Tag's made me an amazing and delicious cake for my gender reveal party!! Everyone loved it! I was hoping I would have been able to take some home by the end of the party but everyone ate it right up! I would highly recommend tags bakery! Everyone is extremely sweet and so nice and helpful!! Cannot wait to go back! P.S- it's a GIRL! read more

Tag's Bakery - Evanston - Bakeries Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I haven't tried many things at Tag's Bakery but it's really close by my work. I first heard about Tag's from my coworkers. This 4 star review is for my favorite item that I would go back for. They have this ham and cheese quiche that is really really good. It's good fresh from the oven and it's good reheated the next day too. The eggy custard of the quiche is moist (even when you reheat it!) and the crust is not cakey but firm enough to hold all that goodness together. The ham & cheese adds an extra savory kick that makes the whole thing so wonderful. They don't always have the quiche available so if you're looking for it, you may have to pre-order it but I believe they only make it Thurs, Fri and Sat. They have other stuff that I've tried that were really good, the ham & cheese croissant (so deliciously savory!) and their baked goods are awesome. I had some pecan bread swirly thingy (can't remember the actual name) but it was perfectly bread-y, sweet and crunchy. I would definitely go back to try other baked goods and order more ham and cheese quiches! read more

3 stars. The red velvet cupcake was actually pretty good. It was moist and featured the smoothest frosting I've ever eaten - it's like edible silk! The Florentines were interesting. I loved the buttery caramel and almonds. The chocolate kinda disrupted things a bit for me. They should offer a non-chocolate version of the Florentine... 'Tuscanys', maybe?? (Go ahead, you have my permission to use my idea - you know u wanna!) Sorry, but we will just have to agree to disagree on the butter cookies - they were a huge disappointment. They were soft and crumbly and lacked flavor. A little lemon extract or amaretto would greatly enhance their appeal. One cupcake, Four florentines, two butter cookies - $6. If you are spending less tan $10, be prepared to remember your ATM PIN or pay cash. They are extremely pushed about this... All in all my visit was okay. I wasn't wow'd, but I was satisfied. Heck, I'll take it. Yeah, there might be more than one bakery in Evanston, but the one with the big red sign over near the Metra station is the better bakery - hands down. read more

Always enjoy the streusel, pastries, rye bread, croissants (plain, spinach, ham & cheese), cookies (famous for Florentines), Parker House rolls, cakes for every occasion. Four Family Generations of Specialty Bakers. Now, too, Tag's Cafe. Excellent! read more

I just moved to the area Soni have been slowly trying out new spots to see if one can become my new go to, well this place is definitely not it. I went in around 2pm on a Saturday and the whole place smelled quite bad, like a poorly vented kitchen with grease clouding the air. I still wanted to give it a shot so I ordered a blueberry muffin - they were out. So I took the suggestion of the cranberry almond. Went to eat it after I left the shop and it was completely inedible - either it had been left to sit somewhere very damp or it was completely undercooked, just a pile of mush. And what wasn't mush tasted like the gross smell hanging in the air. I will not be back. There was no one else in the shop at that time, for what it's worth, but lots of activity in other shops near by. read more

What a sweet old fashioned bakery! So many great things to choose from here, I can never decide. Everything I've had from here has been fresh and flavorful. Good luck eating "just one" of something! Expect the best, along with great customer service. The staff is very friendly. All around a great place. read more

Tag's Bakery - Evanston - Bakeries Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Reprimanded for not wearing mask. Free standing mask mandate sign inside shop. I will avoid Tag's now. Some breads and muffins are frozen then defrosted for day of sale. Many other good bakeries on Central street: Beth's, Great Harvest, Hewn Bread. read more

I would have been mislead on this one if I looked on Yelp first... We wandered up to Central St. on our bikes one weekday morning and decided that a bakery would be a nice place to stop, so in to Tag's we walked. Everything looked super decadent and appetizing, to the point that we considered ordering a cake from here at some point. Service was quick and friendly. We ended up sampling a slice of chocolate cake, lemon tart, and two small cupcakes on some benches across the park (not really any seating in the store or outside). The two mini cupcakes and lemon tart were, in a word, gross. My two cupcakes were a bit stale, so they tasted dry on top of overly sweet; I could barely stomach a full bite. The lemon tart had a horrible rotten taste, possibly just so sweet it was rotten, or just the combination of too much sweet + old lemon that sat too long? I don't know, just wrong. Either way, they didn't taste fresh, especially the old cupcakes. The chocolate cake was actually really good and moist with a nice fluffiness. I do see good things written about their florentines, but I wish they'd call themselves a cookie shop if they couldn't reliably deliver fresh and well executed versions of the other items they offered... For the chocolate cake and benefit of the doubt on their cookies, 2 stars. I'd come back to see if the cookies are any good, but the others were so off the mark... read more

Food is decent. Service is not. Asking for anything not explicitly scrawled on the chalk board throws them for a loop.

Tag's Cafe recently opened next to the bakery. The cafe is comfortably themed and we'll designed. I loved the outdoor seating and the big front window. The staff was extremely friendly. Unfortunately, the menu and food were just so-so. I would have liked to have seen some lunch paninis (maybe you can get any sandwich made as a panini? I don't know, the menu didn't say). I also would have liked the menu to be a little more clear.. it didn't specify if chips came with the sandwich (they don't). The quiche looked good and I did like that they have many of the bakery items there for purchase like croissants, muffins, and donuts. Overall, I'd give it a B-. It's an addition to the neighborhood but not going to be my first choice. read more

Tag's Bakery - Evanston - Bakeries Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

So bummed. I thought this place looked great. It sure smelled good. The pastries were just ok. Cookies, good. Fine, I'm comparing all pastries to the French pastries I had while in Paris. But the service was abrupt and not warm. I won't be back. But the coffee next door? Amazing. read more

Tag's Bakery has provided baked goods for all sorts of celebrations for our family over the years. From birthdays to weddings and they have done a delicious job! Their Christmas Stollen is wonderful and their Florentine cookies are the best. I often give a box as a house warming gift. The safety precautions during the pandemic have been great and the staff is very helpful You can't go wrong with the baked goods at Tag's! read more

Always kind and professional. Order my kids birthday cakes here always! I also love their cookie selection. The smiley face cookies have such a simple great flavor. read more

Florentine cookies...TO DIE FOR!!!!! Got a yellow cake with buttercream frosting...cake was soft & moist so it was perfect for me, buttercream frosting was a little bit too sweet for my liking. Hoping to try the chocolate cake with raspberry filling soon! read more

Tag's Bakery - Evanston - Yellow cake with buttercream frosting - Bakeries Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I'd still give Tag"s five stars for *just* their Florentines, but everything else I've had from this long-standing institution lately has been stale, dry, and overly sweet. I'm sorry, Tag's, you were my first love when I moved to Evanston 26 years ago, but the affair is over until you raise your standards and stop phoning it in. Except for the Florentines, those are still amazing. read more

We love tags! Amazing cakes! They out did themselves this year! And we love their donuts of course! read more

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Every so often my mother will bring me baked goods from this shop and I'm never disappointed! My favorite thing to get is the lemon tart. It's lip-puckering sour, yet the frosting lining the pastry underneath the custard is the best part. I now have to have it like once a week! I've also had cookies, donuts, and other baked goods and all are delicious! I must go back, I need to try everything! Note: if you are going, go early before they run out of the goods. read more

Been a customer of Tags for years. They don't disappoint. Try here for great pastries, baked fresh. The staff is attentive and polite.

I came here for one thing: Florentines. You Yelpers are right. They are incredible. Tiny little "cookies" made of thinly sliced almonds, some type of caramel, and a chocolate base, with a little piece of dried cherry in the middle. I wasn't ready to commit to a whole pound of these things, but upon next visit will happily fork over the $15ish dollars just to have a pound of these in my house at all times. We picked up a little bag on them and within hours, they are almost gone. A lot of self-control needs to be administered around florentines. Bennison's remains my standby bakery for sweet treats, but now, a trip to Central will ALWAYS involve a stop into Tag's for these delightful little almond, caramel and chocolate noms. Believe the hype. Totally worth it. read more

My family have been customers for over 30 years. Always loved coming here for every special occasion and ordering wonderfully decorated cakes, awesome butter cookies and the oh so delicious smiley face cookie... I am sad to say the quality of decorating has literally gone down the drain. The last couple years have been an extreme disappointment, yet I always give it another try. I tried for the last time today... My disappointment has won! I picked up two dozen baby shower cupcakes that looked like a three year old could have done better. The baby booties, rattle and diaper pin were the size of a dime. Every cupcake was a different size. And they only used two colors for the decorating. Never again! Good luck to all, but reconsider this place if you want cute, detailed and quality decorating!!! read more

Tag's Bakery - Evanston - Disappointment sets in. But they taste better than they look! - Bakeries Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I admit, back east, I had my go to bakery place. In Chicago, I have yet to find it. This bakery I have been to before and it is a solid offering and seems to have reliable quality product and regular patrons. The cake is affordable and I would say a step up in quality from what you would get at Whole Foods. Do not get me wrong, Whole Foods has some nice looking cakes, but of late, the taste and/or the lack of richness seems to suggest all looks but no character. The carrot cake I had here recently was rich without being too rich, but I felt the icing could have been a little thicker and more butter creamy (my preference). I also felt the cake itself could have been a tad more moist. If anyone knows of a bakery in the Chicago area that has a phenomenal amaretto cake, I would be much obliged. read more

As of this moment I am sitting down to Tag's FAMOUS chocolate dipped, caramel Florentine. I wish I said I was savoring it but it's so darn good I finished it up in two bites. This gourmet bakery has something for everyone's sweet tooth. Their website is also user friendly and let's you order some pastries online. I wish someone in my office would steal the tantalizing box of goodness so I would stop staring at it thinking, "hmm, maybe just one more..." read more

FLORENTINES....if you haven't had one, I'd suggest you drive over to Evanston and pick up a pound or two. Florentines are a layer of toasted nuts covered in a caramel like sauce and are coated on the bottom with chocolate. You'll become a believer, believe me. The bakery is reminiscent of an older bakery, a smaller room with display cases of sweets all over. Service is friendly and are quick with the orders. Haven't had anything else from the bakery so this review is strictly on the Florentines and the service. read more

I've been here several times over a period of years; generally my experience has been more of a "hit" than a "miss" - most of the things I have bought are pretty good. Then came Christmas Eve and some last minute shopping on Central St. I stopped in seeking some last minute Julekake - a Scandanavian "Christmas cake" - really a sweet loaf of bread with raisins and citrons in it - but nowhere near the amount in typical fruitcakes. I've usually bought this at the Swedish Bakery in Andersonville, but at this time of that day, I knew they'd be out of it. But given that Tag's is a Swedish bakery, thought I'd check and see. As I was asking some employees who didn't know what it was, one of them overheard me who did. She said, "yes, we have it - it's over there." And in a basket on top of the counter were three loaves wrapped in plastic. I took two of them, one for me and one for a friend who I was going to visit that night. Well, I tried it the next day and it was everything I was hoping for. Great taste, a small amount of poppy seeds (which I had never seen before) and most importantly, nice and moist. It took me about a week to finish it and I'm happy to say that it was about as moist on Day 7 as it was on Day 1. Happy to have discovered this at Tag's - I'll be back again when they have it. read more

My recommendations: The custard and jelly donuts are always good. If you like fruit cake, they make a pretty good one bite size or full cake for the holiday season. The spinach and feta croissant was good too. Will go back to try the cakes and other pastries!!! read more

I only hate one thing about this place-- that it is constantly tempting me with the delicious treats. The smell when you walk in is so amazing. I like the florentines if I want to nibble on something sweet and small. But on a day I really need a pick-me-up, I dive into sugar cookies. Plentiful colors and decorations. It's just so inviting and uplifting. read more

Been going to Tag's since I could walk, and I have to say...this place hasn't changed a bit except for maybe ruder service (or maybe people were just nicer to me when I was cute and little!). Go for a chocolate log or vanilla cupcake with sprinkles - they make the classic old fashioned things here right. I wouldn't recommend the cakes, but any of the cookies and small treats are delish. Best smiley faced cookie on the planet!!!! Parking can be rough, so go during the week. read more

O.K. Since today (9/14) is "National Cream-Filled Donut Day", I had to give props to my neighborhood bakery...Tag's. I had a chocolate cream filled doughnut that was so delectable, that I felt guilty eating it. Felt kinda sinful and glutinous, especially when I heard myself saying "yummmmmmm" after each bite. This bakery is a favorite for b-day cakes, homemade breads, cookies of all sorts, homemade pies. So, if you're in or around Evanston, and have an urge for a sweet treat, stop at Tag's Bakery....you won't be disappointed. read more

Wanting something sweet while at Evanston Hospital, I found Tag's from all you great people on Yelp! There's so much to choose from I had to take a moment to soak it all in. The butter cookies are just melt in your mouth delicious. I'm ashamed to admit that I ate most of the one pound box I bought all by myself - Most, not all of it. I also had to try their Red Velvet Cupcakes. It was moist and just the right hint of chocolate with the proper proportion of "red." The cream cheese frosting isn't a sock you with cream cheese type of frosting which is good. You actually taste the cupcake. I did go back a week later and bought more cupcakes and was slightly disappointed by them the second time around. They were not nearly as moist or as flavorful as the first time. It doesn't mean I didn't polish it off. I guess it's just a hit or miss thing. I tried the Florentine's because I love almonds, I love chocolate and I love caramel so put it all together ... It was just Eh. It was too sweet for me. This will definitely be a stop I have to make when I go to Evanston Hospital for Dr. appts and such. OH! If you're in a hurry, you might want to skip this place. The girls (there were 5 behind the count the second time I went and 3 the first time I went in) working there are extremely slow. I really mean slow - I was the only customer the 2nd time I was there and it still took me over 15 minutes to get 2 one pound boxes of butter cookies and 4 red velvet cupcakes. The 1st time I went in it took me just as long for 2 one pound boxes of cookies and only 2 red velvet cupcakes. read more

Florintines. Skip everything else and get the florintines. These cookies are to die for - they are totally worth the $14.95 per pound price and you will be back for more. I live quite a way from this bakery, but anytime I am in the area or know someone who will be I always get a pound or two of these cookies. You can also order them online - makes the perfect gift if you don't end up eating them all yourself. read more

More of a 3.5 star than a 3 star. Pretty good. Nothing transcendent. Didn't seem to be worth the 4 and 5 stars reviews others gave it (though I am something of a tough grader). read more

Florentines!!!! Sure they have other stuff and I"m sure it"s good but those Florentines rule the roost. Friendly folks too.

Yes everyone, Bennison's isn't the only bakery in Evanston. Tag's is overshadowed by you know who, but it definitely was decent, when I did go here late last year. The donuts I tried here were definitely decent(can't remember the names of any of them unfortunately), but I know the cake donuts were my favorite of the ones I tried. I also had a few non-donut pastries, that weren't bad. Don't find myself up in the Central St. area as often as I'd like, but perhaps one day I'll find something here that will feel like a triple or home run, and would push them up a star. read more

Baked goods taste good but their prices are ridiculously high...is this very small 7 inch carrot cake really worth $20.00??? The answer is a resounding "NO"... read more

Tag's Bakery - Evanston - Tag's Carrot Cake - Bakeries Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Love Tag's their florentines are fabulous. Love their pies. Pop tarts Tuesday's special are delicious. Pecan loafs are another favorite as well as their mini pecan rolls. Pumpkin pie slices so creamy. Apple and cherry slices super tasty. Really can't go wrong. I'll be back!!!!! read more

This is a pretty typical small-town bakery, I assume it's been there since Evanston actually was a small town. The stuff is okay, but not amazing. It's exactly what you would expect from a place like this. Everything tastes find and works if you just want a cookie or whatever, but I don't think I'd make a special trip for anything. They have really nicely decorated cakes in the window though, so I'd consider trying one of those. read more

Amazing mini pies and so well priced!! The staff was also helpful and very nice! I will definitely come back and recommend people :)

I live in Roger Park and have been going to Bennison's for years and only heard about this bakery about a year ago. The cakes and the frosting are wonderful here. The cake has a nice flavor and the butter cream frosting is light and creamy and not overly sweet. Also, the cake decorators are extremely accommodating and have done very specific and time consuming requests for all cakes ordered this year for only a $3.00 up charge. I could not get the folks at Bennison's to ever really deviate from their standard offerings without a lot of hassle, if at all. The decorated sugar cookies here are also very yummy, as well as the Florentine's. When I co to pick up a cake, I can never leave with out purchasing these items as well. read more

We used Tag's for our wedding cake, and they were extremely accommodating with the venue's specific delivery times and went out of their way to ensure the cake was delivered during the available time. Also their cake is absolutely DELICIOUS. Very moist and the frosting isn't overly sugary like you find on some cakes. I also appreciated that they boxed up the trial cake for us to take home so we could share with my parents. A nice touch! read more

This is a great bakery; I don't know why it is not # 1 but you should check this out if you want lovely traditional baked goods; cider donuts prefect for fall, florentines a delight and their traditional cake w buttercream not too sweet and balance of frosting and cake. Great service; so much better than Magnolia in NYC. read more