Donnelly Chocolates

Oh my God! This place is awesome! The ice cream bars are incredible and I'm coming back to try the remaining flavors. The owner gave us free samples of his chocolates as well. There is plenty of parking behind the shop.

If I could give this place 20 stars, I would. The ice cream bar was literally one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Just an incredible blend of flavors — I got the dark chocolate with caramel and sea salt. I would eat one every day if I could! The gentleman who helped me was also extremely kind and welcoming. Even though he was with another customer when I walked in, he still greeted me. I had originally asked for a dairy free chocolate bar which he said they didn’t have but offered to open one of their dairy free chocolate bars to give me a sample. It was so nice! The vibe was also very relaxed. I will definitely be back during my next visit to Santa Cruz! Also, they let you park in the lot behind them — it wasn’t immediately obvious to me as the sign is easy to miss.

Was living in Santa Cruz for three years until I finally decided to try this place and wow I wish I had gone sooner. The ice cream bars are truly the best there is and the owner is so kind and friendly! If you are ever in Santa Cruz you have to stop by and try some of their chocolates. Cannot recommend this place enough.

My partner & I were so impressed and really thought the ice cream bar was the best we've ever had. Nothing has compared! They are known for their chocolate, but I think the caramel is also the best in the world. You can't go wrong with this place- we also purchased a dark chocolate lavender bar, AMAZING! The owner was super nice and spoke to us for a bit. I've lived in this area for 3 years and had no idea this place was here. It is a must try!! 😍🍫

The ice cream bars are so delicious 🤤!! I would totally come back here!!! And the chocolates 🍫 ❤️

Loved it. The almond, caramel, sea salt chocolate ice cream bar is one of the best foods I've ever had. The caramel was the best caramel I've ever had and the almond provided a crunch to it. The chocolate was also very good. Richard himself was very kind and helpful. Definitely recommend and will be going back.

I thought how good could an ice cream bar be? Well let me tell you, the BEST I have ever had. It’s the combination of the ice cream, chocolate and marshmallow that is just off the charts insane DELICIOUS! Make sure you try one you will not regret it.

Best caramel ever! This cute chocolatee place makes the best ice cream bars. The ice cream and caramel are fabulous along with the chocolate covering it. The little chocolates you can purchase are amazing too. The owner is super friendly and talks about alot of educational stuff too.

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 :-)

Really amazing chocolate - the chocolate itself is among the best I've ever had whether it's in bars or truffles. Thoughtful and helpful staff, great people.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Some friends of mine were raving about the ice cream desserts at this place so I had to try it. There is a sign in the store that says "World's Best Ice Cream Bars." After you try one you will have to agree that they are mighty damn fine. These are dipped in chocolate--your choice of dark or milk. And then you have the unenviable task of choosing what to have included with your vanilla ice cream: roasted almonds, sea salt, marshmallows, caramel, cookie wafers. These were not cheap, but this is one of the best ice cream treats that I have had in a long while. And I already looking forward to returning. THAT is a real testament to what is served here. Plus the owner is really nice and patient.

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.

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.

Such a great find. Delicious chocolates. But oh the ice cream bars. Incredible!! And the owners couldn't be nicer. Very helpful and kind. Highly recommend. It's a Santa Cruz must for sure

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"!

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!

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!

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.

Great chocolate , home made feel , taste pure and good quality . Good service the owner talks to you and lets you taste a lot of stuff , even recommends local joints to you . Ambiance is casual and small and no sit down spots . Only to go .

This was our inaugural visit to the chocolate shop and we were lucky enough to have the proprietor serve us. He was incredibly accommodating and understanding of my indecisiveness, taking the time to provide excellent guidance. Furthermore, he was exceedingly generous with the samples he offered. I ended up purchasing a delightful assortment of truffles to savor later at home. The ice cream bars were nothing short of extraordinary; they transcend the conventional definition of an ice cream treat. The blend of his delectable chocolate and smooth caramel, accentuated with sea salt, was like a divine experience with every bite. This was our first time and definitely not our last!

Best. Ice cream bars. EVER!!' Milk chocolate, caramel and ice cream. It was AMAZING! They have dark chocolate too. The chocolates were delicious too. The shop keeper was very friendly and helpful. No indoor seating, small mom and pop type establishment, looks like a little hole in the wall. Stop here, you won't regret it.

Excellent chocolates! It was nice to be able to taste a sample and quite honestly, that caused me to buy more. What I didn't try was the ice cream (stay tuned) but the chocolate was really smooth and the dark chocolate wasn't bitter at all. I tried the deal with passion fruit and it was delicious. So, I get back to the Hampton Inn and tell Cory that we stopped at the chocolate shop and his first question was "did you get the ice cream? ‍ So, we stopped back by on the way out (I was doing a speaking engagement at UCSC) and had the ice cream and while I can't say if it's the best in the world but it might just be. The gentleman at the counter was very helpful and simply delightful. His service definitely impacted my experience. Go. Eat chocolate.

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...

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.

Everything in Donnelly's is excellent! Some of the best chocolate I've ever eaten! It smells so good when you walk in the store! Give it a try and you won't be disappointed!

Amazing chocolate dipped ice cream bars! My family can't get enough of these. My favorite is the salted caramel.

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.

I only write a review when I mean it. This place is a must for the Santa Cruz trip! The ice cream bars are out of this world! Love this place and the history!

This chocolatier went above and beyond to deliver a special anniversary gift to my cousin staying in a local hotel. A+ service and taste. She loved the vegan options. Thank you for helping me add that extra special touch to her anniversary!

Dark chocolate sea salt ice cream bar is to die for soo, soo yummy. If your in Santa Cruz you must, must stop by.

I literally have no words. I stopped here for an ice cream sandwich, because the sign said world famous chocolate and it's a hot day. The chocolate, vanilla, marshmallow, caramel sandwich that I had blew my mind. I like ice cream, but it's not typically my favorite dessert. This thing is fantastic!

super friendly shopkeeper, their dipped ice cream bar is a must have, almost all items are $6. They also have more freshly baked items in the back like strawberry marshmallow and raspberry gummies. Amazing quaint local shop with a vast selection. We also got to try their dark chocolate truffles, chipotle has a good spice kick. We ended up buying their blood orange gummies, coconut marshmallow, and dark chocolate seasalt caramel as well.

The very best ice cream bar I have ever had, so I keep going back to have another one! I hear others write about the salted caramel, but please do order up the one with caramel and marshmallow dipped in milk chocolate for a truly decadent visit to Heaven. I am a dessert cook myself. First of all, I don't like ice cream. Second of all, I am a really picky eater of caramel because I make my own and know what fresh caramel with top notch ingredients should taste like. Thirdly, I also expect my marshmallow to be fresh and home-made. So... they blew my socks off! A layer of vanilla ice cream, a layer of caramel, and a layer of marshmallow, all dipped in milk chocolate. You must try one of these. You will be so happy you did!! Also, the folks running this place are just super nice. We are almost always offered samples and they are generous full truffles, not just an M&M-sized nibble. This is how we do our trip. We call the day before and try to reserve our favorite ice cream bars, which is usually successful (if they don't have it, they offer to make up something close on the spot, if they have the caramel and marshmallow already made). We pack the car with 4 tupperwares with lids, 4 spoons, 4 wash rags to wipe up drips, and 4 water thermoses because ice cream can make you thirsty. We make our purchase and eat it in the car, and put the ice cream in the tupperware so we can eat it with the spoon. This is the decadent method. For a truly wonderful day, we start the day with a hike at Natural Bridges or Wilder Ranch, then finish up at Donnelley's.

I pass this place all the time and finally stopped in to try some of their chocolate, and I can't believe I was sleeping on this place for so long! I got the lavender dark chocolate and it was super balanced. Not bitter at all like some dark chocolate and the lavender comes through super well, which I was worried the chocolate would overpower. Very friendly service, too. I usually go to Maryannes for ice cream, but I think next time I want a fix of ice cream, I'll stop here instead. An easy to miss gem.

Our first stop in Santa Cruz was naturally at Donnelly's chocolates for a "world famous" ice cream bar. I mean, who can pass up a "world famous" ice cream bar? Certainly not me! Now you are probably asking yourself if it lived up to its fame? Yes it did. Sometimes a combination of things just fit together in the right way. Think of a Cubano or a Philadelphia Cheesesteak. There is something special about those combinations of ingredients. The same thing can be said for Donnelley's Ice Cream Bars. When you combine good chocolate, good ice cream and the best caramel ever and then add sea salt and toasted almonds, the result is insanely good.

This is the best chocolate ice cream bar I have ever tasted! Two guys greet you and give a visual tour of flavors and types of chocolate lovingly created by them. They gave us a sample taste too! Dark chocolate, milk chocolate and salted caramel and so much more! So creamy and delicious! Be sure to bring a cooler and dry ice if you are traveling home farther than 2 or 3 miles. The brothers are very concerned about the transport of this fabulous dessert! It's a great hit to bring to a fun dinner!

Donnelly's has the best caramel I have ever had in my life. Yup. I said it. Best caramel ever. It is thick, chewy and melts in your mouth. Ive been taste testing caramel since I was a child. Donnelly won. Buttery, smooth and thick. So good, so so good. His caramel bars are my favorite treat! The truffles are delicious, the ice cream bars are an amazing treat year round in Santa Cruz but the caramels are out of this world. If you haven't been to Donnelly, you are missing out!

This was absolutely the best ice cream and chocolate I've ever had in my life ! 10/10 if you are in the area , an ice cream is a must !!! I'm so sad I didn't get a picture but the ice cream is so beautifully hand crafted and so delicious !

So good. Everything we get here is wonderful, but we especially love the salted caramel. It is a nice touch that they give us and frozen water bottle so the chocolate doesn't melt on our way home.

Stopped in on a whim because we had passed the store while driving around Santa Cruz for lunch. What a wonderful surprise! We tried several flavors of the ice cream bars. The Oreo and sea salt caramel were amazing.

Very good local chocolatier. Have visited many times over the years. Particularly like the dark chocolate orange bars.

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.

Chocolate Tour of Santa Cruz: Stop #3 Tiny storefront, limited parking. Person helping us gather our chocolates made some great recommendations, but seemed non-plussed that we were there. Here's what we got: - Dark chocolate covered Marshmallow - just get the regular marshmallow, chocolate ruined it - Peanut butter bar - hubby reported it was delicious - Chocolate Salted caramel bars - clear winner I'd come back to try the pina colada marshmallow and some of their straight milk chocolate. Also lavender chocolate...oh la la.

I can't believe I have not given a 5 star rating for this place. The chocolates are definitely worth the investment but where they have me coming back for more is the panna cotta (not sure of the spelling but it is they're chocolate pudding) and the chocolate mouse. There are very few who can do those delights like they can.

Warm friendly service and the best chocolates! Didn't get their ice cream bars this time as it was too cold outside. We'll be back to enjoy them when the weather is warmer!

Located off of a main intersection, they have parking in the back of the lot. We stopped by on an awfully hot day and were greeted with a myriad of deliciously free samples. We got an ice cream with salted caramel and it was so good. I think they have a banner that says it's a top 10 best ice cream place by National Geographics. But in my experience, it's literally the best ice cream. It's so uniform, buttery, and not overtly sweet. It's an experience - and I definitely wish that I can sustain on ice cream alone. We purchased several chocolate bars and truffles. And because it was so hot, the staff, who could be the owner, offered an ice pack for us. We received excellent service and recommendations. The staff definitely anticipated our needs and was really accommodating. We ended up getting a box of chocolate at a later time. And as I'm writing this while eating their milk chocolates, I'm thinking about their ice cream. Perhaps Santa Cruz is calling this weekend.

Donnelly's chocolates are absolutely fantastic. The ice cream bars are beyond ice cream bar. They are a whole new level of ice cream treat! His delicious chocolate and creamy caramel with sea salt was like taking a bite of heaven! The best $7 I ever spent! If you're in Santa Cruz you absolutely should stop by.

Parking was tough but once we found a spot out back it was worth it. The chocolate was creamy and the owner was nice

Great chocolate of all types dark milk etc. Stoppjng at Donnelly's is a must for me if I'm going through Santa Cruz or to the board walk.

Really good chocolates. They offered a sample of the the chocolate pudding, I accepted and it was dark and rich and creamy. Don't let the down home appearance fool you, this is definitely world class chocolate.

this place never disappoints! i love donnellys. i make an effort to stop and try something new every time i'm in the santa cruz area. i got my usual strawberry chocolates and tried a rocky road bar. everything i expected and more (: my friend got these cute chocolate raspberry hearts. not as strong and taste as the strawberry chocolates but still just as awesome!! pls go you will never ever regret (:

Donnelly fine chocolates certainly has sone fine chocolates! Delicious Rich flavors in the ice cream bar thought my partner and I got. The milk chocolate sea salt and caramel ice cream bar was divine. There were many other chocolate choices around the shop. I will say they are much more expensive than I anticipated. There were two chocolate covered Oreos for $7.50. Welcome to California! however the chocolate was very good and that's the whole point. Thank you for a lovely visit.

We tried each of their dipped bars and they were good. The salt caramels were aboitttle more salty fornky taste but hey sal and caramel are the magic that keeps one going. Salt to eat more sweet and sweet to eat more salt. What a perfect balance without knowing where to stop. They seem to specialize in salt and caramel and chocolate and they do a good job at it. Biggest advantage is that they use mariannes Icecream which is again a santa Cruz special. So two birds in one stone.