Hot Chocolate in Chicago: Not Close to the Hype (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 53)

Steve had heard a lot about Hot Chocolate in Chicago, and Lisa, who considers hot chocolate (from Starbucks) a dietary staple, was eager to check it out. Unfortunately, little about Hot Chocolate impressed us.

The first thing we noticed about this place was how little space there is between tables. Basically, you are dining with everyone else in the restaurant as one big party. Also, though we usually don't focus on decor, we found the brown painted brick walls and similarly dark flooring depressing, despite the chocolate theme.

We started with wine by the glass. Steve had a New Zealand Pinot Noir, which he found too dry. Lisa had a Malbec which was okay, but at bit too tart. For an appetizer, we decided to split the antipasto plate. It was advertised as a charcuterie-type cheese and meat dish. The plate was giant, and we liked both the cheeses and the meats.

Lisa loved her mixed green salad, which had goat cheese and raspberry dressing. She commented that she would come to the restaurant for the salad alone. Little did we know that it was the only real highlight of the meal. By contrast, Steve didn't care for his wedge salad. It had a bitter flavor. Also, they even managed to top it with bad blue cheese dressing, which is hard to do.

We wanted to save room for the desserts, which is what Hot Chocolate is really known for, so we ordered somewhat light entrees. Lisa had the tuna melt. She took one bite and it tasted so unpleasant that she was concerned she might get sick and she stopped eating. Steve's burger, which is considered a specialty here, was definitely not special. It was dried out, too well done, with much too sharp cheddar for his tastes. We thought perhaps the dessert would save the meal, but though Lisa's hot chocolate was quite good, the combination of the miserable entree and oppressive surroundings caused Lisa to comment that she would never even come here for a hot chocolate. Steve had some sort of unmemorable banana concoction which he didn't finish.

The bathrooms, in keeping with the rest of the evening, were dark, dreary and uncomfortable. The waste baskets were overflowing and the floor of the men's room had an unknown (and we don't want to know) wet substance all over it.

Our total bill, for this extravaganza, with wine by the glass, was $100, which seems outrageous to us.

Our ratings for Hot Chocolate, 1747 N. Damen, Chicago, IL:

4 of 10 Steak Knives and 1 of 3 Bathroom Brushes