With hundreds of options for snack shops on Oahu there's only one my daughters will go to more than once and ask about every time they're near downtown or close to where I live and that's Benjamin's Sweets! Even when we're near downtown with their friends, they have to go to Benjamin Sweets with pricing being affordable and all ice creams and snacks fresh and delicious!!! The staff who work their friendly fun and always have great recommendations!!! read more

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I visited Benjamin's Sweet to buy Tanghulu as a gift for a friend with a sweet tooth, but unfortunately, it was already sold out by 3 PM. While looking into the display case, I noticed gold and silver-colored sweets, which turned out to be freshly made Dubai chocolates prepared in-store. The owner kindly explained the production process and ingredients, even offering samples to demonstrate. He mentioned that the pistachio paste is a high-end product imported directly from France. Although the sample was small, it was very sweet with a rich, intense flavor. Listening to him was fascinating, and I could sense his strong confidence and dedication to his business. He also came across as very sincere. That said, Tanghulu is an extremely sticky and sugary candy, so those with sensitive teeth should be cautious. The shop also has a soft-serve machine and dine-in space, making it a great spot for dessert lovers. Once my dental implant treatment is complete, I'd like to carefully try their candy and chocolate myself. 甘いもの好きの友人への手土産にTanghuluを買いにBenjamin's Sweetへ行きましたが、午後3時の時点で売り切れでした。 代わりにショーケースを覗くと、ゴールドやシルバーに輝くスイーツが並んでおり、店内で作られているフレッシュなDubaiチョコレートとのことでした。 オーナーと思われる男性が、製造工程や材料についてサンプルと共に丁寧に説明してくれました。ピスタチオペーストはフランスから直輸入した高級品だそうです。試食は少量でしたが、とても甘く、素材の風味が濃厚でした。 彼の話を聞いて、このビジネスに対する強い自信とこだわりが伝わり、誠実な印象を受けました。 なお、Tanghuluは歯にくっつくほど甘いキャンディなので、歯に不安のある方は注意が必要です。 店内にはソフトクリームマシンがあり、イートインスペースもあるため、甘いものが好きな方には楽しめるお店だと思います。 私もインプラント治療が終わったら、キャンディやチョコレートに挑戦してみたいです。 read more

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Benjamin's Sweets is the spot for all things sweet! Cruising through Chinatown, my unnie Li Y. pointed out this spot and suggested we go in. Good thing we did as we could all indulge in their Dubai Chocolate! The shop is cute and colorful with lots of visible desserts! Everything looked enticing. There isn't an area to sit inside but a couple of tables outside. It's more of a grab-and-go dessert shop! I found the service to be fine, he answered my questions and provided some suggestions regarding the chocolate. Though everything looked good, we got their Dubai Chocolate in a medium. These chocolates are available in small, medium, and large. As of June 2025, a medium is almost $27. The medium comes in four thick squares. I shared this with my friend, unnie, and Dad. The chocolate was quite sweet and very rich. Though, good quality chocolate! I did feel like it overpowered the pistachio. This was my first time trying Dubai Chocolate so I'm not sure what to compare it to but I thought it was fine and more of a one-and-done for me. For sweets fans, Benjamin's Sweets is worth a trip because they're bound to have something you'll enjoy! Lots of great options here. Their shop is on Maunakea Street with street parking or you can park in the garage. read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Medium Dubai Chocolate - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

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Had to try it at least once!! Happy to do so, very fun treat, they make it every hour. Don't go last hour though before closing as they're most likely to only have one type or sold out. Kind service. The fruit was fresh and of course warmed because of the sugar. Careful as it can get stuck in your teeth! read more

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This place is known for the fruit. They were sold out so we got ice cream. They sell Lappert's, which is super popular on the island. Initially, it was tough to tell what they had and what they were out of. We finally figured out what they had, which wasn't easy because the guy working there walked away while talking to him (he could have just given us a list of what they did have to start with). The strawberry was good. The chocolate was freezer burnt and weirdly chewy. Maybe it was supposed to have brownies in it? It was just called "chocolate." We threw it out. The shop was clean and had outdoor seating. I'd go back but only for the fruit. read more

Benjamin's Sweets on Maunakea St. right next to the Feng Shui Shop and Sing Cheong Bakery. Locally owned and operated. We loved when the owner took the time to share his knowledge and experience with crafting the Best Tanghulu & Dubai Chocolates. He even let us sample some of those delightful treats and explained how each of them delivered various notes to the overall experience. Wonderful read more

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Got to try the MOST WANTED Dubai Chocolate bar!!! However, I didn't think it was anything special IMO. A bar is $12.00 . I got the milk chocolate type vs the dark chocolate. It was creamy with a slight crunch to it. Service was great though, fast and very personable!! read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

I need more Dubai chocolate asap! It is so good and I need more. I didn't know what to expect on how it tasted but when I did, I loved it! read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Dubai Chocolate so YUMMM!!! - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

Delicious dubai chocolate! The service was very friendly and the chocolate high quality and the gold luster dust made it feel really thoughtful and luxe. I really want to try the tanghulu next. read more

A hidden treasure in Chinatown! It was our very first visit to Chinatown in Oahu, and we were simply looking for some fresh fruit--but fate had sweeter plans. We stumbled upon Benjamin's Sweets, and the dazzling display of Dubai chocolates and candy-covered fruits instantly caught our eye. The moment we stepped inside, we were warmly welcomed by the owner, whose pride and passion for his craft were truly heartwarming. You could feel the love he pours into every piece. I had never tried Dubai chocolate before, but from the very first bite, I was hooked. The texture, the delicate crunch, the luxurious quality--it was an unforgettable experience. If you have a sweet tooth and a soft spot for stories that come from the heart, you owe it to yourself to visit Benjamin's Sweets. It's more than a treat--it's a moment of joy. read more

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Located on Maunakea street between the lei and Chinese shops. Great spot to stop for fresh Tanghulu fruits. A few bistro table seating outside and tables indoors. This place Carrie's that Subai chocolate in two sizes! Also in store you'll find a tasty selection of Lappert's ice cream. read more

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Good location and perfect location to pick up sweets after eating chocolate ice cream good sweet taste and fresh stream berries and chocolate bars. read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Ice cream - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

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I've never had Dubai chocolate or tonghulu but I've seen them hyped up on the internet so I needed to see what all the fuss was about. I must say, the Dubai chocolate is the best chocolate I've ever eaten in my life! This doesn't taste like any other chocolate and you must try it for yourself. I brought the tonghulu home for my daughter and it was gone in 5 minutes. She said it was delicious. The staff here is very friendly and answered all of my questions. They have tables outside to enjoy your snacks on premise. This is a definite must go to while you're in Chinatown. read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

Unreal dessert and sweets. Never heard of this place and was actually just walking by. The colors and lights made us curious. The strawberries and Dubai chocolates were amazing. Will for sure stop by if ever in the area again read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

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Must try if you're not getting it locally or had it before. Tang-Hulu is a suger candied fruit on a stick. I paid with take a little over $5. The fruit they pick is sweet and the sugar gives a crunch. The powder is a powdered berry. Which gives off a tangy and salty flavor. It reminded me a bit of tajin this powder. Service here is great. Super friendly and nice. I had to come back multiple times for a mess I made for napkins. It's a cute shop with lively music. This shop really caters more towards non-dairy desserts. Which I saw more of... I would recommend this place. read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Benjamin favorite - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

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Benjamin Sweets! Time for a treat! You always surprise us with new things! Today a Twinkie is on a stick with fruit! A new Valrhona French gourmet chocolate over the tanghulu cover! Delicious! The place was abuzz, with husband and wife trying out new things! Love that this place is always experimenting with more items! The store, as always, is brightly lit and colorful to the eyes! So many choices. The drinks are yummy as well. A bit on the sweet side for my taste, so I add ice and sometimes seltzer water. This place so far has the best tanghulu to date! Please support! Follow up: I froze the strawberry milk drink! It came out like frozen strawberry ice milk. Delicious! But be careful, the top popped off.. read more

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I saw this place while driving by and decided to stop in I've been wanting to try a Dubai chocolate bar for a while. Like most of Chinatown, parking was tough to find, and street parking is almost always completely full. I got the $25 chocolate bar. It was definitely on the pricier side, but it was good, crunchy, and very sweet. The sweetness did overpower the pistachio flavor a bit, but you can still taste it. I'd definitely come back to try more items from the menu! read more

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Got tanghulu? Wait, what is tanghulu? It's a candied fresh fruit that dates back to Song Dynasty in the Northern China in the 960 AD. And you get them from Benjamin's Sweets if you stroll down Chinatown, on Maunaloa Street. Each fruit makes it that much more exciting to eat because it looks like a shiny gem. The fresh fruit such as strawberries, tangerines, grapes and blueberries are skewered on a stick after it's crystallized in sugar. We tried the mixed fruits and the grapes. It is so juicy, sweet and sugary!!! They have li hing powder by the cash register. Unless you ask them, they don't offer it to you. If you're lucky, you can eat these sweet treat inside as the store offers a counter table and two tables. As for parking, it's street parking. Good luck finding one. You can also find public parking but it'll cost you more. Or, just go with a driver, have them wait or go around the block. read more

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Tanghulu in Chinatown, Honolulu, Hawaii... Because Tuesday, 3-26-24, was a State Holiday (Prince Kuhio Day), metered street parking was free! My friend wanted to get a few things from a small shop on Maunakea Street. As we walked past Benjamin's Sweets, I stopped and said, "This is a Hot New Business!" Let's go in!!! The clean, cute shop was staffed by two workers who were busy, but friendly and welcoming! The owner explained that they're in a Soft Opening phase right now and the Grand Opening is soon... I had a chance to try the strawberries with blueberries and the seasonal Pink Peep bunny with a strawberry. The skewers are shorter than the ones at a store in Ala Moana Center (easier to maneuver), and the sugar coating is thinner - so that it doesn't stick to the teeth as much as other shops. This is a neater and less expensive version of tanghulu! I even saw the special pan that melts the sugar! The edge is shaped for even coating of the fruits! Come check out Benjamin's Sweets and getvsome tanghulu! Note: currently closed on Sundays. There's indoor dining for your convenience! read more

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Happy National something on a stick day... Just coincidence as I had missed judged my schedule for today as my brains are fried extra crispy but did remember that this was definitely on my list and I knew exactly where it is on Maunakea St beside Sing Cheong Yuan Bakery and what a welcome sight it is! Walking in I just love the coziness vibe it brings probably since it's new but it's simplicity is nice with a table and some counter for seating is very much appreciated but the showstopper is what's in the display case. No question needed as you can see exactly what's available and ready to go with prices prominently posted so you know exactly what you're paying for. The owner James and his wife is absolutely passionate and wonderful with uncertainty but a clear vision of the possibility this space has to offer as he came up with the name Benjamin's Sweets which I already pretty much figured out as I explained how I decided this is what I needed after a long work day the need for something to boost my energy usually are something with fresh fruits and explained this is just perfect lol! Something sweet doesn't have to be totally naughty and the process he has planned is something we are so blessed to have is the best tanghulu and with Easter fast approaching I though how fun it was to see a skewer with a bunny peep and grabbed it for my work bestie who's always taken care of me on my day off. I got a whole bunch of others as well and why not they're all different but so beautiful and he packed it in a super cute box and tote making it super easy for transport. I did make sure I have one for myself (grape, orange and strawberry) which he offered sprinkle of Li hing on top of that which I did and I just love how light the sugar glossy coating is just right to hold it all in with that famous crunch but didn't fall apart...amazing! James does have a lot of ideas and more to bougie the tanghulu up...yup and you must give them a visit where prices start at $3 is the deal with these and hope that he does bring in more Japanese Strawberries as I'm told they were a huge hit but looking forward to his vision to expand and wish them all the happiness as these tanghulu does for us all. Thank you! read more

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If I could give ZERO stars I would. I wasted $62 on 4 $15 milk chocolate "Dubai chocolate" bars. Filing was no pistachio whatsoever. Just the knafeh filling. Horrible taste. I've had good Dubai chocolate. I reccomend finding a genuine place. Not good. DO NOT BUY! read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Milk chocolate Dubai chocolate - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

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Super short visit- service was cool. The guy there seemed to be friendly but kinda stand-off ish.. we did come pretty early, so he probably was judging us for eating sugar so early- lol The spot itself is kind of "hole in the wall" type, but it's nothing shocking- given the area you're in. There's one table literally right at the entrance, so you can eat it there, but probably not ideal- although I do recommend you eat the tanghulu right away. The Tanghulu is GREAT! The strawberry itself is so ripe and sweet, so that quality is there- they are average sized- not the ones you see that are ginormous and genetically modified looking. The crunch tho- 100% there. The sugar was tempered so perfectly that the sugar just crunches and doesn't stick to your teeth. We tried the strawberry and grape. Both great options, but definitely preferred the ! read more

Sugary sweet fruits on a stick, tanghulu in Chinatown! We were excited to try. We got a short stick of cherries $3 and a long stick of strawberries $7. A small container of complimentary li hing powder was included. The strawberries were warm, juicy, and sugary sweet! Because they were warm, and we could not eat them all right away, some of the sugar cracked and melted onto the tray. The employee gave us a complimentary cooler bag upon our request, but since we had no ice or ice pack, the sugar quickly liquidated. There were workers making the tanghulu in the background. You can watch how they make the tanghulu. We were not offered any samples. The shop was clean and bright. There were displays of products they sell, like footwear and mugs. I didn't see any tea eggs or sweet rice musubis on display for purchase. read more

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Came for the Dubai chocolate bar I believe the owner was the one who helped me. Very nice. $50 for the large bar and I was skeptical at first. Knowing it's not the real thing but it's close the quality of chocolate definitely shows I tried different kinds and this one tasted more rich and less like chocolate chips from the store. Great place! read more

Shave ice- I didnt get to try much (family) Dubai chocolate- since its filled with pistachio cream inside, falls apart easily with every bite. Very sweet chocolate. It was alright. But a surprise product to buy Tanghulu grape- this is my highlight. Its just as you'd expect, crunchy candy exterior, and a juicy soft sweet grape inside. Perfect. Want more!! Extra A shame there was only one tanghulu left when we got there, yes it was the grape. If I could, I wouldve gotten strawberry but grape was good too. So try to get there early The fruits at the bottom were there to dry out before they start candying. So basically not for sale Had a video inside store of tik tok or whatever social media people making dubai chocolate Small store Receipt is difficult. Every item is just called "custom item" on receipt. Surprisingly empty when we were there (4:10pm on tuesday) 5/5 purely for tanghulu read more

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If your in china town and on maunakea and your grabbing dim sum your doors away to deserts they got tanghulu with all different kind of fruits this is a must for my kids when we are in china town and they also have them Dubai chocolate with them pistachios butter cream filling, the place is welcoming and well greeted when you walk in, there's also chairs and table inside to enjoy your tanghulu and Dubai chocolate just incase you can't wait to get home check them out read more

Awesome sweet shop on Maumakea St. Tanghulu (fruit on stick, ice cream, shave ice and soft ice cream! Very Ono and refreshing! Small shop serving refreshing deserts! Need to support our small businesses in Hawaii! Reminds me of my mom's Chris's Peanut Shop! You will enjoy!! read more

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The $50 Dubai chocolate bar was good. It was worth trying once. I'll try the tanghulu next time. read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - $50 Dubai Golden Chocolate Bar - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

Benjamin's Sweets is located on Maunakea, in the heart of Chinatown. They specialize in making tanghulu, the viral candied fruit sticks, first made popular in China. I've tried to make tanghulu at home and its difficult. So I've tried them at a place in Ala Moana, but they're so expensive. My friends and I drove by this place and I decided to try it. The theme is Benjamin Franklin? and a couple of older white guys work here. It feels out of place in Chinatown other than the fact that they sell tanghulu. They have kind of shorter sticks of tanghulu, but they're only $3-$5 depending on the fruit. When I went, they had a couple sticks of grapes, mixed fruits and cherries. I've never seen anyone tanghulu a cherry before so I got that one. It was as you'd expect. I liked it. I love fruit and I like crunchy sugar, so what's not to like? Apparently they also offer ice cream and shave ice. read more

I rarely walk Maunakea Street, usually cutting through Maunakea Marketplace to get to the Cultural Plaza. But for some reason I decided to do so this past Monday and was pleasantly surprised to find Benjamin's Sweets! Owner said he opened in March, so I guess that's how long I haven't walked Maunakea. They sell shave ice with exotic flavors like guava and pina colada with ice cream or sorbet underneath, and optional haupia cream on top. They also have bottled milk-fruit drinks as well. But I guess their biggest thing is the tanghulu which is rare to find in Honolulu. It's basically fruit on a stick coated with a light liquid sugar that hardens into a shell. I've only seen this in mainland Chinatowns and Asia. You kind of have to eat them ASAP as the shells are delicate, but my takeaway was packed with a bag of ice that really helped. Great place to visit for dessert! The tanghulu makes Benjamin's a must stop on my future visits to Chinatown! read more

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Been passing by this place for the past month or two on our shopping days in Chinatown. What caught our eye was the big Tanghulu sign outside. For those who haven't tried it, tanghulu is popular street dessert in China and Asia. Usually it's hawthorn fruit but can be any fruit on a stick that is dipped in syrup and then hardened to a crunchy coating. Yum! It's on Maunakea next door to Lin's Lei and across the street from a municipal parking entrance. Look for the colorful sign. Unfortunately no hawthorn (prob it's hard to get here) but there's strawberry, mixed fruit with berries, berries and orange slices, grapes. And pretty cheap too! We got the strawberry and the mixed berry sticks. Refreshing, sweet and crunchy! We got blessed with a chocolate soft served too and that was super creamy and smooth. In addition to tanghulu and soft serve ice cream, the menu also offers Dole Whip, milk tea, soda float (DREAMCICLE FLOAT-OMG!!!!) and shave ice. Some seating in side and couple of tables outside on the sidewalk.... great place to take a cool dessert break in the midst of Chinatown. read more

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The best shaved ice I've ever had. The ice was smooth and soft. The flavor was on point and delicious. The service was great and the ambiance was chill. read more

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The Dubai chocolate strawberry parfait was absolute fire! It tasted so good and had the Dubai chocolate (fyi it contains pistachios). The crunch with the warm chocolate plus the juicy strawberries! So good. The tanghulu was also so good. The candy crunch wasn't too thin or thick. It was just right! Brought me back to the Korean night market read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Tanghulu - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

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If you are looking for a sweet treat that goes beyond shave ice, visit Benjamin's Sweets in Chinatown. They feature Tanghulu fruits, that when eaten will have you going into sugar overload. They are so shiny and pretty. It is so crunchy and sweet when bitten into with both the fruit and the sugar giving you different levels of sweetness. But the most unique treat is their Dubai Chocolates. The store shows a video of the making of these Chocolates that are made with imported Valrhona chocolate and filled with a pistachio cream and crispy strands, known as kataifi. It's so unique, it's hard to describe. The small shop is a few stores down from the Sing Cheong Yuan Bakery, so street parking is very hard to come by. You can park in the municipal lot across the street or in one of the open air parking lots if you are feeling bold. I got dropped off and made my purchases while my sister drove around the block a few times and picked me up when I was done! And if these treats are not what you are looking for, they are serving Lappert's ice cream and yes, shave ice too! read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Dubai Chocolate - so unique and Tanghulu fruits- so crunchy and sweet. - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

First time trying the Dubai chocolate pistachio bar and it was amazing. It's a bit pricey, but you only live once so why not lol. The bigger bar is $50 and the small one was $15. They sell half a bar and it's $25. The owner was really nice and gave an extra one for my kids. Thank you so much!! read more

Located in Chinatown, there is only street parking. This was my first time trying tanghulu and it's just not for me I think. I have seen countless videos and maybe I expected too much. I enjoy watching other people eat it more! They came with li hing powder which was fun! You had a choice between sticks of all the same fruit ($3) or a variety ($5). We didn't want to choose so we stuck with the variety. Overall it was a fun experience but I probably wouldn't get it again. read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

What' a sweet treat to have after lunch! This tanghulu was a nice refreshing dessert topped with li hing powder. Service was friendly and ambiance was nice with a bench to quickly devour your treat. There weren't that many left to choose from by 3pm so I suggest going early to get the most selection. read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

Yum! First time trying a tanghulu. Ours was $5. The strawberries were perfectly sweet and not sour. Cash is easy and no surcharge. Very casual walk in and out. Service was no fuss. read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Tanghulu - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

Came here today at 12pm. Literally only one staff member working that barely spoke English. Didn't even acknowledge my existence even though I was right in front of her. Took her about 15 minutes to even start on the shave ice order in front of me and all I came in for was a Dubai chocolate bar to try. Left a really bad first impression, left before she could even take my order if she even wanted to in the first place. Looked good but wouldn't wait over a half an hour especially when it wasn't even busy. Business won't last that long with this type of customer service read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Looks good if they ever take the time to sell them to the customers. - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

I was excited to visit Benjamin's Sweets but my experience left a sour taste. I went in to purchase the trendy Dubai chocolate, but there were no price signs anywhere for the product. After being told that the chocolate bar was $50, I was shocked and unsure if he was serious. Instead of being met with courtesy given my uncertainty in purchasing it, the man (may be the owner) tone was demeaning and rude. He proceeded to say that if I wanted something cheap, I should go to a Foodland and buy a chocolate bar. After looking at other Benjamin Sweets yelp reviews, I saw that people mentioned these chocolates being priced at $12. I thought I was being scammed and so I went to ask for clarification. After leaving the store with my friend so she can try the chocolate. That's when the owner came out and approached me in a rude, confrontational manner, asking if everything was okay because I had asked him to clarify the price difference which made the whole situation even more uncomfortable for me and my friend. It's disappointing when a business offers premium products but lacks transparent pricing and respectful customer service, especially from someone who should set the tone. Sadly, I can't recommend this place based on my experience. And in my opinion, the chocolate was mediocre and not worth the money. read more

Benjamin’s Sweets - Dubai Chocolate - Desserts Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii