The Chocolate Bar
114 W Chippewa St., Buffalo, NY 14202
Web: The Chocolate Bar
Phone: 716.332.0484
Rating:    [learn more]
Pros:

One of the nicest dessert-and-drink destinations in Western New York, featuring an upscale mix of delicious chocolate martinis and strong cakes.

Cons:

Pricey; some of the expensive sweets aren't as well-prepared as others, and certain drinks may let you down. Stick with our recommendations and you'll be satisfied.

See More Restaurant Reviews For:
Buffalo Desserts Drinks

"This is surely one of the city's sweetest jewels; as suburbanites, our hope is that the owners will bring more of what makes this place so special to the Williamsville location."

If there is any name a restaurant could take to instantly entice potential diners, that name would be "The Chocolate Bar," a phrase that clearly evokes both desserts and drinks without explicitly identifying the trouble your wallet's about to be in. Thus, without knowing much else about a West Chippewa Street restaurant with this name - ignorance that was certainly in its favor, as we later discovered - we knew that we were ready to pay it a visit, and did so this past week with friends. A couple of hours later, we left filled, happy, and $80 lighter, talking about the sort of experience that can't be had once a week, but is definitely worth repeating every few months.

The Story: It was obvious from the first minute that we entered The Chocolate Bar that there was something special yet familiar about the place. The decor, sophisticated and dimly lit, was better than we'd seen in any of the suburban dessert shops we frequent, but we recognized little touches - the uniquely curved water glasses - from someplace else we'd visited. Our server confirmed our suspicion: The Chocolate Bar is under the same management as Butterwood, a hugely disappointing dessert shop in Williamsville, and with that discovery, we were prepared to leave the place with both empty stomachs and pockets.

That was not to be - at least, not the empty stomachs part. After struggling with a large menu that was filled with interesting options, including $7 fruit tarts and cheesecakes, $6.25 cake slices, and $10-11 dessert crepes, our table of four chose five different desserts and a couple of martinis, eventually finishing all but a couple of bites. This was Butterwood, done much better.

Highs: The single most memorable item we ordered was the Chocolate Martini ($10) - we actually had two at the table, and all agreed that this chocolate syrup-heavy drink was the very best fusion of alcohol and cocoa we'd ever tasted. Though crazy expensive given the value of its ingredients, and certainly not the only chocolate items on our table, we found ourselves drinking these down to the very bottom of their glasses. Surprisingly, a Caramel Apple Pie Martini ($10) tasted quite precisely like drinking a caramel-covered apple pie; The Chocolate Bar does a seriously excellent job of replicating its named desserts in liquid form. Key Lime Pie, Swedish Fish, and many other options are also available.

We also loved the Molten Lava ($7), a sloppy version of the classic molten chocolate cake, served almost decomposed beneath a sprig of hard chocolate, and alongside a strawberry and whipped creme. The presentation of the dish recalled items we'd ordered at Butterwood, but with a key difference: regardless of the fact that our cake arrived more molten than usual, it was delicious, every small spoonful like eating half-baked brownies.

The Snickerbocher Mud ($6.25) was a guaranteed draw for a member of our group who loves all Snickers-inspired desserts; she rightly described it as rich, filling, and both different and good in every bite. Here, The Chocolate Bar fused a brownie base with pieces of a Snickers bar, chocolate mousse, and caramelized peanuts, yet despite the apparently significant presence of mousse, the Snickerbocher was dense enough to encourage small, considerate bites. It was impossible to dislike.

Also in the very good category was the Belgian Chocolate Mousse Cake ($6.25), which alternated layers of chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and a thin, glossy ganache topping. Served with a chocolate-covered cream puff, this was a very conventional piece of chocolate cake, but ultimately every bit as satisfying as one would expect from the name and price - a match for similar items we've tried at Dessert Deli.

Lows: We weren't as impressed by two non-chocolate items we ordered on a whim: a Creme Brulee ($7), which as a major treat was actually caramelized at the table as we watched, complete with a miniature torch. The thin, crispy sugar top was perfect, shattering with each stab of our spoon to reveal a vanilla-flavored custard inside, but this custard was more like a lumpy pudding than the smooth, clean creme brulees we've enjoyed elsewhere. Visually, this was a fun item to order, and less discerning patrons might be totally happy with the taste as well.

One almost universal disappointment was the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake ($7), a slightly oversized cupcake that had been flipped over, revealing a circular slice of pineapple, and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. While the cake was moist and edible, it was plain in presentation and taste - it could have benefitted from a bit of spice, either literally or figuratively, perhaps with a touch of one of the Bar's liquors as an accent. Three of us voted it the worst of the desserts; one would have given that title to the Brulee.

Still, none of the desserts or drinks was truly bad - the only overarching concern at The Chocolate Bar is the price. Between the desserts, three drinks, tax and tip, our half meal came to around $80 for four, which is a lot by local standards. Given that so many of the desserts and drinks fall into the same price range as the ones we ordered, it's easy to picture an average $20 per person tab here; you'll have to decide for yourself whether that's a price worth paying.

The Verdict: Since it's at least as expensive for after-dinner sweets as Dessert Deli - pricier when you consider options such as crepes and drinks - we see The Chocolate Bar as an occasional luxury rather than a frequent stop, the sort of place we'll think and talk about but visit far less often than we'd prefer. That said, the difference between this venue and its suburban locale Butterwood is stark: the items we tasted at The Chocolate Bar obviously bore similarities to the ones served at Butterwood, but the freshness and variety were considerably better at the Buffalo shop. Today, The Chocolate Bar is surely one of the city's sweetest jewels; as suburbanites, our hope is that the owners will bring more of what makes this place so special over to the Williamsville location. If not, we'll be back here... in a few months.