Chocolates by Bernard Callebaut

These are some of the best chocolates I have had. Yes, they are pricey, but they are so worth the indulgence. My favorites are apricot jelly and lavender, orange peel and leaf. Although all are wonderful. I also really like the baking bars. They give my baked goods that gourmet touch.

The chocolates are bad and the service is worse. Save your money and go to the grocery store next door to buy a bag of M&M’s. You’ll be much happier! Maybe it’s the owners foul personality that makes the chocolates taste so bad!

Stopped in to try a couple of chocolates. With four chocolates in my bag, I shelled out almost $ 5. And the chocolates were okay, but not what one should expect for being more than a $ 1 per.

For years, I have purchased chocolates from this store to be shipped out of state and have always received superlative service. The delivery is timely and the chocolates arrive in good condition. During warm months, the store staff include a cold pack to keep them fresh.
The staff are knowledgeable and very courteous. They have provided me with good selection advice to suit the purchase occasion.
The chocolates themselves are superlative. My wife (a chocolate aficionado) and I have travelled extensively in Europe and Bernard Callebaut compares favorably with anything that we have had in Paris or London. The cream fillings are smooth and flavorful without being too sweet.
We both are very happy to recommend this store to our relatives and friends in Chicago.
Brent B.

Not bad, not great. I’m partial to hazelnut and they had a nice selection. I just think gourmet chocolates should have a finer flavor and for the price, it wouldn’t hurt to experiment with a couple unusual flavors. If I’m going to pay top dollar, I’d like to have a unique experience for my money. I love those places that add south american chili to their chocolate.

I used to drive home from work all the way here near Lake Forest to Chicago. Sometimes locally because of the crappy traffic (ahhh!!!). On summer days, with no air-​conditioning, I was really in the NEED for some ice cream.
I was carpooling with my sis (we worked together) and she saw a sign that said simply «Ice Cream» in their window. We pull in immediately and walk into the store. I saw walls and walls of chocolates, gift boxes and a small freezer of ice cream bars. I was so disappointed! The man working there asked if we needed help and was very kind. He saw how sad I was and I told him I thought he had ice cream, like ice cream ice cream. He then motioned towards the back and I saw this soft-​serve machine.
He asked what flavor, chocolate or vanilla. «Both, please!» My sis and I got this massive waffle cone filled with ice cream and topped with a piece of their fantastic dark chocolate. It was a wonderful treat, completely unexpected and I have returned many times since!
More flavors please!!!

This is a shop in a fancy strip mall. They do corporate gifts, molded chocolates, a couple of chocolate-​themed mugs, and in addition to the chocolates, they have chocolate-​covered bananas and two types of Callebaut ice cream bar in a tiny freezer. Small bar selection by the register.
I came for the chocolates. The saleslady was very helpful and looked up ingredients for me (I have a friend who won’t eat alcohol in her chocolate). The chocolates are of the small, thin-​chocolate shell European type, often in molded shapes, made with Belgian chocolate (Callebaut’s) in a factory in Canada and flown in. Of the ones I’ve tried so far, most are very good, with one so far that was just sublime (the «Heart,» which features a coffee-​flavored crème fraîche filling that is just phenomenal).
They had a couple of used professional chocolate molds available (for ~$ 25) which was tempting, but I didn’t figure I’d use them often enough to purchase.