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Mindy's Hot Chocolate
Categories: Restaurants American (Traditional) Food Desserts American (Traditional), Desserts [Edit]
1747 N Damen Ave(between Willow St & St Paul Ave)
Chicago, IL 60647
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
(773) 489-1747
- Nearest Transit:
-
Damen-O'Hare (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Tue-Wed, Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Wed-Fri 11:30 am - 2 pm
Thu 5:30 pm - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 12 am
Sat-Sun 10 am - 2 pm
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dessert, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
966 reviews for Mindy's Hot Chocolate
Review Highlights
"The salted caramel ice cream, however was TO."
(in 38 reviews)
"Must try dishes include the mussels and mac n cheese."
(in 131 reviews)
"to me, it looked like a fancy peanut butter cup."
(in 32 reviews)
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966 reviews in English
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Review from kris r.
Chicago, IL
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
brunch was SUPER GOOD! like i said, im a big brunch person (figuratively, not literally). i was really impressed!!
we walked in on a sunday morning and it was a tad bit crowded but we only waited 15 minnies. no bigs. the people here are very nice. we sat on the couches and waited.
i ordered the quiche, which was AMAZEBALLSINMYMOUTH!!!!! oh my. so so so good. i can't recall what it had, which is okay bc i think the menu changes frequently anyway. the coffee comes in mini presses, which is supes dainty. my friend ordered the bagels and lox, which he loved. it came with not just salmon, but some sort of white fish.
i would come back here in a heartbeat. i usually come for their bacon chocolate chip cookies - HELLO! so bacon-y and chocolate-y in the best way possible. YUM FACE.
i need to come to dinner here. anyone want to join me?? -
Review from Kristen R.
Chicago, IL
1/30/2012
My BFFs took me here for my b-day dinner. It's a place I have wanted to try for quite sometime, but I am definitely not cool enough to head over on my own.
My friends had made reservations for 7:30 Saturday night and I am so glad they did. The place was packed, the bar was fully lined, every table full. The lighting is very dark and I imagine it is packed quite often, so it is a little on the loud side.
The waiter wasted no time getting our drink order, which wasn't hard because only one of us ordered a glass of house red. I'll be fine with water, thanks. You'll need it later trust me!
A couple of the ladies ordered the lamb sandwich and I ordered the vegetable risotto. We got our food pretty quickly and each had a lovely presentation. While my risotto was beautiful with all these lovely garnishes and tasted delicious, the lamb sandwich was definitely more bang for the buck! it was huge and it looked like a giant, juicy, lamb pinwheel, super tasty. Regardless, of the portion you're served, don't eat it all, or you won't have room for dessert, and lets be honest, that's why you're there.
Ah dessert, music to a fat birthday girl's ears! I recommend everyone getting a different hot chocolate and sharing, lucky for me that's what we did! we ordered 3 different hot chocolates and each was served in a giant mug with a giant homemade marshmallow on the saucer. Each hot chocolate delivered just what the description called for. we had the chai, a dark mixed with espresso, and a super dark one. The chai was smooth and calming, the mix was chocolaty with just a little kick, and the third was the darkest, richest, most decadent, chocolate you could ever sip. It was liquid gold as far as i am concerned.
I couldn't have asked for a better birthday dinner experience! We was classy and sweet. The chocolate fiend in me can't wait to go back and knock the rest of those dreamy chocolates off my list! -
Review from Annie C.
Chicago, IL
1/29/2012
Oh where do I begin? Well first off, I suggest you make reservations or go earlier in the day. My friends and I showed up around 9pm and we didn't get seated until almost 10pm. And while we were waiting another huge crowd of people showed up. But let me tell you, that wait was well worth the meal we had.
First off our waiter was hilarious and nice. Since we had ample time to look at the menu we ordered right away and yet, we still waited another 20 minutes.
I ordered the hamburger with the egg sunnyside up with a side of the leek and potato au gratin. It was delicious. The egg yolk was gooey and fit the burger just right. It was probably the best burger I've ever had in my life. The leek and potato was also very good, but didn't seem seasoned enough.
My friend ordered the mac and cheese and it was not that impressive, she even added tobasco sauce for taste.. And my other friend ordered the chicken, that took the longest to cook, she waited almost 30 minutes for it. But, it was well seasoned and had a side of the leek and potato au gratin and enjoyed every bite, and even had leftovers. The portions they gave were very copious amounts and generous which we didn't expect.
And of course you don't want to forget dessert. I recommend the dark hot chocolate. It's really not that bitter at all, but it's so rich and delectable. I would recommend you drink this on an empty stomach. I was too full so I just had a couple sips, and got a to go cup for the rest. And it comes with a homemade marshmallow!
And for real dessert, I suggest the Banana Bread Pudding. BEST banana bread pudding ever!!! I recommend all the way. The creme brulee was alright, it was not custard like enough, it was more melted almost, but came with a tiny raspberry rugelach. And the baked alaska was good minus the sauce they drizzle around it, I gotta say that part is the acquired taste.
All and all, your meal is going to cost you a little more than you want to spend, but trust me, it's worth it! -
Review from Randy T.
1/25/2012
Where to go after a miraculous dinner at Schwa? Why a post-dinner dessert sojourn at Mindy's of course. Who says you can't have more dessert? Us apparently since we were still quite full from our meal, but this was a place we wanted to try. A relatively short walk in the freezing Chicago night allowed us to burn off some calories and we got there barely evading frostbite. Fortunately, the hot chocolate would be our savior.
We were quickly seated and immediately ordered the "Mexican" hot chocolate ($6), composed of 2/3 dark chocolate, 1/3 milk, fresh cinnamon, and a pinch of cayenne. I saw the Banana Brioche Bread Pudding ($12) on the menu and added that to our order as well. I love bread pudding. The rectangular slab of semifreddo would slowly melted over the warm, uber-custardy brioche and into the puddle of coffee-toffee-Moloko Milk Stout hot fudge. It was an assault to your palate. Creamy, richness, pillowy, sweetness, bitterness. It's one of best bread puddings I've ever had.
The "Mexican" hot chocolate was comforting and welcoming to the brutal cold we encountered. I enjoyed the mild frothiness as you begin to drink it followed by warmth of chocolate washing down your esophagus. The subtle, ethereal tinge of the cayenne on your tongue was a beautiful sensation.
Service was friendly and prompt on a late night. The waiter also remarked at how the staff recently had a dinner at Schwa and left money to pay for their meal. The next day Chef Carlson shows up with an envelope of money and leaves it there saying the dinner was on him. Too bad I couldn't get a free meal at Schwa. -
Review from Brandon T.
Chicago, IL
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
So just came here tonight, and this place just tied as my worst experience dining out in Chicago to date. We had been so excited to try this place after hearing great things, and experienced one fail after another for a more than 2 hour piss poor evening.
Got both the burger and short rib entree's. The burger was ok, but the $25 short rib dish was a pile of fat that was completely inedible. Our server was so busy we were never asked how things were, but did get some attention 45 minutes after i finished my burger to let him know how bad it was and have it comped.
So to make up for poor food, and terrible service we were given a free dessert along side of the two others we had ordered. The baked alaska wasn't good at all. The chocolate souffle was rock hard on the bottom, and also sucked. The saving grace was the free donuts with the chocolate dipping sauce. Yet when I received the bill 40 minutes later, we were charged for them even though we didn't even ask for them!!
Letting our server know, he was sorry and took the bill back to be changed. At this point we had been in the restaurant for a little over two hours, and spent 15 minutes picking at bad food.
I would never recommend this place in any way to anyone. Not for the food, not for the dessert, and definitely not for the service. -
Review from Sarah N.
Chicago, IL
2/5/2012
I have been here for brunch and dinner on multiple occasions, and I love it. The sweets are great, but the savory dishes are really exceptional as well. Definitely worth it if you are in the area.
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Review from David B.
Evanston, IL
1/15/2012
Oh my...I've certainly been missing a little sumpin' sumpin' with Hot Chocolate.
The eats (everything was split w/ my wife) :
- Mussels
- Pork Belly Salad
- Cassoulet
The drinks
- Bottle of Oro de Calabazza Beer
The desserts
- Mexican Hot chocolate
- Napolean Chocolate & Pear
Everything my wife and I tried that night was a star. Amongst the savories, the Pork Belly Salad and Cassoulet dishes are ones that i'm dying to try again. The Mussels were also outstanding, and like many Mussel dishes, a pretty big portion. Dessert did not dissapoint, and in fact, probably even exceeded the high expectations we had coming in the restaurant.
Overall, really fun experience at Hot Chocolate. Service was impeccable, atmosphere was warm and cozy and good was amazing. A great visit and its a place I'd love to visit again. -
Review from kat a.
Chicago, IL
1/27/2012
This place is A-mazing! A friend of mine said she'd heard good things and suggested it for a late night dinner. We got there around 9:15 and the place was still pretty full, but we got a table immediately. The space is quite small though so I'd suggest a reservation. But know that they don't accept day-of reservations.
This place is pretty reasonably priced. Apps around $10 and entrees are in the $20-$30 range. Everything on the menu sounded appealing to us so we ordered a lot of food at our table. It was, after all, reasonably priced! We had to have the hot pretzel appetizer served warm with warm cheesy mustard. So worth it. Absolutely delicious. I ordered the soup of the day, something with bacon and scallions. They did a great job with the texture of the purée. The flavor was good but the texture made the dish. My boyfriend and I also shared the pork belly salad. The pork melts in your mouth and goes great with the vinaigrette dressing.
We both got sandwiches as entrees (more in the $10-$20 range). I had a spin on the classic grilled cheese and my boyfriend had the lamb sandwich...both of which were good. Be advised, the lamb is quite greasy though. And for dessert, you must have the fresh baked doughnuts and caramel corn. You will not regret it!
It's pretty obvious that this place is known for having good hot chocolate from the name. So we had pretty high hopes going into dessert. And we were not disappointed! They have a few kinds, traditional and less so.
I must mention one last thing, probably my favorite part about the place. The staff! They're friendly and just the right amount of awkward. At least the ones we interacted with. Basically, everything is extraordinary, the environment is fun, and you all need to go! -
Review from PingPing N.
Houston, TX
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
MINDY....girl...you done did it right!
"Slap yo mama" good. We came for dessert and had to sit in the lounge area.
The tables are reserved for dinner patrons only. No problem.
Drinks:::
Hot chocolate $6-- Dark. A drink made by the gods!!! Rich, smooth, cocoa!!! NOt too sweet, not bitter, delightfully tantalizing!! Pure perfection. A MUST. Homemade marshmallow. WOW. Just WOW. Fluffy in my mouth and I dont ever eat marshamallows by itself! I liked.
Affogato $8-- Blissully delectable. Thick hot chocolate just coats your mouth with goodness. Only complaint is the spoonful of coffee ice cream left me craving for just one more taste...before it melted in its own concoction. *tear*
Eggnog $6-- Bf said it was "super super sweet", so sweet he couldnt even drink half. Like he was drink syrup.
Desserts::
HoneyCrisp Apple Strudel $12-- Dont let the simplistic name deter you from this scrumtious dessert. Its no ordinary strudel, its shell is M-azing.
Deamsicle Baked Alaska $12-- Never had a Baked Alaska and this was a great place to have it for the first time. The presentation is stunning. The meringue was baked and shaped like a baby volcano, so pretty to break into and the blood orange sauce mimicked lava. Puffy meringue, so cute. . Liked all around.
Packed house moments after opening time (5:30p). -
Review from Alfredo G.
Evanston, IL
1/25/2012
I was really stoked about going to Hot Chocolate. My visit last weekend, was a good experience overall. The service was great. Our waiter was very attentive, nice and super friendly. He even offered to change my dark hot chocolate in case it was too bitter for my taste.
I went in for dessert - the chocolate souffle was amazing! The medium hot chocolate was pretty good with the homemade marshmallows. The only low point was the brioche donuts plate. They were not special at all and overprice for what they are -
Review from Maureen m.
Chicago, IL
1/16/2012
I'm obsessed with their mac n cheese! Seriously best mac an cheese in Chicago. I recently also had their cassoulet and it's delicious. They source their duck meat from a local Indiana farm and the beans in the cassoulet are marinated for 48 hours. If you're craving a hearty stew during the cold winter months, I highly recommend this dish and of course the mac and cheese. :)
One complaint is how close some of the tables are together along the wall. But other than that, the service is fantastic and the food is great. -
Review from Alicia S.
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I always tell people "go to hot chocolate, but don't get the hot chocolate!"
I love to order a variety of their appetizers to split & a glass of their prosecco. mmmm. the housemade pretzels, the mussels, the cheeseboard!
This way, you're saving your money to splurge on dessert...and make sure you do not split that. You'll want it all to yourself! -
Review from Mai K.
Los Angeles, CA
1/28/2012
Maybe the place was a little too hyped up for me... Although, I only tried dessert and their famous hot chocolate. The desserts looked fancy but they were only alright, and the hot chocolate was a bit disappointing... I got the half & half hot chocolate. People told me this place is a must-go place in Chicago, but besides the ambiance, the desserts and hot chocolates were only OK for me.
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Review from Ryan S.
Chicago, IL
1/15/2012
Stopped by here randomly on a Saturday afternoon and it was pretty packed. We were seated immediately though in the lounge area because were were just having hot chocolate and dessert. It lived up to the hype!
I had the "medium", as recommended by the waiter, and it was awesome the homemade marshmallow also made it even more savory. We also ordered the chocolate souffle with the salted Carmel ice cream, however the waiter brought us the donuts and Carmel popcorn by accident. We didn't send it back because it looked so amazing. After one bite we were OK with our decision, it was sooooo good!
I'd definitely go back, and this time for the whole meal. The menu looked pretty good. Seems like a good place to get apps to share so you have room for dessert and hot chocolate which is a must! -
Review from Michelle K.
Atlanta, GA
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Was in town for a family reunion and stopped here to visit a good friend's 30th birthday party celebration. We already had dinner plans so we took everyone's advice and had an order of their mac n' cheese. Good lord that stuff was quite delicious and worth every penny! The cheeses were perfectly blended into this rich, creamy sauce and the noodles were cooked extremely well so the overall texture was amazing. I'm a huge fan of mac n' cheese and Mindy's has now made it to my top 3. I wish they had a location in Atlanta, because I'd send everyone there for that and their desserts.
Love the obscure decor, including the cow skulls hung above our table and interesting choice of artwork along the restroom entrances. Our waiter was on the ball and attentive.
We have plans to visit again for a full dinner and dessert next time we're in town :) -
Review from Emmy M.
Chicago, IL
12/22/2011
Hot Chocolate is an indulgence. Fantastic for dates because of the trendy atmosphere, or even just to go with a friend and get some hot chocolate while enjoying Wicker Park.
I've been several times just for hot chocolate/dessert in the front seating area, and finally came here the other night for dinner, with my foodie mom (who was visiting me in Chicago for the weekend).
Standouts:
THE CASSOULET.
I plan on going back just to get this again VERY soon! A different take on it than I've seen before-- other cassoulets I've had have been a bit more colorless since they're primarily white beans, but this one was warmer/reddish since I believe they put tomatoes or tomato paste in it. And they do a fantastic (house made) lamb sausage instead of the traditional chunks of lamb. The best part of the dish, however, was the DUCK CONFIT. The best duck I've ever tasted hands down, from the falling-off-the-bone meat to the crispy skin and exceptionally flavorful fat. I could have eaten a whole duck cooked that way in one sitting.
THE BAKED ALAKSA.
Since it's the holiday season I wanted to go for something Christmas-y and rich for dessert, and the warm pool of eggnog glaze that surrounded the attractively presented little dome of toasted marshmallow/meringue was so good that I scraped every last bit off my plate with my spoon. Hehe.
THE HALF-AND-HALF HOT CHOCOLATE.
I've had this before on another occasion, and it's both incredibly rich like the other hot chocolates AND a nice pick-me-up since it's got all that espresso. Mmm. The homemade marshmallows they serve with all the hot chocolates are also a nice touch, and such a dramatic step above store-bought ones.
Could have been better:
The Tuna Melt. My mom ordered this since she wasn't as hungry as I was, and since she wanted to save more room for dessert. The sandwich was just a big... Meh. We had expected chunks of good quality tuna, but my mom thinks it was probably from a can. The cheese on the sandwich was good (I think I recall gruyère, maybe?) but the tuna was not of the quality you'd expect at Hot Chocolate, and the volume of bread overwhelmed the fillings. And that's my ultimate pet peeve with sandwiches... when they have yummy fillings, but you can barely taste them through mouthfuls of too-crusty, too-big bread. I'm a Hyde Parker, and I think Z&H (on 47th and 57th streets) has better and more imaginative sandwiches than this, for around $7.
The verdict? The best things to order at Hot Chocolate are the hot chocolates which are fantastic, the elegantly crafted and beautifully presented desserts, and the more complex entrées. Yes, they serve burgers... which I'm sure are delicious, and sometimes you're just in the mood for a burger. But the best value, I think, are the dishes like the cassoulet! -
Review from Tera D.
Updated - 12/22/2011
Alright, now that I've tried their savory food in addition to their dessert, I'm upping it one star. We went in for lunch and split the burger and the mac and cheese. Yummo. The burger is really very good. The cheese on it is amazing, and it comes with a little bottle of awesome horseradish mustard. The mac and cheese isn't the best I've had, but it's good, by all means.
The reason it can't get 4 stars is the awful service. At lunch time we were there for and hour and a half, despite ordering as soon as the server came over. She was the least attentive server imaginable, taking 10 minutes to come by at first, and then the maximum amount of time to bring our order and our check. She never apologized for the wait, never smiled, never asked if we wanted a second round of beer, and didn't offer to box our mac and cheese. From other reviews it sounds like poor service is the norm there, so be forewarned and don't go if you're in a hurry.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/12/2010
Overrated. I went just for desert, since that's clearly their specialty. I was super jazzed. And… Read more »
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Review from Trinidad F.
Maywood, IL
1/21/2012
Went on a Sunday evening and it looked like a full house. I asked how long for a table for two? No wait. SWEET!!! The food was yummy, the dessert was excellent and the service was great. The only thing I had a problem with was that there isn't enough space between tables. We were so close to the people next to us we could hear entire conversations without even trying. LOL. Definitely returning but probably not staying.
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Review from Serena R.
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Black and Tan anyone? Yes, I do believe I'd like that nectar of heaven in my mouth. It was like I was drinking a milk chocolate bar, not just any old candy bar, the most perfectly sweetened milk chocolate bar made by the cocoa gods themselves.
The black and tan is hot milk chocolate with fudge on the bottom - what can be better than that? NOTHING.
For breakfast my friend and I split the Chilequiles and the Apple Pancake - the pancake dish was the winner by far. It was cake like and had caramelized apples - it was really good. I will say that after my black and tan I had my fill of sweets, but I took some bites of the pancake b/c it was that good.
The chilequiles needed some help, like flavor help. It needed to be spicier, it was a bit dry, and maybe a tad bit more salt. If I was rating that alone it would be a 2-star review. Luckily for chile - black and tan carried this place on to 4 stars. -
Review from Erick N.
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was pleasantly surprised when I walked into Mindy's Hot Chocolate. For some reason I had conjured a vision of this being less of a restaurant and more of a hot chocolate cafe with lots of families and children. Walking in Hot Chocolate appeared to be a nice, romantic adult venue. The lighting is dim and the large open rectangular room has lots of brown undertones, providing a vague feeling of being inside a giant chocolate bar. The only negative of the ambiance was the tables are extremely close together; while this is common in Chicago, this was a bit to the extreme and getting in and out of my seat reminded me of having to squeeze out of a window seat while flying coach on an airplane.
Hot Chocolate is renowned for their desserts, with chef/owner Mindy Segal having earned multiple James Beard nominations for outstanding pasty chef. However they have a nice, albeit somewhat limited dinner menu with a handful of apps, a few salads, a few sandwiches and a few mains. My wife and I started with the house-made pretzels with cheese/mustard/beer sauce and also a cheese board. The pretzels were decent, but at $13 were grossly overpriced. The cheeses (selection of three, also $13) were a better value. They included a triple cream, a goat cheese and a blue cheese along with honey drizzled bread, some poached fruit, a jam and a small salad with a few spiced nuts.
For our mains my wife went with the vegetable risotto and I opted for the pan roasted trout with black bean puree and an avocado, grapefruit and fennel salad. My trout was fairly tasty, but was a bid odd in that it had uneven flavors; I am not sure if some parts were cooked more fully or if the seasoning was not well distributed but some bites I loved, over bites did not taste so good. My wife was very pleased with her risotto and I took a few bites and also enjoyed her dish. Portions were fairly generous and the prices reasonable (low to mid $20s).
Hot Chocolate also has a long bar across on side of the space and has a limited wine list, several craft beers and a handful of cocktails. My wife ordered a glass of cava and I started with the Hot Buttered Rum. I was expecting this to be mainly heated up rum with some spices but it almost seemed to have a milk shake like consistency that I did not find pleasant; it was far more rich than I had expected and caused me to start filling up too early on in the meal. This should have been classified as a dessert beverage rather than a cocktail.
There are more than ten desserts to choose from, all priced at $12. My wife and I both desired the same dish (chocolate souffle tart with salted caramel ice cream) and decided to share this as we were feeling rather satiated already. The server cautioned that it was portioned for one, but we found the tart to be fairly large and it was so rich we actually struggled to finish the tart. I also ordered a hot chocolate with dessert and my wife a coffee that was served in a small French press. There are also several options for hot chocolate and I opted for one of the more plain choices, the "medium" which is mainly milk chocolate with a touch of dark chocolate and some caramel. It was served with a large homemade marshmallow on the side. The first couple of sips were good, but like the tart I found the hot chocolate to be overly rich for my taste and was not able to finish it as I started to feel bloated. My wife found the coffee to be fair.
Hot Chocolate is a decent venue and despite arriving before 6:00pm it was already crowded and became completely full by the end of our meal (they do now accept Open Table reservations, and I definitely recommend making ressies if dining here). Unfortunately we had been expecting an amazing meal and Hot Chocolate fell well short of this mark; I have the following criticisms:
*The tables are way too close together, to the point of being awkward.
*Service was a bit subpar; our server took quite some time to check on us after our appetizers were delivered (and unfortunately there was a small issue that needed to be corrected before we could consume them). Also we were served a bottle of water, but this was never poured for us and when we ran out of water, no additional water was ever brought out. Nobody assisted in pulling out our table as we were seated (without doing so it was not possible to sit without bumping the adjacent table).
*The food is a bit overpriced; while it is pretty good, our meal cost $127 before tip for two cocktails, two appetizers, two mains, one dessert, one coffee and one hot chocolate. Plenty of venues in Chicago have food this good or better for less. Fortunately we had a http://Restaurant.com coupon that knocked $25 off the tab.
*Some of the food is overly rich; portions need to be much smaller on these items or the richness mellowed out; otherwise it become uncomfortable to eat a full meal here. -
Review from Hillary M.
Chicago, IL
1/27/2012
Really good service, delicious desserts and cocktails, 4 out of 5 stars for the dinner menu which delivers the occasional "miss".
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Review from samantha G.
Chicago, IL
12/21/2011
I feel I can only give 4 because I've only tried dessert. But why try anything else?
The donuts and carmel corn cant be beat. My first thought was how I didn't want to eat anything else that night because it would only be a disappointment. So I drank away my sorrows.
I want to try dinner here b/c it looks awesome and if its anything like the sweets it's got that 5th star.
Ambiance was great, too. Sat in the lounge area by the window. Romantic yet practical. -
Review from Leslie G.
11/22/2011
I came here recently for a friend's birthday dinner and had a mixed experience. I ordered the cheddar melt sandwich for my main dish and it was actually quite tasty. I sampled a bite of my boyfriend's mac and cheese and thought it was good as well. A couple of other people in our group also had mac and cheese, but I think they felt it was sort of mediocre. Another person ordered the tuna melt, which he said was great.
We were really looking forward to ordering dessert since that's what this place is known for. I ordered the pumpkin cheesecake, my boyfriend got the creme brulee, two other people got the apple pie, and the last person had the chocolate souflee. I did not try all the dishes, but I can safely say that mine was just plain bad. My boyfriend's was even worse. I'm not just saying this because we had high dessert expectations going in; these two desserts were pretty awful no matter what kind of expectations we had. The pumpkin cheesecake was weirdly bland and the creme brulee had a strange texture and consistency and tasted bitter. I honestly think I could have concocted better desserts at home, and I'm no master chef.
On the plus side, I also ordered the dark hot chocolate, which was superb--in fact, that was probably the best part of the meal.
I would come back here for dinner because I liked my main dish and the hot chocolate, but I would probably never order dessert here again. It's bizarre to me that this place has received so many accolades for dessert given what we experienced.Listed in: Restaurants
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Review from Brad B.
Plymouth, MN
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Oh my lord. First off this is a bar and not a cafe. Dark lighting, candles on tables sort of bar. People are very friendly and not pretentious. Food is amazing. I had the shrimp and grits
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Review from Radhika A.
Appleton, WI
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is lovely little number tucked in a corner of Wicker Park. Great spot for a late night drink/dessert or hot chocolate for one of those cold Chicago nights.
The hot chocolate is decadent and rich! Neither of us could finish ours when we went there after dinner. They have desserts too but we were too full to order anything. The have a pretty big drinks menu and a very trendy looking bar. The ambiance is trendy and relaxed at the same time - very Wicker Park!
I liked that it is open till late at night, because that's exactly the time most people are likely to go there - I will definitely go back! -
Review from Steve M.
1/8/2012
From the food to the service to the wine list to the... HOT CHOCOLATE. A+. Cool location in the heart of Bucktown too -- come for brunch or dinner, and enjoy a stroll down Damen.
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Review from Luci D.
Chicago, IL
12/14/2011
How can a place with hot chocolate in their name be so bad at making hot chocolate? Mine tasted syrupy, and I sent it back and had it taken off the check. The tables are so close together that you can't help but eavesdrop on the people next to you. The mirrors on the wall are good so if you see a server approaching you know not to gesture wildly whilst they approach.
Skip. -
Review from Dennis J.
Chicago, IL
12/7/2011
Let's get my only complaints out of the way: the painting in the men's bathroom is creepy and sometimes, the service is a bit iffy.
But the food! So good. The burger is a great deal and I've had some of the freshest salads I've ever eaten here. I don't think we've ever been disappointed by a dish here.
Of course, the main reason to come here is the hot chocolate - and they are wonderful. I don't like marshmallows and I'd eat the ones here till I needed gastric bypass. The other desserts here are good, but not as great as what some of the other pastry chefs in Chicago are doing, I recommend sticking to the hot chocolate.
Also, try the "Only Martini" - fantastic. -
Review from Gina S.
Brunch! I have eaten dinner here once, but it was years and years ago, so this review is just for brunch...
The first time I came here was with my cousin on a Sunday, and didn't have to wait the two and a half hours that they quoted over the phone. More like half an hour, since we opted for the bar. I was lucky enough to be wedged up against the server station where they pick up the drinks. Kind of chaotic, but what are you going to do?
At one point a server/busboy piled a bunch of used empty glasses right in front of me since the mat was full. The bartender WAS NOT having this, and scolded him in front of us, saying "NEVER put used glassware in front of a guest" and so on. It was more impressive than uncomfortable. Props to the bartender. At one point another server did the same, and the guy who got treated passed along message with the same tone. Suddenly the bartender is very attractive, lol anyway...
I got the buttermilk pancake, and my cousin got Mindy's breakfast sandwich. Both were amazing, but her sandwich was the star. I love the SOFT multigrain roll/bread it was served on. Nothing I hate more than a sandwich that is ruined by rock hard bread. The melty cheese and banana peppers with egg white was just perfect. I would order this again!
The pancake (singular) was very thick, like cake, and quite sweet and rich.
I love the use of french presses in this place. I use one at home daily, and think it's the best way to drink coffee. They gave us a press to share. So cute.
The next time I came here, I ordered the country ham benedict, and was a little disappointed. It was as if they didn't toast the english muffin at all. It looked "raw", which made it extremely difficult to saw through with my butter knife. I almost asked for a sharper knife. And it needed more salt, just a touch under seasoned...bummer. Furthermore....(I know I'm such a complainer today) the egg yolk was solid :( No bueno.
My cousin was entertaining some French couch surfers, so we brought them with us this time, and one of them ordered the mexican hot chocolate which comes with one of the homemade marshmallows. He was generous enough to let us taste....omg sooooo delicious.
Despite the last blunder, I will continue to come back to explore the menu a bit more. I haven't even delved into the desserts yet!!!
Just one more note...the hostesses are clueless. Where do they find these girls? -
Review from Brittany S.
Chicago, IL
1/17/2012
bananas foster was absolutely amazing. I split it with a friend and apparently took us 73 seconds to eat. Our friend timed us eating it without our knowing and said "watching two chicks split a dessert is like watching a raven eat roadkill". Yes my friends, it was that good. And the short time span doesn't mean that the portion was small. It was actually rather large. We also ordered the mexican hot chocolate and Im not sure what happened with that. It was seriously like mousse it was so thick. It was honestly undrinkable for a cup of hot chocolate. I think something may have gone wrong? We ate in the front longue area because we couldn't get a seat, which was fine. Service, mehhhh, prices were high, bananas foster was divine.
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Review from Kevin C.
Chicago, IL
10/23/2011
Been wanting to try Hot Chocolate for awhile. My girlfriend and I decided to check it out finally on Friday and we were disappointed. We waited over an hour which is fine, but we had pretty high hopes once we were finally seated. We each got the Mexican Hot Chocolate. The first few sips were okay, but it was a bit of overkill after awhile. We wished we had got one to split, although we still wouldn't have finished it.
We got the chocolate #1 dessert and creme brulee.
The chocolate #1 was just okay too me, nothing that special. Maybe I'm missing out on something here, but it didn't seem that different from your typical brownie and ice cream dessert.
The creme brulee was pretty shallow and didn't have the best texture. The orange flavor was a nice touch that did set it apart, but I've had MUCH better.
The service here was really great, but the desserts just didn't live up to the hype for me. For $40, we felt like we had just wasted a lot of money. -
Review from Melinda V.
Chicago, IL
12/28/2011
I will start by saying our service was impeccable. Our waiter was perfect, beyond perfect really. The food was not as delightful. My salad was so overly salty I could not eat it and had to send it back. My appetizer was not much better. I stopped there. My boyfriends food was ok. He got a burger. It was nothing fancy. My food was so terrible our waiter comped us a hot chocolate, which was tasty. Our dessert was also good, but nothing to write home about. The quality of the food doesn't match up with the price. Unfortunately that seems to be a theme here in Chicago.
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Review from Kyle H.
10/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was told they won an award for serving one of the best burgers in town, a little-known fact that this is a great place to get savory foods. Had I owned a second or third stomach or more days on vacay, I would have made it a point to test out this statement.
One of the many stops on our food tour included a signature beverage - the hot chocolate of course, and a lucious fluffy square of their home-made marshmallow on top. Chosen for us was the flavor "medium" which was of their offered drinks (apparently also offered were mixed w/ esspresso, dark, etc.) was more of a milk chocolate version.
Truly delicious. Like sweet melted chocolate. Smooth warm and soothing! I'm not sure if I craved it just because I was freezing my ass off but for the sweet lover, this drink definitley lives up to the hype. A great treat if you're in the neighborhood! -
Review from Laura G.
Chicago, IL
10/20/2011
So, I don't know if it was where we were sitting or maybe it was dark in the whole restaurant. At one point the waiter had to give me a flashlight because I legit could not read the menu. So, probably not recommended to bring anyone who can't see well.
Hot Chocolate was definitely yummy! I've eaten pork belly before but I could not believe how delicious it was. It was so tender and melty and just amazing I'm not really a pork fan but this has completely changed my mind.
And as it should be the Mac and Cheese was in a category of it's own. SO good. Probably a good idea to get as a appetizer and share with the table than you own dish. It's way too creamy and rich to have as a meal.
We we didn't get to have dessert because we were all way too full. So.. I'd suggest skipping dinner and come straight for dessert. -
Review from Madelyne S.
Denver, CO
10/28/2011
Divine deliciousness. I've been here twice and my experiences were great. For a restaurant with sensational hot chocolate the great food makes it tempting for you to eat until you are too full to enjoy dessert. I would recommend folks eating dinner here save room in their bellies for dessert.
Delicious: Pork Belly appetizer (so tender and mouth watering) and the mac and cheese (perfect for one meal or to share as an app).
I love the wine and beer selections too. Not your typical selection and, unfortunately, the prices spoke to this.
I will continue to visit this place when I come to Chicago. -
Review from Crystal C.
Belmont, CA
10/12/2011
So glad we decided to visit Chicago during October because it meant we got to order the Pumpkin Cheesecake. Holy smokes, let the clock strike twelve because I want to turn into a pumpkin, it tastes so good.
Hot chocolate: yummy, all versions of it. I recommend to share because it's pretty sweet (pun intended). Feeling like a fatty? Order the mac and cheese. And quack! The duck here is the best duck I've ever tasted in my life.
This place would have gotten cinco stars if it wasn't for our pretentious host in the beginning. Service could have been kicked up a notch, but the sugar high makes up for it. -
Review from Laura G.
10/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
OK, I have Hot Chocolate every morning, in my coffee. This was Chocolate, Hot CHOCOLATE. Not milk with a little Chocolate. This is honest to goodness liquid chocolate with a home made marshmallow and it was rich, decadent and delicious!
To be candid I have only tried the desserts here. It's fantastic, you can taste the quality. -
Review from Alejandra V.
Chicago, IL
11/21/2011
This place is for the sweet tooth. I came here for dessert with a date, we got seated quickly next to 2 other dates. Seating is tight, you get pretty cozy with the people next to you which can be awkward for the dates. The date next to me didn't seem to pleased when I laughed loudly but hey I was enjoying myself!
We ordered the black & tan and the "Mexican" Chocolate with some dessert ta ht I can't remember. Personally, I like my sweet things to be on the not so sweet side. It's thick and really really chocolaty with a homemade marshmallow. Silly me threw the marshmallow in before tasting it. Bad idea on my part it was just too much sugar. I drank the whole jar of water and really need a glass of milk.
Love sugar and chocolate? This is your place. I hate to not like this place because it's so cute but it's just too much for me. -
Review from Erin H.
Chicago, IL
1/6/2012
Everything was delicious, but nothing was hot! Our whole table sent back the hot chocolates (which were rich enough to split between two) because they were barely over room temperature. The changing menu is refreshing and staff were very inspiring and helpful. Delicious cheeses, great marshmallows, cozy lounge for waiting with free coffee. I'll go back!
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Review from Roxy A.
So I've been excited to try Hot Chocolate..I've heard good things about it so finally got around to coming here last week for dinner.
The ambiance is nice, fancy hipster dining. Our server was super nice & really informative about the menu and specials. For starters we ordered a couple of pretzels & I had the butternut squash soup. The starters were really good, but when it came to the entrees..we were a lil unimpressed.
I ordered the cheddar melt & kinda thought that it would be hard to fail on a grilled cheese, but I really didn't like it. Also my sister ordered one of the specials, scallops served in a roasted pumpkin and she said that hers was way too salty. My grilled cheese was definitely on the salty side as well. The bf ordered the salmon which was pretty good, but for the price of $23 idk if it was really worth it. At the end of it we were left with some salty flavors lingering in our mouth that we weren't in the mood for dessert (i know, i know this is like the main reason people come here) which also left our server asking us..."WHAT?! WHY?!" We felt kinda bad that we weren't gonna stick around for dessert, but I guess the next time that we come here we're going to skip the dinner and head straight for dessert then maybe I can bump up the star rating for Hot Chocolate..Listed in: You Fancy Huh
