Byrne & Carlson Chocolatier & Confectioner

This is every chocolate lovers dream! The first time I came here I was in my third trimester and all I was craving was chocolate. Now I come in every time I walk by! The chocolate is divine and there are so many different treats to choose from! Yes, it is a little more expensive than the boxed chocolates you pick up from the drug store, but it is definitely worth the price! I have mentioned to my husband that he should come here for my Valentine’s, birthday, and anniversary gifts. And if you were a good husband, you would come here too!

I’ve been going here for years for my holiday chocolate gifts. Ellen is always so delightful and welcoming as are Ken and Elizabeth and others who work there.
I home right in on the muscadines — absolutely divine, a very special treat.
It’s also such a charming little shop, such a discreet sign that I remember the first time I went there I wasn’t sure if I should open the door, I wasn’t sure it was the shop!

This place should be illegal. Way to delicious — from the cinnamon almonds to the truffles and chocolates everything is truly wonderful.

Chocolates fantastic but the owners and workers need to drop the arrogant attitude. I’ve never seen a ruder «they are doing YOU a favor“‘type of shop in my life. Get over yourselves, you aren’t that great! I’ll go to a place that isn’t run by a bunch of elitist snobs.

I bought my mom a bunch of chocolates for my mom’s birthday. I tried some samples of the ones they don’t make there, such as the hazelnut cinnamon almonds. I bought my mom a dozen truffles they looked exquisite, I did not get to taste them. I will try to get some feedback from her once she has eaten them. I am guessing they match looks to taste. A lovely little chocolate shop.

I don’t know how a place like this has slipped under my radar so thoroughly; they have been here 15 years! I live in Boston, and have only recently discovered them, thx to an astute CHowhound on the Boston board who shares my love of Burdick Chocolates.
I stopped in on Thursday afternoon, and bought and sampled a few before putting together an order. I was very impressed with a number of them. Their dark chocolate (I’m only talking about the filled pieces) is not as dark as i prefer but still it had weight and depth. The individual chocolates that I particularly liked were the:
grand marnier and kirsch truffle logs; cognac truffles; 3 layer gianduja squares; pecan turtles; dark choc covered fleur de sel caramels and dulce (tan colored) covered fleur de sel caramels, and the hazelnut nougatine sea shells.
Along that same line of thinking of salty and sweet, I was impressed with them doing a dark choc bark with tamari almonds. Clever! They do rotate flavors btw. I think the texture of their truffle fillings is quite sublime– very light and silky. And the flavorings they use are well balanced and very authentic tasting (not at all artificial.
)In the mini bars, I liked the Dulce with crispy buttons on top (big fan of crispies in chocolate ganache.)
One caveat to my experience at B&C: I was prepared, after a number of Unilocal reviews mentioned this, to encounter a non-​friendly counter person. I entered the store as cheerful and positive as possible. There was no other customer, and the woman who helped me def gave off an odd awkward reserve. But I chose to push through that (ah what we do for excellent chocolate!)and came home with a large and satisfying purchase.(We can’t expect all artists to be ‘people persons’; maybe she is more comfortable with the creating and mail ordering sides of the business.)
You do need to take your time in that shop because the assortment and varieties can be a bit overwhelming. It’s a good tactic to give your helper an idea of a number of favorite things that you look for, so they can steer you with those in mind. And don’t expect to be offered free samples (though if you are, consider it a sign that you did something very good in a previous life.)
As a big fan of Burdick’s chocolates, and not a fan of the many other New England chocolates I have sampled, I am delighted to discover Byrne and Carlson, a very good chocolatier (at half the price of Burdicks.) I hope you’ll enjoy them too!

Delicious chocolate. Beautiful variety of extra bold & dark to super creamy and light, massive array of filled chocolate truffles, which they gift wrap nicely upon request. They also feature a nice array of imported European candies. Beautiful showroom.

Can you really go wrong with a place that makes the chocolate on location? These guys definitely didn’t! I stopped in today for some handmade nonpareils and ended up walking out with an additional box of caramels. Got home and bit into a dark chocolate sea salt one and almost died of blissful happiness. High quality chocolate that delights the taste buds. There are plenty of goodies in there to choose from. The reason for 4 stars is the awkwardness the person manning the store made us feel. I wish he has been more helpful asking our preferences but he did point out that the chocolate we liked was also made into other things. Overall I would stop in again to enjoy some delectable treats!

I ordered their chocolates online at the website
. I have never been in the store in Portsmouth, NH. I found this wonderful chocolatier when I googled «the best chocolatiers in the US». Byrne & Carlson were on several different lists and on one, they were second only to Jaques Torres in New York. I looked at many of the chocolatiers’ websites recommended, and finally chose Byrne & Carlson because I just liked the looks of their chocolates more than the others, and I thought they were also more reasonably priced than some of the others recommended. They did not disappoint. In the future, I will be ordering all my chocolate gifts from Byrne & Carlson.
I ordered several of the varieties of chocolates for my dad to give to his lady friend for Valentines Day this year. The person who took my order was very helpful and professional. She got all my information and then we emailed once because I had a question about shipping. The chocolates arrived right on time, in perfect condition and beautifully packaged. I was able to sample several of the things I ordered after they were given on Valentines Day, and I must say, this is the very best chocolate I have ever eaten. I ordered the 1 lb. Red Satin Heart selection, a half pound box of truffles, the 8 oz. box of Palets des Fleurs, and a 4.75 oz. «orange cherry» Artisan Bar, made of dark Belgian chocolate. The Artisan Bars are beautiful, like little works of art. Oh my, it was all scrumptious. I never knew chocolate could look so beautiful, or taste so good. You cannot go wrong buying chocolates from this great chocolatier.

Customer service was horrid and I really tried to be friendly and look past possibility of «just having a bad day.» After leaving I was left with the impression as a customer we put the store out for having to deal with someone who came in to spend money. Normally I’d shrug it off but this unpleasant attitude combined with mediocre chocolate left solid impression ill ever return and clearly non-​discretionary tourists would be more appropriate clientele for this shop.

I had high expectations for this cute little chocolate boutique. Looking for a sweet something after a wonderful meal down the street, how could this place fail, when as we walked in, a customer says «best chocolate!» I was expecting a «Chocolat» movie experience. Ok maybe that’s over the top, OBVIOUSLY. It couldn’t have been further from that.
We didn’t receive a warm chocolate welcome once we stepped in. We were the only ones there and they were not waiting on anyone. You would think they would want you to have the best experience. There was a lot to choose from, and because of that, we were taking our time looking at all their goodies trying to decide. The sales lady acted like she was too good to be there and didn’t even offer us samples or make suggestions. Instead, she was behaving like we were taking her away from something more important, like making chocolate. She had this air about her that she was above us and we couldn’t decide quick enough. We found out there were samples only because, once we paid, there was a bowl next to the cash register. Of course, we did buy some treats but we were so disappointed by their attitudes that we couldn’t help but feel like we left empty. Warm friendly service is not a part of this establishment.
Needless to say, they didn’t earn those stars. Good place to visit once but it is not a representation of the wonderful, friendly people of Portsmouth. I wouldn’t go back again and would take my business elsewhere. Yes, the chocolate is good, but my point is, the people behind the chocolate could have made it much, much better.

I like chocolate. Okay, I love chocolate. My mouth literally watered when I first stepped into this shop. Yes, it’s a little cramped, and I felt slightly claustrophobic, but if I have to feel trapped by the customers coming in behind me, at least I don’t want to leave. This is not a place for the kids, no salt water taffy bar here, this is the real deal, for grown ups with gourmet tastes, and more than spare change in their pocket.
My husband came back to shop for my birthday after the truffles passed the taste and sniff test, and I am in love. Gorgeous and delicious.

This gem of a chocolate storeis located in Downtown Portsmouth. The chocolate is a lot better than Ghiarardella of San Francisco. The best part is they will ship to you. It is not cheap.

I’m a dark chocolate nut, and this little place makes all their own. It seemed like it was just for me! If you are walking around Portsmouth, and you like chocolate, you need to stop in! The girl was really friendly and knowledgeable.

Great place to try chocolate. Awesome chocolate creations. Great for gifts.

I just went in this weekend and it was phenomenal, talk about feeling like a kid in a candy shop. I highly recommend the espresso malted milk balls, and coffee caramels. So far that’s what I’ve tried and they are delicious! The gentleman that was there when I went was very nice and helpful without being overbearing. I asked about the biscotti chocolate confection and he offered for me to try it. It’s a small store but there’s so much in there, and it all looked fantastic. If you’re in the area I highly suggest going!

Really dislike writing unfavorable reviews
but our experience last Sat. Oct 13 cries out for one,
Shop was empty when we entered the lovely hundred year old brick building in the Strawberry neighborhood of Portsmouth. We were visiting from out of state and
the place looked like a hidden gem from the outside. The interior of the tiny shop as well was immaculate and crammed with all kinds of exotic chocolates.
It was only 11 in the morning, we called out, but still no one there (nb. we remained the o n l y customers in the shop for the entire course of our visit)
after a couple of minutes though, a youngish sales woman appeared from the back, and asked (in a perfunctory way) how she could help us. We asked her a couple of normal questions: whether they made their chocolate in house, the provenance of the chocolate etc. that might incline us to purchase these $ 40 per pound candies.
Her answers and attitude indicated she would much rather be doing something else,
«They’re from all over France, Venezuela.»
OK, well no big deal, we’ll cut our losses, forget about it, and go. So we asked if they had any samples for us to try, «No not today.» was her answer… Still… fine, OK.
On our way to the door we noticed a couple of open bowls of unwrapped chocolate,
We asked if they were indeed samples, she said ” …well…yes… «
This now seriously gave us the creeps (and its not even Halloween yet !)
The owners of this tiny shop (a couple I’m told, this is n o t a franchise operation) must care a great deal about their business judging from the effort & cost that went into the exterior and the shop itself,
But simply to have a nasty and unfriendly sales person representing them to the world, in this intimate setting, we think, is a huge mistake…
As was our visit.
We were having, and continued to have, a great morning,
but left feeling momentarily lousy.
Unfortunately there is no Zero Star option I can find on Unilocal,
SW

Lemme sum up: Excellent chocolate, unique selection, fair prices
Did you know Willy Wonka actually had a mistress?! Well, I think he did and she established Byrne & Carlson. That’s the only way I can explain the decadent selection of chocolate bars and chocolates available at this shop.
I stopped in while strolling State St and the downtown Portsmouth area and will make it part of my routine. I felt like I’d found a small treasure of Europe as soon as I stepped inside. Granted the shop is about the size of a large walk in closet, but charmingly decorated and gorgeous displays featuring fruit gels, art nouveau chocolate bars, hard candy, imported sweets, and seaside theme confections surrounded me.
I picked up some of the fruit gels, pebble candy, and a violet chocolate bar for friends. Then, as I needed a little energy, I got a chipotle truffle. Zzzzzing! If you’ve always wanted to try the fad of hot pepper and chocolate, give this one a spin. The flavors actually complement each other without overpowering the palate. The only clear winner is you as the spice and cocoa butter leave you sighing for more.
As I turned over my purchases to be rung up, the lady at the register said «Please, try some of these!» and offered me a tray of some of their chocolate, gratis. I love it when a store allows you to sample things for free! On the one hand, it’s like a drug dealer giving you a free dime bag. On the other hand, I’m a chocoholic with very little will power. The bit of French Milk chocolate bar was like silk. I added one of their tasting bars on to the order.
If you are looking for something truly special for a chocolate fan, you must com here! I’ll be back to get a chocolate sampler for when I vacation at Hampton and need something nautical to offer guests with coffee.
Tasteful, elegant, rich, and extravagant… what more could you want from a mistress? Wonka chose well.

The best chocolate I’ve ever eaten. No qualifications, no buts, just fantastic. Love the caramels, and the chocolate with cacao nibs (Venezuelan 70% maybe?).
I’ve moved away from the Portsmouth area, and Byrne and Carlson is one of the places I miss most. It’s a bit expensive, but so worth the price. And it’s not like you need much, just a couple of truffles and couple of caramels. Then walk over to Prescott park and eat them on the piers while the tug boats go by.

Beautiful both inside and out — as you enter the building, you see a row of French vintage posters — and the shop is located in a charming brick rowhouse.
This establishment shows Willy Wonka who’s boss (although I do always have a fondness for Gene Wilder in the role) with its eye-​popping and creative selection of chocolates and confections. There are little praline, chocolate-​covered thingies (they tasted amazing) painted to look like olives and oversized malt balls that are sweet, crunchy and more-​ish. The artisanal tasting bars embed candied fruits or sugar-​coated flowers in decadent, well-​portioned slabs of chocolate.
Obsessed with truffles? You’ll have a hard time making a selection from one of the two cases: the first with more traditional pecan/​cashew turtles, almond butter crunch etc. and the second with gourmet offerings involving pralines, chocolate and wonderful flavors such as chipotle.
Very easy to spend lots here but also fun to just come and look and leave with a $ 4 bag of malt balls :)