I bought 2 egg tarts and 2 portuguese tarts from Baobao Bakery, located upstairs at 88 supermarket…read more The reason I gave 2 three stars because the egg tart wasn't what I usually expect. The texture was hard, and the filling wasn't smooth/soft either!! It's dense and feel like not very fresh, missing that typical silky, melt in your mouth style egg tart. However, the portuguese egg tart was actually better. It had a nicer flavor and was more enjoyable. Overall, I probably choose another bakery next time since there are many around Chinatown.

We always end up getting a few for the kids. All of them are really well made. Pricy but…read morereasonable. We really liked the taro bao. Did not like the snow mountain (white custard filling). The red bean wasn't bad, it's flat and easy for the kids to eat, but they didn't really like it. Egg tarts are always a win. The pork floss one was a bit too greasy to eat, but it is how it's supposed to be, just not our cup of tea. All the places in these area charge a credit card fee of 3% unless you pay cash. Usually the staff don't talk much, but today I asked a simple question of whether the signage of ube was for the stuff on top of the shelf or under the shelf, they seemed annoyed. Iykyk, this kind of attitude is expected lol.

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!!

this place seems relatively new and is in a shared space with onimaki. they serve specialty matchas…read morelike mango sticky rice matcha latte. it was delicious! the matcha itself had mild umami and high bitterness but it was perfectly balanced by the sweet mango. I ordered half sweet and it was perfect -- anything sweeter would have been too sweet, but I usually prefer things less sweet. the fresh mango chunks were nice, and there weren't any artificial mango flavors. the sticky rice texture was definitely there! overall a delicious sweet treat!

Yum! I never understood the hype for most of the matcha stores that I see, but this place has such…read moreunique flavors, black sesame matcha, mango sticky rice matcha, ube matcha. Any asian flavors combined with matcha you can name and its probably here. I got the mango sticky rice with minimal sweetness and it was absolute heaven. You get a little subtle taste of coconut, the texture of rice, and the sweetness of mango paired with the rich matcha flavor.

Absolutely obsessed with this cafe. One of the best cafe experiences I've ever had. When I'm not at…read morethis cafe, I'm thinking about visiting it. The interior is beautifully decorated, with a fair amount of seating. I love how much natural light there is. I've visited over the course of several weekends, and it's always fairly busy. However, the line moves quickly. Service is speedy. The variety of drinks and pastries is incredible. The Indian-inspired pastries are so tasty. I highly recommend the gulab jamun croissant and butter chicken croissant. Their matcha is some of the best matcha I've ever had. The banana cream matcha is perfection - the cream top is fluffy and tastes just like banana. The matcha flavor is deep and perfectly sweet. Another delicious option is the lemon cream matcha. This is definitely a pricey option, but the food and drinks are worth it. Can't wait for my next visit!

I finally made it to Swadesi Coffee, and it absolutely lived up to the hype…read more I ordered the Lemon Cream Matcha, and it's officially one of my favorite matcha drinks in Chicago. The matcha is smooth and earthy, while the lemon adds a bright citrus flavor that somehow works perfectly without overpowering it. The house-made lemon cream ties everything together, making it refreshing, creamy, and perfect for summer. Beyond the drink, the café itself has a warm, welcoming atmosphere with beautiful design and plenty of character. It's the kind of place where you can catch up with friends, get some work done, or just enjoy a slow morning. If you're a matcha lover--or even if you're just looking to try something different--Swadesi Coffee is absolutely worth a visit. I'll definitely be back to work my way through more of the menu.

Saint Anna is a traditional Hong Kong-style bakery and café offering authentic, high-quality…read moreproducts at very reasonable prices. Before the pandemic, we used to visit every weekend. Our family and extended family often ordered birthday cakes from them, and their mango cake was our favorite. When mangoes were in season, they used plenty of fresh mango in the cakes. Their cakes are always fresh, light, fluffy, and not too sweet. My daughter and I also love their individual cakes, especially the Black Pearl and Walnut Cake. Their pineapple buns and egg tarts are her favorites as well. Saint Anna has also been part of our daughter's childhood. When she was little, my husband used to bring her here before or after Chinese school in Chinatown on Sundays. Her go-to breakfast items were the Butter Bun, Ham and Macaroni in Soup, and Diced Ham and Corn in Cream Rice. As she got older, Curry Chicken with Potato became her favorite. She especially loved the potato cubes soaked in the delicious, mild curry sauce. She would always ask for more potatoes and less chicken, haha! Saint Anna is a family-run business, and Sara and Irene, the daughters-in-law, used to take care of the front of house. They were always so friendly and accommodating. After a 6-year hiatus, we finally returned one Friday recently when we happened to be in the area with a friend. Sara is now a co-owner, and it was wonderful to see her again. She immediately recognized us and was so warm and welcoming. She even asked me to relay her greetings to my sisters when she greeted us and again when we were leaving. Those little gestures made our return feel especially meaningful. We were still full from a big dim sum lunch, so my daughter picked up 2 Mini Pineapple Buns and 2 Paper-Wrapped Sponge Cakes, while I got a Red Bean Roll. Everything was fresh, soft, and delicious, and the total came to just under $8, really a great value. Our friend also purchased 2 Fried Sticky Rice Dumplings with Chicken. I had never really paid attention to their limited dim sum selection before, so that was a nice discovery. We love Saint Anna and will definitely be back whenever we're in the area.

I haven't even tried my food yet, but I'm so excited about it. Steady stream of folks coming in…read moreordering food to eat there and to go. The service is super friendly and courteous. It's clear she has regulars and they appreciate her. She knows what she's doing and prioritizes so that the flow is constantly moving but not stressful. It's like art. She also speaks English and Cantonese fluently so ordering is not stressful, but at the same time, the familiarity of hearing Cantonese is comforting. Food: I ordered Chow Fun with Gravy, Beef Egg Gravy with Rice, a bunch of pastry goods. I'll have to wait to try it all to complete my

Matcha en your stomach…read more Potent soft serve that satisfies your appetite. This spot captures the essence of matcha green tea dessert. Great spot for a quick dessert or fun small group hangout. It's tucked in chinatown, so find the treasure and you'll be quickly served gloriously green dessert.

Visiting the area and saw good reviews for this spot but after trying it, I'm so confused. I got…read morethe matcha parfait- which was a generous portion but I really question if there was much matcha in it. The color is super bright but not the green I usually associate with matcha. I don't want to claim it was all food coloring but it only taste like vanilla ice cream. It wasn't too crowded at night and was able to get my order fairly quickly. I wouldn't really say this is a good matcha spot since it doesn't seem to have any matcha flavor. I had a suspicion from the menu options that they used to be Kyomatcha (a popular matcha dessert chain) but now called Matcha En. The good reviews are probably from the days it was Kyomatcha and not the current quality.

SO CUTE! My…read moredaughter and I stopped in earlier today after going to a nearby park. A+ on the free and covered parking! It's a weekday and there were only a couple open spots, I'd imagine on weekends it may be hard to come by with a free spot in their lower or upper parking lot. As other reviewed have said, their space is small, with only four high top stools. But for us today, it was fine. Our main interest was the ice cream and characters! They're adorable! They have so many options too. They were sold out of a few of the characters, so make sure to level set expectations for a little one beforehand. Not only is it cute but their ice cream itself is delicious too! They have an extensive menu but we only ordered ice cream. The staff is really nice as well.

Great customer service!! The person that attended us was very friendly. Reasonably priced as well…read more Will definitely return!

Came here to try their frozen matcha and it was really good. Loved how the service was quick and…read moreeven when the kiosk wasn't working the owner was so nice in assisting. I need to go back and try their coffee and matcha in the menu. I got their blueberry frozen matcha and it was just the right amount of sweetness

After seeing them all over social media I tried Overlay. Coming in I loved the decor the…read moreenvironment was very clean. The staff was super nice. They recommended the blueberry matcha. It was delicious I enjoyed that with oat milk and 100% sweetness. I can tell the quality of the matcha was very good. I will definitely be back and I recommend.