolates from Donnely's. I was equally impressed by their product selection, ranging from vegan chocolates to delicious natural fruit jellies. They also have hot cocoa powder and a decadent chocolate brownie mix. Richard, the owner, was very patient and generous with his time (he even let me stay after the store closed to talk about things to do in the Bay Area for half an hour). It was a pleasant experience and I will come back next time I'm in town from San Diego for their delicious ice cream sandwich. I highly recommend Donnelly's. One of the best customer service I've ever experienced as well as mouthwatering delicious chocolates. read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - "One of the 10 Best Chocolates" - I highly agree!!! - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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12/10!! Best chocolate ever. But the ice cream bar is next level! Get the chocolate caramel with almonds. UNREAL!! YOU HAVE TO MAKE A POINT & SUPPORT THIS SMALL BUSINESS! We will definitely be coming back for another ice cream bar before we head home! The chocolate mousse will also NOT disappoint!! Thank you Richard and Chris! read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Tried an ice cream bar - dark chocolate, caramel, almonds and sea salt. No prices listed. I'm sure I'm not alone in that I would appreciate these visible for determining before purchase. Worth the $$. Would highly recommend and will be back when in the area. read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I love everything about this place to the ice cream to the people just amazing.... Will be back and soon

My wife and I have been trying to come here for weeks, but kept forgetting. Tonight we made sure to set alarms and that was the best idea we've had all day. Henry helped us and he was super nice, immediately gave us a sample of chocolate that melted in my mouth. We came for one reason only and that was to try the ice cream bar. It was amazingly delicious and the perfect proportions. The right amount of salt, caramel and ice cream. What I liked about it is that the chocolate didn't crumble and fall of as we ate it. Great experience and I'm definitely going back at least twice a month! We got one bar and it was around $8. read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - Ice cream bar menu - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

The chocolate is unlike any other! The owner was so nice and welcoming. The chocolate was about $10, but it's so worth it! The ice cream was amazing too. read more

Still amazing chocolates and friendly service! I loved the passionfruit chocolates this time around - and so many other tasty treats. Definitely check out this place when you're in Santa Cruz - local-owned artisan delights! read more

heard the chocolates were fantastic and the chocolate covered ice bars are even better...stopping by for the ice cream bars...taking a marshmallow covered in chocolate...the sea salt caramel...few other varieties...not cheap at roughly $8 each!...each open bar placed on a small paper tray....best to be eaten right away, but held up well on the drive back to ucsc...thick coating of chocolate helped...the milk chocolate is velvety smooth...creamy ice cream centers...no complaints from the group...sea salt caramel was the favorite...perfect balance of sweet and savory with a very thick coating of chocolate...crunch of caramel... read more

Donnelly Fine Chocolates - marshmallow..about $8 per ice cream bar...pretty good...salted carmel is the favorite.. - Candy Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California