Madre Chocolate

I’ve been to the Kailua store before and did a tasting, so I knew already that Madre makes great chocolate. I was in the neighborhood so I decided to come by to find a birthday gift. They have free samples of every single bar, so it was a treat for me to look for my mom’s present. The store is small, but cute and neat. I was the only one in there most of my visit, so I got a lot of help and attention. The staff was friendly and helpful. I like that they use Square for purchases, apparently I have a «punch card» with them now. Just what I need, another reason to buy chocolate!

If you are a chocolate connoisseur or just want to try the highest quality chocolate that can be made locally, this is the definitive place to go.
They are expensive and limited on options but they know their stuff. I have tried chocolate from all over the world and so far, this has ranked as one of the top 3. The richness and complexity of flavor is hard to beat with even more expensive and famous brands like Guittard and Valhrona (which pale in comparison to these bars). One of the few brands I would say it is comparable to would be the echelon of Michel Cluizel.
I realize it will be out of the price range for most people, but realize you are not just paying for a chocolate bar but also an experience. This is the best shot Hawaii has of ever competing in the highly competitive gourmet market of chocolate and I am personally proud to see Hawaii entering such a worthy entrant.

This place is awesome! We kind of stumbled upon them whilst attempting to go the Resturant Epic but it was epicly closed! Dun, dun, duuuuuuuuuh. Which sucked obviously but since we had an extra 45 minutes to kill before it did open we wandered around a little and found this gem. They have chocolate that goes straight from coco beans to phenomenal bars of chocolate. What’s cool is you get to taste everything before you buy. The staff was nice, I loved the set-​up, and I got to try like 5 different types of chocolate. Super awesome. This is a cool place to get gifts for people that like unique things. I’ll be back.

Madres Chocolate is the best chocolates on the planet. You can really taste the love that they put into their products. I have tried almost every flavor they put out and each one is so unique to the area that the beans have been sourced from. The combination of Flavors are incredible. If your a true chocoholic then this is the place for you. My personal fav are the 70% Dominican and the caramelized ginger coconut milk. So Ono. Thanks Nat and the team at Madres for making Hawaii taste so great. You guys rock.

This chocolate is pure & simple & delicious. The flavors are rich & contagious. The staff is friendly & you can try many of the varieties. These guys really know what they’re doing! Talented, smart, creative, innovative… Madra is my new fave!

Creative, balanced flavors. Wonderful single origin chocolate. Fun classes to learn about all aspects of cacao growing and processing And making chocolate — and matching those flavors with cocktails and spirits. This place is always a delight. Makes wonderful omiyage (gifts) for a little taste of hawaii for friends and family on other islands or mainland. What can I say? World class stuff!

Awesome Experience. Local cacao from Hawaii and after taking the chocolate class with Korina the price of their is perfectly priced.
Mahalo

This was my first time to check out something like this. It was something unique and made me piqué my curiosity about it. This is the place where people can sample and try the chocolates to see if people will like or not. Although I didn’t get to sample the chocolates, I felt that I could totally come back and get a free bar of chocolate if you spend over 100.00 or more. I am glad that they are open on the first Friday night of every month. They are very good with organizing special events such as tours and workshops on how to even make your chocolate bar as well as other events that takes place. If you are a chocolate lover, then this place is for you and take advantage of the free events and workshops that are being offered. You never know, there may be a good chocolate place that you want to check out. So if you’re interested in making your own chocolate, then stop by in and they will assist you and they have extended hours for First Fridays too.

Really great amazingly delicious chocolate… I just went to a chocolate making class and had such a great time! We learned so much about the chocolate here in Hawaii and got to sample a wide variety of chocolate at different parts of the process. We each made our own chocolate bars and I can’t wait to try the chocolate making class with whiskey next time… thanks!!! Everyone should try the chocolate with caramelized ginger… Yummmm

We walked in this cute chocolate boutique and was offered samples of at least 5 different chocolates. I love the samples and the info behind each chocolate. I fell in love with the dark chocolate and even bought a bar but the more I think about it, the price was not right. I think this is the most I ever spent on a chocolate bar, I would be a fan if they had specials of some sort.

Shortly after posting my first review, I received an email from Madre Chocolate asking me to revise my review or remove it entirely. Their reasoning was that since the chocolate was enjoyed by my guests that they deserved more than just one star. However, I have always followed the adage that «bad food can be forgiven, but bad service cannot.» In this instance, the customer service was lacking and I was put in the position of justifying my dissatisfaction. I am further upset that they had the audacity to ask me to change my review or remove it.

Unilocal listing this as a moderately priced business apparently never bought a bar from them. I was shocked to find out that a 1.5 oz. bar was around $ 10.00 or more. I kinda thought they were joking but they were dead serious. Because they’d been so nice and gave samples I bought 1 bar «to support a local company & kind of pity» while biting my tongue. I should have asked price first seeing such a small selection and then set myself up for guilt by trying the different (small) samples. I’ll not be going back because 10 bucks or more for a small one (typical candy bar wrap) small sized one and a half oz. chocolate bar is crazy. (Sorry I just can’t see paying these prices for bar chocolate when you can get an ounce of silver for less than the cost of 2 bars.) Anyone willing to spend that kind of money must have too much to know what to do with. I can’t find a reason for the unreasonable prices either other than the fact they’ve got to run 2 stores instead of distributing through vendors or the net. I’ve gotten specialty chocolate from San Francisco with better choices and better prices, and they’re expensive! They’ve also got a large selection of specialty chocolates, unlike this store that sells just a VERY FEW flavors and carry VERY FEW items. When there I saw several boxes on the counter (4 flavors) and maybe a total of 50 bars out on the counter.
I guess at the prices charged here they can afford to sell just a few bars a day. Perhaps, if they didn’t give so many samples to everyone including every employee each time a sample was given, they might be able to charge $ 5.00 a bar, but then even that price is high considering the small selection and limited styles of chocolate. They carry one sized 1.5 oz. small bars ONLY! NO OTHER STYLES are available. (I was at the Chinatown store)
A small selection (maybe 4 flavors if lucky) of 1.5 oz bars from 9 to 11 bucks are available but that’s quite a bite for so few bites. Some flavors are good but not the one I bought. I cannot honestly recommend this place to anyone.
The 2 stars are for the very pleasant employee only. I’d have given 1 star for the overpriced tiny chocolate bar and miniscule selection. The Hawaii connection for ingredients will go only so far before people will get hung up over the cost of these chocolates. I certainly don’t think it is worth the price as I’ve had much better chocolates with a super selection for the same pricing as this one trick pony.
Sorry, I wanted to like this but the extremely limited selection and the taste simply doesn’t justify the cost. I didn’t think these tasted as good as other folks claim these to taste. I’ve tasted much better for this type of pricing.

what is it about Kailua and their monopoly of local chocolate? I was starting to get super jealous!
Then Madre Chocolate opened a storefront downtown! Now I don’t need to settle for whatever Madre chocolate is sold at other stores, I can go directly to the source! On Pauahi St across from HASR, Madre Chocolate carries all of their bars and holds events for chocolate pairings. We are excited to try their beer and chocolate pairing as well as whiskey and chocolate pairing.
Just come in and taste all their chocolate. Their craft chocolate varies all over the spectrum from sweet and fruity to cocoa bean rich.

Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, they sometimes run out of certain flavors. And yes, they’re still working on getting everything running in their new store. BUT! The chocolate is locally and lovingly made, they use quality ingredients that make their chocolate taste amazing, and I’m sure that the work their doing to build a café in the back will be amazing!
Parking:
It’s in Chinatown, so parking is crazy. If you can find street parking, then great! Otherwise, the municipal lot (entrance on the left side of Beretania) is right next to their shop.
Product Availability:
Other reviewers have noted that the variety of selection changes, and it’s true. Sorry to Pamela W. that only got to try 3 different bars, but Madre only makes bars when they can find the proper ingredients to make their various flavors, and quality ingredients are sometimes hard to come by. They also sometimes only make short time runs/​batches of bars when they find a special ingredient that they’d like to use; if they mention it’s a limited time flavor & you like it, you should just buy it! I’ve been by when they’ve only had 5 flavors (and bought the last of one of them), and I’ve been by when they’ve had up to 10 or 11, so it’s kind of a shot in the dark.
Pricing:
The bars sell anywhere between $ 8-​$ 11 for each 1.5oz bar. Yes, it’s expensive, but you’re allowed to taste test any bar they have available before you buy it so you know it’s a flavor you’ll enjoy. Also, you’ve got to remember that the kind of ingredients that they’re using adds to the cost.
Overall:
I can’t say I buy their bars often, the price is a bit steep, but when I do, I ALWAYS enjoy them! I’ve never been disappointed by any bar I’ve bought. If you ever get the chance to speak with the owners, you’ll know immediately how knowledgable they are about chocolate and how much they love their work.

I think I’ve been swindled by Mom.
Chocolate selection = variable. Went into store this week and there were 3 (THREE) different types to sample. Apparently, the vast array of choices mentioned in other reviews had the night off.
It seemed the owner/​manager did as well… I’ve never before experienced a more disinterested shopkeeper of a new business in a competitive neighborhood. I’m not sure if his indifference was because the Kailua store is a goldmine, or perhaps he’s bored because he believes he’s cornered the chocolate market in Honolulu. Maybe it was merely plain exhaustion from the busy day of chocolate-​making (Oh, wait a minute… the machine does that). In any event, this passion I’ve read about from other Unilocalers was funneled towards checking Facebook from his laptop while he sat in the store and let his sales associate handle customers.
When I asked about the Hapa chocolate bar, he did manage to rouse himself and suggest to his employee that she provide me with a sample of an HI 70 bar, which was, not surprisingly, tasty and also not available for purchase.
Huh.
So, call me the Village Idiot. I’ve earned it. I ended up purchasing 3 chocolate bars as gifts to the tune of $ 28.
Never, ever again. And never, ever will I recommend it.
Go and look around, oh yes. The store design is worthy of an up-​close glimpse, you can observe the chocolate-​making machine spin around and around and around, and I know that there will be at least 3 samples for you to try.
But, before you buy that 1.5 oz bar of chocolate for $ 11, make sure it’s worth your time.
P. S. The 2 star-​rating was because the sales associate was a lovely person and very helpful and engaging. Maybe she’s really the owner…

Walked in to browse — not much product in the store, just a row of about 10 or so chocolate bars with samples.
I bought triple cacao and coconut ginger bars as gifts. Both bars were tasty; the coconut ginger bar doesn’t contain dairy which is nice for the lactose intolerant folks.
Spent $ 20 on two bars.
**We were asked if we wanted to try their hot chocolate — Yessss pleaze, it was pouring on Black Friday that morning. Holy, omg it was the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had in my life. Can’t wait until that hits the shelves. It was like drinking the most decadent, sexy brownie chocolate… it was really good.

Stopped by to check out the new store that opened up in downtown. We arrived just after the shop closed, but the shopkeeper was more than happy to show us around and serve samples of different chocolates. Very cool guy; eager to explain the different types of chocolates Madre has to offer. You could tell he was passionate about what he was doing. Though the price of the chocolate bars vary, I believe they range from $ 9 – 11 per bar.
For now, the place is pretty empty and some parts are still under construction, but you can always stop by to see the new store (they are also in Kailua). This review will require an update because the shop isn’t officially opening until 2014. The plan is to have a chocolate café along with chocolate making classes, wine pairing events and a cacao garden in the back. Really looking forward to this!
Also, ignore the hours listed on Unilocal,the store closes at 6PM.

If youre a chocolate fan, then I would encourage you to check out this little shop, a Kailua fave, that has taken chocolate to new limits of creativity. I actually dont like chocolate but I was willing to give a shot. They offer a tasty learning experience for free. They also have a number of classes for those who want to learn to be more creative with their chocolate.