Levain Bakery - River North

The first time we finally went to the bakery was a delightful experience. After seeing numerous enticing videos about the place online, we had to stop by and see it for ourselves. I must say, the bakery is absolutely adorable, and the service we received was incredibly kind and accommodating. As first-time visitors, the staff graciously guided us through the cookie flavors available. The cookies themselves were nothing short of amazing. They struck the perfect balance of sweetness, and their size was nothing short of generous; you truly get your money's worth. The cookies were delightfully chewy with a satisfying crunch around the edges. The dark chocolate cookie was a particular standout - it felt like indulging in a rich, fudgy brownie, which I adored. My partner's favorite was the walnut chocolate chip cookie; he was pleasantly surprised by its deliciousness. Overall, our visit to the bakery exceeded all our expectations, and we cannot wait to return.Update: Just wanted to share that we had some leftover cookie chunks and decided to warm them up in a mug. We topped them with some French vanilla ice cream from Trader Joe's, and they were absolutely delicious!

Good bakery, lots of options.There was no wait on a Monday in June at 8:30am.It was $54.85 total for a latte and 11 pastries.THE FOODEverything below was moist and sweet, solid 4 stars:Sour Cream Coffee CakeBanana Chocolate Chip CakeOatmeal Raisin SconeBlueberry MuffinCaramel Coconut Chocolate Chip CookieChocolate Chip Walnut CookieThese two were a bit too sweet, 3.5 stars:Lemon CakeLemon CookieThis one was on the dry side, not as cake-y, but maybe this is more what you're looking for, 3 stars:Whole Wheat Walnut Raisin Roll

Levain Bakery has an almost iconic reputation for being the home of the great cookie. I had to see for myself and on our recent trip to Chicago, we made a pit stop in the River North location to find out.If you've been to the original New York location or the Larchmont Village location in Los Angeles, the River North outpost has the same ambiance as its siblings, but on a smaller scale. Obviously, the location is set up to highlight it's fantastic cookies and fantastic they were.We ordered the Chocolate Chip Walnut and the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip cookie. Both were decadent with an overabundance of butter and chocolate chips. One would think a cookie that thick would almost be cake like. That was not the case. In fact, it was very moist...to the point of being unhealthy, but delicious. The hype is definitely real! If you're in a city with a Levain Bakery, I would highly suggest you make a pit stop for a cookie.

Love so much the fresh French baguettes and small tinny roll breads . The muffins are a must . The service it's so kind and friendly and the ambiance it's so lovely makes you feel like in a French bakery . If you're in River north and want to taste some fresh bread don't hesitate to enter here.

Insane cookies. Best chocolate chip cookie I've ever had??? Maybe. It was nice & gooey & fresh. Great flavor. Perfection. Chocolate peanut butter was also amazing. We also got the rocky road; not my favorite but others loved it. We came around 1pm on a Sunday and it was quick to get in and out.

I've heard so much about these cookies, so when visiting of course I stopped by. This bakery is adorable and tiny. There was no line and I was confused about what to get the gentleman at the register suggested the chocolate chip walnut, so I took him up on it. This was a large decadent cookie. Absolutely perfect. It wasn't to sweet. It was moist and gooey. I would certainly visit another location if the opportunity presented itself.

Before this trip to Chicago I was excited for Garrett Popcorn. I looked up directions to my intended location, but once I realized Levain was TWO blocks away from my hotel, I only needed to indulge here! Can't believe their hours, too, 7am - 10pm! Thank you! Levain cookies are as good as it gets. Perfectly sweet, crispy on the outside and soft inside. These oversized cookies resemble a muffin top. My favorite is their signature Chocolate Chip Walnut. Great ratio of chips to dough, although here there seemed to be fewer nuts than the ones I've tried in New York and Los Angeles. Are the walnuts roasted cuz they taste elevated, baker's kiss! Also always get the delicious Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip and Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip. I tried the seasonal Lemon. The flavor was minimal but I'm glad I tried it. Other baked goods- muffins, scones, bread, and coffee and souvenir items also available. Service was friendly and the interior is charming. There's also a beautiful mural of River North on the outsideside of the bakery. Yes, the cookies will run you over $5 each, but they're totally worth the taste and quality!

I absolutely love the chocolate chip and walnut cookies. They are divine, not crumbly, and moist. The service was good too. It's always clean inside here too. The cookies are well worth the cost of $6 because I eat off them for a few days.

Levain Bakery, established in New York City in 1995, has garnered national acclaim for its signature oversized cookies, particularly the decadent walnut chocolate chip variety. Their recently opened downtown Chicago location caters primarily to the take-out crowd, offering a communal bench for a quick rest, but no tables for lingering.Intrigued by the seasonal offerings, I opted for the lemon cookie ($5.75). While on the pricier side, this treat delivered a delightful textural contrast: a crisp outer shell yielded to a satisfyingly chewy interior. The generous inclusion of white chocolate chips offered a welcome touch of sweetness, perfectly balanced by the vibrant lemon flavor. This cookie struck a masterful accord, avoiding excessive saccharine overload while remaining undeniably delicious.In conclusion, Levain Bakery offers some of the finest cookies I've encountered, guaranteed to sate even the most discerning sweet tooth. Be prepared for a slight premium on pricing, but the exceptional quality justifies the indulgence.

Hiii new fan here! I didn't want to cave to the hype but I must say, the oatmeal raisin cookies and two time chocolate chip cookies are the bomb diggity! Yes they are almost $6 each but I'm here to tell you it's a sweet little treat you won't regret getting into your belly. There's a reason why there's almost always a line. Don't catch FOMO, you need to check it out if you're in the neighborhood.While you may not be able to walk in and be capable of resisting the heavenly scent of their cookies and muffins, I can honestly say Levain's freshly made country baguettes are the best in the city. Crispy but not hard and just perfect to make a deli sandwich or toast up for a snack sized bruschetta plate at home with your favorite fixings.It's almost dangerous Levain is so nearby and stays open til 10pm which is quite late for a bakery. Going to call out this is pretty much a grab n go spot which totally works for me. Also the gals behind the counter are so cheerful. Love it.