We're residents of Glendale and as much as I love the downtown area I think I'm burned out on the chocolate festival. The same people and booths show up year after year, and they're a lot of the same ones who come to Glendale Glitters.
If you love chocolate and don't mind crowds, this is a fun time. Stop in at OTG (the pub) and check out whatever chocolate beer they have on tap. Get some root beer or a float from the guys who brew it from scratch. Save your mug and bring it back year after year for cheap refills.
There are some awesome restaurants in Downtown Glendale (Haus Murphy's, Pizza al Forno, La Santisima), but they're liable to be packed out the door during a big event like this.