That Little French Guy Patisserie And Cafe

Atmosphere: It looks and feels like an indie coffee bar in Highland Park. That means it's larger than the Google Maps photos suggest. If one's nose pays attention it will smell the stuffiness of an older Illinois, not French, building, such as a really old public library. That's kind of cool. Service: Mostly younger locals, likely high school aged, work here. They're Highland Park (so better off) Gen Z meaning they're a bit shy but that doesn't mean they don't give decent service. Food: The always-mentioned Croque Madame is nothing special. Too much bread and not enough of the rest. The coffee is also meh-like. The vibe makes this eatery busier than those two offerings. The pastries however are nice and worth taking out once in a while. The Royal -- almond cake, chocolate mousse and hazelnut crunch -- reminds me of a really, really, *really* good tiramisu. Lemon Rasperry[1] cake -- madeleine cake, raspberry[2] coulis and lemon cream -- brings a Midwest tartness to the tongue. And Macarons beat what's found at any grocery store or Costco or that Des Plaines Polish bakery I frequent because That Little Guy's sweet flavors do not overpower. They're just here. [1] The eatery's website's typo, not mine. [2] Note the correct spelling.

Highland Park's "PARIS"! You feel like you were in France the moment you enter! The raspberry tart that I gifted my grandma was excellent."There's nothing second rate about this tart", she exclaimed! I'm sure the whole patisserie selection are delish! T'was my 1st time there & the place was packed at 8:30am Sunday. Patrons were all excited! Worth the wait!

My daughter invited me to go and check out this Cafe' with her. We were both delighted and impressed with our breakfast choices so much that we had to take home some macaroons, tarts, and croissants from the Bakery/Pastry case. They were also excellent. In addition to the wonderful food, the staff that we interacted with were polite and customer friendly. We will definitely be going back. It was such a treat. Thank you Little French Guy!!

All I can say is. I am so glad this is not my neighborhood. I’ve been wanting to visit this after seeing it in a friends post. I was in the area so stopped by with my daughter. It took everything in me not to buy all the tarts. I still ended up with a great selection, and all were really really ridiculously delicious. The crusts were buttery with the perfect crunch. The fillings were delectable. The mousse was pick from my daughter, and although mousse is not my favorite, I could have eaten this whole container. It was luscious and smooooooth. I will have to make my way east again for another visit. Amazing.