This is my absolute most favorite bakery. So this is my ode to the bakery and Dom, who is a gem of…read morean employee there. I've been a customer of almost 10 years and have been obsessed since they first opened their doors at a different location. I literally live an hour away without traffic and even longer with traffic, but I make sure to stop by or send someone else to get it for me at least once a month or more. I love the amazing cakes that are so delicious and unique but on top of that, it is Asian owned, LGBTQ supporting, etc. A lot has changed since their little storefront with no seating. The bakery is now a full on cafe and I'm so happy to see how much they've grown and how successful they are. And while it is glorious, I will say I miss the sweet neighborhood charm and great customer service it used to have. Getting in touch with the bakery through phone or text can be tough and to be honest, sometimes one of the people working there is kind of...very mean. It had me questioning if I should keep coming back. I just love this bakery so much though and being raised by parents that had a small food business, I can't help but want to support. I had a particularly difficult last minute request for the bakery a few weeks ago and I was reminded why this place is so great. It had been YEARS since I made this specific request, which was an order for a slice of cake for every flavor and a cupcake for every flavor. This is a BIG and time consuming request, especially if it's last minute. Unfortunately I come to the city whenever the traffic isn't atrocious, so it's always last minute. Dom absolutely pulled through though. Even though there were other employees there (I saw two others but one disappeared and then another male was kind of walking around the cafe and such), Dom took this giant request and fulfilled it himself. The other gentleman (not the mean person previously mentioned) was actually who I made the request to, but he told Dom to do it. I was kind of confused why they didn't do it together but idk, maybe the other guy isn't allowed to handle food? Who knows. Regardless, this request obviously took a long time and the line was getting longer; people were getting a little restless but Dom stayed calm but was swift. I swear he was moving faster than most people in the industry could with a cake knife like that. He was not impatient or rude to me at all. He was just there to do his job as fast and well as possible. It's so rare to see that type of work ethic. He is also so obviously proud of the bakery and the food they serve which makes you feel good about being a patron there. So although I continue to have an unpleasant experience with one particular employee there, Dom keeps my love for this bakery alive. He reminds me of what this bakery was like when they first opened their doors. I hope Dom is cherished there and I bet he is considering his work ethic. I will continue to support this bakery and I recommend everyone else to support as well. It may not be that small little shop anymore but Dom is a reminder of the heart of the place.

I've been to Jennivee's twice now and I also got my college graduation cake from here last year for…read morepick-up! They did a beautiful job. For my graduation cake, I chose the tres leches and it was so creamy, moist, and delicious. I basically ate half of the cake by myself lol. This most recent time, I needed a snack and wanted something sweet. Everything here looks amazing and I'm sure tastes amazing too, so it's hard to choose. I chose to get the berry chantilly cake slice since it was a hot day, and it was the perfect refreshing treat! It was soooo good.

For a take out bakery style restaurant, this place has everything I need and it all tastes great…read more They open super early in the morning if you want that dim sum or bakery fix. There aren't tables so don't expect to sit down to enjoy your food. Service was friendly and prompt. I ordered sui mai, beef rice rolls, lotus leaf rice, zhongzi, and a pineapple bbq pork bun. Everything, and I mean everything, was delicious. This will be my new take out dim sum and bakery spot in Chicago now. Give it a shot, you won't regret it.

This is the best bakery in Southside Chinatown, without a doubt, the line just never stops like…read morethey're handing free food but they're not. Although the prices are very reasonable, you could come here everyday...BTW, make sure to bring cash as it's cash only. I really love coming here after a meal because the buns are soft, light, airy, and sweet. Thus far, my favorites are: - egg custard topping with a red bean filling and - the coconut bun with whipped creme Wow, those are really good but do try their other offerings and determine your own favorite item. I have to try their Argyle location to see if they're consistently great!! Oh, one more thing, there is a ledge by the window where you can eat quickly whilst standing up but it can get very crowded in there. Xie xie Chiu Quon!!

The hype is real. The breakfast/brunch is very delicious and if you don't want to wait in line, hop…read moreon the website and order for pick up. There is seating around the corner for you to eat, if needed. It was very busy on a Friday morning and everyone was very friendly. The sandwich is as delicious as it looks and I recommend the gooey pecan bun. My to-go order was right on time: steaming hot food, lattes made fresh for the pick up time, what more can you ask for?! Really nice touch that you can choose your sweetness level. 10/10 I recommend, this restaurant was running like a machine and it's quite impressive.

I absolutely love an Asian bakery, so was super excited to try Kasama (especially after its moment…read morein The Bear!). Got there Sunday at 10:45, and waited almost 1.5 hrs in line. Thankfully they still had their famous breakfast sandwiches by the time I ordered (even though they normally stop selling them at noon). Got a couple drinks- Ube Latte and the Corn Maiz Tea Latte. I'll preface by saying that the Corn Maiz drink was my favorite thing I got from Kasama. It has a strong corn flavor that blends perfectly with the milk tea. This is a 10/10 no notes. Ube latte was also tasty. For food I ordered a ton of things: -Longanisa Egg and Cheese Sandwich w a hash brown: was surprisingly just okay IMO. Egg is very uniquely fluffy, more like a steamed egg than a scramble! The rest of the sandwich was tasty but nothing special. -Filipino Breakfast Platter w both meats: the Tocino is delish! IMO the better of the two breakfast meats. Garlic rice is good, but i always love garlic rice. -Italian Beef Eggrolls: so crispy and delicious with the gardeneira dipping sauce! Weekends only item- be sure to try! -Lumpia: so crispy and flavorful, they really fry things well here. -Matcha Pandan Eclair: the choux was pipped on top, and was so fluffy and delicious. The crispy rice inside the shell added a fun texture. This was my favorite pastry! -Truffle Croissant: lamination was good, flavors were a bit weird. Was overly sweet from the rock sugar + honey, so much that it overpowered the truffle IMO which is hard to do. -Guava and cheese ensaymada: very fluffy brioche with yummy filling. This was good, really wanted to try the ube one but they were out :( -Ube and Huckleberry basque cake: very rich! Was suggested this instead of the ube ensaymada and it was definitely more huckleberry than ube. Tasty though. Overall this spot was good and certain things (corn maiz drink, pandan eclair, Italian beef eggrolls) were worth the wait while others are overhyped. I would definitely order ahead next time for take out or sit inside- cute indoor and outdoor seating options!

I love the food here. The seating is a bit mayhem though. It's grab something when you see that…read moreit's open (cafeteria table style but with more rizz). The staff is always friendly and it's fairly easy to take GF and vegan friends here to eat. They actually have a few options which is nice. Price is about standard for Chicago lunch places that aren't fast food. If you're autistic or easily over stimulated be prepared to bring your tools and accommodations with you. (NT people seem to not be bothered but I've been driven to more than one meltdown by eating in at this place and trying to act "normal". IYKYK. I LOVE it, my brain just thinks we're dying in there. lol so I've taken to just getting to go orders and eating in a park or something)

I had earmarked Goddess and the Baker as a place to go before visiting the nearby Art Institute of…read moreChicago. It is a vibrant, modern cafe staple known for its standout bakery items like their Strawberry Cream Croissants (that looked incredibly decadent), artisanal coffee drinks, and reliable breakfast sandwiches. They do have some gluten-free baked options like the pistachio muffin my wife enjoyed. Also, they have non-bread breakfast and lunch options if you are gluten-sensitive or celiac. The place is popular, based on the queue that went out the door when we went there over the past weekend. Due to its proximity to major downtown attractions like the Art Institute and office buildings, long lines will happen during morning work rushes and weekend peak hours. But it's worth the wait. For my money, the chocolate croissant, stuffed with rich chocolate mousse, is class, and will ensure you won't go hungry. At all. In fact, I had half of it in a Ziploc for two days, and it still tasted amazing. The chocolate mousse alone will give you a rush that will send you blasting into outer space. Their morning sandwich was pretty good with scrambled eggs, cheddar, bacon, avocado, and tomatillo sauce on toasted semolina. Although, admittedly, I was full from also indulging on the croissant, so I had leftovers. Their coffee drinks are also divine. I went with their Vietnamese cold brew, made with condensed milk that I enjoyed immensely. If I worked in the area, I would be coming here quite a bit.

Finally had time to drive over and try the pasteries! Service was super fast, no wait time. It's a…read morecompact and cute store. Only 3 window tables that fill up pretty quickly. I bought 3 and my friend got 2. Calamansi cream + pistachio paste danish was my favorite. The Calamansi cream was the perfect texture and density with a fragrant citrus note. When I took a sip of coffee afterwards it made my coffee taste like I was drinking fresh orange juice. The pistachio is more cake like inside than full paste and isn't too sweet. Flaky dough, soft pistachio center and creamy top with a sharp citrus cut. Peach + raspberry Melba danish. The peaches were soft. I'm not familiar with a Melba dessert but the center of this was almond paste which is not my favorite but if you like almond and tart danish it would hit the spot. Raspberry espresso cream cheese cinnamon roll was a fun fruity twist to a cinnamon roll. Couldn't really tell there was espresso though. Blueberry lime cheesecake danish. I also liked this one because of the lime. It really cuts through the heaviness. The fruits on top were also fresh. They also have one day old blind boxes. I grabbed a 6 piece day old box to go and it was actually 6 different pasteries, half sweet and half savory! It only repeated 1 of the pasteries I had originally tried so I'm excited to try more, especially the savory ones. It's an amazing deal if you just want to try a variety of flavors. Tried the Hot dog danish - really good! Upscale pigs in a blanket vibes. The tiny fried are seasoned perfectly and add a fun crunch. The splashes of Dijon cut through and it doesn't feel oily at all.

I've been on the hunt to find the best bakeries in Chicago and had been dying to visit Fat Peach…read morefor awhile after seeing rave reviews! Let me tell you, it was all I hoped it could be and more. The storefront was pretty small with a few tables- between the size, hours, and popularity (they were only open a few days a week and closed at 2pm), I suspected that the shop sold out often. I went on a weekday and there was still a good selection of pastries left around 11am. The staff was super nice and helpful as I struggled to make a decision. They shared that the strawberry milk croissant was their bestseller, so I opted for that. It was filled with fresh strawberry mascarpone and fresh strawberry puree. Despite the croissant's decadent appearance, it was not at all too sweet. I'm not typically the biggest croissant fan (I know, I know, no one is perfect) but this pastry blew me away. The filling was super generous without overpowering the delicate dough, which was baked to crispy perfection. Sadly, I don't get to the area often, but I will 100% be back asap to try more of the menu. Run- don't walk to pay a visit!

You've heard it all before. What can I say except everything you've heard about Sugar Moon is true!…read moreThis is easily now my favorite bakery in the city. Shout out to everyone that works there because they are super nice and helpful. Let's get the logistics out the way: yes if you show up when they open at 9, there will be a line, but it moves quickly! I'm usually out with my order by 9:25! I have a huge sweet tooth and let me tell you the savory pastries are my favorite. I will not visit without getting at least one miso mushroom pastry. I absolutely hate eggs and the jalapeño popper pastry is so good, I barely noticed the egg in it until I'd eaten half of it This place is the TRUTH. Every pastry is flaky, every bun is fluffy and the flavor combinations are so unique. Let me stop typing so I can go stand in line!

um absolutely yes this is what they mean when they say support small businesses!! I stumbled across…read morethis bakery on my way to the suburbs and it's sooooooo good! I see why they're known for their banana pudding croissant. There were so many things I wanted to try, the people working were so nice and despite being small inside, it gave a very intimate cafe feeling. Will 100% be back to try more things. Come early to get first dibs on everything before it sells out.

I have visited Magnolia Bakery a handful of times and always have a pleasant experience. They…read morealways have a monthly flavor of banana pudding available, which is fun to see rotate, but honestly the original is usually the better choice. The original is creamy with real chunks of banana in every bite. The space has plenty of indoor seating. One small downside: they don't offer cups of water, so keep that in mind if you're stopping by on a warm day. Staff were friendly. Would highly recommend if you have not yet tried magnolia!

I have been wanting to try Magnolia forever. When in Chicago there's a cornucopia of things to try…read moreand something always gets eliminated. Well, I love this place. Open atmosphere with everyone able to answer questions. My only complaint is that I didn't grab enough cookies or banana pudding. The food is perfect