Taste of Chicago super sample short review: I am grading on what I had, the sample provided...and what the vendor thought would be the catch/draw for their restaurant. This cheesecake was delicious! They really have trapped a ton of flavor and sweetness (not too sweet) with the perfect textures. You get the silky smooth cream on top, with the incredible crunch of the crust. Absolutely would come to the actual location next time I'm in Chicago. read more

Eli's Cheesecake - Strawberry Cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If you're a cheesecake fan or even have a desire to buy cheesecake, Eli's is worth a stop! The other desserts like cookies and cakes are kinda hit or miss. They have a huge array of frozen cheesecake you can take home. The speciality "deformed" ones are a good price. I did not find any issues with them, they tasted and looked fine to me :)) It's a good size store with a huge parking lot. Occasionally, they hold events which I was happy to join their annual Father's day biking! So much fun! They support many community events as a local business and ofc a wonderful Chicago staple. read more

I stopped by Eli's Cheesecake facility to pick up some treats for family and friends. The large, private parking lot was excellent, as always; I appreciate having easy access, especially since I drive a larger car. While I missed the special event and activity that Saturday since I arrived closer to closing, I was able to purchase a Chocolate Chip Cookie, the Cookie Butter cheesecake, and my absolute favorite, the Key Lime Cheesecake--all of which are delicious. I have fond memories: Eli's used to have their birthday celebrations and give away free slices in Chicago-downtown such a treat. At the store, staff is always friendly and helpful. They know exactly where each flavor is located in the store and are happy to help. The shop currently offers both regularly priced items and discounted, "not perfect" treats, which still taste excellent. The cafe inside remains a perfect place to sit, relax, and enjoy a warm beverage with a slice of cheesecake. One of my favorite spots to treat myself. Happy Holidays! read more

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Got an email advertising 20% off very cheesecake and desserts. I was eager to try the Tiramisu Berry slice. When I got to Eli's I was informed the 20% discount applied to entire cakes not to slices. This was very misleading. The email showed two different flavors of slices . I'm a household of two people. Can't see eating an entire cake nor can I freeze the cake and have it dehydrate while in the freezer. read more

The Good: Delicious cheesecake. The bad: Are you all crazy!! $59+ for a cheesecake!! It takes $10. worth of ingredients, maybe. I've made cheesecakes over the years, some better than others. People, learn to bake a cheesecake especially in this economy. It's not that hard, get your kids to help and have some quality time together. Eli's read the room and make them more affordable if you want to stay in business! read more

Eli's Cheesecake - Original plain cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was not aware of your game Eli's. They had a 1000 lb cheesecake at the taste of Chicago with FAT slices and multiple flavors. The cheesecake itself was so delicious and decadent. I would definitely order from this place or get more cheesecake from here any day. read more

Eli's Cheesecake - Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was in the area in January this year and heard about this cheesecake outlet. Of course I couldn't resist. They have more than just cheesecakes; they also have other desserts like bars and pies. In January, I got some great cheesecakes at nice prices: * 7" tiramisu cheesecake sampler for $7.75 * 7" best of Eli's cheesecake sampler for $11.75 * 7" candy cheesecake sampler for $8 * Mini chocolate lava cake for $2 * Cuties (cheesecake bites) were 2 for $3 Honestly, it was hard to tell what was seconds because everything looked pretty good to me. There were some frosting/topping bits that might've not been up to par, but flavor certainly wasn't affected. There were also big, catering-size trays of goodies which, if I had refrigerator (and car) space, I would've happily snatched up. I froze the cheesecakes when I got home and thought they tasted great frozen as well (maybe even my preferred method for Eli's). read more

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I have been a fan of Eli's for several years, but have never personally visited their store. I decided to go for their anniversary celebration that included slender slices of cheesecake for a budget-friendly 43 cents. The limit was 10 per customer, so it's a great deal. I highly recommend making a mental note for their celebration next summer toward the end of July. Obviously, with a deal like that, they were busy, but everything worked well with efficient employees restocking, hosting games and ringing up orders. read more

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It's a Chicago institution but I would say it's also a national icon by now. Eli's cheesecake is available everywhere here in the Chicagoland area and I'm sure you can also order items online. Family owned, that's really impressive and they're still going strong since it's inception in the 80s. They have strong ties to Lou Malnati's, politics and the rat pack of decades long ago. Everyone has their favorites and I would say the plain cheesecake is really good, with coffee. The lemon bars were decent. The cheesecake slices dipped in chocolate are exceptional, but you have to earn that with a 6 mile run, prior to consumption. They have an unlimited line-up of different types of cheesecake. My suggestion is to try them all and stick to your favorite. FYI, I got a sheet of blueberry crumble bars and maybe those came out of the freezer from 1997? I couldn't eat the sheet so I ended up throwing that out. This was really hard to do because I really value my sweet snacks. Nonetheless, the advantage of coming to this factory/store is that they have awesome sales on items and several items are discounted beyond 50 percent off. The gentleman helping people that particular morning was very attentive and knowledgeable. read more

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Awesome place ! They have a cafe & outlet store. Cheesecake & coffee, cakes . Great place for family & friends

Can someone stop me? I love Eli's. It's like a go to cake place for me. I rather give or bring to a party Eli's rather than buy a cake from a store. It's worth it. When I buy it go full on panicked buying as if the store is closing. I buy 4 to 5 boxes at a time . I go over there at least 1x a month. Love love Eli's. read more

Eli's Cheesecake - Brownie cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Was excited to come to the "flagship" shop though the location is really lacking, far from everything and I imagine that's why it was pretty empty on a Saturday afternoon. The establishment was very clean and had a wide array of frozen and fresh cheesecakes that I haven't seen at my local grocery store! Even better, they were having some really good St. Patrick's Day sales which offered some of the frozen slices at $1! I'd definitely recommend going online to see their sale calendar and plan your trip accordingly. I've only experienced Eli's with the basic cheesecake flavor. Tried some of the other flavors like strawberry, salted caramel/chocolate and double chocolate. Aside from the fact that they didn't taste too sweet, it all felt like average frozen cheese cake (even the fresh pieces we got from the display case). Prices were excellent with the sale, average without the sale, but overall the eating/flavorexperience was pretty average. read more

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Went here during national cheesecake week and the deals were amazing! I got cheesecake slices for 50¢ each and a whole cheesecake for about $8! Eli's cheesecake is creamy and sweet! The store is very open and has a friendly atmosphere to it. The employees are very welcoming and sometimes give away free samples too. read more

Eli's Cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

You have to love the store here. I remember coming with a group for a tour of the plant and stopping in before they had the cafe part up and running. Now it's like a cute little destination for a treat and then some shopping for things to take home! read more

The packaged cheesecake from this business tastes so chemically. Also, the crust is a bit too soft. Usually I like graham cracker crust that is a bit more firm and standalone, taste wise. read more

Their cheesecake is always a hit, so delicious. They frequently have sales here. It uses to be only 2 weekends a year they would have the dock sale, but this year they gave me a calendar when I went and in November and December it seemed they had deals or sales nearly every week. They have classic Eli's cheesecake, at amazing prices, especially if you're willing to sacrifice some visual appeal and get one of the Sweet Imperfection cheesecakes which maybe have an imperfection that makes it unsellable to retail stores but still tastes amazing! They offer an assortment of desserts including cookies, mini tarts, lemon bars and more. And they even have cheesecake options for people who eat vegan! I've never actually eaten at the cafe but they also have a cafe inside that has food, dessert and drinks! Definitely worth a trip if you need some cheesecake! read more

One word: Yummmmm! I love Eli's cheesecake. I often try out their mini slices at food festivals and lollapalooza. I love their dippers. These are cheesecake slices dipped in chocolate. Their turtle cheesecake is my favorite. They also have bite sized options. They now have introduced gluten free and vegan options too that are equally tasty. The ambience is a little old school, not a fan. The service is fast though and the staff if friendly. Great cheesecakes overall and a must try! read more

I received a package notification, I wasn't expecting anything. I go down to the package room and notice that there was a an Eli's Cheesecake waiting for me. WHOA! Comes in dried ice, cheesecake is frozen and was packaged nicely. I received the 8" Sampler Cheesecake. It's 3 small slices of original cheesecake, 3 small slices of their Turtle flavor, 3 small slices of the White Chocolate Raspberry, and lastly 3 small slices of Apple Streusel. All the flavors were very good, my personal fave would be the apple streusel flavor. Cheesecake was very good, quite creamy, more on the lighter side, not the thick cheesecake style. I kept the cheesecake in the freezer but allowed it to defrost in the refrigerator for a full day before I dove into it the following day. When I used to live in the Midwest and a short train ride to Chicago, I honestly never heard of Eli's Cheesecake before, but glad I got this sampler in the mail to try this. Very good cheesecake, and would recommend this and a good option to send as a gift. Can't wait for another package notification! read more

Eli's Cheesecake - Sampler Box - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The outlet store is a great place to visit when you have to bring desserts to a family function. You can get a bunch of different things for a GREAT price!! read more

Eli's Cheesecake is very good. They make great gifts. We've gone through two Celebration Samplers (via Tastes of Chicago; thank you, Tom E). The Celebration Sampler is an 8-inch cheesecake that comes with four flavors (two slices of each flavor). I'd rank them as follows: 1. Original Plain 2. Apple Streusel 3. White Chocolate Raspberry 4. Turtle My wife disagrees with me and would probably place Turtle higher and move Original down the list. All of the flavors are yummy; I just prefer plain cheesecake. Generally, all of the flavors are rich, smooth, and creamy with a nice, buttery crust. This is high-quality cheesecake. The product arrives looking just like the advertised photos. It also looks just as good as it tastes. It will make you happy. Tastes of Chicago charges $68.99 for two samplers ($34.50 each), UPS standard shipping included. Four samplers are $102.99 ($26.25 each). We got each of our samplers as part of a pizza-ribs-cheesecake combo ($94.99 per combo). Eli's has been around since 1980. They hand-make and slow-bake their cheesecakes in small batches. They also decorate them by hand. You can order a wide variety of Eli's cheesecakes and other desserts, shipped to anywhere in the US, at https://shop.elicheesecake.com/. You don't necessarily have to go through Tastes of Chicago. If you've never had Eli's Cheesecake before, I recommend it. read more

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I really like Eli's cheesecake. I tried the cherry. Nice store with a lot of options. A solid stop in the area.

I've been been a few times already. Eli's is a Chicago staple that everyone must try at least once. They have a great staff, and most importantly awesome deals. I usually take advantage of their imperfection pies that exactly the same except for a few imperfections. I even came here for a field trip back in my youth days. The cheesecake itself however isn't the best I've ever had. Its definitely missing a few key components that make a cheesecake great. One is the crust. I like a crispy crust and here it missing. The pie itself could use more cream cheese for a creamier texture. The turtle cheesecake is one of my favorites. It's not too sweet and it gets the job done. Although Eli's isn't my favorite cheesecake I still come a pick up a pie every now and then. read more

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My bud and I decided to drop in at the Eli's Cheesecake store after a gut-busting Sunday lunch buffet. It was a good thing that we ate before stopping by, as everything in the store looked temptingly scrumptious. This outlet store is located between the Harlem Irving Mall and the Wright College areas on the Northwest Side. Having enjoyed plenty of Eli's Cheesecake in the past, it was really fun to poke around in the store. They feature quite a variety of cheesecakes and other dessert products (and some actual food as well). They also have a bunch of items on sale, whether they are surplus treats or "imperfections" that may not look perfect but probably still taste pretty food. Sometimes lifting the freezer doors are akin to being on a game show, to see if the discount item is still available for sale. One of my other buds had bought some specialty treats from here recently for a party and they were undeniably delicious, but apparently they were out of stock on this item during my visit. Even though I bought only a couple of smaller items, the staff was very courteous in ringing me up. I was even surprised to get an additional markdown on one of my purchased items. I was eyeing the selection of heart-shaped items already, but my bud's suggestion to get one for my sweetie was spot on. My lovely friend and I just shared a Pre-Valentine's Day heart-shaped white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, with a delectable layer of raspberry puree atop the cheesecake. Although it was certainly a sweet treat, it was not overly rich in flavor. The irony is that you have to cut up the heart-shaped dessert so that you can share with your sweetheart, but don't let the "broken heart" deter from your enjoyment of the novelty cheesecake with your dearest one. read more

What's better than cheesecake? Getting a surprise cheesecake delivered to you! My friend had sent me the Original Favorites Sampler which includes 3 pieces of each flavor and I will list them in the order of my favorite to still good but not my first choice: 1. Original Plain Cheesecake 2. Chocolate Chip Cheesecake 3. Strawberry Cheesecake 4. Candy Bar Cheesecake with Heath Toffee Bars The package comes with dry ice to ensure that the frozen cheesecake stays fresh and chilled encased in Styrofoam for extra weather protection. It comes with very easy defrosting instruction. I was impatient and ate it while it was still slightly frozen which made the texture a little off, but it tasted delicious. I tried it again after fully letting them thaw out and they were pretty light and creamy. Personally, the strawberry and candy bar flavors were slightly too sweet. I loved the original and chocolate chip cheesecakes. I shared the cheesecake with my family and it was a hit. My family would definitely say they enjoyed the Candy Bar Cheesecakes the most. These cheesecakes make a great gift. You don't have to go all the way to Chicago try them. read more

Outstanding! Love their store, great variety and selection. Always a Chicago tradition.

Dropped by to pick up some cheesecake and they had a super super simple and easy system: order online, drive up, text your parking spot number and name, and staff delivers your cheesecake. I've never been here or had Eli's cheesecake but it is simply delicious. The online deals are also SO affordable! I highly recommend checking out their "imperfect" section of treats with slight visual imperfections. I saw an entire cheesecake for $4.00! What??? 48 cheesecake bites for under $7.00??? Amazing! I grabbed a fresh slice of original cheesecake for $3.50 and a frozen slice of cookie butter cheesecake for $1.00. The original is perfect. Not too sweet, creamy filling with a short crust base (not graham cracker). I would come back for it for sure! I have my cookie butter slice stashed away in the freezer for a late night treat but I'm certain it'll also be delicious. I will 100% come back to order from here again! read more

I'm going to start with, who doesn't like a delicious piece of cheesecake. Knowledgeable staff and very clean. Definitely a Chicago must if you're on the north side of the city. read more

The best cheese cake I have ever had. Good place to stop if you need to bring dessert. So many flavors to choose from. I highly recommend Eli's. I can remember when Eli's restaurant was downtown on East Chicago Ave., We would have dinner and cheesecake for dessert. I always have one in the freezer, for unexpected guest. Peter K. read more

If you are a cheese cake lover, this is the place you want to go to! They had multiple versions of cheesecake, also cookies and some other pastries I don't even know how to describe. Coffee and tea with tables to grab a cup and a slice. Service was good and at one point the host came out from behind the counter and helped me with choosing a shirt for my granddaughter. I purchased 3 cakes for under $70 and was out the door. read more

Came here yesterday morning to an expected large crowd. Always great prices, high quality of baked goods and very efficient service. I don't mind lines as long as people are quick and efficient working the lines. What went beyond my expectations was when I got to the front of the line and realized I forgot my wallet. Immediately, a young man, Alonzo, was insisting to pay for my cheesecakes. He had no Venmo for me to pay back. I quickly said I refused for a HS age kid to pay for me. He wanted no payment and I said no way. Then Jocelyn said let me see what I can do. She then insisted she pay and I accepted since I was able to pay her via Venmo. These two made my day and I will forever be a fan of this place! My turn to pay it forward! Thank you Alonzo and Jocelyn!!! read more

BEYOND DELICIOUS are the first words I would use to describe a pumpkin cheesecake I had delivered for my thanksgiving dinner. OK I had to sample a piece (which come with wax paper in between each slice) and first off the whip topping is FRESH CREAM! The cheesecake was outstanding. A hearty pumpkin cheesecake is whats for dessert tomorrow after a thanksgiving feast! I chose Eli's because the altitude and water in Chicago are very different than sea level florida. This cheesecake is light and ultimately fresh and delicious. I have a feeling Eli's is the pumpkin cheesecake go to for me from now on for thanksgiving! read more

Eli's Cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I used to come here every Saturday for a slice with a friend until Covid happened and they closed. Once they opened back up I don't go as often but still enjoy a slice with a friend then I ALWAYS buy something on my way out to take to work . Today I went and ordered my usual slices while waiting for my friend to show up and not 2-3 minutes after I sat down an employee put signs out that slices were 50% off . I went to the counter and asked about it and the girl pretty much gave the attitude that it sucked for me . I will not be taking anything home and our slices were still frozen. Very disappointed. read more

Simply the Best; And Chicago's own. The creamy, silky and smooth cheese flavor of these cheesecakes always brings back memories of holiday gatherings. For the past 20 years at the new northwest location with a modern cafe, offering their famous cheesecake, and a variety of pastries, along with artisan sandwiches, gourmet salads and coffee shop beverages. Whether a quick lunch, an afternoon snack, a coffee break, desserts after a meal, or cheesecake to take home to the family, you can never go wrong with Eli's. PS. Eli's Cheesecakes comes in many flavors to choose from, but if you are a puritan, they still sell the plain cheesecake, to enjoy alone or with your own toppings. Perhaps a berries wine sauce, caramel or chocolate ganach, or simply a fruit medley of your choice. read more

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Eli's Cheesecake is absolutely the best cheesecake I have ever eaten. I usually order the strawberry cheesecake and the reason I like it particularly is to my knowledge, it is the only cheesecake that doesn't use graham cracker crust on the bottom. Graham cracker crust tends to take over the flavor of the entire cheesecake and you taste that mostly. In fact, ELI'S uses a flavorless cake crust at the bottom of all their cheesecakes. The cheesecake is lighter and not as dense and is more flavorful. I highly recommend it. Mike Santullo Albuquerque, New Mexico USA read more

CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUE: I've lived in Chicago all my life and look forward to the Taste of Chicago every year as I am a true foodie. No matter what, I get Eli's Cheesecake while at the Taste because I enjoy the deliciousness of it. I always get the original cheesecake with fresh strawberry topping. Today (7/11/19) is the second day of the Taste and I was there when it opened at 11 a.m. Nice weather for the event. I was on my lunch and had limited time to select my food options. I was excited to come to the Eli's stand to get my cheesecake. I tell the male worker that I wanted the original with strawberries and he tells me "we don't have strawberries". Unbelievable! I asked him why and he gives me a nonchalant "I dunno". So one of the other workers says to me "you can come back" and I was like "no I can't, I'm here now". Perturbed, I get out my phone to take pictures of the vendor stand because clearly the stand menu shows that option (false advertisement) but it's unavailable and your business should indicate that. Then this woman sees me taking pictures and walks up and asks "Can I help you?" And I ask "Are you the manager?" She said "Yes, my name is Nicole". I explained the situation to her. She told me "Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are out of strawberries". How can that be where it's day 2 of a 5-day fest and the fest just opened for the day??? Makes no sense. She then said "Just come back" which bothered me even more. I explained to her that as a customer, you shouldn't just tell me to "come back later" and that wasn't an option for me anyway, I was on my work lunch hour. She then offered that if I come back, she will give me a complementary slice. I asked if she could write her name down and the offer she just gave me because there are thousands of people who come to this event and she may not be there when and if I actually am able to come back and she FLATLY REFUSED to do so. I told her as a customer, I was dissatisfied and all I was asking is to write your name as the manager and the offer you verbally gave and a second time she refused but yet wanted to end things by saying "Have a nice day". This ruined my happy place today and my annual experience getting cheesecake at Eli's. I still wanted dessert so please know that since I couldn't get what I wanted, I went over to Frannie's Ristorante and got a mango italian ice, they were friendly and more than happy to take my money. Shame on you Eli's! read more

Eli's Cheesecake - 2019 - False advertisement as they were out of strawberries day 2 of a 5-day fest. Unacceptable. - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We go here at least a few times a year. If you love Eli's Cheesecake, this is the place to go. Their factory and offices are located here. They also have a retail store and a cute little cafe where you can purchase sandwiches, slices of Cheesecake, along with cookies, ice cream, and other items. You can save money by coming here, and, in most cases get what you want for half the price in the regular stores. We went here for their cheesecake festival in the summer, they had samples of the majority of their cheesecakes along with kids entertainment, bingo and music. They also had other items for purchase such as hamburgers and hot dogs. Around the holidays, they have their famous dock sale when you can get even better discounts and bargains. My only complaint about their special sales is that they run out of popular items very, very quickly. My biggest complaint is when we went here for our free slice of cheesecake from yelp (thank you!). The girl who was behind the register had a bad attitude when I showed her my check in, told me I could have a slice of plain cheesecake only, and when my companion was helped by someone else, she gave him his choice. read more

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Great deals on imperfections, throw some whipped topping on and nobody can see. lol

I am ga-ga for Eli's blackberry cheesecake, and the Key lime cheesecake made here is out of this world. I was even able to find a plant-based cheesecake for a dear vegan friend in nearby Lake Forest! read more

NO MORE CHEESECAKE FOR YOU! Do you remember the Jerry Seinfeld episode, "The Soup Nazi" where everyone is standing in line waiting to get soup? When George finally reaches the front counter to order his soup the owner shouts, "NO SOUP FOR YOU!!!" This is how I felt on September 12, 2019 when I stopped in at Eli's Cheesecake outlet store at 9:15 a.m. only to discover the following issues: 1) This outlet store used to offer so many alternative choices regarding cheesecake flavors at a fantastic, affordable price points. This is no longer the case. 2) An entire freezer was empty and the freezer was not even broken. 3) No red velvet cupcakes whatsoever. 4) Eli's used to offer buy 1 and get 1 free or buy 1 and get the 2nd @ half price. This is no longer the case. 5) They used to sell brownies in a large tin for a super great price point. This is no longer the case. I went here specifically to purchase red velvet cupcakes. They have the best red velvet cupcakes, but they didn't have any on the morning I went here. I was very disappointed. I was surprised to see an entire freezer completely empty at 9:15 a.m. Where are all the "Sales"? What happened to their $5 and $6 cheesecakes? I remember spending under $15 on their "Imperfections" cheesecakes, and walking out with 4 or 5 cheesecakes to take home (or give away to friends). This is no longer the case! I made the drive here, because a good friend of mine really likes red velvet cupcakes and it was her birthday. We were meeting up for lunch on September 12th. I wanted to surprise her with her favorite dessert: Red Velvet cupcakes. Instead, we went to Margie's ice cream parlor for dessert. NO CHEESECAKE FOR YOU! Since I did not see any dulce de leche desserts, brownies, red velvet cupcakes, pumpkin spice cheesecake, I left empty-handed. My review is based on coming to this particular Eli's Cheesecake location more than 50 times over a 25 year period. The cheesecakes are dense, delicious. They are not fluffy, airy and light like Junior's cheesecakes. The Fall Farmers Market was there Thursday, September 12th. They were selling apples and other Fall goodies. I believe the Farmer's Market is there every Thursday. I made a special trip here only to be disappointed. Perhaps it was not meant to be. The Eli's Cheesecake outlet store no longer offers good "Sales" on their cheesecakes. No more good discounts. I know the price of goods (eg, cream cheese, milk, eggs, sugar, etc.) has gone up so perhaps this is the reason for NO MORE good low price points here. I may as well purchase from a local grocery store since prices here are no longer low. read more

Eli's Cheesecake - Farmer's Market every Thursday. Apples and other goodies from Marengo, IL and MI - Desserts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I enjoy the going and getting a great cheese cake. So many different selections. Plus frozen delights. I got a frozen vegan cheese cake for my Grandaughter and she said best dessert she had. (Got her another a month later because she raved about it so much!) They have monthly special and specialty for holidays. Take a ride and check out the store, you will be amazed. read more