Candybar

 

25

35

ashton c.

San Francisco, CA

Popped in here after dinner the other night and was pleasantly surprised.  I give 5 stars simply because there is no other place quite like this and the concept is strong. Good desserts, paired nicely with after dinner wines an such. A good addition to the neighborhood further enhancing the mighty Divis corridor.

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Elite '08

321

259

Jennifer s.

San Francisco, CA

My date and I stepped out for a drink Saturday night and thought we should give it a try. I was impressed that they had Heidi Schrock and Leitz wines on the the list. Our greeting at the door was a bit awkward. They really favor reservations.  The service was good. Perhaps next time I will make a reservation. I think it is a perfect casual date place

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2

8

Pamela S.

San Francisco, CA

I live in the neighborhood and wandered into this place, excited that another foodie joint had moved in. Overall, I found Candybar to be pretty average.

Service was ok, but a little over-done. I just felt like the servers made too much of a production over everything, pronouncing the glass of wine on the table mid-conversation. I hate that. I'm at the restaurant to have a good time w/ my friends, not to ogle over you putting a glass of wine on my table forcing me to stop my conversation and focus on you, the server.

Wine selection is good, but staff could use more education. Wine is REALLY over-priced. I work in the wine industry. People: this place is bending you all over! But hey, if you like that sort of thing, more power to you.

Decor is below average, it looks nice but nothing original. Also, the seating was REALLY uncomfortable. Not a place where you can kick back with a glass of (over-priced) wine and chill with a friend. It made me miss Hayes & Vine.

I didn't have anything to eat so can't comment on the desserts. They looked interesting.

While I'd probably return for another try, that's mostly because it's really convenient for me.

And yes, I'm a little bitter that it's another restaurant moving into the neighborhood and not offering parking to patrons. This really SUCKS for people who live in Nopa.

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11

13

Winnie Y.

San Francisco, CA

I love dessert and I loved Candy Bar.

The Milk Chocolate Parfait, though not a parfait and tasted more like bittersweet than milk chocolate was perfect.  Relatively light mousse-y chocolate, fresh whipped cream and crunchy bits of toffee...YUM.  

Lots of attention to detail; from the spotless dishes, silverware and glasses to the tasteful art on the walls and the stylish coffee table books on the shelves the place felt sophisticated and welcoming at the same time.  

Looking forward to going back soon.

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12

54

Brenda C.

Fremont, CA

It pains be to give this place 3 stars because i am a foodie that is always on a diet, but never holds back on desserts.  Desserts = Love.

I went here last night with some girlfriends for my birthday.  First of all, parking is HORRENDOUS!  I was pretty patient about parking, because we all know parking is scarce in the city, but wow...parking is no joke in the NOPA area.  Anywhoo, after feeling like we won the lotto (for finding parking) we stroll into this new dessert bar which we have been excited about trying for the past 3 weeks.  

Ambiance:  It is pretty minimal, yet very classy looking.  We sat towards the back, but you could tell in the front (where it was a bit more lounge-like) was the place to be.  It is pretty small, so wherever you are, you could pretty  much see everything.

I went ahead and ordered the 4-course tasting menu.  I started out with the Sparkling Meyer Lemonaide with Mint Gele, which was tasty.  I really enjoyed it, it was lemonade with a kick of mint, but as you drink it, the gelee gives you a little surprise.  My only quirk is that it is the size of a shot.  Actually if i went to any other bar in SF and ordered a kamikaze, the kamikaze shot would be bigger than this fancy lemonade palate cleanser.    

I then received my Carrot Cake Baked Alaska  w/candied fennel & walnuts.  I also had the Accornero Brigantino wine pairing.  This was YUMMY.  It was a thin layer of carrot cake with ice cream covered in a meringue which was flamed to perfection.  Didn't really pay no mind to the accompanied fennel and walnuts.  

Up next was the Bittersweet Chocolate Sorbet  w/foie gras tapioca & croutons accompanied with the wine pairing of Fontodi Vin Santo.  Okay, i know I'm a vegetarian, but i HAD to try this foie gras concoction.  All it was was chocolate sorbet on top of some grounded Oreo cookie crumbles with a smear of tapioca on the side.  I tasted the tapioca and i thought it was completely and utterly gross.  So this dish was pretty much chocolate sorbet with some crumbs of Oreo cookie.

The finale to our 4-course tasting was Warm Malted Milk w/Peanut Butter Vadouvan Cookie.  The milk was the BEST THING I HAD.  Although I can't even describe where they find the tiniest cups to serve this in.  This wasn't even a "shot".  The cookie was not a favorite, it had a curry aftertaste (yup, CURRY).  

I had a LOT of expectations for this place and I know a lot of people on here said it was too pricey.  But I went in thinking, $14 for the tasting menu is not pricey.  Well -- pains me to say this -- but i don't even think the $14 was worth it.  So yes, I agree with everyone else ..... this place is totally over priced.  The wine pairings are in the smallest glasses you could ever imagine and the "experience" was okay.  I had expected to leave this place full of guilt and sin due to the consumption of dessert, but I really left thinking.....it was nice, I'm glad we went, but I don't think I would go back.  

And....fyi....I can't really imagine this place to be an after-work happy hour spot.

UPDATE:  Another thing, one of my girlfriend's were pregnant, and when asked if they had any non-alcoholic beverages...the answer was NO.  No effort to accommodate with soda, coffee, or anything.

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12

45

Sofia J.

Walnut Creek, CA

I have to agree w/the majority of reviews here... nice idea but it's not there yet:
1) Poor waitstaff...the awkwardly came around and seemed to keep wanting to take the plates away, also didn't seem to be fluent w/the menu offerings
2) Overpriced...especially for the...
3) PORTIONS.... are you kidding??? that's the smallest dessert i've ever seen!! and the dessert wine to pair w/the dessert... those are some TINY pours. I understand you're not supposed to have a lot of it but come on!
4) What's with only giving one pre and post dessert drink for 2 people?? This refers to the "1st and 4th" course ... wow can you really call those courses?

btw that curry cookie was noooo bueno... as much as i like wild flavors and combinations, peanut butter and curry is awful in cookie form.

HOWEVER, I suppose if you ordered the tasting for YOURSELF...then yes the portions and price aren't 't so bad. and for what it is, the milk chocolate parfait one was tasty ... the combination of milky fluffy creme and soft chocolate parfait, toffee, and sea salt was great... so i would like to come back and try the more exotic "courses"  ... and this time not pair it w/an $11 shot of vin santo.

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3

3

Shadin S.

San Francisco, CA

I went there last night with a couple girlfriends, and we sat on the lounge by the window. Our, not 1 but TWO, waiters were very nice and helpful, not to mention very good-looking! Even though our desserts were small, they were perfect. Very flavorful and nicely presented. I liked the small size because then you can order more and not feel guilty about it!
We had already had out share of wine before we arrived at CandyBar, so we ordered cappuccinos instead. They had just gotten the espresso machine and were a little slow in making and getting to us. Our desserts came before our coffees, but our 2 lovely waiters kept giving us updates and apologizing to us, which was nice.
I will definitely be back there soon!

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37

76

Christine G.

San Francisco, CA

Nice! A sit down place dedicated to desserts. I would have definitely gone for the wine pairings, but no alcohol right now for this pregnant girl. I had the tasting menu with baked alaska and chocolate brioche (suggested by server). Good stuff! Next time, I'd like to try the panna cotta and chocolate parfait.

The space is comfortable and cozy. Very helpful and friendly staff. Cute, homey, and clean bathroom, too (away-from-home bathrooms are extra important during pregnancy!).

It's a bit pricey for me to come on a regular basis. Will come back for sure on special occasions, and definitely coming back for dessert AND wine once baby g is born.

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Elite '08

87

151

Karen C.

San Francisco, CA

What a great idea! I finally got to check out the first dessert bar in SF and I was not disappointed. All of the desserts were good, though my favorite was the chevre cheesecake - delicious! The vibe here is very cool and relaxed. The staff are all very attentive and helpful. Also, if you are there at the right time, they are very generous with giving out freebies like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, or a few tastes of wines they are considering to add to their menu. I would definitely come back here. Great date place for all you single folks.

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Elite '08

91

56

Angela C.

Berkeley, CA

Candybar is the little bar that could...  

Open for a little over a month, Candybar is a warm, tastefully/minimally decorated lounge that serves delicious, but pricey dessert and wine parings along with several small, savory dishes, at a big price.

The service staff is friendly and well-versed on the desserts and wines they serve, but they're *very* unorganized.  You'd think that with 3 different people taking our orders and serving our table of 12, things would be spot-on, but it may actually have contributed to the chaos.  All 3 were getting confused about who gets what, forgetting forks, not refilling water or bringing new water glasses for our late-arriving guests, not removing finished plates, even forgetting an order (mine).

But my Fourme D'Ambert panna cotta  with caramel dates and little, warm, mini cinnamon toasts along with the great company that night was enough to make me forgive the disorganization, the $30. bill (just for my dessert, a half-pour paring and a glass of wine) and the 20 minute parking-spot search, but not forget.

Just keep chanting "I think I can, I think I can...", Candybar, and I'm sure you'll get it down someday.

Until then, I'll be across the street at Tsunami.

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19

19

Kathy Y.

San Francisco, CA

Hey Candybar~

I'd give you 3.75 stars if I could, but I want you to take my comments into consideration, so the 3 stars is to get your attention... (sorry!)

Summary: Excellent experience. Expensive.

Details:

Many things were exceptional - decor, ambiance, music, service, quality of the product - I applaud the innovative concept & skillful execution in getting this off the ground!

...but I gotta take down a star for one of my top pet peeves: tiny tiny portions. Coupled with an expensive wine list with just a couple of choices under $10, and I'm spending $20-30 for dessert & drinks...no can do as a regular habit.

I want to come here regularly after dinner & share desserts with friends, have a drink, and keep it under $20 per person after it's all said and done. This is hard if not impossible to do with the pricing & portions here. The warm vanilla cake, while sublime, was hard to share even between 2 people - you just feel a little ridiculous sharing something smaller than a hostess cupcake on a plate. For $8 a pop, I think the desserts should be comfortably sharable among two people, 2 dishes for 3 people, etc.  I pray for you to consider 1) pricing your desserts to $5-6 each, or 2) making them bigger. I'm not sure how this affects the supply/demand/revenue scenario, but I think you can strike a balance, and it looked like you'll be getting your take through the healthy beverage offerings.

Speaking of... can you offer a couple more moderately priced wine choices? If I'm coming here after dinner, I've already spent a good amount on food & wine. I know your ambiance deserves a premium, but please help me keep the financial pain within a reasonable threshold.

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Elite '08

161

191

Amy C.

San Francisco, CA

Amy C.'s Ideal "Dinner" Menu

1st Course:  Dessert
2nd Course:  Dessert
3rd Course:  Dessert
4th Course:  DESSERT

CANDYBAR's Dessert Tasting Menu ($14)

1st Course:  Refreshing Sparkling Meyer Lemonade "Shot" with Mint Gelee
2nd Course:  Choice of one of 8 Creative & Tasty Dessert Options
                       (Faves:  Chevre Cheesecake
                                       Blood Orange Baked Alaska with Candied Fennel
                                       Warm Vanilla Cake with Pickled Mango)
3rd Course:  See 2nd Course
4th Course:  Warm Malted Milk with Addictive Itty Bitty Peanut Butter Vadouvan Cookie

I think I'm in LOVE!  (Or on a sugar high.  Same difference.)

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Elite '08

41

222

Elaine S.

San Francisco, CA

Great idea, but poorly executed.

With the name "Candy Bar" wouldn't you expect that they had candy? Yeah, apparently not, which is why their name should be Dessert Bar instead.

The place was pretty cute and had cool artwork, but I feel like the front windows should have had curtains over them and the whole place should have been darker. Since it's a dessert bar, it's surprising that they close so early (10pm I think), don't most people have dessert after dinner?

We ordered all of the desserts off of the A La Cart Menu. The desserts were good, but they definitely were not great....as Simon Cowell would say, "they are very forgettable"! And they were all things that I could probably make at home, couldn't they at least have put some blood oranges or some interesting combos of flavors.

The service was friendly although, when we asked if the wine we were ordering was good, the waiter said that he hadn't tried it yet, I will give them the benefit of the doubt and say that it is due to the fact that they have just recently opened.

Overall the place was nothing special (and expensive) and I probably will not be going back unless they make some big changes!

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6

25

Brandy H.

San Francisco, CA

Come on candybar.... step it up. You have so much potential, but are really missing the mark.

Hearts of Romaine Salad - $7 for a bowl of plain romaine lettuce? I was really confused about this one.

Asparagus - $8 for four pieces of asparagus? I can buy a huge bunch of tastier asparagus from the farmers market for $2.50. At least do something creative with it if it's going to be just asparagus.

Carrot Soup - This was actually really awesome. But it's just soup.

So we were thinking... it is a dessert place, so that's where they're putting all their energy. I LOVE dessert and I'm really not that difficult to please. It's hard to be in a bad mood while eating chocolate, but they managed to make me kind of angry while I was eating.

We had the chocolate parfait and the baked alaska. I only ate here three days ago and I can barely remember what either of these tasted like. I just remember being incredibly bored and disappointed.

I'll wait a few months and give it another shot. Hopefully they'll get their act together.

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Elite '08

98

153

Tom L.

San Francisco, CA

Little tip: Places like this are magnets for "sophisticated" girls-night-outs. As my friend and dessert industry insider reasoned, "well if nobody's getting laid tonight anyway you might as well cut the crap and go straight for the 4-course dessert."

Unfortunately the prices are a bit steep for anyone to actually get drunk off the sweet wine so you'll have to settle for sugar highs.

We've been hoping for a dessert-focused nighttime place to come to SF for awhile. Boston had one called Finale, spun off of a HBS class project. Candybar has much better food, but what those Harvard grads figured out is that you need to be near theater destinations to get the kind of traffic you need to stay packed once the novelty wears off. And the Independent isn't quite this crowd I think. As such Candybar will have to work harder for your $9 ice cream scoop purchase. Maybe try to pull you from one of the nearby destination restaurants that are popping up around here left and right.

It might just be good enough to succeed. Everything we tasted was excellent. The cheesecake "schmear" (god would I love that on my bagel in the morning).. The brioche, basically a dense chocolate cake but with an insanely good balsamic caramel ice cream.. The luscious dark chocolate sorbet (you could skip the "foie gras" tapioca they put with it). The only off note was the baked alaska: too sweet, but you kind of expect that.

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34

106

Smruti S.

San Francisco, CA

as  a self confessed sweet-a-holic, this concept is heaven sent. I'd been getting taunted by friends who had been to  Chikalicious for far too long- now it's my turn to boast of SF's dessert bar!

Went there with a group of yelpers (who beat me to reviews!) and settled in for a 4 course dessert fest. On the suggestion of the waitress, we ordered 4 dessert 'menus' and were able to get enough tastes of each dessert.  

Highlights:

-One of the owners actually remembered my name from my calling for a reservation and came over to chat and ask us our thoughts.

-The ubiquitousness of blood orange, first in a baked alaska, then in a signature cocktail.

-Milk chocolate parfait with matzoh toffee and smoked salt. YUM YUM OMG YUM

- Quite possibly, the best nighcap of warm malted milk to end the meal that I ever had.  It was like a box of delicious creamy Whoppers candy melted into a glass of milk.

Needs Improvement

-As mentioned by other yelpers, the lighting is too bright.  If this is meant to be a lounge and evoke a mood, then please adjust the lighting accordingly.

-Warm drinks- none to be had and it was a chilly night. The waitress offered my friend a cup of hot water, but didn't have anything to add, not even a lemon slice. They're bringing Blue Bottle coffee soon, but even tea would have been nice to have.

I know Candybar has not been open very long, so I hope the owners work out some of the kinks soon . n general, I think it is a great addition to the NOPA neighborhood.

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Elite '08

91

176

Jordan M.

San Francisco, CA

I'm very torn. On the one hand, their sweet wine selection is like nothing I've seen before. On the flip side, everything is so overpriced that it is hard to justify it.

I had a glass of  2006 Braida Vigna Senza Nome Moscato D'asti. A very small glass about half the size of a champagne flute. For $11. Now I'm not above paying that for a glass of sparkling wine, but a 750ml bottle of this costs $13. That's one hell of a mark up.

The one big benefit is that I now have a nice long list of bottles to buy for myself to keep at home... probably for pennies on the dollar compared to what they want for them.

The desserts were quite good and I especially liked the little mini milk chocolate and cookie at the end of the tasting menu. I scraped my plate getting the last bit of sweetness off. I would have licked it if no one was looking. :)

One thing that was cute was they had a couple board games. Someone was playing with the connect four game next to us. Actually I'm not entirely sure they were playing it. I saw them assemble it at least. :) I can't imagine playing a full game of scrabble there though. Though it might be entertaining for a birthday party.

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Elite '08

200

111

tiffinie m.

San Francisco, CA

3-stars...

With just a few kinks to work out, Candybar is a stylishly elegant new wine and dessert "bar" over on *that* side of town **points in NoPA's direction**.

In the name of keeping things on the sunnier side, I'll give you the goodies first. Rather, I'll call it as I saw it and let you be the judge.

The host (owner?) showed us to our cute table near the back of the small space, and was really cool to have created a dessert & wine pairing menu just for us! Nice touch!

We opted to start with some of the (few) savory options. Fortunately, they'd given us the head's up, and we'd grabbed a little nibble down the road.  For the table, we shared duck liver mousse with crostini and a blood orange marmalade coulis, scallop ceviche, delicately garnished with slivers of avocado and kumquats, and a country-style pate with currents. All delicious. All teeny-tiny. All perfect with my frizzante of pinot noir!

For the next course, we went for some dessert pairings. I opted for the chocolate brioche with caramel ice cream. My BF decided on the chocolate parfait -- deconstructed and served as a chocolate shingle, garnished with whipped cream. Both were lovely and really tasty. And teeny-tiny.

Per the paring menu, my brioche was to be paired with a red tojaki... no idea what it was, so I asked. Was it like tocai fruliano? Was it a dessert wine? Was it a fortified wine? I was intrigued. Apparently, our server wasn't as she had no idea what it was, and when she returned all she had to offer was that it was a dessert wine, sweet and a bit spicy. Uh, 'kay.

Let me stop for a minute and mention some expectations I tend to have at  non-inexpensive, super cute, shiny-new wine bars. I know, I know. Expectations in any relationship are a sure-fire set up for disappointment, but hear me out on this one. All I want is a good product and a knowledgeable wait staff. And if the server is unsure (totally valid... OK, even! especially in a newer place) I expect someone who *is* in the know to come by and tell me all about it. It's wine. There's always a story behind it as well as a good reason why it was chosen to be eaten with certain stuff. Now back to business...

I got the honey-colored tokaji, it was sweet, it was spicy... it wasn't necessarily my favorite with the brioche (the pinot noir I'd ordered shortly before was better) but it was really good, and I totally enjoyed it.

Here's another side note that I don't think my dining companions got: when the server came by after placing an order for everyone-but-my 2nd round, I told her that I would be having the same thing my friend to the right was having. She said, "the frizzante?" I said, "No. The pinot noir." Panicked look, she rushed off. When she came back to the table, any mistake that was in the works had been corrected and we all got exactly what we'd requested.

Again. New place. New staff. Workin' out the kinks. We had a lovely time and will gladly go back. I'm sure that in time, the staff will rise to the occasion soon enough and all will be worthy of 4, maybe 5 stars. Until then, this has been my story and I'm stickin' to it!

p.s. Tokaji is Tokay... Hungary's sweet white wine made from grapes infected with botrytis mold that creates the honey-like color and richness. Yum!

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Elite '08

300

600

Jen D.

San Francisco, CA

I was really excited when I heard about the opening of this place. For those of you who live, have lived or just have a general interest in NYC and the great restaurants there, you might have heard of Chikalicious.

*clicky*
http://www.yelp.com/bi...

I fell in love with Chikalicious and I wanted to fall in love with Candybar just the same. But unlike my love at first site experience with a little fru fru gangsta, it just didn't happen with Candybar.

I called in a reservation for 7pm on Sunday for 4. I asked if wine parings were offered and was delighted to learn that they were. After a light meal at Papalote, we made our way down to CB and were politely greeted and seated. The table was a bit too big for the space and poor Tiffinie was on the traffic side. I would say poor me since I was pinned against the wall, but since I'm small, and i have an freakishly strong bladder, I didn't mind.

I love the decor of this place. Simple with a splash of color. Tiffinie commented on the lighting over the bar, stating that she liked it and everyone nodded in agreement, until I mentioned that it reminded me of the light bulbs from the movie SAW and then Eugy shuddered. (he doesn't like scary movies)............

Some board games are provided for entertainment, but this didn't really make sense to me. The tables are on the small side and the plates are on the large side. Board game on the table with largish plates along with various glasses makes for an uncomfortably cluttered table. Not a good idea in my opinion.

A wine paring list was printed out especially for us since I specifically asked for it when I called in the resvy. That deserves its own star! I'm no good at picking out wine or bubbly anyway, so having the paring list made decision making easy. For starters, I had a Moscato di' Asti. I have always loved the muscat. The japanese muscat gummies are the best. Eat that and drink a sprite at the same time and it's almost like you're drinking muscat bubbly. Yum!

First we went for the savory items:

Scallop sashimi w/ avocado and kumquat - I loved this! The kumquat gave it a nice zing.
Pork terrine w/ pickled shallot, mustard, pickles and crostini - This was really good. Especially with the pickled shallot/mustard combo
Duck Liver Mousse - Thanks to Tiffinie and Jeff (who I now openly restaurant stalk) I tried this wonderful dish for the first time. This mousse on crostini with wine? drooooooooooool~

On to the dessert -

Warm Vanilla Cake - Something sweet and warm was oozing out of this cake. SO DAMN GOOD!!

Chevre cheesecake w/ ice cream (i forget the flavor!) - This came in a bowl but had pretty much melted when it came to the table... Though it tasted good, wasn't happy that it came out pretty much in soup form...

As far as service, the host was super friendly and accommodating. Our server seemed a little aloof and took forever getting back to us with info on one of the wines that was on the pairing menu.

I understand that this place has been open for a very, very short time and that's why I was patient. Normally, I wouldn't have been so patient. But even despite the short presence in the restaurant scene, this place shows GREAT potential. I'm going to give it 6 months and come back. I hope by then, all the kinks will have been worked out.

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18

50

kay v.

San Francisco, CA

I really wanted to like this place since novelty bars are kind of my thing sometimes and it's in the neighborhood. Let me reiterate: I *really* *tried*, but no amount of trying on my part can make-up for the short-falls of this place.

First of all, the 200-watt lighting. Not exactly what I look for in a bar whose aim is to be a relaxing, loungy atmosphere. The seating is just terrible. So uncomfortable and not loungy at all. The staff is obviously not having it because of the early-close license they have - they can't make as much money as they aim to, and this is exactly the attitude the staff projects. I sympathize, but I hear enough about civic issues in my daytime life. I don't want to hear about it when I'm relaxing on a Friday night.

The food falls drastically short of my expectations as well. Small portions, inconsistent flavor themes... they would definitely be in the bottom 2 of my quickfire challenge. The beverages are priced for a much more comfortable atmosphere - you know what I mean? I'd be a much better sport about paying those prices if I could at least consume my drink comfortably. And I echo the yelper who said something about their mark-up which goes above and beyond anything expected at a trendy bar.

Anyway, with a license that makes them close your doors at midnight on the weekend, they would be much better off if they were more restaurant-oriented.

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10

74

Chuck W.

San Mateo, CA

Okay, first thing's first:  Parking in NOPA sucks and for that reason alone you shouldn't even bother visiting Candybar.

Still not dissuaded?  Well then in that case, make a reservation so you can get a table, and then prepare yourself for an onslaught of sweet awesomeness.  Candybar features a very comprehensive selection of sweet wines (along with a number of sparklies and other wines), and an array of what can only be called amazing desserts.

What they do here is take fanciful preparations of tasty desserts (sorbets, small cakes, cookies) and then throw a small twist or two into each one, like the fennel flavoring they add to their baked alaska with carrot cake, or the hint of curry in their tiny but richly-textured peanut butter cookie.

The prices are reasonable too, with a four-course dessert tasting menu (pre-selected "appetizer" and "final course" along with two additional choices of your own) for $14, and the very helpful waitstaff will be pleased to aid you in pairing a drink (or two or three) with your selections.

About the only ding I can make against this place, other than that parking issue I mentioned, is that the table full of hotties didn't come over and hang out with me.  Totally lame!  ;)

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Elite '08

50

335

Lynrei V.

San Francisco, CA

well anyone that knows me knows that i travel far for a good dessert. heck, i just spent 2 weeks in japan eating cake, so when i came back to san francisco and heard that a dessert bar opened up in the city, (i have dreams of ChikaLicious in our own city) i was excited.

overall, i thought the desserts my party and i had were pretty solid. not everyone agreed on the panna cotta that night ( personally i thought all the flavours worked very well together ) but this place is new, i like the concept, i love desserts and pastry and i'm really not going to complain - at least food wise.

however - the staff still needs work and the young Banana Republic type crowd probably won't do it for me. i'll probably check this place less than i normally would.

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3

28

K S.

CA

Went for my friend's birthday, and I will definitely be coming back.  It feels really cozy, almost like having my friends come to my house for drinks (if only I had a dessert chef *sigh*).  I like that there's music but it's not too loud, it' s very good for conversation.
The desserts we sampled were delicious.
And the wine... oh the sweet sweet wine! A friend of my friend recommended something called Banyuls.  He described it as dark semi-sweet chocolate... but it was much better.... THANKS NICK!  

The parking in the area is pretty bad.  I parked about a 1/4 of a mile away!!!  But what's a big purse for if not for carrying a handy pair of flip-flops  :  D
Is this a bad neighborhood?  Should I have not parked so far away?
Sometimes ignorance is bliss!!!

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Elite '08

251

900

Ann L.

Fremont, CA

We tried Candybar after eating at Tommy's Joynt.  This is in the NOPA area & we had to drive there.  Only open for about 1 week so far.

We walk in to an empty place & the guy there asked us if we had reservations.  We didn't & I asked for the window seats.  It was fine.

We ordered:

Blood Orange Baked Alaska $9 -comes w/ candied fennel & honey comb.  It's a tiny dessert, blood orange sorbet was fine & not bad.  Candied fennel was boring & didn't see honey comb only a drizzle of honey.

Chocolate brioche w/ balsamic caramel ice-cream/lime yogurt $8.  Balsamic caramel is a salted caramel ice cream was nice, chocolate brioche tasted like a warm chocolate cake.  Just ok.

Friend got 2006 Accornero Brigantino Casorzo, Italy Malvasia di Casorzo $8.50 for a glass of this Bubble.  I thought it tasted like a sparkly grape juice.

One unisex bathroom in the back to the left.  Didn't see light switch only a bunch of lighted candles.

Some tables in the back.  Many board games if you want to hang out.

Recommended probably if in the area, not worth a special trip.

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13

46

Lola G.

Oakland, CA

What I love is that all the desserts sound like crap on paper, but they were shockingly good.  We just had a la carte the choco parfait (the matza toffee with smoked salt was yum. i like me a good salt lick) and the choco brioche with balsamic caramel ice cream and lime yogurt was tasty too.  Kind of pricey for just dessert, but that is the price of luxury!

How about prune ice cream with a scoop of Sonoma organic dirt and chicken liver? I think they can make it taste good!!  

[Note: I just made that last one up.  It's not on the menu of course.]

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Elite '08

17

73

Kat M.

San Francisco, CA

Ok, first off...
This place is very cute and cozy.  It's not your usual, "talk over one another" type of place.   It's comfortable and nice!  Well decorated with perfect lighting and comfortable furniture.  I was very happy with the service and I had great company as I always usually do:)

However, I was very disappointed in the red wine list.  Not much of a selection and most of the reds were dry and a tad over priced.  IMO.  

On the other hand, their selection of whites (sweet - hence the name, and not -so-sweet) were FAR BETTER.  

I don't know, I guess I've been spoiled with the many other wine bars in this city as far as "selection" goes.  I do recommend this place, but if you're a red wine person, just be prepared.

Hopefully they'll expand their list....

Oh!, and they have "fair" pours!

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Elite '08

55

216

Kristin R.

San Francisco, CA

At least one star goes to the name itself. I've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Candybar while silently cursing that I will never be able to open my own business in SF with this impossibly cute name. For some reason "Rebar" or "Crowbar" or a"Sandbar" just don't have the same ring to it.

We stopped in after getting our Happy Hour on at Fly Bar. The wine list was great- tons of sweet wines. Even the Pinot Noir I ordered was sweeter than usual. Yum!

I highly recommend the duck liver mousse- it was creamy-salty-sweet goodness. The Dessert Tasting Menu was also a nice treat. The warm vanilla cake tasted kind of eggy. The baked alaska was definitely a treat and I would order it again in a heartbeat!

A great addition to the neighborhood!

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14

85

Thom Y.

San Francisco, CA

candybar.  not so sweet after all.  ZING!

i really wanted to like this place.  i really really REALLY did.  i LOVE sweet wines and i LOVE desserts even more.  but to my utter disappointment, candybar was a complete disaster.

i'm going to preface this by saying that most of the issues that happened tonight were probably due to the fact that they just opened a week ago.  they should really consider making some drastic changes to their establishment if they want to avoid what happened my friends and i tonight.

it was partially our fault because we didn't have reservations.  we walked in at about 8:30 PM.  there were a few tables open and one bench open.  we told them we didn't have reservations so they offered us the bench.  with a party of four, all of us sitting on a bench wasn't the ideal conversation set-up so we asked how long it would be for a table.  about 20 minutes they said.  just in case, they penciled us in for 9:15 but they said it should be a lot sooner.  9:15 comes by and after two rounds of drinks at the "bar" we still don't have table.  the "bar" is so small only about 6 people can stand around it.  the place is pretty crowded by that time and they offered us the bench again.  anxious to sit, we decided to just take the bench.  alright.

so we sat, looked at the menu and waited for someone to take our order.  and we sat some more.  after about 15 minutes of just sitting there, a waitress tried to take our menus away.  "oh, wait.  we didn't order yet."  the waitress said that she'll tell someone right away.  15 minutes went by and another waitress asked us if we wanted to order something.  we said yes.  she then got distracted by a worker at the bar.  and simply walked away.

yes, she walked away.  no, "hold on a second" or "i'll be right back".  she just plain up and walked away.  we were dumbfounded.  she came back about 10 minutes later and informed us that we have to first close our bar tab before we could order.  say what?  why they couldn't just switch it over, i really don't know.  so we paid and she brought us back our receipt.  then she left again before taking our order!  after that, my friends were all so pissed off we just decided to leave.  of course right when we were about to stand up, the waitress came back and asked what we wanted to order.  

screw that.  we left and headed two blocks over to NOPA.  we sat down at the open seating area, ordered 4 delicious desserts and left within half the time we spent at candybar.

another surprise at candybar was the fact that the even the bartender hasn't tried all the wines!  we asked how one of the wines were and he said that he has never tasted it.  uh.... what?  most establishments have their bartenders and waiters sit down and taste each wine so that they know about the wines they serve.  the fact that even the bartender has not tried the wines really suggests to me that they shouldn't promote themselves as a wine bar.

so my friends and i have a few suggestions for this place:
1. get rid of reservations on crowded nights - unless you want to run your place more like a restaurant than a lounge, the reservations have got to go.  you'll alienate anyone who wants to just have a few drinks and some dessert.  sure, if someone wants to eat dinner, then allow them to make reservations at earlier times.  however, if you want to break into the bar scene, you can't restrict people from sitting at open tables.

2. get rid of the board games on crowded nights.  the last thing you want is a group who sits at a table for two hours playing connect four when they aren't really drinking or eating.

3. educate your workers.  "i've never tried that wine" should never EVER be spoken by a waiter or a bartender.

4. put more movable chairs in the "lounge" area.  there's a lot of dead space that can be used.  make the most of it.

i have high hopes for this place which is why i really would like to come back in a month or two to see how everything has developed.  the wines were very good and the desserts LOOKED tasty (keyword: looked).  once things are fine-tuned, candybar might be everything i was hoping it would be.

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0

12

Bailey W.

San Francisco, CA

There are some truly awesome things here that I love and will possibly come back for, HOWEVER i left not full at all and still paid 100 bucks for what was really yummy but not filling at all.  The desserts were good but the food didn't blow me away in any way.  Each dish had at least one aspect that I just didn't like. The service was okay, not great but not bad.  There is a huge issue that I do have with Candybar, they don't give you new silverware for the new dishes they just put them on the table.  I'm sure it was cleaned but that's still somehow not kosher with me.  The bathroom though was pretty cool and the wine list was pretty good.  All-in-all not bad but not a place I'll go to regularly if at all.

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19

55

Consuelo J.

Union City, CA

Parking is. H.O.R.R.I.B.L.E. so you MUST leave an hour before your reservation is you want any chance to make it on time.

We were late for our reservation so had to wait a bit. The bar area is a little wierd... standing room only, no barstools.  There was confusion with the menus, apparently you get a different menu directly from the bartender vs. sitting at a table.  I think the walls could stand a bit more artwork but the comfy lounge seating & board games seemed fun & entertaining.

Drinks:
*Candybar Bellini: Raventos Cava/ Blood orange sorbet/ blood orange &  lavendar syrup.
--Looks like cherry kool-aid but much tastier & grown up like. I would have ordered another if I hadn't had to drive home!

*Moscato: Briada "Vigna Senza Nome" Piemonte, Italy (moscato d' Asti)
--A nice dessert wine, not too sweet and a bit bubbly.

Desserts:
*Chevre Cheesecake: Coconut sorbet, nicoise olive, caramel.
--I was skeptical about this, not at all what I expected, but turned out to be a winner!  Served on the softer side & I couldn't figure out the nicoise olive part, but all of the flavors blended well together.  Delicious!

*Chocolate Brioche: Balsamic caramel ice cream, lime yogurt.
--I read this was the one to order and Yelpers, you were right! Definitely not your typical brioche, but definitely tasty. It is more cake & brownie-like, served warm, with an excellent chocolate flavor. Went well with the caramel ice cream and lime yogurt - just enough to cut the sweetness a bit.

Our total bill was just under $30, they knocked off $5 since it was his bday.  If we can find parking, we might just be back!

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14

78

dan m.

San Francisco, CA

The one word review:  "Oops"

Wait staff
Did someone die?  Or is it just the depressing atmosphere?  From the door guy to the waitress, you would think something tragic happened.  Maybe it's just a foreshadowing for the future of this place... who knows.

Atmosphere
As touched on above... someone shot for "hip and cool" and ended up looking the fool.

Dessert
WAY overpriced for the tiny ass amounts.  The quality of the ingredients seemed fine, and the preparation was fine, but in trying to be inventive, they only manage "Yeah, you could do that, but it doesn't necessarily make it a good idea."  

It's a dessert place... I HAD to try it... now I regret it.  Shit.  One star for trying to do a nice dessert place and another star for a good name.  Someone, please help these people fix this heap.

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Elite '08

58

109

Jade L.

San Francisco, CA

This place is a great addition to the neighborhood and the staff here are incredibly sweet so the name is very fitting! Excellent wine list- and a good balance of sweet and savory dishes on the small plates menu.  The space feels very open and the atmosphere is quite casual.  They had board games available and I never turn down an opportunity to kick some ass so I challenged my friend to Connect Four.  Considering we were playing to see who would buy the drinks, I knew I had a lot at stake and my concentration was high.  I ended up winning of course so I got to drink for free and bask in my glorious achievement of being a skilled player of a game invented for the ages 7+.  

The pork terrine was excellent. I suggested they add just a couple more crostini or cornichons to the dish and make it more proportional. They also have a duck pate which I didn't try ( I think pork pate/terrine usually has a more mild flavor while duck tends to be richer in flavor)  I also sampled a Riesling from the white wine menu and even though the server didn't know about the wine, she offered me a taste and it was quite wonderful.  My suggestion would be that the staff definitely should get to know the wine a bit more. But she handled it well and was a total sweetheart.  I like that the place is family owned and run because you can feel the love that they put into this place. I will definitely return and I can't wait to try the other savory dishes.

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2

13

Paawan K.

San Francisco, CA

As a dessert person, I was thrilled to see a place dedicated to just desserts. Most of the desserts I tried were quite good. My only disappointment was that there was nothing warm to drink. The staff mentioned they were expecting to set up Blue Bottle coffee soon.
The wine selection was great and the ambiance relaxed. The tasting menu is worth getting just for the warm malt milk at the end.

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