Magnolia Bakery wannabe. And who would wannabe Magnolia bakery with its sub par baked goods. All hype, lousy overpriced cupcakes, too much sugar, not fresh tasty goods. YUCK! read more

This used to be my favorite cupcake spot in NYC. I live across the street and stop by with my bf probably 3 times per week. Their cupcakes are great, but this morning they tried to overcharge me by $13.50 and then they repeatedly lied about it. When I came back with my credit card statement they acted completely annoyed with me and told me to "relax" when I asked for a refund. My total was $6.50 and I paid with credit, and when she handed me the receipt I saw that I had been charged $20.00, with the "tip" line saying $13.50. I told her that I thought I had been overcharged, and showed her the receipt several times, but she insisted that I had only been charged $6.50. I went home and checked my statement and sure enough, I had been charged $20.00. I went back with my computer and asked to speak to the manager, but she WAS the manager, and she continued to be extremely rude, not apologizing once. I even apologized for inconveniencing her, but she acted annoyed with me the whole time. I don't know her name but she had orange hair, fake eyelashes and long nails - watch out that she doesn't tip herself on your card and then deny it! read more

The cupcake is dry, and the frosting tastes like Betty Crocker's. Its consistency reminds me of the cupcakes at Buttercup Bake Shop. Not the best. read more

Billy's Bakery - red velvet cupcake - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

Have you ever had a cupcake? No? Never? (Really?) Well you are going to love them - they are small cakes... in a cup! If you don't live under a rock and answered yes though, read on... I must have come on a completely off day since my experience was nothing close to the 4 and 5 star reviews garnered by this bakery. (Full disclosure: I did not try their famous banana pudding, so perhaps that is where I went wrong. Then again, I hate banana pudding so there's that.) Cupcakes My friend and I ordered a red velvet and a daisy (yellow cake, chocolate frosting, otherwise known to me as a classic birthday cake). Perhaps it was late in the day, but both of our cupcakes were totally dry on the inside, and the cloyingly sweet frosting had crystalized, leaving it crunchy and gritty. Service We didn't experience the apathetic service mentioned in so many reviews before me, but since the place is quite small, things do tend to get a little chaotic behind the counter. read more

Billy's is a landmark for me-- I think it's the last major cupcake outlet in the borough of Manhattan that I needed to conquer to have a full sense of the great cupcake debate. First of all, I was totally mesmerized by the guy strategically placed in the window icing cupcakes in lilac and mint green frosting. Heaping it on in pillowy layers from BUCKETS, nay, VATS of buttercream. Talk about good advertising! Like Big Booty (mine has surely grown to such expanses after all the cupcakes today), it was really freaking hot inside. They only had out the vanilla/vanilla, chocolate/vanilla, and chocolate/chocolate. (I later spied some naked red velvets on a rack, but I wasn't in the mood for RV anyway after BB.) Some guys ordered banana cream pie, but in the heat, it looked droopy, so I just ordered 2 vanilla/vanillas and a chocolate/chocolate. Verdict? Virtually identical to Magnolia. The yellow cake was a tad dry, I thought, and the icing, by the end of the cupcake was bordering on nauseatingly sweet The chocolate cake was moist and tasty, but the frosting was so sweet that we actually threw half of it out. Throwing out cupcakes is not something I do on a whim. Perhaps if I'd tried some of the other flavors, I would have thought differently, but since this is so far out of the way for me, I probably would not return to find out when I am guaranteed variety AND quality at SSS. I can now say, with authority vested in me by the consumption of a disgusting amount of cupcakes over the last year and a half, that SSS is unequivocally my favorite cupcake-focused bakery in the borough of Manhattan. (However, Sage in LIC has the best chocolate/chocolate cupcake I've ever tasted.) What to gorge myself on now? read more

I'm addicted. It's a bit of a hike but just within reach to go too often. Every time I go there is a line out the door - not that it's that hard since the place is tiny. But Billy's is clearly THE bakery in Chelsea. It's open late and always has a fun and happy crowd - even the staff. The two seating areas are always full, as is the bench outside on the sidewalk. Now for the food... I have to admit that the first time I went there, I was disappointed with the dryness of the cupcake. However, every time after that has been amazing. My clear favorite is the yellow cake with pink frosting. The chocolate frosting isn't sweet/rich enough for my liking. My roommate can't get enough of the ice box cake (chocolate wafers mixed with layers of whipped cream), but again, not sweet enough for me. I like that they offer half slices of cake because the regular sizes are better shared by 2 ppl. Everyone I know raves about Billy's too. read more

Excellent cupcakes. Like as in super great. Moist and flavorful. THey also have really great pie. Yum

Welcome to the one-and-only Billy's Bakery, home of addictive chocolate mocha frosting, orgasmic banana cream pies, cute but overrated cupcakes, and a hip, multi-cultural staff who --- depending on the phase of the moon --- can either be quick to serve or painfully slow. The decor is strictly grandma's kitchen, complete with 50s-style wallpaper and old-fashioned signage. If it's not too crowded, take a seat and savor the flavors. Otherwise, grab your goodies and run! Confirmed Personal Celebrity Sightings include Jodie Foster, Parker Posey and Chelsea local Ethan Hawke. read more

The same colleague brought Billy's cupcakes into work again. (Billy's in NYC - Office is in Philly). Cake was dried out - but still tasted good enough - frosting is excellent. (Red Velvet, Banana, Carrot, Chcocolate all were very well received). Nobody touched the vanilla with "classic" butter cream - but they were likely the best of the bunch. I want to give them 4 or even 5 stars - but the cake was dried out BOTH times I tried it. read more

Dearest Billy, We've only met once before (a set up through a friend) but it was love at first bite. I adore the way you bring moist cake together with whipped frosting in a perfect cupcake fashion. I could only bring myself to partake in 1 serving of your bliss, for fear of falling to fast. But rest assured, we will meet again... read more

Am I the only one who has ever had a decent cupcake? I suspect that some of these reviewers haven't. I tried the chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting and the yellow cake cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting. Both cakes were so incredibly dry. Cupcakes are supposed to be convenient and easy to eat, hence their shape and size. Billy's cupcakes were so dry and crumbly I could not control the mess. The cupcakes also looked so messy. I know they are trying to go for a homemade feel, but c'mon. No one's homemade cupcakes look like a one armed 8 year old frosted them. The pictures of their cupcakes on the website look nothing like the cupcakes I purchased. The staff was very friendly, though. read more

Billy's food is good enough. Being fit, it is not always calorie-worthy. The icebox cake however is spectacular. It is only for that cake that i enter this den on juvenile twits. The help is consistently without urgency or any sense of customer service. Today, as always, i waited while two counter people barely assisted two customers. I noticed a third, playing with the music, chatting with the cooks, anything but helping me. I assumed he was not a counter person, since he noticed me and did nothing. After I waited five full minutes with no one else in the store, he came and asked if he could help me. Really? ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS this way. Snotty tweens. Hate this place. read more

Popped in after dinner in the area. I had the mint brownie since I love mint Oreo. It wasn't that mind blowing to be honest. It's suppose to be like the original magnolias type. I have to try their cupcakes because it wasn't the best. I give a 3 or 4 stars. The place is cute and clean but will need to try their other options, since magnolias has me hooked! read more

This is a really cute shop. I loved coming here for many reasons. It wasn't busy at all and I think this is a better quality bakery than a magnolias or some others. I walked in and was greeted by the guy at the counter who was very welcoming. I ask for 4 cupcakes and I chose the red velvet and chocolate cake vanilla frosting then asked for two suggestions. He said to try the carrot cake and banana and there were my four. He sure was right about the banana and carrot cake. The banana was almost more of a muffin consistency but it was deliciously moist with a soft crumble. The frosting was great and it wasn't to sweet. The carrot cake had chunks of nuts and great spiced flavor and again the cream cheese frosting was absolutely divine. The vanilla/chocolate cupcake wasn't the greatest. I think they use coffee in their chocolate cake recipe and the coffee tasted a little burnt. In addition the cake was a little dry so I would pass on that again. The red velvet was pretty good but I prefer sprinkles red velvet where you can taste the buttermilk and a light chocolate flavor. All things considered this place was cute and I will be back! read more

Billy's Bakery - Carrot cake, red velvet, chocolate cake vanilla frosting, banana. The carrot cake and banana were awesome! - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

See all

The hands-down best cupcake in New York City. And trust me--I've had them all. Magnolia has its sickenly sweet charms (and great location--hello Marc Jacobs) and Sugar Sweet Sunshine is reliable when Billy's is overbooked with cake orders, but they simply don't compare to the moist, creamy and sweet heaven that is a Billy's chocolate-with-green-icing-and-sprinkles cupcake. It's the perfect companion to visiting Chelsea galleries on a sunny afternoon. My co-dependence on their cupcakes has, regrettably, kept me from trying their other desserts, but why sample the rest when you can have the best? read more

Meh. Banana cake was good. Apple pie looked good with crumbly top but was just okay. Kind of tasteless for apple pie, actually. Staff appear to wish they were anywhere but there and have low stress tolerance. They did however provide us with water upon request. Does that count for something? In any case, will not be dropping by Billy's again for sweet tooth fix or to pick up goodies. Better options elsewhere. read more

Billy's Bakery - Banana cake - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Billy's use to be my go-to spot whenever I was in the area but tonight (17/11) I might not return. The Employees working were rude, having been to this particular location multiple times I knew they had smaller boxes for half a dozen cookies. However when asked politely if I might have the cookies in a box instead as they weren't going to be eaten right away and would be in luggage was simply told by one of them that "it didn't matter" as the freshness would still be the same. So I ordered a Vegan/Gluten Free Cupcake and the cupcake itself was moist, but the frosting was very underwhelming and tasted a bit meh. TLDR; finally was able to get a small box for the cookies, but would try going back during the day (even though it was only 6:30 PM) and see if the employees working there are still rude. read more

I visited a number of bakeries in New York , and a lot of them i thought were awful. Billys was pretty decent. Not amazing. But not bad either. The people were great, and i liked the vibe of the place, and the cupcakes were 'good'. I'd say of Billys was my second favorite in ny. read more

O Billy, you are the best and worse thing that ever happened to me while working in Chelsea. I don't know how many times I have made that turn into 9th ave just to grab a few cupcakes all for my own. I was in a dangerous relationship with that Billy. Every single delicious little flavor is awesome. The cake is so soft and buttery, unlike the dry tough cake from Magnolia's. The icing (and I normally hate icing) is perfection - not too sweet, just awesome and mouth-watering. I get the cupcakes and my milk, and I sit alone on that bench, enjoying my date with Billy. Magnolia's and Buttercup got nothing on you. read more

Ahhhhhhh the banana pudding!!!!! So good!! Definitely a bit pricey for what it is, but who cares? IT'S A CUP OF MAGICAL DELICIOUSNESS!! read more

Well maybe it was just a bad day, maybe the baker got into a really bad fight with his heavy walking upstairs neighbor. I don't know I just don't get it. These were the worst cupcakes I've ever had. They were so dry. We bought 2 dozen and all different varieties so...it wasn't just the one batch. Magnolia still rocks in comparison, however watch out when Sprinkles comes in from LA... Oh wait, I do have one good thing to say - there was no line..in and out in 5 minutes. read more

By far, Billy's Bakery has the best cupcakes in town!! I've never had a bad experience at Billy's. The cupcakes are always so fresh and soft and moist. I won't mention any names, but there are some other popular bakeries around the city that simply don't compare to Billy's. The red velvet cupcake is amazing! Recently, I had one of their pumpkin cupcakes, which is more of a seasonal offering - again, amazing! And their location in SoHo is just as high quality with delicious treats! read more

Better than Sugar Sweet Sunshine, but not as good as Magnolias. Cupcakes are solid, frosting tastes great, but the cake part is just too crummy. And I prefer how Magnolia serves their cakes, just grab, pay and go. I didn't really like walking into Billy's to stand around and have no idea who was there first or who's helping me. read more

As far as bakeries go, Billy's is really good. Not spectacular, but after only one visit I consider them slightly better than Magnolia/Buttercup. Cute little space, enough room for two tables with chairs. The counter looked overwhelmed with their selection, I had to step back and look over everything before making a decision. But the staff was very friendly and helpful and waited patiently for me to make my choices. I tried two cupcakes, a red velvet and a chocolate/chocolate. The cake was fairly moist (waaaay more so than Magnolia, which is DRY), and the frosting was addictive; I couldn't stop eating the cream cheese one on the red velvet, and the chocolate frosting was just what I like, rich with a little bitterness. The only problem with the frosting was that it was slightly too sweet. But if you like Magnolia/Buttercup, Billy's is even better. read more

Banana cream pie - 5 stars Chocolate Cupcake - 3 stars Red Velvet cupcake - 4 stars Carrot Cake cupcake - 4 stars The bakery itself is cute! Pastel colors and decor that makes me feel like i'm 5 years old again :) But there wasn't any open seating since the shop is pretty tiny. read more

So, on the coldest day this season, I decide to take a stroll up 9th Ave, (to kill some time before an appointment). I came across Billy's Bakery and remembered Sam P.'s rapturous review. Putting my faith in Sam's refined cupcake taste and needing to escape the 55 mph gale winds, I go inside. I love it from the start! The staff is awesome and crazy, the display cabinets are overstuffed with beautiful baked goods, and damn are those cupcakes tasty. I got some tea, munched away happily on a vanilla cupcake (perfect icing, and not-distracting cake), and rocked out with the staff of hipsters to Hole's "Celebrity Skin." Since the weather was miserable, it was just them, me, and Courtney Love--and that was just fine. read more

It's been 1.5 yrs since my last Billy's visit and decided to come back for some of their awesome red velvet cake. And great news - it's still the BEST RED VELVET CAKE I've found anywhere. Bottom line: My innards are probably all red from the red food coloring, but still the best friggin red velvet cake ever. I especially love the frosting on their RV. read more

I was brought here for my birthday after dinner. My friends got me one cupcake and one candle. YES they sell individual candles. =] The cupcake was GREAT and the fact that you can buy candles here made the celebration that much more special. Did I mention the candle buying?? read more

Billy's is the most charming bakery I have been to in the city. Between the vintage floral wall paper and the bakers icing the cupcakes at the front window, I almost want to quit my day job to work at Billy's and lead a simple, cupcake-filled life. And then I tried the banana cake based on stellar recommendations....it is out of this world! And I am not even a banana person (chocolate all the way!). It is moist, sweet, and over the top delicious! The cake made me realize that there is no way I could surround myself with such amazing food all day long. I would eat everything in sight! Luckily I live just an avenue away so I can venture over when I need a pick-me-up! The reason I give Billy's only 4 stars is because word on the street is the red velvet cupcakes are no match to Buttercup's... I have yet to try one. Once I do I will report back. read more

The main reason to come to Billy's is for the eye candy behind the counter. Oh, and they have cupcakes, too. Billy's breaks from the pure buttercream frosting of Magnolia, as they seem to have a cream cheese (or shortening?) component to it. Being from the South, I've had more of this type of frosting than I care to think about, so I really want the pure sweet subtle buttercream. Admittedly, the cake is moist and flavorful and beats Magnolia (especially the chocolate). I just find myself markedly less enthusiastic about Billy's overall. But that's just me, and I certainly admit that people swear by this, so it's worth a try. The red velvet is just okay here (again, I'm from the South, so my standards are high). Not a ton of flavor. Bonus: bottled water for $1. I think the tea is pretty cheap too. read more

My friend took me here on my recent NYC cupcake tour. I'd have to say the store is really cute and looks gorgeous. But I say it like Paula Abdul when she's judging American Idol when she's got nothing else to say about singing. You look gorgeous. But what about the singing? You look beautiful. [insert Paula's seal hand clap] The cupcakes to me were good, but not the best I've had. This was probably my fifth bakery that I tried, and probably my 7th cupcake in 5 days. The cake crumbled while I was eating it, but the point is -- they looked good. I love how you can see them right in the front window putting on the frosting. But what I really loved was Katie Holmes in In Style posted on their wall looking beautiful eating cupcakes. I wonder what she rated them. Funny... She was in another magazine before that one raving about another cupcake - Magnolias anyone? I wonder if ALL the cupcake places have a magazine with Katie Holmes in it raving about how good their cupcakes are! read more

Lesson recently learned: ALWAYS ask: "Can I get the fresh cupcake?" Or deal with the ramifications of having a dry, crumby cake with hardened frosting. Still tasty, but pales in comparison to a fresh Billy's. read more

One of, if not my number one favorite bakery in NYC. Everything here is delicious. When I used to work as an admin assistant, I ordered from them when we had birthdays and celebratory occasions as much as possible. Cakes are to die for. The frosting is rich and delicious without overdoing the sweetness. I am not a huge cupcake person, but their cupcakes are very good too. The decor is cute and like an old fashioned bakery, especially with the pastel colors. Beware the smell- an unbelievable butter and sugar aroma wafting down 9th ave that you can smell from blocks away. It lures you in even if you weren't planning on stopping by. read more

Billy's is a little too sweet for me, but I still love this bakery. Like someone else wrote, it's cute. The cupcakes are cute, and the boys are cute. I like a couple other cupcake shops more than Billy's, but they win the presentation award. They have the best cupcake frosters. Every cupcake looks beautiful, and they dye their own sprinkles. Aside from the cupcakes, I recommend the banana cream pie & icebox cake. SO GOOD! read more

Wife and son's birthday and my asst said i should go there instead of the usual. everyone on line in front of me is getting banana cake or banana pudding. should have taken that as a sign. guy in front of me get's the last two puddings.... so i order my cupcakes $27 for 9 cupcakes!!!! I'm in the wrong business....... anyway red velvet my favorite.....was dry , disappointing choc/choc.......was dry , disappointing van/van....kinda dry...... Banana cupcake ! soft, moist, exploding with banana flavor. going back just for them . one of the best cupcakes i've ever had will go back for cake sooner than later just to see if it was an off night. one other thing that happened here and quite a few other places (but i'm writing about here..sorry Billy's) It drives me crazy when you go into a place and there's 5 ,6 7 people on line and there is only one person helping at the counter and 3 other employees doing other things. i get that they have to make the cupcakes,but i don't think i should to put aside 15 minutes to get a few cupcakes at 8:30 on a monday night said it now i'm done 2.5 stars and will give them another chance read more

I came here on a recommendation from my cupcake fanatic friends and so was really looking forward to it, but unfortunately it didn't woo me. I got the chocolate cupcake and it tasted really dry! I love sweets and rarely dislike them, but this one I wasn't exactly motivated to finish. I've had better cupcakes from a grocery store (which can be really good so this isn't a low blow). Looking at the overall reviews, it seems like this place is inconsistent. Maybe I came on a bad day, but there are plenty of other cupcake shops to try before revisiting. read more

Kind service and late hours are the pluses, though the tiny seating space can prove a hindrance when so many people stop in for cupcakes at the same time. I however, despise cupcakes, and have never liked them at all to be honest. I'm a much bigger fan of brownies, which is where Billy's unfortunately fell short. Large and brown, I expected it to be slightly chewy and fudgey and crusty like many of the brownies I adore. However, this tasted like a square piece of sugary cake, and though I finished it, I was left with a queasy feeling from the almost too ethereal texture. My friend had one of their mini cheesecakes which she described as having a "verrrry buttery" crust and a filling that was a bit too solid for her tastes. I personally liked its firm cheesiness, but could see myself becoming drowned in nausea before getting through all three inches of it. Likewise, my friend saved most of it for later. Great for a late night dabble when most other places are closed, but for really awesome treats, particularly brownies, I'd suggest going elsewhere. read more

Everyone raved about Billys so I took my time to make it over there (I go to school so close) and since I have worked at Buttercup Bakeshop I know a good cupcake when I smell one. The staff was nice and pretty knowledgeable, although the display was pretty empty (which wasn't that appealing) they had a rack of "special cupcakes" and so I dove into a banana cupcake and a red velvet. Neither which were INSANELY impressive. The banana would have been great if it had mini-chocolate chips or something to give it some more flavor. I'd stick to Buttercup. read more

I absolutely Billy's. After having sub-par cupcakes at Magnolia's and Sugar Sweet Sunshine, I wasn't sure if I could love any cupcake in the city. Then I was introduced to Billy's. My absolute favorite is the Red Velvet. It's so moist and delicious and the cream cheese frosting is just perfect. I also love the chocolate cupcake cause it tastes like chocolate (duh) and is moist, which I found to be lacking in other places. I also love the kitschy decor and the staff is always pleasant. I would recommend anyone passing through Chelsea to stop in or even plan to go just to stop here. read more

I give this place 5 stars because when my old boss was cranky and annoying (every day) I would run to Billy's and get him a cupcake. After he finished squealing with delight (every day) he would go into a sugar trance and sit in his office coloring in his coloring book. This kept him out of my hair for hours. *This is completely true. read more