From the aroma walking in the door to walking out carrying an elegant bag containing an elegant box full of sponge candy, a supplemental bag of additional candy, and two bowls of ice cream, Watson's provided a delightful chocolate shop experience in an equally delightful storefront. I grew up on the East Coast, and remember sponge candy from my childhood, but Watson's has the first version I can recall that is covered in chocolate. Why this isn't a thing everywhere, I don't know. The combination is a winning one. I had their Charlie Chaplin ice cream, which is apparently based on their confection of the same name. Chocolate, coconut, cashews, and marshmallow are another stellar result of their kitchen. The person behind the counter was friendly and efficient - a great match for the establishment itself. I was visiting people that live in the Elmwood neighborhood, and I envy them having a place like Watson's within walking distance of their home. read more

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Came here for a few truffles and had a great experience! The ladies working were friendly and helpful, and the truffles were absolutely delicious. They also have ice cream, Sponge Candy, and other tasty treats here! read more

Came here to introduce my kids to sponge candy. The WWW told me Watsons was a great pick. Store was small. The woman working was very nice and helpful. Choclates were very good. We went to two other candy stores while in Buffalo. All four of us liked Watson's the most. read more

My favorite sponge candy! I also tried these pecan clusters which were awesome. Staff was exceptional

(4) ~ very good overall chocolate & service MENU: ** Sponge Chocolate (Milk & Dark) = (4.25) Very good ** Milk Chocolate Melt-away = (4) very smooth) * Elmwood Strip Chocolate Bar = (3.75) Good read more

I love sponge candy. Grew up in but live in New York City now. My only option to buy it is when I visit or mail order. I recently ordered three packages from Watsons for gifts for Easter. were UPS and appeared well packed. However, the candies which were stored inside plastic in a 1lb box each, we're crumbling. Even more so when you tried to handle them, they just broke apart. It seems to me that the candies themselves were old. Although the chocolate did taste good, the sponge was completely dry and powdery. I've ordered from Parkside Candy in the past, so it looks like I'll be going back to them for anything online. read more

Watson's is the best sponge candy but I go to the kenmore location because the gentlemen working at elmwood is just not nice. Curt, rude, probably would be better working behind the scenes. read more

So this is one of my weird things where I remember an article about sponge chocolate in the NYT from 18 years ago and end up wanting to go to the place 2 decades later. Finally made the drive up. And was the sponge candy worth the price, the trip? Yep. Every cent and minute. And to hear my mom say it was one of the most delicious chocolates she has ever tasted-- after 2 days of travel to her -- It was all worth it. read more

Nice small chocolate shop, with a great assortment of chocolate choices. Came for the chocolate turtles and orange chocolate sponge Candy. Both were as good as I expected. Prices are pretty high, but real chocolate isn't cheap. You literally get what you pay for. read more

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My man and I got some chocolate from there, I love the chocolate so much! It's literally my favorite. He got a big heart shaped chocolate and also little hearts of them. It tastes so good, we always got there whenever we are craving chocolate anything read more

Watson's Chocolates - My heart shaped chocolate - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Whenever we are in Buffalo this is one of our "go to" stops. For one reason only. The sponge candy. You can't really find it anywhere else as good as it is crafted by Watson's. We picked up 2 pounds to share with friends and family back in Syracuse. read more

Who doesn't want to stop into a chocolate factory. I went after Easter and got a few good deals on chocolate. My cousin also gets truffles from Watsons every year for Christmas for the family. Will be going back! read more

Watson's Chocolates - Store - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Watson's is my favorite chocolate in Buffalo. I especially love the holiday offerings of small pieces of themed chocolate bits in 1 lb boxes--like it's small hearts for v-day, chickens and eggs for easter, santa and trees for xmas. The orange and dark are my faves! This location of Watson's also has ice cream! While sponge candy ice cream is not novel, they have dark chocolate sponge candy ice cream!! I have not seen the dark chocolate variety anywhere else. The young women working was super friendly and helpful! If you are on Elmwood, dark choc ice cream should be on your summer to-do list! read more

Watson's Chocolates - Dark choc sponge candy ice cream! - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Loved this cute chocolate shop. The staff is very friendly and the chocolate aroma makes it hard to not purchase any chocolate. We took home the chocolate covered Oreos and the milk chocolate medallions and loved every bite! read more

I had to double check the location because I don't understand the low scores at all. First of all, service was fine, great even. There was only one person working, a young woman. She was helpful and patient. The shop is beautiful. The chocolate is delicious. I almost missed the salted caramels because there's so many goodies to look at. I haven't tried the truffles yet. It was about $1 a chocolate, which is pretty much the norm from places I've been to here, and in other states. I will definitely be back. read more

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Sometimes when I know I'm going to visit a couple of places in quick succession I'll check in on yelp, write a few notes for the review, and save it in my drafts so I don't hold up the day. I'll then come back later to finish and post the review. When I came back to write my Watsons review I only had two words saved, great service. We went to probably 8-10 shops on veterans day but Watsons stood out. I decided to grab my mother some sponge candy (her favorite) and the employee working not only was able to help me locate the item, he made sure I got exactly what I needed, gift wrapped it for free, and seemed to take a genuine interest. On top of all that, I've had Watsons chocolate before and can say for a fact that it's top notch. I would highly recommend Watsons to anyone in the area with a sweet tooth. read more

Watson's Chocolates - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Buffalo, New York

EXCELLENT SELECTION OF FINE QUALITY CHOCOLATES. 4th generation family members are working the store, and they are incredibly polite and knowledgeable. The store is quaint but lovely. I highly recommend Watson's Chocolates to anyone in the Buffalo area. read more

Watson's Chocolates - Label from shopping bag - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Buffalo, New York

This is one of Watson's smaller shops I'd say and it was really charming! The gentleman at the counter was kind enough to wrap a box of candy for us as it was to be a gift. Watson definitely has some of the best chocolate in the area! read more

Watson's Chocolates - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Buffalo, New York

It's Buffalo so you can get sponge candy really anywhere, like even Lexington Coop just down the street from this Watson's location. The 3 stars is for the apathetic customer service. I felt like the gentleman behind the counter really didn't care if I was there or not - probably wanted me out ASAP. Not very Buffalo like. read more

I treated my roommate moving out of Buffalo for good to sweets at Watson's this afternoon. The trip served two purposes: to wish her luck in New York City (WHERE EVERYTHING'S TERRIBLE) and to try sponge candy ice cream. You can have sponge candy ice cream two ways at Watson's: dark or milk chocolate. Logically, I chose a scoop of each. If you like large chunks of candy in your (absolutely not non-fat) vanilla ice cream, I recommend either flavor. There's also plenty of other ice cream flavors to choose from with creative names. Since I'm craving more of the cold stuff, I'll spend the warm months in search of the best sponge candy ice cream in the greater Buffalo area. read more

Watson's Chocolates - Dark Chocolate Sponge Candy Ice Cream, plus Milk Chocolate Sponge Candy Ice Cream - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Sponge candy was good and got free samples which was sweeet. Old interior and peanut butter break away was kind of stale. read more

Watson's Chocolates - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Buffalo, New York

The ice cream was fantastic. We weren't positive this small shop had ice cream, but a man hanging out in front overheard us and said yes they do have ice cream, and it is the best. The girl working at the counter was very nice and helpful, letting us try different flavors and explaining what was in each one. I settled on milk chocolate sponge candy ice cream and it was delicious. You get the best of both worlds- sponge candy and ice cream- in one. My one scoop bowl was generous, I'd recommend stopping in for some, it will not disappoint. read more

Watson's Chocolates - Milk chocolate sponge candy ice cream - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Watson's is a famous Buffalo staple in chocolate. They've been around since 1946! Two brothers actually started it together. They have many locations now. I came here to the Elmwood location once to get some sponge candy for a friend. They packaged it up nicely for me so that was good. I feel like a chocolate place should be someplace happy and carefree, specially if they serve ice cream and candy too! This place doesn't feel like that at all though. I don't want to be mean at all saying this, but it felt like somewhere that well-dressed and well-to-do people would feel comfortable. The truth is, a very large cross-section of the people around the shop don't fall into that category. They were super pleasant with me but I'm not completely surprised by some of the other reviews I read where people weren't treated that well. I'm really sorry those people had such experiences. I would definitely still shop here to get some sponge candy. People speak highly on a consistent basis of the quality of their chocolate products. Maybe, considering the neighborhood they are in, they will learn to be equally welcoming to the varieties of dress and people who venture into their store. A chocolate and candy store should bring a smile to your face at every turn, especially for children. Sadly, that isn't the case here but hopefully they will improve! read more

Sponge candy ice cream... You need some in your life! They have both milk and dark chocolate sponge candy ice cream and they are both fabulous! I was only in Buffalo for the day and I was so glad we found this gem! When I am in town again I will be sure to stop back in for a scoop(maybe 2 this time). The lady that helped us was nice and I sampled three flavors before choosing the dark chocolate sponge candy flavor. She even let my friend and I get "half scoops" because we just wanted a small amount of ice cream(the scoops here are quite generous). The photo is my "half scoop" after I had taken a bite or two. read more

Watson's Chocolates - Dark Chocolate Sponge Candy Ice Cream - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Has Watson's milk chocolate on their sponge candy taste different? I've noticed for the past 4 or so months it tastes cheaper- like a more waxy taste. Not good. I'm not the only one that has noticed. read more

I stopped by today after not buying from another nearby competitor. A very sweet young woman greeted us as we walked in. She was knowledgable and so helpful. Although I was prepared to make some nice purchases this day.... I happily ended up purchasing much more than I had planned. We were given a taste of the sponge before hand. Of course I was sold on this delicious delicacy and purchased 3 boxed pounds to take back home for others along with some equally delicious purchases. So glad I was steered in this direction and we will certainly return to make more purchases.... read more

We were visiting from out of state and were just leaving dinner and noticed this little chocolate shop next door. We stopped in and there was an amazing selection. The employee was so nice and was very knowledgeable in all the different choices. She also sold on on their sponge candy. I've never heard of it. It was absolutely amazing!! Will definitely be stopping in again when we are in the area. read more

ice cream is so expensive and the guy didn't even ask if I wanted a cone or not

The chocolate is wonderful. Expensive of course but very good. I do not agree that it compares to a simple bar of high quality dark chocolate but it is yummy. I am not crazy about sponge candy. It is okay, but where I grew up (Milwaukee) it was just sold in the grocery store not expensive candy stores (and we called it angel food). The other things are yummy. I have been here twice and found the staff very welcoming. I went with my mom and I think we were served by the manager. He was great. Very helpful talking about chocolate. Welcomed us to Buffalo (just moved here) and had a lovely chat about how Buffalo and Milwaukee are frightfully similar. Gotta admit, sponge candy is much better here. DO NOT ORDER ICE CREAM HERE. We have been gradually trying all the ice cream on the street. The selection is fine. The taste is decent. The portions are miniscule. Less ice cream for your money than any of the other places. read more

Part of our recent trip to Buffalo included a mission to compare all the wonderful chocolate shops that dot the area. We had five on our list, and wound up getting to four of them (Mike's was the one we had to cut, so something to look forward to). The four we hit up were Parkside, Fowler's, Watson's, and Condrell's. So the ground rules for the judging were that we'd stick with the chocolates, get a few common specialties at each (chocolate-covered sponge candy, meltaways, and some sugar-free selections), along with anything that we felt like having and any shop-specific items that jumped out at us. What we discovered, after bringing home way, way too much chocolate, was a) too much chocolate is not good for you, and b) the results: Watson's was about middle of the pack - the space and chocolate selection is on the smaller side, but they had some pretty neat things, including Halloween and Buffalo-themed molded chocolate (pizza and wings, and a pack of buffalo wings with "blue cheese" dipping sauce - very cool). If anything, this would be the reason for my return, that and that this place is literally two doors over from Fowler's which gives you a two-for one for that $0.25 parking fee you have to pay (coming from Toronto, paying a quarter for 30 min of parking blew my mind). The chocolates themselves were good, but nothing revolutionary. The owner was friendly and gave us the space to gawk at his wares. Overall, a good place, although, I don't know if I'd go out of my way for it. read more

The chocolate (especially the SPONGE CANDY!!) is truly DELICIOUS, but the ice cream is VERY DISAPPOINTING. Two of us stopped here yesterday for a sunny May afternoon treat and I was THRILLED when I saw that they had Dark Sponge Candy Ice Cream. "WOW!", I thought. The reality was a serious let down. No crunch... no pizazz... just a whole lot of flavorless goo. And my ice cream buddy's mint chocolate chip (my usual favorite) was also lacking in flavor. SERIOUSLY! I've had better ice cream out of an off brand half gallon! Do yourself a favor..... avoid the ice cream. But, by all means get some super yummy sponge candy to go. Walk up and down Elmwood Avenue promising that you'll bring it home. Devour it bite by bite. And then lick your chocolate covered fingers clean. YUM! read more

Watson's is a nice, small, chocolate and ice cream shop in the Elmwood Village. Think about that for a second and then I'll confirm, it's probably exactly what you're thinking. It smells like chocolate, I've had nice interactions with the employees, and I left with an ice cream cone. So, it's a positive place in my book! Plus, they have the ice cream in a glass case so you can see it before picking it out. And they have some unique flavors - different than Fowler's down the street. And, very affordable, especially compared to the 2013 Fro-Yo resurgence on Elmwood. read more

The customer service here is UNACCEPTABLE. The chocolate is good, which is why I have returned on more than one occasion. However, after a recent visit where I was treated poorly, I will no longer be dealing with this business. read more

My boyfriend, a native Buffalonian, spent forever trying to describe sponge candy to me, to no avail...then, when we visited his hometown, I got to try some at Watson's. I now understand. read more

Excellent chocolate, but poor customer relations. I recently ordered a chocolate gift, and Watson's sent me a similar item -- but not what I ordered. After filling out an online complaint, and sending an email to their Vice President, I have had no response. After 15 years of being a loyal customer, time to check out Fowlers. read more

very nice store front that is nice and inviting. Walked in to a friendly associate and a wonderful variety of deserts. I ended up trying the chocolate peanut butter ice cream which was GREAT!!! read more

As we stood between Watson's and Fowler's trying to decide which of the two to give our business to, a man outside Watson's recommended it to us b/c Fowler's serves Perry's which you can get anywhere. Man on bench makes good point and into Watson's we went. Their ice cream is apparently originally made from Anderson's (Frozen Custard) and they obviously use their own chocolate. Having already tried their sponge candy, I went w/ The Elmwood Strip ice cream (cappuccino based ice cream w/ Watson's Chocolate covered toffee) which mimics Ben & Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch. And to refute some of the other reviews, the portions are completely standard in comparison to any other ice creamery. read more

Bought Guinness beer caramels, but couldn't taste any Guinness! My other selections were good but the cases seemed like things were not all so fresh. Maybe I'll try back again after summer when it's a busier season. read more

Sampled a few pieces of chocolate. Being as in love with the substance as I am I was not thoroughly impressed. It was ok but in a world of the knowledge of calories I'd probably consider my options better. read more

Just spent $95 on Watson's candies at the Victor store - - SAD NEWS ! ----they have discontinued their discount card ! ! The candy quality is excellent but the prices without the "card " discount puts the prices way out of line - - - back to better value & selections by Laura Secord & See's on the west coast ! AND of course ----- GODIVA for special gifts ! read more