excellent chocolate. hand crafted and exquisite. Grab dinner at Disco Chicken then get desert at Daniel's

This guy LIED and fed me and my friend a massive line of BS, stating NO sweeteners were used in his chocolates!!! What a MASSIVE liar. I'm KETO and don't eat sugar-only bought them because I believed his BS!! I told him there is no way anyone would eat DARK chocolate that was unsweetened, he swore NO sweeteners were in any of his chocolates!! What a LIAR.... ALL Full of sugar- let alone charging us $5.00 per piece. I should Sue this guy- had I been a diabetic, I would have gone into diabetic shock from eating all of this sugar. What kind of a lunatic lies like this??? Don't buy from this LIAR!!! read more

Not as expensive as the owner would have you believe (by constantly repeating how expensive they are; $15 for 6 artisan chocolates is totally reasonable), and infused with barely any of the promised flavors. I doubt he reads these, but if he does: dude, go wayyyy heavier on the flavors. The only one we actually tasted was the eggnog one. Love the philosophy, love the use of homegrown herbs, love the artistry...just would have liked some flavor beyond very good dark chocolate, since that's what we expected. Also, maybe refrain from saying things like my boyfriend should make me work for the chocolates we're buying together because "if you're too easy, they won't respect you." Not a good look in 2021. read more

Dan the man great truffles you have the best chocolat of chocolat. But man clean your place up a little. Also could use some better lighting. We loved your humor an knowledge we will enjoy coming back!! Also have a sign up of the prices big enough to see. The prices are reasonable no complaints on that thanks again read more

Chocolat By Daniel - Chocolat by Daniel - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

The chocolate is decadent and leaves a flavor in your mouth not to forget. As for the reviews with Daniel having bad customer service: the encounter was fun and if someone does not know how to appreciate the eccentrics of the chocolate, they will not appreciate the humor. read more

I love to stop in here after dinner in one of the restaurants downtown. A piece of wonderful chocolate and a cup of decaf while sitting by the window watching people on the street - what could be a better way to end your evening? read more

I love popping in to get harassed by Daniel, good grief is it a good time!! His chocolates are unique and amazingly delicious, I try to just nibble them to get every flavor bit possible they're so good! You don't want to miss the whole experience, it's the best. read more

I can't say enough good things about this location. If you're expecting to be greeted with a fake plastic smile and BS greetings then head somewhere else, Chocolat by Daniel is for lovers of chocolate not corporate productions. Don't be scared to ask questions and do listen to his inspirations and intent for each of his creations. Smoky Hollow is my new favorite and hope to see the Banana's Foster come back around!! Understand this guy loves his products and hopes to share with all who appreciate the thought and labor that go into them. read more

Awesome chocolate !! Daniel's passion, knowledge, and description of the chocolates he creates is remarkable. Its all dark chocolate and he is not offended if dark is not your thing, but it's not the dark bitter you think. A must try !!! read more

I just finished reading a bunch of negative reviews. It's too bad people expect to be greeted with a smile and attended to like they are kings and queens. Most people who work in customer service know that being fake gets you repeat customers and tips. Who cares! Give me some chocolate! It's the best darn chocolate I've ever had! It's not sweet, that's right, it's an experience. I buy two every week for the past month and as I walk down the street, I very slowly take tiny bites and savor each bite. I think Daniels a nice guy, sarcastic, funny and a very talented chocolatier! Yes it's dark in there and yes it looks like it's closed but the sign in the window says open, so I go in. read more

Daniel has an attitude that isn't justified by his small, unimpressive selection. Place is dark, creepy, and looks closed. Every bad review for this place is 100% spot on with how my experience went. Awkward and dissapointing... Save a trip, don't give Daniel the time of day. read more

The chocolate is so incredibly good here. This is a wonderful place to have in downtown Rockford, or an yplace really. So why the 3 stars you may ask? If the rating system were purely related to the temperament & personality of the proprietor, it would be a 1 star rating, I'm sad to say. We all need to play to our strengths. Daniel's strengths are a nicely crafted business model & a fabulous product. After that, he should let the well-chosen & socially adept counter staff interact with the patrons. He would better serve his business by cooking up new chocolate concoctions in a quiet room devoid of other humans. I've interacted with Daniel several times. He is an awkward fellow. I can deal with that to a point. But really, telling patrons how to stir their cocoa? Repeatedly? Dude, he's ignoring you. Better step off. Threatening to kick a child out of the restaurant after she gets out of her chair (not running, not yelling, just wiggling mind you). Really? Good chocolate. Maybe too much personality. read more

Ok first off I wouldn't consider myself a chocolate connoisseur, but have had quite a bit of high end chocolate. This chocolate is very dark and has a great flavor. I would say at times it's so dark that the other flavors don't come through. The shop is very nice and comfy. It's the type of place you want to go after a nice dinner downtown and sit back and enjoy a dessert before heading home. Although I don't know if you can call it dessert, because the owner told me "My chocolates are not sweet!" My biggest problem is the attitude of the owner. The last time I was in to get a small box for a special night for my wife, the owner was out and out rude. I asked him some questions about the chocolates and he responded to me like I shouldn't even be in his shop. He is arrogant, pretentious, and rude. As I was leaving he made an inappropriate comment about my motives for buying the chocolates for my wife. As much as I want to like this place, we will not be back. read more

We stopped in after being at Carlyle next door. We had heard poor reviews of the owner being less than friendly- however, we were pleasantly surprised. The owner, Daniel, was there though the shop looked closed. He turned on the case light as we walked in. He was sarcastic and had dry humor, but we are adults and did not have a problem. The chocolate is AMAZING. We got the Exhausted Parent and another peanut butter one. Exquisite flavor. Meant to be savored, not downed in one bite. I will definitely be back. read more

Daniel is extremely knowledgeable about chocolate and you can taste it in the products... Absolutely delicious and amazing. You can also tell that he studied in France you can hear it in the way he attitude. Just because we don't know everything about chocolate, doesn't mean we are morons. The staff if very knowledgeable about chocolate and it is delicious, just avoid mentioning milk chocolate or Hersheys and you should make it out unscathed. read more

The chocolate is wonderful but the owner is a jacka**!!! Is extremely rude and makes inappropriate, rude comments to his customers. I will NOT go to to Chocolat by Daniel if he is there!!! read more

While taking a little tour of Rockford, we stopped in for a snack. The aroma of coffee and chocolate was a welcoming surprise. We were greeted by a male behind the counter who thought he was funnier than he actually was but he got the job ( explaining the chocolate) done. I had the absolute pleasure of enjoying margarita, intrigue and one with Kentucky moonshine in it ( for the life of me I cannot remember the name). My favorite was the margarita; perfect hint of lime and salt that just makes you happy all over! Oh one last thing, the not so funny guy behind the counter did give some good advice. He told us to enjoy it slowly. Please do, you won't be disappointed! read more

Great personality! I love the mismatched tea cups. It's good to see stores with personality in downtown Rockford. I wish there were more. The Chocolate is delicious! A tini tiny nibble is all you need to be satisfied.... and then there's the rest of the bites! read more

We stopped in for something sweet. This place has a variety of different flavors and all are interesting to say the least. The black walnut and cherry chipotle were my two favorites. They were all very delicious though. The owner was very nice and was happy to answer any questions. We will be back for sure not only to enjoy the chocolates but also for the coffee bar. Good Rockford find. read more

This is a great place to splurge. Home made hand made best chocotate ever. Tons of different ideas to choose from. Well worth the trip. I stop in every time Im there. You can buy one piece or a bunch. read more

Great place, with a very nice selection of delicious chocolates and coffee (the Turkish coffee was great!) I loved the ambience and would be a regular customer here if I lived in Rockford. The other reviewers mentioned that the owner was rude (particularly toward children?), but I found just the opposite. He was very helpful and has done a great job bringing such a styled cafe to the town. He was extremely patient with the families who had young children, even those families who let their kids run around - which I found annoying at 9pm on a Saturday night. I highly recommend this establishment- keep up the great work. read more

I love this place and glad it exists. The place has personality and Daniel, if he's not too busy, usually will come out and is very friendly and wants to know how you like his chocolate. The coffee is great too. What a gem of Rockford, IL. Support businesses like this, especially in Rockford! Put this on your list of places to visit if you come to Rockford, IL. Last time I checked they're open late - after having some brews at Carlyle Brewing Co. next door I like to get my chocolate groove on at Daniels. It's not inexpensive, but worth every penny of the price - YUM!! read more

Ok so Daniel is a bit asinine but he has every right to be; he certainly knows his stuff! He spent time with me describing each and every chocolate and although I'm a milk chocolate fan he made a believer out of me as his dark chocolates are heavenly. I ended up getting a 6 piece box and devoured them all in less than 10 minutes. I can't say enough positive things about his chocolate you can tell it's his true passion and you can taste it in every bite. read more

Chocolat By Daniel - My 6 piece selection. - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Don't bring your kids. He finds them "offensive". I had high hopes for the place. I found it in the Rockford section in an I guidebook for road trips from the Chicago area. Other Rockford spots have worked out really well, so much that my kids think Rockford is the best place to visit. This place looked ideal for us. My wife loves high-end dark chocolate and actually so do my kids. Just after finishing lunch, we came in happy, prepared to buy and tell others. He could not have had an easier sale that day. The owner's rude and condescending behavior led to us leaving without purchasing anything. This place was an anti-ambassador to the city. I hope for Rockford's sake he closes and gets himself out of having to deal with the public. If you're visiting Rockford, skip this. If you live in Rockford, sorry. read more

This is a chocolate shop and it has excellent, artisan chocolate. The chocolate is made to be savored. We try to make it here every time we visit Rockford. read more

We are long time customers of Daniel's. His chocolates are great and they are priced similar to Godiva. about $14 for 6 pieces... that is a little over $2 each after sales tax. You can also just pop in for one piece after dinner. We always stop in after having dinner at Irish Rose, Capri or Deli Italia. If the weather is nice, we walk down to the shop. He has a different variety every couple of days.. usually when we stop in we can find 1/3 are ones we haven't seen before, 1/3 are ones we have seen and 1/3 are our faves. Whoever is working will tell you what is in each chocolate. He always has interesting combinations. most of his chocolates are infused, not the filled types you may be used to. The husband and I usually get 3 piece each. We like Daniel and enjoy stopping in. read more

The chocolates are on par with most European chocolates but with an interesting twist. The addition of salt, olive oil, unusual fruit extracts, to name a few of the clever combinations make for an excellent experience. The chocolates, setting, and price are comparable to the best Chicago chocolatiers. His hours are great too usually to midnight. I will admit that though he is friendly, like the other poster mentioned, he is a little strange being a littler socially awkward. However, this is not really a negative as he has staff help. Try the chocolate drinks. read more

The chocolate is amazing but Daniel will hit on your boyfriend while making snide remarks to you if you are a woman. It's obviously a reflection of his deep seeded mommy issues. Make sure you ask him to repeat things especially about sugar and dark chocolate. He also loves when you touch the glass on his display. Pretend you are hard of hearing so that he actually speaks up in his nasally annoying condescending voice. But the chocolate is really good so we recommend you go if you can handle being treated like crap and over paying for chocolate. read more

The chocolate here is 'ok' nothing more than a Ghiradelli Intense chocolate. Location is nice, too cold for me to enjoy a stay. Biggest problem is the Owner. Attitude and presentation are a HUGE part in owning a business. He was rude to me and he was rude to my wife. I dont get offended easily but trying to enjoy a five dollar piece of 'ok' chocolate doesnt help with an attitude like his. Sorry, you just lost a customer. Wont recommend this place. read more

The chocolate is phenomenal. Quite the opposite of the owner. He is very rude and arrogant. I highly recommend his chocolate creations but don't expect friendly service. read more

Well the chocolate may have been good, but we didn't get to try it because we could not get past the fact that the owner was rude and condescending. The place smells like a musty basement and the store was dark and dingy. Will never return. read more

Sad. Some people are not meant to be in business especially with so many businesses competing for our hard earned money. Daniel it might be time to do some soul searching and find another line of business. Maybe as a bill collector. read more

Get ready for an out-of-the-ordinary experience. We stopped by here Valentine's Day evening, but be prepared to be "wow"ed any day of the week. Chocolat by Daniel does not disappoint. First of all, there is Daniel himself, who is very friendly and clearly enjoys customers, chocolate and telling jokes. He is thrilled to see other people enjoying his passion. He also has assembled a great staff who are polite and helpful. Second (and it doesn't really sound right to list it second, as it is truly tops!), there is the chocolate. We sampled the chocolate strawberries and chocolate torte, but there were quite a selection of interesting and delightful truffles as well. Clearly a French influence exists throughout the cafe, and the decor is charming. I especially appreciated that Daniel sourced locally roasted coffees (free refills while on site satisfying your chocolate fix). Finally, we enjoyed that this is a late night destination, with open hours well past dinner and theatre times. Check it out! read more

Chocolates are incredible...however, we were not treated very well.... the staff is knowledgeable, but the owner was rude. I probably will not go back. read more

I am an avid lover of chocolate, and seek out different delicacies from around the globe. When I stepped into this shop I was immediately confronted by the very rude and pretentious owner. I attempted to ask him a few questions about selections and was answered by Daniel with very rude responses. If you cannot take the time to answer your patrons questions about expensive chocolates, maybe you shouldn't be in the hospitality service. I left the store without purchasing anything, as his attitude was so off-putting I wanted to leave immediately. read more

The bad reviews seem to me to be extremely misguided. Many are from parents taking children into this shop as if it is a candy store. That would be like taking children to a couple's resort like Sandals in Grenada. This is an artisan chocolate boutique with the most delicious chocolate ever created by an artist and highly trained chef! I love it! Daniel has a dry sense of humor, but is kind and informative! My whole family was delighted last night with the experience and we all bought chocolate to take with us! Daniel is a genius of flavor. It is remarkable that parents believe their children should be catered to by everyone and that all places are appropriate for children. Neither is true. I took my son here when he was 8 and Daniel was kind and explained the chocolate because my son was respectful and did not expect a Snickers bar! Last night, my son requested for his 20th birthday to go back and Daniel's is where we celebrated after dinner! A rare, wonderful place! I have eaten chocolate from around the world and Daniel's creations surpass what I have had in Paris and Antwerp. I will continue to be a faithful patron as I have been for 12 years! read more

Ah-mazing chocolate. Daniel knows his chocolates and comes up with some pretty crazy combos! Personally, the truffles are my favorite!! They are simple, textured, and melt in your mouth and leave you craving more. The girl who works the counter is very knowledgeable and super patient with customers who ask about every single chocolate on display (me). Love love love that Rockford has this place, it's my go-to if I need a "pick me up" or just a "YAY you survived the week" kind of thing! read more

Chocolate is delicious. I had eaten there with my supervisor for my intermship. My 2nd experience was questionable. I went with my family. He wasn't helpful or informative. I wanted to buy a big box for my boyfriends parents and asked what's a good gift sized portion. He basically down sold me and said 1 or 2 pieces was enough, that I couldn't afford more than that. I asked if I could buy more and he said he wouldn't recommend it. When we finally agreed on a smaller amount (6 pieces) I asked if there were other wrapping choices and he said the sticker with his name on it in a gold box would be enough. For future customers, call in advance and so if he has what you're looking for. In person, he can act like he couldn't be bothered. read more

The chocolates and mini cheesecakes here are delectable. Daniel is a master of texture and creating harmonious, perfectly balanced flavors. I have never experienced the texture of chocolate or cheesecake the way it is done at this shop. I love each of the delicately flavored chocolates, like the diablo, salt and olive oil, lavender... The ambience of the place is simple, quiet and focused on the experience. I have never heard music being played. When the place is empty, I get the same sort of feeling as when I'm in a museum or church, which is kind of uncomfortable to me, so I sometimes take my chocolates to go. Prepare to savor each item you purchase, as they are expensive little works of art. The experience is about the chocolate. If you concern yourself too much with the staff like prior reviewers, you will miss out on the joy this place has to offer. read more

Fantastic chocolates. Dark only, but unique and delicious. I don't even buy chocolates anywhere else because I know they won't compare. Expensive? Not really. They are not the kind of chocolate that you eat a dozen in one sitting and still aren't satisfied. These are decadent treats.One good piece, eaten slowly and with attention, is all that is needed. The chocolate diablo is to die for. read more