The Only Place For Great Baklava, Kunafa, and more A lot of options and always fresh , with great service read more

My most recent visit to this place was on Friday, December 20th. As I walked in, I was welcomed by a gentleman named Fernando. I purchased 3 medium baklava assorted trays, 1 for a Christmas party and 2 to take overseas. Fernando was nice enough to bubble wrap the 2 trays to they would not be damaged during transit. I've been coming here for about two years and always have a pleasant experience. Will always come back for more! read more

About a 1-1.5: I stopped by here with the hubs to get some of their baked goods to go. Nazareth Sweets offers a nice selection of Middle Eastern sweets, such as harissa, ghoraibeh, mamouls, baklavas, fatayer, bamyas, bourmas, ballourias, baraziks, basmas, and knaffehs. I've heard many wonderful things about this bakery, as they've been featured on the local news in having one of the best baklavas in the city. However, even though it was just past noon when we walked in, their selection was extremely limited. I am thinking that there was some huge influx of people or a party platter that was recently bought! With the limited desserts that were left in the bakery case, I inquired if they had any other available pieces in the back as well as just a quick run-down of what they had (as some were of different shapes/ingredients). The employee who was in there was just not friendly and she really didn't care to explain - not sure why?! T____T We did pick up some baklava, but when tried it, it was extremely soggy due to the amount of syrup, and it didn't taste fresh either (seemed a couple of days old, at least). I was really excited to check this place out, but based on their service and underwhelming, not-so-fresh baklava, I will not be back! +soggy baklava +unfriendly service T___T read more

Funny how when you don't go to a place for a while, then return, you can gain a new appreciation for it. Case in point: on the most recent of Johnny T.'s neighborhood walks, we visited Albany Park. Albany Park! My old neighborhood where I lived for over 15 years! We visited places I knew, and places that were new. Our last stop on the tour was Nazareth Sweets. I'm pretty familiar with this Middle Eastern bakery, having picked up desserts from here pretty much since they opened for business. However, I'd not been back since leaving the area last summer. I'd forgotten how fresh and tasty their various treats are! I believe they make their own phyllo dough on site, and that kind of attention to detail and quality is very impressive. The shop itself is small, yet immaculate and cozy. The guy behind the counter is helpful and friendly, in spite of how hard it must be explaining what each sweet is over and over all day long. My newest favorite is a semolina cake which the Lebanese call nammoura. It's creamy, and yet has a slight crunch due to the texture of the semolina; though it's soaked in sugar syrup, it's not overly sweet. It's absolutely delightful, and if you've never eaten it, you're missing out on something quite remarkable. With a cup of tea it's simply perfect. There is a very small parking lot for the mini-mall where Nazareth Sweets is situated, but if you prefer it's also just a few doors down from the Kedzie stop on the CTA Brown Line. However you get there, please try and get to Nazareth Sweets. You really have to try the nammoura! read more

Stopped in from Cleveland to purchase pastries for my son's engagement party, the service was great and the pastries were absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for your wonderful and generous hospitality! read more

We could've run away with the trays, and she wouldn't have minded. The friendly owner smiled when I mentioned that another customer and I had debated that possibility while waiting for someone to attend to us (she was at the back of the shop). Her confidence wasn't misplaced for those dessert trays are too damn heavy to run away with! I've never had better Harissa (moist semolina cake topped with almond and sweetened with syrup) than the one I had at Nazareth Sweets. I've also never had better Barazek (crispy sesame cookie with honey and semolina) than those from Nazareth. Before my visit, it was a stretch for me to imagine pairing Barazek, Maamoul, and Ghoraybeh cookies with tea. But both texture and lightness were a joy to behold. If I lived in the city, this would be my go-to place for Middle Eastern cookies. I didn't enjoy the Baklava or Knaffeh as much, and thought they suffered from slow turnover. But, after tasting the Basma, the other customer exclaimed, "Wow! This must have crack in it!" It does. Crack(ed) wheat, layered with pistachios - hinting at rose water. Come here often? read more

If you have a sweet tooth and a big smile, a trip to Nazareth Sweets might yield unforseen treasures. I've been several times, and though I don't regularly crave the variants of nuts/butter/filo, some of their treats are utterly cravable. I find myself fantasizing about what I would do with a whole sheet of their soft, chewy, sesame nut bars. I imagine myself rolling in pistachio and honey squares while chomping on cream-filled filo triangles, soaked in honey syrup. And back to the big smile. The guys at the counter are kind and helpful, and if they like you they may just give you a few treats to sample before you leave. Yum. read more

Baklava Heaven. Trays and trays and trays of fresh baklava. The perfect balance of butter and honey and flaky pastry. Pistachio baklava, and cashew baklava. Mmmmmmmm. We're going back this Saturday, and I'm already counting the days. 3 days. ;-) Oh and it's inexpensive, and they are open late, and the guy is super nice. We will be regulars I'm sure. read more

This review is based on customer service only, their sweets were satisfactory. Not sure who the owner, but the last time I was there, the guy behind the counter was on the phone for ten minutes, then was talking to his friend for another 5 minutes. Totally ignoring all of his customers. Totally unprofessional, especially when there are so many other bakeries on the street. I wont be back. read more

Nope ... Sorry ... As an Arabian who tried so many different sweets shops, here in the US and back in the Middle East, you are by far the worst one I ever seen. I ordered from them three different types of sweets: Baklava, Kunafa, and arabic cookies, and all of them are taste awful. I'm not even sure if the Kunafa was good to eat, because I only had one bite and it seemed to me Inedible. Sorry, being from the same region don't give me the right to lie about my experience in your place, and I truly wish you to be better than this. read more

Nazareth Sweets is in the running of all the bakeries in the area. I wish I never stopped in here because I want to keep going back! Semiramis serves baklava and cookies from Nazareth Sweets. I stopped in Nazareth the other night after dining at Semiramis. There is a vast variety of baklava and middle eastern cookies. I picked up some butter cookies drizzled in chocolate with colorful sprinkles. I loved each cookie and it was hard to pick a favorite! The guy working behind the counter was very friendly. When my friends and I were walking out, he gave us all a sample to go. I will definitely be back to pick up more sweet treats. I just can't make it a habit or my pants will not fit! read more

I wandered into Nazareth Sweets looking for some baklava to take home for an after-dinner treat. The place was deserted when I came in, and one of the workers had to flag down another fellow from the kitchen to ring up my small box filled like a Whitman's sampler kit of baklava. I shared with my friend and she agreed that the baklava was deliciously sweet. I might have to check out some more atypical selections next time. read more

I ducked into this place with my sister one day because it started puring rain as we walked by. We decided to pass the time with a treat from Nazareth. We'd never been there before, and wanted to try something new. Immediately we were approached by a very gentle looking older gentlemen (the owner, I assume) who asked us what we fancied. I told him that we'd never eaten this type of treat so we weren't sure. Without a moments hesitation, he began loading up tins with treats and said "well, I guess the only way you'll know what you like is if you try the all!" He gave me 2 of everything in the store- FOR FREE!!! He said that if I enjoyed it, to come back and buy something sometime. I've been back several times since, and he's always just as sweet! read more

This place is wonderful! The baklava is delicious! The staff was incredibly hospitable. it was truly a pleasure to visit NS.

This place is bad. After I gave them a negative review, I received an anonymous hate message on Yelp. And my review was removed afterwards by Yelp for being too similar with another location. I am surprised how many people have rated it highly..I have a feeling all the negative reviews are removed. Like many other people have mentioned, the staff is neither friendly nor helpful. It seems like the person behind the counter was there just because she had to. Everything is packaged.. we looked at one of the mix packages by Zain and they did not have an open box that you could see in.. and it wasn't cheap either. The Zain stuff was dry and was more like bite sized. Not the traditional stuff I was expecting. read more

We found out that this is the bakery that "Semiramis" (across the street) gets their wonderful Baklava from. We were curious. Oh sweet tooth heaven! All homemade Baklava (walnut, cashew, pistachio, etc). Honey balls, powdered cookies, sprinkled cookies, etc. These wonderful pastries made from shredded coconut and carrots!!! (yes carrots-who would of thought that making your eye-sight better could be so good-lol) Honey, phyllo dough, nuts, abound. Mmm...mmmm...good! Very reasonable priced!! read more

I'd give them 5 stars, had I not had better pastries in the Middle East. I don't know what any of it is called, other than baklava, but I love all of it. Sweet, delicate, crispy, and unexpected, this place is consistently good and has some of the friendliest people you'll find in any Chicago bakeries. read more

Why am I only hearing about this place now? After having a delicious meal at Semiramis with a friend, she said she was going to stop by Nazareth to pick up some sweets. Begrudgingly, I went. I didn't want to fill my stomach with more calories. But the minute we entered, I walked straight to the cookie case and started to strategize. In the end, I got a mixed box of just over a pound. I got two heart shaped cookies free. And another one of the guys working offered us one of anything we wanted. I chose baklava with walnuts. Uhmmmm...DELICIOUS. For $8.44, I'm going to feed my office with treats. The guys working here are beyond friendly. Sure, we were the only ones in there, but I always like someone who takes the time to smile and ask how you're doing and are sincere. Sure, times are hard, but we all deserve something sweet every now and then. Let them eat cookies! read more

Delicious baklava when it is fresh However, they are extremely unfriendly. I'm coming to spend my money at your place, show some manners or professionalism read more

This little Middle Eastern place is a sweet tooth heaven with assortments of phyllo pastries doused with a sticky syrup and adorned with nuts galore. It's a place that would definitely make dentists smile - but who cares if it's that good?! It isn't a surprise to find a sweet lady working behind the counter serving sweet treats, right? Our main go to staples are: - Fatayer - flakey phyllo pastry stuffed with a creamy cheese topped with pistachios and drenched in sweet syrup. We always grab a dozen for $10! - Knaffeh - has orange crackwheat shreds atop; reminds me of a Middle Eastern style cheesecake. Delicious when fresh out of the oven! - Baklawa - Can't leave without a few pieces of these! I just had a check in offer for a 2 piece sample of the pistachio and walnut. The walnut ones are now my new favorite! Can't wait until my next roadtrip to Chicago again to replenish my stock. See you again real soon, Nazareth Sweets! read more

This is one of the most amazing places for Baklava, the staff is more than friendly, and Khalil takes pride in all of the sweets that he makes. I promise that you will not be dissatisfied with the quality of sweets from Nazareth! read more

My husband and I stopped by here on Sunday after lunch at Noon O Kebab. The lady at the shop was so friendly and we put together an assortment of baklava to take home. She even gave us a couple free samples to munch on. When we went home we polished off the entire box. SO TASTY and fresh! The baklava were nice and crispy and on par with some of the baklava we had when we were in Istanbul. The box we got was only 7 bucks too so pretty affordable. Definitely check this place out if you're a fan of baklava. read more

Nazareth, oh Nazareth, how I love thee.....no other place makes my mouth water just thinking about it... In a quest to find the perfect baklava, I've spent hours trudging up and down Kedzie, sampling my heart out. Nazareth is the winner, hands down, for both super friendly service, including multiple free samples, and the BEST pastries. They melt in your mouth, I swear it. There is a huge variety of pastries, which are all pretty much the same ingredients - nuts, honey, phyllo, more honey - just different shapes, each one more delicious and heavenly than the last. There's no need to look any place else. Ummmmmm nom nom..... read more

Huge variety of authentic Middle Eastern sweetmeats, each as delicious and fresh as the other. Very courteous and friendly staff. Definitely a stop on all our trips to Chicago. read more

THE best kept secret in Chicago. I didn't used to like bakery cookies until I tried the ones at Nazareth Sweets - I am not kidding. I am now addicted. They have so much more than baklava (and it is great) ... the fig cookies are the best cookie I have ever eaten. We took one bite and had to write this review. We have been back three times in a week. The almond crescent cookies (I think that is what they are called) are insanely good. And I literally ate all the chocolate dipped cookies myself and my family didn't get any. They were so rich (the cookies, not my family) and the chocolate very high quality. I'm picky about chocolate. Good thing this place is right off the brown line (Kedzie stop). I am a little worried about my clothes fitting me next week but I"ll take my chances. I think I know now why people get addicted to sweets. The staff has been so friendly every time we have come in, too. Keep up the amazing work ... please! read more

So many great things about this place, where does one start? The price...cheap! You pay by the pound, not by the piece...so fill up kids! The service...super friendly and willing to answer all of your "what is this...what about that...what does that have inside?" questions. FREE SAMPLES! Heck yes! read more

Walnut and pistachio baklava are the best I've ever had. Want to impress your friends at a get together? Get the $6 assortment of sweets and throw it down!!! I also like the grape-tastic bird's nest looking thing. Guess I should speak up more and ask questions when I'm there, but all I seem to do is drool and point. I hear this is one of the last places in the city that still makes phyllo dough by hand. One bite and the love is evident, it oozes out all over you like sweet honey! read more

I came here specifically for the knafeh. I'm Egyptian and it's my absolute favorite arabic dessert (seek it out if you haven't tried it). The first time I came unfortunately they were out of it but the nice guy behind the counter let us get some samples of the baklava and other sweets they had and we walked out satisfied. The second time I visited I was in luck because they actually had it. Unfortunately it was the worst piece of knafeh I have ever tried. It was very dry and very bland and tasted horrible. It may have been an old piece that wasn't fresh, but whatever they sold me belonged in the trash and not in someone's mouth. I also tried the harissa (basbousa) and it was also not very good. I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 because of my first experience, but the knafeh and harissa are not good at all. I could never go back to a place that will sell someone knafeh that was that bad. read more

The best baklava ever! Great prices and free samples. My family loves their other treats too but I only eat the baklava. It is so light and heavenly with just a touch of honey. I can't wait to go back! read more

This place is amazing and the people are nice. Don't know what baklava is? This should be your first any only stop. Do you love baklava? This should be your first any only stop. Do you hate baklava? You haven't tried their's. What kind of baklava is the best? All of them. Get 1 of everything. read more

A confession: I have never been a fan of maamoul. Many a time, I have conceded to eating them - even smiling/grimacing while my better half proceeded to buy them in bulk packages from the local shop - all the while secretly loathing those dastardly spawn of an unfortunate one night stand between a mooncake and Fig Newton (TM?), dreading the moment when I would be asked to share one after an evening indoors. Anyway, the secret is out now and I am reformed thanks to the good help of Nazareth Sweets. I have come to see the error of my ways in thinking that dates were appropriate only for stuffing with cheese and wrapping in bacon. The once-dreaded date maamoul is now a favorite. Aside from the brief born-again date maamoul experience, baklava here is egregiously cheap. The first time we came in, I watched our take away box fill with more than a little trepidation, clutching my credit card: 2 bamya, 2 pistachio rings, 2 sesame brittle, 2 harissa, knaffeh, mushabak... $7. I should have been comforted by the couple in front of us in line - the wife complaining that it was all too sweet and that her husband always ordered too much. They left with two big boxes for less than $20. The baklava, the harissa, and, of course, the date maamoul were fantastic and just a week after our first trip we drove all the way back here to get more. I should say that the walnut maamoul is not quite up to par with the date; also, we cared less for the bamya and knaffeh since the syrup was not as strongly flavored as I might choose to make at home. Then again, I've never successfully kept soaked bamya crispy or maamoul anything not an exploded carbonized mess. On second thought, I think I'll leave the sweets-making to the experts the next time my colleagues pressure me to bring in baked goods: after all, some nice baklava in the car now means a nice empty box for hoarding tiramisu cake. read more

My friend brought me this baklava as a gift one day and it was hands down the best I have ever had! I had to start sharing it with friends just so I wouldn't eat every piece myself. I will definitely be going to Nazareth to by more sweets for my friends (and myself) soon! read more

Without a doubt Nazareth Sweets is my FAVORITE guilty pleasure! I was introduced to this place by my bf and SO glad I was. I was craving baklava one day so he directed me there. He knew the owners from previously dealing with them, but that didn't matter. Their deserts are like little pieces of heavenly goodness. For real. I was only familiar with baklava when I first visited but as other posters have noted, they are not beyond providing SAMPLES. Hence my addiction and subsequent LOVE affair with their Harissa Semolina Cake! There are NO words. These little squares are as good as it gets! I used to get a larger container of these mixed with a generous selection of other things in the display, but my waist was telling me to stop, so I did. I now manage my CRAVINGS for their yummy-delicious-goodness and only get 4 at a time, but it is great stuff! The ingredients are always fresh and the taste is impeccable. For around $5-$10 you can more than satisfy your sweet tooth and have enough leftovers as they are pretty rich deserts. I am a regular there because the guy or girl, depending on who's working at the time, always remembers me. Parking is limited depending on what time you go, but who cares?! I just cannot resist DELICIOUS. read more

The baklava here is delicious! I especially love the pistachio baklava. My only complaint with the baklava is that there were pieces of pistachio shell inside, making it difficult to eat. The cashier had friends visiting and she tended to their needs first even though they were not in line. I was a bit confused about the price. It's based on weight and the size of the box. I got a small box, which was about $5. They also have prepackaged baklava that has an assortment of different baklava and cookies. I went to the Pita Inn grocery store and they had Nazareth Sweets baklava but they were definitely not as good and fresh at the ones at the store. It has its own parking lot, which is very convenient. read more

wow...this is heaven... if you are not on a diet... (which i am -- i will work out more this week, i promise ) i wish they open a store in the burbs... amazing sweets -- we ordered a medium container, plus 2 other small containers ( you pay $5 per pound, so cheap for the quality of these sweets ) we ordered all sorts of Baklava -- with pistachios, with almonds, with walnuts, with cashew...with chocolate drizzle... we also ordered these 3in x 3in squares ( near the cashier )... Knaffeh... its $3/piece... but oh my God... its delicious... one has an orange crumble top, has a cheese (reminds me of ricotta) bottom... and the other one has shreds(tiny noodle like top) with soft texture flan bottom -- this is my favorite -- both are not so sweet -- but I can eat this all day... i truly can... the server will ask you, if you want pistachios and honey on top... say yes... coz i think this brings out the awesome flavor of these squares... these two different Knaffehs, i haven't seen in any Middle Eastern bakery in the burbs... I am so glad we tried it... their baklavas are amazing of course.... way better than the burbs version, for sure... but I am telling you folks, you have to try the Knaffehs... i wish i got some more... argh... *sniff* we also got these round transparent dough pastry Mushabak (check the pics i will upload shortly) -- too sweet for me... but its like submerged in honey -- my BF was just chowing down these babies --- he loves it too much -- reminds him of an Italina wine biscuit his granma used to make for him... aside from the many version of baklava, right beside it, a semolina cake... called Harissa... has almond on top... its like moist cake, not too sweet but is oh so moist and crunchy bottom --- im sure this will be good with coffee or tea.... **** the server can speak english somehow, but cannot describe the items, very well.... then i think the owner, came towards the end of us ordering, and he spoke english very well, he is sooo friendly, gave us free Turkish Delight.... yummy, thank you... and of course, we bought some of those too... we spent about $30... i think people will think its too much... but we hardly go to Chicago... so we had to indulge... don't judge, rotfl.... btw... the picture i am posting... the medium container? seems half full only? that's because we were pigging out, from the time we got to the car, and driving home. bahahaha... that's how good this is... read more

Nazareth Sweets - Baklavas -- amazing!! container right top Mushabak, my BF loves it, right bottom container,to die for..Knaffeh is HEAVEN for me - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Not a maven of middle eastern desserts, here. Being used to the cloyingly sweet version of Greek baklava, I was pleasantly surprised with the texture and less sweet version of various baklavas from Nazareth. I'm sure that persons of Middle Eastern dissent have a far more discerning palate for various Palestinian , Egyptian and Lebanese etc. confections, but this White boy was very, very pleased with the assortment of sweets that I purchased. Two employees were present, one of which spoke English (she was also the cashier) . She was also answering the phone , taking orders, and translating for the other employee who didn't speak English. She gets and "A" for multi-tasking. She explained each pastry to me, and helped me put together a small sampler box. Everything was outstanding, especially a semolina and cheese filled treat (which she told me to nuke for 10 seconds before serving). Not unlike any of us, we can all have a bad day. Could Nazareth maybe do better in the "customer service" area? I would say yes to that. But by no means was the service disdainful or unfriendly. Patience will get you a long way ! read more

Friendly lady. Tons of free samples. About 50 different middle eastern sweets. Yelp deal. BIG box of sweets( maybe 50 pieces?) to please office staff = 30$ Yummyness floating in mouth, and smiles in the office= priceless. read more

I was introduced to Nazareth Sweets a few years ago by a worldly friend of mine. I always leave this place happy! I wish I knew what all the different names of each pastry are, because there are SO MANY different kinds! The guys that work there really are nice, and they'll give you free samples sometimes, YUMMO! The baklava is super tasty, but my favorite kind is the square phyllo "pouch" folded around whole pistachios and other nuts. What can I say, I love pistachios! There is another one shaped like a lil phyllo cup with chopped pistachios in it. YUMMY!!! Don't freak out and get overwelmed by all the tastiness! Right near the register they have pre-packed boxes with a nice variety, which takes out the guesswork for you. The small box is only $3.50! YAY! read more

I went to visit the old location on KedIe to find out they had moved to Elaton. So what the heck I was already North so we drove over. It was in a factory and kinda weird. When you walk in it's an office so I wasn't sure that we were in the right place. They lady came from the back of the factory and informed me we could purchase our Baklava from here. And took us to another room, but it wasn't the same. More of a factory with prepackaged Baklava In different sized boxes. All mixed up. They no longer sell individual pieces and you can't create your own mix. This was a huge bummer. Guess we won't be returning. All the Baklava was really soggy too! They in my opinion were the best in Chicago, but sadly not anymore read more

The only place I know of in the city where you can get fresh knafe, a cheese-and-phyllo Lebanese delight I crave, to go. Have it heated, and slurp it up as you wait for the Brown Line at the stop next door! Or, you can sit at one of their few small tables. Service is always very patient and kind. They *ask* you if you want honey syrup, which is indeed very nice for those of us who don't like to fish out their pastries from oceans of sweetness. My only complaint is due, perhaps, to my high standards for Arab pastries, by far my favorite desserts. Nazareth Sweets' are OK, but not really up to snuff. Still, it's a good place to pick up a few rare treats. read more