Hazel Mountain Chocolate — Restaurant in County Clare

A Truly Delightful Experience at The Hazelnut Chocolate Factory

From the moment we arrived, our visit to The Hazelnut Chocolate Factory was nothing short of enchanting. Nestled in the breathtaking landscape of The Burren, this charming establishment offers not only exquisite chocolates but a wonderfully immersive experience for visitors of all ages.

The customer service was exceptional—warm, welcoming, and attentively without being intrusive. The clean, aesthetically pleasing interior is thoughtfully designed, with large windows allowing guests to watch the skilled chocolatiers at work, adding a lovely touch of transparency and artistry to the visit.

The parking area is well laid out, and the outdoor seating provides a serene setting to enjoy the surrounding natural beauty. We were particularly impressed by the accessible layout, including wheelchair-friendly pathways and restrooms, ensuring everyone can enjoy their time here comfortably.

The coffee shop offers a wide array of beverages, from rich hot chocolates (our little one adored his toddler-sized cup with tiny marshmallows—a rare treat he finished entirely!) to indulgent chocolate lattes and fine teas. The desserts are unique, inspired by the owner’s own recipes—so delightful that we couldn’t resist purchasing her cookbook as a keepsake. (I’ve since learned she also has a wonderful cooking channel, which I highly recommend!)

The gift shop is a treasure trove of locally sourced, sustainable products, and the staff member there was incredibly knowledgeable, offering us a taste of their creamy milk chocolate and sharing fascinating insights into their ethically sourced ingredients.

The Hazelnut Chocolate Factory is also very Child Friendly and the staff interaction with the my kids (both on spectrum) made our family feel right at home.

I would just like to thank all the staff and the owner for such a special visit. I can’t wait to bring all family and friends visiting Ireland to come experience our new favourite place to go have coffee and unique chocolate in our beautiful area. Well done all of you.

A short distance away, the historic abbey ruins—home to the tomb of King Connor O’Brien (c. 1200s)—add a lovely cultural touch to the visit, easily accessible with a quick detour.

The only note of caution is to take care when exiting the car park, as the road has a blind hill where cars can approach quickly. That aside, this is an absolute must-visit for anyone exploring The Burren.

Highly recommended—a perfect blend of quality, sustainability, and warm Irish...

My sister and I consider ourselves chocolate snobs, so we were excited to find this place. Our visit started out great, in the chocolate shop, with a friendly tour from one of the staff members. After buying some chocolates (without having tried them first), we went into the café for hot chocolate. We ordered a milk hot chocolate, a dark hot chocolate, and a chocolate coffee (basically a mocha). The milk tasted like Swiss Miss - not bad, but nothing special. The dark was very good, but pretty typical for gourmet hot chocolate. The mocha was bland and watery; we didn't even finish it. We ordered a berry tart that was downright disgusting, and later in the day when we tried the truffles we'd purchased from the store were again disappointed. We decided they weren't worth the calories and ended up tossing them. The chocolate bars and their "Nutella" were also very pedestrian. The most concerning part of the visit, though, was the pervasive attitude of the café staff. Everyone had a "too big for their britches" attitude and they were quite proud of their mediocre chocolate and subpar food. If Hershey is your standard of good chocolate, this place is probably okay, but it certainly isn't gourmet or worth a special visit. They have a cool story to tell, and I admire what they're trying to achieve, but they simply aren't there yet with quality. Apparently the staff hasn't gotten the memo. Later in our trip we discovered Skelligs Chocolate along the Ring of Kerry and were far...

Hazel Mountain Chocolate is a true hidden gem in the heart of the Burren, Ireland. For anyone visiting this stunning region, a stop at this artisanal chocolate factory is a must. The factory offers a unique experience: through a large glass window, you can watch master chocolatiers at work as they create exquisite chocolate bars and pralines with extraordinary passion and care.

Next to the factory, there is a cozy café, perfect for a delicious break. Here, we indulged in their hot chocolate and a slice of chocolate and hazelnut cake. The cake was simply divine: soft and rich, with a perfect balance between the intense chocolate flavor and the crunchiness of the hazelnuts. The hot chocolate, dense and velvety, was the perfect complement to this sensory experience.

The prices are slightly above average, with chocolate bars starting at €8, but every euro is more than justified by the extraordinary quality of the ingredients and the craftsmanship of the product. If you’re traveling through the Burren, Hazel Mountain Chocolate is an unmissable stop for those who want to discover the true meaning of artisanal chocolate. A must-visit to treat yourself to a moment of pure sweetness in a...