Oh my gosh! You need to run to this bakery. It is just that good!! The choices of beautiful goodies at this shop were Amazing. They all looked beautiful ... but the taste was even better. The cannoli's were still perfectly crisp all the way through when eating some five hours after purchasing! One was a traditional cannoli with the traditional cream filling and chocolate chips all great quality. The second - was some type of coconut, walnuts and caramel which was out of this world! The napoleon was so light and crunchy, very delicious. And the eclair...pure heaven. The owner of the bakery was there when we went and was very sweet himself. He gave great descriptions of the baked delights and even gave us a free cookie while we waited to have our goodies boxed up. I cannot wait to visit this bakery again very soon! The very best pastries I have had in the Chicago area ever! I only wished we lived closer. read more

Lutz Cafe & Pastry Shop - Pastry - two different types of cannoli a napoleon and an eclair - exquisite! - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went for the sachertorte. This whole weekend has been full of authentically themed cakes. The day before that was the Moskva cake from Beglrade and today was Sachertorte from Vienna. This was very rich and I loved the layer of apricot jam. The shop is cute......but I had to laugh a bit, as I wanted a cup of coffee to go with my rich cake. The girl told me "oh we stop serving coffee at 7 PM." I looked at my watch. 7:02 PM. They are punctual! So I enjoyed my cake sans cafe'. Some of the other desserts looked wonderful here too. I wouldn't make a special trip probably, but if I were in the neighborhood, I would absolutely stop by. This is a special treat. Not cheap, but very indulgent and worth every penny. read more

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What a great bakery to have around in the neighborhood! You can tell this bakery has heart and soul that shows up in their baked goods. I wasn't planning a huge order and was in the mood for a sweet treat, so I stopped by Lutz to see what they had to offer. Getting to the bakery is accessible and there is a decent amount of space. There were quite a few baked goods to try, but I was determined to have a cupcake and I was pleased with the variety. I went with the raspberry lemon and the red velvet cupcakes and both were great. You can taste the difference in the cupcake batter and frosting that isn't from a big-box bakery. You also get a nice little frosting treat inside the cupcake! The prices were decent given the sizes and ordering was easy. If I'm thinking about a custom order, I'll definitely check out Lutz. Otherwise, I've found a place for a quick way to tend to my sweet tooth! read more

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I really can't say enough but how incredible this bakery is! I used Lutz for the desserts for my daughter's 4th birthday party that was Barbie themed. They were incredibly easy to work with and I really didn't give much direction, just told them the theme and sent a couple photos of designs I thought were cute. I was BLOWN away when this was the cake that I picked up!! It was absolutely the hit of the party - they totally outdid themselves! We chose chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. The cake was so moist and the frosting was light, fluffy, and DELICIOUS! We also got mini cupcakes for all of the kids at the party. I don't have a photo but they were adorable, the perfect size, and loved by everyone. 10/10 recommend using Lutz Bakery!!! read more

Lutz Cafe & Pastry Shop - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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After a late night craving for some cheesecake, we decided to stop by this bakery as they opened late! Despite being close to closing time, there were plenty of options and a lot of sweet staff! So, snorly cute and the desserts were fantastic! read more

I have been going here since a child. Nothing is inexpensive anymore, understanding that. My beloved Black Forest Cake. For decades, the same cake - except for the prices rising. Ordered a few slices this past week and no sliced almonds on the edge as before !?. Not acceptable for the price. Increase the price and keep the cake the same. Going to look elsewhere now . read more

Long time favorite, staple of bakeries of Chicago. Custom cakes are reasonably priced. Black Forest, strawberry whipped two of my favorites. Service is always spot on. read more

Ordered this adorable cake on Uber Eats, to celebrate my law school acceptance! Arrived perfectly and is so cute. 10/10! read more

Lutz Cafe & Pastry Shop - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My friends and I have been going to Lutz for years. We went today to celebrate one of our birthdays. We hadn't been for awhile. Sadly, it was an absolute disappointment. Filthy floor, shoddy furniture, and gross restrooms... " do not flush toilet paper, place in garbage can...yuck!". Their eating area is gone, and young employees ( although pleasant) are probably getting paid minimum wages. Their front window ( which used to be impeccably decorated), had a dirty white "rag" with some fake dingy broken cakes on it. Shame on the new owner for allowing such a wonderful, long-standing Chicago establishment, go to such low levels. We won't be returning...ever. read more

Very accommodating for a last minute cake order for a co-worker. Old school bakery, a neighborhood establishment that had been around for over 76 years. Didn't have a ton of selection in their cases and staff seemed a bit too laid back and not as cheery, a bit pricey for a 8 inch cake, $64 with tax, but will always support the local timeless bakeries as they are a dime a dozen. read more

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Went on a childhood memory trip with my wife. One of the stops was Lutz bakery and after many years it is still amazing as the cheese cake we had was out of this world delicious. The owner and staff were so friendly it felt like we were having dessert and coffee with family. read more

Lutz Cafe & Pastry Shop - Store front - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I bought a birthday cake for my daughter. Custom red velvet with cream cheese. As pretty to look at as it is tasty. My daughter loved it. They did make me pay for everything upfront and not a deposit but I'm fine with that. I would go here again for another special cake! read more

Went on a whim before they closed on a weekday. It was empty, so service was very quick. We took it to go, but there are a few tables to sit at. I got the lemon raspberry cupcake and it was delicious. The chocolate chip cheesecake was also fabulous. I'm excited to come back and try more treats! read more

Lutz Cafe & Pastry Shop - Counter - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Old-school spot with that European bakery vibe. The cakes and pastries are legit rich, soft, and not overly sweet like most places. You can tell everything's made with quality. The chocolate mousse and fruit tarts go crazy . Inside's calm and cozy, more of a chill sit-down vibe than a modern café. Service was solid too they take their time but it's worth it. Overall, a clean classic Chicago bakery. Perfect if you want something sweet that actually tastes homemade. read more

This update has been years in the making. Back in 2017, I was so disappointed at the craftsmanship on a cake I ordered from them and dropped them down to three stars. Well since that issue, Lutz's has lived up to the reputation that I had come to know them for. Yes in my 2017 review, I broke up with them and took a time out, but for the past 4 years, I started going back to them. There is no denying the quality of the cakes and pastries made there, which can be a very dangerous thing. I am not a big dessert eater, but man when I go in there, I have easily spent over a $100 on slices of cakes and pastries and tried to consume them all once I got home. This has been my go to place when I entertain from home and don't want to make desserts myself or when taking dessert to someone else's home for a dinner party. I am glad that we have become friends again....I missed you. read more

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I have been getting cupcakes from Lutz for a while. Love their choices and friendly service.

I came here to pick up a 6" cake (a chocolate ganache) for a birthday celebration. We don't normally come here for cakes as it is now out of the way, but boy, back in the day (and I mean 40 years back lol) when we lived in Skokie this was our go-to place for premium quality cakes. It's really nice and nostalgic to see them still at it, as they have been through thick and thin since 1948. Like us, their customers like premium quality and don't mind paying for it. This place has always been pricey, and our 6" cake went for $39.95 pre-tax ($40.85 after taxes), but it was tall and also tip-top delicious and we've decided we will be returning at the next opportunity. On a Saturday mid-morning, we were only 1 of 2 customers, and all of their business now looks to be carryout. We pre-ordered the cake to make sure it was available. They only have 3 little tables for dining in anymore and they're right near the entrance and across from the pastry displays, so in other words, dining in is not an attractive option. They used to have a more typical dining room towards the back and it used to be big business. There was a steady stream of pick-up customers though during our 10 minute stay. I'll take the opportunity to share a true story and I remember it well. I came here one Saturday morning from Skokie to pick up a holiday cake and the date was December 24, 1983. Coming here for special occasion cakes was routine for us as mentioned, but if you look up this date, you will find that it is Chicago's coldest day on record, and yes it was exactly -25F when I drove here for cake. The morale of the story - when you're young and stupid, you don't let things get in the way of your holiday, lol! And Lutz didn't disappoint either. ps - Lutz doesn't honor the Yelp check-in offer of a Cubs sugar cookie anymore. The attendant said they have removed that offer several times, but Yelp keeps putting it back lol. He did give me a little bag of 4 sugar cookies though as a gift. Thank you Lutz for providing north siders with premium quality products all these years! And despite the distance, we've just added you back into our celebration cake rotation! read more

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We wish we could give Lutz 100 stars. Their strawberry whipped cream cake and chocolate ganache cake are birthday traditions in our house. The quality of the ingredients, the professionalism of the staff, and old world, neighborhood feel of the dining room make this spot a real gem! read more

I have a sweet tooth and when I get the urge for a piece of cake with strawberries this is the place to go. The cake is soft and fresh. This also goes for the cupcakes especially the carrot cake ones. The only thing I disappointing item I have had was the pound cake. It was too dry. Usually everything is good. If price is a concern then you should avoid Lutz. They deliver too. read more

Finally, went in to try Lutz. Wide variety of pastries to choose from. Staff was friendly and helpful. We ordered a variety of items and loved them all. We will be going back read more

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Chocolate Ganache cake was a huge hit with my family. I'm not a baker so left it up to the experts. Veronica was very helpful when I called in the order and pick up was smooth and friendly. Thank you Lutz Bakery! read more

The eclairs & Vanilla - Strawberry cake is amazing. Also got a hot chocolate to celebrate my birthday.., read more

This was our first try to have Lutz Pastry. I'm in town visiting my niece and her husband. We were all pleased & delighted on how delicious it was. There is something nostalgic about having these delicious pastries from an institution. They have been around since 1948. Everything was so delicious. Support this business so it continues to serve Chicago. Thank you Lutz for the experience! read more

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Normaly a good place but whoever the man was that was being insufferable to the staff sounded like an owner or boss. also when I was simply looking at you pastries, that man was very pushy about trying a pastry. when I explained I have a medical condition and I check which sweets I can have, the man was still pushy and instantly didn't make me want to buy anything. when someone says "no thank you" don't keep asking. read more

Always the best tasting pastries. The garden in summer is the closest thing to a charming cafe in Europe. Not a huge menu, but something for everyone. High quality ingredients there, too. read more

We used to love lutz but the quality and the price have been disappointing. The slices of cake has gotten so small. Got a croissant and slice and it was $15!!! read more

Lutz Cafe & Pastry Shop - The slice is the thinnest you can imagine and it is $11! - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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spent $40 on 2 eclairs one cinnamon roll and one carrot cupcake( some was for a tip). They verified that eclairs were custard filled, and they were not. The taste of everything was very poor. read more

Wonderful service, great prices, and very talented pastry chefs. I will definitely purchase more cakes in the future--delicious and freshly made! read more

Lutz cafe and pastry shop has the best cream cheese frosting on their red velvet cupcake in the city! Ive been there twice trying new things my favorite picks are the red velvet cupcake cake, chocolate chip cheesecake and raspberry lemon cupcake. Ive only taken out but there are a few tables to sit. read more

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Quality is not what it used to be. Another great German bakery gone from Chicago. So sad.

I highly recommend Lutz's cakes. For my birthday, I don't like buying a whole cake, since I don't want that much, but Lutz sells cake by the slice, which solves that problem. Better yet, if you're an indecisive b*tch like me, you can pick a slice from more than one cake instead of only being able to eat one type of cake. It's the sh*t. I have yet to get bad cake from them, and I'm a fan of their Sachertorte. The chocolate is glorious and the apricot preserves in the middle are perfect. I've had Sachertorte from a few other bakeries in the Chicagoland area and Lutz is my favorite. I also tried their hazelnut mousse cake and I was shocked at how even the mousse part tastes like hazelnut! Huge fan I got the cake slices delivered so the pics aren't as pretty as normal, but still just as delicious! read more

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I usually love supporting small businesses who have been around for decades. However, the clerk irked me in the wrong way. The time this youngish curly haired lady spent correcting me with no greeting made my trip brief. Hence, I walked out of the door with only one item rather than a sampling of their goods. I had the strawberry cream cake, not the "strawberry shortcake", which people post about. Yes it was good but my dear, I've had better. It is light with sponge cake layers. I am not one for too sweet but this one could have used more. The strawberries weren't in their prime and the filling could be more jammy. Priced right. No parking lot. Aldi is across the street. read more

Lutz Cafe & Pastry Shop - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I just phoned for Stollen order and received super and patient response. Fellow was busy, of course, but kept with me so politely between other sales. Mission accomplished. read more

I stopped in today because I wanted to get some cake for dessert, and thought of the delicious strawberry whipped cream cake here. And it's been at least 7-10 years since I've been to Lutz so I thing out if stop in. They didn't have any of the cake, unfortunately. It was about an hour before close so I can see how that makes sense. Although when I was paying I saw a bunch in the cooler toward the north side of the building?... maybe those were orders, who knows. Anyway I got a slice of Black Forest cake and chocolate mousse cake. The Black Forest was well liked by the person I bought it for, so that's great. The chocolate mousse, though... it was disappointing. I also would have preferred a more chocolate-y flavor. I would probably not get it again. read more

Service is horrible Servers in the back on their phones All chairs put up over an hour before closing This while the place at the East corner, across from Aldi has better food, services & open hours longer. read more

Lutz pastry is terrible! Every pastry tasts the same like plain butter and sugar ! Everything is old and dry ! The fruits are molded in some of the pastry They should close the place ! They have a lot of nerve to charge 9 dollars for a small piece of cake .I spent 60 dollars and every piece tasted the same ! I got sick from it I had to throw away everything ! read more

My wedding cake was from Lutz bakery (30+ years ago) & when my daughter was married last year they chose Lutz. I provided a design and worked together with their team - the result was perfect! Delivery was on time (but they did not set up as I thought they would). They have a nice tradition of giving the bride & groom a small celebration cake one year later. read more

Lutz Cafe & Pastry Shop - Celebration cake - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Grew up visiting this bakery -it was always a treat if we were heading to Lutz. On Tues, we happen to drive by and instantly thought- we haven't been here in so long-let's stop and get a treat. Sadly, the choc mouse cake I got was stale-so dry and obviously not fresh at all. The German Choc cannoli my friend got was a bit better. Maybe it's just best to go on the weekend when items are made fresh. The young guy attending us was very nice and helpful. The products just weren't what we expected. read more

We had Lutz create our wedding cake for our big day this year on October 19th and they created an absolutely delicious and beautiful cake! We have purchased many cakes from Lutz over the years so we know they do an amazing job and would create a beautiful cake for us. We reached out to the team to do a cake tasting, which was super easy to place the order for and pick up from them. We provided them our feedback after trying the samples and ultimately landed on a two tier cake with strawberries and vanilla whipped cream filling to provide a lighter option to our guests after a taco bar for dinner. It's also just an absolutely delicious and classic option they have! Joanna was incredibly easy to work with over the phone and email responding so promptly to every call and email we sent to finalize all the details, the drop off timing instructions and payment. Everything went super smoothly and the cake was everything we hoped it was! We even get to reach out around our 1 yr anniversary for a small tier cake to eat to celebrate that anniversary - so thoughtful! Thank you Joanna and Lutz team for being such a major part in our wedding! read more

Came here after we got pizza at Spacca Napoli and boy were we in for a treat!! We came almost close to closing time and even then, the person who helped us with our selection was soooo patient and friendly!! I'm sad I don't remember his name but he did such a great job. We ended up getting the Marzipan cake and a chocolate cake with apricot filling. Both were so delicious, literally dreaming of when I can come back and get these cakes again. The marzipan cake is probably the best cake I've had in my whole life. We will definitely be coming back! read more

Lutz Cafe & Pastry Shop - More cakes - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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