Carousel Candies - Monterey

I feel like this place is hit or miss. We returned because we had a great experience when we visited last year. The second visit, the man was very friendly giving us samples of caramel and taffy that were very good. We decided to buy a bag of caramel and he gave us a handful on top of that. Then we tried the bag we purchased and it was a bad batch. He’s giving a good batch out for samples to sell the bad batch which tastes super salty. My son loves caramels and will not eat them. The hay stacks we bought the last time were nothing but coconut covered in chocolate. not the usual thicker crunch of a hay stack. The strawberries in the chocolate covered strawberries I got were soggy and didn’t taste rip. The mint fudge was the worst fudge I’ve ever eaten. The huckleberry white chocolate was the best thing we got but it was delicious. The taffy was also pretty good. Me and my husband question if they changed owners or if maybe they’re struggling due to covid. Just didn’t seem like the same quality as last time.

Great customer service and the treats are super yummy. Kiddos got the chocolate covered bananas, hubby got the cherry ice cream and I got some toffee Almonds. Will come back soon!

My grandparents first took me to Carousel Candies when I was 4 years old and 45 years later it's still one of my first stops when I visit Fisherman's Wharf. They have the best taffy caramel corn. Give them a try, I'm sure you won't regret it.

Absolutely one of the best places for candy and desserts in Monterey! You have to try the dark chocolate bacon, chocolate jalapeños, and chocolate-covered figs. My wife and I always look forward to visiting this spot whenever we're at the Wharf. There’s truly something for everyone!

I absolutely love her dark chocolate English toffee. I first tried it back in 1986, and it's still the best I've ever had. They also make their own saltwater taffy using a machine right in the window, but that's not really my thing. I'm glad I didn't invest in the first candy business I came across. Not that those places aren't good, but Carousel Candies is the original. I remember the first confectionery store selling ice cream in fresh waffle cones; there used to be a waffle cone machine behind the counter, but sadly, no more ice cream. I really enjoyed coming back here.