I was on the hunt for some good coffee during my visit in the Clearwater area and once I found this place and saw all their delicious bakery items I knew I must try! This spot is located in a small strip mall, and is a cute storefront with their decor! Wow, the guava and cheese pastelito is everything!! I've tried a few of these from other bakeries and this one was one of my top! Highly recommend. My mom got the chicken empanada and thought it was really good too! I also got a caramel frappe and this was just ok, nothing compared to the Starbucks frappe. What I did really enjoy was the whip cream for some reason? It had a unique flavor that I enjoyed! Can't put my finger on what it was. The staff was really nice, and the prices were great for what we got! read more

I came in this past weekend and got a bacon,egg and cheese on Cuban bread and a pastrami on Cuban bread (didn't have enough pastrami) Would definitely get the breakfast sandwich again and pastries read more

Bakery Makel - Desserts Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

Amazing Cuban sandwiches!!! I also indulged in the Tres Leches Cake which was the best I've ever had. Tried some Orange cake, too which was also delicious! My only complaint would be that the fries that came with the Cuban weren't done enough, and that's coming from someone who likes soft fries :) Don't come here if you are offended by people who speak English as a second language, which is ridiculous, but I've heard people complain about it. The food is authentic and the chef and cashier were super sweet and very grateful. It's a very small space, and while you could sit and eat there, it might get uncomfortable if it's during a busy lunch hour. We will be back for sure! read more

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Wonderful Cuban pastry shop. Family run. Had small hot beef puff (almost like french "pate chaud" with a light sweet glaze outside). Fresh, hot just out of the oven. Very good. read more

What a gem! So happy to find this adorable tucked away coffee shop. I had a large cafe con leche and it's the best I've had outside of Ybor. We also bought homemade anisette toast- yummy! I haven't tried the rest but anything with guava is on my list as well as ordering a specialty cake for the next birthday! Clean and cute, great staff! read more

Bakery Makel - Desserts Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

Best bakery in the whole Clearwater area!! This is the breakfast empanadas! Full of bacon egg and cheese!! Love it! read more

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I ordered the breakfast empanada and a LARGE cafe con leche. The empanada was pretty good, but the size of the cafe con leche was extremely small. I paid $2.75 for a coffee that size? I'm scared to see how big their small cafe con leche is. read more

Bakery Makel - Cafe Con Leche - Desserts Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

Excellent desserts and baked goods. Their specialty cakes are great as well. The empanadas and croquettes were very very good. I picked up an assortment of baked treats and savory items for an office meeting and everyone loved it. The staff seems super friendly as well. read more

I've been there a few times and I'm totally disappointed. The first time I ordered a Cuban empanada and a meat empanada. Super disappointed the "Cuban" empanada was super salty un-edible had to throw it away. The pork and ham were just folded into the empanada instead of being cut up as to fill the pocket and not have to fight when you bite down to not have it come out. The meat one was more than half way empty. The second time I ordered a media noche, the bread was not media noche bread it was super dry and bitter because it was over pressed and the cheese did not even melt. The third time was today I ordered their Carne asada which is supposed to be a Nicaraguan dish and it was terrible! The meat was far from carne asada that meat was not the authentic meat used for this dish it taste like it was boiled and then "grilled" super hard and dry. I could not eat it, it was so hard it hurt my gums when I chewed. The rice tasted like it had been smoked/burned and was clumpy also the beans used were not the right ones and lastly the salad was made using lime the original or traditional salad made is a curtido made with oregano,vinegar, carrots etc. Also yes your prices are subject to change but inform the customer and update your menu prices because that's false advertising... as a customer I want what I pay for, if you are advertising a certain dish as the Carne asada be as authentic as possible and don't sell your customers food that is no where near what it should be and then sell it as if it were authentic that's an insult to the customers who do know better and know that the ingredients used are no where near what they are supposed to be and of no good quality. I've been there 3X and had not one good experience with anything I ordered. Stop taking short cuts in quality and quantity that's insulting! It's like paying for an original and getting home to discover it's a counterfeit... and last but not least the guy behind the counter had an awful attitude. Definitely my last time buying anything else from them. read more

Great little bakery. Guava pastries reminded of the ones I grew up with in Miami. Look forward to trying more items

I liked everything I had from this little bakery tucked away in Clearwater. Latin American (Puerto Rican) bakery items. Nothing fancy but reasonably priced and tasty. :) Elephant ear cookies, guava and cheese pastries, a coconut pudding / flan hybrid type thing called tembleque that was interesting. Friendly service. Tasty. read more

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I pretty much grew up in W Tampa and on Cuban food. When I moved to Clearwater a few years ago I was devastated that there wasn't really anything close to the food I was use to and that you could in fact mess up a Cuban (who knew). This past year we found Bakery Makel and it was instant love. I have days where EVERY meal is ordered from them (today is one). I absolutely love this place and I am so happy they are open. The pizza empanadas are amazing by the way, if you want to try something unique try those. read more

Woohoo! I finally found a Puertorrican bakery closer to my house and what a hidden gem. I love their selection and they got homemade hot bread, pastries and even Puertorrican cake. It can not any better than that. I found it by driving to another local business and I had to stop. The quesitos are excellent and wanted to buy one of each pastries. I cannot wait to order a cake. They even do wedding and birthday cakes and take orders if you need a large sort of pastries. Oh! I can't wait for the holidays and share with friends our delicious food. It's now seven months later and I have to give another excellent review. I had Marilyn make my daughter's birthday cake just like they make it in PR - mojadito and WOW! It brought so much memories. It was excellent and everyone in the party was asking who made and some never had a cake that was that moist. Of course, I recommend her cakes to anyone. Plus she decorated it just like I wanted. A+ read more

Awesome place for Central American specialties. Truly the best Cuban in town. They also have a bakery with various options for sweets. Everything is always nice and fresh. read more

Great bakery I wish I had more time to get to the pastries but, I came for the Cuban and I wasn't disappointed. Had both the Cuban and the media Noche both delicious. Good cafe cubano also. read more

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That was the perfect Cuban sandwich. What a hidden gem. Bakery Makel is a diamond in the rough and is headed for mucho success! Both the Gringa and the Latina working there were full of helpfulness and congeniality. I ordered a cuban sandwich and a guava and cream cheese pastry after difficult deliberation thanks to the attractive set of options. That Cuban sandwich... Every ingredient was in perfect proportion. Not sloppy but not dry--perfect. The bread was crispy but not hard. It was so easy to bite into without sacrificing the crunch factor. The bread was thoughtfully seasoned. It was beautiful. But let's get to the meat of the matter: the pork. Turns out the pork for the Cubans here is lovingly marinated for a full day. All bread is baked that day and the ingredients are fresh as heck. The place felt very clean and I felt welcome to eat at one of the few tables. The level of love, attention to detail and quality of food is surreal in contrast to the low prices. And I mean LOW. My conclusion is that THIS is where you want to eat. It's my #1 recommendation for both the budget-minded and the gourmet. read more

Wow! This place is amazing! If you want the best empanadas around, go here! I highly recommend the Cuban empanada! It's like the Cuban sandwich but in an empanada! so fire! Also their coffees are bomb! They also serve a bunch of pastries aka pastalitos (spelling?)! read more

Great bakery. It's like those from Miami. Great coffee, amazing Croquetas, great Cuban bread with 100% recommend if you're looking for a piece of Miami in Clearwater read more

Food and prices are fantastic. Ordered 2 empanadas, fries, and 3 desserts; the bill came to under $20. The serving of flan was huge and possibly my favorite. It was right on the edge of being too sweet without going over. The tornillo was flaky and light, wish I ordered more. The rum cake is no joke as you can taste the rum in it but not overwhelming. The empanadas were hot out of the fryer. They are a good size for $2. I got the chicken and the beef. They folded the edges of the beef one so I could tell them apart. The filling is pure meat and were seasoned well. I would give the edge to the beef though. Definitely will visit again. Especially during happy hour, 2-6, when desserts are 20% off. read more

This is the best Latin bakery in the Clearwater area. Never disappointed, always impressed. The quality and freshness is bar none! Staff is always friendly and extremely professional. Its a must try. Located on Drew near Belcher, it's easy to find. read more

Bakery Makel - Cuban Sandwich, yes for breakfast! - Desserts Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

I have always heard great reviews about this bakery when it comes to their pastries, which are great! I decided to order a birthday cake for my brother knowing how good the sweets were here. I placed this order on July 14th and asked to have it finished by July 24th so the baker could have sufficient time to make a nice "presentable" cake. When I received the cake I was shocked by how poorly this cake was decorated. I gave the baker the pictures she needed and it still came out looking this tacky. I am very disappointed with the quality and effort that was put into this cake. All I asked was for an original"YouTube"' symbol. The cake flavor was good, however on top of the decoration, the frosting tasted like "'nothing"! it tasted as it came straight out of "Crisco shortening" with no flavor. It's extremely shocking to me how the baker had the audacity to sell me a cake that looks like a 2nd grader could've decorated it. I hope you really take this into consideration as a business owner. If you are aware as a Baker that you are not able to do a well quality cake like this one, then do not sell it to the customers giving them the intention of receiving something well presented. Thank you! read more

Bakery Makel - Desserts Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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This place is usually good... but this time I ordered Uber eats and they delivered me the wrong sandwich.

Another great find. Had it yesterday. They have classic Puerto Rican baked goodies, like quesitos, (sweet cheese pastry), they are hard to find on this side of the bay. They also had guava pastries, along with many other great looking stuff, including a cannolis. They have a great sandwich slelection. I saw that the Cuban sandwich is made with in house roasted pork, can't wait to try it. They have empanadillas, (empanadas), with all kind of fillings on them, from the most common ground beef, to my all time favorite kind, pizza. They also offer great looking breakfast sandwiches. A crucial note is to individually mention their homemade bread. Pan de agua, the Puerto Rican version of French bread or Cuban bread. They are all a little similar and a little different. I am not claiming that any one is better that the other, I like all. The Puerto Rican pan de agua is a little softer than the Cuban bread and stays fresh a little longer. We brought home a loaf, which was still warm from when it was bought and I wanted to eat the whole thing. At night the family and I did the pan de agua test. You take a piece, ripped by hand, nuke it for a few, just to warm it a little and then proceed to dip it on butter spread. Then you eat, if you feel the desperate need to have more than you should, the test passes. We had to force ourselves from eating the whole thing. Flavor was spot on, it took me back to PR for a few minutes. Wow. Finally, I would like to mention that the two ladies working the place were incredibly sweet and treated me as a valuable costumer, even though it was my first time in there. With a b-day coming up and knowing that I don't have many left, I'm thinking I'm going to order one of their cakes, which they assured me are moist in the inside, which is my favorite. Five stars deserved and earned. read more

We stopped here thinking we could grab a few pastries for breakfast. They completely ignore anyone that does not speak Spanish. Others came in and spoke to them in Spanish but they did not wait on us. It's a very small place with a wall like bar that has a few stools. They advertise sandwiches and pastries. Unfortunately I did not receive any of it. I tried multiple times to order but it appears they do not acknowledge people that speak English. Unfortunately I have to say go elsewhere unless you speak Spanish. read more

Stopped here before an appointment and was pleasantly suprised! Kim greeted us and was so nice and helpful and also patient. She described items to us and was very helpful. I got pulled bbq sandwich and my mom got the Cuban. They were both so delicious! We also got some sort of cannoli thing with cream I can't remember name but it was delicious with a custard filling. Will definitely go back if in the area! read more

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Service was great. I had empanadas and they were hot and the meat was flavorful. I also had coffee, been latina I like strong coffee, no the light version of the big coffee chains so this one is good. read more

I absolutely love this bakery! I am not Puerto Rican, but I have spend a significant amount of time there, both in and out of San Juan. This bakery reminds me of all the great bakeries that I found well off the beaten path while on the island. The staff is SUPER friendly. The food is AMAZING. Try the quesitos. You'll be hooked for life. Sometimes there are problems trying to get authentic ethnic food. This is NOT the case at Bakery Makel. Not only is their food authentic, its delicious and beautifully presented. I haven't had the opportunity to try their catering, but their catering menu looks impressive and reasonably priced. I am definitely a customer for life!! read more

I freaking love the steak sandwiches here! This is the only place I know of in Pinellas County that you can buy pastelitos and other Spanish pastries. Their Cuban is delicious, I actually haven't had anything bad here. The customer service is awesome. I recommend this place to all my friends and I've gotten a few ppl hooked already. read more

Fenominal Cubano sandwich, best in Tampa area. The pastries are next level, have heard there is no comparison for the baked goods here. Amazing. Guava and cheese all the way! read more

Went today for some empanadas and some cafe con leche. The empanadas were amazing (beef and cheese) and I would highly recommend the place for pastries and empanadas. The pricing is also very reasonable. read more

Best cuban sandwich in town that I've had thus far. I love the bread that is used to make the cuban sandwich, it adds its own twist. Very soft, and the meat is fresh. I also enjoy their quesito's, enough sweet with a hint of salty. Smiling now because it was so good!!!!!!!!!!! :) Perfect!!!!!! read more

Came in to check out the goodies...oh my..fresh baked goods. The quesitos freshly baked are awesome. You walk in and it smells heavenly. read more

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This has to be the worst BLT sandwich I've ever eaten. Easiest thing to make on the planet right? Not for whoever made my water. This should be called a crappy iceberg lettuce sandwich with no bacon to be found it cannot be called a bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich. What an absolute joke. read more

Bakery Makel - Desserts Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

Oh my gosh I have not had authentic Cuban style cage con leche since I was stationed in the keys. This place is authentic and real as it gets. Lots of great bite-size pastries and desserts that you can wrap up and take home for the family. I'm hooked read more

My boss surprised me today with two amazing treats. I had the Cuban Fried Empanada and a Guava & Cheese Pastry. Awesome, food.

Empanadas were the Bomb! Very juicy and savory. The breakfast sandwich with the Cuban bread was so good. Can't wait to try more. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

Found this bakery on the Internet. Wanted a 1st birthday cake for my granddaughter at the last minute. They were extremely helpful and made the most beautiful cake for me the same day!! It was the best cake ever..... read more

Bakery Makel - Mia's 1st Birthday Cake. Thanks to Marilyn's Bakery in Clearwater - Desserts Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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We ordered from here today and everything was so good! Fantastic Guava and cheese pastry! We will be back soon. Great food, great pricing and easy pick up. Good luck with your reopening! read more

Followed up on a rave review from local newspaper. Cafe con leche to die for. Sandwiches on fresh bread, hearty but not overwhelming. Incredible value, pleasant service in both English and Spanish. Could use a tad more seating, but we live nearby and could bring our meal home if need be. Just south/west of Belcher. Large cafe con leche made to order and a loaf of Fresh Cuban bread to go, grand total $4.50! read more

Bakery Makel - Desserts Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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This family owned bakery deserves all of your business. They are wonderful and friendly people who are very happy to help you! Their food is absolutely incredible! We tried a little bit of everything: cuban sandwich, medianoche sandwich, pastelito de guayaba y queso and cafe con leche. All were superb! We even came back to the bakery 2 days later for more food because it was all that we could think about during our trip to the Clearwater Beach area. Really sweet family with incredible food = can't be beat! read more