Toothsome Chocolate Emporium: The Backstory

Universal Studios Resort in Orlando Florida has added yet another intriguing eatery to restaurant row on its famed CityWalk. The full name (although lengthy and difficult to remember) is Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen, but most people simply refer to it as the Chocolate Emporium, the Chocolate Restaurant, or even the Chocolate Factory. Call it what you want, but hope that its creator, the fictional Professor Doctor Penelope Tibeaux-Tinker Toothsome, won’t be offended by your utterly informal attitude that entirely eliminates her name.

In case you’re interested, here’s the backstory of this chocolate-themed restaurant from Universal’s official website page:

“From the Alps to the empire of the Aztecs, from Mongolia to Madagascar, Professor Doctor Penelope Tibeaux-Tinker Toothsome learned new and fascinating methods of infusing chocolate into the most extraordinary recipes, making friends and receiving honors everywhere she went. Upon returning home to London, Penelope determined that she would share her love and knowledge of chocolate with the world. She set about building The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen, an enchanting 19th century themed, Steampunk inspired dining establishment with a façade of towering smokestacks and an interior adorned with intriguing gadgets and gizmos.”

Toothsome’s Whimsical Steampunk-inspired Decor

The above description from Universal Studios Orlando not only gives the story behind this unique chocolate-lovers restaurant but also a glimpse into what kind of atmosphere to expect. The whimsical bi-level space is very family friendly with a fun loud atmosphere. The visual concept of the building, both inside and out, is definitely worth a look. The impressive towering black and gold smokestacks can be seen a mile away (or so it seems) and draws curious minds to investigate this unique table-service restaurant. The interior is a Victorian-era, Steampunk-inspired chocolate factory. Just inside the front entrance you’ll see the Chocolate Emporium’s signature decorations — pipes, gears, and cocoa beans rotating inside a clear tube.

As you can imagine, the sweet aroma of chocolate permeates the building. On the righthand side is a gift shop and confectionary store. Chocolate goodies abound here. You’ll find chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate candy bars, chocolate-coated milkshake straws, and a yummy display of filled chocolates. Some of the non-chocolate offerings were colorful cotton candy, gourmet jelly beans, and candy powder. If you’re in need of a souvenir there’s also Toothsome shirts, mugs, and various Steampunk-inspired merchandise.

In the bakery display case you’ll see all kinds of decadent desserts — everything from macaroons to neapolitans to eclairs to chocolate mousse, and much more. Opposite the gift shop is a quick-service counter where non-dining guests can order Toothsome’s signature [and enormous] handcrafted milkshakes and super-sized sundaes. After all, the gigantic desserts are the main attraction at the Chocolate Emporium. They are the number one reason people visit this restaurant. The desserts are all oversized twists on classic favorites like Key Lime Pie, Strawberry Cheesecake, and Red Velvet. You can check out a sampling of the Chocolate Emporium dessert menu and prices here. It’s also a lot of fun watching the artisanal milkshakes and scrumptious desserts being made in the exhibition kitchen.

TIP: When ordering milkshakes… ask for the cake, cupcake, or cookies that are placed on top to come “on the side.” They will put them in a separate container for you to save for later — kind of like getting two desserts out of one!

TIP: When finished with your milkshake, ask for the plastic mason jar to be washed out (or rinse it yourself in the restroom). Trust me, the cost of this little “souvenir” has been built into your milkshake, priced at $16-$18.

And of course, the overall experience at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium is enhanced by the presence of the two main characters, Professor Penelope and her sidekick robot, Jacques. They can be seen roaming the restaurant and visiting guests at their tables.

Kids Love Professor Penelope and Her Sidekick Robot Jacques

We went to Toothsome Chocolate Emporium for dinner to celebrate our grandson’s 4th birthday — he LOVES chocolate… and robots! In fact, his favorite part of the evening was meeting Jacques the robot on his way to the restroom. It was a great photo opportunity. He spent the remainder of the meal hoping Jacques would make his way back to our table, but we never seen him after the initial encounter. Professor Penelope, however, did stop by our table as we were awaiting our desserts. She took tons of time conversing with our birthday boy, and we appreciated the engaging visit.

No Reservations and Slow Service at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium

We had dinner at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium on a Friday evening. To our disappointment, this Universal Studios restaurant does not take reservations (although some restaurants at CityWalk do). During peak restaurant hours the average wait time is somewhere around  90 minutes, and waiting 2 hours for a table is not unusual. But a very long wait was not an option for us, since our party included an active 4-year-old little boy. When we called Universal we were advised to come early, by 5:00 PM, in order to avoid a long wait. This too, was disappointing, since Universal Orlando offers FREE self-parking in their garages after 6:00 PM, a savings of at least $22.

UPDATE: Since our visit to Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, it’s my understanding they now accept reservations! That’s a huge convenience factor we didn’t have. (Reservations: (407) 224-3663)

We arrived at the Chocolate Emporium shortly after 5:00, and our party of 6 was seated immediately, upstairs. In the elevator, we encountered a male server carrying a tray of desserts to guests dining on the second floor of the restaurant (see photo below). I was too busy drooling over the creative concoctions and getting permission to photograph them, that I never questioned the “food safety” element. I have never been to a restaurant where food items are delivered this way… on a public elevator with people [potentially] coughing and sneezing in that small enclosed space. (Just seems a bit unclean to have all those germs hovering around my food. I would be much happier with a dedicated food-service elevator for the wait staff.)

Upon being seated our server was friendly and initially service was attentive. But, as the level of busyness increased the service decreased. By the time we ordered dessert the restaurant seemed to be at capacity, and we waited a very long time to receive our dessert order. Considering that dessert is the star of the show at Toothsome Chocolate Factory, one would think they would find a way to decrease the wait time. Our saving grace was that we were not in a hurry and I continued to enjoy the company of my grandson, the birthday boy.

TIP: You can request to sit on the outdoor shaded patio, where it is less noisy and sometimes a shorter wait. 

TIP: If no tables in the dining rooms, ask to go upstairs to the bar area. (If you don’t mind eating there!)

At Toothsome Chocolate Emporium Chocolate is King!

The restaurant has a fairly large menu with a wide range of [mostly] American fare, including some vegetarian and gluten-free choices. No matter what your taste, you can probably find something here. At Universal’s Toothsome Chocolate Emporium chocolate is king! In fact, chocolate is creatively incorporated with many of the food and drink items, even outside of dessert. For example, chocolate-y libations include Old Chocolate Fashion and Chocolate Cherry Mule. One person in our group ordered the Too Chocolate Stout, a dark beer with just the right amount of chocolate, according to her. Our server was nice enough to offer a sample before committing to this chocolatey brew. (I noticed that even some of the cocktails were served with a piece of cake or dessert on the rim instead of the typical garnish.) Here’s a sample drink menu from the Chocolate Emporium.

Chocolate-infused appetizers include Warm Chocolate Almond Bread, Pork Belly Sliders with Chocolate Dipped Bacon, or Coffee and Chocolate Stout Chicken Wings. For entrees that include the [bitter] sweet and savory taste of chocolate you can choose the Gnocchi with Mole Cream Sauce, or the Braised Short Rib with Cocoa Gremolata. And then there’s the handcrafted milkshakes, sundaes, and pastry desserts with no shortage of chocolate choices!

Chocolate Emporium Food Quality

Our party of six shared three different appetizers: Avocado Bruschetta, Baked Brie En Croute, and Crab and Artichoke Dip. The portions were great for sharing and we loved all of them. Hubby and I, however, were not crazy about the taste and quality of our entrees. The other three adults in our party seemed to like their choices. Hubby’s Braised Short Rib was dry and overcooked, and the Cocoa Gremolata did not do justice to the dish. I’m a salmon freak and order it often, but unfortunately my Grilled Teriyaki Salmon had a strong “fishy” taste, and the accompanying Asian Inspired Vegetables were very hard. I like my veggies al dente, but these were barely cooked. I brought them home, but they ended up in the garbage. The Classic Sole Amandine and Toothsome Signature Beef Filet Mignon Oscar were both very good according to my grandson’s parents.

And then it was time for the main event… DESSERT! Everyone ordered their own, with the exception of hubby and I who shared one. The presentation of each one was beautiful, creative, and humongous… picture perfect, actually. They certainly will satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth cravings. The taste, unfortunately, was just average. For me, dessert was a major let down considering all the hype associated with the sweet treats. After all, dessert is what people come to the Chocolate Emporium for. Personally, I would have preferred a smaller portion and higher quality. For example: the flan in our Salted Caramel Flan Sundae did not taste like flan at all! The texture and taste was more like caramel-flavored cheesecake. Once again, dessert was good, but not excellent.

TIP: I highly recommend sharing a dessert, both because of size and to avoid disappointment in the quality and taste.

In Conclusion…

My grandson really enjoyed his birthday dinner at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, which was the whole purpose of dining here. It’s a fun, quirky atmosphere that kids seem to like. And if you have noisy children, well that’s okay too, as the noise level can be quite high. Portions are large and desserts are outrageously humongous, but many food items were lacking in quality. For me, the Chocolate Emporium would be more of a dessert spot, not a dinner destination. There are so many better choices, even at Universal CityWalk.

Here’s a list of pros and cons to recap our dining experience at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium.

PROS:

• Receive free parking at Universal’s garage if dining after 6:00 PM
• The building looks impressive and the Steampunk fantasy, Wonka-style decor is worth a peek
• Most desserts are actually too much for one person (especially after a meal), therefore, if shared they’re a better value
• During your wait, linger in the gift shop or watch the sweet treats being made
• Playful atmosphere — children love Professor Penelope and her sidekick robot Jacques
• A must-try for the chocoholic in your family!
• Walk off all those calories at Universal’s CityWalk Entertainment Complex

CONS: 

• Chocolate Emporium is a long walk from Universal’s parking garage (it’s located just before the entrance to Islands of Adventure)
• Very long wait times — 1 1/2 to 2 hours during peak times (if no reservations)
• Slow customer service during busiest hours
• Milkshakes are thin, not creamy and thick — more of a milk taste than ice cream (Cowfish at CityWalk has great milkshakes!)
• Overall, food quality was just mediocre and somewhat disappointing, with the exception of the appetizers
• People have reported difficulty (impossible) to maneuver to elevator with a wheelchair (hearsay, but worth noting)
• Moderately high prices (just like most Central Florida theme park areas)
• Desserts (food) brought up to the 2nd floor via a public elevator (a big YUCK for me!)

I do wish I could have given a more positive review for this restaurant. But unfortunately, the most recent Tripadvisor reviews are quite similar to my experience.

Toothsome Chocolate Emporium Hours & Contact Info

Hours Of Operation
Sunday – Thursday: 10:30 am – midnight
Friday – Saturday: 10:30 am – 1:00 am

Reservations:
(407) 224-3663

QUESTION: Have you been to Toothsome Chocolate Emporium at Universal CityWalk? What was your dining experience? Please share in the comment box below, our readers would love to know!

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