The Cookie Bar was a nice spot to grab some boutique cookies while I was in Chicago. The cookies…read morewere baked fresh, delicious, and a really nice size, not those tiny cookies you finish in two bites! Service was also quick, the bakery wasn't too busy so I was in and out with my cookie order. One thing I really liked was that they have several benches outside, so you can sit down and enjoy your cookies while taking in the Chicago traffic and scenery. When I visited, it was a bit overcast, which made the weather perfect for sitting outside without having to worry too much about the summer heat. I can't comment much on parking since I Ubered, but overall, it was a pleasant experience and definitely worth stopping by if you're in the area and have a sweet tooth.

Finished up at Ramen San next door and came by for a sweet treat…read more We ordered: snickerdoodle $5.50 frosty $5.50 Tasted good, unfortunately snickerdoodle was definitely on the harder side where as frosty was more fresh. Staff inside wasn't too welcoming either.

Wow, this was an awesome surprise! We found this walking the streets late after a Jill Scott…read moreconcert. Great flavors and great options. It was nice and efficient. Give it a try.

Shit is dooky. Smart idea but the desserts taste weird and they are gooey. Got mine in Lemont,read more

Will return Love…read moretheir Dubai sea salt chocolate, and their coffee is great too. The sales lady is very nice.

I of course had to order the Windy City flavor. It was delicious. I'm always a huge fan of Kilwins…read moreand try to stop in one on my travels if it's available. Their ice cream and sweet treats are great. I love their chocolate covered pretzels. I recommend giving this spot a try but they are kind of slow and the workers aren't very polite.

I have visited Magnolia Bakery a handful of times and always have a pleasant experience. They…read morealways have a monthly flavor of banana pudding available, which is fun to see rotate, but honestly the original is usually the better choice. The original is creamy with real chunks of banana in every bite. The space has plenty of indoor seating. One small downside: they don't offer cups of water, so keep that in mind if you're stopping by on a warm day. Staff were friendly. Would highly recommend if you have not yet tried magnolia!

I have been wanting to try Magnolia forever. When in Chicago there's a cornucopia of things to try…read moreand something always gets eliminated. Well, I love this place. Open atmosphere with everyone able to answer questions. My only complaint is that I didn't grab enough cookies or banana pudding. The food is perfect

This place is connected to Parlor Pizza where you can get a table and eat pizza AND dessert. The…read moreactual Dessert Dealer is a small space for to-go desserts. I recommend getting a table at Parlor Pizza and ask for the dessert menu from Dessert Dealer. Service was phenomenal and the pizza was excellent. My group all got the custom BYO Tacolato. We will be back for sure!

It appears this place is part of Parlor Pizza? It was hard to tell since my receipt says "Parlor"…read moreinstead of "Dessert Dealer". Navigating here was a bit interesting since this is possibly a ghost kitchen for the food delivery apps as we saw a number of drivers coming and going. Either way, we found our way here down the street from Au Cheval. Inside was just a small nook to order your ice cream to-go, and get out, so not much of a vibe to sit around and eat. Their concept is gelato + Chocotaco = Chocolato. We ordered the "BYO Tacolato" with cookies and cream on a white confetti taco shell. It was a bit difficult to eat it by hand like a true Chocotaco with all the toppings and ice cream melting down the sides, so it ended up being a glorified gelato sundae. Gelato itself was O-K, nothing special. Came here expecting an homage Chocotaco but was left a little disappointed for the price ($14). I'd stick with Salt & Straw if I want a (still expensive) Chocotaco.

I have been coming to this bakery for as long as I can remember with my dad and his siblings. Just…read moreseeing the green exterior decor elicits the taste of coconut and sweet, sugary peanuts in my mouth. My dad, apparently, is also "a makes lemonade out of lemons type of person" because in driving me to jury duty, he decided Chinatown would be a nice place to visit on my 90 minute lunch break. Cash only, traditional bakery (aka take your items and go), and consistency in their products for literal decades. My favorite is a "snowball" (Remember, I have been eating here since I have been I have been a stroller)--a sticky dough stuffed with sugar coated peanuts and rolled in coconut. My daughter enjoys the cake cups immensely. My mom, almond cookies. My dad is trying the soybean pudding (tofu) today. The staff was helpful, answered questions, and packed up everything nicely, including the sauce for the tofu. I am happy to have gotten the chance to visit today!

Cash only…read more Hole-in-the-wall vibes. The preserved duck egg pastry had a slightly stale shell, but the filling wasn't too sweet and was still pretty satisfying. The hot dog bun was huge, but it tasted like pretty standard bread with a hot dog inside. It was also a bit chewy. I wish it had been softer and served warmer.

A Taiwanese bakery. How could a place that loves Michael Jackson be bad?…read more Salted Egg Yolk Bolo Bun流心菠蘿麵包: Calling it "流心"(runny) isn't quite accurate; it's a bolo bun菠蘿包 (pineapple -shape bun) with a salted egg yolk filling, but it had an authentic, old-fashioned flavor that made me feel like back to childhood. The crust was thin and crispy, with a large air cavity, making it very soft and fluffy. The salted egg yolk has just the right balance of sweetness and saltiness, and wasn't too cloying. Garlic Cheese Brioche Bun蒜香奶酪麵包: Perhaps its more Taiwanese name is "八蒜包" (Eight Garlic Bun). Its appearance and taste were very similar to those I've had at Taiwanese bakeries in mainland China. The cheese and garlic flavors were very strong, but the bread itself was slightly coarse. Hojicha Latte: The whole milk was very milky, but the hojicha flavor felt a little weak. However, it's already great to find a tea latte that's not very sweet.

I wanted one last matcha in Chicago before flying out, and Sweet Bean was right around the corner…read morefrom our brunch spot. I can't speak for their pastries, but their matcha was pretty good! This bakery reminds me of other Asian chains like Paris Baguette or 85°. When you walk inside, you can see the different pastries on display, from sweet to savory. You can pick and choose and pay up front. They also have a menu board with a variety of drinks--caffeinated and non-caffeinated. The service was fine, with limited interaction. They also have seating inside, but it's a bit limited. I got an Iced Mango Pandan Matcha Latte with Soy Milk. The matcha quality was fine. It was sweet, and there was a good amount of mango. I didn't taste any pandan, though. Overall, it was a good drink. I recommend coming here for matcha if you're in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way. Sweet Bean is a good spot in the Loop for matcha or Asian pastries. It's on the corner of Wabash Ave.

Happy as a kid in a candy store.... Literally! Stumbled upon this candy boutique store as I was…read morelooking for a simple bottle of water while visiting Chicago's Chinatown. Let's just say it was an extended stay for more than just bottled water lol. Small boutique candy store that's very nicely organized and offer unique sweet snacks. Many options to choose from as you pick your pieces individually filling up your basket or prepackaged bags of candy. They offer your basic familiar popular candy snacks to international favorites that may be unknown in the states. Small candy shop but be prepared to spend time and be amazed exploring every nook and cranny of the store! The staff was very helpful as you asked questions and knew about every product they offer.

After our dim sum lunch, we were heading to a couple of bakeries in Chinatown Square with our…read moreAmerican friend.  The friend spotted Ichiban Candy and Snacks and would like to check it out.  So, we all did. There was an extensive variety of candy and snacks from Japan and Asia, so colorful and attractive.  The store was quite busy even at 3 pm on a Friday.  I truly felt like a kid in a candy store, happy but a little overwhelmed. There were not just candy and sweets, I saw some traditional Chinese dried fruits, such as dried plums, which are very salty.  Candied fruits called Tanghulu and some fruit-shaped ice cream are interesting. Our friend is familiar with Asian food.  She happily showed me a bag of Japanese rice cake and other snacks that she was going to buy.  The cashier checkout is at the end of the store, which is a bit unusual.  The checkout process seemed efficient and friendly. Since I was planning to shop for baked goods, I didn't purchase anything this time. But I will definitely return and spend more time exploring the store. There is so much to see, and I'm sure there will be something appealing for everyone.