Moonstruck Chocolate Cafe

4.5 stars. I used to get a mocha almond fudge here everyday for awhile… that’s how much I loved it. I haven’t seen it at this location but at the Champaign location, they had a tiramisu cheesecake that was to die for. Tiramisu and cheesecake? Oh my goodness, my life could end right now and I would be happy. (Btw, I have tried the Cheesecake Factory version… definitely not as good). With my mocha almond fudge, a tiramisu cheesecake and a good book, I was in bliss. I savored every bite and every sip. Mmmm…
I have tried some of their chocolates and although they look pretty (my favorite one is the chocolate Labrador… so cute!) they just don’t taste as good as they look, hence the .5 deduct.
Don’t forget to buy some of their Mexican cocoa… delicious! Very comforting on cold Chicago nights.

I was surprised to see a Portland based chocolate shop here in Chicago. Weird, I don’t even think their chocolates are that magical and profoundly delicious. Maybe I need to try some more since I only tried a dozen from their xmas collection. Pretty, intricate designs, sure but the truffles can be a hit or miss. Much better than Godiva’s, Godiva’s is seriously overrated. I have yet to try their cocoa drinks. Maybe I will in Portland. For the californians that took these home as a souvenier thinking it’s a chicago thing, it’s not, it’s a portland thing and there’s 2 locations in california. Ahahahahahahahahaha! God, I kill myself sometimes.

As a big fan of hot chocolate, I was really excited to see this store. I hadn’t heard about it, didn’t know it was a tourist trap, etc when I stepped inside. I was immediately struck by all the cute chocolates. Chocolates shaped as ice cream cones, cute farm animals (think sheep, piggies, chicks, etc), and cute truffles. I also was amazed at the various hot chocolate drinks offered (mexican, mayan, chocolate au lait, etc). My friend ordered the mocha almond fudge, and I ordered the mexican hot chocolate. I was expecting a spicy hot chocolate (the kind with chile) but I was wrong, it was a cinnamony/​vanillay flavor. It was not a good aftertaste for me… I love rich hot chocolate drinks, and even with a bit of spice, but the cinnamon, really didn’t quite hit it the way I wanted it to. My friend’s mocha almond fudge did not resonate well with her either. she described it as very mediciney.
I want to try this place again, and maybe just get the regular hot chocolate, and see how hearty and thick it is. But for now, I was not really that happy with the offerings I tried. I do love the décor and the artistic chocolates though. The mini round disks of dark chocolate that came with the hot cocoas were very very delicious.

I went to college where there was a Moonstruck on campus. For some reason, I’ve always passed this place on Michigan Ave and didn’t try until I tried it downstate. Anyways, they have awesome drinks and also the second best whipped cream (starbucks has the best). My favorites:
Brown Cow milkshake– ice cream with sassafras (errr root beer).
Classic American Cocoa– Unlike Starbucks, the chocolate is mixed in well with the milk and when you get to the bottom of the cup you don’t get a gross clump of syrup.
04 – 30: Sad, that this location is gone. Oak brook is too far!!! Please build another one in the Chicago metro area!
Classic Mocha– right balance btwn chocolate and espresso flavors, didnt get a buzz though. i would recommend getting an extra shot.
Not so favorite: chocolate au lait, i’m still confused as to what the difference is btwn this and the classic american cocoa. doesn’t au lait just mean with milk? american cocoa has milk in it. very confusing.
Also the staff is awesome for kicking out those annoying bucket boys/“basketball” players/​«would you like an inspirational poem?» dudes. Inspire this! –makes obscene gesture–

Ehh Moonstruck… I used to live in the apartments above while going to school and frequented Moonstruck strictly out of convenience. Their chocolate is not made in house… and that disappoints me. I like homemade products and have an extra special appreciation for some fine chocolates (Coco Rouge, anyone?). I can say that the hot chocolate with the chiles (or was it a latte?) was most excellent. It had that unusual chili heat that I love. If you are in the area, stop in for a drink, but I’d pass on their chocolates.

I dropped by Moonstruck in the mood for a second dessert after dinner at Siam Rice. I walked in expecting a Cher-​themed cholocaterie but forgot all about that as soon as I laid my eyes on all the chocolate, and instead started leering at all the chocolate truffles, chocolate covered nuts and all the other mouthwatering goodies behind the glass counters, while the man behind the counter watched me intently.
«Can I help you, site?»
«Hmmm, not yet, I’m trying hard to resist temptation to all my indulgences.»
«Don’t, you’ll fail and it’s not worth it.»
As much as this amused me, his cheekiness was a little uncalled for, personally speaking. I did, in fact, give in, and bought a bunch of dark chocolate treats in addition to their dark chocolate bar and the dark chocolate espresso bar. I wouldn’t say it was disappointing, it wasn’t at all in fact, it was rich, authentic and scrumptious but it didn’t live up to the expectations given the prices here, and the pretentious ambiance. Though, I think I’ll try their drinks next time, those looked good!!!

This place is great! So much chocolate, so little time! It celebrates chocolate the way Starbucks celebrates coffee. It’s got every kind of sweet treat you can imagine — ice cream, cake, mocha drinks, truffles. Everything I’ve had has been so good. The café is set up quite a lot like a Starbucks actually, cute little café with sofas and comfy chairs.
I make it a point to stop there every time I’m in Chicago, and I recommend it to all my friends.

If I still lived in Chicago, I’d go back to Moonstruck far too often for my own good. I used to pass it by when I worked downtown, thinking it just another trendy, overpriced café. Trendy it may be (should be, really), but overpriced it’s not., and tasty it definitely is.
I’m a fan of hot chocolate, and enjoyed being confronted with a menu full of options, rather than one basic hot chocolate with optional shots of syrup (a la Starbucks). When I couldn’t decide on my own, the cashier recommended the Mexican hot chocolate on recommendation. Good recommendation — instead of being overly sweet, it had a more nuanced taste with a hint of bitterness and the taste of cinnamon. The drink came out quickly and came with a chocolate piece. The chocolate was good, dark and a bit bitter. The whole thing cost only $ 2.50, less than a small hot chocolate at the Starbucks near work in California.
Once I had my drink, I sat down in one of their several comfortable leather chairs. I’d popped in on a whim during my day of walking around, so I didn’t have anything to read. Luckily, Moonstruck took care of that — they racks mounted on the wall by the trash can for people to leave their newspapers as they go. I picked up last Sunday’s New York Times and got through most of that as I drank. There was music playing, but it was tasteful and not loud enough bother me. Once I finished, I was on my way, happily sated. It was exactly what I wanted — a nice drink, a comfortable seat, and something good to read, and at a surprisingly cheap price.
Now that I know about Moonstruck, I have a feeling I’ll stop by whenever I’m in the city, to meet friends or just to stop by as I walk around downtown. If you find yourself needing a place to read or study or simply want a hot beverage on a November afternoon as you walk from the south-​of-​the-​river, public-​interesty part of Michigan Avenue (the Art Institute, Millenium and Grant Parks, etc.) to the north-​of-​the-​river consumer-​shoppingy part, Moonstruck’s the place.

I have always wanted to go here, but whenever I walk by it is closed or crowded (good sign).
The bf and I went last night on our way over to the AMC River East for the Chicago Int. Film Fest. While a little pricey, I was amazed with all of the different types of chocolate «things» they had. It was a perfect night for a hot chocolate. I had the Chocolate Truffle and a milk chocolate covered shortbread cookie. The drink was rich but not overload. My bf had the Mexican Hot Chocolate and a piece of peanut butter chocolate cheesecake… yes calorie overload! I tried both of his things and enjoyed the cinnamon flavor of the Mexican Hot Chocolate. I was pleasantly surprised when a coin of dark chocolate appeared on my drink. I don’t really like dark chocolate (even though it’s supposedly good for you), but I thought it was a cute touch.

Moonstruck is my favorite, favorite chocolate ever. I admit it, I’m a chocoholic. (Isn’t the first step admiting you have a problem?!) This place has the freshest, most unusual chocolate I’ve seen. They even put their truffles into shapes resembling their flavors. For example, they have a Banana Split truffle that looks like a small banana split. They also have a few truffles that look like ice cream cones. There is a cone made of hard chocolate and a mound of filling resembling a scoop of ice cream. I highly recommend these. They also have seasonal truffles, including ingredients like apples and pumpkin.
To go beyond a typical chocolate shop, they really are a café with a bunch of tables, coffee shop, and packaged gifts.
You have to try it!

The last stop of the chocolate train. The ones we tried were:
The Ocumarian
Pure dark chocolate, from the Ocumare valley in Venezuela, with a gentle glow of chili pepper.
This provided a little heat at the end, but was OK overall.
Wild Huckleberry
Huckleberries & creamy ganache in a milk chocolate shell.
Extra Bittersweet
A truly smooth & classical bittersweet truffle like no other.
Golden Crown
Dark chocolate laced with cognac, crowned with crisp almond nougatine.
These were all pretty good, but none were a standout

**Disclaimer: I stand by my case for my review of this place. It was my first experience in this particular chocolate shop. I am aware that this is not the Chicago-​est thing to bring back to LA as this brand is not Chicago-​born and bred, but my intent was to try something new; some thing not really found in southern California. If you think my review of this place is a bunch of hooey for a LA Unilocaler in Chicago, please skip and feel free to read the reviews of others. Otherwise, I hope you find my review as helpful as that’s what I intend myself to be.
My review:
As an LA Unilocaler on tourist mode in Chicago, I think that this is the perfect place to get an edible souvenir from a chocolate brand that’s unfamiliar to native Southern Californians. When we walked by this place, I totally knew I should bring back home some chocolate for my workplace. Besides, Chicago Unilocalers said on average that this place is good, so I thought I’d give it a shot.
We ordered some blended chocolate drinks before I browsed for gifts. I forgot what we got, but I just remembered that the drink was a mix of coffee and rich chocolate. I definitely loved the little chocolate touch on top of the whipped cream and the drink itself was delicious.
Looking around, I saw some cute creations — chocolate ice cream pops, chocolate candles, chocolate momma pig and her piglets, chocolate everything! I chose a 6 piece chocolate gift pack in a silver tin case held together with a navy blue ribbon for my work place while I brought back home a chocolate candle for a friend.
It wasn’t until I got back to California when I really got to enjoy the chocolate itself with my co-​workers. The dark chocolate bar was not too bitter — it was just right. The white chocolate bar wasn’t too sweet, which was surprising for me since I usually don’t like white chocolate; it’s usually too sweet for my sweet tooth. The dark chocolate bar with chili proved to be interesting. The milk chocolate was an indulgent melt-​in-​my-​mouth choco-​rgasm. The dark chocolate with espresso gave us all a kick in our day… I don’t know what the 6^th bar was since someone apparently liked the chocolate so much that they took a whole bar for themselves. (I ain’t hating though) My co-​workers really appreciated my gift to them and they were definitely impressed by my tastes.
In sum, the chocolate café and the chocolate itself here are really good. Just order a drink and browse around like I did as a tourist. You’ll be sure to bring something back home as a souvenir and make a good impression.

Wow-​wa-​wow-​wa-​wee-​woo! This place is niiiiice!
Highly recommend everything! Although the «handmade» milkshake-​frappacino-​esque-​creamy-​dream thing was out of this world. Just ask one of the friendly staff members to whip up something you like, that is if you can’t already find it on the menu.

Here, you EAT chocolate, DRINK chocolate, and BREATHE chocolate!
They carry all sorts of fine, chocolatey goodies — drinks, ice cream, cakes, truffles, cocoa, etc. Sorry to repeat Pam S’s review, but the chocolate cake with a crunchy base is awesome — not too sweet, not too rich, but just perfect. So is the cheesecake. The coffee drinks are quite refreshing. They have artfully created chocolates and candies in various designs and shapes — so visually amusing and unique that they don’t let us take photos of them. Their truffle collections would also make a great gift for any chocolate lover.
The service was alright when we went… the girls were properly aloof. The small, outside patio is a nice spot if you don’t mind the loud and busy Michigan Ave.
Btw — do they not have air-​conditioning here? (minus one star for this, because it was unbearably warm!) If so, does anyone know why?

4 stars for the double-​scooped chocolate sundae with chocolate sauce. Very delicious on a swelteringly hot day. They also had a great chocolate bar/​mousse-​like cake thingy with a crunchy base (it’s name I’ve completely forgotten).
Good thing there was seating outside because there was absolutely no a/​c on inside the place. Boo for that.

I basically live at Moonstruck.
It honestly is not the best chocolate I’ve ever had (good, but not the best), and I think the specialty chocolates are a little overrated. So why 5 stars?
The drinks and the cakes are gooood goood goooooood. Plus, it’s in such a convenient location– shop and eat chocolate, see a movie and eat more chocolate.
I love the chocolate-​peanut butter cheesecake, and oh my, the Brown cow shake is like a rootbeer float but about a bajillion times better. I love it. I think about it all the time.

Oh my goodness gracious. If I could give more than 5 stars, I would. I love Moonstruck. I dream about Moonstruck. I can’t believe that such a wonderful place as Moonstruck is a mere five-​minute walk from our condo. Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. If you order a hot drink, they will put a little disc of dark chocolate on top of it… yuuuuummy!!! My favorite drink is probably the Malted Creamy Caramel, but the Chocolate Truffle is also really good… actually, you know what, all the drinks I’ve tried are really good! And the desserts are amaaaaaazing. Chocolate peanut butter cheesecake? Heavenly. Hot chocolate lava cake??? Too good for words… and, at less than $ 4, a pretty sweet deal considering how much you’ll pay for a similar dessert at a fancy restaurant. Moonstruck, how I love you. I might have to pay you a visit later today.
Updated ⁴⁄₂₇: I just tried the new Earl Grey Hot Cocoa today. It was interesting. At first I wasn’t sure I liked it… it IS a strange combination. But by the end of the cup, it had grown on me. And the piece of dark chocolate they put on top of your drink is still delish!

The best hot chocolate that I have ever had! EVER! It’s been three days and I can’t stop thinking about this hot chocolate. The hot chocolate has changed my life.
Moonstruck is a cute little chocolate café. They also have assorted chocolates and cakes, which I can’t wait to go back to try. There are little bistro table and chairs so you can sit with some friends and enjoy your goodies. They even have a few big plush arm chairs that beg you to curl up inside of them.

Absolutely delicious. My mouth is watering just thinking about this place. The array of desserts, the fantastic hot chocolate… it’s a chocolate lover’s haven. It’s ridiculous (and not too pricey considering what it could be).

I have never seen the movie of the same name, but this wonderful sweets store has nothing to do with that flick. You may want to slap someone and say «snap out of it» if someone takes away your delicious chocolates or any of the rich desserts. Some people like to linger here, and it has the look and feel of a cozy coffee nook. There are lots of major players in the chocolate shop category in the area, but Moonstruck has the goods. Whether they are your favorites is a matter of opinion, but they are better than Fannie May I would say.