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Amazing pastries, we've tried 6 of them so far and they have all been wonderful. But they never have bread which is very disappointing and why I'm giving 4 stars instead of the 5 stars that the pastries deserve.
I was heading to Edgewater from suburbs to help a friend move there but I had some time to kill so I decided to stop by Bad Butter and get pastries. As I drove to the store, I noticed the line was there but it was not that bad so I decided to stand in line. I was able to find parking right next to store and in 20 mins, I was inside store. The store folks are very friendly - I felt the store vibes to be pretty European. I could smell the fresh baked items. It was amazing. I grabbed 5 items and a mocha. For some reason, I didn't enjoy my mocha that much. But pastries were outstanding - especially peach and Brie cruffin. I am so glad to visit this place.
We shared: @BadButterChicago 1. Lemon Lavender Kouign Amann 2. Chocolate Sourdough Banana Bread 3. Chocolate Gochujang & Marmalade Danish 4. Salsa Macha Monkey Bread 5. Hazelnut & Strawberry Choux Bun 6. Mustard Cream Cheese Pretzel Croissant 7. Miso Brown Butter Cookie Everything we ordered was near perfect and above average. I was impressed that the gochujang was intelligently mixed in the pastry with a mild profile instead of tasting the overpowering sweet sauce. Savory pastries were very craveable. I have a sweet tooth and loved that the sweet cream fillings weren't sickingly sweet or too artificial. Outer flaky crispy layer and inner soft layers were perfection. My only criticism is banana bread which I would prefer to be denser. No issues with service; staff were friendly. Order to-go only.
Finally went at 8AM on a Saturday. Arrived around 8:10AM. Line was down the block and it took about 1hr to get our pastries. Definitely bring a friend to chat with or something to do. The ordering was very easy. Just ask for one of everything and they box it up nicely and you're ready to go! They also have coffee drinks that are reasonably priced. I just couldn't wait to go home and eat my pastries so I didn't order a drink. It's really hard to go wrong with any pastry here. I just enjoy coming back to try their new seasonal flavor combinations. The cruffin this season has fresh mango jam that provides a wonderful tartness. Hard to say if I like this or the yuzu one better. They ran out of the chocolate gochujang marmalade danish. I was really curious about that one. I love the space in general. Very open concept and you can see the kitchen too from the outside.
Bad Butter is a fabulous addition to Bucktown! Given the long lines I've seen - and the volume of pastries people are buying - I decided to arrive extra early on a Sunday. I was third in line at 7:10 am. By 7:30, the line had gotten fairly long. The baker-owner Dan opened the door to welcome us into the beautiful, modern storefront filled with his friendly staff. One of the baristas had little cups of drip coffee for the customers. I ordered a cinnamon knot, mango coconut cruffin, and ham and cheese croissant from the gorgeous array of pastries and cookies, plus an iced latte. As I waited for my latte, I watched as person after person checked out with multiple large boxes of pastries. If you want your pick of items, would definitely come early because of this. Each of the pastries was phenomenal. The ham and cheese croissant had the right amount of ham and cheese while still enabling you to enjoy the flaky, crispy croissant around it. Nicely filling, too. The cinnamon knot was a lot more complex than it looked. It was filled with a vanilla pastry cream with orange zest, was perfectly laminated, and dusted with just enough cinnamon to enjoy all the flavors. Finally, the cruffin: wow! So much fresh mango filling alongside pastry cream in its lovingly crafted croissant exterior. The iced latte was also very nice, and the baristas here are friendly. Dan said they're trying to get set up with a window for just coffee orders so you don't have to wait in the pastry line. Worth the wait. Pastry prices are higher than average for Chicago, but the quality and creativity makes them fair.
This might be my new favorite bakery in the city. The flavors of these pastries are INSANE and they are the most flakey, satisfying treats. The new space is absolutely stunning and while you're going to wait in line, at least you are entering greatness. The only trouble you'll have is narrowing down your order.
I didn't know this was a pre order hyped up type of place. I showed up to the hotel, there was a coffee shop and they had some left over croissants. The girl at the coffee place suggested to go online and pre order. I guess the stuff sells out fast weeks in advance. This isn't an actual bakery and you won't be able to just come here and buy some pastries like you would at a traditional bakery. It's more of a pop up. Not really for me. The croissant I took home was good though.
Got there at 7:40AM (they open at 8), got inside around 8:20, and was out by 8:30 with everything. Honestly a smooth experience and worth the hype!! The pastries are insane. The fancy chocolate croissant is literally a dream. Super flaky, crispy, and the chocolate tastes really high quality with a nice crunch. 9.5/10. The chocolate gochujang & marmalade danish was even more unique. Flaky layers with that citrusy sweetness and a slight spicy kick that works so well together. 9.7/10. The ham & cheese croissant was solid and crispy 8/10, and the chocolate sourdough banana bread was also really good 8.5/10. The space is modern, and you can tell they really care about what they're doing. Staff were all smiling, and even saw Dan there at the register which was cool. Overall just a really great experience!!
Very worth the hype! Pastries were all well executed and not too sweet. I waited about a hour in line but it moved pretty efficiently and you can order your coffee in line when you're inside. My favorite was the twice baked almond croissant- perfectly flakey and the almond filling was delicious. Would definitely come back to try more seasonal pastries.
Went on their grand opening day expecting at least a 1.5-hour wait - and yes, it did take that long haha. The bakery was definitely a little underprepared for the amount of support, but I got lucky and was still able to grab some of their classic options: the basic croissant, danish, ham and cheese croissant, almond croissant, and chocolate cookie. I didn't get coffee this time, and honestly, I think I'll probably stick to the baked goods here. Overall, a fun grand opening experience, and great to see Chef Dan in person after years of just picking up from Emily Hotel haha.
First stop of the morning for my day of eating out!!!! I am rarely someone that is willing to spend $20 on pastries because I think it's kind of absurd but I get it guys OK???? This shit is really that good. We got here on a Thursday around 9 AM and we only waited around 10 minutes so that was huge. I tried the seasonal cruffin with raspberry jam and lemon cream. This was genuinely stuffed full of jam and cream, and the actual cruffin part was exceptional. You can tell that everything is super fresh. I also tried the honey, mustard and cream cheese pretzel croissant. This absolutely blew me out of the park in terms of flavor. Loved I just loved the combo of salty and sweet here and the flaky dough. Really really good. It's a really random location right by the Clybourne Metro stop, but I was able to snag some parking so I'm happy about that. They were also really good with my tree at allergy and normally bakeries are horrible about that so they get extra points from me! I would return even if my wallet isn't happy about it lol
Lots of flavor and form options to choose from. Thought the coffee was pretty scrumptious, pretty sure it was metric. Great morning stop!
First things first: make sure you order ahead on their website and pick up at the Emily Hotel. It's not a walk-in-and-browse kind of place, and trust me, you don't want to miss out because they sell out fast. The selection is insane -- so many pastries, croissants, and seasonal baked goods that it's honestly hard to choose. Every single thing we tried was next-level. The sourdough banana bread was hands down the best I've ever had. Perfectly moist, deep flavor, not overly sweet -- just unreal. The chocolate chip cookies? AMAZING. I'm not exaggerating when I say I can't stop thinking about them. They were perfectly sweet but with that rich, dark chocolate depth that makes them feel elevated and not basic at all. The moneybread with garlic and rosemary was the only savory option we got -- and we made a huge mistake only ordering one. We should've ordered ten. It was beyond delicious. Flaky, crispy, insanely flavorful. That buttery, herby crunch... OMFG. It might've been my favorite bite of the day. The chocolate croissant was also excellent -- beautifully flaky with rich chocolate inside. This place is hyped for a reason. It's worth it. I cannot wait to go back and order more (and definitely stocking up on that moneybread next time).
worth the wait and the pastries are worth the hype. They open at 8 until they sell out or around 2. No seating inside, but it's pretty spacious with tall ceilings and an area to wait for your coffee. Friendly service and you don't feel rushed as you go through the queue and pick out your pastries. That's the way to do it. A lot of bakeries just ask you to pick without being able to see all of them so you're scrambling trying to figure out which ones you want in a panic, so I appreciate the process here. Favorite bite was the sweet corn and tart cherry croissant. It was. So good. Not too sweet and the corn was SO YUMMY. I can't wait to come back to try their other pastries. read more
This was by far my favorite stop during my day trip to Chicago. Although I did arrive pretty late and most of the pastries were sold out, I did manage to get some great pastries. Cinnamon Knots. Amazing. Almond Croissant. Bomb. The Kouign Amanns. Fantastic. The service was quick and the employees were very nice. The ambiance of the bakery was great as well. It has a lively, upbeat energy that perfectly fits the neighborhood. Even arriving late in the day, the space felt welcoming, vibrant, and full of character. read more
No seating inside. Long lines. To get best chance greatly before they open. I picked up rainy day stand in line at 7:30 and was out with my food 8:20 Service was good Food is great, different varities unique and tasty. Rating out of 5 Focassia bread with onion and Japanese herbs - 5 - tasty with some olive oil Pain Suisse - 5 - vanilla cream is subtle very artistic design Chocolate Gochujang & Marmalade Danish - 4.5- dark chocolate the cream on top is really good read more
5 days ago
Amazing pastries, we've tried 6 of them so far and they have all been wonderful. But they never have bread which is very disappointing and why I'm giving 4 stars instead of the 5 stars that the pastries deserve. read more
14 hours ago
I was heading to Edgewater from suburbs to help a friend move there but I had some time to kill so I decided to stop by Bad Butter and get pastries. As I drove to the store, I noticed the line was there but it was not that bad so I decided to stand in line. I was able to find parking right next to store and in 20 mins, I was inside store. The store folks are very friendly - I felt the store vibes to be pretty European. I could smell the fresh baked items. It was amazing. I grabbed 5 items and a mocha. For some reason, I didn't enjoy my mocha that much. But pastries were outstanding - especially peach and Brie cruffin. I am so glad to visit this place. read more
We shared: @BadButterChicago 1. Lemon Lavender Kouign Amann 2. Chocolate Sourdough Banana Bread 3. Chocolate Gochujang & Marmalade Danish 4. Salsa Macha Monkey Bread 5. Hazelnut & Strawberry Choux Bun 6. Mustard Cream Cheese Pretzel Croissant 7. Miso Brown Butter Cookie Everything we ordered was near perfect and above average. I was impressed that the gochujang was intelligently mixed in the pastry with a mild profile instead of tasting the overpowering sweet sauce. Savory pastries were very craveable. I have a sweet tooth and loved that the sweet cream fillings weren't sickingly sweet or too artificial. Outer flaky crispy layer and inner soft layers were perfection. My only criticism is banana bread which I would prefer to be denser. No issues with service; staff were friendly. Order to-go only. read more
Finally went at 8AM on a Saturday. Arrived around 8:10AM. Line was down the block and it took about 1hr to get our pastries. Definitely bring a friend to chat with or something to do. The ordering was very easy. Just ask for one of everything and they box it up nicely and you're ready to go! They also have coffee drinks that are reasonably priced. I just couldn't wait to go home and eat my pastries so I didn't order a drink. It's really hard to go wrong with any pastry here. I just enjoy coming back to try their new seasonal flavor combinations. The cruffin this season has fresh mango jam that provides a wonderful tartness. Hard to say if I like this or the yuzu one better. They ran out of the chocolate gochujang marmalade danish. I was really curious about that one. I love the space in general. Very open concept and you can see the kitchen too from the outside. read more
Bad Butter is a fabulous addition to Bucktown! Given the long lines I've seen - and the volume of pastries people are buying - I decided to arrive extra early on a Sunday. I was third in line at 7:10 am. By 7:30, the line had gotten fairly long. The baker-owner Dan opened the door to welcome us into the beautiful, modern storefront filled with his friendly staff. One of the baristas had little cups of drip coffee for the customers. I ordered a cinnamon knot, mango coconut cruffin, and ham and cheese croissant from the gorgeous array of pastries and cookies, plus an iced latte. As I waited for my latte, I watched as person after person checked out with multiple large boxes of pastries. If you want your pick of items, would definitely come early because of this. Each of the pastries was phenomenal. The ham and cheese croissant had the right amount of ham and cheese while still enabling you to enjoy the flaky, crispy croissant around it. Nicely filling, too. The cinnamon knot was a lot more complex than it looked. It was filled with a vanilla pastry cream with orange zest, was perfectly laminated, and dusted with just enough cinnamon to enjoy all the flavors. Finally, the cruffin: wow! So much fresh mango filling alongside pastry cream in its lovingly crafted croissant exterior. The iced latte was also very nice, and the baristas here are friendly. Dan said they're trying to get set up with a window for just coffee orders so you don't have to wait in the pastry line. Worth the wait. Pastry prices are higher than average for Chicago, but the quality and creativity makes them fair. read more
1 month ago
This might be my new favorite bakery in the city. The flavors of these pastries are INSANE and they are the most flakey, satisfying treats. The new space is absolutely stunning and while you're going to wait in line, at least you are entering greatness. The only trouble you'll have is narrowing down your order. read more
I didn't know this was a pre order hyped up type of place. I showed up to the hotel, there was a coffee shop and they had some left over croissants. The girl at the coffee place suggested to go online and pre order. I guess the stuff sells out fast weeks in advance. This isn't an actual bakery and you won't be able to just come here and buy some pastries like you would at a traditional bakery. It's more of a pop up. Not really for me. The croissant I took home was good though. read more
Got there at 7:40AM (they open at 8), got inside around 8:20, and was out by 8:30 with everything. Honestly a smooth experience and worth the hype!! The pastries are insane. The fancy chocolate croissant is literally a dream. Super flaky, crispy, and the chocolate tastes really high quality with a nice crunch. 9.5/10. The chocolate gochujang & marmalade danish was even more unique. Flaky layers with that citrusy sweetness and a slight spicy kick that works so well together. 9.7/10. The ham & cheese croissant was solid and crispy 8/10, and the chocolate sourdough banana bread was also really good 8.5/10. The space is modern, and you can tell they really care about what they're doing. Staff were all smiling, and even saw Dan there at the register which was cool. Overall just a really great experience!! read more
1 month ago
Very worth the hype! Pastries were all well executed and not too sweet. I waited about a hour in line but it moved pretty efficiently and you can order your coffee in line when you're inside. My favorite was the twice baked almond croissant- perfectly flakey and the almond filling was delicious. Would definitely come back to try more seasonal pastries. read more
Went on their grand opening day expecting at least a 1.5-hour wait - and yes, it did take that long haha. The bakery was definitely a little underprepared for the amount of support, but I got lucky and was still able to grab some of their classic options: the basic croissant, danish, ham and cheese croissant, almond croissant, and chocolate cookie. I didn't get coffee this time, and honestly, I think I'll probably stick to the baked goods here. Overall, a fun grand opening experience, and great to see Chef Dan in person after years of just picking up from Emily Hotel haha. read more
First stop of the morning for my day of eating out!!!! I am rarely someone that is willing to spend $20 on pastries because I think it's kind of absurd but I get it guys OK???? This shit is really that good. We got here on a Thursday around 9 AM and we only waited around 10 minutes so that was huge. I tried the seasonal cruffin with raspberry jam and lemon cream. This was genuinely stuffed full of jam and cream, and the actual cruffin part was exceptional. You can tell that everything is super fresh. I also tried the honey, mustard and cream cheese pretzel croissant. This absolutely blew me out of the park in terms of flavor. Loved I just loved the combo of salty and sweet here and the flaky dough. Really really good. It's a really random location right by the Clybourne Metro stop, but I was able to snag some parking so I'm happy about that. They were also really good with my tree at allergy and normally bakeries are horrible about that so they get extra points from me! I would return even if my wallet isn't happy about it lol read more
10 days ago
Lots of flavor and form options to choose from. Thought the coffee was pretty scrumptious, pretty sure it was metric. Great morning stop! read more
6 months ago
First things first: make sure you order ahead on their website and pick up at the Emily Hotel. It's not a walk-in-and-browse kind of place, and trust me, you don't want to miss out because they sell out fast. The selection is insane -- so many pastries, croissants, and seasonal baked goods that it's honestly hard to choose. Every single thing we tried was next-level. The sourdough banana bread was hands down the best I've ever had. Perfectly moist, deep flavor, not overly sweet -- just unreal. The chocolate chip cookies? AMAZING. I'm not exaggerating when I say I can't stop thinking about them. They were perfectly sweet but with that rich, dark chocolate depth that makes them feel elevated and not basic at all. The moneybread with garlic and rosemary was the only savory option we got -- and we made a huge mistake only ordering one. We should've ordered ten. It was beyond delicious. Flaky, crispy, insanely flavorful. That buttery, herby crunch... OMFG. It might've been my favorite bite of the day. The chocolate croissant was also excellent -- beautifully flaky with rich chocolate inside. This place is hyped for a reason. It's worth it. I cannot wait to go back and order more (and definitely stocking up on that moneybread next time). read more
Bad Butter in Chicago was really good! We arrived right before they opened, and the wait was only about 15 minutes. It's a limited menu, but they perfect every item. I had their ham and cheese croissant, and it was so good. The flavors balanced perfectly, and the layers were just incredible. Another favorite was the miso salted caramel butter cookie, absolutely divine! The monkey bread was just okay for me, it was tasty, but I felt like it needed some protein to really round it out. The milk chocolate chip cookie was fine as well. Overall, a fantastic spot for baked goods in the morning and definitely worth a visit! read more
Wow I get the hype. We finally scored some pastries and loved trying each one. For the savory options, we had the pretzel roll and the monkey bread as well as the focaccia. The pretzel roll was simple but good while the monkey bread was tasty all the way through. However, the focaccia was just underwhelming. For the sweet options, we had the mango croissant, chocolate orange gochujang pastry, and the chocolate chip cookie. Somehow every single one was incredible and worked so well with the flavors. read more
Holy moly! One day I hope to wake up early enough to get my hands on their full menu, but even coming later, everything I tried was delicious, but the mango cruffin was my favorite by far! Very solid coffee too. I hope the line gets more manageable soon or they kick up production to not sell out so fast, but I'll definitely be back! (No seating, take out only, just a heads up) read more
Good pastries, but I was bummed they didn't have the miso cookie nor the gochujang danish when I went. I think they didn't make those for the day as I got in line ~8:00. I will say that this place is kinda overhyped because there are def bakeries I prefer over BB in Chicago. My favorite was the white chocolate lemon raspberry cruffin. All three flavors really shone through and were balanced very well & there was a plentiful amount of cream and jam filling! The pretzel croissant was unique & had good flavors, however, a touch too salty for my liking. The s'mores croissant had great layers & lots of fun different filling components (there's a graham cracker crust filling inside!), but a bit too sweet. The salsa macha monkey bread pretty much tasted like a bread soaked in chili oil. I liked the flavor (I love chili oil) but it was preeeettyyyy greasy/oily. Final note: their lattes are worth getting! read more
2 months ago
8 months ago
I saw Bad Butter on tik tok and made my brother bring me some to Milwaukee from Chicago. We tried the s'mores croissant, apple custard danish, and the eggnog and caramel cruffin. We enjoyed trying each but both agreed that the apple danish was amazing and both of our favorites. I would definitely return and get it again. As far as ordering, they make it easy with text messages to remind you of the drop if you sign up, and I messaged them and asked a question on pick up day and they were responsive and helpful. I definitely recommend. read more
I've been trying to get my hands on some Bad Butter treats forever, so finally snagging a drop felt like winning a pastry lottery. Since everything goes fast, you have to order on Monday for a weekend pickup and the popular items really do sell out in seconds! Pickup was super easy at the hotel café, though I was a little confused at first since the café sells many of the same items. It made me wonder if the preorder is truly necessary, or if some items are available day-of. We tried four things: the pecan monkey bread, s'mores croissant, apple custard danish, and pain suisse. Everything was delicious and absolutely worth the hype. My top picks were the s'mores croissant and the monkey bread--both incredibly fluffy and so, so good. Would 100% go back! read more
2 months ago
Disclaimer: For Bad Butter, you need to place an order ahead of time. For me, it was one week. It's good to know that you can see the menu ahead of time and you can select your time slot to pick up the items. Food: I got a whole assortment of pastries that I cannot remember honestly. But all I can say is that Chicago places... watch out. There wasn't one pastry that I disliked or didn't care for. It's also refreshing they have a different menu every week. Service/Vibes: it was a quick and easy pick up. I told them my name at the time of pick up and my pastries came out 2 minutes later. The place is within a hotel, but there are signs that point you to the right direction. Overall, I would order again! It's hard to try all of Chicago's great spots, but I would recommend this spot to family/friends ahead of time if they ever visit Chicago. read more
2 months ago
Have been buying pastries from Bad Butter when it was called Dan the Baker. The stuff is still consistently good, but my only complaint is now you need to physically wait in line to get them read more
18 days ago
Delicious pastries!! I love this place as a treat since you'll need to pre-order in advance. read more
6 months ago
Were the pastries I ordered from Bad Butter good? Sure. But I disliked having the pressure of having to get my order in a week in advance and then locking myself in to having to drive an hour to pick them up on a day when I wasn't feeling great. There are so many great bakeries in Chicago, I don't think I would ever bother with the hassle again. Great option if you don't mind ordering days in advance and know you will be close by. read more
1 year ago
Best sourdough I've ever had in my life! Like actually insane. Crispy and bubbly on the outside and perfectly warm and soft on the inside. Paired well with scrambled eggs :) Also ordered a couple of other items like the croissants and special items which were superb, but I'll be coming back for the bread over and over. Pickup is at the Emily hotel by the cafe and super easy. Great staff! read more
3 months ago
Pleasant and patient service as you make your selections. You didn't feel rushed while you are trying your decide what to try without just saying give me one if everything. Place is simple yet comfortable feeling, very Welcoming. All items we selected where delicious read more
28 days ago
The fancy chocolate chip cookies were PHENOMENAL ! I loved how they had chocolate in every bite, so soft and chewy and also salted. Perfection! We also really enjoyed the unique flavor of the Chocolate gochujang & marmalade danish it was both sweet and spicy which I never expected to enjoy a spicy pastry! Don't sleep on the matcha either it was delicious. I will 1000000% be back read more
Y'all this is it right here! I thought I would gatekeep for a moment so I wouldn't have to share this wonderous discovery --- but I am in love with Bad Butter! After weeks of getting their notifications to pre-order, I finally took the bait and made my first order for a Friday afternoon. Everything I ordered was amazing and I could say for the first time not overly buttery for croissant like pastries. Usually when I order a box, I wake up the next morning to a box that is soaked in butter and sugar. These pastries did not disappoint and were still crisp and fresh for Saturday's breakfast. I am seriously impressed because I'm used to being overwhelmed by the overly buttery and sugary pastries at other places that I give in halfway and usually give the rest to my hubby. Not today! I will be back! Can't wait to try their other pastries. Ordered: - Plain Kouign Amann - Coffee and Caramel Cruffin - Twice Baked Almond Croissants - Ham and Cheese Croissant - Carrot Cake Bostock read more
Some of the best pastries in Chicago. Fairly accessible if you pay attention to their drops, and always have a fun selection of flavors. I loved the s'mores croissant, and cardamom babka. For me, the fig and honey pastry stole the show. I didn't like the dill pickle one as much as I hoped. Always easy pickup, and great quality desserts. read more
The pastries from Bad Butter are nothing short of glorious. I don't know this Dan guy who is turning out these pastries, but gonna say he is going to be the death of me. I don't eat stuff like this on a regular basis, maybe I will splurge every quarter on something. But Dan and Bad Butter got me craving pastries and that is not good. Let me just start out with the bad part of this experience for me: Bad Butter is not your traditional bakery, they are located in the Emily Hotel in Fulton Market. I have made two purchases and each time it was in a different part of the hotel. In order to place orders for those heavenly item, they drop you a text and you can place your order for pick-up. The first time I did this, I kid you not, I got the text and saw it 10 minutes after it dropped and all of the goodies I wanted were gone! So you have to be quick to place an order or you have to live with the disappointment of not getting what you want. You are not only dealing with a time restraint, but also a quantity one as Dan only makes so many for certain items. For me, that was the Chocolate Cardamom Babka. It was gone in the blink of an eye. Second time around I was able to get three and I was in a happy place. It is worth noting that every week the hot items change, so what you get for one order might not be there the following week. My first order from Bad Butter contained a Cherry Elderflower Danish and that made my knees buckle, it was that good. I have a strong love for The Doctor and The Queen, but I am not gonna lie, I almost ate the ones I got for them. I was debating about even letting them know I had purchased them one, but decided I had to fight the Devil and do right by my Fam, Chocolate Cardamom Babka was also a moving experience. I am a huge fan of the flavor of cardamom and never would have thought to add chocolate to it, but Lordy what a great flavor profile! I now understand why they go so fast. The Cinnamon Knots are just too adorable, with lovely layering of pastry and not to much sugar. Coming from a family of cooks and bakers (yes there is a difference), I know Dan is using old school ingredients just by looking at the layers when you bite into one of his creations. I would say the Cherry Elderflower took me by surprise as it had those lamination layers I am use to seeing in a croissant. You don't always see the level of lamination in danish that Dan does and it can throw you for a loop. That said it did not impact the flavor or the visuals. The Ham/Cheese croissants are good but I recommend warming them up a little to get the full flavor profile. I will say that compared to similar items I have had in the past from other bakeries, this one had a good amount of ham and cheese it in, not just a enough to hint at the flavor. I am so looking forward to future treats Dan has to offer now that I have a system down for how to order what I want. I will say the ordering for those illusive items can be tricky, but I approve it like a competition (which is me), so the gold is not only to get what I want, I need to get those special treats Dan is putting out each week. Big selling point for me is that the pastry are not super sweet and while I know butter is being used, I love how the pastries do not get greasy and soak the cardboard containers with oil. While these pastries are fresh, the shelf life is pretty good. Items I pick up on a Sunday can make it through to 2-4 days, depending on the pastry. Cinnamon Knots hold up pretty good, the Cherry Elderflower Danish had mold on it after three days. In case you are wondering why I didn't put it in the fridge, I don't like cold sweet treats. Also I wanted to see how long I could keep an item out without refrigeration. Sue me, it is the chemist in me doing a DOE. I am not a big social media person, but I will give Instagram a shout out for letting me know about Dan and his pastries. read more
Absolutely amazing! Paris needs to watch out! I travel a lot to Europe and I'm very picky when it comes to pastries here in the states. My sister bought these to see what the hype was all about. Wow! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!! This was all worth the hype. I absolutely fell in love with the pistachio pastry and the Kouign-amann! The pastries were crunchy on outside when you bite into it and both were not diabetic sweet!!! I love the cream and pistachios on the pistachio one. I could have had another! The garlic bread was also delicious! My sister said service was great but you have to pre-order ahead of time and sometimes the same pastries are not always available. Casual ambiance. Can't wait to come back and order more next time! read more
Finally getting to try pastries from Dan after his new rebrand called 'Bad Butter' and my mind was blown away since the first time I tried his pastries!! The ordering process is still the same as well as the pick up location. I've been eyeing his pistachio tiramisu danish for weeks now so I finally jumped the gun and snagged one. It was probs one of the best pastries I've put in my mouth to date. Such a unique and exceptionally tasting pastry. I could eat 100 of those. The monkey bread and caramel donut were just as good too. I usually don't like cream filled donuts but the cream in the caramel donut was the perfect consistency, sweetness, and amount. Can't wait to order again!!! read more
Business owner information
Daniel K.
Thank you! Hope you do come back for our seasonal items!
1 year ago
I had my first Bad Butter pastry at a coffee shop so decided to go straight to the maker the second time. It's pre-order only and sells out FAST. The pick up is only at the Emily Hotel in West Loop on the weekends. So unfortunately you may need to make a trek, but it's worth it! The pick-up is at this little coffee shop in the hotel. We ordered: - Chocolate Sourdough Banana Bread 9.5/10 - Pineapple Kouign Amann 9/10 - Twice Baked Almond Croissants 8/10 My favorite was the banana bread, but I'm partial to that. The pineapple kouign wasn't super pineappley and was beautifully crunchy. Also, surprisingly the price is quite good for the quality, anywhere else it'd probably be like 1-2$ more. read more
1 year ago
Their pastries never disappoint! I was able to preorder a few pastries when it dropped and picked it up on Saturday. You need to be on the site right when it drops on Monday or else the selections get low or they'll sell out. The pick up process is pretty easy, you head to the cafe and as for your pick up order. I was able to try the ube canele, Chicago dog croissant, elderflower danish and the lemon kouign Amman. They were all really tasty but we enjoyed the ube canele and the Chicago dog the most. read more
I first learned about Bad Butter from social media and decided to give it a try. Their pick-up location is inside the Emily Hotel in downtown Chicago about a 2.5-hour drive for me. But I'm committed when it comes to great pastries. I once flew to France over a long weekend just for some bougie treats like kouign-amann and canelé, so a road trip is nothing. Ordering was easy. I signed up through Bad Butter's website and got a text when they were about to do a drop. Within three minutes of receiving the text, I placed my order: Ube canelé $3.5, elderflower cherry danish $8.5, piña colada cruffin $7.25, chocolate cardamom babka $5, lemon lavender kouign-amann $6.5 total = $35 (tax included). Pick-up on a Saturday at 11 am was tricky in downtown Chicago, no street parking, so I left my hazard lights on and ran into the coffee shop. Two people were ahead of me, and I was in and out in about six minutes. Ube canelé- my favorite! Even though it was made with extract (no real ube), it had a perfect balance of crispy edges, chewy interior, and just the right sweetness. Chocolate cardamom babka - a surprising hit for me, especially since I'm not a chocolate fan. Crispy crust with a soft, flavorful interior. Elderflower cherry danish - Tasty though not extraordinary. Lemon lavender kouign-amann - on the drier side, and the lavender was barely noticeable (though it's a subtle flavor to begin with). Piña colada cruffin- my least favorite; the flavor didn't quite come together for me. I'd definitely order the canelé and babka again. The name Bad Butter is catchy, the experience was smooth, and I'm glad we made the trip. Here's hoping they expand to more states for pickup! read more
1 year ago
So glad I tried this place! You have to order online a few days in advanced to get the pastries you want. I got the twice baked almond croissant (5/5) and it was amazing! Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Nice and flakey, perfect sweetness. The pan suisse (5/5) was also really good. The chocolate wasn't too sweet and the pastry was made very well. The ham and cheese croissant (3/5) wasn't fresh and warm so I didn't find it very good. I would have liked it way more warmed. read more
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1655 W Cortland St
Chicago, IL 60622
Bucktown
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(414) 517-5975
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http://Badbutterchicago.com
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1 year ago
Bad Butter - bakeries - Updated August 2026
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