Hot ChocolateTasty!Great food and service. Really wanted to try the desserts but we were so full after apps and dinner that we did not have a chance. Will return again soon!6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Food and ServiceWow...when the server explained that the quality local ingredients really show through in the presentation and taste of the food he was not kidding. I had the roasted chicken and it must have been a very happy chicken...it was prepared perfect, not overseasoned, different without being accessible. My elderly mother was with us and the waiter was sooooo patient with my mom that he made me look bad. Children were there also,,,,everyone was welcomed. Dessert was fantasic of course. Great area to shop before dinner also...I would go back again.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing DessertsThey served the best hot chocolate and chocolate desserts I'd ever had. The plates were presented beautifully and the desssert was to die for. Our server was a bit overbearing, but friendy. The entrees were expensive; a bit too expensive for the quality of the food, but the gems were the dessert. I'd say it's definitely worth a try and I'm definitely going back.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Place to Eat!Hot Chocolate is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Mindy Segal is brilliant and accessible chef! Of course the desserts are out of this world, but the burger is to die for! My only complaint is that it is only open for lunch Weds.-Sun.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMAn excellent find!I truly enjoyed my experience. We ended up dining at the bar and the night couldn't have been better.
I look forward to the next time I can dine there.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMSpectacular food: unpleasant dinWith its high ceilings and exposed brick walls, this attractive restaurant is a fine showcase for its extraordinary food. It also makes for a noise level so loud ordinary conversation was nearly impossible. (I was here with a friend.) Some sort of machine at the bar only added to the din. Perfectly cooked Arctic char, with a tangle of ramps and greens was our entree, preceded by cubes of focaccia served with a spread of whipped ricotta and green garlic. The strawberry shortcake was the best I've ever had. Nonetheless, I won't bring my husband, who would love the food, because of the noise....and I may not be back, either.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful, as alwaysMy boyfriend's parents were visiting so we took them to a few of our favorite places, of course Hot Chocolate was high on the list! They loved it and we all had a great time. Thanks again!6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMFancy dateI was there on a "fancy date." We had an appetizer of rillons, then fish and chicken for dinner. All of the meat was cooked perfectly to the point where it just fell apart when cut with a fork. The ambiance was great - we could talk at a comfortable volume, and yet there was enough background noise that I couldn't make out anyone else's conversations at other tables and our voices didn't seem to carry
The entrees were uniquely flavored and well-portioned. Not American portioned, but ideal for an actual meal without leftovers. We ordered an appetizer, an entree each and a desert each, and we were comfortably full without ever stuffing ourselves. The desert was, of course, amazing. Always save room for desert. Always.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMLovelyThe food was delicious. The desserts, as usual, were divine. We took friends out for dinner and they agreed that it was a fun, delicious meal! We all thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience. Our waiter provided attentive and knowledgeable service.
Owner Mindy Segal definitely deserves the positive reviews she garners.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMTouristI wanted to do something Chicago based. It was a very nice restaurant. I didn't get to try the hot chocolates--it was too hot and humid outdoors to drink anything hot, but would love to return on a cool day and do that. I would return.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMYumOur entrees were delicious, but the main course is definitely dessert. We tried the home-made doughnuts with caramel corn, the chocolate "souffléd" tart with salted caramel ice cream and of course the hot chocolate. To die for!5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMA Winner !Each of 5 first courses was excellent; especially the white asparagus with pickled ramps. Each of 5 entrees was excellent. Very well chosen international wine list. Then the desserts ! OMG !5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMWe'll Be BackMy husband and I went to Hot Chocolate for the first time. We went for dessert only as we had eaten dinner elsewhere.. We ended up each getting a dessert and split the cocoa nib hot chocolate. The hot chocolate alone is worth it. We live 45 minutes outside the city and will go back with friends or for a special occasion.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat for desert. Had a veryGreat for desert. Had a very nice wine paring. Visiting from NYC, on par with NYC foodie scene.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved every bite!I kept nearing how good this place was and I'm always skeptical, no place can be that good right? False. It was fantastic. Great attentive service, amazing food and great atmosphere. This is a place you want to save room for dessert. I had hot chocolate and my boyfriend had the banana baked Alaska and both were delicious.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMEvery aspect of our meal livedEvery aspect of our meal lived up to past expectations. Loved the roasted baby artichokes, pea soup was very tasty and the ricotta crepes with honeycomb were a beautiful dish. So glad we both got different desserts so I didn't have to share my mint & chocolate one. Service was extremely professional and attentive.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMvery goodhave been here before just for dessert, went for dinner this time (and dessert of course). food is very good, but you have to save room for dessert. this place is great, a little pricey, but for an occasional splurge it is well worth it.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious!Hot Chocolate was everything we hoped it would be--decadent chocolate delights, great atmosphere, and a great time. The hot chocolate and shakes reminded me of the homemade chocolate sauce my grandmother used to make- and hers was delicious! We happened to be there on Friday which was fried chicken night and it was an unexpected treat! If you live in Chicago, lucky you. If you don't book reservations for when you'll be there!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMLove this placeI've been here many times not only for their dessert but for their other food as well. Their desserts are in a class of their own but their food is also very good. I highly recommend their hamburger and their milkshakes!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMPhenomenal Service and FoodGreat service. Great food. Great desserts. I was thoroughly impressed with Hot Chocolate and would happily recommend it to any friend looking for a casual, relaxed dinner (and desserts!)5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMMay menu gemsThere's a different menu every month and not all of them appealed to us. This time we enjoyed a good, if a bit salty, clam soup (soup of the day), a caesar salad with tasty grilled chicken thighs (and soft pumpernickel croutons that were a bit of a surprise, but not bad), and a braised suckling pig app that could double as a light entree. The non-fatty pig is served with ramps, greens, and some pickled yellow veggie (mild radishes?). The banana alaska dessert was incredible, a great contrast of textures and temperatures, innovative and one of the best desserts we've had in ages. The chocolate souffle tart wasn't too shabby either.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMHeavenly DessertI myself ordered a starter which was alright, but my dad had the fish, and it was outstanding. We shared the chocolate tart afterwards and it was fabulous.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMAn Outstanding EveningI have never had food that was so tasty and enjoyable before in my life! There were 3 of us at dinner, we each ordered an appetizer and tasted the others - all SO wonderful!! We had Cheddar Biscuits, Homemade Pickles, and the Artichokes. Our choices for dinner were the crabcake sandwich, crepes, and the barramundi - again all were marvelous! The cocktails were superb, the service was stupendous, and we topped the evening off with scrumptious, wonderful, hot chocolate (Mexican and Half & Half). We're already planning our schedules as to when we may return!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing food and great service!Amazing food and great service! I'm never let down by Hot Chocolate!4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGo for the dessert, the foodGo for the dessert, the food is ok but overpriced for what it is compared to other places. The dessert was fantastic, truly wonderful.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMLearn to Sell ItReally good food. Great desserts! Waitress seemed uncomfortable talking about the food, specifically when asked to recommend something.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMSecond time dining here, itSecond time dining here, it will remain a destination for us when visiting Chicago. The Mac and cheese is great, the fried chicken the best we've ever had, and the sugar pie in particular is a dessert to die for!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMHot ChocolateI am a huge fan of their Mac N cheese. I always order it as a "side" with other dishes in the menu. Generally, the food at Hot Chocolate is absolutely delicious. Don't forget to leave without dessert. I love their hot chocolate, but all of the other desserts are amazing, too. The service can be slow because it's such a popular restaurant, but I still go there for their food.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing desserts. Hot chocolateAmazing desserts. Hot chocolate not to be missed. PB and J mousse is amazing. PB shake could use a little more PB.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything we had was good.Everything we had was good. The crab cake was excellent . . . and the desserts are some of the best we've had in Chicago4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved it! The sardines wereLoved it! The sardines were no-funny-business delicious and the suckling pig appetizer melted in my mouth4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMI'm from out of town and wasI'm from out of town and was told I had to go here while I was in Chicago. It was everything I hoped it would be! Everything was amazing! Definitely would go back!4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food- sub-par service.Great food as usual, however the service was sub-par. It took awhile for the server to get to our table after the hostess seated us, and when she did arrive I don't believe she even introduced herself or offered to explain the menu along with any specials or recommendations. It's my personal opinion that these servers should know the menu inside and out and be personable as well as helpful.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMDinner was ok but the dessertDinner was ok but the dessert was amazing! We will definitely return for dessert and have heard their brunch is great as well.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMThe service was great. OurThe service was great. Our server Dan was so knowledgeable about the food and drink available that we all felt very comfortable relying on him to provide exactly what we wanted! The food was fabulous and, of course, the desserts were out of this world. Would highly recommend to anyone and plan on going back soon myself!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a great time. The foodWe had a great time. The food was great and Sonny provided excellent service!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMService was great. AttentiveService was great. Attentive without being intrusive. Everything we ordered was delicious.....cauliflower au gratin, soup of the day, beet salad, pork belly salad, and of course, dessert.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMSkip the real food and headSkip the real food and head straight to the desserts... Real food for good, but the desserts make this place worth the visit.4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMWe split a delicious saladWe split a delicious salad with perfectly seasoned grilled shrimp, egg and avacado so that we had room for Mindy's desserts and hot chocolate. I had the citrus cheesecake which was worth every calorie and my husband had a deconstructed pecan pie that he loved. The hot chocolate was RICH and SWEET, too much with dessert. I would recommend splitting one.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMMy companion's steak was veryMy companion's steak was very good. Cheese plate was excellent. Only a handful of entrees. Did they change chefs?3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMI was very impressed. TheI was very impressed. The atmosphere was outstanding. The waitress was very attentive but didn't over do it. Will come again.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMWe came early for dinner withWe came early for dinner with 3 teens. Our waiter was EXCELLENT! His recommendations were spot on and he was very accommodating. Even their 'comfort foods' like mac and cheese and their burger had special savory twists. Everyone left full and happy.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMFor dessert loverWe did not go for dinner, but for dessert. The dessert was superb, tasty, unique. Two thumbs up. Service was attentive and friendly. It is overprice, but worth it for special occasion (dessert)3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat beer list, really enjoyedGreat beer list, really enjoyed every aspect of the meal.
The Sugar pie was absolutely to die for!3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMDisappointment turns to delight!We came for chef's week but the offering was hardly appetizing. It was very disappointing. Fortunately we brought along an "a la card" card and ordered off the menu. It was delicious! Especially the hot chocolate (we ordered the "black and tan". But without some sort of a deal we couldn't afford to go. We've had lunch there 3 times in 3 years with the cards and we look forward to going there again next year. Maybe brunch?3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Food!The chef at Hot Chocolate is quite good at putting together wonderful flavors. We very much enjoyed our Chef week fixed price dinner. We had the drink pairing which was also well-done. When the place gets busy though, it's quite loud and a bit over-crowded. Go early or late.3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMI had the greatest experienceI had the greatest experience I have ever had with restaurant. My girlfriend and I went there to have a dinner because it was my girlfriend's birthday. And my server (I do not remember his name but he was a white male with mustache and beard) served us a dessert with a candle! It was the greatest experience. I would never forget my experience with Hot Chocolate.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMMade our 5th Anniversary specialMy wife and I met a little over 6 years ago and we had our first date at Hot Chocolate. So when our 5 year anniversary came up we decided to have dinner there. They made the occasion so special and the service and food was great. I will always go back to a place like this that so consistent with their quality of food and service.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMHot Chocolate is always aHot Chocolate is always a great experience, no matter what time of day you're there- brunch, dinner or just dessert. We will definitely keep coming back.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMSo glad I finally got there!!!So glad I finally got there. Great decor and food. A young crowd added to the fun vibe on a Friday night. Loved my trout entree and of course the desserts. So much better than the exact entree I had the night before at Balena.3/8/2013 12:00:00 AM