The Xocolate Bar

Chocolate was good but way too expensive. We really enjoyed the first experience with the staff being very friendly and giving us free samples. But then the second time we encountered a person that acted like the owner of the store who was a pretentious curmudgeon. She was rude and told us that $30 for a chocolate bar was cheap and that she was thinking about raising the price for the next batch. Might try the place again when this person doesn’t work there but that experience really left a bad taste in my mouth.

Hands-down, one of my favorite chocolate shops. Amazing variety that are made in store. The flavors are out of this world. Tamron mango, milk chocolate, praline, pecan bars, and Rocky Road dark chocolate bar are my favorite.

Lovely store, super friendly employees, Camilo was very kind and helpful. The in-house sipping chocolate, candied ginger and cardamom chocolate bars are not to miss. A Solano avenue staple, not to be missed! 👍🏻❤️

The vegan selection is amazing and I love their drinkable chocolate. The last visit one of our boxes of bonbons tasted stale 🥲

I think the chocolates are good here. But not extraordinary for the price point. Their hours aren't very good for working people and you have to buy a box you can't buy one chocolate at a time. I like Casa de chocolates because they have better hours and also I'm more refined taste to the chocolate there.

While I have never actually been to the shop my boyfriend has been bringing me chocolates from here for several years. I love them so much that I thought it was time share my love & help you make the choice to go! The Buddha's are by far my favorite! (Just shared with my sister & said you can have any one but a Buddha) Just go, try, enjoy & share. You can never go wrong with these chocolates!

I am beyond happy to see The Xocolate Bar open on this side of Rockridge. In an instant, I felt transported back to my beautiful Paris with its quintessential shops and displays. The chocolates are beautifully presented, and the staff is just as sweet as its shop. This charming chocolate haven is a delightful addition to the neighborhood, and I can't wait to savor more of its delectable treats!

I sent my long distance partner to pick up a web order here as a surprise for Valentine's Day and to my delight they had put it in a gift bag with tissue paper unprompted (I told them in the notes that he would be picking it up but didn't ask them to hide it)! That was super thoughtful, and my partner loved the chocolates. I got him the all dark bonbons and he thought they were very rich and delicious, with creative flavors.

WOW FACTOR? Well, yes! A small shop with all kinds of chocolate and wonderful service. Great find. HAVE AGAIN: We tried several of the shop-made chocolates and most were delicious. Of course, when trying a dozen of different chocolates, some will be hits and some not so much. We shared the bounty with one son's family and all enjoyed them. Sadly, we forgot to bring home the remainders!

I ordered from their website over a week ago. i asked why the shipping is so much ( $18) for 10 chocolate bars and teh response i got was they have to ship priority. I definitely am not a priority as my emails have gone unanswered and I have no idea if my order was filled/shipped meanwhile thay have the $$ for the order. I am an big online ebay seller so I know how important it is to communicate and ship on time. They get 2 stars at best until further notice as this whole experience has left a bad taste in my mouth..pun intended.

Very nice selection of chocolates, arranged so that you can't help look around for an extended period. Some on shelves, some in lovingly arranged displays. The displays will often have little cards telling you more, like this candy won an award someplace. The boxes that are somewhat inscrutable also have helpful notes along with them, explaining exactly what you're buying. The space is super bright and clean. There's a similar space you may know in Noe Valley, except only the selection compares. Otherwise, this is a much friendlier, open place for browsing.

Boy, you just gotta love the Xocolate Bar if you were in the nice quiet town of Solano Avenue! I wouldn't have to say how great that women owned chocolatier was since it never disappoints. The $4 shot cup of hot drinking cacao was enough for me to say it's second to Choquiero Chocolate & Cacao Café. Malena must keep her business running for everyone who adores her rich cacao treats and bars.

The staff here is wonderful. They let me taste milk and the dark chocolate to be able to choose which chocolate bar I wanted. The chocolate tastes really good however for 10$ it is only 2oz of chocolate which is quite expensive. I wish they had a "scrap" box of chocolate that doesn't look perfect at a cheaper price- then I would come back often. The store is very small so only 4-5 people can fit at a time but it has a large collection from bonbons to gift boxes and bars. A great place to get a gift!

Drive by this place every day, decided to drop in. Decent chocolate, overwrought experience. One star.

I was dying for a coffee and stopped in while waiting for my sister. I ordered a large Mexican mocha. YUM, it really hit the spot. This place is small and there are a couple of tables on the sidewalk and a 4 chair bar counter looking out to the dmstreet. The staff was friendly and it sure looked like they were happy making coffee! Definitely worth trying.

This is not your run of the mill chocolate stop (I mean, for those who have a run of the mill chocolate stop). This is the place I come when someone deserves a very special treat. Like for myself when I had a painful trip to the dentist, or when I'm bringing my coworkers a little gesture of my appreciation, or a creating a beautiful addition to a dessert tray or table at a bridal shower. The individual chocolates are incredibly lovely, unique and delicious. They also have sipping chocolate, vegan chocolates, wrapped bars and pre-boxed chocolates. The person working was kind and handed me her own magnifying glass so I could read a tiny label. Parking is on the street with no meters. I think that very special occasions might start happening on a weekly basis!

I was next door grabbing a cup of coffee and decided to check out this place. My family and I walked in to the store as a cashier talked to the customer at the register about their order. We received no greeting so we aimlessly looked around. After the customer left the cashier looked at us and I asked for recommendations as it was our first visit. She was very short with us and focused on going on her break as she kept talking to people behind a curtain so she could take off. Since she gave us very little information I walked out empty handed. Her lack of customer service set the tone for the shopping experience. Would she have taken the time to assist my family and I the way she did the customer before me who ordered a bulk order I would have walked out with my hands full.

I purchased chocolates from here last year. It was not the best. I believe it was their take on the Twix bar and another chocolate bar. I never went back to buy anything else.

Ambience is very cute and quaint. Have a very large selection of specialty chocolates including Dubai chocolate. Definitely recommend if you want high end chocolates The staff was very friendly, knowledgeable and willing to give us samples of what she had available after learning of our taste interests

I decided to stop by the Xocolate Bar when I was wandering around Berkeley! Ordering can be a bit confusing as it was through a small half door and you couldn't physically go into the store. However, there was a cashier who explained their daily specials, walked through their wares, and answered any questions that may arise. I decided to get the dark chocolate-tasting flight which had various chocolates from different parts of the world. It was definitely interesting to see how various dark chocolates can be affected by the soil and other aspects of cacao bean cultivation in terms of taste! Out of all the samplers, the Madagascar chocolates stood out as it was tempered to perfection and had underlying fruit flavors. Therefore, if you're looking for a bar, definitely check that out! Overall, I probably won't go back as the service was not necessarily the best and the pricepoint was particularly high.

Great service.Great Selection.Outstanding diversity.High quality! Perfect hostess gift.I bought caramels as a gift for me.Pilar,the manager will tell you about the different flavors.

I was waiting next door for the shop to open. I was tasked to put in an order for my company's staff appreciation day. The woman that owns the shop came by made a huge production of slamming who trash cans around including tipping them over. Then she made a huge production of setting up an awning. Finally she made the coffee shop next door move one of their outside tables which was in no way blocking.her storefront. The guy sitting there had to move his coffee and food as well as his laptop. Her little performance was a complete deal breaker. I went to the SF Ferry Building and purchased a lot of delicious chocolate

I love this place and usually buy their chocolates when I see them at the Richmond Art Center Holiday Bazaar. I like the variety and the freshness. I also like the sipping chocolate, but think the cups are way too expensive. The OMG bar is amazing! I want to try some other bars. My husband likes some of the molded chocolates. I like their dark chocolate. You can call them, place an order and they will hand it to you through a window after you pay for it. It was quite convenient. I really like it and look forward to making my own order, I just can't arrive two minutes before they close, like I did when I went to their neighbor.

They make good chocolate, but seriously need to work on how they interact with customers. Back in December when buying a gift for his mom, one of the staff made a racially insensitive comment to my husband about having to get rid of the "Filipinx" title on one of their sets. It hit him the wrong way, especially when specifically seeking that set for his mom from the Philippines. He contacted the owner to bring it up, and she was super dismissive and didn't seem to get it. We stayed away for a while after that, after having previously been long-time customers, but I decided to go get a gift box as a present for a friend last week. I'm currently pregnant, and when making my purchase the staff member asked when I'm due then said "geez you look like you're ready to pop already." Classically rude thing to say to a pregnant person. Customers shouldn't be leaving feeling disrespected when just buying some chocolate.

It's definitely been a LONG time since I hung out in the Berkeley area where I once went to college. While a lot has changed in my life since I was an undergrad, one thing that hasn't changed is my permanent sweet tooth. After having Zachary's pizza, we discovered The Xocolate Bar down the street. The line of people outside peaked our curiosity and we decided to check it out. Since it was our first time, we sampled a variety of treats. From chocolate-covered dried fruits to liquor-infused chocos...we covered our bases. But hands down, the Black Sesame Toffee Chocolate Brittle and the Milk Tea Toffee Chocolate Brittle were what totally blew us away. We enjoyed these toffees so much, that we ended up going to their online website and bought a whole case of the Black Sesame Toffee Brittle to give away as stocking stuffers for Christmas. After the holidays, every single person we gifted the toffee brittle to raved about how amazing it was! While I don't know when I'll be making the trek out to Berkeley again, I will definitely be utilizing Xocolate's mail order system for sure!

My wife and I have been fans of this Latina owned local business for a few years. They opened in 2006, and continually grown. Their dedication to quality product makes them a valuable neighbor on Solano Ave whether you are on the Albany end or the Berkeley end or anywhere in the Bay Area. They will ship these amazing sweets. Owned and operated by chocolatier Malena Lopez-Maggi, and Clive Brown. Their staff is dedicated, like Fran Hernandez, to top quality product. They can walk proudly supporting the organic and Fair-Trade community. Not only selling bon-bons, but a full range of bars, novelty, and Holiday special items. Even vegan and gluten free. True artists here at work. I like the Specialty for the table from a mold which forms Santa, or a Turkey, even a Menorah. Melt in your mouth assorted flavored bon-bons. I even had a sugar free bar. Door Dash will deliver locally for a service charge. Or you can order online for pick-up or shipment. Business website - http://www.xocobar.com Phone number - (510) 525-9626 1709 Solano Ave Berkeley, CA 94707

During one of our Solano strolls, we discovered The Xocolate Bar. Currently, (during COVID times) the space consists of a window and outdoor pictures with prices you can choose from. We were really excited to find some organic farmers market sour strips that reminded us of the real fruit gummy bears we purchased at a (now defunct) candy store in San Mateo that we absolutely adored. And they did not disappoint. The strips were yummy and delicious and the service was friendly and prompt. We will most definitely be returning around the holidays!

OK, I have to make the completely unfair comparison with my Mecca for chocolate due west, Chocolate Covered run by Jack Epstein on 24th Street in Noe Valley (review: http://bit.ly/2HrTQH7). Now that's a chocolatier's paradise but in a dark collectivist sort of way. Like that scene in "Charade" where a Givenchy-clad Audrey Hepburn visits an old Paris stamp collector in his dark little studio to find out...oh wait, I shouldn't give the plot away. Anyway, this shop is the exact opposite. This operation is bright and inviting and run by women with a penchant for dark chocolate. They make a lot of their chocolate of which the OMG bar has gained local renown with its mix of honey roasted almonds, salted caramel and chocolate. There's even sipping chocolate if popping them in your mouth is too decadent. Me? This is where I found The Good Chocolate which is actually good for sugar-free and 37 calories per square, especially with Himalayan salt (photo: http://bit.ly/2HrSVq9). RELATED - Looking for dining options on Solano Avenue? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2HvcTQH

Post Zachary's I was craving some spiced cocoa. A quick Yelp search and bam, there it was The Xocolate Bar. We have been there before so I got excited, I know the quality. Challenge...they close in 6 minutes and it's a four minute walk. After spinning in circles for a smooth minute we headed in the correct direction. We arrived in time to watch them pull down the window shade and turn off the open sign, but I was determined to achieve my goal so I knocked. Whoop whoop they quickly opened and welcomed us in. I let the gentleman know what I was looking for and he showed me several options. I went with the Spicy Mango bar. What a score, deep rich dark cocoa lightly sweetened with chunks of tender candied mangos coated in chile and lime, and roasted pumpkin seeds for a bit of salty-sweet crunch. It is a perfect pairing of flavor and textures. The gentleman poked his head past a curtain and quietly spoke with someone, then he turned around and offered me a dark truffle. A Salted Chile to be exact...game over craving quenched in a moment of Xocolate bliss.

This chocolate is amazing! I was pleasantly surprised when I visited. I selected a few items - Peruvian Olive, Milk Tea, and black sesame. The black sesame toffee brittle is my favorite. The dark chocolate on it is the "perfect amount" of dark chocolate where it isn't to sweet, not too bitter, and has a kick to it. Apparently, it also won an award. The Milk Tea toffee tasted exactly like milk tea and the Peruvian Olive was interesting (in a good way!). They also seem to carry a lot of chocolate from local or minority owned places, which I thought was cool. I'd be interested in returning and trying other chocolates some time that I wouldn't find at a normal grocery store.

We wanted wedding favors from The Xocolate bar for two different weddings. Fir our first wedding it was out in a lovely park so i ordered butterfly shaped truffles. I had three different flavors: blueberry, lime, and salted caramel chile. Each of the three flavored truffles were dusted with shimmering colors that i chose. They were so beautiful and a big hit! The truffles were packaged so carefully, each flavor in its own box. I was able to pack them in my suitcase because the wedding was in another state. I so appreciated the XocolateBar thoughtfulness. For the second wedding i ordered bars and bars of the omg bars. I ordered them a month in advance but they were ready for pickup a week before the date i wanted! They made them close to the date i wanted for the freshness! All i can say us when people discovered them, the said they were savoring each bite and trying to make them last. I just love this chocolate shop because of the people, service and quality of chocolates.

Storefront sales behind a display for sanitation reasons. $3 for a small sipping chocolate that was such a rich, sweet delight on our walk from up Solano Ave from San Pablo Ave. Reminiscent of our honeymoon days in Europe. And the OMG bar- best seller I'm told- with honey roasted almonds and salted caramel, wow! So good. The photos can speak for themselves. So lucky to have this local gem in our viscinjty.

Love the chocolates here. Sent my online order on Thursday and picked up today. Although ordering was straight forward, I was put off by the fact of having to return twice to get my online purchase corrected. I had paid in advance of pickup thinking that I could pickup and go. Before leaving the shop for lunch, I looked over my bag from the shop. I was missing an item so went back to get it. Checked my order a second time and to my dismay had been given a smaller box of drinking chocolates than what I ordered. Employee apologized saying things like this typically don't happen. Happy to patronize businesses when I'm greeted with a smile and feel customer service is a priority. Maybe today was an off day but I was disappointed by the service I received today; can't say I'll be back anytime soon especially if I have to drive an hour to pickup an incorrect order.

When I went there recently to purchase a few gifts, I asked a couple of questions about two or three items. The woman working there was unhelpful; it was clear I was only supposed to order swiftly and pay. There was no one else in line, yet she was rushing me. Zero holiday spirit there. No greeting. No smile. Also steer clear of the $16 small box of "10 classic Italian treats"; they consist of small ordinary candies and chocolates one can get in large bags at many grocery stores. When I got home, I noticed there was no expiration date on any of the 10 candies nor on the box. I prefer shopping at small businesses but this one was disappointing.

Let me preface this by sayin: My lady absolutely ADORES chocolate. This is definitely my first stop when putting together a gift package on those special occasions. The Xocolate Bar specializes in producing small-batch gourmet chocolates with creative flavor combinations. Our favorites include sesame halva, tamarind mango, hazelnut gianduja, pomegranate truffle, pistachio caramel, amarena cherry, golden milk macadamia and passionfruit truffle. Well, you get the idea. Besides the bonbons and truffles, they also concoct tasty bars and chocolate-dipped fruit. As if their offerings weren't enough, they even stock plenty of other sweets from an international network of artisan chocolatiers. The store is an absolute paradise for chocoholics. If you're looking to get into the graces of loved ones or even trying to make a good first impression, a trip to The Xocolate Bar will set you well on the way....

Enjoyable chocolates from a local chocolatier. Very small store, but the person behind the counter last Saturday was very nice. My wife and I were able to sample a few things and here are my thoughts: Coffee truffle: 3/5. Pretty good, but I would prefer a more subtle coffee flavor. Coffee is a pretty strong flavor and it overpowers the chocolate. Kinda average. Dark chocolate truffle: 3/5. Decent, but not great. Don't think I would get this again. Sipping chocolate: 3.5/5. Enjoyable deep rich flavor. And very thankful that they gave us a free sample of this. OMG bar: 4/5. Nice combination of almonds, caramel, and sea salt, wrapped in dark chocolate. I would get this again.

Sipping chocolate is delicious and much more reasonably priced than other places (I'm calling you out, Timothy Adams). Beautiful products from all over the world and possibly the most knowledgeable staff ever encountered. Incredibly organized and presented, the chocolates (along with other offerings) are sure to tempt you.

I remember buying Valentine's Day chocolate from this place, and it was divine! The dark chocolates were very rich and not too sweet, and the assortment of flavors were quite unique. The box was golden and was wrapped very pretty with a gold ribbon. The chocolates were quite pricey, but they were worth it! (2/14/2018)

Turkey dark chocolate. Rocky Road dark chocolate(fresh today) Legit truffles All added up to be a little on the pricey side. The store was clean though and smelled of quaility chocolate. Feels like a pop up Willie Wonka experiment. They have hot cocoa but its like drinking melted chocolate. Too thick and rich. They have chocolate for every taste bud. Some are quite artsy

I order boxes of their truffles every year for my clients, and they love them! (I snag a box for myself.) Not only does The Xocolate Bar offer creative flavors and combinations, some of their truffles are works of art. It's all organic and fair trade (very important if you don't want to support child slavery). They have lots of vegan options too, and chocolate bars from many countries. And a warm, friendly staff. Plus, it's a minority-owned business. Help support them--your tongue will thank you.

Loved the chocolate but they need to do better customer service! No smile while greeting customers and I also thought it was pretty expensive for the small sized 10 pack chocolate box. The chocolates were really small sized. I don't think I would go back just for the way they treat customers. I would rather try out some new place.

If two plus years of slogging through this pandemic has taught us anything, it's that we should savor luxuries when we find them. Xocolate sells beautifully made, pure, indulgent joy. The "better than..." bars have names that really don't do them the justice they deserve. The truffle bars will cause a momentary blackout due to extreme happiness. The passionfruit truffle is...let's just say it's better than many, many things. Also? It's a woman-owned, woman-run business that actually cares where the cocoa comes from. So do yourself a favor and buy some of their exquisite chocolate whether or not you care about a bad ass group of women breaking the chocolate world's glass ceiling. Because even if you don't care, you'll get a damn good piece of heaven out of it.

This is a destination spot for amazing flavors and chocolate beyond your loveliest dreams. I walked in hoping for hot chocolate...instead I enjoyed a large cup of their sipping chocolate. It's amazing and very close to the sipping chocolate in Italy. We also enjoyed their rocky road, marzipan and ginger dipped in chocolate. All flavorful, handmade and delicious. The service is excellent and very well informed. I will be coming here very often.

This chocolate shop is one of my absolute favorites. If you're a vegan there is so many options, I didn't think I'd have many options as a chocolate lover but this shop changes all that. Go in with a open mind they have so many choices and they give out samples.

The chocolate is delicious. If it's all organic, I will not complain about the prices(!). However, I'm not giving 5 stars for two reasons: firstly, I had to return the Cardamom flavored chocolate bar in exchange for another flavor that wasn't so disappointing. There wasn't a trace of Cardamom detectable--yet, the lady helping me was kind enough to let me choose another bar. Secondly--and that's a big spoiler--, their packaging sucks big time. I bought 3 packs of 24 pieces at a whopping $69 each and they crammed it in a tiny box that made me wonder if there were actually 24 pieces in it. In addition, the boxes were stored upright in a bag and of course, the bonbons fell onto each other--not laying in a mold--, creating an ugly appearance: pieces not holding up and chipping off, rubbing up on one another. The package was too small, the padded plastic foil was too small too, the cheap copy of a label, the overall cheap appearance--I was utterly disappointed and I'm kind of ashamed to give those boxes as Christmas gifts. Wrapping them into paper, the sharp edges ripped the paper in the corners. Terrible. If they don't improve their packaging, I'm not buying there again.

Love this place and the chocolate is AMAZING. The team is super friendly. Try EVERYTHING! One of my new favs...dark chocolate maple bourbon hazelnuts.

This is such an amazing chocolate shop! They source only fair trade chocolate, they buy from specialty chocolatiers acrosss the globe and they make their own chocolate confections. Everything I have purchased there is delicious! I brought dessert for a party I was going to and made a chocolate charcuterie board-everybody loved it (see picture). Thank you for being such a fabulous store and always being so welcoming, generous and friendly.

I'm a chocolate lover and have been a Xocolate Bar customer for a number of years. I can tell you: the Xocolate Bar is simply the best chocolate shop in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their housemade treats are creative and delicious, and they also carry a variety of intriguing delights from around the world. Some of my favorites include the beautiful holiday shapes they create, their sipping chocolate, and the remarkable bon-bons with various exotic flavors. I rely on them for birthdays and holidays all year round. They're also a local store that thinks globally--they're working to address social justice concerns around chocolate. Do not miss this terrific place and their friendly staff!

Oh my!!! My boss sent me a box of these since we haven't been able to have our usual get togethers during shelter in place. They arrived perfectly, even in this stifling heat! So unique and each one so beautiful, not to mention delicious! Thank you both!!!

Walking along a warm sunny day on Solano Ave, I randomly bumped into this chocolate shop. I wasn't quite craving for chocolate and was reluctant to buy their specialty pieces due to fear of melted chocolate in my bag. But... it's so hard to say no to chocolate! So I opted for a salted chocolate bar for $5. Decent priced, I consumed my bar the next day. It tasted smooth and chocolately, and fulfilled my need for chocolate, at least for a while. Can't say much else about this place because my visit was so brief. CONVENIENCE: *** [Located on Solano Ave in a quiet neighborhood. Metered parking is ample. Residential parking available within walking distance.] AMBIANCE: *** [Very small shop. Did not notice any seating inside, but benches available for seating outside.] SERVICE: *** [I was greeted, but wasn't informed of any other specialties. Service was quick, but nothing spectacular.] PRICE: $ [$5 for xocolate bar] OVERALL: *** [3-stars... is fair. I guess I would have up-ed more stars if I was given a story or some background of this spot.] Nuff said.

Yes, I'm one of "those" people...I use YELP but have never reviewed. But, I stumbled upon a small jewel box of a store today and I just HAVE to write this review! They have so much chocolate and Not just ANY chocolate- but handmade truffles and bars. They said they only use organic and fair trade - which is really important to me. So here it goes: The Xocolate Bar, to my surprise, has been at this location for 11 years - woah!?! Found out they are a woman owned business-Malena came out of the kitchen to say hello, and Sidney(?) answered all my questions-very knowledgeable and friendly. I was offered several samples-little pieces of art. With unique flavor combinations- there's something for everyone; and not just dark chocolate, but milk and white chocolate (which I usually don't care for but I LOVED the passionfruit truffle!) $2. ea. -fair considering the high quality. Must try: the OMG bar, WOW! The space was clean, bright and well organized. Each brand had little information cards about the product and I liked that. Chocolate seems like it is a lot like wine, all very different tastes, so I'm excited about learning more. I signed up for their free tasting this weekend! Bottom line: For foodies and non-foodies. Go immediately. Great for gifts. Fun, delicious, charming shop and a fun neighborhood.

First you should know that I'm not a dark chocolate fan. It's usually too bitter for me. Second, I had no idea what was in store (or in the store) other than chocolate. I've found that usually means dark and light, but not all or mostly one kind. So, having walked by this place sooo many times because it's been closed, I found myself on Solano at the right time of day because Xocolate Bar was Open! Cute little shop. Francis (I believe she said that was her name) has decorated with warm colors and chandeliers. Also, her display cases are not refrigerated, just humidity controlled so the candies don't sweat and stay tepid Just about everything I was looking at was dark chocolate. But the flavors were so exotic that I decided to give a few of them a try. But first, since I was new, I was offered a little sample of sipping chocolate. I wasn't expecting to like it at all, but I found myself cleaning the inside of the cup out as best as I could. It's actually one of those things that gets better with each sip. I purchased a Cardamom Marshmallow, Tamarind mango, salted chile truffle, Saigon cinnamon truffle, Balinese vanilla bean truffle and apricot marzipan. Sharing with my Fiancé, we both found the marshmallow to be very aromatic with the flavor present, not strong. Well done. We were not fans of the vanilla bean. The apricot marzipan and the tamarind mango were very fruity, very nice. I liked the salted chilie more than my Fiance' and we both liked the cinnamon truffle. There are lots more choices, even chocolate bars. We enjoyed our tasting, pairing everything with a nice Port. A little pricy, but for the experience to taste such exotic flavors, it's well worth treating yourself or someone you love...or like a lot.

The Xocolate Bar has chocolate bars, truffles, chocolate pieces, and the OMG bar. based on previous chocolate tastes, there's always a slight letdown when eating chocolate bars, truffles, etc. so i went for the recommended OMG bar. eats: OMG bar (5) -roasted almonds, dark chocolate, salted caramel. absolutely deliz, every savory bite. *reminds me of "Mounds" bar, different ingredients but same idea. 5 stars for the OMG bar, 4 stars for everything else. 5 stars for the cashier/owner? who gave partisan yet helpful advice.

I've been eyeing this place on Solano Ave. and finally, I got to try it with one of my friends. We almost missed it, locked into conversation. Inventive chocolate flavor combinations and shapes. We had just eaten cuppies at Love at First Bite so I was pretty conservative in that I chose only 2 chocolates - rosemary dark chocolate in the shape of a leaf, dusted with shimmery green color and tamarind and orange in dark chocolate in the shape of buddha. Both were delicious but the budda edged out the leaf in my opinion.

I was pretty sure I knew all the interesting places along Solano Ave. I was wrong; sometimes you need an insider to point out small interesting spots. A recent monthly Yelp Hood Hunters led me here. The truffles are not overly sweet; the smooth fillings complement the hard shells. I usually buy just one to two, because despite all my good intentions, it seem that I eat whatever I purchase before I'm even in the car. I would feel bad coming home with chocolate breath and have nothing to share.

Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get especially when they are so pretty looking that you almost want to buy based on the exterior appearance vs. the interior flavor. But since they're for eating, I had to look past the outside and pick the flavors on the inside I would most likely enjoy. So we did the 12 piece for $20 box where we picked anything ranging from the plain square salted caramel to the tamarind mango encased in a chocolate buddha shell. If you're lucky, you would score some pieces where it's beautiful inside and out.

I finally stopped at the shop to buy a box of chocolates for a gift exchange. They offer several very unique flavors. After discussing with the salesperson the box offerings, I decided on the $20 box. You can choose any flavors you want, as long as they all fit in the box. With that in mind, I was dead set in filling my box to the maximum capacity. I chose all the unique flavors, then the more common flavors. I must have pushed it to the limit, as I believe I had 13 pieces. Not to leave my sweet tooth left out, I also ordered the Dulce de Leche bonbon for myself. Very savory and rich. The chocolate lingered in my mouth until I swallowed it. Happily, I left the store. Hopefully the person who chose my gift liked the bonbons as I did.