I can't even begin to describe how much I love this place. They advertise themselves as the "candy store for chefs", which is the perfect description. It's so hard walking in without walking out with a whole bunch of new kitchen toys. The staff is experienced and knowledgeable. I don't know of any other store that has near the range of knives and other kitchen equipment that they do. I bought a chef's knive and cleaver from here and couldn't be happier. When I lived in Chicago, I used to bring my knives here to get sharped. Only quip is that their hours are a bit odd (e.g. they close at 2pm on Saturday). I've traveled to the shop more than a fair share of times only to find it closed, so be sure to check the hours before you head out! read more

Ahhh! I have found bliss! I am about to start culinary school next month and I had to get all my stuff ready and this is place I had to go. The first time i went, I got there about 2:05pm and they were closed...although Yelp says they are open until 4pm on Saturday. Send offs! Anywho, I came here early the next weekend and it was packed but they got me right in. Most of the people there were just getting knives sharpened. I told them where I'm about to start school and they knew exactly what I needed. I tried on my uniform and was ready to go. They brought down my toolbox full of supplies. Literally, its a plumbers toolbox with culinary tools in there. Heavy! I got my pants, towels, beanie, shoes, apron and all my tools. They have to embroider my name into my jacket but they said they would call within a week and I could come pick it up. I spent about $950 bucks on all that stuff but it is totally worth it! I will be coming back whenever I can. This place is awesome! Even if you are not a chef you can find anything here! read more

Excellent service. The guy who sharpened my knives was a master craftsman. Also a great place to purchase kitchen/cooking tools and gadgets. Free parking! read more

I know these guys don't need another stellar review, but I can't help myself. Their knife sharpening is so effing kick-ass--$3.50 per knife (or scissors), no matter what size, serration, etc. Awesome. The world is just so much better when your knives are sharp... I heart Northwestern Cutlery. read more

Our complete endorsement for Northwest Cutlery as the place to get your knives sharpened. When we moved back to Chicago we asked a friend where to get knives sharpened - this was the instant answer. My wife loves to browse the commercial kitchen supplies when we're there. Every time we've stopped in there have been chefs and /or culinary students shopping in the store. It's crowded and over-stocked, as you would hope a place like this is. No Williams-Sonoma displays here. And they do a great job of sharpening knives. read more

If you need your knives sharpned this is the place to go. A friend of mine who went to cooking school sent me here when I asked for a good place to get my knives taken care of. They have a parking lot which is extremely useful in this area of town. I wasn't sure if I was going to have drop my knives up and pick them up at another date which is so often the case. They have people there that sharpen knives all the time. My wait? About ten minutes. Just enough time to walk around the store and scope everything out. I didn't buy anything but it seemed like they had good prices on high end cookware. I think the total cost was about 7 dollars which is a good deal. I went home with extremely sharp knives. They have weird hours so call ahead. read more

Yes, another 5-Star review for Northwestern Cutlery! My first time here and the service and selection can not be beat. Shun, MAC, Global, Wusthof, All-Clad, Le Creuset plus all kinds of cooking and baking supplies. This place is a "candy store" for cooks. Did I mention the great service? read more

nice staff a friend of mine recomend me this store working in the food industry you need your stuff to work good prices and quality I definally back for more read more

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I love this place. I was given a gift certificate for my birthday in order to get my knives sharpened. They were finished within a day, I then asked about knife maintenance to the girl ringing up my sale and she launched into a very knowledgeable mini lesson on honing with a steel. I asked about the proper steel and she provided me with several choices, but did give her personal preference. What I appreciated the most is that she did not recommend the most expensive steel nor the steel made by my knife's manufacturer. This is a high quality store ths provides amazing service and high quality sharpening. There is also a parking lot nearby that I've heard is free parking for customers. read more

My knives were in really bad shape. The blades were chipped up (from whacking away at bones) and bent. I was gonna buy a new set since I thought that my knives were unsalvagable. Thanks to my friend and her recommendation of this store, my knives look brand new. It took all of 15 minutes and only cost $21 for the sharpening of five knives. Good as new. Back to whacking bones again. read more

Found Northwestern Cutlery searching the web for "best cutlery near me". We needed a good set of knives at home and I wasn't sure which would feel right in my hands. The staff was beyond nice and helpful. I came in with a ton of questions and they were so polite with regard to answering all of them. I was able to pick up knives I was interested in and didn't feel rushed. Their patience with me really made my experience. I walked out with a new set of knives I feel comfortable with and I am very happy I found this store...I will be definitely give them more of my business. read more

So I took a knife skills class this week and as a result, it was determined that I needed (wanted) some new and fantastic knives. After consulting with my father in law and the internets, it was determined that we should come to Northwestern Cutlery Supply. As the name indicates, they have several glass cases of beautiful high end knives - Wusthof, Global, shun and others. They also have some lower end knives and sets, as well as all the accessories you may want. If you're generally into cooking, they have a nice selection of cast iron, Le Creuset, Calphalon, and a fairly decent array of implements for cooking and baking. Shoes and jackets for chefs, too - and while I am not one, I do like to play one on TV so I really like this. A lot. In addition to knife sales, they also do sharpening. We waited about 15 minutes for this to be done on 6 knives, which I think is completely reasonable. They used an electric sharpener so maybe that was why it was so quick. It's a small place and on a Saturday morning, it was pretty crowded. There were only a few people working and it took some time to get someone to be able to take some knives out of the case for me to handle. Once we had them out, though, the fact that the woman helping us had to go help someone else was actually a good thing as it gave me time to work my way through the selections so that I came away with what I think will work the best in my kitchen (an 8" Shun chef's knife and an 8 cm Global paring/ peeling knife). On thing that I also really like is that while there is ample street parking, they have their own parking lot. I hate trying to park on the street in the city with a passion so this is a very good thing for me. After check-out, we got a coupon for knife sharpening and if I had checked in here before we had checked out our purchases, I would have also seen that there was a 10% off coupon. No worries, though, as I think this is going to be my go-to place for cooking supplies, and most certainly for knife sharpening in the future. Excellent resource! read more

It's a no-frills kitchenware store that has what you need at decent prices. I don't need Williams Sonoma gold plated cookie sheets or cutesy cheese spreaders from Sur La Table. Plus you can get some funky sizes on pans you would be hard pressed to find anywhere but a specialty store. My all-time favorite find was a Pierogi press. As I unfortunately don't have an awesome chef's knife that needs regular sharpening I can't really tell you about that service here, but if you're looking at shopping local for your kitchen needs look to Northwestern Cutlery. read more

I came here to celebrate getting my first paycheck after moving to Chicago. I am fairly good cook and my dream has been to get a professional knife that didn't feel like I was using a butter knife or an axe. I had spent some time researching what type of knife I should buy, but I had not focused on any brand names and I honestly had no idea what I was doing. I knew going into it though that any store I went in to should allow me to try out the knives. After Yelping I walked to Northwestern Cutlery, which is a good 20 minute walk from my job after work on Wednesday (the one day they are open past 5). First the store was empty, which was fantastic as it meant I got to ask all the questions I wanted and the salesman was able to show me every knife he had. I came in, said I was looking for a chef's knife, he asked how much I wanted to spend (~$100, my first large big girl purchase) and he was like we can totally find you something you'll like. And he was right. I was for some reason extremely nervous about the purchase and I ended up trying out about 15 knives. The salesman was extremely patient even though I am sure I looked like a fool. I came out of the store with an 8 inch Shun knife (for about $15 less than what Chopping Block sells the knife for), a flexible spatula I couldn't find anywhere else, two professional half sheet pans, and a small reliable pair of tongs. It was really all a girl like me could ask for. Knowledgeable, Kind (I can't say friendly) staff and common, but quality merchandise. read more

The selection and prices are great, all the toys needed to get the most from the Joy of Cooking. All with free parking! What's not to love!?

I must agree with the enthusiastic reviews so far. I regularly bring my cutlery here for sharpening; for a couple of bucks per knife, they are restored from dull to sharp -- so sharp you can shave hair off your skin with them. The store also has a large selection of supplies not found in your typical stores. I should add that despite this, the crew there has been top notch, friendly and helpful. read more

Early last week, I ended up placing a special order for a pair of Mozo shoes because my size was out of stock. As promised by the person who helped me, early today I received a phone to let me know that my shoes had arrived this morning. They arrived a little over a week due to the long 4 of July weekend, though I am very glad because my first day to wear my full uniform at The French Pastry School will be this coming Monday. (Phew...) Thanks Northwest Cutlery! read more

A little gem in our hood! An incredible store with knives, kitchen doo dads, and cast iron goodies galore geared towards the culinary pro and at home chef. What an authentic store with their seasoned sharpeners spinning wheels, adjusting grit, and restoring the edges on beautiful, dreamy kitchen knives (Global, Shun, Wusthof...)! It makes me a lil' ashamed of all the visits I've made to William Sonoma. I wandered in this weekend with my beautiful Shun knives (chef, paring, and offset bread knife) after a year of sharpening neglect. I had two knives sharpened and the tip of my sadly bent bread knife straightened all for only $10 and done right in front of me in less than 10 minutes. $3.50 for sharpening each knife vs. having to mail them to Shun and waiting weeks. What a deal!! read more

I start drooling the second I step foot into this place. They have the best knives and cooking stuffs. Unpretentious, hole in the wall. REALLY good shit. Their knives are beautiful and they're having a sale right now - i think. If I could I would buy a series of new knives. This place is sweet. Do it. read more

Took a class to learn how to sharpen knives with a wet stone. I never knew I could sharpen a knife this well. Just four hours and a small purchase and I now can sharpen a knife too razor sharp. Thank you Nick for your time and wisdom. read more

Things here are quite pricey. I think a lot of people in the food industry come here. For a home cook like me, this place is too much.

They did great work when they were in the west loop. They've moved now but I'm still planning to go here when I need my knives sharpened.

I love this store! Helpful, a nice stock of kitchen etc. and I cannot wait to get knives sharpened here. Oh, and they carry sheep casings. read more

Great store. Good staff. Very helpful. I brought in a hunting/outdoor knife that had seen better days. I almost didn't believe they gave me the same knife back. Just great. read more

Amazing service. Experience. Decent prices. Free parking. Wide selection in a small space. Great staff! read more

This is an amazing place with experienced and patient sharpeners. The young man and the girl I dealt with were exceptional with taking care of honing my $320 Dovo straight razor. This place honed it right! I bought mine from Art of shaving and even after they had it honed and then by Merz Apothecary, it was still dull and caused me go through hours of painful shaving with no result. I almost regretted dumping my Gillette but thankfully found this place on google. read more

If you want to transform your kitchen into a paradise, then you have to pay a visit to Northwestern Cutlery Supply. Cooking is one of my passions and I love preparing new dishes for my wife and kids, but I always have a problem in finding good knives and all the other accessories that I need in the kitchen. One of my friends kept talking about this amazing store, so I decided to go and check its offer. I have to admit that I was nicely surprised to see the array of tools that one can find there. I bought several excellent knives and I have to mention that they have excellent sales. Besides, they also do sharpening, so you don't have to worry about this aspect anymore. The staff is helpful and gentle and they offer you all the information you ask for. Another thing that makes this place my favorite is that it features a private parking lot, so I don't have to waste precious time struggling to park my car. read more

Came for knife sharpening again almost 3 years later. Service was fast and I know they did a good job because I went home and promptly cut my finger while using the knife, not used to how sharp it is yet! read more

This place is crowded and is only for the true cooking/baking oriented. However, the selection is great, they have fantastic quality stock and the staff was candid and nice. I wish their hours were better, but then again, the whole world would be there. read more

Extremely helpful and knowledgeable employees, even during the busy holiday season. Great products to choose from. I want one of everything in that store! read more

I've been here. They sharpen my knives. Knives are dull? You go here and make them sharp. They also have some other fun things, like spoons. You want spoons? They have a few. Me? I'm going to make some sausage or meat. They've got a curing agent for that. That makes me fairly content. It is close, and it is good, and they sharpen enough knives to know what they're doing. Go there to make your bad knives good, or to make your good knives better. read more

Excellent service and selection-the place to go for pros and everyday cooks.

I have been to northwest cutlery several times from when i was in school up to now. The survice is awalys good and all questions are answered promply and truthfully. My teacher Chef Pat Stewart recomened this place to me years ago , Ihave been coming here ever since.Iwould give the place all five stars. Andy Monak. read more

Fantastic. I send them my knives and they come back super sharp.

Kitchen Utopia! My first reaction upon entering was to exclaim, "OoOoOoh, kniiiiives" in the same reverential tone the Toy Story aliens use for "The Claw." If you need a good kitchen knife, and you do, you can definitely find it here, as well as sharpening services to keep it in great shape. Pots, pans, baking, grilling, chopping, mixing, whisking - there's a tool for that! They stock a good variety of the essentials and specialty items, at good prices. Staff recently helped me locate some cannoli forms, which were less than $2 each, for my latest baking adventure. I hope to stop in again soon for some grilling supplies, and definitely recommend to anyone for their cooking needs. read more

This is a great culinary supply store! The sales associates are extremely knowledgeable and friendly. When I was in there today the man helping me went out of his way to double check that I had the right product. He also hooked me up with a 10% discount that they had going on that I didn't know about! Their prices are really great and their stuff is excellent quality. read more

Northwestern Cutlery - Knife Sharpening Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Careful kid---you'll put your eye out. Or lose a digit. This place has major knives----new, and many that are used from restaurants and such and available for resale at a great price. To me there is nothing more important than sharp knives in the kitchen (well maybe next to a bottle of vino and Jolene) and this places takes yours, often while you wait and shop, and puts an edge on them that is scary good. Great selection of general cooking things and great group of knowledgeable people working here. If you are in the market for some knives, talk to these guys (and gals) before you buy. They are happy to give you a million dollar education whether you are plunking down $1000.00 for some serious Japanese cutlery or buying a used utility knife. read more

What a paradise for culinary school geeks like me! It is a bit pricey for a student - but what you purchase here is an investment. Nothing ever comes apart or rusts on you. I could act like Alton Brown over here and talk about the fundamentals of cast iron pans - but I won't step on his toes for now. If you don't buy anything here, at least bring your knives. I've been to way too many houses to help cook where the knives were so dull that i was doing a "sawing action" on a tomato - that's sad. It's only around $2.50 a knife - take 'em there! The blade will last for a month and even more with moderate use before it gets dull. The halsted bus will drop in front and there is FREE parking in their lot - so don't make any excuses on not going there. read more

Excellent service here. I wanted to get Joe a nice chef's knife for his birthday one year. So I took him on a field trip down to Northwestern Cutlery so that he could test some out. He still decided on a Shun, but we learned that we could order them left-handed, which I knew would be good for the both of us :) So, we placed our order... And while it took a while, the customer service in updating me on when it would come in and what the hold up was, etc. etc. was the best. The guy who was in touch with us... Jim/Dale/Dave (I can't remember his name now that it's been over a year :-/)... was great to work with too. The store isn't pretty and decorated, but they have what you need and generally cheaper than if you got it somewhere else. All in all, personable and knowledgable people who don't try to screw you over. read more

Went to get my knives sharpened today. Thought I was going to have to leave them and come back at a later date. No Sir! Walked into the store and they offered to sharpen them right then and there. Took about 10 minutes and I was given back some superbly sharpened blades of steel. You can't get better service than that. I wandered around the store and appreciated the variety of kitchenwares they have. And I didn't think the prices were all that bad either. ( P.S. They are having a 30% off sale on all their La Creuset pots and pans.) The people were very friendly and helpful. I appreciated the small shop atmosphere and will definitely be back. Customer Service is alive and well at this place of business! (And that makes me happy!) read more