ROYCE’ Chocolate – Madison

I shamelessly confess that I am a sugar freak. I quite often have decided what I want for dessert before I even think about, you know, my actual meal. In fact, my rampage of cookies, cake, candy, fudge, brownies, etc. got to be such a problem that I ballooned up 15+ lbs and my doctor sat me down and told me quite sternly to get my act together. So now I settle for fruit and mini-​sized versions of candy. And I tell myself that, instead of a family sized bag of M&Ms, I’ll get the good, high-​quality stuff.
Which includes a beautifully wrapped box of Royce «bitter» chocolates that my cousin gifted me from this chocolate shop. The Japanese are at the front line of taking a very simple idea and perfecting the hell out of it. The box of chocolates came in a «cooling bag» and a small plastic spoon to better dig out each individual piece.
Each piece comes coated with cocoa powder, and the texture is almost buttery in its creaminess. Not quite like your average Hershey’s bar, but not exactly fudge either.
… I put the box in my fridge with the full intent of stretching it out for at least a month, and, nope, they lasted 4 days.

I didn’t realize Royce had their own stand alone stores. I’ve tried many of their chocolates but my favorite is the Milk Chocolate Champagne ($ 18), hands down. Bought a box and a box of truffles ($ 14 – 16) for a good family friend I’m meeting tmr. They have unexpectedly exceptional service as well as allowing the sampling of any of their products.
If you are looking for a small gift or just enjoy chocolate, definitely grab yourself a box from Royce.

Attentive service! These make great gifts and unique way of packaging. If it wasn’t out of the way, I would visit this shop more often.

Their chocolates are melt in your mouth! Super creamy but not overly rich and indulgent pieces make it easy to keep on eating piece after piece.
They always give out samples when you go. I love the matcha & the champagne one best but I’ve tried most of them and they’re pretty good.
They’re not cheap but definitely a nice affordable gift or a treat for yourself. They wrap it really nicely and they also give you ice packs + insulator if you let them know you’re going to be taking them far. I took them to LA and they were still A-​OK almost 15 hours later (took a while to get to a fridge).

I love that they give you a sample because you don’t really know what you’re buying.
The chocolate is extremely FINE. As in good quality.
I purchased several things including the rum chocolate, the dusted chocolate almonds, green tea cake, and the little green tea bon bons. All were a hit.
Highly recommend to try at least once.

Our supervisor shared her Nama Chocolate Au Lait with us today and a bunch of my coworkers hovered around me, waiting to see my reaction to my first bite into it. I thought they were being weird but let me tell you, my first bite was simply magical. It was like all the worries in the world had disappeared and all you could think of was this incredible moment with this piece of chocolate. I savored each and every bite and was greatly disappointed when I had finished it all. It had such a rich chocolate taste that wasn’t too sweet but just perfect. The cocoa powder on top gave it a nice flavor as well. After eating it, my day instantly got even better! I couldn’t stop thinking about it for the rest of the day.
It was that good, that after work, my coworker and I decided to stop by the shop and buy it for ourselves. The employees were very friendly and they packaged it with dry ice, since the chocolate must be stored at a certain temperature to preserve it’s taste. They let us try the green tea nama chocolate but we didn’t like it. There was nothing special about it really. The lady told us to stop by again so we could try the other flavors (since they weren’t in stock). It’s a must try, must buy!

Look really hard.
It’s a tiny tiny store, like an alley kisok.
Went in and was greeted but just felt not welcomed.
There was no one there and I asked about how to store the nama chocolates and just got recommended to order online since I didn’t have fridge. I know it’s NY, but geez… felt so uncomfortable that I forgot to even look around and just stormed out.
Now I’m here upset that I didn’t get to look around after my long anticipation of royce chcolate… well, I did order the nama chocolate and I can’t wait to try it out but I’m assuming the store has more items…
Yesterday I received my order and it came with dry ice. Upon opening I was anxious to dig in but it came with a note to defrost a minimum of 12 hours before consumption. So I waited… and I finally got to taste the hyped chocolate today. The consistency is what I had expected, creamy soft chocolate like soft caramel but nothing special. Just good overpriced chocolate. Also, I didn’t taste any hints of the champagne. At least my curiosity has been fulfilled.

One of the best chocolatiers out there, period! They are expensive, but no one would complain about that once they taste these chocolates. They are high-​quality chocolates from Japan, which are not too sweet (which I truly appreciate) and literally melt in your mouth! I tried a lot of different types of their chocolate on my very first visit and they were all amazing. The only one I did not care for were the chocolate potato chips. Service was impeccable… they offered us generous amounts of samples and answered all our questions. These goodies make excellent gifts, as they come pre-​packaged and you can also ask for additional gift wrapping. This place is a must-​stop for me every time I visit New York now.

Hands down, BEST chocolate I’ve ever tasted. It’s not too sweet, and the whole box consumed in one sitting is less than 500 calories. I used to come into Royce Chocolate every other week & try samples of their Nama Chocolate. It is the best!

I love Royce. Yes, they are really expensive, but you get what you pay for — high quality Japanese chocolates. Also, they make for great gifts.
It’s been a while since I’ve bought chocolates from Royce. I used to be a repeat customer (once a month) at the Bryant Park location. In the past, I found the Madison Ave location to have low supply. Over the past two years, whenever I stopped by the Madison Ave location, they were all out of nama bitter and nama champagne. I bought the nama green tea once, but I found it to be too sweet.
Well, they’re back in stock and today, I bought the nama chocolate (bitter) and the coconut baton cookies. Can’t complain. I love these chocolates!

customer service was amazing, they welcomed us with big smile !!
the quality of chocolate is unbelievable! You should try Nama chocolate and potato chips. You can also ask for sample, don’t be shy :)

All I can say is awesome! I walked in and was pleasantly greeted by a very friendly guy named «Smiley». I know it is spelled differently but that is how his name is pronounced. He was so nice, friendly, kind and informative about everything in the store. I had my mom with me and she really enjoyed herself as well. Ended up getting the caramel chips and some wafter thin chocolate caramels. But everything we tasted in the store was delicious. Next time I am back in NYC, I will go back!

Last year a dear friend gave me an assortment of Royce chocolate potato chips and they were a huge hit.
This year, I wanted to get some of my friends and co-​workers a sweet treat for the Holidays and I immediately thought of Royce. I popped in on a Wednesday morning to stock up.
The counter person was very pleasant but didn’t seem knowledge of the Royce product line. Luckily, I came in knowing what I wanted to buy.
A hundred + dollars later, I had treats for my friends, co workers and myself!
I recommend, the chocolate covered potato chips — especially the white chocolate ones and the chocolate covered marshmallows.

Came here to buy some chocolate and checked in. Was presently surprised about the free chocolate, then I was told they don’t do that
Chocolate is good, not too expensive

Creamy, delicate chocolates from Japan! The service here is wonderful — be sure to ask for samples if you are unsure about which type of chocolates to buy. My personal favourite is the Royce Chocolate Maccha, which they have been offering in a free box of 9 chocolates if you check-​in on Unilocal in the store! The staff are also very considerate — we told them that after purchasing the chocolates, we would not be home for a few hours, so they wrapped our chocolates in an ice pack and bubble wrap to ensure they don’t melt. I will definitely be returning for more chocolates.

The best chocolate experience of my life. First the chocolate is delicious! it’s sweet but not too sweet and it just melts in your mouth. it has a nice lingering after taste, but you don’t feel like you need to drink a glass of milk. But at the end of the day, its basically a chocolate truffle. Then the service is so incredible — it doesnt feel like you’re in a chocolate shop, rather a luxury boutique. I actually felt like I was in a luxury watch store about to buy a nice watch.
This is the perfect dessert to have anytime and also a great gift to give to friends and family.

Came by a little after opening this past Sunday and was nicely greeted by a gentleman in a suit.
Never heard of this place until the gf brought up the need to bring back something for the coworkers for our trip and did some Unilocal searches.
The chocolate here is BOMB​.COM. All the chocolates are rich and creamy. You dont even need to bite on it like you do with a candy bar.
Even though a box is expensive … it’s imported from Japan so you know you’re getting good stuff. Also, be sure to check in on Unilocal or FB and get a free mini box of Matcha chocolates.
If you mention that you will be bringing it on a flight, they will kindly provide complimentary ice packs and a insulated bag for the chocolates as well.
Overall had to be 5 stars: great service, great chocolate, free item for checking in!

Check in for a free Mini Nama Macha! I was surprised when the sweet lady behind the counter handed me a 2oz box of their ever-​so famous chocolate. A regular 4.4oz box costs $ 18! Inside the box holds 9 delicious squares of green tea melt in your mouth chocolate. I ended up buying a box of Nama Bitter to take home along with my freebie.
These chocolates are simply divine. My girlfriend calls them the toro of chocolate. Chocolates are rich in flavor and never too sweet. Each piece melts in your mouth like butter. MmMMmmm.

I came by on a Sunday afternoon after attending church at the nearby St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which was so convenient for me. I’ve been to NYC a couple times, but never got the chance to drop by Royce’s. This time, I vowed to make it a priority to check out the store.
As soon as I entered, I was greeted by a gentleman and he informed me of the amazing Hokkaido chocolates. I told him that I had just come back from Hokkaido and had their white chocolate melon while I was there. He proceeded to offer me and my friend a sample of chocolate covered potato chip, then a Nama chocoate, and another Nama chocolate. Soon, it got crowded and everyone was getting samples. I asked for the bestseller and was told it was the green tea, so I purchased one of those along wirh the bitter (which contains Hennessy V.S.O.P.). I’ve been to Japan multiple times, and I can say that the quality of these chocolates and the way they package it with ice is the perfect representation of Japanese culture and products.
Thank you to the gentleman who was handing out samples and answering all my questions on Sunday, ¹⁰⁄₂₅! This was my favorite part of this NYC trip.

Growing up, I’ve never managed to develop a sweet tooth, but ROYCE is the game changer. Every time I’m in the city I make a point to stop by either this store or the one by Bryant park before heading to the airport because it’s just SO FREAKIN’ GOOD!
I’m always greeted by their friendly staff who are more than willing to provide samples of all their delicious chocolate products. Nama Chocolate boxes are a must. My personal favorites are the ‘maccha’ and the bitter. While I usually don’t prefer white chocolate since it’s typically too sweet for my taste buds, the matcha flavored chocolate is extremely rich and instantly melts in your mouth on the first bite (oh gosh my mouth is watering…). The subtle bitterness of the bitter nama chocolate is smooth with a delightful hint of sweetness towards the end. Perfection.
While it’s definitely overpriced compared to how much you would be spending in Japan (we’re talking $ 18/​box in NYC and ~$ 6/​box in Japan), but hey, you gotta have what you gotta have.

MATCHA NAMA CHOCOLATE — best chocolate ever! They melt in your mouth, gives me happiness like no other chocolate can give me. The chocolate is so smooth and velvety. They’re cut into 20 cubes and they give a tiny plastic spatula-​looking thing for you to cut them into even smaller pieces (because they’re so good and you want to savor as much as you can!). I also love the champagne nama chocolate and the chocolate-​dipped potato chips — especially the white chocolate. The staff always provides samples so you can try before you splurge! I can’t get enough of this chocolate!

Royce is an artisanal chocolate brand from Japan.
The Nama Chocolates are smooth, velvety cubes of milky goodness! I like the Matcha one, but it is very sweet and I can’t eat more than 3 cubes.
I LOVE the Mildly Bitter Potato Chips. It is expensive for, essentially, chocolate-​dipped wavy potato chips, but I can’t help but pick up a box (or two…) whenever I pop in.
Some of the staff have been very snooty (especially with the free samples), while others have been very respectful and nice. One particular woman always gives me the death glare whenever I get the Unilocal check-​in freebie, but haaaay, I’ll take a glare for free chocolate!
Tip: Check in on Unilocal at each Royce store and receive a free Mini Nama Matcha at each one! HUZZAH free chocolate! (They don’t provide ice for this mini one, but who can’t finish a small box of chocolates quickly?!)
Also, they practically offer samples for everything so you might as well try before you buy! Don’t succumb to impulse buys!

Sometimes you just cannot stop eating sweet stuff when it is darn good! Though Royce was out of their famous matcha chocolate, I was still able to secure a box of marshmallow filled ones. They were apparently not as good, yet still surpassing the other chocolate by a million feet! Coming back next week, when the regular ones are back.

Amazing chocolates from Japan and even sweet fantastic workers! I wish I got down the name of the two workers from this location the day I visit so I could come back to them and thank them more properly. The personalities and character in them made it a much more fun and pleasant visit!
Their most popular items are the NAMA Chocolates. My two top favorites are the champagne and matcha green-​tea. You’d have to call to see which locations still has any of the matcha ones left, and ask them if they’re able to hold it for you like I did. I first went to the Bryant Park location. And they actually called this Madison location for me to check, then I called second time myself half an hour later to confirm on holding it down for me. I rushed there right before they were about to close and they actually remembered I was the one who originally visited the Bryant Park location!
These chocolates are soo rich in flavor and just MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH!

I was really eager to get some of the nama chocolates on our way back home. I was so happy to find out the store was close to our hotel on the day of our trip! Yayy!
The guy was very helpful on how to store them properly to our luggage since they are so delicate that you need some cooling packs and insulated bag when you are traveling. Gladly the chocolates were safe when we arrive home after 12hrs. He let us tried most of samples that they have especially the nama chocolates. We opted to get couple of the matcha and Champagne Pierre Mignonette nama.
The nama’s square treats came dusted in cocoa powder, which conceals a rich ganache– like filling that’s creamy and sweet without being cloying. A chocolate that just melts in your mouth and sinfully addictive!
Great for guys whose looking to buy there ladies some extra sweets!
I just hope they will open a store here in Vancouver! For the time I’ll just indulge with the chocolate’s that we got, and hopefully order soon online.

While doing a search for Japanese deserts, the Name Royce came up and they had a boutique near Minamoto Kitchoan on Madison Avenue so I decided to check them out since I work nearby. When I got close to the entrance the doors automatically open, like if the gates of heaven have now open for me. The store was not very wide and the side walls had many of their chocolate offerings on display.
I read in Unilocal about how eager they are for you to try out the free samples, but they were not available on the two items I was interested in, Duo Praline Maccha and Tiramisu Cream Chocolate Wafers. Not wanting to leave empty handed I opted to gamble on the Tiramisu Cream Chocolate Wafers, since I have one coworker who loves Tiramisu, we can then share.
I did not get any gift wrap or dry ice packaging that I read about in Unilocal.But I was informed that it is only necessary if you the Nama Chocolates. I was going directly back to my office anyway and will not need it; I went back to share with coworkers and then bring the rest back home if any.
The size of the wafers are not big, they are bite size. But I can tell you that the taste was like a smooth chocolate that I never had before not just the Tiramisu flavor. I could definitely taste the cappuccino which went well with the white chocolate and wafer.
My coworkers who were bold, try it and loved it, while other made lame complainants about their diets. Too bad I know plenty of others that know how not to miss an opportunity when presented with one.
I will definitely go back maybe to the Bryant Park boutique to check it out and get Duo Praline Maccha next time I’m in the area as my next treat.

She strikes once again! Guess third time’s the charm? In honor of Black Friday, Royce was giving out dark chocolate bars. Since I was working around the area I thought I’d try my luck again with the Maccha nama. To my excitement they were in stock!!! I happily bought two boxes. The store representative explained to me what to do in regards to storing. They were gifts I plan to give for Christmas so I needed to have them ready by then. The lady was really helpful and I felt less concerned about how to preserving the chocolates.
I’m so excited to give these next month and to try a box myself! Did you know these chocolates can last a flight ?! One ice pack preserves it for 6 — 7 hours and two can cover it for 12 hours or more ! So for those of you who are visiting NYC you can totally bring these back with you!
Thanks for the free dark chocolate bar Royce’!
P. S. If you check in, they give you a free Royce folder!