Reviewing their "Courageous Cones" ice-cream: one of the most delicious soft-serve ice creams I have ever had. You pick a waffle cone (vanilla/chocolate), an ice cream flavour (vanilla/chocolate/non-dairy coconut) and a fruit (strawberry, blueberry, plantain etc.). They blend the actual fresh fruit with the ice cream to produce an incredibly delectable, flavourful soft-serve. I got a vanilla waffle cone with chocolate ice cream blended with strawberries. It took maybe three or four minutes to serve because all of the blends are freshly made, and I had to wait in line for about twenty minutes, but the wait was worth it. It was nice to take the ice-cream cone and sit on a bench at the park nearby. The shop/window is attached to Courageous Cafe, but the operating hours are not the same as the cafe's, and one has to wait in line outside rather than indoors. The shop is about five minutes from the Oak Park Green Line CTA station. Highly, highly recommend this place to those visiting Oak Park! I might even make a trip all the way from the city for this ice-cream - it was that good! read more

There's a certain point where a bakery stops being a bakery and becomes a gravitational force, and this place crossed that line the moment I tried the pastries. Everything I've had so far has been spot‑on -- flaky, buttery, and made by people who clearly understand that "good enough" is not an acceptable standard for laminated dough. And then there are the cupcakes. The pink velvet and vanilla bean have basically derailed any attempt at exploring the rest of the menu. They're that good -- tender crumb, real flavor, none of that cloying sugar‑bomb nonsense. They even offer gluten‑free and vegan versions of some, which somehow manage to taste like actual cupcakes instead of punishment for dietary restrictions. There is a full breakfast menu, and it looks legitimately appealing... but I keep getting ambushed by the pastry case before I make it that far. One day I'll branch out. Today is not that day. If you're in Oak Park and want a bakery where the classics are done right and the cupcakes are dangerously habit‑forming, this is the one. read more

Order the BLTA (bacon, lettuce, tomato + avocado), it's fantastic! Service is quick, interior is well maintained and conveniently located, but it's really all about that sandwich. XOXO, BLTA Lover read more

Stopped in on a Friday morning for breakfast. Inside is very vibrant and fun. Not the best coffee shop to go and relax. You order at the counter. The staff was so sweet. We were given donut holes to bring to our table while we waited for our food. I ordered the salted caramel latte and the seasonal quiche, which was a ham and Gruyère. The latte was tasty, but so sweet. I couldn't finish it. The quiche was also tasty! Super fluffy eggs. There were a ton of pastries and cupcakes in the display cases. Looking forward to coming back for one of those! read more

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Plenty of metered parking and a block off from the Oak Park green line stop or four blocks from the Oak Park Metra stop. It is easy to get in for step free entrance and spacious facilities that are mostly clean. The staff is friendly and food comes out in a reasonable amount of time. The food is good but cupcake icing can be hit or miss, sometimes the only flavor I am tasting like shortening so stopped getting those. Please note, if you have a dairy allergy and getting the dairy free soft serve, they mix the non-dairy and the dairy in the same container. read more

Second chances are not always a good idea.. I should have followed my gut. So the first time I came in to give them a try I got a cupcake and croissant warm, my wife got a fancy coffee and some egg thing. She was happy with her order other than the iced coffee came hot.. so not really what she ordered after the long wait we didn't want to wait any longer. My order on the other hand was quite a disappointment, to me a fresh croissant should be light flaky and fluffy hot. This one .. this one was more like it was made at a beef shop it was flatted out and soggy.. I think it was over cooked in the electro zapper.. aka the food killer microwave.. just what I wanted to over pay for some microwaved slab of dough..thanks.. Now.. let's get to the second chance before reviews.. Wife ordered an iced coffee, I ordered a few donut holes.. The vanilla glazed was a wreck, dried out, stale, hard.. this should have been tossed out.. Let's try the chocolate.. meh, almost dried as bad but the after taste was meh.. like cooking oil. My wife's coffee showed up hot.. after like 15 minutes wait.. overall this place is meh.. should have stuck with Starbucks or Dunkin even.. Cleanliness was also a question.. enjoy the pictures of the semi busy place with a long wait and dirty floors/tables/chairs.. wonder what the back of the house looks like.. read more

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Not my favorite coffee spot in the area but it gets the job done. I got an iced white chocolate coconut latte and a hot salted caramel latte. Neither were spectacular. I could not taste the coffee in the white chocolate coconut latte and the flavor in the salted caramel latte was too strong. They do have a variety of drink and food items, so you may find something you like. It is very fun inside the coffee shop and there is a decent amount of seating. Baristas are always very sweet and helpful. read more

Is the ice cream good? Yes.... But maybe show a little sense of urgency when you have a line of 15 people all waiting to order. To say the employees take their time is an understatement. read more

Delicious ice cream made with real fruit! Options between dairy and non-dairy making dietary restrictions a little easier. You order through a pick up window outside but the line moves quick. read more

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I did not feel like cooking breakfast this morning so I decided to order a breakfast burrito from here and it was delicious! The burrito was full of all the healthy good stuff. Scrambled eggs, red peppers, mixed greens, avocado and black beans all wrapped in a flour tortilla. The burrito came with a side of home fries (potatoes). You can get the salsas, the green one and orange one with a little kick and they both complement the burrito and add such flavor. I truly enjoyed it. It was the perfect size and quite filling, especially adding the side of potatoes. I've passed this bakery so many times and you notice it because it's so colorful and put you in the mind of an ice cream shop because the outside is so colorful. I want to try other items on the menu because their breakfast burrito was really good. read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - Breakfast Burrito - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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They had a lot of treats to choose from. I felt like their donuts were just okay. I think I like firecakes more because it's fluffier. The cupcakes are better than Magnolia's. Service is professional. There are tons of seats and it's a nice place to study or get some work done. read more

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Located near downtown oak park stands this bakery & cafe. I'm not sure how to feel about the cafe portion of the establishment but I know the pastries from their bakery are phenomenal. My boyfriend and I ordered the Pepper & Egg croissant dish as well as the Breakfast Tacos dish. First and foremost, we need need need them to use the salt and pepper when cooking the meals. It was tasteless. We ate to eat but our stomachs departed dissatisfied. Whatever the sauce on the side was, we needed a huge batch of. When we have returned, we have only indulged in their pastries and beverages. read more

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Delicious food and great service! Music was a vibe and coffee was so yummy! The space is bright and inviting. They had great gluten free options and were very accommodating. read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - They were so accommodating of my wife's gluten allergy and even brought a gf bread out at the end of our meal for us to try! - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

The ambience is warm and welcoming, the staff is quite friendly, and the food is delish. Their pastries are the high point. Their menu items are pretty good. I will be back for sure. read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - Cupcakes - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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It's a cheerful cafeteria feel and the sandwich was delish potatoes were not greasy a little dry but tasty. Coffee was good I'll be back. read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Do not get their Oreo cake unless you want to be stalked by it day and night. I'm not a "sweets" person. Aside from that, sugar makes me feel bad and chocolate gives me migraines so I wasn't worried about having this cake in my house. We ordered it for my son's birthday and about 1/2 was left after the party. Well I discovered that the cake part is perfectly mildly sweet and that the cookies n cream layer of frosting perfectly balances the sweetness and was TO DIE FOR. I couldn't let this cake go from my thoughts! It was eyeing me every time I went into the kitchen and I slowly but surely ate so much of it and I'll say it again I DONT EVEN CARE FOR SWEETS. My husband was struggling too and we had to throw it away to release its control over us. Anyway we'll definitely be getting it again. It is SO GOOD read more

Placed orders here in the past & made a note to substitute bacon for poultry sausage since I don't eat pork. A manager told me that substituting isn't a problem just make a note in the comments. So this particular day I do just that, arrived before my order was ready & spoke to a staff member. I asked about my order & reminded them of the substitution to poultry sausage. He acknowledged the change & i waited for my order. A few minutes later a lady sat my bag on the shelf & walked away. I later found out she's an owner named Jordan Instead of her speaking to me, she wrote a note on the receipt that she could not make the substitute. When I asked her why she wouldn't just talk to me since I literally just spoke to an employee. All she did was shrug her shoulders. She offered no apology but to replace the $5 side of bacon with avocado slices. When I asked why the manager told me it's no problem to substitute, Jordan shrugged her shoulders again So beware if you have any food allergies because with Jordan running things you may be poisoned. read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - Pork next to my pancakes after I specifically said in the notes that I don't eat pork - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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I have to tell you these donuts look wonderful but this was so dry. I honestly can't believe that this was on display for sale... First time visit. Not a good impression read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - Dry donut - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Stopped by here on a Sunday after a nearby appointment as the location is convenient. It was lively but not overly busy. The staff was prompt and friendly. The coffee I had, a salted pretzel latte, was delicious, though I wasn't given a straw (and didn't see any) and my first sip was pure salt. I'd come back, but I will try something different! read more

If you're looking for a good gluten free cupcake option, Courageous Bakery is your go to! I was excited to see the many options they had for gluten-free and dairy-free eaters. I went with the pumpkin spice flavor and I was not at all disappointed. Pricing was great, anything under $5 for a gluten-free cupcake is fair game to me. Timing was perfect, I was in and out of the bakery in less than 3 minutes. They also have a reward program and I even got an email for a free cupcake after my first purchase. I will definitely be back at Courageous Bakery to try a new flavor! read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Really loved this bakery for a quick breakfast before exploring the city. After arriving in Chicago from an early flight, the first thing I wanted to do was find some good food. A quick search led me to Courageous Bakery. They have a large selection of coffees, sandwiches and pastries. I decided on the Lorraine sandwich and it was very tasty! What I loved most was the thick, not too sweet cuts of bacon and the fresh croissant. So good! There is table seating and bar seating that faces a window. Since I was solo, I chose a seat at the bar that overlooked a park across the street. If you're a big fan, they have lots of merch available to purchase. read more

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Ice cream is probably the best ice cream in Oak Park, but it's pretty pricey. Bakery is good, but won't blow your socks off.

I am moving into the area soon and looked up bakeries and this place popped up and has great reviews. The curb appeal is adorable and kitschy, right up my alley. I ordered online, never tasted any of the bakery and did not disappoint, I ordered the birthday chocolate cake, moist and delicious with selection of cupcakes which were also very good. The staff were very friendly and helpful. I will definitely be coming back with friends. Thank you read more

( Sigh. The service is kind of snobby, but I grew up in Oak Park being bullied by people with that voice... so maybe it's a bias. After a terrible experience, Laura (owner) contacted me to make it right. I insisted that I did not require compensation, but she insisted and emailed a $10 gift e-card. ) Finding myself with some time to kill waiting to pickup my parents from a doctor visit, I decided to stop in and grab a few pieces of gluten-free cake. The gluten-free selection is limited to two items: carrot cake and banana bread. The woman at the counter told me that they are also available as cupcakes and also added that they never have anything else that is gluten-free. I ordered 4 pieces of carrot cake (dessert for our family) My mom was instantly disappointed by the absence of frosting. I quickly saved the day with the addition of cardamom tea. Mom: it's good! I can taste the carrots! Frosting would make it too sweet. Dad: see. I cut it like this and enjoy it! There it is... I will put up with a little snobbiness in order to have this carrot cake! Please make more gluten-free options! Thank you Laura! My parents are sold on your carrot cake. read more

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This place is pretty good. The decor and set up is very inviting, it has outdoor seating, and they have seating areas with charging stations. Overall, it is very cozy. I loved their hasbrowns! They are very well seasoned. I decided to get the California omelets with the Texas French toast. Only take away from the meal is that the cheese had settled in the crease of the omelets so it missed the mark for me. If it isn't evenly spread, it means you get one side like cheesy bread (only its egg) while the rest of your omelets is just the add ins. Speaking of the add ins, there are a lot of cherry tomatoes in tbe omelet. I probably wouldn't have mind had the cheese been there to compliment it more but it just seemed like it over powered the omelets as a whole there were so many. One if the servers that manned the register seemed like she didn't want to be there. Randomly passed me strawberry filling eventhough i didnt ask for it.... *shrugs shoulders*. I wanted to order some pastries, but told me I couldn't order from her register since I wanted to order a dish as well. I was thrown off by her energy that I completely forgot to order my muffin and cinnamon roll smh. Fortunately, the other girl at the register was a lot more welcoming and light spirited. Either way, it's a really nice place. I love their story! Love tge overall vibe. read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - Texas French Toast! - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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I was in Oak Park and cannot pass up a coffee shop. I have been to the location in Elmhurst and had a wonderful experience, but was a bit disappointed with this location. It was a Sunday afternoon and crowded! We waited longer than we expected to order, but staff were nice. We ordered two lattes and a cupcake. The cupcake was small and pre-packaged, I wondered if it was fresh! I had the Horchata Loca Latte and my husband had the White Chocolate Coconut. The Horchata lacked cinnamon and vanilla was bitter. The entire experience fell short. read more

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The food was good not spectacular but I loved the fact you can be in & out. They give you 4 mini donuts when dining in. The portion size is perfect and they're outlets for charging your devices. The condiments silverware togo containers are out so you don't have to wait for server. read more

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So I passed by here a couple time. Never thought I would go in. Finally I got the chance. Mentally I was thinking why I should have came here earlier. Walking in the cashier has amazing eye shadow and I just love his personality. He ask friendly tone if I was dinning in or take out. He was super friendly and his energy is through the roof. Btw his eye Oh My God! amazing colors love it. Sat down, the girl in the pink top. She is super nice and friendly and very caring. Cassiy the waiter, she is fantastic. I told her it's my first time here and she told me the horchata coffee is amazing. No doubt about it is. Get it. The chocolate croissant was amazing. I would definitely order this again. Overall everything is fantastic and amazing cafe. If your the north side and looking for a cafe. Come here. The vibe is the same, it has positive energy and it's come. It's a great spot to check it out. *It is Vegetarian Friendly* read more

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Um, beautiful food, beautiful decor, atmosphere, beautiful PEOPLE! Love. Delicious. I love being here. read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - Chilaquiles Verde - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

I live close to Oak Park and always see this cute bakery so we stopped by on a rainy day for a few cupcakes. Staff was friendly and the options looked nice but two of the cupcakes were a little dry and lacked flavor. Would love to try some of the other things on the menu though! This experience was 5/10. read more

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One of my fav breakfast spots in Oak Park! I got the Lorraine Sammie and it was a huge croissant breakfast sandwich, bigger than I was expecting! I opted to add a side salad which wasn't pictured and it honestly reminded me of one of my fav French breakfast's I've had in the past. My husband got the traditional breakfast plate which he said was extremely filling! Now if you don't get anything else here you must get the biscuits!!! They're made from scratch and are sooo fluffy! I could quite literally inhale 2 or 3 they are just that good! The bacon is great quality and not that cheap bacon some restaurants charge you and arm and a leg for. The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable on the menu, they're quick to offer great recommendations. There's indoor and outdoor seating and quite a few window seats where you can come work and enjoy a snack or meal while admiring the neighborhood. 10/10 recommend if you're looking for a hearty, inexpensive meal! read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - Traditional - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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Went to get a cake for a special friend... the bakery is big on the corner of the street . I wasn't expecting to see only 4 inch cakes and cupcakes . The 4 inch cakes cost a bomb $18 before taxes for my purchase of cupcakes and the mini cake it was close to $40 . Whoever tried the cake like it. Maybe quality is better than quantity?? read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - Expensive!! - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Courageous Bakery & Cafe is a local, family-friendly cafe with a bright and colorful decor. The menu consisted of simple but beautifully plated breakfast/lunch dishes and a variety of pastries and drinks too. The Pepper & Egg breakfast sandwich came with fluffy scrambled eggs paired with charred red and poblano peppers and Chihuahua cheese. The peppers had a sweet and mildly spicy flavor, offset by the unctuousness of the gooey, chewy melted cheese. I got the sandwich on a buttermilk biscuit, which was soft and fluffy and had a slight twang from the buttermilk. I also tried the Gouda Turkey sandwich, a simple sandwich of juicy roasted turkey breast slices, greens, plum tomatoes, mustard, and melted Gouda cheese. Overall, the atmosphere here was great for a relaxed, casual meal, and the service was super friendly too! read more

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I tried a cupcake, which was good. The interior of the bakery was quite lively, and I definitely wish I could have tried something else. A good spot to grab something while exploring Oak Park! read more

The food here is worth the price. This is a place that we bring guest that visit from out of town. Though they are know for their cup cakes we enjoy their breakfast food. It is southern inspired and very dense. The sitting area is very decorative and inviting. When ordering we got a free sample of their donut holes which made our day. The service is always bubbly and welcoming. read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - Breakfast sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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We love Courageous and order delivery from here regularly. However, the experience is poor when ordering through their website. Twice now, items have been missing from an order. There's no recourse. On both occasions I called the restaurant--which entails five minutes in a phone tree listening to ads--and eventually spoke to someone who assured me of a partial refund. No refund ever appeared and we were charged the original amount. Order from Courageous, their food and drinks are fantastic. But order through a delivery service. read more

Courageous Bakery was recommended by a friend while visiting Chicago. We had the Chilaquiles bowl and the Choripapa bowl. One way to describe it "Lots of flavors". The staff is super friendly and the coffee it's good. What's not to like. Overall I am really happy with my visit to Outrageous. Good jobs guys. read more

Courageous Bakery & Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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The food was great, and the service was super friendly really enjoyed everything, when I asked for something to not have an ingredient though I'm at the register immediately suggested an alternative, and it turned out to be great read more

We visited Courageous recently for a late weekday breakfast. It was pleasant, everything was OK. The dining room was bright and lively, a bit noisy. It's a fast casual place -- order at the counter and they deliver to your table. Staff was generally congenial & helpful. Our breakfast burritos were, as expected, hefty. Two people with moderate appetites could probably share one. Ingredients were fresh and healthy. A bit too tough to cut gracefully with a table knife, and rather messy as a hand-held. Coffee was OK, but not distinguished. My favorite thing was the complementary small dish of beignets -- fresh & delicious! I'm not much of a go-out-for-breakfast type, but I might stop in again some time to try other menu items. read more

We came in for cupcake desserts post lunch on 8/8/2023. I have been following Courageous Bakery since the owner, Ms. Pekarik, was a contestant in "Cupcake Wars" in the Food Network Channel. I got some cupcakes from their food truck before, but this is my first time in her brick-and-mortar store. +Cute, fun, happy ambiance! +Friendly staff +Dining room and bathrooms were clean +Cupcakes were delish! +Found out that they serve breakfast, too! I will return to get some breakfast with family and friends someday. +I am not vegan but to my vegan friends, they have options here for you! +Cupcakes were aptly priced at $3.95 each (give or take a few cents depending on flavor) Will definitely come back! read more