We stopped by Mindy's after dinner on a Sunday night in hopes of capping off the night with a solid dessert. With a name like Mindy's Hot Chocolate, I came in expecting some out of this world desserts. I honestly didn't even know they also served regular food here. I figured they just specialized in hot chocolate and other sweets, sort've like Serendipity in NYC. Seeing how popular this place was, I was tempted to make a reservation ahead of time. Good thing I didn't though because dessert only reservations automatically charge a minimum of $15/person, and there ended up being plenty of seats at the bar. We ordered a couple desserts and split a hot chocolate. Baked Alaska Bar - The bartender said this was probably one their most popular desserts. It had a little bit of everything in it: layers of chocolate, toffee, caramel, and frozen mousse. Also, the presentation of it just looked great. It was a little tough to cut through because the frozen layer was pretty hard. Overall, I liked it but it was a bit too rich and overly sweet. I know, I know dessert is supposed to be sweet, but after a big meal I wasn't really looking to pile on even more dense food in my stomach. Chiffon Pie - This was a great contrast to the Alaska bar. This dessert had a light and airy filling and it was topped with a fruity tasting sauce. Overall a very refreshing bite. Affogato - I must've been living under a rock or something. How the hell have I not heard of affogato until today. It was delicious...basically a scoop of chocolate infused coffee ice cream with hot chocolate poured over it. The hot chocolate part was super thick and rich with a noticeably more intense chocolate flavor than your typical hot chocolate. The combination of that and the ice cream created an even creamier drink that had a temperature where I didn't have to take small sips in order to prevent burning my tongue. I chugged the hell outta that thing. It was the quickest $10 I've ever consumed. Overall, I enjoyed the desserts. I just didn't think they were mind blowing enough to make a separate trip to Mindy's just for dessert. Especially at that price point, sampling a couple desserts could easily add up to the cost of another meal. If I do come back, I'd probably just stick to the hot chocolate. read more

See all

Heads up-make a reservation. I called and there was no wait, and in the 10 minute walk to Mindys, the wait had increased to 45 minutes. They also won't seat you until the entire party is there. The interior of the place was cute. Simple and nice, nothing spectacular. It reminded me a lot of Bucks on Division in terms of decorating. Our service was good and what you would usually expect. I ordered the butterscotch hot chocolate, and it was AMAZING. I initially thought $7 was a lot for hot chocolate, but it's so worth the price. Ordered a ham and Gruyere quiche. It came with a side salad, but I subbed breakfast potatoes cuz I'm a fat ass and love carbs. The potatoes were delicious-crispy but still soft and seasoned perfectly. The quiche looked like a little pot pie and tasted good, but nothing spectacular. Honestly, it was cold....it wasn't freezing, but enough to where I noticed. My friend who dined here had a similar issue so maybe it's a quiche thing. Who knows. There's better places to dine in wicker park, but Mindys is definitely something you should try once. read more

See all

Popped into Mindy's on a Saturday night around 8:30 and got seated at the bar right away. Bartender, Max, was fantastic to us. Great service. We ordered a couple glasses of wine, the cheese board, and the octopus dish. My boyfriend loved the octopus dish - even ventured so far to say it was possibly the best grilled octopus he had ever had. The cheese board was fantastic too - we had a blue, a sharp yellow, and a soft white cheese, with nuts, a couple micro pickles, and some nice sourdough bread. We finished up with the medium hot chocolate with a shot of orange cognac (recommended by Max) and a Mexican hot chocolate with a shot of brandy. They both were incredible. So so creamy, rich, with a homemade marshmallow that melted at the most perfect speed and consistency. Great experience all around. We will definitely be back. Thanks, Max! read more

Absolutely the best burger of all time. The rest of the food gets better from there. Great bar and attractive attentive staff. read more

Mindy's Bakery - Best burger ever! - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Gimme more hot chocolate! The medium hot chocolate over ice with the homemade marshmallows = the best!!! Every time I am in wicker park we grab the hot chocolate to go! Last time we stayed inside, ordered the sweet potato pie and two hot chocolates hot. The sweet potato pie was delicious! The hot-hot chocolate was way too chocolaty and too sweet, I had to dilute with water. I've had a real meat here one time, we ordered the clams, but I don't remember what I ordered for entrees. I remember liking the clams but I wasn't crazy about the entrees. I will definitely come here again for food. read more

Mindy's Bakery - Sweet potato pie. Delicious! - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

As an avid HGTV viewer I saw an episode in Chicago where the home-buyer went to Mindy's Hot Chocolate. This lead to me look them up on Yelp and my reservation for the following week! I came here in the early afternoon on black Friday. It was almost to capacity when we were promptly seated and almost empty when we left. I ordered the cured salmon bagel sandwich, "A sandwich made with cured salmon, a house-made sesame bagel, whipped chive cream cheese, local cucumber and shaved red onion served with a local beet and dill crème fraiche salad." ($14). It was delicious, fresh, and the perfect serving size. My dining companion ordered the crab cake, "New England" crab cake, Werp Farms' Bibb lettuce, and house-made roasted giardiniera tartar sauce on a house buttered bun served with house-made chips." ($15) The two bites I tried were delicious as well. The chips were salted to perfection. For dessert I ordered the Mexican hot chocolate (2/3 dark chocolate, 1/3 milk, fresh cinnamon and cayenne, $6). The size is deceiving. I thought I would be able to drink it all but it's very rich. It was the best hot chocolate I've ever had! There are multiple bus routes that run near by and it's very closed to the Damen blue line stop. read more

Mindy's Bakery - Champagne, Old Fashioned, Cured salmon bagel, crab cake sandwich, mexican hot chocolate! - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came here after dinner to try some of their famous desserts. My boyfriend and I each ordered a hot chocolate and split the brioche bread pudding. The food/drinks were good, but I wouldn't say great. I ordered the old fashioned hot chocolate, which was good but REALLY sweet, so much so that I could only finish half. My bf had the half and half, which was far less sweet and had the marshmallows on the side in case you want to sweeten it up. He decided to go without them and finished it all. I suggest you order your hot chocolate with the marshmallows on the side so you have more control over the sweetness. read more

Mindy's Bakery - Old fashioned. Order with the marshmallows on the side so it isn't too sweet! - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I can speak only to the hot chocolate, but this place was an absolute slam dunk, and absolutely lived up to the hype. My partner opted for classic with an espresso shot on the side, while I went for Old Fashioned. Hers was good, but mine was over the top amazing, topped with their homemade marshmallow and a whipped cocoa ganache. Incredibly decadent, creamy, rich, thick, and sweet (but not too sweet). Each component (ganache, marshmallow, and drink) stood on its own, but as the ganache and marshmallow melted into the drink, they formed an experience greater than the sum of their parts. Will definitely be back when in Wicker Park again, as the food menu also looked really good and the setting was very nice. read more

Incredible hot chocolate / desserts. We ordered a variety for the table to share and everything was incredible. The "black and tan" and "Mexican" were my personal favorites for the hot chocolate. They're very rich though and fill you up fast. Desserts were also excellent - their cake of the day is usually fantastic. Difficult to get a table, so highly recommend getting a reservation. read more

Mindy's Bakery - Mexican hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pastries we got were heavenly! The chocolate croissant was phenomenal and the white chocolate pie was delicious. My 3 star review is for the hot chocolate. If I pay $12 for a hot chocolate please give it to me hot not lukewarm at best. Unfortunately, I only tried it after we left and it wasn't worth driving back but I was very dissatisfied, if you charge such an outrageous price for a hot chocolate please serve it hot! read more

I initally wanted to try this place because I saw it on a special for Unique sweets and saw the most decadent chocolate caramel tart - sadly, I came for lunch service instead of dinner service, but alas the food and beverages are still amazing. You have to order at least a hot chocolate here, because who goes to Mindy's Hot Chocolate without ordering hot chocolate? Some options I loved include the old fashioned, medium, dark, and mexican hot coco as I love the hint of spice in it. All hot chocolate is served with fresh house made marshmallows that are so unbelievably pillowy and soft! read more

Mindy's Bakery - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A hot place to go in Wicker Park! Food items are good mix of sweet and savory to go along with the list of hot cocoa choices. I went with the iced version of the Mexican Hot Chocolate, which came with their house-made marshmallow. Very rich and tasty! For brunch, I opted for something that contrasted with the cocoa. The avocado toast was like a salad on top of a bagel. It consisted of egg salad, avocados, tomatoes, mustard greens, and champagne vinaigrette. It was filling and refreshing to have after drinking the Mexican hot chocolate. As a chocolate lover, this was a sweet place to try out! Definitely was hopping on a Sunday afternoon! Luckily since they take reservations, me and my group were able to get a table quickly. The service was great and our server was very helpful with informing us about the menu items. At $7, the hot chocolate selections are a little on the pricey side; however good to treat yourself to! read more

Mindy's Bakery - Avocado toast - toasted bagel topped with egg salad, avocado, tomatoes, mustard green, and champagne vinagrette - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

A favorite of mine to give visiting friends a taste of chicago. Mindy's stands on a street lined with hip stores at the heart of Wicker Park, making the restaurant a perfect place to grab meal without losing much time for adventuring. An episode on Netflix's Sugar Rush brought Mindy's to my attention. A James Beard Awardee for pastries!? Count me in! The desserts changes seasonally, but every time there is always something on the menu that wows me. As of this review, the poached pear dessert I had is sweet but not overly, moist but balanced with crunch and topped with a bold, creamy cheese cake ice cream. I think the description fits many of their other dessert offerings - complex, balanced and just plain satisfying for any sweet tooth. I am personally not a fan of the hot chocolate as it is a bit too sweet for me, thus I recommend jumping to the menu that won them the award. Although I rave the dessert, the food is just outstanding. I will stand by their elevated take on chicken and waffle! One of the best I have had. Overall, Mindy's have earned a spot on what defines Chicago cuisine experience for me. read more

Did not get to try this place last time I came to visit Chicago, but made sure I did this time. Came for brunch and although the food we ordered was good, the eggs were either undercooked or overcooked, never perfect. The server was extremely nice though and accommodated us. The menu here seems to change often, which is nice, as it gives me even more reasons to come back. To try out new dishes. The mexican hot chocolate was superb, would definitely recommend. read more

The food was splendid. I had the shrimp spaghetti and it was incredibly savory. We finished it off with an old-fashioned hot chocolate and bread pudding which had "Happy Birthday" written on it! I couldn't have been happier with my meal. The reason why I'm giving Mindy's a 4 is because of when I called to make a reservation. The person on the phone was rude, and when I called again about a cake, another woman answered who was even ruder than the last. The only person who was actually kind and professional was the manager, who took my cake order. read more

Mindy's Bakery - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We are big fans of Sugar Moon but they were closed during the holidays so we decided to try Mindy's. So, so, good. We didn't want to compare as both bakeries are excellent but the almond croissant at Mindys is hard to beat with its carmelized top. The bialys definitely beat out the brioche at Sugar Moon. The quiche was very tasty but a little pricey at $11 and the pastry with apricot and cheese good but would have preferred the cheese not be so blackened. Bagels were good but our New Yorker thinks they're better in Brooklyn. Staff was very pleasant. We will definitely return (who spends almost $100 on pastries for 4 people?????) to try more of a large selection. read more

Am visiting from Los Angeles and read about this place in food blogs so really excited to try it. Got the hot chocolate. Agree with other reviewers that the marshmallows are great. The hot chocolate is super decadent! It's very good but literary so rich that you feel you are drinking pure melted chocolate with little dairy. Something with so much richness and sugar that after drinking it you might feel sick. The reason I gave 3 stars is purely the price. $13 for a cup of hot chocolate??!!! I've never had something so expensive. Personally I feel I would have rather they sold me a mini for $5 as we got the Mac and cheese and the hot cocoa was more money. Plus we did the $3 split so it was $16 for hit chocolate. In LA they have something very close at Ladurée and it costs- $5. read more

Great service. Can get busy with long waits. Mac n cheese is delicious and raw Brussels sprout salad with bagel chips surprised me at how good it was. Homemade mashmallows!!! read more

Mindy's Bakery - Medium hot choc (split), mac n cheese, Brussels sprout caesar, and of course cookies: all top notch - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We have been coming here when first opened. The chicken, salads and burgers are some of the best in Chicago. Wonderful warm hip atmosphere with a neighborhood feel. The hot chocolate is simply delicious and the best anywhwre read more

I found this place to be highly over-rated. My husband and I went for dessert on a Saturday night. There was a long line and we were told it was about a 40 minute wait. This was fine with us, except there were six empty tables at the time, including three tables for 2. I know they send a text when your name is called and that you have 10 minutes to show up, so I figured those tables were all about to be filled. Nope. We did wait 40 minutes, but we sat at one of those 2-person tables that had been empty the entire time we waited. The service was quick for dessert. We both ordered own hot chocolate, which was a big mistake. They are delicious but promptly made us both feel sick to our stomachs after consuming such a rich drink. I'd recommend sharing a cup. Unfortunately, if you are only seated for dessert, you're required to spend at least $15/person, so you're stuck either getting 2 drinks and 1 dessert, or the other way around. We split a dessert - apples and cinnamon - and it was fine, but nothing spectacular. In conclusion, we definitely won't be going back. We waited 40 minutes when it obviously wasn't necessary to do so, only to spend over $30 for hot chocolate that was too rich and a mediocre dessert. read more

Mac & cheese was good, the donuts were basic.; Nothing mind-blowing about it. I had the chicken & waffles - the Sriracha syrup gave it a kick. The chicken had the right amount of crunchy to it. I really came to check out the hot chocolate. I ordered the pumpkin spice. It was delicious but the $8 price for it was appalling. I'm glad I came to try it out but it will definitely be a one time visit read more

Mindy's Bakery - Chicken & waffles - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

In my opinion, the hot chocolate didn't live up to the rave reviews. I had the dark hot chocolate while my boyfriend had the old fashioned. There was too much chocolate and sugar and not enough milk. The old fashioned was overwhelmingly sweet, while the dark hot chocolate tasted like what a regular hot chocolate should taste like. Both were like drinking a melted chocolate bar. I've had much better hot chocolate of various styles (French, Mexican, English, etc) at El Moro in Mexico City. Also, the server in charge of seating tonight was particularly unfriendly. It was my birthday and my boyfriend wanted to buy me a slice of cake before the day ended. We were only able to make it here 7 minutes before midnight; we were hopeful though because some Yelp reviewers were seated a few minutes before closing. The server told us we couldn't be seated because the kitchen was as closed, but we could order drinks to go. My boyfriend told her it was my birthday and asked if they had any cake slices that we could buy to go as well. The server annoyingly snapped back, "The kitchen is closed. If the kitchen was open, I'd seat you." She then proceeded to quickly have us pay for the hot chocolate and leave. Definitely an unfriendly end to my birthday. read more

We went to Hot Chocolate for my Birthday. It was a Sunday night during the holidays and I didn't really think we would need a reservation, but we waited an hour. That was my fault for not making one. It was crazy packed, people just kept pouring in. Once we were seated, it was awesome! The drinks were great! We had the shrimp and grits appetizer, scallops and pork tenderloin. All 3 were amazing! The desserts were incredible. We had the Peanut Butter Cup, it was really really good. I will have to agree the service is somewhat slow, but I wasn't in a hurry. They forgot to bring our second drinks so our server gave them to us for free, which was nice:) I would definitely go back!!! read more

I was in Chicago for a girls' weekend of foodie fun. After a lovely dinner, we stopped by this place for dessert. As a former art major, the art on the walls was the first thing that struck me as I walked inside. If the type of art a place has hanging on the walls is any indication to how trendy it is (think the more awkward/disturbing the art is, the more trendy the venue), this was the place to be. The hostess fit the bill. She had the standard "45 minutes" answer to every group that placed their name on the list. Our wait was a little over 10 minutes, but that may be because during the 10 minutes, three groups before us took their names off the list and left before they were seated. There were two seating areas. Tables with real chairs were reserved for those ordering dinner. As dessert eaters only, we were ushered to the dimly lit front corner of the restaraunt to sit on backless low benches that would fit in any skyscraper lobby, and flimsy round tables that appeared to have been bought at IKEA on clearance. The menu was minimal(not a bad thing), but intriguing. We each decided to order a different hot chocolate beverage and share the bourbon pear dessert. If I were rating this venue on the bourbon pear dessert alone, it would get six stars. Expertly arranged, and even better tasting than the plate was beautiful, that dish was the best thing we ate all weekend! Unfortunately, the hot chocolate beverages were served at just above luke-warm temperature. Maybe that was to prevent the homemade marshmallows served with the beverages from melting (they were divine)...but our group agreed that the beverages were overpriced and not that great ($6 to $8 depending on your selection). I have a feeling if they actually served HOT chocolate, the beverages would have been better. And of course, who wants an unmelted marshmallow floating in their cocoa? Overall, I'm glad I went--for the heavenly dessert. But I have no need to ever return. There are too many other places in Chicago to try! read more

I am not a fan of chocolate (more for everyone else!), but I do love a good cup of hot cocoa on a cold day. Hot Chocolate delivered on this front and more. I made a Saturday morning brunch reservation for my husband's birthday, asked for a table near the windows, and was so very happy to see that they were able to fulfill this request! We started off with hot chocolates (chai for me, Mexican for him), which were large, delicious, and came with house-made marshmallows. They were able to skip the dark part of my chai hot chocolate, which I was very grateful for (again, not a big fan of actual chocolate). For the mains, I had the seasonal quiche. On that day, it was butternut squash and came in a wonderfully flaky crust. Would definitely quiche again. My husband had the French toast, which was a large portion, super decadent and rich, AND came with a large breakfast sausage. Probably the perfect sweet and savory combo. We also ordered a side of toasted challah because #carbs. Totally unnecessary as the entrees and hot chocolates were so filling, but good nonetheless. When I made the reservation on OpenTable, I wrote in the notes that we were celebrating his birthday and, thus, that's why I was requesting a "nicer" table. They were so great though, that they went beyond that request and brought over a platter of their cookies with a candle. Such a nice touch and, even though we were pretty full, we happily ate some of Mindy's delicious cookies. (I have since gotten her book "Cookie Love" in order to replicate the deliciousness at home!) read more

See all

it is unreal how INCREDIBLE their gluten free bagels are and idk how i only just learned that this place existed. they have plain, everything and sesame. they all have such a nice crunchy exterior and a soft inside that just tastes incredible. i am so lucky this place is only 10 mins from me. Also tried the gluten free pear danish which was also divine. maybe a little too sweet but the pastry/bread was too delightful. read more

You know a restaurant called "Hot Chocolate" has to be good. I mean...hot chocolate. What more is there to say? A lot actually. Mindy's Hot Chocolate is more than just hot chocolate. Yes, this place has amazing chocolately goodness, but the food is fantastic as well! I ordered the shrimp and grits for brunch and DEVOURED it. I would come back to Mindy's exclusively for the shrimp and grits, they were that delicious. I also tried the pancake, which is literally a pan-cake. A fluffy cake baked in a can, served with strawberries. It's unique and very tasty. My mom was really obsessed with it. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the brunch farmer's market salad. There was something about the quinoa and dressing that was a bit off to me, but I woudn't call it bad. But back to the namesake...I was with a group of 13, so I tried most of the hot chocolates. They were all delicious, but my favorite was definitely the Medium. The dark chocolate really stole my heart in the Medium, but the milk chocolate in it kept it just sweet enough. For a slightly lighter option (hah who am i kidding?), try the Half and Half. The espresso makes it more like an affogato than a cup of pure chocolate. The conclusion: Definitely worth every calorie. read more

Mindy's Bakery - How pancakes should be..light, fluffy, and made in a pan - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Probably the best dark hot chocolate I've ever had. I'm not a sweets person, but this thing is so rich and it's fascinating to hold a hot cup in chilly Chicago weather. Amazing! read more

Mindy's Bakery - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I have been wanting to eat at this restaurant for a while as it's been highly recommended by many people. I came here on a Sunday morning for brunch expecting a fairly long wait, but was seated fairly quickly with my friend at the bar. Great ambiance and decor. Wait staff was very nice. We ordered mimosas (they let me switch out OJ to grapefruit juice instead. Yay!) And we ordered the beggars purse strudel to share ....big mistake. Just get one for yourself, it was absolutely delicious. I ordered the two eggs any way and my friend ordered the latke benedict. Unfortunately after waiting for 10-15 min we were told they ran out of the latke batter so my friend than opted for the beet toast. Our food tasted great but really wished we could have tried those latkes. Please don't leave without a hot chocolate. We had the dark hot chocolate and the mexican hot chocolate. The creaminess and smoothness of both was out of this world, paired with the homemade marshmallow on this side I will be definitely coming back for hot chocolate. read more

Best burger I've ever had. It's incredible!!! $17 (with the added egg on top) and worth Every penny. Peanut Butter shake was unbelievably fantastic. BUT.... It's almost funny that they don't have big straws. The straws are tiny (soda drinking) straws. So the shakes are perfect: very thick, but not too thick. The things is....you have to suck so darn hard through the tiny straw that you're lips feel like they're going to fall off. STILL 5 stars all the way. But Please Get Bigger Straws!!!! :) read more

Mindy's Bakery - Best burger in the world, seriously. $17.... and I'd pay double that. Absolute perfection. - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Oh my God, dude!! -Amazing pate -Amazing white chocolate peppermint latte or mocha -Great service -Great entrees I honestly, without question, LOVED everything I tried. We went in a big group and we ate a little but of EVERYTHING from each other. No complaints, from staff to food, to feel/vibe. Soooo good! Did I mention how good it was??? I think I experienced a food coma while I was there. Go there, do it! read more

Mindy's Bakery - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is by far one of the best brunch places in chicago. We ordered the half and half hot chocolate which includes expresso, and it was richly chocolately and indulgent. Not too sweet, and the housemade marshmallows really compliment the drink. We also ordered the chicago typewriter which was a fresh and zesty bourbon cocktail. The pepper and egg sandwich includes a homemade bread bun and roasted poblanos with a flavorful cheese and garlic aoili combo. The potatoes on the side are roasted whole and lightly salted-delicious and filling! My friend ordered the chicken and waffles which was generously covered with real maple syrup and slices of jalapenos and serranos. The waffles were delicate and the chicken was buttery and crisped to perfection. We will be back! read more

Excellent hot chocolate and dessert options. Love the ambiance the restaurant provides. Service is superb. Prices are eh.

Just ordered some Hot Mexican Chocolate mix! Family also had Dark, Medium and other varieties and each was a world class HC! Must return! read more

My coworker and I were really looking forward to coming here after looking at the menu and reading some other yelpers' reviews, so I was a tiny bit disappointed by my experience at Hot Chocolate. The food was very good, but the atmosphere and service detracted somewhat. The (early-30ish, male) waiter started off on a bad foot with me because he kept referring to me (late 20s) and my (60-year-old) coworker as "the girls" ("What are the girls having?" "Are the girls ready to order?" etc.) He finally knocked it off when I mirrored it back to him: "Yes, 'the girls' are ready to order, thank you!" It just sounded condescending and cheesy, and unnecessary. He improved over time by making good suggestions and comments on what we were ordering, at least, though he did disappear at the end when we wanted to get the check. The atmosphere was dark and loud, and got darker and louder as the meal progressed (they kept turning the music up and the lights down). By the end I was leaning across the table to hear what my dining companion was saying. We were sitting at the row of small tables that line one wall; I can't imagine how the people sitting in the middle of the room could hear anything, caught as they were between the smaller tables and the bar. If the food had been bad, this meal would have been a futile exercise, but it made it worthwhile. We both had the macaroni and cheese, which comes in individual casseroles. Below the bubbly baked brown top reposes elbow macaroni bathed in the creamy cheese sauce of your dreams. (another negative, though: no salt and pepper on the table; I would have liked to add pepper to mine, as is my wont with macaroni and cheese -- it would have nicely offset the insanely creamy sauce. Yeah, I could have tried to flag down Mr. Condescension, but by then the mac would have been cold. I'm sure having shakers on the table would ruin the aesthetic, but come on, this is still a restaurant. How about those mini glass cube kind that you get in first class?) Anyway, dessert was another level of decadence. My coworker ordered the brioche donuts (thanks to yelpers, she knew to ask for the fresh raspberry preserves in addition to the standard hot fudge sauce), and I got the vanilla bean milkshake. The shake came in a tall, skinny glass (kind of a skimpy serving, I felt, but then, I suppose I'm more used to the fountain-glass size from Steak 'n' Shake and the like), but the flavor was intensely vanilla-y. So often vanilla shakes are bland and blah, but this really had that vanilla essence to it. It came with a couple of cookies (rugelach and Brussels-type), which were serviceable but nothing special. Frankly, I'd have preferred a larger shake and skip the cookies. I tried the donuts as well, which were warm and sugar-dusted; very tasty, though to me donuts say breakfast more than dessert, I guess. The raspberry preserves were excellent, with a real tang to them (nothing like the sugar-laden store-bought stuff), and the hot fudge sauce was rich and beautifully glossy; I got it all over my hand and couldn't resist licking it off. For some reason the donuts also came with homemade caramel corn, which, while tasty, didn't seem to go with the donuts or the supplementary flavors (hot fudge & raspberry). The food would bring me back to Hot Chocolate, but the self-conscious setting with the dim lights and loud music is a bit of a put-off. One thing I love about Chicago, though: at different points in the meal, people at tables on both sides of us turned to ask about something we'd ordered, and we had friendly little conversations with them. Where I lived before (Dallas), that sort of thing did not happen; you had to pretend you were the only one in the restaurant. So it was kind of fun to mingle in that way (not that you could help it: the tables against the wall were fitted so closely together that you are nearly elbow to elbow with people, so you might as well become friends!) read more

I went to Hot Chocolate for brunch on a Sunday morning with a group of ~ 6 friends. We did not have to wait long, our food was excellent, and the service was also very good. My medium steak (from the steak and eggs brunch menu) was described as "perfect" by friends. The hot chocolate I ordered (Light egg nog) was probably one of the best I've ever had. On the down side, things were a little pricey. I spent 22.10 for a steak and eggs brunch meal with one mug of hot chocolate. The decor appeared as if a lot of thought were put into it. There was material there that I would not want a child to see, and I did not really want to see myself, but other than that, everything was classy, stylish, and nice in terms of the scenery/upholstery, etc. I would wholeheartedly recommend this place to anyone if it were not for the decor. read more

I still love Hot Chocolate, but have been back twice for lunch recently and have to say that the service is a bit slow at lunch....so, don't make this a spot you want to pop in to quickly - or, if you have to, definitely let your server know when you get there and I'm sure they will be happy to accommodate! The tuna melt - DIVINE! I can't resist the milk shakes....so, so, so good! read more

This place was bustling and loud when we visited for Sunday lunch. I like that. The wait was about 35 minutes for two places at the bar. I like eating at the bar, it seems cozier, so this was great. I started off with a vanilla butterscotch hot chocolate that was amaaazing. Like liquid candy heaven. It's very, very sweet and rich so you'll want to sip slowly and savor. It's kind of like a melted down candybar! For my meal I got the buttermilk blueberry pancake. I thought it was pretty good. Nothing to write home about, though. Our service was very good - we were taken care of but left to ourselves just the right amount. read more

Damn. Double damn. I've never had the hot chocolate. Yet. It's hard to get to the hot chocolate stage. Everything is so good, so spot on, so enticing that one doesn't reach the hot chocolate portion until it's too late--already too much good food and drink. We've been to the restaurant twice lately. Two different waiters--they could not be more helpful. They know taste and they know how to ask you what you like. Of course, they check to make sure that they correctly imagined what you would enjoy. Every plate seems created by some genius, a harmony of ingredients. Anything. Literally. Have anything. You'll like it. Most recent selections, all recommended highly: beet salad (with salmon), smoked trout and baked alaska (with an interesting spin). Each had the freshest ingredients and truest taste. I think I'll just drive by, walk in and order a hot chocolate. That should be fun, trying to decide which of the several is the best. read more

Got the Black and Tan and it was super yummy the first half of the cup, then I was having chocolate overload, yes it's possible! We also had the donuts with chocolate sauce, that was so good! read more

Mindy's Bakery - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all