Really great cookies and pastries. Our server told us it was the best bakery in Chicago near the Guinness brewery.

I have tried much of their menu and found three things that ended up being a favorite. I used to get the blueberry muffin, but now they're putting sugar on the top and I find it too sweet. I suppose children will like it now. You don't really seem to taste the blueberries as much, just a sweet sugar taste. The caramel coconut chocolate chip cookies are delicious. I've tried some others, but they just don't compare to this one. For anyone that says that they don't like coconut , you don't really taste the coconut, and I think it just helps to make it more moist inside. I love their plain brioche bread and get it often and even put some in the freezer. It's perfect for any meal whether it be a sandwich or just on its own with some butter. read more

Then I saw people pickup a packet. They were giveaways! I also took one not knowing what's inside. It was still warm and in it was the largest and thickest chocolate chip cookie I'd ever held upon. I took a bite and it was sublime! Not too sweet even the chocolate chip. Because of this I'm going to come back to get that again. read more

Levain Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ordered takeout. Chocolate chip walnut cookie was fantastic, as was the baguette with butter and raspberry preserves. Wife had a walnut sticky bun and blueberry muffin - both were outstanding. Great bakery that will be in our regular rotation when we visit Chicago from now on. read more

I came back and enjoyed my visit again! The coffee toffee cookie was tasty! For some reason I didn't expect it to be crunchy (I mean... it does have toffee in the name though so I could've guessed...) but I liked it. I didn't taste the coffee too strongly, mostly chocolate. I also got a decaf oat mocha (they didn't have soy) but personally I wasn't a fan. I could tell the chocolate in the mocha was good quality but I think it was because I'd just had such a sweet chocolate cookie that it wasn't my fave. The place and merch are just so adorable and I hope to be back soon. Pro tip: ask for your cookie to be warmed! read more

finally got to try the hyped up levain bakery cookie at the river north location in chicago! usually prefer thinner/crispy cookies but have been eyeing levain for awhile and i'm glad i tried it. location is new, pretty small interior for takeout. they sell some merchandise, cookies (ofc), and other pastries. service was friendly. // double chip chocolate chip cookie ($5.00) // cookie came out slightly warm (not warm to the touch, but inside chocolate chips were gooey). dark and milk chocolate chips. levain cookies are super thick and cakey. inside was a little undercooked (which personally isn't my thing) but there is an abundance of chocolate chips inside. definitely a decadent cookie, very sweet, but it still tastes good. one cookie is indulgent enough that i shared the cookie with another person and it was more than enough for me. read more

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A great option for a quick breakfast, lunch, or even just a treat. The bakery items were so many and they were so tempting. Will stop by again to try different options. The dessert options like the cookies looked so good. The place smelled so nice. Staff were very friendly and helpful. read more

Levain Bakery - Fresh bakery options - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The cookies were overcooked and not fresh. I had Levain cookies last year when the cookies came straight out of the oven - amazing. The cookies last night were dry and not moist. read more

I stopped by for an early morning cookie after noticing Levain opened up a location in River North. This was my first time trying them and the cookie was super warm, with tons of melted chocolate chips. The staff was really friendly and I got my cookie fresh out of the oven! read more

Levain Bakery - Two Chip Chocolate Chip Cookie - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow! Great cookies and pastries here. Unfortunately, I didn't grab any pictures, but they had a dark chocolate chip cookie that was amazing. If you love chocolate, like really rich chocolate, this is the cookie to get. It was awesome. We also had a regular chocolate chip cookie and a brioche with chocolate chips - those were good as well, but not nearly as chocolatey as the dark cc cookie. read more

Levain Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

OMG. I wanted ice cream but didn't see a shop near my hotel so settled on this bakery nearby. I half-heartedly bought an oatmeal raisin cookie for myself rather than return to my room empty handed. Seriously the BEST cookie I have ever eaten. Why don't we have one of these in Pittsburgh? read more

Levain Bakery - Oatmeal raisin cookie with two bites out of it. Huge, but worth it! - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pretty mid cookies for the hype they get. I'm sure in NYC they are much better but to come to Chicago, not sure the point. All my cookies were hard, and just didn't really have that much flavor. read more

When I was in Chicago, I saw that this was pretty near one of the places I was eating at so I decided to check it out after. The store itself is pretty small and doesn't really have much seating, so the majority of people definitely get it to go. The line wasn't too long when I went, so I only waited a minute or so before I was able to order and get the cookie. I decided to try out their Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter cookie, and I have to say that this is probably one of the largest and most decadent cookies I've had. While it is pricy for a cookie, it also essentially is larger/thicker than a brownie and has a ton of flavor to it. The chocolate chips in it are thick, and this is definitely a very filling snack. Recommend checking out if you are a big fan of cookies! read more

Levain Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The cookie was super delicious since the chocolate in the cookie was melty and the cookie is freshly warm out of the oven. I got the two chip chocolate chip cookie. The only downside is that it's expensive at over $5 per cookie, but it's worth it. read more

Great cookies! Huge though so plan to split or have leftovers! (: drawn in by the smell alone, so so good! read more

Levain Bakery - Loved classic and Caramel Coconut Chocolate Chip - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love levain bakery- personally the oatmeal raisin cookie is my fave! The service is quick and respectful. the bakery is clean but decorated.

Located on Clark Street, this River North location is brand new. The grand opening was yesterday with goody bags. The line to get in was about two blocks long. As you enter, you see an intimate and clean shop filled with cookies. Hot chocolate and coffee were offered as beverages. To the cookie connoisseur, the chocolate chip ratio to nuts was high and delicious. The hot chocolate was bitter, but after a few bags of sugar, it was rich in flavor. I noticed that there was another store in the west loop on Randolph Street. read more

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Honestly not my favorite, but not horrible. The line was incredibly long and the workers weren't the kindest but I also understand that they were super busy. The cookie was -ok. In my opinion a little over priced and felt a little grainy. read more

Cookies are out of this world good. They are cake-like in texture and incredibly flavorful. Must try!

I love cookies. I like all kinds of cookies. If you saw me you'd be like "that guy likes cookies". I consider myself a bakery connoisseur. I love trying and finding different bakeries, I always try cookies at different places whether its at a bakery or a school function, it's generally a low bar for me, there are not many cookies I dont like. We tried chocolate chip, mint chocolate, white chocolate/macadamia, and some sort of chocolate, coconut, and caramel (sort of like the girlscout samoa). Disappointed would be an understatement. These are instagram cookies. Shaped like a biscuit, they are 95% chocolate chip, or white chocolate and macadamias, and 5% dough. There's no balance, it's like biting into a lump of hard bakers chocolate with a tiny bit of undercooked dough. Just give us normal cookies. Snap a picture and throw your Levain rock in the trash, then go find a hole in the wall bakery and enjoy a real cookie. read more

Cute store. Attentive staff. Perfect cookies Coffee is aight, good enough to melt the cookies in your mouth and balance out the sweetness. Excited to try out their cake slices and breads read more

Levain Bakery - Menu - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The chocolate peanut butter chip cookie is out of this world. Soft and rich with just enough crumbly around the outside and edges that you don't confuse it for a brownie. I have had several different items including loaves of bread and everything is good. Don't hesitate to stop in and grab a snack or loaf to take home for sandwiches. read more

Levain Bakery - Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookie - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

An absolute must!!! All levain locations are delicious. I've tried a couple of their items but the two chocolate chip cookie is definitely the best item on the menu. Their loafs of bread are good as well and I recommend the ciabatta. The cookies are definitely big enough to share between two people and definitely more than enough to suffice two people. read more

Finally understand the hype behind the famous Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies! The ratios of walnut to chocolate chips are perfect. These are so thick, but baked just right so that you have a crunchy exterior and soft inside. Coffee was very average, but this review is mainly for the cookie anyway. read more

Levain Bakery - Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The BEST cookies ever! My favorites are the chocolate chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin. High quality, top notch ingredients, they just melt in your mouth! Definitely worth the price. Also the employees are very friendly and helpful. If you love cookies, this is a MUST TRY!!! read more

If you want an over the top treat, try the cookies at Levain! My favorite is the Chocolate Chip Walnut, but double chocolate and Coconut Caramel are also fine. Big. Warm. Soft. mouth-watering good. read more

Levain is just what I want from a bakery. Hearty, authentic, and delectable. The chocolate chip walnut cookie is extremely tasty. Perfect ratio of batter to chocolate chips and walnuts. Big enough to share! The team is super relaxed and helpful. The shop itself is clean, classy, and has lots of selections. read more

Levain Bakery - Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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One of the best cookies you can get in Chicago. My favorites are the chocolate chip, peanut butter and lemon (which was seasonal). A must try while in Chicago! read more

Levain Bakery never disappoints! Every time I'm near a Levain Bakery there's no question if I will be getting cookies from them. We are long time fans of Levain. This location was not busy so we ordered immediately. We ordered the two chip chocolate chip, caramel coconut chocolate, dark chocolate peanut butter chip, and lemon. The lemon cookie is seasonal and this was our first time having it. It was so good! It was lemony, zesty, and had sweet lemon chips in it. I enjoyed this flavor more than I expected since I am a chocolate lover. The other flavors that we had are our favorites so they were absolutely delicious, as always! I love that when you get the cookies they are slightly warm so the chocolate chips are a little bit melted. The cookies are big and dense so we usually have a few bites and are able to savor them over a few days. Levain has some of the best cookies and these cookies are unlike any others you can find. read more

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This is a nice little bakery spot. Everyone there was nice and helped us through our decisions in what to get. The double chocolate chip cookie is good but the stars of this place are the lemon cookie and the lemon cake. I might be biased because I am a fan of lemon, but those two items are top tier amazing. I will give the cookie a slight edge over the cake but you cannot go wrong with either one. Check this place out if you haven't already. read more

Finally got to try this amazing cookie! I had the dark chocolate peanut butter and loved it. I think it was more rich than the original chocolate chip cookie though. I also had the cinnamon brioche which was delectable and not as sweet. read more

Love the fact that there's a Levain Bakery in close proximity to me! It's located in the heart of River North so you know the vibes are popping there. I have a sweet tooth so every so often, I'll have a craving for a GOOD cookie and Levain always satisfies that craving. My husband and I will take walks towards this bakery when we know I have a sweet tooth craving so that we can each buy a cookie and have a great late night snack. Their hours are decent so if you want a cookie/bakery item at 8-9pm, they'll be open! Every time we've gone to this location, the service is great and there's not really a line so I'm in and out of the shop in less than 5-10 mins! We recently ordered the two chip chocolate chip cookie and the caramel coconut chocolate chip cookie - both were great and delicious! I'm not a huge coconut fan so I was pleased to find out that the coconut in the latter cookie was not too overwhelming and still devoured it! Wish I took photos of the cookies but they were obvi eaten in seconds! We've never been disappointed with our visits and will continue to frequent this bakery whenever we have a sweet tooth craving! Highly recommend :) read more

Stopped in for a morning treat at levain. The person working the counter didn't seem very happy. I got the cinnamon brioche and my friend got the chocolate chip brioche. They have good flavor but we both agree they would be better if they offered to warm it up. Although it wasn't a very exciting experience I do plan to go back and try some cookies. Maybe the next review will be a more positive experience. read more

Levain Bakery - Brioche and coffee - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Levain Bakery was a short walk from our hotel. The chocolate chip walnut cookie ($5.25) was recommended by the person that helped us. It was still piping hot when we sat down to try it. I'm normally not a fan of a cookie with nuts in it, but this one was good. read more

Levain Bakery - Levain Bakery - Chicago, Illinois - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm only reviewing the cookies, which is very decadent. Each cookie is so plump and have very fresh ingredients, which is probably why it's pricey. Well, also since it's in downtown Chicago. Anyway the service was pretty quick and the staff was very welcoming. read more

Levain Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I tried Levain for the first time in NYC last year and unfortunately I was not impressed at all... Though given the hype I did feel like I needed to give it another shot and their dark chocolate chocolate chip cookie redeemed them! It was full of flavor, decadent and not too sweet at all. I love how there's a substantial crust on the top while having it be soft on the inside. Yum! read more

Levain Bakery - Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tried the cookies; very good, but do not live up to all that hype! Bloggers are depicting them like the ultimate cookies! It is not true. They are just good cookie, nothing more. read more

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The high end cookie market in the country is lacking. Crumbl Cookie is some garbage ass overly sweet Gen Z bullshit not utilizing any nuts cause Gen Z has nut allergies cause their lazy mothers didn't breast feed them and gave them formula instead. I guess Levin is currently the best high end cookie out there at the moment. They have a good chocolate chip walnut cookie but not as good as Mrs. Fields before they got acquired by some equity firm that made the product into garbage. It's a $5 dollar cookie which is big and chunky and served warm. But it needs more walnuts to pack that crunch factor within all the soft gooeyness and they need to use milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet sucks. The taste of the cookie is okay but nothing to shitabout. Oh how I miss old school Mrs.Fields. As a bakery overall, I still need to try out there other stuff. The baguette looks very promising. Overall my review is specifically on its chocolate chip walnut cookie. The staff here are cool and attentive and do their job very efficiently. read more

Remember when you were a kid and you wanted to make that giant cookie instead of all the smaller ones and you found out that it just doesn't work because it doesn't bake properly? They don't remember or they remember but don't know that raw cookies aren't cookies, they're cookie dough. It's not like ordering your steak rare or ordering sashimi. Raw cookies are just not good food. Did you ever feel sick after eating too much raw cookie or cookies just out of the oven? There's a reason. I tried the double chip. These have no spread. Not enough vanilla or salt. Way too many chocolate chips. I want a cookie, more isn't better. It's not. While that may be a matter of debate, raw is not. The chocolate is average quality and these cookies weigh a ton. I got 1/2 way through and pitched it in the trash where it belongs. Smash them down a little before you bake them and let the flour cook through. I ordered a decaf americano. On the board it just shows one size. The server asked me small or large and said same price. Same price? She said they just add more water! OMG. Really? Seriously? So, they don't know how to bake and don't know anything about coffee. There's nothing left there to rate them upon. I said small. It's the same amount of espresso beans so why would I want it watered down. Have you ever had a watery americano? Awful. I'm sure there are enough cookie newbies or stoned River North residents that will keep them afloat. It won't be me. read more

$6 a cookie now, I'm done with this place. Not to mention the vibe has severely changed, used to be happy and fun coming in here. Everyone's miserable now. This is what happens when you go corporate, nickel and dimming every year to beat those sales goals. Truly despicable how greedy this once charming spot has become. read more