Fran’s Chocolates

3.5* but I will round up. Good chocolate, nice selection. Caramel was tasty. Overall, not the best chocolate I have ever had, but it was still good. Really expensive though ($ 2 for one truffle/​caramel that is about 1 sq. inch… or less).

Salted caramel (milk chocolate) is really the best. My boyfriend always gets me a box of ~30 pieces for any special occasion, and I eat it all within the week. It’s certainly not cheap, but well worth it.

It’s as good as it gets, as Unilocal suggests. What Seattle has that makes for a great experience, is all the great chocolate shops and makers. Sure there are chocolatiers in every city, but if you indeed appreciate good chocolate; I implore you to visit. I come here, specifically to find chocolate to give as gifts.
It’s something that is sublime, a wonderland, and admiration and joy of the world to have a treat from here. Coming here, is an adventure, but best to head to the counter, and review the so many flavors of awesome. Sure the walls have pre-​packaged selections, and they are perfectly excellent choices, but the counter is a less tangible, selection of goodness.
What could be more wonderful? I say, owning some of the most magnificent chocolate in the Pacific Northwest ranks up there. For Seattleites, giving or receiving a box of Fran’s, is something special.

The customer service here is amazing. Elaine, you are definitely an asset to this shop!
The story: Needed to get some chocolates out and delivered for same-​day delivery. It was getting late in the day and I had no idea what assortment to get. In comes Elaine.
Super knowledgeable about all the different types of chocolates and picked an assortment that would leave anyone happy. Got the chocolates delivered in a timely manner. A+ service and very friendly over the phone (and I’m sure in person).
I’ve tried a few different chocolates here and I don’t think you can go wrong. Definitely worth stopping by this shop!

Every time I visit Seattle, I always stop by Fran’s — without fail. It’s a tradition for me, even though their sea salt caramels are sold at Whole Foods, Sur La Table, and some other shops in SoCal. Despite that, the actual retail stores themselves have a much greater selection and for some of their specialty items alone, it’s well worth the trip!
I usually always go to the downtown location (near Pike’s Place), but unfortunately I didn’t have a rental car this time around, so my friend graciously drove me to the nearest location, which just happened to be Bellevue. This location is a bit smaller and somewhat less ritzy than the downtown location, but it’s kinda a nice change! The ambiance is less flashy and has more of a small town kind of feel, particularly because it’s located in the midst of tons of charming little storefronts. The staff is also incredibly helpful here… and best of all, they offer samples! :)
The quality of the chocolate is unbelievably awesome and consistent with all the other Fran’s locations I’ve been to. Unfortunately, they currently changed the look of their chocolate figs. Instead of injecting the figs with chocolate ganache, which enabled them to better retain their natural shape, they basically pounded a dried fig thin and then covered it with dark chocolate, so it now more closely resembles the coin look of their apricots. The figs are still good, but definitely not quite the same as they used to be and definitely not worth the $ 5 – 6 they’re still charging for them! Nonetheless, the chocolate covered orange peels and chocolate covered apricots are still two of my favorites and have remained unchanged!
I also picked up a Fran’s coconut gold bar while I was here, since it was recently featured on the Food network. All I can say is… it tasted like an elevated almond joy, which was beyond exquisite!
I love thee, Fran’s.

Delicious chocolates and had the best hot chocolate so far. Great customer service.
Definitely going back.

Delicious chocolates and outstanding customer service. I can’t wait to come back.

I do love my chocolates, and this place is supposedly known for their chocolate covered caramels. When I went to Seattle, I knew I had to try them and see what all the hype was about. To be honest, I was kind of underwhelmed. The taste was good, but nothing really spectacular. They are these delicate, bite sized pieces for about $ 2 each. They do get points for their presentation and store display, but overall, I probably wouldn’t choose to get another chocolate.

— Unexpected service —
I rarely come to Old Bellevue, but I’ve passed by this stores at least 4 times but never entered this place. I was going to eat brunch with my friends, and I needed to use the bathroom badly (I know i know. that’s me). She suggested checking this store to see if they have a bathroom. They didn’t, but the cashier asked what kind of chocolate we want as soon as we entered. She then sampled a full size milk chocolate, while I tried a dark chocolate. I didn’t enjoy mine much because I didn’t like the combination of chocolate and orange flavor, but she apparently liked hers.
My friend then asked them when they’ll start selling drinks there and the lady said they haven’t started yet. She then grabbed someone in the back and the other lady was so nice that she gave us a card for complimentary drinks at other locations. It’s so unexpected, but their customer service is really nice… I didn’t know my desire to use the bathroom could lead to a free drink, but that’s pretty cool XD!

Chocolate… Insert Homer Simpson voice.
High quality and excellent customer service.

Dark chocolate Gray salt caramels. Delicious! Best salted caramels.
I buy a big box every time I’m in Seattle.
This last time I bought a box there just a couple weeks ago, I got home and discovered my order had an issue… Called Fran’s just to let them know, and they blew me away with their service. Totally unexpected! Service is just as amazing as the chocolates they sell.
Nom Nom Nom. Thanks Fran’s! I’ll be back soon! :)

***Fran’s Chocolates is an upscale chocolate boutique that features very expensive products, but their chocolates are very good***
Fran’s Chocolates is a well-​known Seattle chocolate boutique that you might be familiar with even if you have never been to Seattle. You can find Fran’s Chocolates’ caramels and mini but thick candy bars at gourmet grocery stores like Bristol Farms and Whole Foods. If you visit one of the Fran’s Chocolates stores in the Seattle area though, you will find a much greater variety of chocolates like seasonal packaged chocolates and even chocolate truffles and other chocolates by the piece that you can customize into a small or large box.
Their chocolates do not get that creative, but there is a good variety of both dark chocolate pieces and milk chocolate pieces as well as a variety of fillings. Some of their options include pure dark chocolate truffles, pure milk chocolate truffles, bittersweet truffles, really strong and delicious espresso truffles (in dark or milk chocolate), oolong tea truffles, caramel truffles (in dark or milk chocolate), gray salt caramels, dark chocolate caramels, and milk chocolate caramels.
The chocolates were good to very good. I really enjoyed the hazelnut crunch, which had a Nutella-​like and feuillantine wafer-​like crispy center. I also really liked their one chocolate with a creamy and nutty ganache center topped with a crunchy macadamia.
Another popular item here is their Coconut Gold Bar. This chocolate bar (available in the store as an individual item or in a box of 7 bars) is a gourmet version of an Almond Joy. This chocolate bar was showcased on the Food Network’s Best Thing I Ever Ate. The chocolate bar featured crunchy and nicely toasted almonds as well as a thin, rich and delicious dark chocolate shell. The star of the chocolate bar was the white chocolate coconut ganache center, which was creamy and had a great coconut flavor. The ganache was not overpowering or artificial tasting like Almond Joy.
Service was very polite, polished and personable.
The store sells many other nice looking items and the store has a very clean and upscale design. Prices are high with some items feeling even incredibly pricey, but a lot of their items are delicious and the quality of ingredients is very high.
While Fran’s Chocolates is expensive, it is a great store to indulge or pick up a nice gift. And even though you can find some of their products in other parts of the country, there are still a lot of delicious items here that you will only find in Seattle. Fran’s is definitely worth a visit for chocolate lovers spending time in Seattle.
Free street parking is available. Due to the park and several shops and dining options in the area, you might not be able to find a parking space close to this store’s entrance.

I am glad there is a Bellevue store. I love Fran’s for myself and as gifts to others.
Note: Street parking.

Milk chocolate items and all the caramels are AMAZING. Their dark chocolate is not exactly to my taste but still excellent quality, and my dark chocolate connaisseur relatives are huge, huge fans. Heart stoppingly expensive considering that their chocolates are on the small size compared to European chocolatiers (Leonidas, Jeff de Bruges, etc.) But worth it I would say! I have never been disappointed so far.
Also, they play French music pretty much all the time which is delightfully atmospheric :-)

Fran’s is the best Seattle chocolate brand (far superior to Theo imo)
The people working in the store are sweet & helpful, they always give me a free caramel.
The chocolate covered orange peels & coconut gold bars are amazing. I love to bake using their baking chocolate. My brother likes the chocolate filled figs.

GMO ingredients, I had to give Fran’s Chocolates up. Don’t get me wrong, I love Fran’s chocolates, especially the Almond Gold Bar, but it includes corn syrup, soy lecithin, and beet sugar which are all most likely GMO. The company couldn’t assure me that it ingredient sources are non-​GMO, so I had to quit buying, and alas, eating Fran’s.

I’m spoiled. I know it.
I frequently receive gifts from Fran’s and I feel like I have done something pretty amazing to get little square box with a beautiful satin ribbon around it filled with the most delicious little bites and nibbles. Maybe I saved a bus load of handicapped kids one time or maybe walked a little old woman across the street just once or maybe I am just an awesome girlfriend who deserves yummy delicious things in little boxes with pretty ribbon… sigh :)

My family has been coming here for years.
The gray salt caramels, chocolate dipped orange peel, gold bars and everything in-​between is DELICIOUS!
I buy goodies for family all over the US and around the state and send them for birthdays and holidays.
Though these chocolates are expensive; for the quality of the chocolate and ingredients the price is right on.
It is definitely worth a trip to Fran’s!

Hazelnut Crunch Truffles. ‘Nuff Said.
Really velvety texture of caramels and truffles alike. All made with fresh, local, organic cream.
Bellevue store is located dangerously close to my office in Bellevue. Which makes these amazing chocolates extremely convenient to pop in for «client gifts». tee hee
No Marzipan makes this a 4-​star review. Quick to give samples, the service is friendly.

Indispensable resource. Just go. If you need fancy chocolates for a nice present, you are guaranteed (or as close as it is possible to be to being guaranteed) a happy reception when you give Fran’s. This chocolate is amazing.
Well, I have only managed to get my fingers in fast enough to try a couple bites of Fran’s in all the years I have been giving her chocolates out on special occasions and to co-​workers, but it never fails to delight. The salted caramels are pretty much legendary. Whether you’re buying chocolate for someone who really loves the good stuff or happily chomps on supermarket sugar bombs in brightly colored wrappers, Fran’s seems to have universal appeal.
So, OK. That point has probably been made rather well. The store? It’s just a wall of shelves full of different chocolates. It’s full of rich mahogany and silk-​bound packages. It’s kind of a big deal. The people are nice. You can’t believe how much the chocolate costs. $ 20 a pound or something. Small fortune for this stuff. So you buy one of the little packages. If it’s a big occasion, you buy a bigger package.
Everything about Fran’s, from the hand-​made chocolate to the locations, through the lux interiors, and on to the sweet well-​kept ladies who look after the sales floors, is super-​premium. You’re not buying snacks here. These are very fine indulgences.
I am sure every good-​sized city has a Fran’s, or something like it. They probably each have their specialties. And I’ve not tried Theo yet so I am not up on that one. But IME, Fran’s always produces the desired result and then some. So IMO it’s as good as anything this area has to offer for this sort of thing.