5 stars for the food but took off 1 star for service and 1 star for the smell. My daughter and I come here almost weekly and our clothes and hair reek so badly afterwards. Being that it's winter I have to wash our jackets immediately after to rid the smell. I haven't seen many reviews that mention it though, do others not notice it? I am embarrassed to go to other stores or activities afterwards. Sometimes when we go inside the cafe the air is thick and cloudy. Unfortunately this is my daughter's favorite spot, and I can't deny that the food, drinks, and chocolates are great which are mentioned in detail in everyone else's reviews. Service is hit or miss depending on who's working but can generally expect it to be cold. However, all the people who work there work extremely hard in a tight space to take orders and cook. Perhaps they aren't trying to be rude but are just busy. I do want to recommend the tomato and basil soup. It's so good and comes with a delicious cheese toast. It's the best when the cheese is melted off the bread and crispy! You can get an extra cheese toast for $2. read more

Leonidas Chocolate Cafe - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

This is one of my to go to places for a quick lunch or coffee with a friend. I'm probably there at least once a week. I like the ambiance and their menu. I usually get their Brie & Prosciutto Croissant which is delicious! Lately I've discovered another favorite.. Strawberry Belgian Waffle. It is SO GOOD! Their waffle mixture is just so delicious I really can't get enough of it :) I typically go with a cappuccino or a regular coffee. Today's coffee didn't taste very fresh though. My friend got an omelette, which she enjoyed. The service...that is the one thing that still needs improvement. I've already shared my feedback with the manager a few weeks back regarding one certain employee who is unfortunately very unfriendly and straight up rude. The manager knew exactly who I'm referring to and was supposed to "address it", however when I was there last week the girl was still there and her attitude/behavior seemed unchanged. Other girls working there are very nice and friendly though! Easy street parking! I will be back! read more

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The hot chocolate at a chocolate cafe, you really can't go wrong! I got the triple chocolate hot chocolate which has white, milk and dark chocolate mixed together. Can you say sugar rush? They have a decent amount of seating, a good place for work from home or just to hang out and catch up with friends! Oh and they have plenty of desserts. Need to try those next time, I'm sure they are as rich as their drinks! read more

I just left an appointment early and drove over to the café, sat in traffic & made it here at five minutes til 4pm and was told the kitchen was already closed and they couldn't make a crêpe. I am so irritated- people don't want to work! read more

Omelette, crepe, hot chocolate are all great choices. Disappointed not open at night - but the workers have earned their time off. Appreciate the "real" ingredients in the meals. Happy to recommend Leonida's. read more

Lady taking our order there was so rude. She was sweeping up because they close at 4, but we got there 25 mins before then. Just kept sweeping and sweeping until she decided it was time to take our order, the only people waiting. My mom asked about the dulce de leche bar. She asked, "Is there any chocolate in it?" Lady says, "In the dulce de leche bar? No, no chocolate." Great. We get to the car and there's a huge layer of chocolate chips. So I ended up eating that, which is not what I wanted. It would've been fine if the lady taking our order wasn't rude the whole time, acting like we were a nuisance being customers. I come to Northbrook once a week, sometimes it's busy and there is such a lack of urgency, I've had to leave a couple times. Never going to be a customer there again. They don't deserve a dime. I hope they go out of business. If they do, good riddance. Please know your products. Show a modicum of respect. And act like people have places to be, because they do most of the time. Sorry, not sorry. read more

We visited the Shermer Rd and the Evanston locations....both were very similar! We loved the crepe with orange liqueur and the baked goods! Everything was fresh and the crepes were made to order right at the counter behind glass. A bit pricey. Loved the hot spiced cider and the hot chocolates are made with high quality chocolate! The only negative about the Evanston location was they need a ventilation system. It was so smokey that our clothes smelled like onions- and whatever they were cooking while we were there! Love the food & will be back! read more

So I book marked this a while ago and unfortunately one more place to thicken my ever changing body. We shared a warm chocolate croissant, dusted with powdered sugar and toasted slivered almonds. It was so delicious. I'm looking at the menu and I definitely have to go come back here and try most of it. They also had a lot of different chocolates upfront. Everything looks fantastic. And what we had was so good. biting into a toasted, almond croissant, dusted with powdered sugar, toasted, slivered, almonds, and filled with chocolate.. I will definitely be back read more

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When you go to a chocolate cafe, you get the chocolate! It was a colder fall day, so we decided to stop by and get hot chocolates. I got the triple chocolate while my husband got the Parisian chocolate. The triple chocolate hot chocolate had milk, dark and white chocolate in it. It was super creamy and full of flavor. While the Parisian was more intense and straight dark chocolate. It was still super delicious but a bit more bitter than the triple chocolate. Their menu is vast and the staff was extremely friendly and helpful when you ask for suggestions and guidance. All in all I can't wait for my next hot chocolate. :) read more

Leonidas Chocolate Cafe - a cup of coffee - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

I've always been one to stop in a chocolate shop and I'm so glad I noticed Leonidas before we stopped for dinner on a Sunday afternoon. It was so cozy and smelled delicious. Everything looked good and I'm very excited to shop there around Christmas time for some chocolate. The Halloween chocolates looked adorable. My boyfriend got a two piece (picture attached) box and chose two different milk chocolate pieces. He said they were so good and allowed to try the one with coffee flavoring. The employees were so nice in answering our questions. They also have an outdoor seating area, so during nice weather you can sit outside which we did. Definitely stop here if you are passing through town. read more

Leonidas Chocolate Cafe - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

I really enjoyed the coffee and the breakfast sandwich The staff were very busy but got everything right It is small inside with cute tables during comfortable weather there is plenty of space and tables to eat outdoors There is street parking The restrooms are gender neutral . The desert we ate there was delicious The lemon slice is very tart with lemon peel if you like that I will most definitely return as this was actually my second time but I may have gotten too busy to write the previous review read more

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Leonidas is my go-to coffee spot in downtown Northbrook!! They have delicious pastries, sandwiches, chocolate items, and candies. The staff is always fast and efficient. This spot is conveniently located and there is the beautiful Village Green Park. Get your coffee and go sit under the oaks!! read more

Cute little coffee place. Pretty tiny inside. Good coffee & cozy atmosphere. Recommend trying.

What a tremendous disappointment this experience was!!!! I ordered the Quiche Lorraine this is their description on their menu: Quiche Lorraine $9.00 Our pastry chef made a generous individual quiche Lorraine with onions, bacon, and gruyere cheese. What I received was egg in crust there was absolutely no hint of ANY of the aforementioned ingredients how totally disappointing. I had heard such amazing reviews and was so looking forward to a properly made quiche and as I stated I received eggs in crust with no hint of onion, gruyere, and certainly NO bacon! I really hope you know you're false advertising claiming ingredients which are not included. read more

I love coming here to get a coffee or hot chocolate and their crepes and croissants are amazing. Lovely place to sit with a friend and enjoy a treat as well. Oh and the chocolates are divine!! read more

In my two visits to Leonidas Cafe, I had a wonderful experience trying their delightful and indulgent offerings. Leonidas is a cute and cozy cafe where you can enjoy hot and cold beverages of different kinds and eat hot crepes and sandwiches, scrumptious pastries, and decadent chocolates. Based out of Belgium, Leonidas Chocolate Cafe is an international shop that offers a variety of Belgian chocolates, French pastries, hot & cold drinks, and sweet & savory food items like crepes, sandwiches, waffles, etc. On one of my recent visits, I had their Pistachio Machiatto and L Epinard croissant sandwich (spinach w/ garlic, egg, and Swiss cheese). They were delicious. I also tried their Brie & Apple crepe with walnuts, and a quiche called Lorraine that had caramelized onion, gruyère, & bacon. The quiche was super yummy and the crepe was pretty decent. I also had a slice of their French Apple cake which was pretty good. I also loved their other pastry offerings and chocolate selection. If you haven't checked out Leonidas Chocolate Cafe then definitely give them a try. It's a nice shop with a comfy atmosphere and good service. read more

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This place is pretty good. Usually very busy but small. Good savory pastries. French flare. A bit pricey. Nice for a Saturday morning in the summer if you can get outside table. read more

Food is excellent. The space can become crowded and if you're sitting inside it's a bit uncomfortable Service is always pleasant and knowledgeable. Crepes and croissants are always freshly made. No stale pastries here. For me its better in summer - enjoyable sitting outside except if you're looking to have a quiet conversation or read a book. Go for the pastries and chocolates read more

DISCLAIMER: This review covers the pastries and coffee, it does not touch on the chocolates. For whatever reason America/Americans just can't seem to get it right when it comes to a European style cafe that isn't clearly some kind of corporate chain which isn't paying detailed attention to the quality & authenticity of what it serves. As that premise would suggest; the pastries that we had were in our opinion overly sweet, and the lemon bar lacked the kind of tangy tartness you'd expect in most I've had in Paris and it instead seemed to really bank on the tons of lemon zest which (to their credit) was freshly zested onto the pastry, but gave it an overall bitter finish. Coffee is another area of my disappointment with almost all these American style French cafes because virtually none of them know how to make good coffee. When asked if they could make a flat white she said she could, but what I received was closer to a Starbucks "flat white" than a traditional European style flat white, which was first given away when she asked what size I wanted (in Europe the size is set to 6 oz standard, no exceptions). The espresso's over roasted bitterness was about all I could taste through the milk which was also too hot. All this to say, the hunt for a real quality French cafe in America continues. read more

Excellent breakfast place and amazing croissants and pastries. Highly recommend this gem!

A lovely corner bakery with delicious pastries and very good coffee (Illy, I believe). I got the pistachio latte and a prosciutto and Brie croissant and both were delicious. I was almost out the door when I noticed the cloche with canelles on the counter and had to turn back and get a few. Lots of tables if you want to order something more for breakfast and linger. I'll definitely be back if I'm in the area. read more

Leonidas Chocolate Cafe - Prosciutto and Brie croissant - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

A local French style cafe on a local strip with traditional decor and a slight French motif. We were greeted with a generous selection of chocolates from white to dark chocolate in various flavors and shapes. The counter continued to list menu items with sandwiches, quiche, and crapes, and espresso beverages We ordered strawberry crapes, a few dark chocolate pieces, and a couple of lattes. The crape was prepared in plain sight and we paused to watch as it sizzled - it was prepared well and was delicious. The strawberries were a little soggy and the strawberry sauce was a little runny; however, didn't spoil the flavor profile. The chocolates were pleasant; however, nothing spectacular - similar to Godiva chocolate selection. The lattes were made well and were pleasant. The service staff was not especially welcoming, possibly due to closing time in 40 minutes. The floors were very dirty, forcing one to reminisce of European cafes right after lunch time. Despite unwelcoming staff and dirty floors, the atmosphere, drinks, and desert was good. We may return to try more to have an excuse to give an additional star We returned the next day to try more crapes and drinks. The crapes won us over to give an additional star. Will return for more read more

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I forgot how much I missed this place. I used to come here for breakfast and have my chai latte. Ordering online or via phone was easy for pick up. They always had my food ready by the promised time. La Classique crepe (with turkey) - My favorite item Madame crepe (with turkey instead of ham) - Great breakfast item Strawberry & Nutella crepe - Delicious!! Their chocolate are yummy too. They also have french chocolates bars that my kids love - the ones with marshmallow. The ladies who work here are really nice. read more

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I've been coming here for years, and the crepes and lattes are always amazing. Although I have had a few not-so-great experiences with some employees in the past, things have definitely gotten better the last few times I went. One thing I've always noticed, though, is the really strong smell inside and unfortunately it can be a bit much. Also last time I visited, my crepe was overcooked and ended up tasting pretty dry. But I still really enjoy coming here and hope to keep seeing improvements. read more

A basic crepe and a scone was almost $21-just way too much. It was almost $4, alone, to add what was probably 1/8 cup of strawberries that were not even fresh. The lemon and blueberry scone tasted like blueberry in places but did not taste like lemon, much (and a large part of the scone tasted like a regular scone). Not sure about the value of the food (sandwiches, etc.), but the crepe and scone should've been a $12-$14 order, at most. I'm okay paying a little more for imported things, but neither of the things I had were imported and were still super pricey. I overheard the person behind the desk telling someone that they were out of waffle mix and it was only 11:30am. I've seen a few reviews about limited selections, so beware. The service was fine. The place has some seating outdoors and the indoors did, as well, although you shouldn't plan to host a big brunch there (it is a cafe, after all, but worth sharing in case anyone gets any ideas). read more

Good experience!! Brought my friend here and we really liked our food. I got an iced latte(I liked it in the glass!) and a chocolate crossiant which looked a little dry but was yum and not dry. My friend got the ham and Brie crossiant and she liked it a lot. The place was nice, enough sitting for a few groups, workers seemed nice, and quick service! I recommend checking it out, seems like a chill place to study too. Averagely priced, I think a little pricey but would come again when im back in town read more

Leonidas Chocolate Cafe - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Not sure what their business model is. Second time in 2 weeks that no butter croissant, no raisin croissant, no almond croissant, no chocolate croissant, simply nothing ready by 8:20. They don't make product to be ready when they open. So, if you are coming just for coffee or want to stay and get an omelette or crepe, a decent choice. If you're trying to pick up something to go in the am, it's a definite no go. read more

Leonidas Chocolate Cafe - Empty pastry case at 8:20am. - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

This places gives a cute French cafe vibe. I loved the Bruxelle omelette and and the frozen strawberry lemonade. It was so good. They staff was friendly and I would definitely be back. read more

Delicious. First time, crepes were amazing. I got the chocolate Nutella with strawberry crepe and it was tempting to not order another! read more

Leonidas Chocolate Cafe - Crepe - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Such a great place to visit for coffee or hot chocolate! I had the dulce de leche latte, iced, and thought it was delicious. The chocolates here are also really pretty but the star of the show for me really is the drink menu. I went with two other people who tried some of their different hot chocolate options and they raved about them. I'm looking forward to trying them out! read more

Leonidas Chocolate Cafe - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Very nice little cafe, with a nice ambiance in the spring and summer when the little tables are outside. The service could be a little friendlier but again I think I met the owner. The young girls that work there are adorable. You wouldn't go to any place to eat or have a café and croissant or à pain au chocolat if the service is not pleasant. The chocolates very creamy but nice. Their coffee is very good. The cafe is overall good read more

Delicious coffee, hot chocolate, crepes and omelets in a charming atmosphere. There aren't a lot of tables but it's cozy if you score one. The service is friendly but not super fast. Relax and enjoy! read more

In 3 words: way too sweet. In more words: huge assortment of chocolates and pastries like eclairs, petite cakes, and crepes. I couldn't pass up the very appealing-to-the-eye chocolate hazelnut cake, even though it left my wallet $7 lighter. The chocolate cake was indeed very fresh and hazelnut buttercream quite decadent, but overall it was too sugary. I also left with a coffee éclair, which didn't taste like it was made that day and was light on flavor. Customer service was ok. The young girl employee was not very descriptive or much of a salesperson when asked to describe some of the offerings behind the case, e.g. one baked good was described as "just plain cake", whereas with a more enticing description, I could've been swayed to purchase it. read more

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Great spot for a first date! The long shape of this place lends itself well to semi-private conversations. My dark chocolate hot cocoa was great! Definitely will be returning (but the date was a bust). read more

Quick update with added photos, notice in photo that they have posted allergen warnings. I'm sure this is very helpful to those that suffer. Coffee is always good. So great to have this in downtown Northbrook. read more

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Yummy!!!!!! Service is ok It's small and delicious They run out of items quickly Go early read more

This is the ABSOLUTE place to go for coffee, macarons and candy !!!! I got the Java chip frappe and assorted macaroons and they were absolutely to die for !!! read more

What a phenomenal little spot for a good breakfast or date...I can't wait to go back! The hot chocolate was on point - rich, delicious, and perfectly made. I ordered a chocolate croissant, as well. The outside was perfectly crunchy and the inside was chocolate-y and scrumptious. My friend ordered a brownie (so perfectly sized and moist!) and a smoothie. This place is a gem - my new little spot of heaven. read more

Fantastic French pastries that are crisp and fresh. Especially love the butter croissant and almond croissant. The Le Bacon crepe is perfectly cooked with all the right ingredients. outdoor tables make a fun relaxing experience and great place for families or friends to catch up over a relaxing meal or drink. read more

Quaint little gem of a cafe. I love this place! Cozy atmosphere, with crepes made right in front of you, and a large display of fancy chocolates. So, on to the crepes! Brie & Apple Crepe and Vegetarian Crepe (Mushroom, spinach, mozzarella, bechamel) were both delicious and generously cheesy. I really enjoyed the vegetarian one, as the combination of the mozzarella and the bechamel cream tasted rich but overall still healthy. The brie & apple crepe complimented the savory crepe as it was sweet. The combination of brie and the apples was divine. Also they were both huge and bountifully stuffed. We ended up taking home half of each crepe. The Petit Latte tasted good with a petit price as well! However, the cup isn't petit at all and was similar to a "tall" size of coffee. The Mocha Belge was delicious as it was like the latte but with a layer of dark chocolate on the bottom! They also offer soy and almond milk for those lactose intolerant! A plus. The fancy chocolates and truffles are about a dollar a piece. The Gianduja (chocolate praline with hazelnut paste) was good and just as I had in Italy--rich, smooth, with a strong hazelnut flavor. New favorite cafe in the north shore suburbs. read more

Leonidas Chocolate Cafe - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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